Gethsemane (Oratorio)
Encyclopedia
Gethsemane is a chamber-oratorio by the British composer, Matthew King
. Commissioned for the opening concert of the 1998 Spitalfields Festival, the work was composed for the early music group, Florilegium
and is scored for 4 vocalists (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) and a 'Baroque' ensemble consisting of flute solo, 2 oboes, 3 natural trumpets, strings, harpsichord and percussion. The oratorio uses a compilation of Biblical texts to relate the New Testament narrative from Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem until his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Each of the four vocalists represents several characters in the story and all four join together to sing collectively as disciples, pharisees and various crowds. Certain instruments within the ensemble are used to represent characters in the drama: for example, Christ is always accompanied with a flute, the pharisees are joined by rumbling timpani and Judas by a solo harpsichord.
After the first performance, the critic Roderick Dunnett described King's Gethsemane as "passion music in the great tradition" whilst Michael White wrote in The Independent
that "there's an innocence about the music which is honest, heartfelt, full of what a German would call "ear-worms": ideas that dig deep into the listener's mind."
Matthew King (composer)
Matthew King is a British composer and pianist. His works include opera, piano and chamber music, choral and orchestral pieces.-Career:...
. Commissioned for the opening concert of the 1998 Spitalfields Festival, the work was composed for the early music group, Florilegium
Florilegium early music ensemble
Florilegium is an early music ensemble based in London. The Director, Ashley Solomon co-founded the group in 1991, and Florilegium's performances range from intimate chamber music to large-scale orchestral repertoire...
and is scored for 4 vocalists (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) and a 'Baroque' ensemble consisting of flute solo, 2 oboes, 3 natural trumpets, strings, harpsichord and percussion. The oratorio uses a compilation of Biblical texts to relate the New Testament narrative from Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem until his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Each of the four vocalists represents several characters in the story and all four join together to sing collectively as disciples, pharisees and various crowds. Certain instruments within the ensemble are used to represent characters in the drama: for example, Christ is always accompanied with a flute, the pharisees are joined by rumbling timpani and Judas by a solo harpsichord.
After the first performance, the critic Roderick Dunnett described King's Gethsemane as "passion music in the great tradition" whilst Michael White wrote in The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
that "there's an innocence about the music which is honest, heartfelt, full of what a German would call "ear-worms": ideas that dig deep into the listener's mind."