Symphony No. 2 (Mendelssohn)
Encyclopedia
The Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, op. 52, called the "Lobgesang" (or "Hymn of Praise") Symphony
, was composed by Felix Mendelssohn
. It was written in 1840 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the invention of printing
, along with the less-known Festgesang "Gutenberg Cantata"
.
The composer's description of the work was 'A Symphony-Cantata on Words of the Holy Bible, for Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra'. Structurally, it consists of three purely orchestral movements followed by nine movements for chorus and/or soloists and orchestra, and lasts approximately 65-70 minutes in total. The English titles of the nine vocal movements are as follows.
s, two oboe
s, two clarinet
s, two bassoon
s, four horn
s, two trumpet
s, two cornet
s, three trombone
s, timpani
, chorus
, organ
and strings
.
1. Sinfonia
2. Chorus and Soprano Solo
Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn. (Psalm 150
)
Lobt den Herrn mit Saitenspiel, lobt ihn mit eurem Lied. (Psalm 33
)
Und alles Fleisch lobe seinen heiligen Namen. (Psalm 145
)
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, und was in mir ist, seinen heiligen Namen.
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, und vergiß es nicht, was er dir Gutes getan. (Psalm 103
)
3. Tenor Recitative and Aria
Saget es, die ihr erlöst seid durch den Herrn,
die er aus der Not errettet hat,
aus schwerer Trübsal, aus Schmach und Banden,
die ihr gefangen im Dunkel waret,
alle, die er erlöst hat aus der Not.
Saget es! Danket ihm und rühmet seine Güte! (Psalm 107
)
Er zählet unsre Tränen in der Zeit der Not,
er tröstet die Betrübten mit seinem Wort. (Psalm 56
)
Saget es! Danket ihm und rühmet seine Güte.
4. Chorus
Saget es, die ihr erlöset seid von dem Herrn aus aller Trübsal.
Er zählet unsere Tränen.
5. Soprano Duet and Chorus
Ich harrete des Herrn, und er neigte sich zu mir und hörte mein Flehn.
Wohl dem, der seine Hoffnung setzt auf den Herrn!
Wohl dem, der seine Hoffnung setzt auf ihn! (Psalm 40
)
6. Tenor Aria and Recitative
Stricke des Todes hatten uns umfangen,
und Angst der Hölle hatte uns getroffen,
wir wandelten in Finsternis. (Psalm 116
)
Er aber spricht: Wache auf! der du schläfst,
stehe auf von den Toten, ich will dich erleuchten! (Ephesians
5:14)
Wir riefen in der Finsternis: Hüter, ist die Nacht bald hin?
Der Hüter aber sprach:
Wenn der Morgen schon kommt, so wird es doch Nacht sein;
wenn ihr schon fraget, so werdet ihr doch wiederkommen
und wieder fragen: Hüter, ist die Nacht bald hin? (Isaiah
21:11-12)
7. Chorus
Die Nacht ist vergangen, der Tag aber herbei gekommen.
So laßt uns ablegen die Werke der Finsternis,
und anlegen die Waffen des Lichts,
und ergreifen die Waffen des Lichts. (Romans
13:12)
8. Chorale
Nun danket alle Gott mit Herzen, Mund und Händen,
der sich in aller Not will gnädig zu uns wenden,
der so viel Gutes tut, von Kindesbeinen an
uns hielt in seiner Hut und allen wohlgetan.
Lob Ehr und Preis sei Gott, dem Vater und dem Sohne,
und seinem heilgen Geist im höchsten Himmelsthrone.
Lob dem dreiein'gen Gott, der Nacht und Dunkel schied
von Licht und Morgenrot, ihm danket unser Lied. (Evangelisches Kirchengesangbuch; Text v. Martin Rinckart, 1636)
9. Soprano and Tenor Duet
Drum sing ich mit meinem Liede ewig dein Lob, du treuer Gott!
Und danke dir für alles Gute, das du an mir getan.
Und wandl' ich in der Nacht und tiefem Dunkel
und die Feinde umher stellen mir nach,
so rufe ich an den Namen des Herrn,
und er errettet mich nach seiner Güte.
10. Chorus
Ihr Völker! bringet her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht!
Ihr Könige! bringet her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht!
Der Himmel bringe her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht!
Die Erde bringe her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht! (Psalm 96
)
Alles danke dem Herrn!
Danket dem Herrn und rühmt seinen Namen
und preiset seine Herrlichkeit. (I Chronicles 16:8-10)
Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn, Halleluja! (Psalm 150
)
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
, was composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
. It was written in 1840 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the invention of printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
, along with the less-known Festgesang "Gutenberg Cantata"
Festgesang (Gutenberg cantata)
The Festgesang , also known as Festgesang zur Eröffnung der am ersten Tage der vierten Säkularfeier der Erfindung der Buchdruckerkunst, was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in the first half of 1840 for performance in Leipzig at the celebrations to mark the putative quatercentenary of the invention of...
.
The composer's description of the work was 'A Symphony-Cantata on Words of the Holy Bible, for Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra'. Structurally, it consists of three purely orchestral movements followed by nine movements for chorus and/or soloists and orchestra, and lasts approximately 65-70 minutes in total. The English titles of the nine vocal movements are as follows.
- All men, all things, all that have life and breath
- Praise ye the Lord O ye Spirit
- Sing ye Praise
- All ye that cried unto the Lord
- I waited for the Lord
- The Shadows of Death
- The Night is Departing
- Let all men praise the Lord
- My song shall be always Thy Mercy
- Ye nations, offer to the Lord.
Instrumentation
The symphony is scored for two fluteFlute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s, two oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s, two clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s, two bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
s, four horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
s, two trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s, two cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
s, three trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
s, timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
, chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
and strings
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
.
Text
1. Sinfonia
2. Chorus and Soprano Solo
Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn. (Psalm 150
Psalm 150
Psalm 150 is a psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. In it, the writer urges the congregation to praise God with music and dancing. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, has often been set to music...
)
Lobt den Herrn mit Saitenspiel, lobt ihn mit eurem Lied. (Psalm 33
Psalm 33
-Judaism:*Is recited in its entirety during the Pesukei Dezimra on Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Hoshana Rabbah.*Is recited during Tashlikh.*Is recited on days of fasting Behab in some traditions.*Verse 1 is part of Shochein Ad....
)
Und alles Fleisch lobe seinen heiligen Namen. (Psalm 145
Psalm 145
-Judaism:*The majority of the prayer Ashrei that is recited thrice daily is Psalm 145 .*Verse 13 is found in the repetition to the Amidah on Rosh Hashanah....
)
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, und was in mir ist, seinen heiligen Namen.
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, und vergiß es nicht, was er dir Gutes getan. (Psalm 103
Psalm 103
Psalm 103 is the 103rd psalm from the Book of Psalms . The first verse attributes it to King David, the author of many Psalms. J.A...
)
3. Tenor Recitative and Aria
Saget es, die ihr erlöst seid durch den Herrn,
die er aus der Not errettet hat,
aus schwerer Trübsal, aus Schmach und Banden,
die ihr gefangen im Dunkel waret,
alle, die er erlöst hat aus der Not.
Saget es! Danket ihm und rühmet seine Güte! (Psalm 107
Psalm 107
Psalm 107 is a psalm in the biblical book of Psalms. Written by King David, this psalm is a song of thanksgiving to God, who has been merciful to his people and gathered all who were lost. It is beloved of mariners due to its reference to ships and the sea Psalm 107 (Greek numbering: 106) is a...
)
Er zählet unsre Tränen in der Zeit der Not,
er tröstet die Betrübten mit seinem Wort. (Psalm 56
Psalm 56
Psalm 56 is the 56th psalm from the Book of Psalms. It was written by David. It is representative of him or anyone else hiding from an enemy....
)
Saget es! Danket ihm und rühmet seine Güte.
4. Chorus
Saget es, die ihr erlöset seid von dem Herrn aus aller Trübsal.
Er zählet unsere Tränen.
5. Soprano Duet and Chorus
Ich harrete des Herrn, und er neigte sich zu mir und hörte mein Flehn.
Wohl dem, der seine Hoffnung setzt auf den Herrn!
Wohl dem, der seine Hoffnung setzt auf ihn! (Psalm 40
Psalm 40
-Judaism:*Verse 2 is found in the repetition of the Amidah during Rosh Hashanah.*Verse 12 is the second verse from V'hu Rachum in Pesukei Dezimra, and the long Tachanun recited on Mondays and Thursdays....
)
6. Tenor Aria and Recitative
Stricke des Todes hatten uns umfangen,
und Angst der Hölle hatte uns getroffen,
wir wandelten in Finsternis. (Psalm 116
Psalm 116
-Judaism:*Is one of six psalms of which Hallel is composed. On all days when Hallel is recited, this psalm is recited in its entirety, except on Rosh Chodesh and the last six days of Passover, when only verses 1-11 are recited....
)
Er aber spricht: Wache auf! der du schläfst,
stehe auf von den Toten, ich will dich erleuchten! (Ephesians
Epistle to the Ephesians
The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, often shortened to Ephesians, is the tenth book of the New Testament. Its authorship has traditionally been credited to Paul, but it is considered by some scholars to be "deutero-Pauline," that is, written in Paul's name by a later author strongly influenced by...
5:14)
Wir riefen in der Finsternis: Hüter, ist die Nacht bald hin?
Der Hüter aber sprach:
Wenn der Morgen schon kommt, so wird es doch Nacht sein;
wenn ihr schon fraget, so werdet ihr doch wiederkommen
und wieder fragen: Hüter, ist die Nacht bald hin? (Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
21:11-12)
7. Chorus
Die Nacht ist vergangen, der Tag aber herbei gekommen.
So laßt uns ablegen die Werke der Finsternis,
und anlegen die Waffen des Lichts,
und ergreifen die Waffen des Lichts. (Romans
Epistle to the Romans
The Epistle of Paul to the Romans, often shortened to Romans, is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul to explain that Salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
13:12)
8. Chorale
Nun danket alle Gott mit Herzen, Mund und Händen,
der sich in aller Not will gnädig zu uns wenden,
der so viel Gutes tut, von Kindesbeinen an
uns hielt in seiner Hut und allen wohlgetan.
Lob Ehr und Preis sei Gott, dem Vater und dem Sohne,
und seinem heilgen Geist im höchsten Himmelsthrone.
Lob dem dreiein'gen Gott, der Nacht und Dunkel schied
von Licht und Morgenrot, ihm danket unser Lied. (Evangelisches Kirchengesangbuch; Text v. Martin Rinckart, 1636)
9. Soprano and Tenor Duet
Drum sing ich mit meinem Liede ewig dein Lob, du treuer Gott!
Und danke dir für alles Gute, das du an mir getan.
Und wandl' ich in der Nacht und tiefem Dunkel
und die Feinde umher stellen mir nach,
so rufe ich an den Namen des Herrn,
und er errettet mich nach seiner Güte.
10. Chorus
Ihr Völker! bringet her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht!
Ihr Könige! bringet her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht!
Der Himmel bringe her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht!
Die Erde bringe her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht! (Psalm 96
Psalm 96
Psalm 96 is one of the psalm in the biblical Book of Psalms. One of the Royal Psalms, Psalm 93-99, praising God as the King of His people.-Judaism:*Is the second paragraph of Kabbalat Shabbat....
)
Alles danke dem Herrn!
Danket dem Herrn und rühmt seinen Namen
und preiset seine Herrlichkeit. (I Chronicles 16:8-10)
Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn, Halleluja! (Psalm 150
Psalm 150
Psalm 150 is a psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. In it, the writer urges the congregation to praise God with music and dancing. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, has often been set to music...
)
Further reading
- Hans Gebhard (Hrsg.): Harenberg Chormusikführer. Harenberg, Dortmund 1999, ISBN 3-611-00817-6.
- Silke Leopold, Ullrich Scheideler: Oratorienführer. Metzler, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3476009777.