The Creation, the oratorio

Oratorio

An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...

 by Joseph Haydn

Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...

, is structured in three parts. He composed it in 1796–1798 on German text as Die Schöpfung. The work is set for soloists, chorus and orchestra. Its movements are listed in tables for their form, voice

Voice type

A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics. Voice classification is the process by which human voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types...

, key

Key (music)

In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...

, tempo marking

Tempo

In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...

, time signature

Time signature

The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....

 and source.

Libretto

The origin of the libretto

Libretto

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...

 is not known. Haydn received the booklet in English in London on his second extended stay in 1795 from his impresario Johann Peter Salomon

Johann Peter Salomon

Johann Peter Salomon was a German violinist, composer, conductor and musical impresario.-Life:...

. According to Haydn, it was passed by a certain Lidley, oder perhaps Thomas Linley, and was attributed to him, but may be written by an unknown author. Back in Vienna, Haydn passed it to his friend and sponsor Baron Gottfried van Swieten

Gottfried van Swieten

Gottfried, Freiherr van Swieten was a diplomat, librarian, and government official who served the Austrian Empire during the 18th century...

, who translated and organized it.

The sources for the libretto are the two Creation narratives from the Book of Genesis, some Psalms, and John Milton

John Milton

John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...

's Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books, with a total of over ten thousand individual lines of verse...

, an epic poem in ten volumes, first published in 1667. The libretto is structured in three parts, the first dealing with the Creation of the universe and the plants, the second with the Creation of the animals, and of man and woman, and the third with Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews...

 in Paradise

Paradise

Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...

, showing an idealized love in harmony with the "new world".

Music

Haydn had composed symphonies

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...

, opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

s, string quartet

String quartet

A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...

s and more chamber music

Chamber music

Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...

 for the court at Eszterháza

Eszterháza

Esterháza is a palace in Fertőd, Hungary, built by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. Sometimes called the "Hungarian Versailles", it is Hungary's grandest Rococo edifice.-History:...

. For the oratorio he used the vocal means of contemporary opera, recitative

Recitative

Recitative , also known by its Italian name "recitativo" , is a style of delivery in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms of ordinary speech...

, aria

Aria

An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...

, ensemble and chorus. The orchestra plays a decisive role in structure and tone painting.

The oratorio has five solo roles, in Part I and II the three archangels Gabriel (soprano

Soprano

A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...

), Uriel (tenor

Tenor

The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...

) and Raphael

Raphael (archangel)

Raphael is an archangel of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, who in the Judeo-Christian tradition performs all manners of healing....

 (bass

Bass (voice type)

A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...

), in Part III Adam (bass) and Eve (soprano). The final movement needs an additional alto

Alto

Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...

 soloist. The chorus is in four parts, SATB

SATB

In music, SATB is an initialism for soprano, alto, tenor, bass, defining the voices required by a chorus or choir to perform a particular musical work...

. Haydn used three soloists, some conductors prefer different soloists for Adam and Eve.

Haydn set most of the narration from the Genesis in secco recitative. The rendering of the words is simple, different for example from Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...

's approach in the parts of the Evangelist

Evangelist (Bach)

The Evangelist in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach is the tenor part in his oratorios and Passions who narrates the exact words of the Bible, translated by Martin Luther, in recitative, namely in the works St John Passion, St Matthew Passion, and the Christmas Oratorio, also in the St Mark...

 in his Passions. Haydn exceptions are the two recitatives opening Part I and II, which are accompanied by the orchestra. For each day, the recitative is followed by a contemplation of it, typically in accompanied recitative and aria, and affirmed by a choral movement.

As Bach in his Christmas Oratorio

Christmas Oratorio

The Christmas Oratorio BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 incorporating music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a...

and Handel in Messiah, Haydn saves the soprano voice for a late appearance. Whereas Bach and Handel reserve the high voice for the Annunciation to the shepherds

Annunciation to the shepherds

The Annunciation to the shepherds is an episode in the Nativity of Jesus described in the Bible in Luke 2, in which angels tell a group of shepherds about the birth of Jesus...

, Haydn has Gabriel be the first to proclaim the wonder of the Wunderwerk (miraculous work).

Different from Handel, who keeps solo and choral singing mostly separate in his operas and oratorios, Haydn strives for an interaction of solo and chorus, as in his late Masses and contemporary opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

. In the conclusion of Part I, Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes (The heavens are telling the glory of God), which covers the first two verses of Psalm 19

Psalm 19

Psalm 19 is the 19th psalm in the Book of Psalms . It is ascribed to David.The psalm consider the glory of God in Creation, and moves to reflect on the character and use of the Torah. A comparison is made between the Torah and the Sun, which lends a degree of unity to the psalm. C. S...

, the second verse, "To day that is coming speaks it the day ...", is given to the soloists, who sing to each other. This trio

Trio (music)

Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...

 section is repeated, leading to a choral repetition of verse 1, the second time a bit faster (Più allegro) and concluded by an elaborate fugue, crafted on its second part, "and the firmament sheweth his handywork". In Vollendet ist das große Werk, the chorus frames a slow trio section by two different fast movements. In Von deiner Güt, o Herr und Gott (By thy goodness, O bounteous Lord), the soloists sing a duet, accompanied by triplets, while the choir with the timpani sings simultaneously, as a soft foundation in even rhythm speaking of eternity, Gesegnet sei des Herren Macht (Forever blessed be his pow'r).

The orchestra plays a distinct role in word painting

Word painting

Word painting is the musical technique of writing music that reflects the literal meaning of a song. For example, ascending scales would accompany lyrics about going up; slow, dark music would accompany lyrics about death.Tone painting of words goes at least as far back as Gregorian chant...

. For example, flute and clarinet imitate the singing of the birds, trombones and contrabassoon articulate the roaring of the lion. When God speaks in person, "Seid fruchtbar" (be fruitful), the bass voice is accompanied by the low strings only. The solemn sound is reminiscent of the string quartet accompanying the Vox Christi

Vox Christi

Vox Christi, Latin for Voice of Christ, is a term for the bass voice representing Jesus in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and others. This part appears prominently in Bach's Passions...

 (voice of Christ) in Bach's St Matthew Passion. The cellos have the melody speaking of human love, three flutes illustrate Paradise.

Richard Wigmore summarizes: "In our own sceptical and precarious age we can still delight, perhaps with a touch of nostalgia, in Haydn’s unsullied optimism, expressed in some of the most lovable and life-affirming music ever composed."

General notes

The following tables are organized by the first line of the movement. Different numbering of the movement exists. The voices are sometimes abbreviated S for soprano, T for tenor, B for Bass. The modulating keys of many recitatives are written in accidentals. Recitatives typically come without a tempo marking. If no source is given, the text is derived from Paradise Lost. The book of Genesis is abbreviated "Gen", the Book of Psalms "Ps". The English translations are taken from the edition of the Oxford University Press, 1991.

Part I

Title	Form	Voice	Key	Tempo	Time	Source	Translation	Notes
Die Vorstellung des Chaos			C minor	Largo			The Representation of Chaos
Day 1
Im Anfange schuf Gott Himmel und Erde	Recitative	Bass	C minor			Gen 1:1–2	In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth
Und der Geist Gottes schwebte	Chorus					Gen 1:2–3	And the Spirit of God moved	suddenly forte in C major on "light"
Und Gott sah das Licht	Recitative	Tenor				Gen 1:4	And God saw the light
Nun schwanden vor dem heiligen Strahle	Aria	Tenor	A major	Andante			Now vanished by the holy beams
Erstarrt entflieht der Höllengeister Schar				Allegro moderato			Affrighted fled hell's spirits
Verzweiflung, Wut und Schrecken	Chorus, fugue						Desparing, cursing rage
Day 2
Und Gott machte das Firmament	Recitative secco	Bass				Gen 1:6–7	And God made the firmament
Mit Staunen sieht das Wunderwerk	Solo with chorus	Soprano	C major	Allegro moderato			The marv'lous work beholds amazed
Day 3
Und Gott sprach: Es sammle sich das Wasser	Recitative secco	Bass				Gen 1:9–10	And God said let the waters
Rollend in schäumenden Wellen	Aria	Bass	D minor	Allegro assai			Rolling in foaming billows
Und Gott sprach: Es bringe die Erde Gras hervor	Recitative secco	Soprano				Gen 1:11	And God said, Let all the earth bring forth grass
Nun beut die Flur das frische Grün	Aria	Soprano	B-flat major	Andante	6/8		Now robed in cool refreshing green
Und die himmlischen Heerscharen verkündigten den dritten Tag'	Recitative secco	Tenor					And the Heavenly host proclaimed the third day
Stimmt an die Saiten	Chorus		D major	Vivace			Awake the harp
Day 4
Und Gott sprach: Es sei'n Lichter an der Feste des Himmels	Recitative secco	Tenor				Gen 1:14–16	And God said : Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven
In vollem Glanze steiget jetzt die Sonne strahlend auf	Recitative	Tenor	D major	Andante			In splendour bright is rising now the sun
Mit leisem Gang und sanftem Schimmer				Piú Adagio			With softer beams and milder light
Den ausgedehnten Himmelsraum				Piú Adagio			The space immense of th'azure sky
Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes	Chorus		C major	Allegro		Ps 19:1	The heavens are telling the glory of God
Dem kommenden Tage sagt es der Tag	Trio	S B T				Ps 19:2	To day that is coming speaks it the day
Die Himmel erzählen ...	Chorus						The heavens are telling ...
Dem kommenden Tage ...	Trio	S B T					To day that is coming ...
Die Himmel erzählen ...	Chorus			Più allegro			The heavens are telling ...
Und seiner Hände Werk	Chorus, fugue					Ps 19:1	The wonder of his works	second part of Ps 19:1

Part II

Title	Form	Voice	Key	Tempo	Time	Source	Translation	Notes
Day 5
Und Gott sprach: Es bringe das Wasser in der Fülle hervor	Recitative	Soprano		Allegro		Gen 1:20	And God said : Let the waters bring forth in plenty
Auf starkem Fittiche schwinget sich der Adler stolz	Aria	Soprano	F major	Moderato			On mighty wings the eagle proudly soars aloft
Und Gott schuf große Walfische	Recitative secco	Bass				Gen 1:21–22	And God created great whales
Seid fruchtbar alle	Recitative			Poco Adagio			Be fruitful all
Und die Engel rührten ihr' unsterblichen Harfen	Recitative secco	Bass					And the angels struck their immortal harps
In holder Anmut stehn	Trio	S T B	A major	Moderato	2/4		In fairest raiment
Der Herr ist groß in seiner Macht	Trio and chorus	S T B		Vivace			The Lord is great in his might
Day 6
Es bringe die Erde hervor lebende Geschöpfe	Recitative secco	Bass				Gen 1:24	And God said : Let earth bring forth the living creature
Gleich öffnet sich der Erde Schoß	Recitative	Bass		Presto			At once Earth opens her womb	various keys and tempo markings to illustrate different animals
Das zackig Haupt				Presto	6/8		The nimble stag
Auf grünen Matten				Andante	6/8		The cattle in herds
Wie Staub verbreitet sich				Andante			Unnumbered as the sands
In langen Zügen				Adagio			In long dimensions
Nun scheint in vollem Glanze der Himmel	Aria	Bass	D major	Allegro maestoso	3/4		Now shines heaven in the brightest glory
Und Gott schuf den Menschen	Recitative secco	Tenor				Gen 1:27, Gen 2:7	And God created Man
Mit Würd' und Hoheit angetan	Aria	Tenor	C major	Andante			In native worth and honor clad
Und Gott sah jedes Ding	Recitative secco	Bass				Gen 1:31	And God saw every thing
Vollendet ist das große Werk	Chorus		B-flat major	Vivace		Ps 145:15–16	Fulfilled at last the great work
Zu dir, o Herr, blickt alles auf	Trio	S T B	E-flat major	Poco Adagio	3/4		All look up to thee, O Lord
Vollendet ist das große Werk	Chorus		B-flat major	Vivace			Fulfilled at last the great work
Alles lobe seinen Namen	Chorus, fugue					Ps 148	Glory to his name forever

Part III

Title	Form	Voice	Key	Tempo	Time	Source	Translation	Notes
Aus Rosenwolken bricht	Recitative	Tenor	E major	Largo	3/4		In rosy mantle appears
Von deiner Güt, o Herr und Gott / Gesegnet sei des Herren Macht	Duet with chorus	S B	C major	Adagio			By thy goodness, O bounteous Lord / Forever blessed be his Pow'r
Der Sterne hellster / Macht kund auf eurer weiten Bahn	Duet with chorus	S B	F major	Allegretto	2/4		Of stars the fairest / Proclaim in your extended course
Heil dir, o Gott!	chorus						Hail, bounteous Lord!
Nun ist die erste Pflicht erfüllt	Recitative	S B		Allegro			Our first duty we have now performed
Holde Gattin, dir zur Seite	Duet	S B	E-flat major	Adagio	3/4		Sweet companion, at thy side
Der tauende Morgen				Allegro	2/4		The dew dropping morn
O glücklich Paar, und glücklich immerfort	Recitative secco	Tenor					O happy pair, and ever happy henceforth
Singt dem Herren alle Stimmen!	Chorus		B-flat major	Andante			Sing the Lord, ye voices all
Des Herren Ruhm, er bleibt in Ewigkeit	Chorus (fugue) with soli	S A T B		Allegro			The praise of the Lord will endure forever

External links

• Haydn Die Schöpfung (The Creation) liner notes for Colin Davies
  Colin Davies
  Colin Frank Davies is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Davies joined Port Vale as an amateur in May 1958 and signed as a professional in June 1959. After making his debut in a goalless home draw with Queen's Park Rangers on 19 March 1960, he played in the nine remaining games of the...
  
  
• Haydn The Creation liner notes for René Jacobs
• Die Schöpfung in 7 Tagen libretto, history, analysis