October 21, 2012 - Proper 24

Creation: "Sing the Lord, Ye Voices All" - F.J. Haydn
b minor Mass BWV 232: "Agnus Dei" - J.S. Bach
Prelude and Fugue in c minor

Hymns: #379 Abbott's Leigh, #602 Jesu, Jesu,
              #583 Morning Song

This week the music comes from three monumental musical undertakings by two of the giants of classical music. All three pieces occupy a prominent spot in music history and have left a lasting impression on the Classical Western canon both because of the innovations and the music itself.

The gradual anthem is by Franz Joseph Haydn and is taken from his oratorio The Creation. This work was not Haydn’s first oratorio, but is certainly his most well-known. Haydn visited London in 1791-1792 and 1794-1795. On both visits he heard massed choir performances; the first in memory of Handel, the second a hymn sung by 4,000 children. Haydn brought a text from the Book of Genesis and John Milton’s Paradise Lost to Baron von Sweiten who translated the text into German. Die Schopfung received its first performance in 1798. Sing the Lord, Ye Voices All is the final chorus of this oratorio and adds an alto soloist to the trio of angels that has been singing throughout. The chorus opens with full choir stating “Sing the Lord, ye voices all, Magnify his name through all creation, Celebrate his power and glory, Let his name resound on high.” This then breaks into a joyous fugue on the text “Jehovah’s praise forever shall endure.” The exuberant fugue subject hops between voice part as the orchestra builds to the closing statement with flying sixteenth notes in the organ and big unison writing for the chorus.

The communion anthem is taken from J.S. Bach’s monumental b minor mass BWV 232. This mass is based on the Roman Catholic Mass but is far too substantial to be performed in the context of the church service. It is unclear why Bach wrote this music because most of it is not suited to the Lutheran church service at all. The Agnus Dei is the final solo in the nearly two hour work. It is taken from Bach’s Ascension Oratorio and precedes the chorus Dona Nobis Pacem. The aria is very chromatic and; despite starting and ending in g minor, drifts far from there.

The Postlude is taken from Book I of The Well Tempered Clavier.  Many people have assumed that this work was Bach’s argument for Equal Temperament, it is however his argument for a well tempered tuning system. The Prelude and Fugue in c minor showcases the key’s active and energetic character and the pain and bite of the key. I have always affectionately referred to the Prelude as the “typewriter prelude” because it is constant 16^th notes first played together, and then alternating hands. The Fugue is a chipper three voice fugue that serves as a perfect example of fugal writing.