In terra pax (Martin)

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In terra pax (German: " Friede auf Erden ") is the title of an oratorio by the Swiss composer Frank Martin (1890–1974), which was premiered at the end of the Second World War in 1945.

Emergence

At the beginning of the summer of 1944, René Dovaz, director of Radio Geneva, commissioned Frank Martin to compose a choral work that was to be broadcast immediately after the fighting of the Second World War ended. Martin was aware that this could only be a religious work and selected suitable biblical passages for his work called Oratorio brève , which he gave the title In terra pax . He commented: “[…] I do not think, while composing this oratorio, that I ever had any illusions about the kind of peace that would follow the end of the war. But this lack of illusion could not prevent me from trying to express the transition from deepest despair to hope for a bright future. And that then meant that in the words of Christ I express the absolute demand for forgiveness - as it is contained in his teaching - without which real peace is inconceivable. [...]. "

The composition of In terra pax was completed in October 1944. The premiere took place on May 7, 1945 in Geneva with the Orchester de la Suisse Romande under the direction of Ernest Ansermet .

occupation

The approximately three-quarters hour drive requires five solo voices (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass), two four-part choirs, girls choir ad lib and orchestra following instrumentation: 2 flutes (the second also piccolo ), two oboes (the second also English horn ) 2 clarinets (with bass clarinet ), 2 bassoons , 4 horns , 2 trumpets , 3 trombones , tuba , timpani , percussion , celesta , 2 pianos and strings .

description

For his oratorio Martin put together verses from Isaiah , the Psalms , the Gospels and Revelation . In his own commentary on the work it says: “The first part is about the war itself, which the prophets regard as the result of the wrath of God. The second brings the announcement of liberation, the outbreak of joy for a people who feel renewed hope and new life within them. The third part introduces an entirely new thought: the idea of ​​Christ. It is largely taken from the prophecies of Isaiah, who describes the servant of the Eternal God as despised, as a lamb led to the slaughter. This text contains the answer through some of Christ's statements that insist on the need for forgiveness and love, conditions for true peace. The choir then ends with Our Father. The fourth part finally invokes, by freeing himself from worldly affairs, the new heaven and the new earth, where all tears will be dried, where there will be no more screams, no more suffering [...]. "

The individual sections of the four-part, originally French-language work (the score published by Universal Edition also contains a German translation by Romana Segantini) are headed as follows:

1st chapter:

  1. Lorsque l'Agneau rompit le premier sceau , Con moto
  2. Mon Dieu, Mon Dieu , Andante quasi largo
  3. Malheur au peuple chargé de péchés! , Allegro furioso
  4. Eternel, Dieu de mon salut , Molto moderato

Part 2

  2. Sentinelle, que dis-tu de la nuit? , Adagio
  3. Mais les ténèbres ne régneront pas toujours , Andante
  4. Consolez, consolez mon peuple , Con moto

3rd part

  2. Voici, mon serviteur , Largo
  3. Heureux les affligés , Andante molto tranquillo
  4. Notre Père, qui es aux cieux , Adagio

4th part

  2. Puis je vis un nouveau ciel , Allegro moderato

With the oratorio Le vin herbé, which was premiered in 1942, Frank Martin had found a personal musical language that combines twelve-tone technique and tonality , and is also used in In terra pax . In spite of the eight-part cast, the choir often sings homophonically , in one voice or in unison , and often canon technique is used.

The first part begins with a longer, partly dramatic baritone recitative with a description of the Apocalyptic Horsemen . The choir expresses the fear of humanity and pleads with the words of the crucified Christ (“My God, why have you forsaken me”). A bass aria, interwoven with the chorus, heralds damnation and the Last Judgment , followed by another pleading prayer from the solos and choir.

A tenor solo opens the second part, the choir closes with a song of penance for grace and mercy, before the return of peace is celebrated with a joyful psalm. At the end there is a tight, four-part choral fugue .

An 8-bar, unanimous melody in the strings at the beginning of the third part is also underlaid with the beginning solo alto with prophecy words from Isaiah and in the further course it returns in many variations like Passacaglia . After words from the Beatitudes in the solo tenor, a memorable Our Father of the choirs closes the third part.

The fourth part returns to the Revelation of John and describes the visions of a new heaven and new life, first in a baritone and later in a bass solo. Choirs and soloists conjure up the omnipotence of God together and after the last polytonal moves in the orchestra, the softly fading work ends in D major.

literature

  • Kurt Pahlen : Oratorios of the World. Heyne, Munich 1987, ISBN 3-453-00923-1 , pp. 332-336.
  • CD supplement Chandos CHAN 9465, Frank Martin: Les quatres éléments / In terra pax. Brighton Festival Chorus, London Philharmonic, conducted by Matthias Bamert. Text: Richard Langham Smith.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Introduction to the Composer's Work, Universal Edition