Lazarus (Schubert)

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Lazarus ( D 689) is a sacred vocal work by Franz Schubert .

Emergence

The libretto of this musical drama was written by August Hermann Niemeyer (1754–1828) for the Magdeburg composer Johann Heinrich Rolle , who set it to music for the first time in 1778. According to the Gospel of John (Joh., 11, 1–45) it tells of the raising of Lazarus .

Franz Schubert composed Lazarus in February 1820. The work is written for six soloists, choir and orchestra. It consists of three acts - which Schubert called "acts" in accordance with the information provided by the librettist - and is a mixture of cantata , oratorio and a kind of sacred opera. Lazarus has only survived as a fragment. The preserved part of the music breaks off at the burial. In addition to the first “plot”, which was in Schubert's estate, the fragment consists of the fragmentary second “plot”, which appeared in the collection of Beethoven expert Alexander Wheelock Thayer in 1860 , and the last sheet, which was published in 1863 was found by Johann von Herbeck .

Performance history

In this form, the work was not until 1863 under Johann von Herbeck (composed of Vienna Singing Association ) in the Musikverein under the Tuchlauben premiered.

In 1996 Helmuth Rilling recorded the work on CD, including the supplement written especially for this purpose by the Russian composer Edison Denissow .

On the question of why the composition remained a fragment, musicologist Walther Dürr said : “He [Schubert] was probably attracted by the thought of death that dominated the first two acts, but he did have to the third act, which depicts the bodily resurrection of Lazarus no relationship found ”. Reinhold Kubik, on the other hand, speculated that Schubert failed because of the "ambivalence that begins with the structural ambiguity of the smallest motifs and extends to the assessment of entire processes".

action

First act

The first act begins in the libretto as follows: “The scene is a garden in front of a rural house. Maria and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, lead the sick brother out of the house, under a shady palm tree and gently lean him down on a flowery lawn. His face is pale, but not disfigured. ”Here in the garden, Lazarus wants to“ rejoice once more in God's creation ”before his death and consoles his sisters Mary and Martha, not to cry. Gradually, Nathanael, Jemina and other friends join them. Lazarus dies.

Second act

The second act is introduced in the libretto as follows: “The scene is a green corridor full of tombstones, planted with palm trees and cedars. In the background a little wood and in the distance the path to Lazarus 'apartment. ”Lazarus' friend Simon joins them. The friends lay Lazarus together in his grave and mourn his death.

Third act

The third act is introduced in the libretto as follows: “The scene as in the first act, in front of the dead man's house.” Martha rushes up and reports that she “flew towards the saint” and implored him: “If you were, alas You were here, my brother would not have died ”. He answers with the question whether Martha believes that he is the “resurrectionist” and “life”. Mary is delighted with the news of this encounter and is hopeful. Lazarus appears to the thunder and praise of those present. Lazarus reports that he has been sent back by the "wake up the dead" and welcomes his sisters and friends.

occupation

  • Maria - soprano
  • Martha - mezzo-soprano
  • Jemina - soprano
  • Lazarus - tenor
  • Nathanael - tenor
  • Simon - bass
  • Choir - (S, A, T, B)

Sentence names

First act

  1. (Lazarus) "Here let me rest"
  2. (Martha) "Just a moment"
  3. (Maria) "Do not cloud your soul with complaints"
  4. (Aria Maria) "Stand the weary in the last fight"
  5. (Lazarus) "Full peace"
  6. (Nathanael) "So bless me"
  7. (Lazarus) "Welcome, my Nathanael"
  8. (Aria Nathanael) "When I've struggled after him"
  9. (Martha) "Nathanael, I can admire you"
  10. (Maria) "O Martha, did you stay quieter"
  11. (Maria) "The consolation escort you over"
  12. (Maria) "If now with a thousandfold torments"
  13. (Aria Maria) "God's love, you are his confidence"
  14. (Jemina) "Oh, I still think so"
  15. (Lazarus) "Jemina, daughter of the resurrection"
  16. (Aria Jemina) "This is how innocence falls asleep on roses"
  17. (Jemina) "Now flew away on fast swing"
  18. (Jemina) "Oh see, he's getting so pale"
  19. (Lazarus) "I am dying, oh now come"
  20. (Chorus) "All gracious, heal our soul's wound"

Second act

  1. introduction
  2. (Simon) "Where am I"
  3. (Aria Simon) "O can I, omnipotent one"
  4. (Nathanael) "Wes is the voice of lament"
  5. (Choir) "Our friend sleeps softly and quietly"
  6. (Nathanael) "So lay him in flowers"
  7. (Aria Martha) "Lift me the storm wing"
    In the middle of this aria Schubert's score breaks off the fragment. The following parts have only been set to music by JH Rolle or E. Denissow:
  8. (Nathanael) "Once-if from the evening and from the morning"
  9. (A youth) "My quiet evening has come"
  10. (Chorus) “Goodbye! be blessed "

Third act

  1. (Martha) "I saw him"
  2. (Aria Maria) "Auferwecker!"
  3. (Martha) “Maria! Oh if he is the slumbering "
  4. (Maria) "I am following, my sister!"
  5. (Simon) “How I totter! How am I wrong! "
  6. (Chorus) "Praise the awakening!"
  7. (Chorus) "He came with the consolation of heaven"
  8. (Chorus) "Praise the awakening!"
  9. (Nathanael) “Simon! Simon, no matter how cloudy your eye "
  10. (Lazarus) "Welcome, my brothers"
  11. (Aria Lazarus) "O that with heavenly harmonies"
  12. (Chorus) “More! much more! No harp sound "
  13. (Simon) "O day of jubilation"
  14. (Aria Simon) "Shrouded in weather clouds"
  15. (Nathanael) "What will that day be"
  16. (Lazarus) "I want to sing you"
  17. (Choir) "Holy Place"
  18. (Choir) "Come on, Sunday"

literature

  • Reinhold Kubik: Ambivalence as a design principle. Investigations into the declamation in Schubert's "Lazarus". In: Franz Schubert: Years of Crisis 1818–1823. Report on the Kassel Symposium September 30 to October 1, 1982. (Eds. Werner Aderhold , Walther Dürr , Walburga Litschauer ). Kassel 1985.
  • Christine Blanken: Franz Schubert's "Lazarus" and the Vienna Oratory in the early 19th century. (Schubert: Perspektiven. Studien, 1). Stuttgart 2002.
  • Rita Steblin : Who Commissioned Schubert's Oratorio “Lazarus”? A solution to the mystery. Salieri and the Tonkünstler-Societät. In: Schubert: Perspectives. 9, 2010, pp. 145-181.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ There was definitely no earlier Viennese premiere - for example, as often claimed on April 11, 1830 (an Easter Sunday) - the choral work given in 1830 was another sacred work by Schubert, the German Stabat mater (D 383) based on a text by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock , cf. Till Gerrit Waidelich: Franz Schubert. Documents 1817-1830 , Tutzing 1993, no. 770.
  2. ↑ Walther Dürr : stage works. In: Music Guide. Pp. 163-191, 1991, p. 178.
  3. ↑ Reinhold Kubik : Ambivalence as a design principle. Investigations into the declamation in Schubert's "Lazarus". In: Years of Crisis. P. 131.

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