Symbolum
Symbolum is an undated poem about the three roses by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, performed around 1815 for the Weimar Masonic lodge Anna Amalia .
etymology
In ancient Latin , symbolum means "(identification) sign" or " symbol ". In the neo-Latin of the humanists and baroque scholars, which Goethe was also familiar with, it also meant “ motto ”, “ password ”, “ coat of arms ” or “ emblem ”. This is how the word symbol found its way into the German language .
In the ecclesiastical language, symbolum simply means confession, e.g. B. Symbolum Apostolicum , Symbolum Athanasianum . In Goethe's time, the collection of religious confessional writings was called symbolic books . Symbols play a central role in Freemasonry.
history
The Russian Adjutant General Caspar von Geismar had saved Weimar from destruction by Napoleonic troops. His elevation to the third degree of master's degree left a strong impression on Goethe. After this ritual celebration, a so-called temple work , the poem was written, which depicts the symbolic wandering of the Freemason through the three degrees of apprentice, journeyman and master and, figuratively, through life and death.
Settings
The first setting was written by the Swiss composer Fritz Brun (autograph dated 1915) under the title "Verheissung". It is occupied for a large orchestra: three flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, three bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, bass tuba, timpani, tam-tam, harp, celesta, piano, organ and choir.
Walther Geiser wrote a composition for double male choir and chamber orchestra in the 1950s . In 1967 Hans-Jürgen von Bose composed Symbolum (Goethe) for male choir and wind quintet .
There is also an undated setting by Walter Thomas Heyn .
Others
In 1980, the Austrian writer Johannes Mario Simmel used the last line of Goethe's poem Symbolum as the title for his novel We call you hope (Munich 1980).
text
Symbolum
The mason's walk,
It resembles life,
And his striving,
It resembles the actions of
men on earth.
The future covers
pain and happiness
step by step;
But
we press forward undaunted
And heavy and distant
hangs a shell,
With awe, silent
rest above the stars
And below the graves.
Look at them more closely
And behold, in the
bosom of the heroes
shifting showers and serious feelings report
.
But the
voices of the spirits call from over there ,
The voices of the masters:
Do not fail to practice,
The forces of good!
Here crowns wind in
eternal silence, they
should
reward the active with abundance !
We bid you hope.
literature
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Complete Works. Letters, diaries and conversations. Frankfurt edition in 40 volumes, ISBN 3-618-60213-8 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.internetloge.de/arst/fmzt.htm
- ↑ a b Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Erich Trunz: Poems and Epics I. Hamburg edition in 14 volumes, Volume I, 804 pages, CH Beck 1981, ISBN 3406084818 , ISBN 9783406084812 . Page 702
- ↑ Eugen Lennhoff, Oskar Posner, Dieter A. Binder: Internationales Freemaurer Lexikon . 5th edition 2006, Herbig Verlag, ISBN 978-3-7766-2478-6 , Lemma Goethe , p. 354
- ↑ http://www.internetloge.de/arst/goethe.htm
- ↑ Walther Geiser: Symbolum , op. 14: for double male choir, 3 trombones, timpani, violas, cellos and double basses. - Basel: Vogel, 195-? Catalog excerpt
- ↑ Carl Dahlhaus (Ed.), Hans Heinrich Eggebrecht (Ed.), Kurt Oehl (Ed.) Brockhaus-Riemann Musiklexikon: Bialas. Brockhaus Riemann music lexicon. ISBN 3254084004 , ISBN 978-3254084002 .
- ↑ Walter Thomas Heyn: Symbolum , op. 40: 10 small organ pieces based on a text by JW Goethe. Manuscript available from the author. List of works by the composer
- ^ Walter Thomas Heyn: Six Moorish songs based on texts by Johann Wolfgang Goethe Title 15: Symbolum , 3:35 min. In: Freemason chants . 2000, Kreuzberg Records , AMA-Musikverlag, order no. 10047