Death celebration (Herzogenberg)
Die Todtenfeier op. 80 is an oratorio for solos, choir and orchestra by Heinrich von Herzogenberg composed around the turn of the year 1892/1893 .
Emergence
After the death of his 44-year-old wife Elisabeth von Herzogenberg on January 7, 1892, Heinrich von Herzogenberg decided to complete a work at the end of the year of mourning that would give special expression to his personal dismay and the memory of the loved one. For this he selected German-language Bible texts and chorale verses with reference to the words spoken at the funeral. He spent 18 days of intensive work on the composition and orchestration, which was meticulously planned in order to come to an end on the very first day of death.
Work description
The work is divided into nine parts. Parts 1–4 merge seamlessly and trace the path from the choir's painful outcry in the introductory funeral march through the despair and depression of an expressive bass aria to the acceptance of God's words of confidence. These begin in No. 3 in the muted sound of a boy's alto voice accompanied by soft organ sounds with "What I'm doing, the Lord says, you don't know now, but you will find out afterwards". This is continued in the alternating chant of a chorale strophe intoned by the choir basses until the soprano voice rises to the text "I am the resurrection and life" with radiant shine in the final cadence. The joyful chorus follows: "Whoever believes in me will live whether he dies soon", which is confirmed at the end by the repetition of the soprano solo.
Consolation and confidence are then expressed in the further sentences of the work. No. 5 overcomes the pain as a recitative and aria for the bass and leads to the exhilarating solo quartet No. 6 "I've left you for a little while, dear child." The chorale melody is added to the light weave of the solo parts as a wind sound. Choral movement No. 7 makes the redeemed dream according to the text and laugh happily in the fugue of the middle section. The soprano aria No. 8 "How lovely are your apartments" lets the voice shine over a chamber music accompaniment and unfold beautiful melodies. In No. 9 leads an energetic bass solo "The Lord gave it, the Lord took it, the name of the Lord be praised!" to the triumphant final choir.
The style of the work does not deny that it has roots in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and that Johannes Brahms is also present as a role model. Nevertheless, the work is unique musically as well as through the coherent dramaturgy and the personal experience expressed. The choice of the keys mainly used is symbolic: the basic keys B minor and B major stand for the initials of the composer, E major for the first name of his wife E lisabeth.
Recording
- Heinrich von Herzogenberg, Totenfeier op.80, Requiem op.72.Franziska Bobe , Barbara Braeckelmann, Maximilian Argmann, Jens Hamann, Monteverdichor Wuerzburg, Thueringen Philharmonie Gotha, Matthias Beckert (Dir), published on June 13, 2014 by CPO .