Vespers song (Mendelssohn)

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The Vespergesang ( MWV B 26 ), full title: Ad vesperas Dominicæ XXI post Trinitatis, Responsorium et Hymnus , is a sacred choral work by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy for male choir , cello and double bass .

The work was written in Düsseldorf in 1833 , when Mendelssohn was appointed city general music director and, as part of this appointment, was responsible for church music in the Düsseldorf main churches. However, it was only published posthumously in 1874 by Mendelssohn's successor in Düsseldorf, Julius Rietz as op. 121.

occupation

Mendelssohn's autograph score provides for a four-part male choir (TTBB) with soloists as well as a violoncello  and a double bass as accompaniment. Julius Rietz added an organ part for a basso continuo accompaniment in his first edition . Although Mendelssohn's autograph score does not contain a notated organ continuo, it is considered likely that Mendelssohn used an organ accompaniment for his own performances of the Vespers, especially since a few bars of the autograph have figured figured bass.

The organ part set by Rietz is considered to be largely authentic in relation to his close collaboration with the composer. Further movements for an organ accompaniment come from Hans Georg Pflüger and Paul Horn .

text

The liturgical text of the responsory and the hymn for Vespers on the 21st Sunday after Trinity serve as a template . The English baroque composer William Byrd had previously set the same responsorial text in his motet Aspice Domine de sede .

The responsory consists of three differently treated scriptures:

  • From Psalm 119, verse 132, a variant form of the Latin text has been adopted:
Adspice Domine de sede sancta tua,
et cogita de nobis.

Lord, look down from your holy throne
and think of us.
  • From the book of Daniel the 18th verse of the 9th chapter is included, but the word "desolationem" has been replaced with "tribulationem":
Inclina Deus meus aurem tuam,
et audi.
Aperi oculos tuos,
et vide tribulationem nostram.

Incline your ear, my God,
and listen.
Open your eyes
and see our need.
  • The 2nd verse of Psalm 80 was taken from the Book of Psalms unchanged:
Qui regis Israel intende,
qui deducis velut ovem Joseph,
qui sedes super cherubim, intende.

You Shepherd of Israel, hear,
who lead Joseph like a sheep,
who are enthroned over the cherubim, hear.
Gloria patri et filio,
et spiritui sancto.

Glory to the Father and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.
  • The text of the hymn comes from a collection of hymns, which is attributed to Ambrosius of Milan (Hymn XI). Here, too, there was a small change by replacing the word "supplex" with "duplex":
O lux beata, trinitas et principalis unitas,
iam sol recedit igneus, infunde lumen cordibus.
Te mane laudem carmine, te deprecemur vespere,
te nostra duplex gloria per cuncta laudet sæcula.

O blessed light, Trinity and primordial unity,
the fiery sun is already giving way, pouring light into our hearts.
The hymn of praise pray you early, the sound of Vespers gracefully for you.
our double glory praise you for all eternity

Subdivision

The work is divided into five parts:

I. Adspice Domine - Allegro moderato

The first part is in A minor and sets the variation of Psalm 119.132 and the first movement of Daniel 9.18 to music. Characteristic are the longer, strictly contrapuntal, eighth-note figures of the two string instruments and the polyphonic structure of the three-part male choir (TBarB).

II. Aperi oculos tuos - Adagio

The second part, which lasts only a few seconds and is performed by a tenor soloist, is followed by the second movement from Daniel 9:18. It represents a Gregorian chant .

III. Qui regis Israel - Con moto

The third part now sees the male choir in a four-part setting and the string accompaniment is limited to the key quarters at the beginning of the bar. At the beginning there is a predominantly homophonic choral movement in F major to the text of Psalm 80: 2. In the middle of the piece follows a melism-rich setting of the Trinitarian Doxology, which ends in the recapitulation of the psalm theme.

IV. Aperi oculos tuos - Adagio

At the beginning of the fourth part there is a slightly changed variation of the Gregorian chant of the second part, this time by the baritone soloist. The baritone soloist then repeats the same chorale four times, while three other soloists represent a fitting contrast: they frame the chorale melody with numerous harmonizations and are polytextural with the doxology text compared to the Bible verse. The organ continuo can support it ad libitum , while the strings and the entire choir are silent in this part. The piece closes with a Gregorian glory call in unison between the three framing soloists.

V. O lux beata - Andante

The fifth and final part in A Major concludes the work with the Ambrose of Milan ascribed hymn, which Mendelssohn then usual chorale ( hymn set to music) - in contrast to the previous Gregorian chant. At the end the four soloists appear again with the aperi oculos tuos in a major variant, and then let the work end in a full cadence in the tutti.

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