Christmas Oratorio (Wetz)

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A Christmas Oratorio on Old German Poems op. 53 is one of the most important compositions by Richard Wetz and is at the same time his most extensive choral symphonic work.

Work history

It took Richard Wetz two years to write his Christmas Oratorio . At the end of the printed score is the entry: Composed from April 12, 1927 to April 22, 1929 . This rather long period of time was not only due to the large format of the work itself, but also to the extensive teaching activities of the composer at the Weimar Academy of Music , which repeatedly forced him to postpone work on his project.

With the Christmas Oratorio, Wetz apparently wanted to create a counterpart to his Requiem, which he completed in 1925 . Like this, the Christmas Oratorio is conceived as a concert work and not as music for the church service. As the title shows, it is not based on biblical passages, but on sacred poems from older German literature, which the composer put together to form a homogeneous whole.

On February 6, 1927, shortly before the beginning of the composition, Wetz commented on the oratorio in a letter: "In this area I have only one thing to fear, of course the mighty Johann Sebastian Bach . But I don't even think about it, just at his side and in to get close to him, just as I kept quite a distance from Mozart in the 'Requiem' . I want to take on the other Christmas composers [...] "

The composer himself conducted the first performance of the Christmas Oratorio on December 3, 1929 in the Erfurt Predigerkirche . In the years that followed the work was performed with some regularity in various German cities, but quickly disappeared from the repertoire after 1945. It was probably heard for the last time in the 20th century on December 2, 1962 in Bielefeld . In 2007 and 2010 there were repeated performances in Erfurt and in 2014 by the Monteverdichor in Würzburg.

occupation

Soprano solo, baritone solo, mixed choir (soprano, alto , tenor , bass ), 3 flutes , 2 oboes , English horn , 2 clarinets , bass clarinet , 2 bassoons , 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in Bb, 3 trombones , bass tuba , 3 timpani , cymbals , glockenspiel , violins I and II, violas , cellos , double basses .

The work

Wetz divided his oratorio into three well-composed large sections. The work, which the composer dedicated to the memory of his parents, is symphonic and the orchestra plays an essential part in the musical events. The playing time is approximately 80 minutes.

Part 1: Expectation and Annunciation

The first part begins quietly, tenderly and longingly with a fugal orchestral prelude in E minor , which ends in the choir's invocation “O Savior tear open the sky”. This is followed by a very calm solo of the baritone “Are you coming, are you coming, light of the heathens”. B flat major will soon be established as the central key . The episodes of the Annunciation dedicated allocated to the women's choir and the two solo voices and end in held choral interjections "Kyrieleis". The first part comes to a festive conclusion with a choir “Come on, Lord God, you highest hoard”.

Part 2: The Nativity

A flowing orchestral prelude opens the second part. The introductory D minor gives way to C major in the following story about the flight of Mary and Joseph to Egypt . The birth of Jesus is in B major . Quietly and devoutly , the women's voices join in with “God, for whom the earth's circle is too small”. A calm soprano solo to “Since Christ was born, the angel crowd is happy” is followed by a jubilant chorus “Praise be to God, the highest good”. Soprano and baritone solos call the shepherds together. Their devotion is portrayed in an orchestral interlude marked as shepherd music . The choir praises the baby Jesus very calmly with the words "You holy child, we greet you". This is followed by a women's choir “Christkindle, come in to us” ( slowly moving , B flat major) and a choir “Wir singen dir Immanuel” ( joyfully moving , F major ) and a duet of the two solos for “Now you are here, there you lie ”( calm, tender , B minor). The end of the second part is a joyfully moving choir fugue “I want to sing your Hallelujah” in F major.

Part 3: The three kings

The arduous wandering of the three kings begins with a difficult orchestral prelude in B flat minor before the baritone solo and choir describe it in words. It is followed by chants of praise by the two solos, a small female choir and finally the full choir. The Christmas Oratorio in C major ends with a large double fugue ( lively and fiery ) over the words “Everything that is born of God is destined to win, Hallelujah”.

literature

  • Hans Polack: Richard Wetz. His work and the intellectual foundations of his creativity , Leipzig 1935.

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