Symphony No.2 : "Lobgesang"
Eine Symphonie-Kantate
nach Worten der Heiligen Schrif
für Soli, Chor und Orchester
op 52
Performed by Pretoria Bach Choir
Saturday 2 November 2002 at 20h00
ZK Matthews Auditorium, UNISA
Programme notes
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg on 3 February 1809. His
grandfather Moses Mendelssohn was a famous Jewish philosopher; his name was
derived from his father's name Mendel (son of Mendel). Felix's father Abraham,
a banker, had Felix, his two sisters and brother baptized as Lutheran
Christians. Later he printed visiting cards for Felix, adding his mother's name
Bartholdy, hoping that the Mendelssohn part would eventually be dropped.
However, it was too late -- Felix Mendelssohn's reputation was already
established.
Felix soon demonstrated his musical genius. At the age of nine he played in
public, and at eleven he composed voluminously. At twelve he read the
manuscript of Bach's Matthew Passion in the royal library, and he was
so excited by it that his mother had a copy made for him as a birthday present.
He was to conduct the Passion in Berlin in 1829 in a revival of Bach's
music.
Felix and his sister Fanny were very close, also composing and performing
together. Some of Fanny's compositions are included in Felix's songs and Lieder
ohne Worte. The unexpected death of Fanny in May of 1847 was such a
great shock to Felix that he never recovered his health. After suffering a
seizure on 9 September he died on 4 November at the age of 38.
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy wrote his second symphony, sub-titled Lobgesang,
in 1840, as part of the 400th anniversary of the invention of
movable type by Gutenberg. The opening Sinfonia may have been
conceived as part of an instrumental symphony, but by adding vocal elements to
the rest of the work, he created a work reminiscent of the Beethoven 9th
Symphony.
Wagner, who considered himself heir to Beethoven, wrote: Why should not the Lord
God be resoundingly praised at the end, after He has helped to conduct the
three preliminary instrumental movements to the most superficial of possible
conclusions?
Sir Donald Francis Tovey wrote: More serious is the sentimentality of
Mendelssohn's efforts at a religious style. The opening of the Andante
religioso in the Lobgesang is the origin of almost all that is sickly
in English church music, ...
Jealousy? Felix's music used out of context? Or perhaps misunderstood genius?
Decide for yourself as you listen to this work!
Mendelssohn described Lobgesang as a symphony-cantata. He used text
from the Luther Bible, and quoted Luther on the score: I would happily see all
the arts, especially Music, in the service of Him who has given and created
them.
The various parts mostly lead into the next without obvious pause, so that, to
properly appreciate the structure of the work, the listener needs to be alert.
Symphonic part
The symphonic part of the work opens with a celebratory introduction, starting
with a trombone motif that reminds of plainchant, and which is the main theme
of the work: Alles was Odem hat lobe den Herrn. Halleluja! (Psalm
150:6). This theme is heard throughout. The introduction leads to a
sonata-allegro movement, which also introduces other themes. The main motif
returns, and as the music becomes calmer and softer, it runs into the second
symphonic movement.
The second movement opens with a melodious and rhythmic theme in G minor. It
has a choral-like central section in a major key, which alternates with the
minor key theme. The movement is rounded off by returning to the original key.
Without pause it runs into the next movement.
The Adagio religioso has only a suggestion of the main theme. It
introduces the rhythm of the opening chorus coming next, to form an appropriate
link to the following choral movements.
The main motif returns in triumph to introduce the first chorus: Alles was Odem
hat lobe den Herrn. It leads into a soprano solo, accompanied and
alternated by the ladies' voices of the choir.
The music flows without a break into the tenor recitative Saget es,
and the tenor aria Er zählet unsre Tränen.
The rhythm of the accompaniment changes into triplets, as the choir sings Sagt
es, die ihr erlöset seid in a minor key.
This flows into a duet for two sopranos, Ich harrete des Herrn, with
the choir echoing and accompanying the theme.
After a break, the tenor introduces the Watchman Scene -- a dramatic
and moving episode in a minor key. The Watchman is asked: Will the night soon
pass? Finally, the soprano answers triumphantly to conclude this
scene: The night is gone!
Without pause, the choir responds in a major key: Die Nacht is vergangen!
In contrapuntal style, the four voices of the choir in turn take up the theme.
In the chorale Nun danket alle Gott, the first verse is sung without
accompaniment, and the second with beautiful orchestral accompaniment.
This is followed by a duet between tenor and soprano: Drum sing ich mit meinem
Liede ewig dein Lob, du treuer Gott!
After a pause, the basses start the dramatic final chorus with Bringe her dem
Herrn, Ehre und Macht! The movement is contrapuntal, with the four
voices ending the first section together. The tempo changes to lead into Alles
danke dem Herrn. The work ends majestically with the main theme: Alles
was Odem hat lobe den Herrn. Halleluja!