the judges have spoken, and...
Apr. 12th, 2010 05:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jade_sabreThis is my favorite movement of the entire Brahms Requiem, which I sang on Saturday. I will admit that the sexy sexy string runs right before the 3/4 sections of the sixth movement are mind-blowingly good, but this whole movement is mind-blowingly wonderful.
The program for the concert included the English equivalent of the lyrics helpfully broken up by section, which I will provide, so that you will understand what is so perfect about the moment the "Die Erlöseten des Herrn" fugue starts. I have embedded the two parts of this particular recording for your listening pleasure, but it works better to go seamlessly from one to the other, which you can do if you listen to the entire requiem on this YouTube playlist. Enjoy, please; even if you're not religious, there is still something wonderfully transcendent about this music, and the skill with which he matches the music and the lyrics warms my little musical heart.
Denn alles Fleish es ist wie Gras und alle Herrlichkeit des Menschen wie des Grases Blumen. Das Gras ist verdorret und die Blume abgefallen.
(For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the field; the grass withers, and the flower wilts. I Peter 1:24)
So seid nun geduldig, lieben Brüder, bis auf die Zunkunft des Herrn. Siehe, ein Ackermann wartet auf die köstliche Fruct der Erde und ist geduldig darüber, bi ser empfahe den Morgenregen und Abendregen.
(Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. James 5:7)
(we note how the beginning is serious, minor key'd, and then the second section at 3:33 is lighter, still yearning, but ultimately positive.)
Denn alles Fleish es ist wie Gras und alle Herrlichkeit des Menschen wie des Grases Blumen. Das Gras ist verdorret und die Blume abgefallen.
(For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the field; the grass withers, and the flower wilts. I Peter 1:24)
(and thus we return to the serious, heavy, bottom-of-your range theme, repeated by all four parts reinforcing it, ending on the lightness of a wilting flower.)
Aber des Herrn Wort bleibet in Ewigkeit.
(But the word of the Lord remains forever. I Peter 1:25)
(but wait! says the music at 3:30. wait! don't forget this part! and of course we hold Ewigkeit for an appropriately long period of time before...)
Die Erlöseten des Herrn warden wiederkommen, und gen Zion kommen mit Jauchzen; Freude, ewige Freude wird über ihrem Haupte sein; Freude und Wonne warden sie ergreifen und Schmerz und Seufzen wird weg müssen.
(Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; They will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee. Isaiah 35:10)
(and now we are triumphant! We are ransomed and entering with joy! We mention sorrow and mourning in hushed tones, but they will flee; by 6:13 we are singing, singing, and then we claim the crown and end, quietly but surely, on the promise of everlasting joy.)
The program for the concert included the English equivalent of the lyrics helpfully broken up by section, which I will provide, so that you will understand what is so perfect about the moment the "Die Erlöseten des Herrn" fugue starts. I have embedded the two parts of this particular recording for your listening pleasure, but it works better to go seamlessly from one to the other, which you can do if you listen to the entire requiem on this YouTube playlist. Enjoy, please; even if you're not religious, there is still something wonderfully transcendent about this music, and the skill with which he matches the music and the lyrics warms my little musical heart.
Denn alles Fleish es ist wie Gras und alle Herrlichkeit des Menschen wie des Grases Blumen. Das Gras ist verdorret und die Blume abgefallen.
(For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the field; the grass withers, and the flower wilts. I Peter 1:24)
So seid nun geduldig, lieben Brüder, bis auf die Zunkunft des Herrn. Siehe, ein Ackermann wartet auf die köstliche Fruct der Erde und ist geduldig darüber, bi ser empfahe den Morgenregen und Abendregen.
(Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. James 5:7)
(we note how the beginning is serious, minor key'd, and then the second section at 3:33 is lighter, still yearning, but ultimately positive.)
Denn alles Fleish es ist wie Gras und alle Herrlichkeit des Menschen wie des Grases Blumen. Das Gras ist verdorret und die Blume abgefallen.
(For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the field; the grass withers, and the flower wilts. I Peter 1:24)
(and thus we return to the serious, heavy, bottom-of-your range theme, repeated by all four parts reinforcing it, ending on the lightness of a wilting flower.)
Aber des Herrn Wort bleibet in Ewigkeit.
(But the word of the Lord remains forever. I Peter 1:25)
(but wait! says the music at 3:30. wait! don't forget this part! and of course we hold Ewigkeit for an appropriately long period of time before...)
Die Erlöseten des Herrn warden wiederkommen, und gen Zion kommen mit Jauchzen; Freude, ewige Freude wird über ihrem Haupte sein; Freude und Wonne warden sie ergreifen und Schmerz und Seufzen wird weg müssen.
(Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; They will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee. Isaiah 35:10)
(and now we are triumphant! We are ransomed and entering with joy! We mention sorrow and mourning in hushed tones, but they will flee; by 6:13 we are singing, singing, and then we claim the crown and end, quietly but surely, on the promise of everlasting joy.)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-13 01:36 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-13 01:36 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-13 11:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-13 01:47 am (UTC)The Requiem is a truly amazing choral piece. For one thing, I am always impressed at how Brahms really knew how to write for the human voice -- every part sings in its plum range (unlike trying to sing Beethoven's ninth or something) and every part has a beautiful line of its own. But I also love his choice of text.
(But say, isn't it, um, a little Protestant for y'all?)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-13 11:15 pm (UTC)(and, well, it's certainly not a traditional requiem, but I don't think there's anything overtly Protestant in it that would be out-and-out wrong. :-b)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-14 12:31 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-26 06:53 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-13 03:04 am (UTC)it's so beautiful and sad and hopeful and written for Robert Schumann and SOB
Braaahhhmmmsss ;____;
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-13 11:15 pm (UTC)