Great Oratorios

Started by Kullervo, March 30, 2008, 08:11:51 PM

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Kullervo

March 30, 2008, 08:11:51 PM
Aside from the no-brainers (Handel's Messiah, Haydn's Creation), what are some essential pieces in this genre?

Operahaven

#1
March 30, 2008, 08:27:21 PM
My essential four:

Mendelssohn - Elijah

Elgar - Dream of Gerontius

Schoenberg - Jakob's Ladder

Haydn - The Seasons

Good luck. 

:)

 
I worship Debussy's gentle revolution  -  Prelude To The Afternoon of A Faun  -  for its mostly carefree mood and its rich variety of exquisite sounds.

FideLeo

#2
March 31, 2008, 03:46:26 AM
The Bach passions are oratorios.  0:)
HIP for all and all for HIP! Harpsichord for Bach, fortepiano for Beethoven and pianoforte for Brahms!

Rod Corkin

#3
March 31, 2008, 07:38:02 AM
Quote from: Corey on March 30, 2008, 08:11:51 PM
Aside from the no-brainers (Handel's Messiah, Haydn's Creation), what are some essential pieces in this genre?

I could easily mention a dozen or more big oratorios by Handel, excluding Messiah. Handel is the oratorio!  :)
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/classicalmusicmayhem/

pjme

#4
March 31, 2008, 08:00:07 AM
Some of my favorites:

Frank Martin : In terra pax ( ca 45 mins ) short and powerfull

Bohuslav Martinu : Gilgamesh

Antonin Dvorak : Saint Ludmilla ( a bit long...but it contains some rousing choruses!)
Franz Schmidt : Das Buch mit den sieben Siegeln : a late Romantic blockbuster- but very impressive !
Walter Braunfels: Te deum - Braunfels turns the (short) text into a very large ( ca 50 mins) work for soprano, tenor, organ, chorus and orchestra
Arthur Honegger : Le roi David, Jeanne d'Arc au bucher, Judith, Cris du monde

And : Vivaldi, Buxtehude, Hasse,Fanny Mendelssohn....

Oratorios work well in the concerthall...even when not every part is thàt inspired or when some da capo arias are just too long...the fugal "Amens" too dense, the reciters too pompous....








The new erato

#5
March 31, 2008, 10:31:09 AM
Some very fine recommendations pjme, though I don't know the Dvorak and the Braunfels.

Let me add the F Martin: Golgatha

Also that I love the early Handel Italian oratorios like Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno:

pjme

#6
March 31, 2008, 10:47:48 AM


On Supraphon : Smetacek and Czech soloists.

Braunfels's Te Deum can be had in two versions : one recent, Gitta-Maria Sjöberg, Lars-Erik Jonsson, Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, Swedish Radio Choir, Swedish RSO, Manfred Honeck on Orfeo (live)
the other one historical,
Braunfels: Te Deum op. 32
+Hindemith: Konzertmusik für Streicher & Bläser op. 50 Künstler: Leonie Rysanek, Helmut Melchert, Gürzenich-Chor Köln, RSO Köln, Günter Wand
Label: Profil , ADD, 1952/1970

There are many oratorios from the Baroque era available. possibly Harry can give us some recommendations?


The new erato

#7
March 31, 2008, 10:51:55 AM
I saw a recommendation for the Braunfels Te Deum on Orfeo and already have it on my wish list - his opera Der Vogel is very beautiful and well written so I have been on the lookout for further works from him.

pjme

#8
March 31, 2008, 12:55:21 PM Last Edit: March 31, 2008, 02:19:42 PM by pjme
The Te Deum by Walter Braunfels is a grandiose setting - and as far as I'm concerned,an inspired one. Slow and reverential movements are combined with martial and exuberant ones, the last movement builds up towards a majestic peroration, worthy of Mahler and Strauss....( jubilant brass, organ, large tamtam crashes, extatic chorus...).

I didn't buy "Die Vögel" when it came out , but found " Verkundigung" (after Paul Claudel's play)- This "mystery play" was written during WW2 and clearly shows his highly charged Romantic character.

Peter

Kullervo

#9
March 31, 2008, 01:10:50 PM
Thanks, PJ. Honneger's Jeanne might be one of my favorite pieces. I own David (but haven't listened yet), and have Martinů's Gilgamesh on my wishlist (need to pick that up soon). I wasn't aware of the others you mentioned, but I will add them to the list.

Expresso

#10
April 02, 2008, 11:33:25 AM

Bach: Christmas oratorio. Also St. Matthew and St. John if we include passions.
Handel: Solomon, Saul
Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex (opera-oratorio)
Berlioz: La Damnation De Faust... even though it's not exactly an oratorio, it contains some elements.

Christo

#11
April 03, 2008, 05:18:46 AM
Some personal preferences in the genre are:

Khatsatour Avetissian, Oratorio in memoriam 1915
Rudolf Tobias, Des Jonah Sendung
Frank Martin, In Terra Pax
Franz Schmidt, Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln
Ottorino Respighi, La Primavera
Igor Stravinsky, Oedipus Rex
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sancta Civitas, Dona Nobis Pacem, Hodie

The most moving of them all being the Avetissian, I was happy to hear also in a live performance here in Utrecht, happily with all it's special Armenian instruments and voices involved.
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

pjme

#12
April 03, 2008, 06:27:35 AM
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sancta Civitas, Dona Nobis Pacem, Hodie

Of course! excellent choices.

Peter

Christo

#13
April 11, 2008, 12:00:43 AM
Quote from: pjme on April 03, 2008, 06:27:35 AM
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sancta Civitas, Dona Nobis Pacem, Hodie
Of course! excellent choices.
Peter

Thnx, Peter. But I could use your special advise, especially in the sphere of Honegger, Martin, and the whole francophone musical world.
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

pjme

#14
April 11, 2008, 01:28:14 AM
Ok - I'll think about that during the week end!
The oratorio was popular - but expensive to perform..I guess.
More news later, Peter

Wanderer

#15
April 11, 2008, 02:03:50 AM
I believe Vivaldi's magnificent Juditha triumphans hasn't been mentioned yet...

The recent Kožená/Academia Montis Regalis/de Marchi version is superb and the older (non-HIP) Finnilä/Kammerorchester Berlin/Negri has many fine moments, too.

Christo

#16
April 11, 2008, 02:16:46 AM
Quote from: pjme on April 11, 2008, 01:28:14 AM
Ok - I'll think about that during the week end! The oratorio was popular - but expensive to perform..I guess. More news later, Peter

Please, don't spoil your weekend with a serious research - I was just curious after your spontaneous preferences in this field, as I appreciate you as a great connaisseur of Honegger and others. What's Honegger's finest oratorio, in your view?
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

J.Z. Herrenberg

#17
April 11, 2008, 02:33:00 AM
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

Christo

#18
April 11, 2008, 02:41:21 AM
Quote from: Jezetha on April 11, 2008, 02:33:00 AM
Peter probably already has answered your question here:
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,3180.msg166364.html#msg166364

SSSSSTT, did I ask you anything?  >:D >:D  ;)
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

J.Z. Herrenberg

#19
April 11, 2008, 02:45:04 AM
I simply didn't want to spoil Peter's weekend, as someone far wiser than I remarked three posts ago...  ;)
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato
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