Musical forces , gives a view of plant life that Haydn knew well: the beautiful palace gardens in
Eisenstadt, the property of their shared employer
Prince Esterházy. The oratorio is scored for three vocal soloists (soprano, tenor, and bass; there is also an incidental solo for alto in the finale), four-part chorus (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), and a large
Classical orchestra consisting of the following: • Flute I II (a third flute in no. 29) • Oboe I II • Clarinet I II (in C & B-flat) • Bassoon I II • Contrabassoon • Horn I II (in B-flat basso & alto, C, D, E-flat, E, F, A) • Trumpet I II (in D, C & B-flat) • Trombone I II III • Timpani • Violin I II • Viola • Violoncello • Bass • Continuo There seems little doubt that Haydn wanted a big sound (by the standard of his day) for his work. Between the private premieres for nobles and the public premiere in 1799, Haydn added extra instrumental parts to the work. The forces for the public premiere numbered about 120 instrumentalists and 60 singers. In Parts I and II of the work, the three soloists represent angels who narrate and comment on the successive six days of creation:
Gabriel (soprano),
Uriel (tenor), and
Raphael (bass). Part III introduces as characters the first man and first woman of the Bible,
Adam and
Eve, during the time they spent in the
Garden of Eden before the
Fall. Adam, a bass role, is usually sung by the same soloist that sings Raphael, and the soprano role of Eve is usually sung by the same soloist who sings Gabriel. This was the practice Haydn followed, but some conductors prefer to cast each of the five roles with a different soloist. The choral singers are employed in a series of monumental choruses, several of them celebrating the end of one particular day of creation. The orchestra often plays alone, notably in the episodes of
tone painting: the appearance of the Sun, the creation of various beasts, and above all in the overture, the famous depiction of the Chaos before the creation. A typical performance lasts about one hour and 45 minutes.
Structure The oratorio is structured in three parts. The first deals with the creation of light, of heaven and Earth, of the Sun and Moon, of the land and water, and of plants. The second treats the creation of the animals, and of man and woman. The final part describes Adam and Eve during their happy time in the Garden of Eden, portraying an idealized love in harmony with the "new world". 's
Sistine Chapel ceiling No. 1. Im Anfange schuf Gott Himmel und Erde (In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth) This movement relates the words of Genesis 1:1–4. It begins with a recitative for bass solo in C minor, followed by choral presentation of the creation of light. The latter is depicted first with a soft
pizzicato note from the strings, followed by a sudden surprise fortissimo
C major chord on the word
Licht (Light). This moment created a sensation when the work was first played in public. According to a friend of the composer/: At that moment when light broke out for the first time, one would have said that rays darted from the composer's burning eyes. The enchantment of the electrified Viennese was so general that the orchestra could not proceed for some minutes. Following the appearance of light is a brief tenor recitative on the words "and God saw the light, that it was good", leading into:
No. 2. Nun schwanden vor dem heiligen Strahle (Now vanished by the holy beams) {{listen Aria for tenor with chorus in A major, portraying the defeat of
Satan's host, from
Paradise Lost.
End of the first day. No. 3. Und Gott machte das Firmament {{listen Long recitative for bass in C major. The bass part first gives the words of Genesis 1:6–7, then follows orchestral tone painting, describing the division of the waters from the land and the first storms.
No. 4. Mit Staunen sieht das Wunderwerk (The marv'lous work beholds amazed/The glorious hierarchy of heav'n) Soprano solo with chorus, in C major. The heavenly hosts praise God and the work of the second day.
End of the second day. No. 5. Und Gott sprach: Es sammle sich das Wasser (And God said let the waters) {{listen Brief recitative for bass (Genesis 1:9–10), leading into:
No. 6. Rollend in schäumenden Wellen (Rolling in foaming billows) Aria in D minor for bass, narrating the creation of seas, mountains, rivers, and (a coda in D major) brooks. As John Mangum points out, "it owes much to the rage arias common to the operas of the day".
No. 7. Und Gott sprach: Es bringe die Erde Gras hervor (And God said, Let all the earth bring forth grass) Brief recitative for soprano (Genesis 1:11), leading into:
No. 8. Nun beut die Flur das frische Grün (Now robed in cool refreshing green) Solo aria in B-flat major for soprano, in
siciliana rhythm, celebrating the creation of plants.
No. 9. Und die himmlischen Heerscharen verkündigten (And the Heavenly host proclaimed the third day) Brief recitative for tenor, leading into:
No. 10. Stimmt an die Saiten (Awake the harp) Chorus celebrating the third day, with four-part
fugue on the words "For the heavens and earth/He has clothed in stately dress".
End of the third day. '''No. 11. Und Gott sprach: Es sei'n Lichter an der Feste des Himmels''' (And God said : Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven) 's
Sistine Chapel ceiling|thumb {{listen Recitative for tenor, with portions of Genesis 1:14–16.
No. 12. In vollem Glanze steiget jetzt die Sonne (In splendour bright is rising now/the sun) With tenor narration, the orchestra portrays a brilliant sunrise, then a languid moonrise. The tune of the sunrise is simply ten notes of the D major scale, variously
harmonized; the Moon rises in the
subdominant key of G, also with a rising scale passage. The end of recitative briefly alludes to the new-created stars, then introduces:
No. 13. Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes (The heavens are telling the glory of God) The text is based on
Psalm 19:1–3, which had been set by Bach as the opening chorus of his
cantata Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes
, BWV 76. Haydn's century, following on the discoveries of
Newton, had the view that an orderly universe—particularly the mathematically governed motion of the heavenly bodies—attests to divine wisdom. Haydn, a naturally curious man, may have had an amateur interest in astronomy, as while in England he took the trouble to visit
William Herschel, ex-composer and discoverer of
Uranus, in his observatory in
Slough. "Die Himmel erzählen" is in the tonic major key of Part I; Part I then starts in C minor and ends in C major, showing the triumph of light over dark. It begins with alternation between celebratory choral passages and more meditative sequences from the three vocal soloists, followed by a choral
fugue on the words "Und seiner Hände Werk zeigt an das Firmament", then a final homophonic section. ("The wonder of his works displays the firmament" is the English text here, with word-order calqued from the German, but somewhat awkward compared to the
Authorized Version's "And the firmament sheweth the handywork of God".) The unusual intensity of the ending may be the result of Haydn's piling of coda upon coda, each occurring at a point where the music seems about to end.
End of the fourth day. Part II Part II celebrates the creation of sea creatures, birds, animals, and lastly, man.
No. 14. Und Gott sprach: Es bringe das Wasser in der Fülle hervor (And God said : Let the waters bring forth in plenty) {{listen Recitative for soprano (Genesis 1:20), leading into:
No. 15. Auf starkem Fittiche schwinget sich der Adler stolz (On mighty wings the eagle proudly soars aloft) Aria for soprano in F major, celebrating the creation of birds. The species mentioned are the
eagle, the
lark, the
dove and the
nightingale. The lyrics include the conceit that, at the time just after the Creation, the nightingale's song was not yet melancholy.
No. 16. Und Gott schuf große Walfische (And God created great whales.) For bass solo, in D minor. While labeled a recitative in the score, it is more appropriately described as a recitative (from Genesis 1:21–22) followed by a very brief aria, the latter a verse paraphrase on the biblical words (Gen. 1:22) "Be fruitful and multiply." The bass sings in the voice of the Almighty, as quoted by the Archangel Raphael. The somber accompaniment uses no violins, but only the lower strings, with divided violas and cellos. For discussion of how this section was composed, see
Gottfried van Swieten. '''No. 17. Und die Engel rührten ihr' unsterblichen Harfen''' (And the angels struck their immortal harps.) Brief recitative for bass, which by a skilled player may be realized with harp imitations in the accompaniment, leading into:
No. 18. In holder Anmut stehn (In fairest raiment) Haydn breaks the regularity of the pattern "Recitative–Elaboration for solo–Celebratory chorus" with a meditative work in A major for the trio of vocalists, contemplating the beauty and immensity of the newly created world. This leads without a break to:
No. 19. Der Herr ist groß in seiner Macht (The Lord is great in his might) Chorus with all three soloists, in A major, celebrating the fifth day. The line
"...und ewig bleibt sein Ruhm" is, appropriately, repeated, seemingly without end.
End of the fifth day No. 20. Und Gott sprach: Es bringe die Erde hervor lebende Geschöpfe (And God said : Let earth bring forth the living creature) {{listen . Recitative for bass (Genesis 1:24), leading into:
No. 21. Gleich öffnet sich der Erde Schoß (At once Earth opens her womb) A movement of tone painting with bass narration. Haydn's gentle sense of humor is indulged here as the newly created creatures appear, each with musical illustration: lion, tiger, stag, horse, cattle, sheep, insects, and worms. As always in Haydn's oratorio tone painting, the sung verbal explanation comes after the orchestral portrayal. The transition from glamorous animals (the first four) to prosaic ones (the last four) is marked with an unprepared
modulation from D-flat to A major. The farm animals are portrayed (as in No. 8) with
siciliana rhythm, which plainly had bucolic associations for Haydn. Basses who can sing a low D (
D) are often tempted to use it on the final note "Wurm", instead of the D an octave higher as written by Haydn.
No. 22. Nun scheint in vollem Glanze der Himmel (Now shines heaven in the brightest glory) Aria for bass in D major, in 3/4 time. The theme is Doch war noch alles nicht vollbracht Dem Ganzen fehlte das Geschöpf Das Gottes Werke dankbar seh'n Des Herren Güte preisen soll. Yet not all was complete, The whole lacked a being Who would behold God's work with thanks And praise the Lord's goodness. Thus the movement is preparatory to the creation of man. The first part of the movement contains another brief but notable bit of tone painting: a fortissimo bottom B-flat (sounding in octaves) for
bassoons and
contrabassoon accompanying the last word of the line, "By heavy beasts the ground is trod."
No. 23. Und Gott schuf den Menschen (And God created Man) '' by
Michelangelo, c.1512 {{listen Tenor recitative (Genesis 1:27, 2:7), leading to: '''No. 24. Mit Würd' und Hoheit angetan''' (In native worth and honor clad) A prized aria for tenor, in C major, celebrating the creation of man, then woman. Often sung outside the context of
The Creation. Although the aria relates a Biblical story, the virtues attributed to Adam (and not Eve) clearly reflect the values of
the Enlightenment. This was almost certainly the last music from
The Creation that Haydn ever heard: it was sung for him several days before his death in 1809 as a gesture of respect by a French military officer, a member of Napoleon's invading army.
No. 25. Und Gott sah jedes Ding (And God saw every thing) Brief recitative for bass (text amplifying Genesis 1:31), leading to:
No. 26. Vollendet ist das große Werk (The great work is complete) A celebration for chorus alone, in B-flat, of the sixth day. In the Biblical story (Genesis 2:1-3) this day was the end of Creation, since God rested on the seventh day, the first Sabbath.
No. 27. Zu dir, o Herr, blickt alles auf (All look up to thee, O Lord) Another meditation for the three angels (compare No. 18), in E-flat major, on God's omnipotence and mercy, quoting Psalm 145:15–16. The bass solo line
"Du wendest ab dein Angesicht" requires the singer to terrify the audience with barely-audible
pianissimo. The end of the trio is followed without pause by...
No. 28. Vollendet ist das große Werk (Fulfilled at last the great work) This chorus begins with the same music and words as No. 26, and is in the same key of B-flat. It quickly moves into large double fugue on the words
"Alles lobe seinen Namen, denn er allein ist hoch erhaben" ("Let all praise his name, for he alone is sublime"). As appropriate to the finale of Part II, this repeat chorus is longer and ends more intensely than the first. The pattern of the last three numbers of Part II, with two celebratory movements on the same theme flanking a slower meditative movement, echoes countless settings of the Latin
Mass, where similar or identical choruses on
Hosanna in excelsis flank a meditative section on
Benedictus.
Part III Part III takes place in the
Garden of Eden, and narrates the happy first hours of
Adam and Eve.
No. 29. Aus Rosenwolken bricht (In rosy mantle appears) {{listen Orchestral prelude in slow tempo depicting dawn in the Garden of Eden, followed by recitative for tenor representing Uriel. Adam and Eve are seen walking hand in hand. An E major chord from the strings introduce the prelude, then three flutes play a peaceful melody (the third flute is tacet after this movement) The key is E major, very remote from the flat-side keys that have dominated the work so far. Various commentators suggest that this was meant by Haydn to convey the remoteness of Earth from Heaven, or to contrast the sinfulness of people with the perfection of angels. '''No. 30. Von deiner Güt', o Herr und Gott''' (By thy goodness, O bounteous Lord) Adam and Eve offer a prayer of thanks in C major, accompanied by a chorus of angels. This movement, the longest in
The Creation, has three parts. In the first, marked
adagio, Adam and Eve sing their prayer, with the chorus singing underneath them accompanied by soft timpani rolls. In the second section, the tempo picks up, and Adam, Eve, and the angels praise the newly created world. The final section is for chorus and orchestra alone, a celebration on the words "Wir preisen dich in Ewigkeit" ("We praise thee eternally").
No. 31. Nun ist die erste Pflicht erfüllt (Our first duty we have now performed) Recitative for Adam and Eve, leading to: (1808)
No. 32. Holde Gattin, dir zur Seite (Sweet companion, at thy side) Love duet for Adam and Eve in E-flat major. There is a slow initial section, followed by an Allegro. The style is clearly influenced by comic opera, a genre in which Haydn had extensive experience. For some commentators the music evokes the blissful comic duet sung by Papageno and Papagena near the end of
Mozart's The Magic Flute.
No. 33. O glücklich Paar, und glücklich immerfort (O happy pair, and ever happy henceforth) Uriel briefly explains to the pair that they will be happy always if they will refrain from wanting to have, or wishing to know, more than they should. This is the only reference to the
fall of humanity.
No. 34. Singt dem Herren alle Stimmen! (Sing the Lord, ye voices all) Final chorus in B-flat major. There is a slow introduction, followed by a double fugue on the words "Des Herren Ruhm, er bleibt in Ewigkeit" ("The praise of the Lord will endure forever"), with passages for the vocal soloists and a final homophonic section. == Recordings ==