Lobgesang

Portrait of Mendelssohn by James Warren Childe, 1839

Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise), Op. 52 (MWV A 18^[1]), is "A Symphony-Cantata on Words of the Holy Bible, for Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra" by Felix Mendelssohn. After the composer's death it was also published as his Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major, a naming and numbering that is not Mendelssohn's.

It requires two sopranos and a tenor as soloists, along with a chorus and orchestra. It lasts almost twice as long as any of Mendelssohn's other four symphonies.

History

It was composed in 1840, along with the less-known Festgesang "Gutenberg Cantata", to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the invention of printing.

In 1842 Mendelssohn had published his Scottish Symphony as "Symphony No. 3", however a "Symphony No. 2" had never been published during Mendelssohn's lifetime. Possibly the composer's intention was to spare this number for his earlier Italian Symphony, which he premiered in 1833, but afterwards withheld for a revision that was never completed. The Italian Symphony was published posthumously as "Symphony No. 4". Decades after Mendelssohn's death, the editors of the old Mendelssohn complete edition entered Lobgesang as "No. 2" in the sequence of this symphonies for editorial reasons.^[1] However, there is no indication that this represented the composer's intentions. The new Mendelssohn-Werkverzeichnis (MWV), published in 2009 by the Saxonian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, no longer lists Lobgesang among the symphonies, but rather among the sacred vocal works.^[1][2]

Structure

Structurally, it consists of three purely orchestral movements followed by 10^[3] movements for chorus and/or soloists and orchestra, and lasts approximately 65–70 minutes in total. The English titles of the movements are:

1. Symphony
2. All men, all things, all that have life and breath (Chorus)
3. Praise thou the Lord, O ye Spirit (Soprano Solo and Semi-Chorus)^{[n 1]}
4. Sing ye Praise (Tenor Recitative and Aria)
5. All ye that cried unto the Lord (Chorus)
6. I waited for the Lord (Soprano Duet and Chorus)
7. The sorrows of Death (Tenor Air)
8. The Night is Departing (Soprano Solo and Chorus)
9. Let all men praise the Lord (Chorale of Now Thank We All Our God)
10. My song shall be always Thy Mercy (Soprano and Tenor Duet)
11. Ye nations, offer to the Lord (Chorus)

The now-standard harmonisation of Now Thank We All Our God was devised by Felix Mendelssohn in 1840 when he adopted the hymn, sung in the now-standard key of F major and with its original German lyrics, as the chorale to Lobgesang.

Instrumentation

The symphony is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, two cornets, three trombones, timpani, chorus, organ and strings.

Text

1. Sinfonia 2. Chorus and Soprano Solo Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn. (Psalm 150) Lobt den Herrn mit Saitenspiel, lobt ihn mit eurem Lied. (Psalm 33) Und alles Fleisch lobe seinen heiligen Namen. (Psalm 145) Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, und was in mir ist, seinen heiligen Namen. Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, und vergiß es nicht, was er dir Gutes getan. (Psalm 103) 3. Tenor Recitative and Aria Saget es, die ihr erlöst seid durch den Herrn, die er aus der Not errettet hat, aus schwerer Trübsal, aus Schmach und Banden, die ihr gefangen im Dunkel waret, alle, die er erlöst hat aus der Not. Saget es! Danket ihm und rühmet seine Güte! (Psalm 107) Er zählet unsre Tränen in der Zeit der Not. Er tröstet die Betrübten mit seinem Wort. (Psalm 56) Saget es! Danket ihm und rühmet seine Güte. 4. Chorus Saget es, die ihr erlöset seid von dem Herrn aus aller Trübsal. Er zählet unsere Tränen in der Zeit der Not. 5. Soprano Duet and Chorus Ich harrete des Herrn, und er neigte sich zu mir und hörte mein Flehn. Wohl dem, der seine Hoffnung setzt auf den Herrn! Wohl dem, der seine Hoffnung setzt auf ihn! (Psalm 40) 6. Tenor Aria and Recitative Stricke des Todes hatten uns umfangen, und Angst der Hölle hatte uns getroffen, wir wandelten in Finsternis. (Psalm 116) Er aber spricht: Wache auf! der du schläfst, stehe auf von den Toten, ich will dich erleuchten! (Ephesians 5:14) Wir riefen in der Finsternis: Hüter, ist die Nacht bald hin? Der Hüter aber sprach: Wenn der Morgen schon kommt, so wird es doch Nacht sein; wenn ihr schon fraget, so werdet ihr doch wiederkommen und wieder fragen: Hüter, ist die Nacht bald hin? (Isaiah 21:11–12) 7. Chorus Die Nacht ist vergangen, der Tag aber herbei gekommen. So laßt uns ablegen die Werke der Finsternis, und anlegen die Waffen des Lichts, und ergreifen die Waffen des Lichts. (Romans 13:12) 8. Chorale Nun danket alle Gott mit Herzen, Mund und Händen, der sich in aller Not will gnädig zu uns wenden, der so viel Gutes tut, von Kindesbeinen an uns hielt in seiner Hut und allen wohlgetan. Lob Ehr und Preis sei Gott, dem Vater und dem Sohne, und seinem heilgen Geist im höchsten Himmelsthrone. Lob dem dreiein'gen Gott, der Nacht und Dunkel schied von Licht und Morgenrot, ihm danket unser Lied. (Evangelisches Kirchengesangbuch; Text v. Martin Rinckart, 1636) 9. Soprano and Tenor Duet Drum sing ich mit meinem Liede ewig dein Lob, du treuer Gott! Und danke dir für alles Gute, das du an mir getan. Und wandl' ich in der Nacht und tiefem Dunkel und die Feinde umher stellen mir nach, so rufe ich an den Namen des Herrn, und er errettet mich nach seiner Güte. 10. Chorus Ihr Völker! bringet her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht! Ihr Könige! bringet her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht! Der Himmel bringe her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht! Die Erde bringe her dem Herrn Ehre und Macht! (Psalm 96) Alles danke dem Herrn! Danket dem Herrn und rühmt seinen Namen und preiset seine Herrlichkeit. (I Chronicles 16:8–10) Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn, Halleluja! (Psalm 150)

1. Sinfonia   2. Chorus and soprano solo Everything that has breath praise the Lord. (Psalm 150) Praise the Lord with the lyre, praise him with your song. (Psalm 33) And let all flesh bless his holy name. (Psalm 145)   Bless the Lord, O my soul, and that is within me , bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not that he has done you good. (Psalm 103) 3. Tenor Recitative and Aria Say it that you are redeemed by the Lord, he has delivered them out of trouble, of severe tribulation, from shame and bondage captives in the darkness, all which he hath redeemed from distress Say it! Give thanks to him and praise ye, His goodness! (Psalm 107) He numbers our tears tears in our time of need, he comforts the afflicted with his word. (Psalm 56) Say it! Give thanks to him and praise ye his kindness. 4. Chorus Say it that you are redeemed by the Lord out of all tribulation. He numbers our tears in out time of need. 5. Soprano Duet and Chorus I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined to me and heard my supplication. Blessed is the man whose hope is in the Lord! Blessed is the man whose hope is in him! (Psalm 40) 6. Tenor Aria and Recitative The sorrows of death encompassed us and fear of hell had struck us, We wandered in darkness. (Psalm 116) He saith, Awake! you who sleep, arise from the dead, I will enlighten you! (Ephesians 5:14) We called in the darkness, Watchman, will the night soon pass? But the Watchman said: if the morning comes soon, it will yet again be night; and if you ask, you will return and ask again, Watchman, will the night soon pass? (Isaiah 21:11–12) 7. Chorus The night has passed, but the day has come. So let us cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, and take up the armor of light. (Romans 13:12)   8. Chorale Now let us all thank God with hearts and hands and voices, who in all adversity will be merciful to us, who does so much good, who from childhood has kept us in his care and done good to all. Praise, honor and glory be to God the Father, and the Son, and his Holy Spirit on heaven's highest throne. Praise to God, three in one, who separated night and darkness from light and dawn, give thanks to him with our song. (Evangelical Church Hymnal, text Rinckart v. Martin, 1636)   9. Soprano and tenor duet So I sing your praises with my song forever , faithful God! And thank you for all the good you have done to me. Though I wander in night and deep darkness and enemies beset me all around I will call upon the name of the Lord, and he saved me by His goodness.   10. Chorus You peoples! give unto the Lord glory and strength! You kings! give unto the Lord glory and strength! The sky will bring forth the Lord glory and strength! Let the earth bring forth the Lord glory and strength! (Psalm 96) All thanks to the Lord! Praise the Lord and exalt his name and praise his glory. (I Chronicles 16:8–10) Everything that has breath praise the Lord, Hallelujah! (Psalm 150)

See also

• Sinfonia#Symphony with an alternative scope
• Lobgesang (Op. 76) (for SATB chorus and glockenspiel) by Henryk Górecki.

Notes

1. This is sometimes printed as Movement 2½

References

1. Wehner, Ralph (2009). Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der musikalischen Werke (MWV). Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-3-7651-0317-9.
2. Grouping and overview of MWV numbers
3. Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Lobgesang: eine Symphonie-Cantate nach Worten der heiligen Schrift; op. 52, p. 198-223.

Further reading

• Hans Gebhard (Hrsg.): Harenberg Chormusikführer. Harenberg, Dortmund 1999, ISBN 3-611-00817-6.
• Silke Leopold, Ullrich Scheideler: Oratorienführer. Metzler, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-476-00977-7.

External links

• Symphony No. 2: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Free scores of Hymn of Praise (Felix Mendelssohn) in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 in B flat major ("Lobgesang", "Hymn of Praise"), Op. 52 at AllMusic