Oratorios in Recent Researches Editions

Recent Researches is not lacking for excellent oratorios. A number of oratorios by various composers have been published in Recent Researches editions, and they include works from the Baroque era through the twentieth century. Among the earlier works are various German oratorios associated with the passion, including two works entitled Der Tod Jesu, one by Graun and another by Krauss. A related work by Mattheson, Das Lied des Lammes is also available through A-R. While these represent the German Lutheran tradition, Recent Researches also includes a Latin oratorio, the Passio D. N. Jesu Christi Secundum Johannem by Alessandro Scarlatti. In recent years, a number of performances of Graun’s Der Tod Jesu have pointed out the continuing popularity of that work and also that of Krauss’s oratorio with the same name.

In addition to works derived from the Passion are oratorios that use Biblical themes. The Song of Moses by Thomas Linley, Jr., is based on the Old Testament story of Moses, and the text by John Hoadly is a rhymed paraphrase of the passages from the book of Exodus. The short text concerns God’s working through Moses to lead his people out of Egypt and the enduring power of God. Having composed The Song of Moses in 1777, Linley drew on the tradition that Handel had created earlier in the century. Yet this work is in some ways more theatrical than Handel’s, and suggests a more eclectic musical style.

Another work from the Classical era is Isacco figura del redentore by Josef Myslivecek, with the text by Metastasio. This oratorio is based on the story of Abraham and Isaac as found in the book of Genesis, and in this work, Metastasio uses the Old Testament sacrifice of Isaac to prefigure that of Christ, as indicated in the subtitle of the work. Composed in the latter part of the eighteenth century, this work has more affinities with the Classical style than with the Baroque. Rather than evoke the choral sonorities of the English oratorio, Myslivecek brought out the drama through the uses of solo voices. In some ways this work is more operatic than other oratorios.

Those works require moderate-size forces in contrast to the larger scale of several other oratorios, like Esther, the Beautiful Queen, by William B. Bradbury. Bradbury drew from a variety of musical idioms to create this work, which was one of the more popular works of its time. Another striking American work is The Oratorio of Daniel, Opus 42 by George Frederick Bristow. This is a monumental work composed of 28 numbers and divided into two parts. In The Oratorio of Daniel, Bristow used eight solo voices plus chorus, along with full orchestra. The text is taken from the book of Daniel and the Psalms, and it chronicles the salvation of the Israelites from captivity through the intervention of the prophet Daniel. It resembles in some ways Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah in its structure and in the performing forces required, and stands out among the other large-scale choral works by other American composers of the time.

Franz Liszt: St. Stanislaus, Scene 1 (facsimile)

Along the same lines, the final work of Franz Liszt is another oratorio published in the Recent Researches series. Among Liszt’s final works is the unfinished oratorio St. Stanislaus, for which he left two scenes (one and four) and two polonaises. Rather than use Biblical texts for an oratorio, Liszt drew on the story of the Polish saint, Stanislaus, who was bishop of Cracow and ulti­mately murdered by King Boleslaw. The four scenes that comprised the work concerned the suffering of the Poles, the royal feast in which Stanislaus challenged the king, a miracle performed by Stanislaus and, ultimately, the saint’s death. In face, the final scene includes a setting of Psalm 129, “De profundis.” This edition includes all the music that Liszt completed in full score, along with some numbers in short score for piano. Although unfinished, St. Stanislaus is a significant effort by Liszt, who worked on the oratorio at various times during his life. It resembles in some ways Liszt’s two other oratorios, Die Legende von der heiligen Elisabeth and Christus. This is the only edition of the work, and it includes a detailed critical report, along with the full text of the final version of the libretto plus a translation.

The oratorio Il pianto e il riso delle quattro stagioni by Benedetto Marcello is also forthcoming in the Recent Research series.