Kraus: Der Tod Jesu

Kraus, one of the most original and talented contemporaries of Haydn and Mozart, was both a composer and a literary figure of the Sturm und Drang movement. During his university years in Göttingen, he was a member of the famous Hainbund literary circle and later became Kapellmeister at the court of King Gustav III of Sweden. Der Tod Jesu, for which Kraus wrote both text and music, represents an homage to Graun's popular oratorio as well as the conscious application of Sturm und Drang literary principles to music.

1. Introduzione

2. [Recitativo] "Kommt! Geliebte, zur Schedelstädte"

3. [Aria] "Er starb!"

4. [Recitativo] "O weinet mit mir, Ihr Sterblichen!"

5. Duetto: "Weine Sünder"

6. Coral: "Jesus ruft dir"

7. Recitativo: "Ja, man schleppte ihn vor den Richter"

8. Intermezzo

9. Coro: "Der Rächer kömmt"

10. Recitativo: "An jenem Tage"

11. Aria: "Sey ewig mir gesegnet"

12. Recitativo: "Komm, gottseeliger Pilgrim!"

13. Coral: "O Traurigkeit"

14. Recitativo: "Sind wir frei von seinem Tode?"

15. Aria: "Wenn einst die Ungewitter"

15a. "Wenn mich mein Heyland schützet"

16. Coro ultimio: "Erbarme dich unser"

Howard E. Smither, Music & Notes