User:Simon the Likable/The Hymn of Jesus
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The Hymn of Jesus, Op. 37 is a composition for choirs and full orchestra by the British composer Gustav Holst, written in 1917, and held by some to be his masterpiece[1][2]. The first performance was given by the Royal Philharmonic Society, and took place at the Queen's Hall, London on 25 March, 1920, conducted by the composer.[3]
- The Hymn of Jesus, for 2 choruses, semi-chorus, and orchestra, Op.37, H.140
- Year: 1917
- Pr. Instrument: Chorus/Choir
- 1.Prelude: Vexilla regis proderunt
- 2.Hymn: Glory to Thee, Father!
- 3.Hymn: Fain Would I be Saved
- 4.Hymn: Divine Grace is Dancing
- 5.Give Ye Heed Unto My Dancing
- Performance time: 20 minutes (approx)
In 1917, Holst wrote The Hymn of Jesus based on the Apocryphal gospels. With his usual thoroughness, Holst learnt sufficient Greek to translate the original hymn. He then pondered at length over the meaning of the words so that he could maintain the spirit of the poem as much as possible.[1]
Gustav Holst conducted the first performance of The Hymn of Jesus in 1920. Like The Planets, it was very successful. Life was becoming easier by the end of 1922. Holst found for the first time he had earned more than one thousand pounds in a year. However, he was to have no more major popular successes.[2]
Instrumentation
[edit]- Woodwind: 3 flutes, 2 oboes, an English horn, 2 clarinets, and 2 bassoons
- Brass: 4 horns, 2 trumpets, and 3 trombones
- Keyboards: a celesta, a piano, and an organ
- Percussion: 2 timpani, a big drum, a side drum, cymbals, and a tambourine (one player only for these last four instruments)
- Strings: violins one and two, violas, violoncellos, and double basses
- Voices: two SATB choruses (of equal strength and, if possible, well separated), and a TTA semi-chorus (placed above and well separated, supported, if necessary, by a soft harmonium)
Genesis and composition
[edit]Premieres
[edit]Reception
[edit]Recordings
[edit]Text
[edit]Prelude
[edit]Part | Text | Tr1 | Notes |
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Semi-chorus: |
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Vexilla Regis is a Latin hymn by Venantius Fortunatus (530–609), Bishop of Poitiers. |
A few T & B: |
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Pange Lingua Gloriosi Proelium Certaminis is another sixth-century Latin sequence hymn generally credited to the same poet, Venantius Fortunatus. |
Hymn
[edit]Experiment:
Part | Text | Notes |
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Choir I & II: |
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Semi-chorus: |
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Choir I & II: |
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Semi-chorus: |
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Choir I & II: |
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Semi-chorus: |
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Choir I & II: |
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(spoken) |
Semi-chorus: |
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Choir I & II: |
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Choir II: |
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![]() Look up fain (adverb) in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
Choir I: |
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Semi-chorus: |
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Choir II: |
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Choir I: |
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Choir I & II (S&T): |
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Choir I & II: |
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The real thing:
Choir I & II: | Glory to Thee, Father! | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | Glory to Thee, Word! | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | Glory to Thee, O Grace! | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | Glory to Thee, Holy Spirit! | (spoken) | ||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | Glory to Thy Glory! We praise Thee, O Father; |
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Choir II: | Fain would I be saved: | ![]() Look up fain (adverb) in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. | ||
Choir I: | And fain would I save. | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir II: | Fain would I be released: | |||
Choir I: | And fain would I release. | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir II: | Fain would I be pierced: | |||
Choir I: | And fain would I pierce. | |||
Choir II: | Fain would I be bourne: | |||
Choir I: | Fain would I bear. | |||
Choir II: | Fain would I eat: | |||
Choir I: | Fain would I be eaten. | |||
Choir II: | Fain would I hearken: | |||
Choir I: | Fain would I be heard. | |||
Choir II: | Fain would I be cleansed: | |||
Choir I: | Fain would I cleanse. | |||
Choir I & II: | I am Mind of All! | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | Fain would I be known. | |||
Semi-chorus & choir I & II (S&A): |
Divine Grace is dancing: | |||
Choir I (S&A): | Fain would I pipe for you. | |||
Choir I & II: | Dance ye all! | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir II (S&A): | Fain would I lament: | |||
Choir I & II (S&A): | Mourn ye all! | |||
Choir I & II (T&B): | Amen. | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II (S&A): | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | The Heavenly Spheres make music for us; | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | The Holy Twelve dance with us; All things join in the dance. |
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Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | Fain would I flee: and fain would I remain. |
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Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir II: | Fain would I be ordered: | |||
Choir I: | And fain would I set in order. | |||
Choir II: | Fain would I be infolded: | |||
Choir I: | Fain would I infold. | |||
Choir II: | I have no home; | |||
Choir I: | In all I am dwelling. | |||
Choir II: | I have no resting place: | |||
Choir I: | I have the Earth. | |||
Choir II: | I have no temple; | |||
Choir I: | And I have Heav'n. | |||
Choir I & II: | To you who gaze, a lamp am I. | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | To you that know, a mirror. | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | To you who knock, a door am I: To you who fare, the way. |
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Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II (S&T): | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II (A&B): | Give ye heed unto my dancing: In me who speak, behold yourselves; |
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Semi-chorus: | Amen | |||
Choir I & II: | And beholding what I do, keep silence on my mysteries. |
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Choir I & II (S&T): | Divine ye in dancing what I shall do; | |||
Choir I & II: | For yours is the passion of man that I go to endure. | |||
All trebles: | Ah, ah. | |||
Choir I & II: | Ye could not know at all What thing you endure, |
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Choir I & II (S&A): | Beholding what I suffer, ye know me as the sufferer. |
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Choir I & II: | And when ye had beheld it, ye were not unmoved; |
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Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | When I am gone, ye shall know who I am; For I am in no wise that which now I seem. |
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Semi-chorus: | Fain would I move to the music of holy souls! | |||
Choir I & II: | Know in me the word of wisdom! And with me cry again: |
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Choir I & II: | Glory to Thee, Father! | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | Glory to Thee, Word! | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | Glory to Thee, O Grace! | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. | |||
Semi-chorus: | Glory to Thee, Holy Spirit! | |||
Semi-chorus: | Amen. Amen. | |||
Choir I & II: | Amen. Amen. Amen. |
References
[edit]- ^ Palmer, Christopher, Liner notes, "Holst: The Cloud Messenger, The Hymn of Jesus", cond: Richard Hickox, Chandos 8901, 1990
- ^ Tippett, Michael (1995). Bowen, Meirion (ed.). Tippett on Music. Oxford University Press. p. 73. ISBN 9780198165422.
- ^
"Holst's 'Hymn of Jesus.' New British Choral Work". The Times. London. Friday, Mar 26, 1920. p. 12. Issue 42369.
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Further reading
[edit]See also
[edit]External links
[edit]- Head, Raymond. "The Hymn of Jesus: Holst's Gnostic Exploration of Time and Space", July 1999
- "THE HYMN OF JESUS: Echoes from the Gnosis", Translated with comments by G. R. S. MEAD, The Theosophical Publishing Society, London and Benares, 1907
- http://www.gustavholst.info/links/
- http://www.sasymphony.org/t_program_notes.php?id=36
- http://www.halifaxchoralsociety.co.uk/hymnofjesus.html