Hymn of Praise -
Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847) |
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Mendelssohn was born into a wealthy and cultured family. He was a
precociously gifted child, so much so that the finest musicians of the day
hailed him as a second Mozart. This comparison was by no means without
foundation; by the time he had reached his mid-teens Mendelssohn had
composed a large number of mature works, including twelve string
symphonies and his first symphony for full orchestra, written when he was
only fifteen. He was sixteen when he wrote the String Octet, and
the wonderful overture A Midsummer Night’s Dream followed a year
later. Mozart had produced nothing remotely comparable by the same age.
Mendelssohn’s extraordinary gifts were not confined to composition,
however. He became a brilliant pianist and organist, a fine string player,
an inspirational conductor, a good painter and was widely read.
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Yet
another dimension to Mendelssohn’s glittering career was his far-reaching
influence as an organiser and administrator. As a result of his tireless
efforts with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Leipzig
Conservatory, which he founded in 1843, he raised performance standards to
new heights and created many opportunities for contemporary composers and
performers. He also made a major contribution to the revival of interest
in Bach’s music, which at that time was virtually unknown to the general
public. Mendelssohn was responsible for the first public performance of
the St. Matthew Passion since Bach’s death, an event which probably
did more than any other to stimulate renewed interest in his music. He
visited England many times, where he was received with adulation, feted by
the press, and became a great favourite of Queen Victoria and Prince
Albert. |
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Although
the choral movements of Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise can be sung as
a separate work, they are actually part of his Symphony No.2. (It was in
fact the third symphony he wrote. The Reformation symphony - No.5 -
was completed in 1830 and given its later opus number only after the
composer’s death). Symphony No.2 was written for the 1840 Gutenberg
Festival in Leipzig - at that time one of the main centres of the
publishing trade - to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the
invention of printing. Mendelssohn’s symphony was the final event of this
important occasion, bringing the festivities to a suitably imposing
conclusion. |
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Mendelssohn described the Hymn of Praise as a ‘symphonic cantata’,
possibly to avoid comparisons with Beethoven’s ninth symphony, though the
two works have little in common other than the simple fact that they are
both choral symphonies. More probably he used the term as an accurate
description of the piece’s form and content. The opening instrumental
section is in three parts, loosely corresponding to the first three
movements of a conventional symphony, though the second and third parts
are noticeably shorter and less developed than they would normally be. The
choral sections - much the longest part of the whole work - are clearly
influenced by Bach’s example in the layout of recitatives, arias and
choruses, the fugal writing of the opening and closing choruses, and the
use of the Lutheran chorale ‘Nun Danket’ (Now thank we all our God) in
No.6. The whole symphony is, however, unmistakably Mendelssohn. |
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John
Bawden
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To those using these notes You are more than
welcome to use all or part of these notes for your
choral society or church programme, or for educational
purposes. If you do, please would you be kind enough to
advise me by e-mail -
bawden37@sky.com - and would you also acknowledge my
authorship. If you wish to use these notes for
commercial purposes, e.g. a CD or DVD liner, please
contact me. Thank you.
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