Saturday, December 2, 2000

Concert Details

• 2000-2001 Season
• Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Jed Gaylin
• Works Performed:
• Lobgesang, Op. 52 (Hymn of Praise) by Felix Mendelssohn
• Featured Artists: Walter Dixon Madeleine Gray Jonathan Palevsky Johns Hopkins Choral Society Elizabeth Knauer Goucher Chorus
• Venue: Shriver Hall
• Time: 8:00 pm

Program Notes

“Hymn of Praise”

Symphony No. 2, in B-flat Major, “Lobgesang” Op. 52
Felix Mendelssohn

Of the many excellent accomplishments of the German composer Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), perhaps the most cherished is his reintroduction of Johann Sebastian Bach into the concert hall. When the brilliant young Mendelssohn was only 20 years old, the larger masterpieces of Bach had never been heard. It was the St. Matthew’s Passion, the manuscript of which came into the hands of Mendelssohn and his friends, that was considered to be unperformable due to its length and difficulty. Mendelssohn, however, changed all that. You might say that Mendelssohn rescued the music of Bach at the eleventh hour. Beyond this, Mendelssohn’s influence is still felt in the structure and style of concerts of the symphony orchestra (from his work with the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig), and in the teaching and structure of the modern conservatory (from his founding and directorship of the Leipzig Conservatory). And lastly, we would not have the Midsummer Night’s Dream, four excellent symphonies for full orchestra, or Songs Without Words, among many other of Mendelssohn’s compositions.

In the year of 1840, at the age of 31, Mendelssohn was commisioned to compose a work for a grand celebration commemorating the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg. This celebration included Weber’s Jubel Overture and Handel’s Dettingen Te Deum. Mendelssohn’s contribution was his Symphony No. 2 and called it a symphony-cantata for orchestra and chorus bearing the title “Lobgesang” (Hymn of Praise or Song of Praise).

Not long before this event, we should remember that Beethoven stunned the world with his Symphony No. 9, of which the last movement included vocal soloists and chorus. Some of Mendelssohn’s cotemporaries thought his Symphony No. 2 to be a bit pretentious in the shadow the Ninth. However, this should give you some notion of the indominatable spirit of Felix Mendelssohn; he was unperturbed by this and the celebration was a mighty success. German composer Robert Schumann said of the work “The form of the work could not be more happily chosen. The whole stimulated enthusiasm, and certainly the work, particularly at the choral movement, is to be accounted one of his freshest and most charming creations…”

Indeed, the symphony-cantata is a lovely, grand, and charming work. The first three movements are for orchestra alone, playing as a sinfonia prelude to the choral cantata. Movement one, Maestoso con moto – Allegro, opens with a the sober and noble theme by the trombones, very much like a Luther hymn. This theme will link the entire work together (you will hear it plainly in the first and last choruses in the finale movement). From that theme the movement gathers momentum, but is balanced by the second subject, a gently rolling motif. Mostly, the first theme (and it’s counter subject) is developed thoroughly toward the movement’s end. From first movement, there is no doubt that Mendelssohn has set the stage for the religious feel of the whole work.

The second movement, Allegretto un poco agitato, is a delightful minuet and trio. Though it’s comfortable waltz feel is set somewhat against the brass pronouncing again a somber hymnal theme, the second movement feels fresh and charming, though hints slightly of what’s to come.

The third movement, Adagio religioso, is built upon a lovely but very serious theme of deeply pious reflection. Although the movement proceeds through a restless pulsing in the strings, it closes in gentle exaltation. The whole of it sings as an instrumental prayer.

The finale brings nine vocal sections that explore a number of variations for vocal combinations. The first theme of the first movement begins this finale. And from here on this beautiful cantata exalts the heavens and our hearts. There is no doubt of the musical reference to the old hymn, “Now thank we all our God” in the Chorale, no. 8, which was a favorite of Mendelssohn’s. It was appropriate that Mendelssohn inscribed the work with a quote by Martin Luther, “But I would see all the arts, especially music, in the service of Him who gave and created them.”

— Max Derrickson