O Radiant Dawn: About the Program
By Dr. C. Matthew Balensulea
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) composed both the Easter Oratorio (BWV 249) and the “Shepherd” Cantata (BWV 249a) in early 1725.In the first months of the year, Bach, no doubt pressed for time, needed to fulfill two imminent commitments. He had been commissioned to compose a cantata for the birthday celebration of one of his patrons, Duke Christian of Saxe-Weißenfels, which was February 25, and he also needed new music for Easter (April 1). Bach's librettist, Christian Friedrich Henrici (1700-1764), also known as Picander, fashioned the poetry so that the same music could be sung to both the secular and the sacred texts. Bach created separate recitatives for each work, but only the music for the Easter Oratorio survives.
Both works are scored for trumpets, flutes, oboes, timpani, strings, continuo, chorus and vocal soloists. They begin with a Sinfonia in D major in the form of a concerto with solo episodes for the violins and winds in a lively triple meter. The following Adagio in B minor is a lyric solo for flute traverso (or oboe) over a dotted accompaniment figure; it may have been omitted for the birthday cantata. The vocal movements are written for four soloists (Table 1) with chorus, and both works end with a celebratory finale (Table 2).
Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) was a Czech composer who was probably educated in Prague where he also composed sacred works before moving to Dresden around 1711 as a violone (contre-basse) player. Under Augustus II (1670-1733), Dresden was becoming an artistic center. In 1697, Augustus converted to Catholicism as part of a plan to become the elected king of Poland, elevating the importance of Catholic sacred music at his court. Zelenka became director of the Dresden Royal Chapel in 1729 and principal church composer in 1731.
Zelenka’s Missa Paschalis was composed for Easter 1726 and is scored for four trumpets, two oboes, timpani, strings, continuo, choir, and four soloists. Italian music was in fashion at the Dresden court, and Zelenka, adhering to the style of mass composition in Naples, duly breaks the text into shorter sections.
The Kyrie I begins with majestic declamations and imitative counterpoint in an ABA1 form in D major which modulates to the dominant for a central section in counterpoint featuring the soloists. The Christe is a solo for alto with strings and continuo in A major. Kyrie II is an abbreviated repeat of A1.
The Gloria opens with homophonic declamation in D major. “Domine Deus” is a soprano aria with strings and continuo in B minor. The chorus returns for a somber setting of “Qui tollis” moving from G major to E major. The “Quoniam” is a minuet for solo quartet in A major which aligns with the tripartite declaration of Jesus’s unique character—he alone is holy, the Lord, and the most high. The full chorus returns for “Cum Sancto” (perhaps to show that the gift of the Holy Spirit is for everyone) ending in A major, followed by a contrapuntal Amen in D major.
The Credo starts in D major including both the choir and soloists. The tone turns somber when Jesus is made man (“Et incarnatus”) in a setting for the soloists and continuo only, featuring dissonant suspensions in D mixolydian (with a lowered 7th scale degree). The “Crucifixus” is set for chorus and continuo in the same reduced style, in B minor (with lowered 3rd and 7th), closing on unison F-sharps. The “Et resurrexit” returns the work to D Major with ascending motives to symbolize Jesus’s Resurrection and ascent into heaven. The movement concludes with a repeat of the Amen of the Gloria.
The Sanctus begins with a somber setting before turning to a joyous Vivace at “Pleni sunt caeli” in D major. The “Benedictus” begins with a soprano aria for strings and continuo in A major followed by a homophonic exclamation of the “Osanna” for chorus and full orchestra that returns to D major.
The Agnus Dei is set in a reverential tone before concluding with a return to the majestic music of Kyrie II sung to “Dona nobis pacem”.
