THE BACH CHOIR 13 FEBRUARY 2014 / 15

PROGRAMME NOTES

TOD UND VERKLÄRUNG RICHARD STRAUSS (1864-1949)

‘‘The idea occurred to me to represent, in a tone poem, the death Although the work runs for around 25 minutes without a break, it of a person who had striven for the highest ideals. The sick man falls into four sections. Ritter’s poem sets the scene of the first: lies in bed asleep, breathing heavily and irregularly. Agreeable ‘‘… you perceive nothing but the quiet ticking of the wall clock in dreams make him smile in spite of his suffering; his sleep the room, whose horrific silence suggests the proximity of death’’. becomes lighter; he awakens. Once again he is racked by terrible Whether the repeated rhythmic pattern played by the strings and pain; his limbs shake with fever. As the attack draws to a close timpani is Ritter’s ticking clock or, as has been widely suggested, and the pain subsides, he reflects on his past life; his childhood the artist’s faltering heartbeat, the mood is quiet, with arching passes before him, his youth with its striving and its passions. woodwind and violin solos over harp accompaniment. Then, while the pain resumes, the fruit of his life’s journey appears to him - -- the idea, the ideal which he has tried to realise, A faster tempo and a much more agitated feel to the music to represent in his art, but which he has been unable to perfect, introduces the second section, which depicts the artist’s fight with because it was not for any human being to perfect it. The hour of death. As Ritter puts it ‘‘The urge to live, and the power of death! death approaches, the soul leaves the body, in order to find What a horrendous struggle!’’ perfected in the most glorious form in the eternal cosmos that which he could not fulfil here on earth.’’ ‘‘Dying is just as I composed it in Death So wrote Richard Strauss to his friend Friedrich von Hausegger in 1894; Strauss was responding to Hausegger’s request for and Transfiguration.’’ information about his creative processes, four years after the first performance of Tod und Verklärung, conducted by the composer. The artist wins the fight, and the third section describes his life in What is interesting is that Strauss was not drawing on personal all its different stages: childhood innocence, heroic exploits, and a experience; it was to be another two years after the work was passionate love scene, but the faltering heartbeat figure returns composed before he experienced life-threatening illness himself and the tam-tam - -- a type of gong - -- finally signifies the moment of (fortunately making a full recovery). The poem by Strauss’s close death. friend Alexander Ritter (1833-1896) that was included as a preface to the full score on its publication was thought by some to Ritter ends with this: ‘‘But out of the realm of heaven, what he has have provided the idea for the work, but was in fact written after been longing for and seeking resounds mightily towards him: the work was composed, and expands on Strauss’s ideas. redemption of the world, transfiguration of the world!’’ Beginning Although clearly not a great poet, Ritter was at the time a well- quietly the music gradually builds higher and higher, the journey of regarded composer and violinist; it is Ritter who is credited with the soul finally coming to an end in peace and tranquility. persuading Strauss to leave behind the music of Mendelssohn and Schumann which had influenced his very early works, and to Strauss went on to write many more increasingly ambitious tone explore the symphonic poem, or tone poem, a symphonic work poems including Also sprach Zarathustra (1896), inspired by the usually in one long movement in which the music paints a picture writing of Nietzsche, and An Alpine Symphony (1915). He lived to or tells a story. the age of 85 when, as he lay on his deathbed he remarked ‘‘Dying is just as I composed it in Death and Transfiguration’’. Composed in 1889 when Strauss was just 25, Tod und Verklärung was his second work in this form; he was no doubt encouraged by © Katharine Richman 2014 the very favourable reaction of critics to Don Juan, which was premiered with the composer conducting one year earlier. Translation of Alexander Ritter’s poem by John Dunston THE BACH CHOIR 13 FEBRUARY 2014 / THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS 17

THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS (1857-1934) TEXT BY BLESSED JOHN HENRY NEWMAN (1801-1890)

Ann Elgar’s conversion to Roman Catholicism shortly before her such as yourself, deliberately to commit myself to it, I dare say I fourth child Edward’s birth meant that, to the dismay of his shall print it by itself.’’ father, Elgar was baptised and raised a Catholic. He remained a Catholic for the rest of his life, but the depth and intensity of his A first edition of Gerontius published independently of The Month faith is subject to scholarly debate. is dated 2 November 1865 - -- All Souls’ Day. Gerontius was well circulated and had an ineffable influence on people both within John Henry Newman was born in London on 21 February 1801, and and without the Catholic faith; writing to Lady Chatterton on 18 had a more turbulent theological journey; initially baptised into the September 1870, Newman elaborated: Church of , he underwent an evangelical conversion at the age of fifteen, before going to Oxford where he was a leading ‘‘As to my own Gerontius, it was not the versification which sold it, member of the Oxford Movement whose aim was to revitalise the but the subject. It is a RELIGIOUS subject which appeals strongly spirit of the Church of England along apostolic and Catholic lines. to the feelings of everyone. I heard of one farmer who was a most Newman was ordained an Anglican Priest in 1825 but, following an unlikely man to care about poetry, who took to it when he was ill - -- ultimately unsatisfactory relationship with the Church of England, it was to him a prayer or meditation. It directed his thoughts to the he was received into the Roman Catholic Church in 1845 and next world, from no merits of its own but from its subject.’’ ordained a Catholic Priest in 1847. Finally, in 1879, Newman was created a Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII. He was beatified by Pope Notable people who treasured the poem include General Gordon, Benedict XVI in 2010. an Evangelical Christian whose heavily annotated copy of Gerontius was with him during his final moments in 1884 after The Poem being wounded at the taking of Khartoum, and Newman’s militant Heavily influenced by Dante Alighieri’s (c.1265- -- 1321) great theological adversary Charles Kingsley, whose vehement attack allegorical poem The Divine Comedy (throughout which Dante is on his Roman conversion prompted Newman to write his 1864 guided through Hell and Purgatory by Virgil, and Heaven by autobiography, Apologia Pro Vita Sua. Beatrice), Newman’s Gerontius details the final moments of a dying man, his death and, guided by his guardian angel, his The Music and Synopsis: This is the best of me... journey to judgement and Purgatory. What prompted Newman to Following Elgar’s increasingly positive reputation and popularity, write his longest poem at the age of nearly 64 and at a very busy he was approached in 1898 by the Triennial Music time is unknown, but he completed the manuscript on fifty-two Festival to compose a new choral work for the forthcoming scraps of paper between 17 January and 7 February 1865. On 11 meeting in October 1900. Elgar was in good company, the Festival October 1865 he wrote to his friend T.W. Allies: having already given premieres of several significant works including Mendelssohn’s Elijah (1846) and Gounod’s Mors et Vita ‘‘On the 17 January last it came into my head to write it. I really (1885). Dvořák had first considered setting a German version of cannot tell how, and I wrote on till it was finished, on small bits of Gerontius in 1888, but instead submitted his Requiem (1891). Elgar paper. And I could no more write anything else by willing it, than I accepted and initially considered Gerontius as a suitable text, could fly.’’ having known and loved the poem for several years. As time ran out, with other engagements and projects pressing Elgar’s time, he Earlier that year, at the request of Frances Margaret Taylor for a panicked; at first he considered other texts for setting but finally, contribution to the then fledgling but soon prominent Catholic with only ten months to go, he wrote to the Festival rejecting the monthly periodical The Month, he allowed Gerontius to be commission. Following a meeting with the Festival Chairman on published in two parts in the May and June issues of the same New Year’s Day 1900, Elgar was persuaded to provide a setting of year. Writing to Lady Charles Thynne on 29 October 1865, The Dream of Gerontius, and the following day he travelled to the Newman revealed his surprise at the work’s popularity: Birmingham Oratory to discuss abridging Newman’s lengthy epic. Gerontius was significantly curtailed and when composer, ‘‘I am much pleased, and half surprised, that you and others should publisher and Festival were finally satisfied, Wednesday 3 like The Dream of Gerontius. It was written by accident - -- and it was October was agreed on for the premiere. Elgar worked hard over published by accident. But now that I am encouraged by friends the following months with assistance from his publisher and friend THE BACH CHOIR 13 FEBRUARY 2014 / THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS 19

at Novello, August Jaeger, completing the vocal score by June and chorus submit their earnest supplication on Gerontius’ behalf. the orchestral score by August - -- leaving only three months for rehearsal. Now praying in Latin, Gerontius passionately calls out of his agony to God, praying for mercy whilst affirming his belief in the Holy Calling for a large orchestra, three soloists, double chorus and Trinity, the crucifixion, the resurrection, and his love of God above semi-chorus, Elgar poured his soul into the music of Gerontius and, all others. Frightened, and feeling the terrifying inevitability of his highly satisfied with the result, he headed the score with the death creeping ever closer, Gerontius describes his inward turmoil initials for Ad Maiorem Dei Gloria (To the Greater Glory of God), and again prays to the Holy Family along with the Chorus and and at the end he quoted Ruskin’s Sesame and Lilies: Semi-Chorus. His energy spent, Gerontius makes a final offering of his life to the Lord, and dies. A Priest administers the Last Rites. ‘‘This is the best of me; for the rest, I ate, and drank, and slept, loved and hated, like another: my life was as the vapour, and is not; but this I saw and knew; this, if anything of mine, is worth ‘‘This is the best of me; for the rest, I ate, your memory. ‘‘ and drank, and slept, loved and hated, like The performance, however, was a disaster. Elgar’s complex score, another: my life was as the vapour, and is unlike anything the chorus and orchestra had encountered before, was beyond their ability, and the difficulty of the work was not; but this I saw and knew; this, if underestimated. On the completion of the vocal score, chorus anything of mine, is worth your memory.’’ master Charles Swinnerton Heap died of pneumonia, and an unsuitable replacement was engaged by the Festival Board, leaving the chorus severely under-prepared. Conductor Hans Richter did not receive the full orchestral score until the night Part II before the first orchestral rehearsal, and could do little more than Following a short pause Gerontius’ Soul awakens, refreshed and call eleventh-hour emergency rehearsals in a desperate attempt to aware that he is no longer a physical entity. He is greeted by a get the work ready. Elgar was devastated, telling Jaeger ‘‘I have rejoicing Angel whose task was to observe, serve and save allowed my heart to open once - -- it is now shut against every Gerontius in life. Knowing that though earthly strife is over he is religious feeling & every soft, gentle impulse for ever.’’ Despite this yet to be judged by the Heavenly Father before he may enjoy the the critics recognised the work’s genius and originality Beatific Vision, he spurs the Angel on to lead him towards immediately, and Elgar’s attitude was short-lived following judgement. Along the way Gerontius encounters demons but his excellent performances of Gerontius in Germany. resolve is unshaken. Meeting finally the Angel of the Agony who can best plead with the Father for all souls’ entrance to Paradise The music and orchestration of Gerontius owes a great deal to the and, following a surging orchestral climax, Gerontius is for a single influence of Wagner and Richard Strauss, the orchestral Prelude moment face to face with the Lord, Elgar instructing that ‘‘for one immediately reminiscent of Wagner’s 1882 epic Parsifal. In this we moment, must every instrument exert its fullest force.’’ The see a relationship between Wagner’s suffering Amfortas and the instant leaves him pained and pleading to be taken away. The final pangs of a dying man’s agony poured out in around ten Angel comforts him and assures Gerontius, in one of Elgar’s most minutes’ worth of uncomfortable twitching, writhing and reluctant heart-rending compositions, that his time in Purgatory to atone for submission. Surging strings punctuated by unrelenting blasts of his life’s sins will pass swiftly, and he will soon be restored to brass eventually soften into physical and emotional exhaustion. righteousness in Heaven.

Part I © Andrew H King, 2014 As the prelude dies away, we find Gerontius, sick, in a cold sweat and ever more aware that he is dying with only minutes left to live; Andrew H King is a PhD student at the summoning the energy to speak, he calls to Jesus and the Virgin working on the life and music of Sir Granville Bantock. He is active as a Mary that they may be with him in his final moments. Responding writer and critic on music, and has made regular contributions to to Gerontius’ plea, the Semi-Chorus offer their Kyrie eleison and Bachtrack, Oxford University Press’s Early Music journal, the BBC prayers in the first heavenly effort to entreat all the company of Proms and BBC Radio 3. Heaven to aid his swift passing into death. Finding new energy, Gerontius acknowledges that though death is near, what precious little time he has left must be used well and hereafter the whole