FULL Christus am Ölberge (Beethoven) Bergen 2023 Jennifer France, Bror Magnus Tødenes, Neal Davies

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Christus am Ölberge   
• Composer: Beethoven Ludwig van  
• Libretto: Franz Xaver Huber  
• Venue & Opera Company: Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway  
• Recorded: March 31, 2023
• Type: Concert Live
• Singers: Jennifer France, Bror Magnus Tødenes, Neal Davies
• Conductor: Mark Elder  
• Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra  
• Chorus: Bergen Philharmonic Chorus, Edvard Grieg Kor  
• Chorus Master: Håkon Matti Skrede  
• Stage Director:   
• Costume Designer:   

Information about the Recording

• Published by: Bright Norway  
• Date Published: 2023  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

Program:

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Symphony No. 3 (35′)

interval

Ludwig van Beethoven

Christus am Ölberge Op. 85 (56′)

Quote from Wikipedia:

Christus am Ölberge (in English, Christ on the Mount of Olives), Op. 85, is an oratorio by Ludwig van Beethoven portraying the emotional turmoil of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane prior to his crucifixion. It was begun in the fall of 1802, soon after his completion of the Heiligenstadt Testament, as indicated by evidence in the Wielhorsky sketchbook. The libretto in German is by the poet Franz Xaver Huber [de], editor of the Wiener Zeitung, with whom Beethoven worked closely. It was written in a very short period; in a letter to Breitkopf & Härtel written shortly after the oratorio’s completion, Beethoven spoke of having written it in “a few weeks”, although he later claimed that the piece required no more than 14 days to complete. It was first performed on April 5, 1803 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna; in 1811, it was revised by Beethoven for publication by Breitkopf & Härtel. The 10 years that passed between the composition of the work and its publication resulted in its being assigned a relatively high opus number. The piece premiered in the United States in 1809; it was Beethoven’s first success in the United States.

Composition
The work is a dramatic oratorio and is considered a much more humanistic portrayal of the Christ passion[4] than other settings, such as those by Bach. It concludes at the point of Jesus personally accepting his fate, placing the emphasis on his own decision rather than the later Crucifixion or Resurrection. The oratorio is scored for soprano, tenor, and bass soloists, with standard SATB chorus and symphony orchestra. The tenor sings as Jesus, with the soprano as a seraph (angel) and the bass as Peter. A complete performance lasts approximately 50 minutes.

 

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