Libretto
deutscher Text -->
Teil I Teil II
Den deutschen
Text finden Sie unter obigen Links. Hier folgt nun das Libretto in
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Menschen, der ans Bett gefesselt ist und dessen einzige Freude die Musik
ist. Er hatte das Oratorium in Deutsch gehört und wollte gerne den
Inhalt kennenlernen. Im Internet war das englische Libretto nicht
auffindbar. - Der Webmaster
PART ONE
No. 1 Overture
No. 2 Chorus
Lord, Thou art
God,
which has made heaven, and earth, and the sea.
The heathen rage
against Thee and against Thy Christ.
And now, Lord, behold Thy servants
that with all boldness they may speak Thy word.
No. 3 Chorale
Praise be to
God alone on high
and thanks for His mercy;
that now and for ever more
no harm may befall us.
His power is immeassurable,
only that happens which he hath ordained.
Let us rejoice in the Lord!
No. 4 Recitative and Duet
SOPRANO
And the
multitude of them that believe were of one heart and of one soul; and
Stephan, full of faith and power, didi great miracles among the
people. And the scribes were not able to resist the wisdom and the
spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said:
BASSES I
AND II (THE FALSE WITNESSES)
We have heard
him speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the Law.
SOPRANO I
And they
stirred up the people and the elders, and came upon him, and caugh
him, and brought him to council, and said:
No. 5 Chorus
THE PEOPLE
This man
ocaseth not to speak blasphemous words
against Moses and against God.
Did not we straitly command you
that ye should not teach in his name?
And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem
with your doctrine.
For we have heard him say,
that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place,
and shall change the customs which Moses delivered.
No. 6 Recitative
SOPRANO
And all that
sat in the council, looking steadtfastly on him, saw his face as it
had been the face of an angel.
Then said the high priest: Are these things so?
Stephen said:
TENOR
(STEPHEN)
Men, brethren,
and fathers, hearken: the God of glory appeared unto our fathers,
delivered the people out of their afflictions and gave them favour.
But they understood it not.
He sent Moses into Egypt, for He saw their afflictions, and heard
their groaning. But they refused Him, and would not obey His word, but
thrust Him from them, and sacrified to idols. Solomon built Him an
house, howbeit the most high dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
for heaven is His throne, and earth is but His footstool. Hath not His
hand made all these things?
Ye stiff-necked! Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost! As your fathers
did, so do ye! Which of the prophets have not yourfathers persecuted?
And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just
One, whose murderers ye have become. Ye have received the law by
disposition of angels, and ye have not kept it!
THE PEOPLE
Away with him!
He blasphemeth the name of the Lord. And he blasphemeth the name of
the Lord shall be put death.
TENOR (STEPHEN)
Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the son of Man standing on
the right hand of God.
No. 7 Aria
SOPRANO
Jerusalem,
Jerusalem!
Thou that killest the prohets,
and stonest them which are sent unto thee,
how often would I have gathered
thy children together, and ye would not!
Jerusalem!
No. 8 Recitative and Chorus
TENOR
But they ran
upon him and cast him out og the city and stoned him and cried out:
THE PEOPLE
Sone him! He
hath blasphemeth the name of the Lord, and he that blasphemeth the
name of the Lord be but death.
No. 9 Recitative and Chorale
TENOR
And they
stoned him. He kneeled down and cried with a loud voice: Lord, lay not
this sin to their charge. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And when he
said this, he fell asleep.
Chorus
To Thee, Lord,
will devote myself,
to Thee, whose creature I am.
Thou alone, Thou art my life,
death my only prize.
I live for Thee, die for Thee:
if Thou art mine, it is enough for me.
No. 10 Recitative
SOPRANO
And the
witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name
was Saul. He was consenting unto his death. And devour men carried
Stephen to his burial made great lamentation over him.
No. 11 Chorus
Behold!
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation:
for though the body die,
the soul shall receive the crown of life.
No. 12 Recitative and Aria
TENOR
As for Saul,
he made havoc of the church, and breathed out threatenings and
slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, and said:
BASS (SAUL)
Consume them
all, Lord Sabaoth,
as stubble before fire!
They will not know Thee, tha Thou,
whose name alone is Jehova, art the Lord alone,
the most high over all the earth.
Pour out Thine indignation upon them,
let them be silenced!
No. 13 Recitative and Arioso
SOPRANO
And
he went his followers to Damaskus, bearing the letters of the high
priests, that he might bring men or women bound unto Jerusalem.
But the Lord is mindful of His own,
be remembers His children.
The Lord remembers His children.
Bow down before Him, ye mighty,
for the Lord is near.
No. 14 Recitative with Chorus
TENOR
And as he
journeyed, he came near Damaskus, and suddenly there shined round
about him a light from heaven, and he fell to the earth and heard a
voice saying unto him:
CHORUS
Saul, why
persecutest thou me?
BASS (PAUL)
Who art
thou, Lord?
TENOR
And the Lord
said:
CHORUS
I am Jesus
of Nazareth
whom thou persecutest.
TENOR
And he,
trembling and astinished, said:
BASS (PAUL)
Lord, what
will thou have me to do?
TENOR
And the Lord
said unto him:
CHORUS
Arise, and
go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
No. 15 Chorus
Arise,
shine,
for thy light is come;
and the glory of the Lord
is risen upon thee.
For behold, darkness covers the earth,
and gross darkness the people.
But the Lord rises upon thee,
and his glory is seen upon thee.
No. 16 Chorale
Awake, cries
us the voice
of the watchers high on the battlements,
awake, thou city Jerusalem!
Prepare, the bridgeroom comes.
Arise, take up your lamps!
Alleluia!
Make ye ready
for all enternity!
Ye must go forth to meet him.
No. 17 Recitative
TENOR
And the men
which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but
seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were
opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand and brought him
into Damaskus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did
eat nor drink.
No. 18 Aria
BASS (PAUL)
Have mercy
upon me, o God,
and blot out my transgressions
according to Thy loving kindness.
Cast me not away from Thy presence,
and take not Thy holy
spirit from me.
A broken and a contrite heart
o God, thou will not despise.
O God, have mercy upon me,
according to Thy loving kindness!
I will speak of Thy salvation,
I will teach transgressors thy ways,
ans sinners shall be converted unto Thee!
O Lord, open Thou my lips,
and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
And blot out my transgressions
according to Thy loving kindness.
Lord, cast me not away!
No. 19 Recitative
TENOR
And there
was a certain disciple at Damaskus, named Ananias, and to him said
the Lord:
SOPRANO
Arise
Ananias, and inquire for one called Saul of Tarsus: for behold, be
prayeth. He is chosen vessel unto me; for I will shew him how great
things he must suffer for my name's sake.
No. 20 Aria with Chorus
BASS (PAUL)
I will
praise Thee, o Lord my God,
with all my heart for ever more;
for great is Thy mercy toward me,
and Thou hast delivered my soul
from the lowest hell.
O Lord my God, I will praise Thee.
CHORUS
And the Lord
God will wipe away
the tears from off all faces,
for the Lord hath spoken it.
No. 21 Recitative
SOPRANO I
And Ananias
entered into the house and putting his hands on him said:
TENOR (ANANIAS)
Brother
Saul, the Lord hath sent me, that appeared unto thee in the way as
thou camest, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled
with the Holy Ghost.
SOPRANO
And
immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he
received sight forthwith, and arose and was baptised, and
straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the son
of God.
No. 22 Chorus
O the depth
of the riches both
of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgements,
and his ways past finding out!
To him be glory for ever.
Amen
PART TWO
No. 23 Chorus
The kingdoms
of this world are our Lord
and of his Christ.
For all nations shall come
and worship before Thee.
For thy judgments
are made manifest.
No. 24 Recitative
SOPRANO
And Paul
came to the church and spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then the Holy Ghost said: separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work
whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed,
and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
No. 25 Duettino
TENOR
(BARNABAS), BASS (PAUL)
Now then we
are ambbasadors for Christ,
as though God did beseech you by us.
No. 26 Chorus
How
beautiful are the feet of them
that preach the gospel of peace.
Their sound went into all the earth
and their words unto the ends of the world.
No 27. Recitative and Arioso
SOPRANO I
So they,
being sent forth by the Holy Ghost,
departed and preached the world of God.
Let us sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever,
make known his faithfulness.
No. 28 Recitative and Chorus
TENOR
But when the
Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake
against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and
blaspheming.
THE PEOPLE
Thus saith
the Lord: I am the Lord, and besides me is no saviour.
TENOR
They laid
await for Paul, and took counsel to kill him, and spoke one to
another:
No. 29 Chorus and Chorale
THE PEOPLE
Is not this
he that
destroyed them which called
on this name in Jerusalem?
May all deceivers ever be confounded!
Force them away!
SOLOISTS
Jesus
Christ, true light,
enlighten them that know Thee not,
and bring them to Thy flock,
that their souls might also be blessed.
CHORUS
Enlighten
them that are blind,
bring hither them that have separated from us,
gather them that have strayed,
confirm them that are in doubt.
No. 30 Recitative
TENOR
Then Paul
and Barnabas waxed bold, and said:
BASS (PAUL)
I was
neccessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to
you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of
everlasting life,lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
No. 31 Duet
TENOR
(BARNABAS), BASS (PAUL)
For so hath
the Lord commanded:
I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles,
that thou shouldest be for salvation,
unto the ends of the earth.
That whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
No. 33 Chorus
THE
GENTILES
The gods are
come down to us in the likeness of men.
No. 34 Recitative
SOPRANO
And they
called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius. Then the priest of
Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto
the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.
No. 35 Chorus
THE
GENTILES
O be
gracious, ye gods!
Heed our sacrifice with favour.
No. 36 Recitatice, Aria, and Chorus
TENOR
Which when
the apostles heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the
people, crying out:
BASS (PAUL)
Sirs, why do ye things? We are also men of like
passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from
these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth,
and the sea. Thus saith the prophet: all your idols are but
falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity and the
work of errors. In the time of their visitation they shall perish.
God dwelleth not in temples made by hands.
Know ye not that ye are the temples of God, and that the spirit of
God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall
God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
But our God is in the heavens:
he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
We believe one God,
maker of heaven and earth,
who made himself a Father,
that we might become his children.
No. 37 Recitative
SOPRANO
But the
unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and there was an assault
made both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews; they were full of
anger and cried out against them:
No. 38 Chorus
JEWS AND
GENTILES
This is God's temple!
Men of
Israel, help:
this is the man
that teacheth all men everywhere
against the people,
and the law,
and this place!
Stone him to death!
No. 39 Recitative
SOPRANO
And they all
persecuted Paul on his way, but the Lord stood with him, and
strengthened him, that by him the preaching might be fully known,
and that all the Gentiles might hear.
No. 40 Cavatina
TENOR
Be thou
faithful unto death,
and I will give thee the crown of life.
Be not afriad, for I am with thee.
Be thou faithful unto death.
No. 41 Recitative
SOPRNO
Paul sent to
Ephesus and called the elders of the church and said unto them:
BASS (PAUL)
Ye known after what manner I have been with you
at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with
many tears, and testified faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And
now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem; bonds and
afflictions abide me. Ye shall see my face no more.
SOPRANO
And they all
wept sore and said:
No. 42 Chorus and Recitative
CHORUS
Far be it
from Thy path!
These things shall not be unto thee!
BASS (PAUL)
What mean ye
thus to weep and thus to break my heart? For I am prepare’d not only
to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord
our Saviour, Jesus Christ
TENOR
And when he
had thus spoken he kneeled down and prayed with them all, and they
accompanied him unto the ship, and saw his face no more.
No. 43 Chorus
See what
love hath the Father bestow'd on us in his goodness,that would
we called God`s own children. See what love hath the Father
bestow'd on
us in his goodness.
No. 44 Recitative
SOPRAN
And though
he be offered upon the sacrifice of our faith, yet the heath fought
a good fight; he has finished his course, he hath kept well the
faith hence forth there in laid up for him a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give him at the last
great day.
No. 45 Final Chorus
And not for
him only, but for
all them also that love his appearing.
The Lord careth for us
and blesseth us.
Bless the Lord!
Bless the Lord, o my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord,
all ye his angels,
bless the Lord!
Seitenanfang |
|
Dienstag,
16.10.2001 - "Neue Presse" Coburg
Rudolf Potyra
In der sehr gut besetztem Morizkirche brachte
der Konzertchor Sängerkranz Coburg gemeinsam mit dem Münchner Singkreis
(Leitung Robert Blank), dem Georgischen Kammerorchester Ingolstadt, dem
Solistenquartett Carolin Schmidt, Elke Ullrich, Bernd Gilman und Phillip
Langshaw sowie Angelika Tasler an der Orgel das Oratorium "Paulus" von
Felix Mcndelssohn - Bartholdy zu einer eindrucksvollen und am Ende lang
bejubelten Aufführung. Die Leitung hatte Leopold Schindler.
"Paulus, Oratorium nach Worten der heiligen Schrift" ist neben dem
"Elias" eines der beiden biblischen Oratorien des Komponisten. Begonnen
in Düsseldorf und vollendet in Leipzig kam das Werk 1836 in Düsseldorf
zur überaus erfolgreichen Uraufführung. Die Zeitgenossen begrüßten es
überschwänglich und Robert Schumann nannte es "ein Juwel der Gegenwart".
Der "Paulus" wurde eines der meistaufgeführten Oratorien im 19.
Jahrhundert. Nach Coburg kam es durch den "Sängerkranz", der es 1881
hier zur Erstaufführung brachte.
Das zweiteilige Oratorium berichtet anfangs über den Märtyrertod
des Stephanus durch die fanatisierten luden, unter demen sich auch der
Christenhasser Saulus befand. Auf dem Weg nach Tarsus erscheint diesem
der Gottessohn und beruft ihn zu seinem Apostel. Aus dem Saulus wird ein
Paulus.
Der zweite Teil schildert einzelne Szenen aus der Missionstätigkeit
des Paulus und schließt mit dem Abschied von seiner Gemeinde in Ephesus.
Die Coburger Aufführung verdient schon allein vom Organisatorischen
her, an das man angesichts eines hervorragenden Ergebnisses kaum mehr
denkt, uneingeschränkte Bewunderung.
Das Oratorium - es wurde ohne jeden Strich aufgeführt - hat eine
reine Spielzeit von rund zweieinhalb Stunden. Die weiten Anreisen des
Münchner Singkreises und des Orchesters aus Ingolstadt verbieten eine
wünschenswerte Anzahl gemeinsamer Proben. Dafür ist äußerste
Konzentration und unbeirrte Zielstrebigkeit angesagt. Hier darf man wohl
Leopold Schindler ein uneingeschränktes Kompliment machen.
Hauptakteur des Oratoriums ist der Chor. Von insgesamt 45 Nummern
hat der Chor 22 allein oder - gelegentlich - gemeinsam mit Solisten zu
bestreiten. Über den Daumen gepeilt dürften rund 120 Sänger/ innen dem
Dirigenten zur Verfügung gestanden haben. Diese große Zahl ist Chance
und Versuchung zugleich; Chance für gewaltige, umwerfende Höhepunkte,
Gefahr für zu häufige chorische Entladungen, wo zwischen Forte und
Fortissimo nicht mehr unterschieden wird. Dieser Gefahr ist man nicht
immer entgangen.
Ansonsten aber bat der Chor eine herausragende Leistung
abgeliefert. Die zahlreichen Fugen wurden mit exemplarischer Präzision
gesungen; und dies bei Tempi, die an die Grenze der Leistungsfähigkeit
in deklamatorischer, rhythmischer und intonatorischer Hinsicht führten.
Mächtig der Auftaktchor, realistisch-fanatisch "Steiniget ihn",
wohltuend fließend "Ich danke dir, Herr", beängstigend im Pianissimo,
das in Hysterie mündet, bei "Ist das nicht der zu Jerusalem", emphatisch
in "Die Götter sind dem Menschen gleich geworden", innig im Ausdruck
"Seid uns gnädig", fürsorglich "Schone deiner selbst" und mit vollem
Tutti der Schlusschor "Lobet den Herrn!"
Nach Bachs Vorbild hat Mendelssohn Choräle eingefügt, die einzelne
Abschnitte gliedern und abschließen; überwiegend schlichte Sätze, die
Leopold Schindler sehr breit nahm. "O Jesu Christe, wahres Licht" sei
jedoch wegen seines hochromantischen Instrumentalsatzes herausgehoben.
Unter den Solisten hatte der seit langem in Coburg hochgeschätzte
Bassist Phillip Langshaw als Paulus die zentrale Stellung. Mit seiner
großen, wandlungsfähigen Stimrrne bot er eine faszinierende Leistung:
als fanatisierter Verfolger und "Rachegott" der Juden ("Vertilge sie"),
als von der Gnade Gottes Überwältigter ("Gott, sei mir gnädig"), demütig
dankbar für das Geschenk des Glaubens ("Ich danke dir"), als machtvoll
mahnender Prophet ("Wisset ihr nicht') und ergreifend beim Abschied von
den Seinen.
 Neben ihm hatte die Sopranistin Carolin Schmidt die umfangreichste
Partie. Sie hatte eine Fülle von Rezitativen zu singen, was sie mit
makelloser Stimme und vorbildlich klar tat. Daneben sang sie mit tiefer
Empfindung die Arie "Jerusalem, du tötest die Propheten" und das
liebliche Arioso "Lasset uns singen".
Der Tenor Bernd Gilman war in mehreren Rezitativen eingesetzt. In
zwei Duetten mit Paulus war er dessen Begleiter Barnabas und mit der
Cavatine "Sei getreu bis in den Tod" hatte er eine besonders schöne
Aufgabe zu lösen. Dem melodischen Fluss dieser Cavatine, bei der einmal
Gefahr im Verzug zu sein schien, war ein obligates Violoncello
beigegeben, das fast ein wenig aufdringlich wirkte. Bernd Gilinan sang
im ganzen zuverlässig, von gelegentlichen IIntonationsproblemen in der
Höhe abgesehen.
Die Altistin Elke Ullrich hatte nur eine Mini-Partie. In einem
kurzen Arioso ("Doch der Herr vergisst die Seinen nicht") konnte sie den
Wohlklang und die Rundung ihrer Stimme in der mittleren Lage gut
ausschöpfen. Von den Besuchern nicht zu sehen, aber durch mächtige
Akzente, die sie setzte, gut zu hören, war Angelika Tasler an der großen
Orgel der Coburger Morizkirche. Ein Monitor machte das präzises
Zusammenwirken mit dem Chor möglich.
Eine Premiere für Coburg war die Mitwirkung des Georgischen
Kammerorchesters, das in Ingolstadt ansässig wurde. Anfangs ließ die
Präzision bei den Einsätzen einige Wünsche offen. Auch konnte die
Ausgewogenheit des Klangs nicht immer überzeugen. Hörner und Pauken
drängten sich gelegentlich in den Vordergrund. Aber im Verlauf der
Aufführung hörte man ausgezeichnete Leistungen von den Streichern.
Locker, unaufdringlich und souverän meisterten sie die Ansprüche, die
Komponist und Dirigent an sie stellten.
Dieser lieferte mit dieser Aufführung eine Leistung ab, die nicht
nur an das Können aller hohe Ansprüche stellte, sondern von ihm und dem
Chor ein gewaltiges Stehvermögen - im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes -
verlangte. Souverän beherrschte Leopold Schindler die Partitur und den
großen Aufführungsapparat und fügte alles zu einer musikalisch
mitreißend gestalteten Wiedergabe zusammen. Begeisterter, langer Beifall
stand am Ende dieser Auffuhrung, die noch lange nachklingen wird.
Seitenanfang |
Teil des Oratoriums berichtet davon, daß der heilige Stephanus
von fanatisch gestzestreuen Juden gesteinigt wird. Unter diesen ist auch Saulus von
Tarsus, der die Christengemeinde in Syrien verfolgen will. Auf dem Wege nach Damaskus
geschieht das Wunder: er sieht das Licht Jesu, erblindet und bekehrt sich zum Christentum.
Geheilt, bereut er sein bisheriges Leben und wird unter dem Namen Paulus Missionar bei den
verfolgten Christen. - Der II. Teil berichtet von Paulus' und Barnabas' Missionstätigkeit
bei Juden und Heiden. Da diese sich gegen Paulus wenden, beschließt er, Ephesus zu
verlassen und nach Jerusalem zurückzukehren, wohl wissend, welches Schicksal ihm dort
droht: das Martyrium. Paulus verabschiedet sich von den Christen in Ephesus.
Mendelssohn
verband die neue, ästhetisch (und nicht nur historisch) begründete Erfahrung des
Kunstcharakters von Bachs Passionen und Oratorien mit dem Glauben an die Lebensfähigkeit
eines modernen religiösen Kunstwerkes außerhalb liturgischer Funktionen. Er schuf mit
Paulus ein Werk, das einerseits die große Tradition Bachs und Händels nachklingen läßt
und andererseits den kompositionsgeschichtlich neuesten Stand seiner Zeit verkörpert. Wie
vielschichtig und widersprüchlich sich dieser Schaffensprozeß vollzog, läßt sich
anhand der Quellensituation erahnen. Denn die zahlreichen, teilweise voneinander
abweichenden Quellen repräsentieren keine eindeutige Werkgestalt und sind Ausdruck einer
komplizierten, bislang nicht zweifelsfrei rekonstruierbaren Entstehungs- und
Aufführungsgeschichte.
Mendelssohns op. 36, das
Oratorium "Paulus" wurde bereits am 19.05.1881 im Beisein der englischen Queen
Victoria in Coburg vom Hoforchester, dem Landestheater und dem Konzertchor
erstaufgeführt. In der Folgezeit wurde der Chorsatz "Wie lieblich sind die Boten,
die den Frieden verkündigen" einer der meist gesungenen Chorsätze am englischen
Hofe. 
Das
Leben und Wirken des Apostel Paulus (geb. um 0 in Tarsus/Kleinasien;
gest. 
