DAILY DOSE of BEETHOVEN (August 10, 2020)
Beethoven's little known oratorio "Christ on the Mount of Olives, Op. 85”, is considered a failure by most critics and scholars today, and they insist that Beethoven also considered it so. Yet, despite its many detractors, it was a great success in its time, until it was banned in 1825; and even though it was composed in two weeks, with a weak libretto, Beethoven thought enough of it to revise parts that he thought needed it. Could it be that objections to the work are based more on its radically different treatment of the character of Jesus Christ than any musical deficiencies?
The Origins of the Work
Before Beethoven attempted string quartets, he wrote three string trios to sharpen his compositional skills to the level necessary. Similarly, the oratorio “Christ on the Mount of Olives “was very likely Beethoven’s preparation for his first opera, Leonore, later known as “Fidelio”. Both works were commissioned by the same individual, Emmanuel Schikeneder, who is best known for having commissioned and written the libretto for Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute”. The opera was commissioned shortly after the premiere of the oratorio, most probably on the basis of its success. Both premiered in Schikeneder’s theater—the Theater an dem Wien—Christ on the Mount of Olives in 1803, and Leonore/Fidelio in 1805.
Oratorio and opera both combine music and drama, but in different ways. In an oratorio, there is no scenery, the characters are not in costume, and they do not act. They stand and sing, letting the music tell the story. The chorus plays a much greater role than in opera. In “Christ on the Mount of Olives”, there are no acts, but six numbered sections featuring three soloists—Jesus, the Seraph, and Peter, as well as the chorus (playing different roles) and orchestra.
What unifies these two works is the conception Beethoven shares with the great poet and playwright Friedrich Schiller—the Promethean idea of humanity—the idea that an individual person can intervene into history to change its course.
In the classical Greek play “Prometheus Bound” by Aeschylus, Prometheus, himself an immortal god, has stolen fire from the tyrannical chief God Zeus; and given it and other gifts of knowledge to the “creatures of a day”- mankind, whom Zeus wishes to destroy. Armed with knowledge, and a vision of the future (Prometheus' very name means “forethought”), mankind is lifted above its bestial condition, and progresses. Zeus, in anger, imposes hideous punishment on Prometheus-to be chained to a rock, where an eagle returns every day to eat his liver. All of Prometheus’ friends, who live for the moment, urge him to compromise with Zeus, in order to ensure his immediate survival. Prometheus refuses to compromise. He operates on a higher level. Despite great suffering, he orders his life in the present, in order to bring about a future he knows has to be.
In his "Letters on the Aesthetical Education of Mankind", Schiller also called upon the artistic community to give human beings a gift—of a more powerful, true, and beautiful notion of their own human nature. More than any other composer, Beethoven responded to Schiller's call. Beethoven and Schiller shared something with Prometheus; they would not compromise an inch on matters of moral importance for humanity. Both introduced the bold idea of a woman as a Promethean leader; Schiller in his "Maid of Orleans" (the story of Joan of Arc), and Beethoven in his Lenore, the hero of his opera "Fidelio".
Jesus as Promethean Hero
Part of the controversy over "Christ on the Mount of Olives" was the way Beethoven portrayed Jesus. For Christians, he is both the "Son of God" and the "Son of Man." Some felt that portraying the human side of Him undermined his identity as "the Son of God." There were plenty of gnostics trying to claim that he was the greatest of men, but still only a man. So, there was a reluctance to have either an actor or singer play Him directly. (Ft1) J.S.Bach did so, but as a bass, and like the evangelist, singing for the most part recitative, as a kind of narrative, rather than playing a direct dramatic role. For Beethoven, Jesus was also the "Son of Man' as he called himself, and the human side of Him was often missed. In emphasizing Jesus' identity as a human being though, Beethoven is not in any way seeking to undermine His divinity.
Unlike the "Passion" settings of the story, Beethoven's oratorio does not deal with the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, but just the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane. It also differs in that Jesus is the main dramatic character, and his part is sung by a Heldentenor (heroic tenor.)
It is in the Garden of Gethsemane that Jesus accepted His hard fate: the inevitability of His own death, in order to fulfill His mission on earth. It was presented to Him in the form of a cup, from which He must drink. If He were only a God, there would have been no need to fear, but as a Man, it was terrifying.
He did not want to die, and prayed three times: "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me."
He looks around at his Apostles, and they have all fallen asleep. He realizes that no-one else is going to do it, and says to God the Father: "nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew 26:39).
But, in order for us to love the sublime heroism of Jesus, his suffering must be real. The Biblical account of Christ’s suffering is powerful, but short:
“And his sweat were as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44)
“My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” (Mark 14:34, Matthew 26:38)
The shortness of that Biblical passage can allow readers to skip over it, without really taking it into their hearts. In his essay, "On the Pathetic" (discussed in the posting of April 7th), Schiller says that “the artist portrays suffering not for its own sake, but for the heroic quality of overcoming that suffering in order to act”. It is not art to become master of feelings, which only lightly and fleetingly sweep the surface of the soul; but to retain one’s mental freedom in a storm, which arouses all of sensuous nature, thereto belongs a capacity of resisting that is, above all natural power, infinitely sublime. Therefore, one attains to moral freedom only through the most lively representation of suffering nature, and the tragic hero must have first legitimized himself to us as a feeling being, before we pay homage to him as a being of reason, and believe in the strength of his soul.
Beethoven commissioned a libretto that would develop and dramatize the short passage: "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me."
His recitative and aria for Jesus reads, in German and English:
Recitativ
Jehovah, du mein Vater’ o sende Trost und Kraft und Stärke mir!
Sie nahet nun, doe Stunde meiner Leiden,
von mir erkoren schon,
noch eh’ die welt auf dein Geheiss dem Chaos sich entwand.
Ich höre deines Seraphs Donnerstimme.
Sie fordert auf,
wer statt der Menschen sich vor dein Gericht jetzt stellen will.
O Vater! Ich erschein’ auf deiner Ruf. Vermittler will ich sein, ich büsse,
ich allein, der Menschen Schuld.
Wie könnte dies Geschlecht, aus Staub gebildet ,
ein Gericht ertragen, das mich deinen Sohn, zu Boden drückt?
Ach sich’, wie Bangigkeit, wie Todesangst mein Herz mit Macht ergrieft!
Ich leide sehr, mein Vater! o sieh’, erbarm’ dich mein!
Recitative
O God my father! send me comfort, power, and strength.
The hour of my suffering approaches,
which I chose long before the world was called from chaos at thy behest....
I would be the saviour and sole atoner for human guilt.
How could this race, fashioned from dust, stand a sentence which crushes even me, thy Son, to the ground?
See how dread and fear of death take their grip on me.
Aria
Meine Seele ist erschüttert von den Quallen die mir dräu’n;
Schrecken fasst mich, und es zittert grässlich schaudernd mein Gebein.
Wie ein Fieberfrost ergreifet mich die Angst beim nahen Grab,
und von meinem Antlitz träufet,
statt des Schweisses, Blut herab, Vater!
Tief gebeugt und kläglich fleht dein Sohn hinauf zu dir!
Deiner Macht ist Alles möglich;
nimm den Leidenskelch von mir!
Aria
My soul is afflicted with torments which threaten me;
terror seizes me, and my whole frame trembles.
I shudder convulsively with fear of imminent death,
not sweat but blood drips from my brow. Father, your Son implores you, deeply bowed and wretched.
All things are possible to your omnipotence;
take this cup of sorrow from me!
As the last line, "nimm den Leidenskelch von mir! " (take this cup of sorrow from me!), is repeated four times (once more than in the Bible), we are so moved we almost wish he did not have to drink of it.
Here is the Recitative and Aria, as sung by Jonas Kaufman. At exactly 0:49, we hear something familiar, which was prominently featured in the Overture, the main theme of the first movement of Op 111, which was not composed until 16 years later! It confirms the Promethean nature of that theme as Beethoven had carried with him over the years, and Franz Schubert's understanding of that nature, as discussed in the posting of July 14th.
Here is the recitative and aria, performed by Jonas Kaufman.
https://youtu.be/DehwwvbkNsU
Compare that with the recitative and aria of another heroic figure, Florestan from the opera “Fidelio” (discussed extensively in the June 26th posting). It bears similarities to the first part of Florestan's aria. The transformation to joy will come in the oratorio.
Here is the text of Folrestan's aria, and a performance, again by Jonas Kaufman.
Recitativ
Gott! welch ein Dunkel hier!
O grauenvolle Stille!
O'd ist es um mich her,
Nichts lebet ausser mir.
O schwere Prüfung! doch gerecht ist Gottes Wille,
Ich murre nicht, das Maass der Leiden steht bei dir.
Aria
In des Lebens Frühlingstagen,
Ist das Glück von mir gefloh’n.
Wahrheit wagt ich kühn zu sagen,
Und die Ketten sind mein Lohn.
Willig duld’ ich alle Schmerzen,
Ende schmählich meine Bahn;
Süsser Trost in meinem Herzen:
Meine Pflicht hab’ ich gethan,
Allegro
Und spür' ich nicht linde, sanft säuselnde Luft?
Und ist nicht mein Grab mir erhellet?
Ich seh', wie ein Engel im rosigen Duft
Sich tröstend zur Seite mir stellet,
Ein Engel, Leonoren, der Gattin, so gleich,
Der führt mich zur Freiheit ins himmlische Reich.
English translation:
Recitativ
Alas! what darkness here!
Oh gray silence!
All is wasted here.
Nothing lives but me!
Oh, heavy trial! But God's will is just
I will not complain.
The measure of suffering rests with you.
Aria
In the springtime of my life
Happiness has flown from me:
I dared to speak the truth openly,
And chains were my reward
I will gladly bear my pain
And end my days in disgrace.
But it is a sweet comfort to my heart,
That I have done my duty.
Allegro
Do I feel a soft air flowing about me?
Has my tomb become brighter?
I see, like an Angel wafting of Roses,
Standing by, and comforting me
An Angel, Leonore, my wife, my equal
Who leads me to freedom in a heavenly realm.
https://youtu.be/q407GBv3wjY
More to come in tomorrow’s post!
Ft 1. This went on into the 20th century. For a long time, no movie actor was allowed to play Jesus Christ
