Brahms Requiem: A Subjective Interpretation (Fourth Movement)
Words:
Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen, Herr Zebaoth! Meine Seele verlanget und sehnet sich nach den Vorhöfen des Herrn; mein Leib und Seele freuen sich in dem lebendigen Gott.
Wohl denen, die in deinem Hause wohnen, die loben dich immerdar.
Translation:
How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yea, even faints for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh cries out for the living God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will always be praising thee.
Movement Four marks a transition from the melancholic gloom that characterized the previous two movements to a work that rings forth a message of hope, redemption and joy. Composed in entirely in E flat major, it is tranquil and contains some of the most expressive musical lines I have encountered. The use of Perfect 4ths and a Major 6th to express the words "Wie Lieblich" (How lovely) are, to me, sums up the beauty of this movement and the challenge to the musicians and singers to articulate the full expression of Brahms' intention.
A short fugue "die loben dich immerdar" (they will always be praising thee) is another key highlight of Movement Four as the various voices in turn resound the richness of the joy of praising God. The slight undulating terrain of quaver notes lends its voice in expressing both the delicateness and depth of the meaning of these words. The movement then returns to its original form - but not before climaxing in a final Wie Lieblich - marking the end a a truly magnificent transition.
Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen, Herr Zebaoth! Meine Seele verlanget und sehnet sich nach den Vorhöfen des Herrn; mein Leib und Seele freuen sich in dem lebendigen Gott.
Wohl denen, die in deinem Hause wohnen, die loben dich immerdar.
Translation:
How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yea, even faints for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh cries out for the living God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will always be praising thee.
Movement Four marks a transition from the melancholic gloom that characterized the previous two movements to a work that rings forth a message of hope, redemption and joy. Composed in entirely in E flat major, it is tranquil and contains some of the most expressive musical lines I have encountered. The use of Perfect 4ths and a Major 6th to express the words "Wie Lieblich" (How lovely) are, to me, sums up the beauty of this movement and the challenge to the musicians and singers to articulate the full expression of Brahms' intention.
A short fugue "die loben dich immerdar" (they will always be praising thee) is another key highlight of Movement Four as the various voices in turn resound the richness of the joy of praising God. The slight undulating terrain of quaver notes lends its voice in expressing both the delicateness and depth of the meaning of these words. The movement then returns to its original form - but not before climaxing in a final Wie Lieblich - marking the end a a truly magnificent transition.
posted by Benjamin Ho at
8:42 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home