Brahms Requiem: A Subjective Interpretation (Sixth Movement)
Words:
Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt, sondern die zukünftige suchen wir. Siehe, ich sage euch Geheimnis: Wir werden nicht alle entschlafen, wir werden aber all verwandelt werden; und dasselbige plötzlich, in einem Augenblick, zu der Zeit der letzen Posaune.
Denn es wird die Posaune schallen, und die Toten werden auferstehen unverweslich, und wir werden verwandelt werden.
Dann wird erfüllet werden das Wort, das geschrieben steht: Der Tod ist verschlungen in den Sieg. Tod, wo ist dein Stachel? Hölle, wo ist dein Sieg?
Herr, du bist würdig, zu nehmen Preis und Ehre und Kraft, denn du hast alle Dingeerschaffen, und durch deinen Willen haben sie das Wesen und sind geschaffen.
Translation:
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:
For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Movement Six is where the entire spirit of victory of Requiem is focused upon and contains some of the most explosive and energetic movements I have come across in Western music. The piece contains several climatic moments, each one mightier and more vigorous than the preceding one - before achieving their final culmination in a stunning 151-bar C major fugue (40 per cent of the piece) of glorious praise.
The piece though starts off in E flat major at a walking beat - similar to a deep breathe before a plunge - before taking on an aura of mystery with the words "Siehe, ich sage euch Geheimnis: Wir werden nicht alle entschlafen, wir werden aber all verwandelt werden" (Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed)
Upon the conclusion of these words (barely one-fifth into the piece), the true message of Movement Six takes shape with the Baritone solo sounding the words of 1 Cor 15:52 "und dasselbige plötzlich, in einem Augenblick, zu der Zeit der letzen Posaune" (in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump) subsequently echoed in a resounding manner by the choir, signalling a thunderous response from the orchestra.
The words "Denn es wird die Posaune schallen, und die Toten werden auferstehen unverweslich, und wir werden verwandelt werden" (For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed) are taken upon strongly in a quick and lively (Vivace) tune. This is the first climatic moment of the piece - which is abruptly ended by a short Baritone solo - creating a runway in anticipation of the next climatic moment.
"Der Tod ist verschlungen in den Sieg. Tod, wo ist dein Stachel? Hölle, wo ist dein Sieg?" (Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?) is where the full force of the orchestra and the choir are being summoned to assail and to wage battle against death and the grave. Death is made a mockery of, the grave no longer wields its power on the human race as Brahms intends for us to know. The final shout of "Holle, wo ist dein Sieg" - a mighty 12-bar fortissimo segment - is where the power of the grave is finally stopped. This is where the work reaches its highest point with a fugue of majestic power and strength.
The fugue is divided into two interconnected portions juxtaposed distinctively against one another; one, "Herr, du bist würdig, zu nehmen Preis und Ehre und Kraft"(Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power) and two, "denn du hast alle Dingeerschaffen, und durch deinen Willen haben sie das Wesen und sind geschaffen" (for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created). In my opinion, the latter is a response to the former; the former - despite its mighty voice - achieves it completion and perfection only through the "still small voice" of the latter; the former sets up the stage, the latter sews in the details; the former defines the character of the piece , the latter locks home the message that is sent; the former is a glorious anthem of victory, the latter is a gliding expression of hope. The piece ends on a high - one that is sufficient to act as a fitting conclusion to any musical piece; but Brahms refuses to allow the music to end - to do so, would be akin to Tolkien concluding his masterpiece writing "Lord of the RIngs" at the moment where Frodo throws the ring into the cracks of Mount Doom.
One final chapter awaits. A chapter that seeks to weave up the details of this wonderful musical narrative.
Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt, sondern die zukünftige suchen wir. Siehe, ich sage euch Geheimnis: Wir werden nicht alle entschlafen, wir werden aber all verwandelt werden; und dasselbige plötzlich, in einem Augenblick, zu der Zeit der letzen Posaune.
Denn es wird die Posaune schallen, und die Toten werden auferstehen unverweslich, und wir werden verwandelt werden.
Dann wird erfüllet werden das Wort, das geschrieben steht: Der Tod ist verschlungen in den Sieg. Tod, wo ist dein Stachel? Hölle, wo ist dein Sieg?
Herr, du bist würdig, zu nehmen Preis und Ehre und Kraft, denn du hast alle Dingeerschaffen, und durch deinen Willen haben sie das Wesen und sind geschaffen.
Translation:
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:
For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Movement Six is where the entire spirit of victory of Requiem is focused upon and contains some of the most explosive and energetic movements I have come across in Western music. The piece contains several climatic moments, each one mightier and more vigorous than the preceding one - before achieving their final culmination in a stunning 151-bar C major fugue (40 per cent of the piece) of glorious praise.
The piece though starts off in E flat major at a walking beat - similar to a deep breathe before a plunge - before taking on an aura of mystery with the words "Siehe, ich sage euch Geheimnis: Wir werden nicht alle entschlafen, wir werden aber all verwandelt werden" (Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed)
Upon the conclusion of these words (barely one-fifth into the piece), the true message of Movement Six takes shape with the Baritone solo sounding the words of 1 Cor 15:52 "und dasselbige plötzlich, in einem Augenblick, zu der Zeit der letzen Posaune" (in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump) subsequently echoed in a resounding manner by the choir, signalling a thunderous response from the orchestra.
The words "Denn es wird die Posaune schallen, und die Toten werden auferstehen unverweslich, und wir werden verwandelt werden" (For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed) are taken upon strongly in a quick and lively (Vivace) tune. This is the first climatic moment of the piece - which is abruptly ended by a short Baritone solo - creating a runway in anticipation of the next climatic moment.
"Der Tod ist verschlungen in den Sieg. Tod, wo ist dein Stachel? Hölle, wo ist dein Sieg?" (Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?) is where the full force of the orchestra and the choir are being summoned to assail and to wage battle against death and the grave. Death is made a mockery of, the grave no longer wields its power on the human race as Brahms intends for us to know. The final shout of "Holle, wo ist dein Sieg" - a mighty 12-bar fortissimo segment - is where the power of the grave is finally stopped. This is where the work reaches its highest point with a fugue of majestic power and strength.
The fugue is divided into two interconnected portions juxtaposed distinctively against one another; one, "Herr, du bist würdig, zu nehmen Preis und Ehre und Kraft"(Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power) and two, "denn du hast alle Dingeerschaffen, und durch deinen Willen haben sie das Wesen und sind geschaffen" (for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created). In my opinion, the latter is a response to the former; the former - despite its mighty voice - achieves it completion and perfection only through the "still small voice" of the latter; the former sets up the stage, the latter sews in the details; the former defines the character of the piece , the latter locks home the message that is sent; the former is a glorious anthem of victory, the latter is a gliding expression of hope. The piece ends on a high - one that is sufficient to act as a fitting conclusion to any musical piece; but Brahms refuses to allow the music to end - to do so, would be akin to Tolkien concluding his masterpiece writing "Lord of the RIngs" at the moment where Frodo throws the ring into the cracks of Mount Doom.
One final chapter awaits. A chapter that seeks to weave up the details of this wonderful musical narrative.
posted by Benjamin Ho at
8:01 AM
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