The Creation, Parts 1 & 2
Joseph Haydn
(1732-1809)

The Creation (German: Die Schöpfung) is an oratorio written between 1797 and 1798 by Franz Joseph Haydn (Hob. XXI:2) in collaboration with his librettist and mentor Gottfried van Swieten, and with funding from van Swieten’s Gesellschaft der Associierten.

Originally written with bilingual text, the oratorio depicts and celebrates the creation of the world as described in the Book of Genesis, with inspiration drawn from the book of Genesis, the book of Psalms, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost.

The work is structured in three parts and scored for soprano, tenor and bass soloists, chorus and a symphonic orchestra. In parts I and II, depicting the creation, the soloists represent the archangels Raphael (bass), Uriel (tenor) and Gabriel (soprano). In part III, the bass and soprano represent Adam and Eve.

The first public performance was held in Vienna at the old Burgtheater on 19 March 1799. The oratorio was published with the text in German and English in 1800 and was enthusiastically received. Haydn frequently appeared before the public, often leading performances of The Creation and The Seasons for charity benefits, including Tonkünstler-Societät programs with massed musical forces.

[Sources: Wikipedia The Creation; Joseph Haydn]

The Creation, Parts 1 & 2
Joseph Haydn
(1732-1809)

PART ONE

Overture – The Representation of Chaos

The First Day

RAPHAEL
In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth; and the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

CHORUS
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters; and God said: Let there be Light, and there was Light.

URIEL
And God saw the Light, that it was good: and God divided the Light from the darkness.

URIEL
Now vanish before the holy beams the gloomy, dismal shades of darkness; the first of days appears! Disorder yields and order fair prevails. Affrighted fly hell’s spirits, black in throngs; down they sink in the deepest abyss to endless night.

CHORUS
Despairing, cursing rage attends their rapid fall. A new-created world springs up at God’s command.

The Second Day

RAPHAEL
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, and it was so. Outrageous, dreadful storms now arise; as chaff by the winds impell’d are the clouds. By heaven’s fire the sky is enflamed and awful roll the thunders on high.
At his command, rise from the floods, reviving showers of rain, the dreary wasteful hail, the light and flaky snow.

GABRIEL
The glorious heav’nly hierarchy, the marvellous work beholds amaz’d. And to the ethereal vaults resounds the praise of God, and of the second day.

CHORUS
And to the ethereal vaults resounds the praise of God, and of the second day.

The Third Day

RAPHAEL
And God said: Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. And God called the dry land: earth, and the gath’ring of waters called he seas; and God saw that it was good.

RAPHAEL
Rolling in foaming billows uplifted roars the boisterous sea. Mountains and rocks now emerge; into the clouds their tops ascend. Through verdant plains, outstretching wide the rivers flow in serpent error.
Softly purling, glideth on through silent vales the limpid brook.

GABRIEL
And God said: Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth; and it was so.

GABRIEL
With verdure clad the fields appear delightful to the ravish’d sense; by flowers sweet and gay adorned is the charming sight. The fragrant herbs give forth their scent, here shoots the healing plant. With copious fruit the spreading boughs are hung; in leafy arches twine the shady groves; o’er lofty hills majestic forests rise.

URIEL
And the heavenly host the third day proclaimed, praising God and saying:

CHORUS
Awake the harp, the lyre awake! With shouts of joy your voices raise! In triumph proclaim the might of the Lord! For all the heav’ns and the earth has he clothed in glorious attire.

The Fourth Day

URIEL
And God said: Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night, and to give light upon the earth; and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days, and for years. He made the stars also.

URIEL
In brightest splendour rises now the sun, and darts his rays; an eager, joyful bridegroom, a giant glad and proud to run his measured course. With gentle steps and softer silv’ry beams steals the moon through still and silent night. The boundless span of heaven’s vault is now adorn’d with numberless golden stars, and the sons of God announced the fourth day thus, in song divine, with joy proclaiming his might:

CHORUS
The heavens are telling the glory of God. The firmament displays the wonder of his works.

GABRIEL, URIEL and RAPHAEL
As day after day his power declares; And night after night his honour affirms.

CHORUS
The heavens are telling…

GABRIEL, URIEL and RAPHAEL
In all the lands resounds the word, never unperceived, ever understood.

CHORUS
The heavens are telling…

PART TWO

The Fifth Day

GABRIEL
And God said: Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

GABRIEL
On mighty pens uplifted soars the eagle aloft, and cleaves the sky in swiftest flight to the blazing sun. The merry lark bids welcome to the morn, And cooing, calls the tender dove his mate. From every bush and grove resound the nightingale’s delightful, liquid notes. No grief affected yet her breast, nor to a mournful tale were tun’d her soft enchanting lays.

RAPHAEL
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, and God blessed them, saying: Be fruitful all, multiply! Ye wing’d and feather’d tribes, multiply, and sing from ev’ry tree! Multiply, ye finny tribes, and fill each wat’ry deep! Be fruitful, grow, and multiply! Rejoice in him your Lord and God!

RAPHAEL
And the angels struck their immortal harps, and the wonders of the fifth day sang.

GABRIEL
Most beautiful appear, with verdure young adorn’d the gently sloping hills. Their narrow, sinuous veins distil in crystal drops the fountain fresh and bright.

URIEL
In lofty circles play and flutter through the sky the cheerful flocks of birds. And in the flying whirl their glittering plumes are dyed like rainbows by the sun.

RAPHAEL
See flashing midst the waters bright a thousand fry that dart through rolling waves. Upheaved from the deep, see the immense Leviathan sports on the foaming spray.

GABRIEL, URIEL and RAPHAEL
How many are thy works, O God! Who may their numbers tell?

GABRIEL, URIEL, RAPHAEL and CHORUS
The Lord is great, and great his might; his glory lasts for ever and for evermore.

The Sixth Day

RAPHAEL
And God said: Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind; cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind.

RAPHAEL
Straight opening her fertile womb, the earth obeys the word, and teems with creatures numberless, in perfect forms and fully grown. Cheerfully roaring, stands the tawny lion. With sudden leaps the flexible tiger appears.
The nimble stag rears up his branching head. With flying mane, the noble steed springs up and neighs, with spirit proud. The cattle in herds peacefully graze on fields and meadows green. And o’er the leas are scattered flocks
of fleecy, meek and bleating sheep. Unnumber’d as the sands, in swarms arise great swarms of insects. In long dimension creeps with sinuous trace the worm.

RAPHAEL
Now heaven in fullest glory shines; earth smiles in all her rich attire. The air is fill’d with feather’d fowl; the water swells with shoals of fish; by heavy beasts the ground is trod. But all the work was not complete, there wanted yet that wondrous being that God’s creation should admire and praise his works with heart and voice.

URIEL
And God created man in his own image. In the image of God created he him. Male and female created he them.
He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

URIEL
In native worth and honour clad, with beauty, strength and courage bless’d, to heav’n erect and tall he stands,
a man, the lord and king of nature all. His noble gen’rous brow sublime declares a wisdom deep within, and in his eyes with brightness shines the soul, the breath and image of his God. With fondness leans upon his breast
the partner for him form’d, a woman fair, a graceful spouse. Her softly smiling virgin looks, of flow’ry spring a mirror, speak love, delight, and bliss.

RAPHAEL
And God saw everything that he had made; and behold, it was very good; and the heavenly choir thus closed the sixth day in song divine.

CHORUS
Achieved is the glorious work; the Lord delights in all he sees. In lofty strains let us rejoice, our song shall be the praise of God!

GABRIEL AND URIEL
On thee each living soul awaits; from thee, O Lord, they beg their meat. Thou openest thy hand, and sated are they all.

RAPHAEL
But when, O Lord, thy face is hid, with sudden terror they are struck. Thou tak’st their breath away; they vanish into dust.

GABRIEL, URIEL and RAPHAEL
Thou sendest forth thy breath again, and life with vigour fresh returns. Revived earth unfolds new force and new delights.

CHORUS
Achieved is the glorious work, our song shall be the praise of God! Glorious be his name for ever; he sole on high, exalted, reigns.

Alleluia.