A dense and strange horror novel set in wwi era prague, walpurgisnacht is named after the transitory walpurgis night on the 30th of april, when borders between worlds are said to grow thin and the spirits of the dead are allowed to temporarily return. It was premiered less than a year after goethes death, but despite his enthusiasm for the work mendelssohn was unable to return to it as a. Bachelorarbeit, masterarbeit, hausarbeit oder dissertation. Goethes ballad tells a story of trying to practice pagan rituals in the harz mountains in the face of new and dominating christian forces. The night is one of liberation and terror, a moment when the world is turned upside down and servant and master can temporarily switch places. This work is conceived in order to test the concept that the dramatic ballads might be formed in such a way so as to provide a composer with the material for a larger vocal work. For several decades after its 1843 premiere, the cantata enjoyed extensive popularity in germany, england, and the united states, as documented from contemporary sources. Stanford libraries official online search tool for books, media, journals, databases, government documents and more. In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content meredith lee poetic intentions and musical production. Il est le petitfils du philosophe moses mendelssohn. Walpurgisnacht hexenrituale, witchcraft spells, wicca. Goethe did, however, convince mendelssohn to set it, and the result is pure delight a masterpiece of mendelssohns fierce, fairystyle, tuneful, atmospheric and endlessly entertaining style. Mendelssohns dramatic cantata based on goethes poem could not be more different in style from the 19thcentury piety most people still associate with his choral music. On october 4, 5, and 6, music director andres orozcoestrada conducts mendelssohn and mahler, a program of spooky masterpieces featuring the houston symphony chorus.
His depiction of a witches sabbath may not be quite as outrageous as that of berlioz, but it does inspire some superb writing for the chorus in. Choir midi learning files mendelssohn walpurgisnacht. Francesco davalos philharmonia orchestra and chorus. Allegretto non troppo music download by claus peter flor.
Mai, dem tag ihrer heiligsprechung, gefeiert wurde. Project muse poetic intentions and musical production. Choir midi learning files for works by felix mendelssohn. August 1799 in seinem ersten brief an carl friedrich zelter mit dem bemerken.