HAYDN’s CREATION

For me, Haydn’s glorious oratorio The Creation is not so much Old Testament theology but far more about renewal, hope and optimism for the future of humanity. It is an expression of, and appreciation for, everything we have and everything we experience as human beings living on this planet. Thus all aspects of life are celebrated in the work; love, joy, nature, space, light, the elements, food, and all the pleasures of existence. But is also refers to the many challenges; storm, tempest, trials and tribulations, jealousy, rage, unhappiness and mortality.

Haydn crafted a truly aesthetic expression of our relationships with each other and the world around us, dedicated to the creator, but celebrating above all the human element of evolution. Musically this is an incredibly important work. Whilst we quite rightly associate the origins of the oratorio in the great works of Handel, it is worth remembering that masterpieces such as Messiah were written primarily as a pragmatic response to the fact that the theatres of London were closed and that opera was banned during Handel’s stay in England. Without Haydn’s two great oratorios (Creation and The Seasons) it is unlikely that the form would have taken off as it did and become the backbone of music making in this country. We would probably not have the great choral tradition of amateur choirs and choral societies on this side of the channel without Haydn, Mendelssohn, Dvorak and the rest, who kept writing great works for the important choirs and festivals all over England.

The Creation, coming as it does at the very start of the nineteenth century, also represents a natural conclusion to the classical period; its elegance and order. Instead, many of the origins of romanticism are clearly heard for the first time. The range of emotion, colour, mood and even humour is all strikingly new and the descriptive element of everything from chaos to a vivid sunrise, not to mention passionate physical love, is portrayed with incredible skill and originality. Every aspect of composition, including orchestration, musical structure, dramatic contrasts, melodic strength and harmonic sophistication, would never be quite the same again. For an aging composer (65) to have produced such a genuine renewal of the established techniques and practices is a truly remarkable achievement. It is surely as powerful an experience for a modern audience as it must have been at the first London performance in 1800.

©David Gibson

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