Year of St. Paul
  • paul
    Posts: 60
    I was thinking of presenting Mendelssohn's oratorio "St. Paul" in a concert during the coming year. (Both it and the Pope are German, which, I figure, is sort of a way to pay homage to Benedict, although I have to admit, the oratorio seems v-e-r-y protestant to me. I can't think of any "RC" oratorios about the saint) Much of the music is very beautiful but I keep reading that it's rarely performed without cuts. Does anyone have any information about what people usually cut and other performance practice tips?
  • Felipe Gasper
    Posts: 804
    I probably should, but I don’t...:(

    Mendelssohn himself was Lutheran, though born Jewish and (as I recall) supposedly converted more for social/professional reasons than for a “genuine” conversion. I wouldn’t look for a whole lot of Catholic-ness in St. Paul. I think it’s pretty well steeped in Mendelssohn’s admiration for J. S. Bach, chorales punctuating dramatic sections and all.
  • paul
    Posts: 60
    Yeah, it's the chorales that kind of turn me off. Can you think of any other major works that would be appropriate for a "Pauline" year?
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 857
    How about John Ireland's anthem, "Greater love"?

    Many waters cannot quench love,
    neither can the floods drown it.
    Love is strong as death.
    Greater love hath no man than this,
    that a man lay down his life for his friends.

    Who his own self bare our sins in his own Body on the tree,
    that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.

    Ye are washed, ye are sanctified,
    ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.

    Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
    that ye should shew forth the praises
    of him who hath called you out of darkness
    into his marvellous light.

    I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God,
    that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
    holy, acceptable unto God,
    which is your reasonable service.

    Canticles 8, St John 15, I Peter 2, I Corinthians 6; Romans 12
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I saw somewhere a choral work by Haydn (I think) "Salve Sancte Pauli" or something. Ireland's work can be found here: http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Greater_Love_Hath_No_Man_(John_Ireland)
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 833
    I have been busily collecting various musical ideas for the Pauline Year and will share them once they're in moderately presentable form.

    In the meantime, I suggest checking out the new CD 'Magnus Sanctus Paulus', a production of the British liturgical apostolate The Music Makers. http://www.themusicmakers.org/lcd008.htm The Web page has full track listings and citations for sources, etc.

    A search on CPDL for Pauli, Paule, Paulus, etc. yields some useful results.
  • Gerry
    Posts: 3
    Comments like "the oratorio seems v-e-r-y protestant" and looking for "RC Oratorios" lead me to believe that the individuals who speak in this manner are constrained in their musical duties and tastes by some kind of a Roman-only agenda. I challenge all of us to try to look past our biases and use music that is both beautiful and sacred. This movement back to quality music in the Mass can only be helped by an attitude that does not automatically preclude music written by masters who were not Roman Catholic or does not feel gregorian. There is no need to poorly re-invent the wheel when looking for new pieces when there is a wealth of appropriate music of good to excellent quality available from other Christian churches. e.g. Anglican psalms. Mendelssohn's St. Paul--why not?
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Gerry, I'm looking for a text to Paulus, but my assumption is that the OP was referring to the theology of the work and not a mere matter of the composer's identity. If that is in fact his intent, I agree wholeheartedly. I would never program a piece of music in the Catholic liturgy, or probably even with a Catholic choir or sponsored by a Catholic parish, which directly contradicts a tenet of the Catholic faith. St. Paul's teachings were the basis for much of Luther's doctrine, so it's not unreasonable to assume a Lutheran might produce a work based on St. Paul which is centered on the theology of the Reformation. Again, I haven't seen the text, but if that's the case I agree that it should be avoided. On the other hand, I'm the first person to attack someone who's playing the "protestant card" to bash a good piece of music.
  • rrobbins
    Posts: 14
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  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    I've got the libretto of an oratorio 1/3 written. Am looking for a composer. Any ideas?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Hi Kathy:

    I am interested in your libretto. Tell me more.
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,204
    ISTM I saw somewhere a newly-crafted text by J. Michael Thompson, available free of charge and intended to be sung to the tune "Thaxted."

    Anyone else remember stumbling upon this?
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