Joseph Martin Kraus (1756−1792)
Körer ur Adlerbeths "Œdipe" [Oedipe]. Tragedi i 3 Akter [Choruses from Adlerbeth's 'Œdipe' [Oedipe]. Tragedy in 3 Acts]
VB 35 (earlier VB 33)
- Year of composition: Stockholm January-February 1792 (according to van Boer)
- Work category: Incidental music
- Text author: Gudmund Jöran (Georg) Adlerbeth (1751-1818)
- First performed: 10 March 1792 at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, Stockholm (according to van Boer)
- Duration: Approx. 25-30 min
- Detailed duration: Uncertain
Instrumentation
0.2.2.2 / 2.0.0.0 / (cont) / str
Solo voices/choir
Solo voices: 2 sopranos, 2 tenors, 2 basses
Choir: S.S.T.B. [S.A.T.B.], T.T.B.B.
Location for score and part material
According to van Boer there exists a transcription by the copyist Fredrik Samuel Silverstolpe at Uppsala University Library: Kapsel 57:3a, 19. Si-S Chörer till Tragedien Œdip af Adlerbeth: satte i musik af Kraus Första gången upförde på Kongl: Dramatiska Theatern i Stockholm den 10 mars 1792; i Kungliga Operans bibliotek finns även en kopia av [Friedrich Gottlieb] Ficker: Partiture till Tragedien Œdipe
- Possible call no. and autograph comment: Autograph lost (according to van Boer it earlier existed at the library of the Royal Opera)
Literature
van Boer Jr, Bertil H: Die Werke von Joseph Martin Kraus. Systematisch-thematisches Werkverzeichnis, the Royal Swedish Academy of Music series no. 56, Stockholm (1988); an updated edition in English with a partly revised VB-numbering was published in 1998 by Pendragon Press under the title Joseph Martin Kraus. A Systematic-Thematic Catalogue of His Musical Works and Source Study
Description of work
No. 1 (Chorus): O du! Hvars gudamagt (tenor I+II- and bass solo, male choir)
No. 1a (Aria): Som Ekens rika löf (tenor)
No. 1b (Aria): Hur länge skole vi med luften (tenor)
No. 2 (Choir): O du! Hvars gudamagt (soprano I+II- and bass solo, mixed choir)
No. 3 (Aria and Chorus): Djup, o gudar är er tystnad (soprano, mixed choir)
No. 4 (Chorus): Öfvertygen dem som tveka (tenor I+II- and bass I+II solo, mixed choir)
No. 5 (Chorus): Bevaren mildt vår konungs dar (mixed choir)
No. 6 (Chorus): Nemesis! Nemesis! Hämndens stränga gudinna (mixed choir)
No. 7 (Chorus): O du hvars gudamagt (tenor I+II- and bass solo, male choir)
No. 8 (Chorus): Apollo, som beveks af de dödligas plåga (tenor and bass solo, mixed choir)
No. 9 (Chorus): Minerva, vishetens gudinna (soprano I+II and tenor solo, mixed choir)
No. 10 (Chorus): Hufvud för Mena[n]ders* skara (mixed choir)
* In his earlier edition (see more below) van Boer writes 'Menader', in the latter 'Menander'.
Work comment
According to van Boer, Adlerbeth had initiated a series of plays intended to imitate classical Greek theatre and the interleaving choruses were an attempt at recreating it.
Libretto/text
No. 1 (Chorus): O du! Hvars gudamagt (tenor I+II- and bass solo, male choir)
No. 1a (Aria): Som Ekens rika löf (tenor)
No. 1b (Aria): Hur länge skole vi med luften (tenor)
No. 2 (Chorus): O du! Hvars gudamagt (soprano I+II- and bass solo, mixed choir)
No. 3 (Aria and Chorus): Djup, o gudar är er tystnad (soprano, mixed choir)
No. 4 (Chorus): Öfvertygen dem som tveka (tenor I+II- and bass I+II solo, mixed choir)
No. 5 (Chorus): Bevaren mildt vår konungs dar (mixed choir)
No. 6 (Chorus): Nemesis! Nemesis! Hämndens stränga gudinna (mixed choir)
No. 7 (Chorus): O du hvars gudamagt (tenor I+II- and bass solo, male choir)
No. 8 (Chorus): Apollo, som beveks af de dödligas plåga (tenor and bass solo, mixed choir)
No. 9 (Chorus): Minerva, vishetens gudinna (soprano I+II and tenor solo, mixed choir)
No. 10 (Chorus): Hufvud för Mena[n]ders* skara (mixed choir)