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Show HISTORY OF THE GREAT ORATORIO Joseph Haydn s, great masterpiece, the oratorio "Creation, which is soop to be heard in Ogden, is considered one of the best of tbe so-called fhe groat oratorios. The words were selected se-lected originally for Handel from "Paradise Lost" 'and. the Book of Genesis. Gen-esis. Haydn spent fioro 1796 to Apri', 179S upon the work and It was given first In Vienna April 27, 179S, at whlcn time 500 ducats were subscribed for the composer. It was given in Covent Garden. London, in English for the first 11111" March 2S, 1S00, from which time U has been rery much loved and praised by English musicians. It is one of the two productions of Haydn's mature years Hajdn was already considered a verj great composer com-poser when, in his sixty-eighth yea'-. he wrote the scores for the "Crea tlon" and about the same time the score for tbe oratorio. "The Seasons.' Speaking of the "Creation" Haydn said, "'Never was I so pious as when composing the Creation ' 1 knelt down ev.ery day and prayed God to strengthen me for my work." The impressjon this oratorio pro- , duced was extraordinary from the very first The audiences hearing it were deeply moved. ' No sooner was the score engraved," engrav-ed," 8a s a writer of the day, "than the 'Creation' was performed every- where Choral societies were found- . ed for that express purpose and Its popularity was long equaled only by j that of the 'Messiah " It was for a production of this great oratorip that Haydn appeared in pun-11c pun-11c for the last time. A remarkable perfoimance of the "Creation" was given at the university on March 11, 1S0S. He was carried in his" arm chair to a place among the first la-dies la-dies of -the land, where he received) the warmest demonstrations of welcome. wel-come. The great leader, Solierl, conducted con-ducted and when the great strains accompanying ac-companying tbe words "Let There Be Light" were sounded Haydn was quite overcome and, pointing upwards, exclaimed ex-claimed "it came from thence." Haydn s oratorios are characterized bv the freshness and charm of his melodies, the expressive treatment of his voices and the refined and brilliant bril-liant support which the orchestra renders. ren-ders. His service is giving to the woi'ld his many refined and melodious scores has endeared him to music-loving music-loving people of all lands "Heaven endowed him with genius. He is one of the Immortals'." Manv strains In the "Creation" have passed" into popular melodies and favorite fa-vorite hymns and songs of all lands. Manv of these arc well known by use. but "those loving- them do not know the great oratorio from which the come. |