"He is not"
for mezzo-soprano, choir and small orchestra on a text by Jean Paul (2009/10)
Commissioned by the Theater and Philharmonic Orchestra of the City of Heidelberg as "Composer for Heidelberg 09_10";
Orchestra:
2(2nd also picc) 3(3rd=Eh) 0 2 - 0 3 0 0 - timp, perc(1), hrf, org, str(5 4 3 2 1)
Duration: 10 mins
Premiere May 16, 2010, Peterskirche Heidelberg
Bettina Ranch, mezzo-soprano
Bach Choir Heidelberg
Heidelberg Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor: Christian Kabitz
Text:
Ich ging durch die Welten, ich stieg in die Sonnen und flog mit den Milchstraßen durch die Wüsten des Himmels; aber es ist kein Gott. Ich stieg herab, soweit das Sein seine Schatten wirft, und schauete in den Abgrund und rief: ›Vater, wo bist du?‹ aber ich hörte nur den ewigen Sturm, den niemand regiert, und der schimmernde Regenbogen aus Wesen stand ohne eine Sonne, die ihn schuf, über dem Abgrunde und tropfte hinunter. [...] und die Ewigkeit lag auf dem Chaos und zernagte es und wiederkäuete sich. - Schreiet fort, Mißtöne, zerschreiet die Schatten; denn Er ist nicht!
[...]
Wenn der Jammervolle sich mit wundem Rücken in die Erde legt, um einem schönern Morgen voll Wahrheit, voll Tugend und Freude entgegenzuschlummern: so erwacht er im stürmischen Chaos, in der ewigen Mitternacht - und es kommt kein Morgen und keine heilende Hand und kein unendlicher Vater! - Sterblicher neben mir, wenn du noch lebest, so bete Ihn an: sonst hast du Ihn auf ewig verloren.
(from: Jean Paul: "Rede des toten Christus vom Weltgebäude herab, daß kein Gott sei", 1. Blumenstück from the novel "Siebenkäs", published 1796/97)
About the Work:
When I was asked to compose a short 'Prelude' to Bach's Mass in B minor for the concert celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Heidelberg Bach Choir, I thought of a text by Jean Paul that I have admired for a long time: the "Sermon of the dead Christ from the edifice of the world that there is no God";
In this text, Jean Paul deals with the Christian concept of God and the question of life in the afterlife. In a scenario rich in images, he has Christ himself appear and give a devastating report in his speech to the dead: There is no God, the universe is empty, all being is just an illusion, a rainbow "without a sun to create it".
The almost cosmic flood of images that Jean Paul unleashes in his text has always triggered music in me while reading, and the temptation was great to use this text as a template for a piece. However, I soon encountered difficulties: First, I noticed that Jean Paul's prose is actually 'music'; at first it seemed to vehemently oppose to be set to music. Second, it was very difficult to choose just a few lines from the enormously complex and dense text - after all, it was supposed to be a short piece.
I think I've finally found a way, hopefully, to put a little question mark before Bach's gigantic B minor Mass in an effective way. The answer to this must then be left to each individual.
The philosopher Odo Marquard once answered the question of whether he believed in life after death: "If the good Lord is kind to me, then maybe he will spare me the resurrection in the afterlife - he will let me sleep."
Anno Schreier, 2010