Georg Schumann's oratorio Ruth

[BerlinExpat]

Last night I attended a wonderful performance of this too seldom performed oratorio. It was recorded and will be transmitted on Deutschlandfunk Kultur on Monday 10th April 2023 at 20:03. I hope someone can record it as I will be away.

Konzert from the Philharmonie Berlin
Recording from 05.03.2023

Georg Schumann
Ruth, Oratorium op. 50

Marcelina Román, Sopran
Julie-Marie Sundal, Alt
Jonas Böhm, Bariton
Hanno Müller-Brachmann, Bass
Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt
Leitung: Jörg-Peter Weigle


Die männlichen Hauptdarsteller des Alten Testaments waren jähzornige Totschläger (Kain), bockig (Noah), der Vielweiberei und Maßlosigkeit verfallen (König Salomo) oder waren neidisch bis aufs Blut, wie die Söhne Jakobs, die ihren Bruder Josef erst in eine Zisterne warfen, um ihn dann an Sklavenhändler zu verschachern. Ein Vorbild an Demut, Sanftmütigkeit, Treue und Liebe zu Gott war dagegen Ruth. Sie ist die Großmutter von König David, und damit ist auch Jesus mit ihr verwandt. Im Alten Testament erzählt das Buch Ruth von ihr, das den Komponisten Georg Schumann zu dem gleichnamigen Oratorium inspirierte, das zu seinen wichtigsten Werken zählt. Als ,,Ruth" 1909 unter Schumanns Leitung mit großem Orchester und wuchtigem Chor uraufgeführt wurde, jubelte die Presse über die ,,milde, klare Schönheit" und die ,,Gefühlswärme" und schwärmte: ,,Die Chöre sind Gebilde von wahrhaft berauschender Schönheit". Auch international wurde dieses Oratorium gefeiert. Allerdings konnte Schumann das Oratorium in seiner ursprünglichen Fassung während der NS-Zeit nicht mehr aufführen. Es war den Nazis zu bibelfromm und zu jüdisch. Schumann, der nie Mitglied der NSDAP war, wollte sein Lieblingswerk aber unbedingt durch diese Zeit retten und schrieb den Text um. Aus ,,Ruth" wurde das ,,Lied der Treue" und die Handlung spielte nun nicht mehr im Heiligen Land, sondern in China. Nach dem Krieg nahm er die Änderungen wieder zurück. Wenn die Chöre von berauschender Schönheit nun unter der Leitung von Jörg-Peter Weigle in Frankfurt erklingen, dann wieder in ihrer Urfassung.


The male protagonists of the Old Testament were hot-tempered killers (Cain), stubborn (Noah), addicted to polygamy and excess (King Solomon) or were jealous to the bone, like the sons of Jacob, who first threw their brother Joseph into a cistern then bartering him to slave traders. On the other hand, Ruth was a model of humility, meekness, faithfulness and love for God. She is the grandmother of King David, and so Jesus is related to her.
In the Old Testament, the book of Ruth tells of her, which inspired the composer Georg Schumann to write the oratorio of the same name, which is one of his most important works. When "Ruth" was premiered in 1909 under Schumann's direction with a large orchestra and a powerful choir, the press cheered the "mild, clear beauty" and the "warmth of feeling" and raved: "The choirs are creations of truly intoxicating beauty". This oratorio was also celebrated internationally. However, Schumann was no longer able to perform the oratorio in its original version during the Nazi era. It was too religious and too Jewish for the Nazis. Schumann, who was never a member of the NSDAP, was determined to save his favourite work during this time and rewrote the text. "Ruth" became the "Song of Faithfulness" and the action was no longer set in the Holy Land but in China. After the war he reversed the changes. When the choruses of intoxicating beauty are heard in Frankfurt under the direction of Jörg-Peter Weigle, they are back in their original version.

[John Boyer]

Schumann, who was never a member of the NSDAP, was determined to save his favourite work during this time and rewrote the text. "Ruth" became the "Song of Faithfulness" and the action was no longer set in the Holy Land but in China.

This is another example of NSDAP policies that can only be called ruthless.

[Ilja]

The influence of those policies on German musical culture is often underestimated. The music of whole swathes of composers got banned, never to be taken up again after the Nazis' fall. In contrast, others were disqualified afterward because of their association with that reviled regime. This helped to create a "tabula rasa" post-war that was filled by composers of a modernist bent, on both sides of the intra-German border.

[Alan Howe]

So, what's the music like?

[John Boyer]

This is another example of NSDAP policies that can only be called ruthless.

READER: Was that supposed to be funny?

JOHN: Yes, but on reflection perhaps it was rather juvenile.

READER: Well, luckily no one noticed. 

[eschiss1]

Got it now. Certainly they were ruthless in their effects.

[eschiss1]

"...music like?"
A recording with somewhat different performers is in our "German Music Folder". Attempting to download same now.