Friedrich Hegar's "Manasse"

[adriano]

@Reto
There once was a complete LP of "Welt-Ende". I have digitised it for the Raff-Gesellschaft and will make you a copy.
As far as the total disinterest by Swiss Cultural Foundations towards our great musical past is concerned, once again: it's a scandal. I am struggling against this since over 30 years!

[Alan Howe]

Could those who know 'Manasse' tells us what they so much admire about it and point out particular highlights?

[adriano]

There is nothins sensational to say in here.
Now that the piece (its final 1888 version) has been uploaded, everybody can make his own opinion. I always liked "Manasse" because of its beautiful, noble and straightforward music – and uncomplicated build-up. There is high craftsmanship ("Kunstfertigkeit"), including its orchestration and handling of vocal parts. Themes are immediately recognisable. There are great chorus sections arias and duets.

Reto Schärli has uploaded a useful contemporary German thematic analysis, which I have not the time to translate. 

Al I can do here is to "introduce" generally – and superficially –, hoping not to write nonsense or wrong things.

Although Hegar's music is generally associated with Brahms's, I find much originality in it, and disagree with some musicologists. Sometimes I also hear a connection with the music of Karl Goldmark. But everything remains in the style of that time; there is nothing revolutionary in it. Hegar was an eclectic personality, befriended by such different personalities as Johannes Brahms, Max Bruch and Richard Strauss. At that time, "Manasse" was the most frequently performed German oratorio!
"Manasse" is a large oratorio in the tradition of Mendelssohn. In a way, it can be compared to the oratorios by Max Bruch, particularly to "Moses" (1895), which is also dealing with a Jewish subject. But Bruch did not have such an innate sense of dramatism as Hegar; therefore "Moses" is more boring to listen to, in spite of its many beautiful moments.

According to the Bible, "Manasse" is a story of redemption. Manasse (son of a high priest) and his people (the "Manassites"), live in a religion based on more simple and straightforward principles, but believing in heretic Gods. And they were married to women coming from a fiendish and idolatrous people. Manasse is dragged away to appear in front of Babylonia's counsel, to be banned for sin, heresy and sorcery. His people accompany him. God had actually warned Manasse for his life before. But now, after praying and humiliating himself on front of Him, his prayers are heard; he is pardoned and can return to his kingdom.

According to the more "freely inspired" libretto by Joseph Victor Widmann, Hegar's piece results a bit different.

The oratorio is subdivided into 3 "Scenes" (all of which have short orchestral preludes). In the first (after a passionate fugue) we learn about the situation of the Jews after the foundation of their state in Zion. Esra, their leader (the bass/Baritone part) praises God, but one has to be aware of menaces: Amongst them are heretic women, deserving Jehovah's curse and punition. In fact, Manasse (tenor), son of the high priest Jojada, is married to Nicaso (soprano) one of them. Decisions must be taken.
In the second scene we make the acquaintance of Manasse's people: reapers return from their daily work; Manasse contemplates the appearing of night. Nicaso has more eyes for Manasse than for the stars. This gives the occasion to a beautiful love duet, which is interrupted by the chorus, announcing the arrival of a messenger. Manasse is summoned to appear in front of Jerusalem's judges – unless he gives up his union with Nicaso – under the thread of being banned from his people. The chorus is appalled, but Manasse encourages them to follow him. Nicaso joins them too.
In the the third scene, Esra and his follower's chorus complaint ends up into hopeful thoughts about the future of the people of Israel. Manasse and his followers appear and he is called to defend himself. During the questioning, Manasse reveals himself to be a true believer in God, but thanks to Nicaso's intervention ("You hard men, don't you know any pity! Isn't your God a God of Love?") more tension surges in the audience. In a beautiful aria she praises her love for Manasse, and how strong it is, giving power to life. Esra carries on, more and more hatefully and condemns Manasse and his people. Manasse cannot imagine himself separated from his wife and his people and feels desperate. He summons his followers to return home, and they start a fervent hymn. Nicaso joins in, encouraging everybody to stay away from temple walls and fanatic priests and to return to the open country near the Mountain where they come from and where God resides.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks - that's very helpful in 'situating' the work in its musical and historical context.

[Mark Thomas]

Indeed it is. Thanks, hadrianus. At first hearing my impression is that the performance is rather "safe", and that more more drama could have injected into the score. That's a shame, but it's a fault common with many revivals of once-famous works. I do agree that its straightforwardness is an asset, the work is easy to follow on first acquaintance (especially now we have a brief synopsis, thanks again) and there are some lovely set pieces, although I can't say that I found the thematic material particularly memorable, but that may come on repeated hearings.

[adriano]

I think, the third scene is musically the most interesting and variated one. In my opinion, some tempi are a bit too slow, especially in the first scene. A bit more temper in the overall interpretation could indeed help a lot. The singers are quite good.

[Alan Howe]

Yes, I think the whole performance could do with more 'oomph', to put it crudely. In a work with such prominent quasi-operatic solo parts, better singers - particularly the bass-baritone and tenor - would also make the whole work more of a pleasure to listen to. Think what an impression, say, René Pape and Jonas Kaufmann would make in this music. The famous US soprano, Janet Perry, though, is very fine, as befits her international reputation. Whenever she sings, it is as if the performance is given an added and very special glow.

[Alan Howe]

May I ask a more general question? It's to do with the representation of evil in music. What I was wondering was whether Hegar's idiom is too 'nice' adequately to depict evil in music. In other words, I shudder at the evil of Hagen in Götterdämmerung or of Klingsor in Parsifal, but I'm not sure I really believe what I'm hearing in Hegar's music.

[adriano]

I think Hegar's and Widmann's intentions were more ideological, even moralistic. The music does not describe action, but human thoughts and conflicts due to intolerance. After all Widmann's (soft-core) adaptation does not include murder and destruction. The drama develops towards Manasses trial and decision and the triumph of (marital) love above religious alienation. Manasse's followers are paceful and innocent peasants and not revolutionary outsiders worshipping idols. One even gets the impression that (contrarily to the original Bible version) Esra's accusations could be proofless; based perhaps on a sort of "racist plot". Manasse, during his defense, says "Don't you see that Heaven reflects in my face and that my body has been built by God's hand?". Mount Garizim, where he, his family and his people live, is their real temple of God, amidst free nature, far from rigid walls and pillars of stone.

[Alan Howe]

I'm not sure whether Hegar/Widmann's intentions make for a convincing drama, though. It's all too 'pleasant', to my ears at least.

The problem, of course, may be the avoidance of any treatment of the true evil into which the historical Manasseh and his people sank before the King's repentance. In addition, Manasseh, although he himself instituted reforms, was never able to lead Judah out of their rebellion and idolatry. It feels like a one-sided treatment of the real story resulting in rather one-dimensional music.

In the end Manasseh wasn't a noble figure, but rather a tragic one...

[adriano]

You are perfectly right Alan. The drama is not really convincing - and totally one-sided di per sé; but many oratorios (and operas) from that time come up with similar problems. In my opinion, Hegar's musical setting of Widmann's text is convincing and sincere, and still makes of this oratorio a valuable (and edifying) one. We are 12 years away from Elgar's "Gerontius" and 43 from Walton's "Belshazzar"...

[Alan Howe]

Thanks for those valuable insights, Adriano.

[Reto Schärli]

You are perfectly right Alan. The drama is not really convincing - and totally one-sided di per sé; but many oratorios (and operas) from that time come up with similar problems. In my opinion, Hegar's musical setting of Widmann's text is convincing and sincere, and still makes of this oratorio a valuable (and edifying) one.

I completely agree, though this really doesn't make the piece worse. The general question is just: What would you expect from such a piece?
@ Alan Howe: Sorry, but I kind of don't get the issue about devil... maybe stupid me, but where should he appear in the story? Obviously, the idea of "love conquering everything" was more important for Hegar/Widmann - as already pointed out by Adriano.

May I suggest something (certainly NOT to criticise anyone here!): I think the problem with this discussion is the aspect of "form"! I really don't consider this piece an oratorio! Yes, it has a theme from the bible, but the overall structure is much closer to the late Verdi operas, in particular "Aida". It's interesting that Kretzschmar (the author of the German introduction I uploaded the other day) suggests the piece to be staged! There is also a biographical point behind that as we know from the letters between Widmann and Hegar (which are preserved in Bern and Basel today) that they had an opera project in mind for some years...

Any opinions on the form of the piece?

@ Adriano: Do you really hear a lot of Brahms? The musicologists often seem to make this connection, though I believe (proof my wrong,please!) that it's basically a biographical thing: Hegar was associated with Brahms, it was also Brahms who opened the new building of the Tonhalle Zurich, a program for which Hegar wrote a "Festive Overture". I hear some Brahms in the first scene, but my overall impression is that it's heavily infused by Wagner! I personally don't think of it as being too avantgarde, but neither conservative. It's about what I'd expect from a piece at around 1888, by a German-speaking composer ...

[Alan Howe]

but I kind of don't get the issue about devil... maybe stupid me, but where should he appear in the story?

I think you misunderstood me - I was talking about the issue of 'evil' (Übel) which was an essential component of the story of the historical figure of Manasseh as King of Judah, not the 'devil' (der Teufel).

I don't find the work at all operatic, or Wagnerian (which isn't meant as a criticism - merely a statement of fact). As Adriano suggests, it seems to me much more like an internal, or psychological, drama.

[Reto Schärli]

The piece certainly is a heavy challenge for any conductor! It needs so much flexibility, also from the orchestra and a really convincing overall conception. My personal approach - if that's of any interest at all - would be similar as to an opera. It's important to point out the big climaxes and to have an overview. This work would certainly need a good "Kapellmeister",who is very familiar and very experienced not only with sacred choral music, but in particular with late-romantic opera! Requirements are high!

Any other thoughts on that?

Regarding the recording, for which I am very grateful: For my taste Räto Tschupp fails, most probably due to a lack of operatic experience. This is critic on a high level, but: The tempi very often are horribly too slow, most prominently in the beginning of Scene 3 where Esra sings "nicht enden soll das frohe Saitenspiel", which has to be an outburst of utmost joy! He seems far too shy of going risks and of "painting an extreme picture". The orchestral playing is not satisfying, but that's a matter of taste, there are (even for a live recording situation) too many places where there are big problems in ensemble playing...

I could add many more things I noticed, but don't want to write a novel here...
I'm much more interested in other people's opinions on the recording...