
"Lazarus, oder die Feier der Auferstehung" ("Lazarus, or the Celebration of the Resurrection") D.689, Cantata for six soloists, chorus & orchestra (Unfinished) composed by Franz Schubert (1820) Act II - III. Schon bereitet ihr Graber Act II - IV. Wes ist der Klage Act II - V. So weile hier, mein Freund performed by Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra with Helen Donath, Lucia Popp, Maria Venuti, Robert Tear, Elmar Schloter, Josef Protschka, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch This large-scale, three-act dramatic work for six vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra was never performed during his lifetime; indeed, it was apparently never completed. Only the first act and about half of the second act (approximately 75 minutes of music) exist in manuscripts discovered by Ferdinand Schubert, Franz's brother, after the composer's untimely death at age 31. What were the circumstances of the work's composition, and why was it abandoned? What are its principal musical characteristics, and where does it fit in Schubert's development as a composer? Finally, what insight does it provide into Schubert's personal religious beliefs? "A Discussion of Schubert's Lazarus, D.689" Franz Schubert Myspace Blogs www.myspace.com History of the Manuscript: The extant autograph manuscripts for Acts 1 and 2 are both "fair copies," fully written out and generally free of strikeouts or corrections. No autograph sketches, drafts, or short-scores exist. Each act's manuscript had a <b>...</b>
Schubert
Cantata
Unfinished
Oratorio
D.689