Louis Spohr: Des Heilands letzte Stunden. Passionsoratorium

Featuring

Florian Sievers
Johanna Winkel
Maximilian Vogler
Arttu Kataja
Christian Georg
Felix Rathgeber

Franziska Bobe
Leonie Volle
Magnus Piontek
Maria Bernius
Raoul Bumiller
Sigrun Bornträger
Thomas E. Bauer
Valentin Bauer
Frieder Bernius
Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Kammerchor Stuttgart
Louis Spohr

Did you know?

1/7

Compositional Technique

Unlike many other Passion settings, Spohr's oratorio begins with the choir of Jesus's friends referring to the Gethsemane scene, rather than including the Last Supper narrative.

Notable Performances

The oratorio was first performed in England in 1837 under the title Calvary, where the direct speech of Jesus was changed to indirect speech for the character of John due to critical views on a 'singing Jesus'.

Composition History

Spohr's wife Dorette, who was musically very important to him, died during the composition of the oratorio, a personal tragedy noted in the original manuscript.

Compositional Technique

Spohr insisted on having a soloist sing Jesus's words, similar to Bach's Passions, despite librettist Rochlitz's preference for a male choir.

Composition History

The libretto for Spohr's oratorio was originally offered to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, who declined it as he was planning a different work, his oratorio Paulus.

Composition History

Louis Spohr, a celebrated violin virtuoso, composed this oratorio after a vacation trip to Marienbad in 1833, stopping in Leipzig to visit librettist Johann Friedrich Rochlitz.

Composition History

The creation of Des Heilands letzte Stunden was marked by conflict between Spohr and librettist Johann Friedrich Rochlitz, particularly over textual changes and the portrayal of Jesus's words.