9:07 [m.

135]--As the soloist finishes the last line of text, the orchestra begins
a restatement of the previous line, the melody used for “Öffne den umwölkten
Blick,”
now in B major. An oboe takes the lead, supported by the other winds, and the
strings
return to the pulsating triplet repeated notes. At the end, this orchestral
melodic
statement makes a somewhat darker turn with a highly dramatic, leaping horn
entrance.

9:23 [m. 138]--The chorus now takes the last two lines alone. They sing a
harmonized
version of the soloist’s line from 8:52 [m. 132]. The plucked string triplets are
heard again. The chorus, beginning now in B major, makes the same harmonic shift
that the soloist did and ends up in G major. The second tenors have prominent
internal
chromatic motion at the cadence.
9:39 [m. 141]--A similar orchestral statement to that at 9:07 [m. 135] begins at
the choral cadence. It proceeds in G major, now led by a flute doubled by first
violins. The pulsating triplets are in the second violins and violas. At the
point
where the horn makes its dramatic leaping entrance, the interlude is extended by
two bars, striving upward and warmly swelling, finally moving back home to C major.
It flows into the return of the main melody from the choral section.
10:06 [m. 146]--The main melody from the soloist and chorus from 7:27 [m. 116] is
reprised. The accompaniment is much more full, however. The violins play a
winding
bowed line in straight rhythm against the plucked cello triplets, now also played
by violas. The winds (flutes and clarinets) are present from the beginning. At
“Vater der Liebe,” flutes and bassoons rather than clarinets and bassoons support
the soloist, while the clarinets now join the later-entering men.
10:26 [m. 150]--The music and text from 7:47 [m. 120] is reprised, again with the
richer accompaniment. At “so erquicke,” the soloist’s former line is transferred
to the first tenors, and she takes the later entry previously sung by the second
tenors. The second tenors themselves have a new line. The music has further
slight
alterations, including both of the soloist’s statements of “erquicke.” The second
of these, sung as the line is repeated as before, meanders a bit more and is
doubled
by a flute. The violins play a strong syncopation under the word. A C-major
cadence
is reached on “Herz.”
11:07 [m. 158]--Rather unexpectedly, the E-flat major music from 8:30 [m. 128]
appears
again. This time, however, it is the orchestral version, led by flutes and horns
with pulsating string triplets and including new descending arpeggios. This is cut
off by a sudden statement of “erquicke sein Herz” from the chorus. The soloist,
as if taken by surprise, enters late on “erquicke.” This choral statement moves
the music not to C major, but to F major, where it reaches a notated pause on a
rest
(a fermata).
11:30 [m. 162]--The now familiar “Öffne den umwölkten Blick” music is given in a
new key, A-flat, by the oboe with clarinet and later flute support with string
triplet
pulsations. The new descending arpeggios are heard from clarinets, horns, and
bassoons.

11:41 [m. 164]--As the instruments approach a cadence, it is aborted by a passage

of active counterpoint from the voices, led by the second basses. The first tenors
(reaching their highest notes), first basses, and second tenors follow. The
soloist
comes in above them. The text is again “erquicke sein Herz,” now with reiterations
of “erquicke.” The second basses sing the whole text twice. Under the
counterpoint,
the orchestra has syncopation, plucked triplets, and wind doubling of voices. The
passage builds to a climax. The harmony is very active. From the previous A-flat,
it shifts to F, then moves along the circle of fifths to B-flat, E-flat, A-flat,
and finally D-flat, a key that signifies an arrival point.
12:01 [m. 168]--The music slides back down to the home key of C major, where the
voices have reached their climax. They state “erquicke” three times in succession.
They use the version first heard as a late entry from the second tenors at 7:27
[m. 120] and later associated with the soloist, beginning with a now familiar
diminished
third (whole step). The horns enter with pulsating, syncopated triplets on an
octave,
following the violas. The soloist originally doubled the first tenors here, but
Brahms revised it so that she rests until the third “erquicke,” where she has a
diverging
line. There, the music greatly recedes to a pause.
12:28 [m. 172]--Finally, all voices sing the luminous cadence on “sein Herz,”
accompanied
by winds and low strings, the alto leaping while all choral voices descend. They
gently swell before the violins and violas enter to articulate the last two chords.

13:18--END OF WORK [175 mm.] (Runoff after chord ends at 13:00)

TRIUMPHLIED (SONG OF TRIUMPH) FROM REVELATION CHAPTER 19, FOR EIGHT-VOICE CHORUS,
BARITONE SOLO, AND ORCHESTRA, OP. 55
Recording: Wolfgang Brendel, baritone (3rd Mvt.); Prague Philharmonic Chorus
(Chorus
master: Lubomir Matl); Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli
[DG 449 651-2]
Composed 1870-71, Published 1872. Dedicated with reverence to His Majesty the
German
Emperor (Kaiser) Wilhelm I.

The Triumphlied represents one of the most curious situations in the reception of
Brahms’s music. His most complex, contrapuntal, and grandiose choral work, it is
also his least known, and it is virtually never heard in live performance. In the
composer’s own time, it was a highly regarded and popular composition, and its
publication
was particularly lavish. It was composed in a patriotic fervor as a celebratory
cantata for the unification of Germany under Otto von Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm
I and the victory over the French in the Franco-Prussian War. The dedication to
the Kaiser is the most overtly symbolic and prominent such recognition Brahms ever
made. The first edition brings the dedication almost to the level of a
consecration.
For obvious reasons, such fervent German nationalism was taboo in the later part
of the 20th Century, and thus, this brilliant cantata, whose choral and
instrumental
resources surpass any other of his vocal compositions, even the German Requiem,
became
a bit of an embarrassment for Brahms enthusiasts. To be sure, there is political
symbolism in the music, such as the “unset” text in the first movement, as detailed
at that point in the guide. But considered on its own terms, the music is simply
a three-movement choral cantata in a quasi-Handelian style. The connection to
Handel
is obvious in the prominent use of “Halleluja!” throughout, as well as the use of
text from the Revelation of St. John, which was also the source of Handel’s
“Hallelujah”
Chorus. In fact, two passages from Chapter 19 are used in both works. One of
them,
verse 6, has a particular nuance in Luther’s German version that is totally lost
in the English King James Version and which has symbolic significance for Kaiser
Wilhelm. In the publication, Brahms gave unusual emphasis to the source of the
text.
The piece is even in the key of trumpets, drums, and Hallelujahs, D major.
Brahms’s
use of eight-voice double choir contributes greatly to the complexity, and it was
the only time he used a double choir with orchestra (he would use an a cappella
eight-voice
choir in the motets of Op. 109 and Op. 110). Often, Brahms moves effortlessly
between
an eight-voice and a four-voice texture, unifying and dividing the four parts of
each choir at will. Of the three movements, only the first is in a form with
departure
and return. The other two are sectional. The second movement in G major ends in
a surprisingly quiet way. A baritone soloist is used briefly in the third
movement,
but his role is quite small. Although often grouped with the two one-movement
vocal
works that precede it in opus numbering, it really has nothing in common with
either
of them. Being a sacred cantata, it has a certain kinship to the secular cantata
Rinaldo for men’s voices, Op. 50. Its scriptural text connects it to the German
Requiem. But it is really a Brahms work like no other, almost an anomaly. Its
utterly
brilliant choral writing deserves to be heard more often.

The recording used for this guide was for many years the only one available. It
was given a harsh verdict by Brahms biographer Malcolm MacDonald, but it is not
nearly
as bad as its reputation. The balance is a bit distant, but the choir sings with
enthusiasm. Without it, we would not have had a recording of this great work for
all those years, and out of respect for that, I use it as a basis for this guide.

Note: The text below is from the German Luther Bible text used by Brahms. The King
James Version is used as a comparable Reformation-era English text. Lines are
matched
as closely as possible. Scriptural references are listed in both German and
English.
For the most part, the translations are line-by-line, except where the difference
between German and English syntax requires slight alterations to the contents of
certain lines. The explanatory note for Verse 6 is included because the nuanced
meaning of the Luther version is important for the understanding of this passage
within the context of the work and its dedication to Kaiser Wilhelm.

IMSLP WORK PAGE

ONLINE SCORE FROM IMSLP (First Edition from Brahms-Institut Lübeck. Note that
soprano,
alto, and tenor clefs are used.)
ONLINE SCORE FROM IMSLP (From Breitkopf & Härtel Sämtliche Werke)

1st Movement: “Halleluja! Heil und Preis” (“Alleluia! Salvation and Glory”).
Lebhaft,
feierlich (Lively, celebratory)--Animato. Ternary form (ABA’). D MAJOR, 4/4 time.

German Text:
--Halleluja! Heil und Preis,
Ehre und Kraft sei Gott, unserm Herrn!
--Denn wahrhaftig und gerecht sind seine Gerichte.
--Aus Offenbarung Johannes 19:1-2
English Text:
--Alleluia; Salvation, and glory,
and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
--For true and righteous are his judgments.
--From Revelation 19:1-2

A Section
0:00 [m. 1]--Orchestral introduction. The strings begin with a leaping unison
figure
that jumps up two octaves, then back down. It begins on an upbeat with an added
sixteenth-note (1-¼ beats). After the upbeat, the winds join in with supporting
chords. They then follow the leaping figure with a jaunty fanfare-like tune,
largely
harmonized in thirds, that anticipates the main choral melody. The strings join
against them, still in unison, with a syncopated figure that also leads to the
fanfare
and anticipates the choral lines. Trumpets and timpani are prominent. The fanfare
figures begin again, but the unison strings, after their leaping syncopation, break
away from the fanfares into a rushing scale motion that is diverted at the last
moment
from the keynote D to D-sharp.
0:13 [m. 6]--The orchestra comes together on a broad, march-like gesture with
heavy
syncopation on weak beats. The gesture is given three times, each higher than the
last, the third extended two beats with another syncopation. The harmony is
active,
but remains close to D major. The descent of the last gesture leads to more
fanfares,
this time punctuated by sharp interjections from trumpets and timpani. These
fanfares
dissolve into three-note short-short-long figures in unison. After two such
figures,
the “long” notes are shortened from dotted quarter notes to eighth notes. The
figures
steadily descend, the top notes becoming stuck on the note A, before an upward
unison
sweep in the strings leads into the choral entry.
0:42 [m. 19]--Both choirs enter with “Halleluja!” in full harmony, beginning with
an upbeat punctuated with a trumpet blast. The strings interject two rising
octaves
under the first syllable, then begin another sweeping unison run under the last
syllable.
“Halleluja!” is sung again in the same way, but harmonically diverted to B major.
The unison run under the last syllable leads back to D major.
0:56 [m. 25]--The choirs continue with statements of “Halleluja!” They begin
together,
but Choir 2 is more active than choir 1 at first. Repeated imitative statements
of the word move up from Choir 2 to Choir 1, more motion being added in all the
voices
and the orchestral winds doubling them. The strings begin with more octave leaps,
then the upper strings drop out. They join again at the climax. After this high
point, the female voices of both choirs drop out, and the men’s voices and lower
strings trail with a last “Halleluja!”
1:23 [m. 36]--There is a noticeable “caesura” (break”), and the strings once again
lead with their almost ubiquitous unison leaping octaves. The basses of choir 1
begin two beats before the rest of the voices on “Heil und Preis.” The remaining
voices follow, and they all finish the line, coming to a strong cadence on “unserm
Herrn.” This is followed by a trumpet fanfare interjection, as are the statements
of “Halleluja!” that come thereafter. The voices sing the first of these in block
harmony, then another statement is more free, with the sopranos and basses of both
choirs singing the word twice.
1:37 [m. 42]--The music now has a distinctly Handelian bent. As the last
“Halleluja!”
comes to a cadence, the altos of Choir 1 begin “Heil und Preis” at a slightly
softer
dynamic level. They are joined by the Choir 1 tenors and the Choir 2 altos. The
strings accompany, the cellos adding a counterpoint in the familiar fast running
motion. Trumpet and timpani interjections lead to a similar pair of “Halleluja!”
statements as were heard before, the first in block harmony and a freer second
statement,
with all voices repeating the word. The tenors of both choirs trail.
1:51 [m. 48]--As the tenors finish, the basses of both choirs, in unison, state the
full “Heil und Preis Ehre und Kraft sei Gott” while the altos of both choirs, also
in unison, sing “Halleluja!” on the running motion familiar from the strings. The
upper strings double them. The remaining voices, except the Choir 2 tenors, join
on “Ehre und Kraft sei Gott.” Flutes and oboes also enter. Choir 1, including the
altos following their “Halleluja!” run, complete the statement with “unserm Herrn”
as the running motion is passed to lower strings. Two statements of “Halleluja!”
are then passed between the two choirs in block harmony, Choir 2 followed by Choir
1. The former are supported by horns and woodwinds, the latter by trumpets and
strings.

2:02 [m. 53]--A long passage of elaborate counterpoint begins on more repeated
statements
of “Halleluja!” This time, they have a very distinctive up-and-down leaping motion
between each note. Choir 1 passes to Choir 2, then Choir 1 enters again, and both
groups continue, with all eight voices moving independently, sometimes inserting
strong syncopation on the second syllable. The strings double various voices, and
the low strings provide a constant, steadily moving bass. The sopranos of both
choirs
reach a climactic high A.
2:21 [m. 61]--The tenors and basses all come in together now on three repeated
statements
of “Heil und Preis” as the sopranos and altos continue their elaborate counterpoint
on “Halleluja!” Upper winds and trombones enter at this point. The lower strings
continue their constantly moving bass patterns. All voices then join together on
“Heil und Preis, Ehre und Kraft,” the altos and Choir 2 tenors omitting “Preis” and
“Ehre.” They are joined by the full orchestra except horns and trumpets. This
incomplete
cadence brings the A section to a close, and the B section follows immediately.
B Section
2:33 [m. 66]--The sentence from verse 2, “Denn wahrhaftig und gerecht sind seine
Gerichte,” begins halfway through the bar with a sudden turn to minor. The voices
forcefully sing in block harmony, and the sopranos and basses of both choirs are
largely doubled with each other. They are supported by strings and lower winds.
As the sentence is completed, the upper winds enter in unison with a three-note
rising upbeat and two half-notes, all of which would fit the next portion of the
verse, “daß er die große Hure verurteilt hat” (“for he hath judged the great
whore”).
The continuing wind line, in harmonies, which fits the words “Hure verurteilt”
(“whore”
and “judged”), is “covered” by the forceful entry of the voices and the rushing
uinson
upper strings on “wahrhaftig” with a dissonant “diminished seventh” chord. This
word is repeated on another “diminished seventh,” followed by “und gerecht.” The
voices cut off, and the winds repeat the distinctive three-note upbeat, moving to
A major and supported by a repeated-note fanfare in trumpets and horns. This
enigmatic
passage, with the implications of the notes that fit the unset text (France as the
“whore”), is an extremely intriguing moment in this unjustly neglected work.
2:52 [m. 75]--The choirs now divide completely. Choir 1 begins a passage of
imitation
on “wahrhaftig und gerecht sind seine Gerichte” to a repetitive stepwise pattern.
The basses begin in A major, directly imitated two beats later by the altos. As
the basses finish, the tenors begin, moving back to D major and imitated two beats
later by the sopranos. In both cases of imitation, the following voice does not
end in the same way the leading voice does. As the sopranos finish their line,
they
stretch it out, repeating “sind seine” and adding syncopation on “Gerichte” as the
altos and tenors join them on “sind seine Gerichte” and “seine Gerichte.”
Meanwhile,
under all of this, choir 2 sings seven statements of “Halleluja!” On the third of
these, the sopranos include a syncopated line. On the sixth, the parts diverge
somewhat,
and the altos stretch out the statement rather than state the word a seventh time.
The tenors enter a bit later on this seventh statement, and the choir 1 basses
also
join at the very end as the rest of that choir finishes “Gerichte.” Throughout the
passage, the strings follow various vocal parts while the winds include independent
interjections in a dotted rhythm.
3:08 [m. 82]--Again halfway before the bar, the verse 2 sentence is given. Choir
1 begins in unison on E before splitting into harmony, and choir 2 follows a bar
later in block harmony. Choir 1 begins the sentence again, but now choir 2 does
not follow, but rather joins in on “gerecht.” The united choirs then sing a
massive
“sind seine, sind seine Gerichte.” The instruments add support. Once the choirs
join, the low strings add plunging arpeggios. The passage is harmonically
unstable,
beginning with a strong motion to E minor, then, as the choirs unite, moving down
to D and C before a strong half-close in G minor. This is followed by the
“symbolic”
unison three-note upbeat and half-note descent in strings and horns, then a second
one a fifth higher with the upper winds joining and adding harmony before the next
choral entry.
3:31 [m. 93]--The mass choirs and instruments enter in syncopation with the verse
2 sentence. On the second syllable of “wahrhaftig,” they sing another forcefully
dissonant “diminished seventh” chord. The upper strings begin a rushing scale
motion.
The word “wahrhaftig” is repeated twice, the first time with another “diminished”
seventh, and the second with a sudden mass vocal unison confirming D minor. The
upper strings continue to rush in scales. The unison continues on two hammered
statements
of “gerecht.” Then the voices split into harmony, but with the corresponding parts
of both choirs mostly identical, for another statement of the sentence (without
“denn”).
All except the sopranos move in a solid downward line, joined by the strings as
the winds support the static sopranos. The basses only enter on “gerecht.” The
voices complete the sentence with a strong half-close as the upper winds become
active
and follow the half-close with yet another three-note upbeat.
3:48 [m. 101]--A play on the three-note upbeat begins in the voices using the word
“Halleluja!” The sopranos ascend, implying A minor, followed by the other voices
descending in harmony and implying G minor, then C minor. This exchange happens
twice, followed by a third soprano figure. The instruments also pass the figure
among themselves. Then the choirs come together for yet another full statement of
the verse 2 sentence. The strings leap around under them. The tenors add two
extra
leaping statements of “gerecht” as the upper strings again begin to rush in scales.
The voices reach another powerful half-close, this time followed by a dotted
rhythm
passed among winds, timpani, and low strings, then a descending violin line. The
symbolic three-note upbeat is finally banished.
4:07 [m. 110]--The B section comes to a close with one last split of the two
choirs.
First, choir 2 sings “wahrhaftig und gerecht” on a strong descending line while
choir 1 (without tenors) sings two “Hallelujas.” The choirs then exchange roles,
the choir 1 tenors joining in. Above them all, the winds and timpani blast out
dotted
rhythms while the low strings add forceful octaves. After the exchange, choir 1
completes the line with various repetitions of “seine.” The basses, with a more
active line, repeat all of “sind seine Gerichte.” After their two “Hallelujas,”
the choir 2 voices join the conclusion on “gerecht sind seine Gerichte,” Their
basses
enter a couple of beats later with a more active descent. All voices and
instruments
reach an incomplete D-major cadence on “Gerichte.”
A’ Section
4:22 [m. 117]--Immediately after the cadence, choir 1 suddenly sings “Heil und
Preis”
in a hushed, syncopated entry supported only by a cello line. They are directly
imitated by choir 2, but choir 2 is loud and supported by the full orchestra. The
same exchange happens on “Ehre und Kraft,” now with a simple upbeat rather than
syncopation.
The musical lines are the familiar ones from the A section. A third exchange,
again
with choir 1 hushed and supported only by cellos and choir 2 loud with full
orchestra,
follows on “sei Gott unserm Herrn.” Only the respective sopranos sing “unserm
Herrn,”
the other voices stretching out “Gott.” This passage and the next one have a
transitional
character.
4:35 [m. 123]--Choir 1 breaks off the exchanges, striving upward with “sei Gott”
and incorporating the choir 2 tenors. Only flutes, oboes, violas, and cellos
accompany
them. Choir 2 then unites with “Ehre sei Gott” as trumpets and horns enter. Choir
1 follows them, completing “Ehre sei Gott unserm Herrn.” The choir 1 sopranos
reach
a top note, singing “Heil” rather than the “Ehre” sung by the other voices and
descending
on a syncopated line. As choir 1 comes to a cadence, the choir 2 basses anticipate
the next passage with a strong “Heil und Preis.” The familiar trumpet fanfare
follows.

4:45 [m. 127]--Choir 2 follows its basses with “Heil und Preis sei Gott unserm
Herrn.”
The basses are out of synch with the rest of the choir, singing “Heil und Preis”
against “sei Gott unserm Herrn” und vice versa. After the first statement,
punctuated
by trumpet fanfares, choir 1 interjects “Halleluja!” cries with trumpets and then
upper winds. These continue as choir 2 presents another statement of the “Heil und
Preis” music that briefly diverts to B minor and F-sharp minor. The two choirs
then
briefly exchange texts, choir 2 taking one “Halleluja!” after choir 1 dovetails the
“Heil und Preis” music. The choirs continue to dovetail statements of this music
in an upward sequence, making a strong motion to G major. The strings support the
vocal parts.
5:01 [m. 135]--In G major, the choirs exchange interjections of “Halleluja!”
similar
to those before 2:02 [m. 53]. Choir 1 is followed by choir 2 in two such
exchanges,
with a brass fanfare underlying the first choir 2 statement. Winds, brass, and
strings,
similarly to the choirs, exchange supporting roles. There then follow two more
alternations
of the repeated “Halleluja!” statements with the distinctive up-and-down leaping
motion heard at 2:02 [m. 53], but the elaborate counterpoint that followed there
does not ensue. Here, strings support choir 1 and winds support choir 2. The
choir
1 sopranos and choir 2 basses have the distinctive leaping motion. In the second
of these alternations, the key moves back home to D major. The choir 2 statements
are punctuated by trumpets and timpani.
5:13 [m. 141]--The choir 1 sopranos and altos begin another very elaborate passage
of counterpoint using the fast, running sixteenth-note motion heard from the altos
at 1:51 [m. 48]. “Heil und Preis sei Gott” and “Halleluja!” are combined. All of
choir 2 takes over from the choir 1 women, and then all of choir 1 has a
“Halleluja!”
shout. After a series of “Hallelujas” climbs from choir 2 to choir 1, both choirs
join in a complex interchange of running figures on “Heil und Preis” and
“Halleluja!”
Strings are the primary accompaniment, but winds support the short, leaping
“Hallelujas.”
As the climax is approached, altos and basses anticipate a leaping, syncopated
“Halleluja!”
that follows in all voices as the upper strings continue to run. Then all voices
join in a straight, forceful chromatic statement of “Halleluja!” as the strings
suddenly
stop. The voices briefly pause as a brass blast and wind flourish lead to the
grand
proclamation that now follows.
5:41 [m. 154]--All voices join in a grand, unified statement of the full “Heil und
Preis” line. “Ehre und Kraft” is stated twice. The respective voices of the two
choirs begin identically, but then diverge. Under this tremendous statement, the
strings continue their running motion. The cellos and basses take it over from the
violins under “Ehre und Kraft.” Winds and trumpets also support the voices.
5:48 [m. 158]--After the grand conclusion of the preceding statement, the music
suddenly
becomes hushed and choir 2 drops out. Choir 1 passes subdued, static statements
of “Halleluja!” on repeated notes between the female and male voices. There are
four such exchanges, the last slightly longer and with more overlap. There are
brief
diversions to A major and minor. The violins play shimmering syncopated repeated
notes that only occasionally change. Upper winds and lower strings play harmonized
fragments of the “Ehre und Kraft” melody against these static “Halleluja!”
exchanges.
After the last one, the choir drops out. The violins continue to recede with
their
syncopated repeated notes, which move lower, and the lower strings, later joined
by upper strings and clarinets, trail with the “Ehre und Kraft” melody over a
timpani
roll.
6:16 [m. 171]--The next passage, which steadily builds from the quietest point of
the brief instrumental interlude, is harmonically unstable. It begins with a full
series of contrapuntal entries of all eight voices on the “Heil und Preis” and
“Ehre
und Kraft” music. The voices enter in this order: choir 1 tenors, altos, basses,
and sopranos, then choir 2 altos, tenors, sopranos, and basses. The choir 2
entries
are more syncopated. The voices repeat some text, usually “Ehre und Kraft.” As
the voices enter, the intensity builds. The instruments mainly play the “Ehre und
Kraft” figure along with the vocal entries, but the trumpets and timpani have
marked
interjections on octaves.
6:30 [m. 178]--The voices finally come together on “Ehre und Kraft.” Continuing
after this, they do not sing lines in counterpoint, but some sing “Heil und Preis”
with a syncopated “Heil” while others sing “Ehre und Kraft.” The music is still
harmonically unstable and continues to build. The timpani begin to thump on a
dotted
rhythm, with regular interjections by trumpets and horns. With a minor-key
coloration,
all voices, woodwinds and strings, under the thumping timpani and brass, come
together
before a sudden tempo shift to “Animato.”
6:41 [m. 183]--In the suddenly faster tempo, all voices except the sopranos
ecstatically
utter syncopated “Heil und Preis” statements. The lines are chromatic, adding to
the excitement. Lower strings and upper winds have the dotted rhythm leaps known
from the instrumental introduction. Violins play a steady tremolo. The timpani
and trumpets continue to thump, joined by the other brass instruments in supporting
the voices. After three statements, the sopranos enter for a new sequence,
building
to a tremendous climax on repeated shouts of “Heil,” the choir 1 sopranos reaching
a top A above an F-major chord before sliding to D minor and then the “dominant”
A-major chord.
7:00 [m. 193]--The strings again begin the rushing scale motion. The united
sopranos
and tenors shout out “Heil, Heil sei Gott” in syncopation, followed immediately by
the united altos and basses. After all come together on a couple more reptitions
of “sei Gott,” they complete a powerful syncopated cadence on “unserm Herrn.”
7:09 [m. 197]--The brass fanfares return in the “Halleluja!” rhythm. They
alternate
three times with the full choirs on “Halleluja!” The upper strings again rush in
scales, then arpeggios. The choirs then sing one more extended, leaping
“Halleluja!”
before splitting. Choir 1 leads choir 2 in two more dovetailed shouts of the word
before all come together on the final one, choir 2 coming in against a long chord
in choir 1. Brass and timpani thunder forth until the end, which is punctuated by
forceful chords.
7:36--END OF MOVEMENT [206 mm.]

2nd Movement: “Lobet unsern Gott, alle seine Knechte” (“Praise our God, all ye his
servants”). Mäßig belebt (Moderately animated)--Lebhaft (Lively)--Ziemlich
langsam,
doch nicht schleppend (Quite slow, but not dragging). Three-part through-composed
form. G MAJOR, 3/4 and 4/4 time (Choir 2 only, 12/8 in last section).
German Text:
--Lobet unsern Gott, alle seine Knechte,
und die ihn fürchten, beide Kleine und Große.
--Halleluja!
Denn der allmächtige Gott hat das Reich eingenommen.
--Lasset uns freuen und fröhlich sein
und ihm die Ehre geben.
--Aus Offenbarung Johannes 19:5-7
English Text:
--Praise our God, all ye his servants,
and ye that fear him, both small and great.
--Alleluia:
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.*
--Let us be glad and rejoice,
and give honour to him.
--From Revelation 19:5-7
*The Luther German text more accurately reads “has taken the kingdom” rather than

“reigneth.” This reading has symbolic significance for Brahms.

First Section (From Verse 5)--G major, 3/4. Mäßig belebt

0:00 [m. 1]--In a brief orchestral introduction, the violins and violas, in
harmony,
establish a noble, angular dotted rhythm beginning with a two-beat partial measure.
The lower strings are set against them rhythmically, placing their short notes
against
the long notes of the upper strings and adding syncopation. The upper strings then
also diverge in their rhythms. The violins reach high, to a top G, with the winds
entering to provide harmonic support, then the violins plunge downward, joined by
violas and low strings.
0:17 [m. 8]--The choirs unite for the first word, “Lobet.” The women follow the
men by a beat, both in harmony as the orchestra continues the dotted rhythm. Choir
1 then intones “lobet unsern Gott,” with the altos leading. Choir 2 enters as they
conclude, with the same distribution of parts. The voices and instruments roughly
come together here.
0:25 [m. 12]--A series of exchanges between choirs on “alle seine Knechte” begins.
Underneath these exchanges, the strings begin a series of forceful, but smooth
downward
arpeggios. Choir 1 begins, repeating the word “alle.” Choir 2 enters as the choir
1 finishes its phrase, beginning identically, then diverging. Choir 1 then enters
a second time, a third higher than before. Choir 2 answers with more chromatic
harmony
and without the repeated “alle.” Finally, choir 1 has a fifth and last statement
without the repeated “alle.” Against its “Knechte,” choir 2 returns to “lobet
unsern
Gott” and the wind instruments enter. Choir 1 then moves directly to these words.
Through repetition and lengthening, the choirs end together on a G-major cadence
except for the choir 2 tenors and basses, who end three beats earlier.
0:43 [m. 22]--The second phrase of the verse, beginning with “und die ihn
fürchten,”
is presented by choir 2 in a subdued manner, accompanied by strings. The basses
begin, followed by tenors, who are quickly followed by sopranos and altos. The
sopranos
sing in the opposite direction (inversion) of the bass line. Tenors and altos end
with “fürchten.” As the phrase concludes, choir 1 then takes it up, again
beginning
with the basses. This time, altos and sopranos follow, sopranos inverting the alto
line. The tenors enter only at the end. The tenors and basses of choir 1 do not
sing “beide Kleine und Große,” and the basses continue to repeat “die ihn
fürchten.”

0:59 [m. 30]--Choir 2 again enters. All eight voices are in counterpoint, although
the choir 2 basses join those of choir 1. The sopranos and altos of both choirs
pass around the falling phrase on “beide Kleine und Große.” Tenors and basses
continue
to sing repetitions of “die ihn fürchten.” The accompaniment moves to the winds.
Choir 1 (except the basses) briefly drops out before its tenors again introduce
“lobet unsern Gott” on another falling phrase. The rest of choir 1 quickly
follows,
as does choir 2 immediately after it finishes its phrase on “Kleine und Große.”
All the voices come together on two powerful statements of “unsern Gott.” Winds
and strings both forcefully begin the angular dotted rhythm as the choirs join for
their cadence and motion to D major. A “wordless” statement in the orchestra
trails
and moves to B minor.
1:19 [m. 40]--Choir 1 alone presents the entire phrase beginning with “und die ihn
fürchten” in B minor Basses begin, followed by tenors and altos, all singing
similar
lines. Prominent wind instruments double the voice lines, while the strings have
scale figures. “Und die ihn fürchten” is repeated by the three lower voices before
the sopranos even enter. They come in with “beide Kleine und Große” above the
other
voices on a descending line. First violins and flutes play a faster, sequentially
descending line as the phrase comes to a close with a cadence in F-sharp minor.
The entire phrase is subdued and quiet.
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