This is a replacement for the old #122 which was recently replaced as #246 – ed
Christians love the Bible’s account of creation in Genesis. It is an absolutely magnificent literary work. As God-breathed Scripture, it is not only true and beautiful, but also life-giving to the soul. Among the great oratorios of history is “The Creation,” composed between 1796 and 1798 by Franz Joseph Haydn. While not as well-known as other large choral works like Handel’s “Messiah,” it is a magnificent work for choir and orchestra, considered by many to be one of his greatest masterpieces. Perhaps the reason “The Creation” is not as well-known as “Messiah” is that Haydn’s masterpiece is not associated with any of the annual Christian holiday seasons.
The libretto (the words) from an unknown author was given to Haydn. He turned it over to Baron Gottfriend van Swieten, a Dutch born Austrian diplomat who, as an amateur musician, was a patron to several composers, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Swieten produced the finished version, translating it into German, but using the English King James Version of Bible for scripture quotations. It is based on the biblical account in Genesis, select passages from the Psalms, and John Milton’s massive work, “Paradise Lost.” It generally takes an hour and 45 minutes to perform the entire work.