The Creation (selections)

Franz Joseph Haydn

Bass and Tenor Recitatives with Chorus (In the beginning)
In the beginning God made Heaven and earth;
and the earth was without form and void;
and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
In the Spirit, God moved upon the face of the waters;
and God said: Let there be light,
and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good;
and God divided the light from the darkness.

Tenor Solo with Chorus (Now vanished)
Now vanished by the holy beams
the ancient, ghostly, shuddering blackness;
the first of days appears.
Confusion yields, and order shines most fair.
Aghast the fiends of hell confounded fly,
down they sink in the deep abyss to endless night.
Convulsion, rage and terror
engulf their monstrous fall.
A new created world
springs forth at God’s command.

Soprano Solo with Chorus (What wonder)
What wonder doth his work reveal
to heaven’s host in joyful throng.
And loud resounds throughout the skies
the praise of God, and of the second day.

Tenor Recitative (And the heavenly host)
And the heavenly host proclaimed
the third day, praising God, and saying:

Chorus (Awake the harp)
Awake the harp, ye choirs awaken,
loud let the praise of God be sounded.
Rejoice in the Lord, the mighty God.
Surely the heavens and earth
has he girded with splendor and light.

Tenor Recitative (Let there be lights)
And God said,
Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven,
to divide the day from the night,
to give their light upon the earth;
and let them be for signs and for seasons,
and for days, and for years.
He made the stars also.

Tenor Recitative (In shining splendor)
In shining splendor
radiant now the sun bestrides the sky;
a wondrous, joyful bridegroom,
a giant proud and glad,
he runs his ordered course.
With softer steps and wistful shimmer,
steals the moon through still enshadowed night.
The boundless vaults of heavens domain
shine with unnumbered magnitude of stars.
And the sons of God rejoiced in the fourth day
in chorus divine, praising God’s great might,
and saying:

Chorus and Soli (The heavens are telling)
The heavens are telling the glory of God,
with wonders of his work resounds the firmament.
Revealed are his ways by day unto day,
by night that is gone, to following night.
In every land is known the word,
every ear will hearken,
never tongue be dumb.

Bass Recitative (And the angels)
And the angels struck their immortal harps
and sang the wonders of the fifth day.

Trio (In fairest raiment now)
In fairest raiment now, with virgin green adorned,
the rolling hills appear.
From deep and secret springs, in fleeting crystal flow,
the cooling brook doth pour.
In joyful garlands borne
on wheeling tides of air,
upwings the feathered host.
The myriad feathers gleam
reflect in shimmering flight
the golden sun’s pure light.
From sparkling waters leap the fish,
and twisting flash in ceaseless motion round.
From deepest ocean home waltzes up Leviathan
in foaming waves to play.
How many are thy works, O God!
Who may their number tell?

Trio and Chorus (The Lord is great)
The Lord is great and great his might,
and ever stands his name.

Tenor Recitative (And God created man)
And God created man in his own image;
in the image of God created he him.
Male and female created he them.
And God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and man became a living soul.

Bass Recitative (And God saw everything)
And God saw everything that he had made.
And behold, it was very good;
and the heavenly choir loud rejoicing
raised their song of praise and hailed the sixth day.

Chorus (Fulfilled at last the glorious work)
Fulfilled at last the glorious work;
eternal praise to him accord!
Glorious be his name forever,
for he alone doth reign exalted,
Alleluia, Alleluia.

Creation Concert Suite

Dan Forrest

Introit
Come, Creator Spirit,
Visit the souls of your devoted,
With your divine grace fill
The hearts which you have created.
(from Veni, Creator Spiritus, ancient liturgy)

Light
I am the light of the world,
I am the light of life.
Who follows me
shall have the light of life.
(from John 8)

God saw the
[light/sky/stars/
creatures/work],
that the work was good.
Wholly beautiful are you, entirely,
and there is no stain in you.
Alleluia.
(from Genesis 1 and  Tota Pulchra Es, ancient liturgy/Song of Solomon 4)

The Garden
My chosen vineyard,
I planted you.
This place was made by God,
a priceless holy place;
it is without fault.
(from Vinea me electa and Locus Iste, ancient liturgies)

Wings
Oh that I had wings like a dove
– wings of the morning –
then I would fly.
(from Psalms 55, 139)

Deep Blue
I saw water flowing,
and all to whom
this water came
were saved,
and shall say Alleluia!
(from Vidi Aquam, ancient liturgy)

Ish Ishah
Finger of God’s right hand,
You are the one
duly promised by the Father.
Enkindle your light
in our minds,
Infuse love in our hearts.
(from Veni, Creator Spiritus, ancient liturgy)

Boundless
Praise him, lights,
Praise him, skies,
Praise him, gardens and stars!
Praise him, creatures,
Praise him, children!