JOSEPH HAYDN JOSEPH HAYDN

JOSEPH HAYDNResponsoria de VenerabiliI. Praise thy saviour, o Sion,Praise him in word and song.Who is my Shepherd and King.Venture that thou canst,to give him fitting praiseis a vain attempt.II . Bread whose praise the song announces,which living gives life.Is today festally offered,that he in the holy roomGave it to the twelve brethren at the mealIs true beyond a doubt.III.Let praise sound forth and resound,pleasing to God and full of lofty beautyLet the joyous sound of the heart be.At the table of the new King, the new lamb of the new covenant has madean end of the old.IV. What came to pass through himat the meal, Christ commanded us torepeat in memory of his death. TrulyFollowing sacred instruction, to gainour salvation, we consecrate wineand bread as sacrifice.Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) :Nelson Mass – Responsoriade Venerabili – Ave ReginaMany Catholics were of the opinionthat Joseph Haydn’s masses were notspiritual enough – a criticism thatwas also levelled at Mozart. For somecontemporaries, the works werenot sufficiently dismal, religious orexpiatory, but exuded a rathercomfortable confidence and cheerfulness.Yet Haydn’s intentions werealtogether serious and genuine, forhe wrote his masses directly for usein church. As a chorister, he had beenexposed to a great deal of sacredmusic early in his life. The spirit andcharacter of the masses he went onto compose, twelve of which havesurvived, reflect a faith that is almostchildlike, unclouded by doubt andtherefore happy. Haydn met hiscritics with the following retort:»Since God has given me a cheerfulheart, he is sure to forgive me if Iserve him cheerfully«.7ENGLISH