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A New English Libretto for Haydn's "The Creation"

This document was created to provide a new English translation to Franz Joseph Haydn's (1732-1809) oratorio<italic>The Creation</italic>that both respects Hadyn's original musical content and employs contemporary English language and idioms. In preparing The Creation for performances with English text it became clear that, at this time, no English libretto is available which completely supports the composer's intended relationship between text and music. This document explores the research on Haydn's oratorio The Creation, most notably the research of A. Peter Brown and Nicholas Temperley. English librettos from Nicholas Temperley, Robert Shaw and Alice Parker, and the original English libretto of Baron Gottfried van Swieten (1733-1803) have all been explored through the course of this document. No English-texted editions of Haydn's oratorio The Creation entirely capture what appears to be the composer's intended relationship between text and music while employing contemporary English language and idioms. I demonstrate that it is possible to create a contemporary English libretto for The Creation that both holds true to Haydn's original musical content and employs contemporary English language and idioms. The methodology I have used during the translation process is provided and examples are discussed. Finally, a complete English translation of The Creation has been included in the form of a piano/vocal score for reference purposes.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/242384
Date January 2012
CreatorsMoody, Philip
ContributorsChamberlain, Bruce, Schauer, Elizabeth, Brobeck, John, Chamberlain, Bruce
PublisherThe University of Arizona.
Source SetsUniversity of Arizona
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext, Electronic Dissertation
RightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

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