1f; 2:4 The Creation (Die Schöpfung) Composed between 1796 and 1798, with a public premiere in 1799, this oratorio is doubtless Haydn's masterpiece. Evocative of Haydn's profound religious faith, The Creation is a paean to the beauty and joy of existence as God intended it. Notably, the Fall is absent from the oratorio: it ends with Adam and Eve's first meeting. On the one hand, one could argue that this omission reflects the 18^th century's optimism that generally rejected the concept of Original Sin, as seen in the thought of Voltaire and Rousseau. One the other hand, Haydn suffered bouts of melancholy and lived a harsh life before he found stable employment: perhaps for him, the fact of Original Sin is obvious, for its effects are visible everywhere; the goodness of creation as revealed in Gn 1-2, however, is not obvious and must be proclaimed as loudly as possible. Perhaps this is reflected in remarks Haydn made regarding the oratorio in an 1802 letter:

• "Often, when I was struggling with all kinds of obstacles…a secret voice whispered to me: 'There are so few happy and contented people in this world; sorrow and grief follow them everywhere; perhaps your labour will become a source from which the careworn…will for a while derive peace and refreshment'" (Source→).

The Creation begins with a Prelude that depicts Chaos by withholding musical cadences from ends of phrases and gradually becomes more systematic to finally culminate in the orchestra and the choir coming together in a luminous chord for "let there be Light". Three soloists represent three angles who narrate and comment upon the six days of creation: Gabriel (soprano), Uriel (tenor), and Raphael (bass). The final act features Adam (bass) and Eve (soprano). Their lovely duet Holde Gattin may have been inspired by the duet between Papageno and Papageno in the Magic Flute.

Haydn's last public appearance was at an 1808 performance of The Creation. Biographer J. Cuthbert Hadden thus describes the scene:

• "Naumann, writing of it, says that 'such an apotheosis of the master was witnessed as has but few parallels,' and this is no exaggeration. The performance, which was under the direction of Salieri, had been arranged in honour of his approaching seventy-sixth birthday. All the great artists of Vienna were present, among them Beethoven and Hummel. Prince Esterhazy had sent his carriage to bring the veteran to the hall, and, as he was being conveyed in an arm-chair to a place among the princes and nobles, the whole audience rose to their feet in testimony of their regard....When that magnificent passage was reached, 'And there was light,' they burst into loud applause, and Haydn, overcome with excitement, exclaimed, 'Not I, but a Power from above created that.' The performance went on, but it proved too much for the old man, and friends arranged to take him home at the end of the first part. As he was being carried out, some of the highest of the land crowded round to take what was felt to be a last farewell; and Beethoven, forgetting incidents of early days, bent down and fervently kissed his hand and forehead. Having reached the door, Haydn asked his bearers to pause and turn him towards the orchestra. Then, lifting his hand, as if in the act of blessing, he was borne out into the night" (Source→).

This performance→ employs the original German libretto, which is far superior to the English.