94: Some selections for Easter Morning

 Easter morning, that which follows the nighttime during which “the night shall be as bright as day, dazzling is the night for me, and full of gladness” is without question the most important morning on the Christian calendar. What it celebrates (of course, coupled with what was celebrated late last night into the wee hours of this morning by the Vigil—see yesterday’s article for an overview) is so important to the Christian faith that almost everyone who has written Christian music has written some of their best, most jubilant work specifically in the context of last night and this morning. 

Here is a list of a few selections:

1. BWV 31, whose title in English means “The heaves laugh, the earth rejoices”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9VDspz-KOY&list=RDu9VDspz-KOY&start_radio=1

2. BWV 249, commonly called just the “Easter Oratorio,” whose full cantata title means “Come, hasten and run!”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62fawgUUpg8&list=RD62fawgUUpg8&start_radio=1&t=10s 

3. From BWV 232’s Credo, the “Et resurrexit” (whose Latin text means “and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.”) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSLLhsa_XXo&list=RDBSLLhsa_XXo&start_radio=1 

4. From Handel’s Messiah (here I refer to the English original—although, of course, there is a 1:1 match with German transcription by Mozart)

a. “O Death Where is Thy Sting?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlMSza7FZeM&list=RDOlMSza7FZeM&start_radio=1

b. “But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul In Hell”:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoPweQpj2cU&list=RDBoPweQpj2cU&start_radio=1

c. “Hallelujah”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qac_VUxlE7o&list=RDQac_VUxlE7o&start_radio=1 

5. HIF Biber's "Resurrection" Sonata-- from a set where he set the original 15 mysteries of the Rosary to music, one sonata for each: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrta2W1sDoc&list=RDhrta2W1sDoc&start_radio=1 


6. Palestrina's Sicut Cervus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yd5EE0hAB8&list=RD0yd5EE0hAB8&start_radio=1

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