Haydn - The CreationDie Schpfung (with Annette Dasch & Thomas Quasthoff)

In the beginning God created
the heaven and the earth; and the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon
the face of the deep. And the spirit of 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.

Now vanish before the holy beams the gloomy dismal shades of dark: the first of days appears. Disorder yields to order fair the place; affrighted flee hells spirits
black in throngs; down they sink in the deep of abyss
to endless night. Despairing, cursing rage
attends their rapid fall. A new-created world
springs up at Gods command.

And God made the firmament and divided the waters
which were under the firmament from the waters
which were above the firmament; and it was so. Outrageous storms now dreadful arose; as chaff by the winds,
are impelled the clouds. By heavens fire the sky is enflamed and awful rolled the thunders on high. Now from the floods in streams ascend
reviving showers of rain, the dreary, wasteful hail, the light and flaky snow.

The marvllous work beholds amazd
the glorious hierarchy of heavn; and to th ethereal vaults resound the praise of God and of the second day. And to th ethereal vaults resound the praise of God and of the second day. And God said: Let the waters under the heaven
be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear; and it was so. And God called the dry land earth and the gathering of the waters
called he seas; and God saw that it was good.

Rolling in foaming billows,
uplifted roars the boistrous sea. Mountains and rocks now emerge; their tops into the clouds ascend. Thro th open plains outstretching wide
in serpent error rivers flow; in silent vales soft gliding brooks
by gentle noise mark out their way. And God said: Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit
after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth; and it was so.

With verdure clad the fields appear delightful to the ravishd sense, enhanced in the charming sight by flowers sweet and gay. Here vent their fumes the fragrant herbs; here shoots the healing plant. By loads of fruits
th expanded boughs are pressd; to shady vaults are bent
the tufty groves; with closed wood is crownd
the mountains brow. And the heavenly host
proclaimed the third day, praising God and saying: Awake the harp, the lyre awake! In shout and joy your voices raise! In triumph sing the mighty Lord, for he the heaven and earth
has clothd in stately dress.

And God said: Let there be lights
in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night and to give light upon the earth; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years. He made the stars also. In splendour bright is rising now
the sun and darts his rays, an amrous, joyful, happy spouse, a giant proud and glad to run his measurd course. With softer beams and milder light steps on the silver moon
thro silent night.

The space immense of th azure sky
innumrous host of radiant orbs adorns. And the sons of God
announced the fourth day in song divine, proclaiming thus his power: The heavens are telling the glory of God; the firmament displays
the wonder of his works. To day that is coming
speaks it the day; the night that is gone,
to following night. The heavens are telling
the glory of God; the firmament displays
the wonder of his works.

In all the lands resounds the word, never unperceived, ever understood. The heavens are telling
the glory of God; the firmament displays
the wonder of his works. And God said: Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. On mighty pens uplifted soars
the eagle aloft and cleaves the sky in swiftest flight
to the blazing sun.

His welcome bids to morn the merry lark, and cooing... Calls the tender dove his mate. From evry bush and grove resound
the nightingales delightful notes; no grief affected yet her breast, nor to a mournful tale were tund her soft enchanting lays. And God created great whales and every living creature that moveth, and God blessed them, saying: Be fruitful all and multiply, ye winged tribes, be multiplied and sing on evry tree! Be multiplied, ye finny tribes, and fill each watry deep! Be fruitful, grow and multiply, and in your God and Lord rejoice.

And the angels struck
their immortal harps and the wonders of the fifth day sung. Most beautiful appear,
with verdure young adornd, the gently sloping hills. Their narrow, sinuous veins distil,
in crystal drops, the fountain fresh and bright. In lofty circles plays
and hovers thro the sky the cheerful host of birds; and in the flying whirl
the glittring plumes are dyd, as rainbows, by the sun.

See flashing thro the wet in thronged
swarms the fry on thousand ways around. Upheaved from the deep,
th immense Leviathan sports on the foaming wave. How many are thy works, O God! Who may their number tell? Who? O God! The Lord is great, his glory lasts
for ever and evermore. The Lord is great, his glory lasts
for ever and evermore.

And God said: Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind; cattle and creeping thing and beasts of the earth
after their kind. Straight opening her fertile womb the earth obeyd the word
and teemd creatures numberless in perfect forms and fully grown. Cheerful roaring stands the tawny lion; in sudden leaps
the flexible tiger appears; the nimble stag
bears up his branching head. With flying mane and fiery look
impatient neighs the sprightly steed; the cattle, in herds, already seek
their food on fields and meadows green; and oer the ground are spread
the fleecy, meek and bleating flocks; unnumberd as the sands
in whirls arise the hosts of insects.

In long dimensions creeps with sinuous trace the worm. Now heavn in all her glory shone; earth smiles in her rich attire. The room of air with fowl is filld, the water swelld by shoals of fish; by heavy beasts the ground is trod. But all the work was not complete: there wanted yet that wondrous being, that grateful should Gods powr admire, with heart and voice his goodness praise.

And God created man in his own image. In the image of God he created him. Male and female he created them. He breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

In native worth and honour clad,
with beauty, courage, strength adornd, to heavn erect and tall
he stands: a man, the lord of earth and natures king. The large and arched brow sublime of wisdom deep declares the seat, and in his eyes with brightness
shone the soul, the breath and image of his God. With fondness leans upon his breast
the partner for him formd, a woman fair and graceful spouse. Her softly smiling virgin looks,
of flowry spring the mirror, bespeak him love and joy and bliss.

And God saw every thing
that he had made, and behold, it was very good, and the heavenly choir, in song divine,
thus closed the sixth day. Achieved is the glorious work;
the Lord beholds it and is pleasd. In lofty strains let us rejoice; our song let be the praise of God! On thee each living soul awaits; from thee, O Lord, they beg their meat; thou openest thy hand, and sated all they are. But when to them thy face is hid, with sudden terror they are struck.

Thou takst their breath away, they vanish into dust. Thou lettst thy breath go forth again, and life with vigour fresh returns. Revived earth unfolds
new force and new delights. Achieved is the glorious work; our song let be the praise of God! Glory to his name for ever!
On high exalted reigns the Lord.

Hallelujah. In rosy mantle appears,
by tunes sweet awakd, the morning young and fair. From the celestial vaults pure harmony descends on ravished earth. Behold the blissful pair,
where hand in hand they go! Their flaming looks express
what feels the grateful heart.

A louder praise of God
their lips shall utter soon. Then let our voices ring,
united with their song! By thee with bliss, O bounteous Lord, the heavn and earth are filld. This world, so wondrous and so great, thy mighty hand has framd. For ever blessed be his powr! His name be ever magnified! Of stars the fairest, oh, how sweet
thy smile at dawning morn! How brightenst thou, O sun, the day,
thou eye and soul of all! In your extended course proclaim
the glorious power of the Lord! And thou that rulst the silent night
and all ye starry host spread wide and evrywhere his praise
in choral songs about.

Ye strong and cumbrous elements,
who ceaseless changes make, ye dusky mists and dewy steams,
who rise and fall thro th air: resound the praise of God, our Lord! His name is great and great his might. Ye purling fountains, tune his praise
and wave your tops, ye pines! Ye plants, exhale, ye flowers,
breathe at him your balmy scent! Ye that on mountains stately tread
and ye that lowly creep, ye birds that sing at heavns gate,
ye that thro waters glide: ye living souls extol the Lord! Your voices join, his powr proclaim. Ye valleys, hills and shady woods!
Our rapturd notes ye heard; from morn to evn you shall repeat
our grateful hymns of praise. Hail, bounteous Lord! Almighty, hail! Thy word calld forth
this wondrous frame, thy powr adore the earth and heavn; we praise thee now and evermore.

Our duty we performed now in offring up to God our thanks. Now follow me, dear partner of my life! Thy guide Ill be, and evry step pours new delights
into our breast, shews wonders evrywhere. Then mayst thou feel and know the high degree of bliss
the Lord allotted us, and with devoted heart his bounty celebrate. Come, follow me! Thy guide Ill be.

O thou, for whom I am! My help, my shield, my all! Thy will is law to me. So God, our Lord, ordains, and from obedience grows my pride and happiness. Graceful consort! At thy side
softly fly the golden hours. Evry moment brings new rapture, evry care is put to rest.

Spouse adored! At thy side
purest joys oerflow the heart. Life and all I am is thine; my reward thy love shall be. The dew-dropping morn,
oh, how she quickens all! The coolness of evn,
oh, how she all restores! How grateful is
of fruits the savour sweet! How pleasing is
of fragrant bloom the smell! But, without thee, what is it to me, the morning dew, the breath of evn, the savry fruit, the fragrant bloom! With thee is evry hour enhanced; with thee delight is ever new. With thee is life incessant bliss, to thee be vowd it whole.

O happy pair and ever happy still, if not, by false conceit misled, ye strive at more than granted is, and more to know than know you should. Sing the Lord, ye voices all! Utter thanks, all ye his works! Celebrate his powr and glory! Let his name resound on high! The Lord is great;
his praise shall last for ever. Amen..