ACHIEVED IS THE GLORIOUS WORK..by Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
from Creation
arranged by Russell Robinson
Text by Gottfried VanSwieten (1733-1803)
Franz Joseph Haydn was the most famous composer of his time. He helped develop new musical forms,
like the string quartet and the symphony. In fact, even though he didn't invent it, Haydn is known as
the "Father of the Symphony." Haydn was born in the tiny Austrian town of Rohrau, where his
father made huge wooden carts and wagonwheels. His mother was a cook. When he was 8, Joseph (he
didn't go by Franz) went to Vienna to sing in the choir at St. Stephen's Cathedral, and to attend the
choir school. His younger brother Michael joined him a short time later. Joseph could never resist a
playing a joke, which got him in trouble at school. Since Michael Haydn was much better behaved than
his brother, everyone thought he would be the more successful musician. Wrong! At first, Haydn
struggled to earn a living as a composer. Then, he got a job with a rich, powerful family named
Esterhazy. It was Haydn's job to write music for the Esterhazy princes, and to conduct their orchestra.
Haydn composed symphonies, operas, string quartets, and all kinds of other music for performance at
the Esterhazy court.
Haydn was also a good businessman. Music publishing made him and his music famous all over
Europe. After he retired from working for the Esterhazy family, Haydn made two very successful trips
to England, where audiences at concerts of his music treated him like a superstar.
Franz Joseph Haydn was known as the “father of the Classical Style.” The Classical style period is
generally thought of as being from 1750-1820 and included great composers like Beethoven and Mozart.
(Haydn was a friend to Mozart and taught Beethoven musical composition.) Haydn wrote The Creation,
an oratorio, between 1796 and 1798, toward the end of his life. An oratorio is a sacred work for chorus,
soloists and orchestra. An oratorio tells a biblical story, without staging and costumes. “Achieved Is the
Glorious Work” is about the story of creation, but the text is derived from both the book of “Genesis”
and John Milton’s classic book Paradise Lost.
Notes from the arranger, Dr. Russell Robinson…
“Achieved is the Glorious Work” is the 28th of 34 movements in this work. Originally written for four
voice parts with orchestra, I have written this for SAB (Soprano, Alto, Baritone) voices to make this
masterwork more accessible to choirs. I have also maintained the original key of B-flat with a few
changes in the voice parts to limit the ranges of the voices and accommodate the three rather than four
voices. In addition, an accessible piano arrangement has been written to support the voice parts as well
as realize many of the orchestra parts. Remember to keep the vowels pure and sing with a good full
breath before each entrance to add to the excitement of the piece and produce quality choral tone and
dictions.
Terms & Musical Considerations:
Key of Bflat Major – 2 flats (b)
time signature 4/4
tempo – quarter note + 100
Oratorio - the term was, from about 1640, applied exclusively to a musical
work, performed without costume or stage settings, using a religious text,
employing an orchestra, choir and solo singers, although from the nineteenthcentury nonreligious narrative might be used
con spirito - with spirit, with energy
f, mf, mp
contrapuntal - From punctum, "point" - as a note was formerly called in
music - and contra, "against"; originally, punctum contra punctum, or nota
contra notam - "point against point", or "note against note" (the technique of
setting a melody or melodies in conjunction with another. Counterpoint
melodies are composed according to set rules)