Daily Archives: June 11, 2024


Spohr’s “Die letzten Dinge”

This is the second in what I can now call a series of blog posts on works by Louis Spohr.

Die letzten Dinge (The Last Judgment) deals with a big topic, but it’s a small-scale oratorio. It takes a little over an hour to perform, and it isn’t very difficult. Choral societies might find it a good addition to their repertoire. There are no solo numbers or fancy vocal passages; what’s needed is four vocalists who can blend well with each other and the chorus. The text is based on the Book of Revelation, so we’re in for a wild ride. The work is oriented more toward drama than deep religious feeling.

The work is listed as WoO 61, even though it was published during his lifetime. It was a huge success at its first performance in 1826 and later in England.
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