Composer Herman D. Koppel
Instrumentation Sopr, alto, 3 tenor, 2 bass soli + Mixed choir, 4.3.4.3/4.4.4.1/timp/perc/2 arpa/pno/cel/14.12.8.6.6
Category Orchestra
Publication year 2012
Catalogue no. B.0635
Moses, op. 76
(1964)
(1964)
Composer Herman D. Koppel
Instrumentation Sopr, alto, 3 tenor, 2 bass soli + Mixed choir, 4.3.4.3/4.4.4.1/timp/perc/2 arpa/pno/cel/14.12.8.6.6
Category Orchestra
Publication year 2012
Catalogue no. B.0635
As a Jew Herman D. Koppel had experienced the war at close quarters. The many horrors had aroused a need to react through music, and in 1963 this culminated with the oratorio Moses. The work is the largest and most personal expression of Koppel’s cultural roots in the Jewish people.
Moses is the central figure of the Jewish faith and the idea of an oratorio with him as the protagonist had been in the air for several years. One day when Koppel was reading the Old Testament something stirred, and in just two or three days he had the text ready. After that it took Koppel an amazingly short time to compose the music. In Koppel’s own words, “The work started by itself. A creative wellspring had opened up. In the course of two weeks almost the whole work had been sketched out and after six I had composed its general lines”.
The oratorio Moses is a work about a fundamental ethical stance rather than a religious persuasion. Again and again divine truths force mankind to make a choice. It is the story of man’s trial of strength with God, of mankind under the law that Koppel viewed as the fundamental condition of existence.
The oratorio has a simple structure in six sections. It tells the story of the rise of civilization, of its relationship with the given and often cruel conditions of the world, of the appearance of the prophet Moses as God’s representative to mankind, and the death of Moses. Each section ends with a soprano solo that shows mankind’s thoughts and feelings about the words that God makes Moses pass on to them.
As for the end of the work, Koppel explains: “The oratorio’s obligatory hallelujah has been transformed into the quiet resignation of the chorus. The Promised Land remains remote and unattainable”.
Moses was premiered on 21st October 1965 in a concert in the DR Concert Hall with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra/DR conducted by Miltiades Caridis. After that, thirty years passed before Koppel, at an advanced age, had a new opportunity to hear what is perhaps his greatest work.
All categories Solo 2-6 Instruments 7+ Instruments Choir Orchestra
Variationer og Resumé over 9 Etuder af Czerny
1979 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Sinfonietta, op. 41
1946 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Variationer for lille orkester, op. 27
1935 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Oldkvad, op. 24
1934 • Herman D. Koppel
Choir
Three Songs, op. 96
1976 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
To sange, op. 92b
1973 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Musik for strygere, op. 6
1930 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Divertimento, op. 91
1972 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Ouverture for lille orkester, op. 22
1934 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Strygekvartet nr. 1, op. 2
1929 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Three Songs, op. 90
1972 • Herman D. Koppel
Choir
Capriccio for violin og orkester, op. 23
1934 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Præludium, op. 10
1931 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Introduktion, tema med variationer og epilog, op. 85
1971 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Concertino for String Orchestra No. 1, Op. 32
1938 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Kammerkoncert, op. 83
1970 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Trio, op. 11
1931 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Syv tostemmige stykker, op. 12
1931 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Tema med variationer, op. 8
1930 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Som du
1990 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Immortalitas Mortalium, op. 58
1954 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Duo for violin og klaver, op. 9
1930 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Davids 6. salme, op. 55b
1952 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Suite op. 86 for violoncel solo
1971 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Davids salmer, op. 74
1962 • Herman D. Koppel
Choir
Strygekvartet nr. 4
1964 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Divertimento Pastorale
1955 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Variationer og Fuga
1929 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Klaverstykke, op. 7
1930 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Symfoni nr. 7
1961 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Klaversonate, op. 1
1928 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Klaversonate, op. 50
1950 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Duo for klarinet og fagot
1932 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
3 sange og 2 viser
1934 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
15 miniaturer
1976 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
To sange
1982 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Tre sange
1971 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Fire sange
1933 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
5 Salmer af David
1990 • Herman D. Koppel
7+ Instruments
3 sange
1989 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Klaverkoncert nr. 2
1938 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Symphony No. 2
1943 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Symphony No. 1
1931 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Symphony No. 4
1946 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Koncert for fløjte og orkester
1972 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
To salmer af David, op. 55a
1951 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Seks sange til tekst af Poul la Cour
1951 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Three Songs, words from the Holy Bible
1976 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Fest-Ouverture
1939 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Strygekvartet No.2
1939 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Suite for Klaver, op. 21
1934 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Concertino nr. 2
1957 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Tre sange
1990 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Årstiderne
1957 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Fem bibelske sange
1949 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Intrada
1979 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Dialog
1977 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo
Giocattolo
1993 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Musik for violin og klaver
1991 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Koncert for fløjte og orkester
1971 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
4 improvisationer
1970 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Variazioni Pastorale
1975 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Sonatine for blæserkvintet, Op. 16
1932 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Patch-work
1981 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
11 variationer over eget tema
1935 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Musik for Blæseroktet
1991 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Variazoni libre
1976 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Suite
1936 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
9 Variations
1969 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Davids 42. salme
1969 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Variations on a Jewish folk dance op. 17
1932 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Trio
1986 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Trio
1971 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Memory
1994 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
I Dis og Drøm
1992 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
8 Variations and Epilogue
1972 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra
1989 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
To Bibelske Sange, op. 59b
1955 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Skabelsens 7. Dag
1984 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Concertino op. 110
1983 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Fire Gammeltestamentlige Sange
1981 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Forspil til en symfoni
1979 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Concerto for Orchestra
1978 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
Cantilena Duo
1988 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Quartet
1986 • Herman D. Koppel
2-6 Instruments
Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra
1970 • Herman D. Koppel
Orchestra
15 miniaturer
1976 • Herman D. Koppel
Solo