Two Motets (Zwei Motetten), Op. 74, are two sacred motets for unaccompanied mixed choir by Johannes Brahms, published together. Number 1, composed in 1877 in several movements, is Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen? (Why has light been given to the weary of soul?),[1] based on Biblical texts and a chorale. Number 2, believed to have been composed in 1863/64, is O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf, containing different settings of the stanzas of Friedrich von Spee's "O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf" (O Saviour, tear open the heavens). The two motets were published by N. Simrock in December 1878 and dedicated to Philipp Spitta.
The two motets were published together by N. Simrock in December 1878, with a dedication to Philipp Spitta.[4] The motets have been performed and published individually.[5][6]
Themes and movements
Brahms structured the motet that was printed first (i.e. Warum ist das Licht gegeben) in four movements, three on Biblical verses in Martin Luther's translation, and, as a closing chorale, the first stanza from Luther's hymn "Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin".[5] The first movement is based on a longer biblical passage, Job 3:1-26, full of existential questions about the misery of human life.[4] The first line is translated as "Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul" in the King James Version (KJV). The second movement sets a short line, Lamentations 3:41, a request to turn to God, in the KJV "Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens." The third movement uses James 5:11, which is a commentary on the book of Job, recalling his patience and calling those happy who endure (KJV: "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.")[4]
No. 1, Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen?
Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen? Langsam und ausdrucksvoll, D minor
Lasset uns unser Herz samt den Händen aufheben. Wenig bewegter, F major
Siehe wir preisen selig, die erduldet haben. Langsam und sanft, C major
Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr' dahin (chorale), D dorian
Brahms wrote No. 1 in memory of Hermann Göß, who had suffered from an illness for years and died prematurely. Brahms used material from a Latin mass, Missa canonica, which he had begun in 1856. He inserted a fugue for the first movement and a canon for six voices in the second movement.[4] The motet begins with two settings of the question "Warum?" (Why?) in homophony, the first time strong and the second time soft and diminishing.[5] The motif reappears with slight changes to the expression, structuring the sections of the first movement and ending it.[5]
Michael Heinemann: Zwei Motetten für gemischten Chor a cappella op. 74. In: Wolfgang Sandberger (ed.): Brahms-Handbuch. Metzler, Weimar 2009, pp. 309–311.
