Vecné evangelium / The Eternal Gospel Cantata for Solo Voices Mixed Chorus and Orchestra Leoš Janácek’s great oratorio “The Eternal Gospel” for soprano tenor mixed chorus and orchestra is based on a medieval legend in which an angel announces the coming of the Kingdom of Love on Earth to a Cistercian monk Joachim of Flora. Janácek set the text as a dramatic scene with two characters. The chorus unfolds as a contrasting foil to the two main figures until the final climax when the people sing “Alleluia” and receive the message of the brotherhood of all creation. The Eternal Gospel occupies aspecial place in Janácek’s œuvre. The dream-like atmosphere and emotional force of this twenty-minute cantata cast an unusually powerful spell. It originated during a time of turmoil: Janácek wrote it in spring 1914 on the eve of the First World War and the première took place in Prague in February 1917. In 1924 Janácek revised the cantata yet again for a festive performance on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. The vocal score has been prepared by Leoš Faltus one of the two editors of the volume for the Janácek Complete Edition (series B/volume 4). - Urtext Janacek Complete Edition - Full score (BA6860) and vocal score (BA6860-90) available for sale - Performance material (BA6860-72) available for hire
