''Die vier letzten Dinge'' is an oratorio in three parts by the composer Joseph Eybler. The three parts depict the end of the world, resurrection of the dead, and redemption of the blessed. The oratorio is about the

Four Last Things In Christian eschatology, the Four Last Things or four last things of man ( la , quattuor novissima) are Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell, the four last stages of the soul in life and the afterlife. They are often commended as a collective t ...

of man, which are Death, Judgement,

Heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

, and

Hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...

. The work is catalogued as HV 137. Hildegard Herrmann, "Thematisches Verzeichnis der Werke von Joseph Eybler", ''Musikwissenschaftlichte Schriften X'' (München – Salzburg: Emil Katzbichler, 1976) The work premiered on 15 April

1810 Events January–March * January 1 – Major-General Lachlan Macquarie officially becomes Governor of New South Wales. * January 4 – Australian seal hunter Frederick Hasselborough discovers Campbell Island, in the Subantarctic. * Janua ...

and was commissioned by

Emperor Francis I Francis I (Francis Stephen; french: François Étienne; german: Franz Stefan; 8 December 1708 – 18 August 1765) was Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, and Grand Duke of Tuscany. He became the ruler of the Hol ...

for empress Maria Ludovika. It is scored for

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

s, oboes,

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

bassoon The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...

contrabassoon The contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower. Its technique is similar to its smaller cousin, with a few notable differences. Differences from the bassoon The reed is consi ...

, horns, trombones, trumpets and timpani, fortepiano and

strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

Discography

''Die vier letzten Dinge'' was recorded by the

Rheinische Kantorei The Rheinische Kantorei is a German vocal ensemble of baroque music accompanied by an instrumental ensemble called Das Kleine Konzert. History The Rheinische Kantorei and Das Kleine Konzert were founded in 1977 by the German conductor Hermann M ...

and the Kleine Konzert under Hermann Max with soloists Elisabeth Scholl, Peter Kooy, and Markus Schäfer on CPO in 2005.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vier Letzten Dinge, Die Compositions by Joseph Leopold Eybler 1810 compositions Oratorios based on the Bible