Joseph (Oratorio)

In 1715 Johann Mattheson became music director at Hamburg Cathedral and took advantage of the opportunity to mix sacred music with theatrical style. In his 13 years of service he wrote 24 oratorios for high holidays and lent. The exquisite musical quality of the piece is impressive. The vocal parts are demanding throughout, they were, after all, written for the soloists of Hamburg's Oper am Gänsemarkt, that first-rate musical institution and first 'German-speaking' opera house to which other baroque greats like Haendel, Graupner, and Kaiser were also contributing at the time. The work, which the libretto designates an "oratorio", was first performed in 1727 under the composer's direction.