# Depictions of saints in classical music



## Benno

I'm looking for dramatic depictions of saints in classical music - like in oratorios and operas. I'd be really gratuful for any input.
So far, this is what I have come up with:

Elgar: Dream of Gerontius (not really a saint though?) and The Apostles
Messiaen: St Franciscus of Assisi
Massenet: Marie Magdalene
Virgil Thomson: Four Saints in Three Acts
Strauss: Salome (the part of Jochaanan)
Berlioz: l'enfance du christ (Mary and Josef)
Saint-Saens: christmas oratorio

Three must be a lot more! I'm particularly interested in depictions of male saints after the apostles.


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## elgar's ghost

Britten's Canticle V op. 89 - The Death of St. Narcissus (text by T.S. Elliot)

Also his cantata Saint Nicolas op. 42 (text by Eric Crosier)

Almost forgot - Le Martyre de saint Sébastien by Debussy (text by Gabriele D'Annunzio)


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## Manxfeeder

John Knowles Payne composed an oratorio on Saint Peter.

Mendelssohn composed one about St. Paul.

Heinrich Schutz depicted Joseph and Mary in his Christmas Oratorio.

Antonio Caldara wrote an oratorio about Madgalene titled Maddalena at piedi di Cristo (Of the Rene Jacobs recording, Gramophone's description was, "You are urged to acquire this disc.")


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## Headphone Hermit

Manxfeeder said:


> Antonio Caldara wrote an oratorio about Madgalene titled Maddalena at piedi di Cristo (Of the Rene Jacobs recording, Gramophone's description was, "You are urged to acquire this disc.")


An excellent double disc

Lassus - le lagrime di San Pietro


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## Xaltotun

Two works of the highest order:

Liszt - _Die Legende von der Heiligen Elisabeth_
Dvorak - _Svata Ludmila_

These belong to my absolute favourites but one rarely sees people talking about them.


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## Mandryka

Adams, El Niño (Mary)


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## Albert7

Joan of Arc gets props:


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## cjvinthechair

Foerster - St. Wenceslas Cantata 



Penderecki - St. Luke Passion 



Malipiero - St. Francis of Assisi 



Rihm - Deus Passus (St. Luke Passion) 



 (link to part 1)
Wood - St. Mark Passion 




Hope that's the sort of thing you had in mind ?!


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## Albert7

By the way, every single piece composed by Saint-Saens features a Saint in it. At least in the program.


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