Jens Wendelboe - Logos

(Scores are for sale)

(P) & (C) 2000

(No mp3-player? Download WinAmp for Windows or SoundApp for Mac)

LOGOS
2000 years with Christ
Cantata for:
Choir, soloists, symphony orchestra, rhythm and horn section 
 
Inspired by words from The Gospel of Johannes 
Music: Jens Wendelboe
Lyrics: Martin Alfsen
 

LOGOS
"Logos" is greek and means "the Word". The title is chosen because the lyrics which have been chosen for this work are taken from the Gospel of John in The New Testament. The Gospel of John is the fourth gospel in The New Testament which describes the life and activities of Jesus and which begins with the verse, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The gospels basic text was written in greek, so "Logos" felt like a natural title for a work which intends to reflect over Christ: "the Word" which has and has had such fundamental significance in our culture.

Whatever your personal view of life, the significance of Jesus Christ, what he said and did and what he has meant and means to hundreds of millions of people around the globe, cannot be underestimated. We would not have just celebrated the Jubilee if it had not been for this person. When the Gospel of John is chosen as the source of the text in this work, it is because John is the "most reflective" of the evangelical authors when it comes to Jesus, the person. The universal dimensions present in the character of Christ are most prominent in the Gospel of John. Lines from Genesis are present in the introduction to the gospel as are many quotes from Jesus where he refers to himself as "The Light Of The World", "The Way, The Truth, The Life", "The Bread of Life" to show that he is the way the world can meet God. 

The Gospel of John was written by the disciple John himself. It is probably the latest gospel of the four and researchers believe it was written around 90 a.d.. To a certain extent, "Logos" follows the main outline of the Gospel of John. The introductory movement bases itself upon John's "opening hymn" about The Word. It is followed by the introduction to Jesus' activities through John the Baptist's witness: The Voice in the Wilderness. The mid section movements of the work: The Way and The Living Water build upon some of the gospel's typical Jesus statements like, for example, about the Samaritan The Woman at the Well. The last movement, The Hope of the World follows the text of the prayer Jesus prays before he dies: "Keep them from evil" and the text based on the Gospel of John's detailed description of the events around the resurrection. The Cantata concludes with the text from John 3, 16 which is often called "the little bible" because it concisely summarizes what the entire story of Christ is about:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life"

I. The Word

1. The Word - Orchestral introduction

Narrator: John 1.1-5

(Joh 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 
(Joh 1:2) The same was in the beginning with God. 
(Joh 1:3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 
(Joh 1:4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 
(Joh 1:5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

2. The True Light - choir (John 1; 4,5,12-13)

He is the true Light, shining in the darkness
Shining for everyone, for all the world to see

And to all of them, they that have recieved him
He gave them the power to become his own sons

In him was life, and the life was the light of men
Shining for every man that is in the world

He is the light
The true light

He is the light
The true light

II. The Voice in the Wilderness

3. The Voice In The Wilderness - soloist and choir

John the Baptist: 
I baptize you with water
But he who stands among you
You do not know him but I say to you:

Choir:
Make a straight way for the Lord

John the Baptist:
I saw the spirit over him
Descending like a dove
And he will baptize with the Holy Ghost

Choir:
Make a straight way for the Lord

John the Baptist:
I am not Elijah
And I am not the prophet
I am the voice who's crying:
Make a straight way for the Lord

No, I am not Elijah
And I am not the prophet
I am the voice who's crying:
Make a straight way for the Lord

John the Baptist & Choir:
He that will come after me
He was - before I was born
He, who you don't know
He is the son of God
I am the voice of one crying
In the wilderness:
Make straight the way of the Lord
He is the one; the son of God

John the Baptist: 
I baptize you with water
But he who stands among you
You do not know him but I say to you:

Choir:
Make a straight way for the Lord

John the Baptist:
I saw the spirit over him
Descending like a dove
And he will baptize with the Holy Ghost

Choir:
Make a straight way for the Lord

John the Baptist:
I am not Elijah
And I am not the prophet
I am the voice who's crying:
Make a straight way for the Lord

No, I am not Elijah
And I am not the prophet
I am the voice who's crying:
Make a straight way for the Lord

John the Baptist & Choir:
He that will come after me
He was - before I was born
He, who you don't know
He is the son of God
I am the voice of one crying
In the wilderness:
Make straight the way of the Lord
He is the one; the son of God

I am the voice of one crying
In the wilderness
He, who you don't know
He is the son of God
I am the voice of one crying
In the wilderness:
Make straight the way of the Lord
He is the one; the son of God

4. The Dove - orchestral scherzo

Narrator: John 1, 32
Joh 1:32) And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

5. The Lamb Of God - soloists and choir (John 1, 29-34)

John's disciples:
Behold, see the Lamb of God
He is the one we will follow
He who carries away the sins of men
Messiah - the lamb of God

So come, let us walk with him 
And follow him as he said
He is the one - He is the lamb of God
Who carries the sins of the world

Choir:
He is the one - He is the lamb of God
Who carries the sins of the world
It is Jesus, he is the lamb of God
Messiah - he is the one
So come, let us walk with him 
And follow him as he said
He is the one - He is the lamb of God
Who carries the sins of the world

He is the one - He is the lamb of God
Who carries the sins of the world

6. The Judgement - brass and woodwinds

Narrator: John 5, 25-29

Joh 5:25) Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 
(Joh 5:26) For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 
(Joh 5:27) And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 
(Joh 5:28) Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 
(Joh 5:29) And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

III. The Way

7. The Night - soloists and choir (John 9, 4-5, John 8, 12,44-45, John 10, 8-10, John 14,6)

Soloist:
Darkness - in the deep of night
He comes - to destroy and to kill
See him - he is blinding your eyes!

He comes - in the deep of night
Watch out - he will steal and destroy
See him - he is blinding your eyes!

Choir:
I am the door
I am the light
I have come to give you life
I am the door
I am the light
I have come to give you life

Soloists:
Darkness - in the deep of night
He comes - to destroy and to kill
See him - he is blinding your eyes!

He comes - in the deep of night
Watch out - he will steal and destroy
See him - he is blinding your eyes!

Darkness - in the deep of night
He comes - to destroy and to kill

8. The Way- orchestral minuet

9. The Good Shepherd - soloist and choir (John 10,4-5, 11, 14, John 8, 12, 51)

Soloist:
They who hear his voice when he is calling them
And follow wherever he's leading
He is no stranger, they will not flee
From the good shepherd
He gives his life for them
And they follow him

They who see the light when it is shining
They shall not walk in the darkness
No, he shall give them the light of life
He's the good shepherd
He gives his life for them
He's the good shepherd
And they follow him

"If a man will keep my word
Never shall he taste of death!"

They who hear his voice when he is calling them
And follow wherever he's leading
He is no stranger, they will not flee
From the good shepherd
He gives his life for them
He is the good shepherd
And they follow him

Choir and soloist:
They who see the light when it is shining
They shall not walk in the darkness
No, he shall give them the light of life
Soloist:
He's the good shepherd
He gives his life for them
He is the good shepherd
And they follow him

10. The Truth - orchestral prelude

IV. The Living Water

11. The Woman At The Well - soloist and choir (John 4, 6-30)

The woman:
Come see this man
He has told me all that I ever did
Could it be that he is the one; He is the Messiah?

Give me that water of life 
So that I never shall thirst again
Give me the water that quenches all of my thirst

He said to me 
That I give him water to drink
He said he was thirsty and weary after his journey
He said if you only knew
Of the gift that God can give to you
Give you the water that quenches all of your thirst

Rubato:
Give me that living water, that living water
So I shall never thirst again

Choir:
We come to see 
Him who told you all that you ever did
Could it be that he is the one; He is the Messiah 
Give us that water of life so that we never shall thirst again
Give us the water that quenches all of our thirst

Yes we will go and see and to hear 
He who told you of the water
Could it be that he is the one; He is the Messiah 
Give us that water of life so that we never shall thirst again
Give us the water that quenches all of our thirst

Rubato soloist:
Give me that living water, that living water
So I shall never thirst again

12. The Life - flute solo and strings

13. The Living Water - choir (John 4, 13, John 7, 38)

Water - that living water 
From the well inside him
That never shall run dry
Springing, yes it is springing
Up into an everlasting life

Water - that living water
Out of that well inside
Shall the water spring 
To everlasting life, to everlasting life
That living water, that living water
And he who drinks of it shall never thirst again
Shall never thirst again
It's the water of life, the water
The water of life

Water - that living water 
From the well inside him
That never shall run dry
Springing, yes it is springing
Up into an everlasting life

Water - that living water
Out of that well inside
Shall the water spring 
To everlasting life, to everlasting life
That living water, that living water
And he who drinks of it shall never thirst again
Shall never thirst again
It's the water of life, the water
The water of life


V. The Hope of the World

14. The Lament - tenor saxophone solo

Narrator: John 16, 32-33

(Joh 16:32) Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 
(Joh 16:33) These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

15. The Prayer - soloist and choir (John 17)

Jesus:
Father , the hour is come, glorify thy son
That thy son also may glorify thee
As thou hast given him power over all flesh
That he should give eternal life

Choir:
Keep them from evil

Jesus:
I have manifested thy name unto the men 
Which thou gavest me out of the world
And they have kept my word

Choir:
Keep them from evil
That the all may be as one in thee
As thou art in me and I am in thee
That they also may be as one in us
That the world may believe
That thou hast sent me

Jesus:
I pray for them.
I pray not for the world,
But for them which thou hast given me
For they are mine

Choir:
Keep them from evil

Jesus:
And this is life eternal:
That they might know thee,
The only true God, and Jesus Christ
Whom thou hast sent

Choir:
Keep them from evil
That the all may be as one in thee
As thou art in me and I am in thee
That they also may be as one in us
That the world may believe
That thou hast sent me

16. The Third Day - orchestral dance

17. The Resurrection - choir (John 20)

Early - in the morning
A woman comes to the tomb
It is Mary, Magdalene
And when she discovers that the stone is taken away
She has to run and tell it to the others
She has to tell them that the Lord is
Risen 
The tomb is empty and the angels say he's
Risen
We don't need to weep now
He is risen!

He's risen
Run out and tell it to them all
The Lord is risen
We have seen it happen
He is risen

He's risen 
The tomb is empty and the angels say he's
Risen
We don't need to weep now
He is risen!

He's risen
Run out and tell it to them all
The Lord is risen
We have seen it happen
He is risen

He's risen 
The tomb is empty and the angels say he's
Risen
We don't need to weep now
He is risen!

He's risen
Run out and tell it to them all
The Lord is risen
We have seen it happen
Jesus 
Is risen
Hallelujah!

Narrator: John 21, 15-17

(Joh 21:15) So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, {son} of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 
(Joh 21:16) He saith to him again the second time, Simon, {son} of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 
(Joh 21:17) He saith unto him the third time, Simon, {son} of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

18. The Word - orchestra

19. The Love Of God - choir (John 3, 15-16)

Choir:
For God sent his son to the world
That the world might be saved through him
And whoever believes in him
Never shall be condemned
But live forever

For God sent his son to the world
That the world might be saved through him
And whoever believes in him
Never shall be condemned
But live forever more

God so loved the world
That he would send his son
God so loved the world
That he would send his own son

For God sent his son to the world
That the world might be saved through him
And whoever believes in him
Never shall be condemned
But have everlasting life
Never shall be condemned
But live forever more

For God sent his son to the world
That the world might be saved through him
And whoever believes in him
Never shall be condemned

But live forever

For God sent his son to the world
That the world might be saved through him
And whoever believes in him
Never shall be condemned
But live forever more

God so loved the world
That he would send his son
God so loved the world
That he would send his own son

For God sent his son to the world
That the world might be saved through him
And whoever believes in him
Never shall be condemned
But have everlasting life
Never shall be condemned
But have everlasting life
Never shall be condemned
But live forever

For God sent his son to the world
That the world might be saved through him
And whoever believes in him
Never shall be condemned
But have everlasting life
Never shall be condemned
But shall live forever more
Forever more!

For more information or ordering sheet music: E-mail to Jens Wendelboe

Copyright© Jens Wendelboe
Webmaster: Svein Myhre