Ian,

 

One way to shorten "Creation", which is sometimes used here in UK, is to finish with "Achieved is the Glorious Work", thus omitting all of Part 3.  That final part, although it has some fine music, really adds nothing to the Creation narrative, and also contains some rather suspect theology!

 

Regards,

David Marsden

Conductor, The Sale Methodist Singers,

Sale, Greater Manchester, UK

 Ian,

 

I couldn't disagree more with Robert's opinion on the Adam and Eve duets.  The gender-bias inferences in the second duet may be questionable by modern standards, but the music is exquisite.  There can be no objection to the first duet: with that slow 12/8 dance and the later choral interjections, this is some of the best music in the work.  The second duet and its prior recit could be cut completely, or if you are looking to save a few minutes, there is a cut possible in the duet that would shorten it by half.  The final chorus has to be your closer, to be sure.  Re David Marsden's comment, I can't think of any reason to make cuts in works where the theology is suspect, especially if this is a performance in a university setting.  If one cut parts of Mendelssohn's Elijah because of one's objections to the 'Old Testament way of handling conflict', one would have to cut the entire Baal scene, etc.

 

Len Ratzlaff

University of Alberta