Carl Loewe - Hiob (Thomas Gropper)

Information

Composer: Carl Loewe

• Hiob (oratorio, 1848)

Monika Mauch, soprano

Ulrike Malotta, alto

Georg Poplutz, tenor

Dominik Wörner, bass

Arcis Vocalisten

L'arpa festante

Thomas Gropper, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: Oehms Classics

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Carl Loewe (1796–1869) composed his twelfth oratorio, Hiob, in 1848, shortly after Mendelssohn’s death and in the shadow of his influential oratorios Paulus (1836) and Elias (1846/47), which Loewe likely knew well. The libretto, written by Telschow, offers a condensed version of the 42 chapters of the biblical Book of Job, drawing on Old Testament texts and psalms. Long forgotten, the work was rediscovered and reconstructed in Bad Dürkheim in 2001, paving the way for the present recording. Hiob reflects both the devotional tradition of 19th-century oratorios and Loewe’s unique voice within the genre.

Thomas Gropper (b. 1969) is a German conductor, singer, and professor, known for his work with choirs and vocal training. Since 2005, he has directed the Arcis Vocalists, fulfilling his vision of shaping both repertoire and artistic direction, performing a cappella and oratorio works and touring widely. He has also conducted ensembles such as the Southwest German Philharmonic, Vogtland Philharmonic, and Munich Baroque groups La Banda and L’arpa festante. Gropper previously led the Philharmonic Choir in Fürstenfeld (2008–2014) and has directed the Birnau Chantry’s church music series since 2014, as well as the Chamber Choir in Chur since 2016. As a bass-baritone, he has sung major oratorio roles, operatic parts including Mozart’s Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Papageno, and appeared in Monteverdi’s Orfeo. A dedicated educator, he has taught at the Munich Academy of Music and Theatre since 1997, becoming professor in 2001. He studied under Markus Goritzki and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.