Die Schöpfung (The Creation) by Haydn, do. 21 mei 2009, Van (2009/2009), Dirigent Klaas Stok, Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Nederland

One of the musical highlights of The Creation is the prelude, in which the idea of a primordial chaos is set to music. Haydn, whose compositions can actually be considered prime examples of “orderly” form, has ingeniously set a cosmic chaos to music in this introduction – and thus in turn put it into musical form. The most outstanding and famous passage in the entire oratorio, however, is that of the creation of light (07:57). At the words “und es ward Licht” (and there was light), a radiant C major bursts forth, like an elemental sound event, which has captivated every listener of The Creation to this day. If you listen to the abruptly sounding C major chord, it seems as if Haydn, while composing, had glimpsed the first spark of the big bang in the depths of space.