AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER CHOIR MISERERE Directed by DOUGLAS LAWRENCE With organist ROBIN BATTERHAM

Transcription

1 AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER CHOIR MISERERE Directed by DOUGLAS LAWRENCE With organist ROBIN BATTERHAM Our Lady of Mt Carmel, Middle Park Sunday 22 August 2010 at 3 p.m. * * * * * 1. Selig sind die Toten, SWV 391 Schütz HEINRICH SCHÜTZ : Baptized 9 October 1585, Köstritz (now Bad Köstritz), near Gera; died 6 November 1672, Dresden. Heinrich Schütz, one of the most strikingly individual composers of the 17th century, was the most notable German composer before Bach and the first of international stature. In 1617 he was appointed Kapellmeister to the Elector of Saxony in Dresden, a post he held nominally for the rest of his life, although his service was interrupted by the Thirty Years War and by visits to other courts. His music is vocal and mostly religious or devotional (he left no purely instrumental music and his operas have been lost), including concertato settings, motets, sacred madrigals, dialogues and biblical historia (dramatic pieces anticipating the development of the oratorio). Selig sind die Toten is the title of pieces of funeral music by various German-speaking composers, such as C.P.E. Bach, Scheidt, Schein and Telemann, the most famous setting being that of Brahms (who knew and revered the liturgical works of Schütz) in the final movement of his A German Requiem. Schütz s setting comes from Geistliche Chormusik (1648), an important collection of 29 motets dedicated to the civic authorities in Leipzig and designed as an expression of his admiration for the choir of St Thomas s Church in that city. The motets are scored for five, six or seven voices, some of the latter being vocal duets with unspecified supporting instruments. Selig sind sie Toten is constructed of a number of sections built on a stated theme in one part, which is imitated and developed in the other voices. Schütz used a different melodic motif for each line of the text. There is rarely a completely homophonic passage: one voice is almost always offset from the other parts. This serves to propel the work forward, creating rhythmic interest and momentum. (David McVenney) Selig sind die Toten, die in dem Herren sterben, von nun an. Ja, der Geist spricht, Sie ruhen von ihrer Arbeit, Und ihre Werke ihnen. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. (Revelation 14:13) 2. Miserere (Psalm 51) Allegri GREGORIO ALLEGRI : Born 1582; died 7 February 1652, Rome. An Italian composer and singer who studied in Rome and worked there and elsewhere prior to his becoming a singer in the papal choir under Urban VIII in about 1630, Allegri is remembered now only for his famous Miserere. The text was customarily appended to the combined office of Matins and Lauds on the last three days of Holy Week, and from about 1666 Allegri s setting was performed annually by the papal choir. In its basic form it consisted of a simple chant in five parts, but transformed by the interpolation of ornamented passages for a second choir of soloists. The papacy kept the manuscript a closely guarded secret. The English music historian Charles Burney obtained a copy when he visited Rome in 1770, and he published it (along with four other pieces performed by the papal choir in Holy Week) on his return home in At about the same time the 14-year-old Mozart heard a performance in the Sistine Chapel, after which he wrote out a score from memory. There are now so many conflicting

2 sources of the music that it is difficult to determine precisely what Allegri originally wrote. For example, the soprano soloist s top C in the four-voiced verses has not been found in any performing edition earlier than Thanks to the survival of a pair of Vatican manuscripts dating from Allegri s time, it is possible to restore the Miserere to something like the original state (albeit without the vocal embellishments), but the altered, patchwork version has so firmly displaced the original as to have become a classic in its own right. The English translation used here is the Book of Common Prayer translation of 1539 by Miles Coverdale, a version widely admired for its poetic beauty, and the version normally sung to Anglican chants. Miserere mei Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam. Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam. Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea, et a peccato meo munda me. Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco, et peccatum meum contra me est semper. Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci, ut iustificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum iudicaris. Ecce enim in inquitatibus conceptus sum, et in peccatis concepit me mater mea. Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti, incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi. Asperges me, hyssopo, et mundabor, lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor. Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam, et exsultabunt ossa humiliata. Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis, et omnes iniquitates meas dele. Cor mundum crea in me, Deus, et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis. Ne proiicias me a facie tua, et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me. Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui, et spiritu principali confirma me. Docebo iniquos vias tuas, et impii ad te convertentur. Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis Meae, et exsultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam. Domine, labia mea aperies, et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam. Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem Utique, holocaustis non delectaberis. Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus, cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies. Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion; ut aedificentur muri Ierusalem. Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae, oblationes, et holocausta; tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos. Have mercy upon me, O God, after Thy great goodness. According to the multitude of Thy mercies do away mine offences. Wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that Thou mightest be justified in Thy saying, and clear when Thou art judged. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. But lo, Thou requirest truth in the inward parts, and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice. Turn Thy face from my sins, and put out all my misdeeds. Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. O give me the comfort of Thy help again, and stablish me with Thy free Spirit. Then shall I teach Thy ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou that art the God of my health, and my tongue shall sing of Thy righteousness. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall shew Thy praise. For Thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it The, but Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt Thou not despise. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion; build Thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations; then shall they offer young bullocks upon Thine altar.

3 3. Ave verum corpus Byrd WILLIAM BYRD : Born 1543, London; died 4 July 1623, Stondon Massey, Essex. Ave verum corpus is a short communion hymn dating from about the 14th century, a meditation on the Catholic belief in the real presence of Jesus in the sacrament of the eucharist, tied to the Catholic conception of the redemptive meaning of suffering in the life of all believers. It has been set to music by many composers, most famously by Mozart, but also by Cherubini, Elgar, Franck, Poulenc and others. The setting by Byrd comes from the Gradualia (First Book), a collection of 63 motets mostly associated with the Blessed Virgin and published in England's foremost composer during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I, in later years Byrd became increasingly involved with Latin church music for the Roman rite, and after 1591 he turned to the patronage and protection of the Catholic nobility. Ave verum corpus, natum de Maria Virgine: Hail true body, born of the Virgin Mary: Vere passum immolatum in cruce pro homine; who hath truly suffered, broken on the cross for man; Cujus latus perforatum unda fluxit sanguine: from whose pierced side came forth water and blood; Esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine. be for us a source of consolation at our last hour. O dulcis, O pie, O Jesu, Fili Mariae, miserere mei. O sweet, gentle Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on me 4. I heard the owl call my name Nunn PHILIP NUNN : Born 25 February 1961, Melbourne; now living in London. Philip Nunn is a prolific composer of both instrumental and vocal music, including works for organ, piano, chamber ensemble and orchestra, as well as numerous choral works. He was educated at the University of Melbourne, where he studied organ with Douglas Lawrence and where he taught from 1987 to He also worked as a music critic for The Age. A major influence was his Christian faith, and from 1981 to 1984 he lived in a South Australian monastery, the three happiest years, despite a lot of painful moments, to date. His fascinating and original choral work I heard the owl call my name (available on Move MD3130) brought international recognition when it was performed by The Choir of Ormond College on three European concert tours, in Singapore and in Japan. Resident in the UK from 1992, where he composes and does some individual teaching, Nunn s most recent works include The Rake s Progress for piano and orchestra (2006), Media Vita for double choir (2008) and an Oboe Concerto (2008). I heard the owl call my name was inspired by the novel of the same name by the American author Margaret Craven ( ), published in Canada in 1967 and the US only in 1973, when it reached No 1 in The New York Times bestseller list. It tells of a young priest who is terminally ill but is unaware of it. He is sent to a difficult parish in British Columbia. For the Move CD mentioned above, Nunn wrote: The book follows the day to day events in an Indian fishing village. The theme of integration of culture is never far from the surface. The local people have many traditional beliefs surrounding the time of death. One of these is the hearing of one s name called by an owl as death approaches. The young priest has become so integrated with this people that when his appointed time comes, he hears the owl call his name. He dies, not of disease, but like one of his people, in a logging accident, a frequent occurrence in the Cariboo at the time. My music (1988, revised slightly 2006) is not a direct telling of Craven s story. It is more an evocation of the themes that she proposes, particularly that of the integration of opposing forces. To this end, no words are used. The vocal writing is regulated by the use of vowel sounds which change the harmonics produced by the human voice. The opening section, Yes my Lord No my Lord, recalls the young priest being sent into the area, his anger and confusion and final resignation. Throughout an ostinato sung by the sopranos evokes the call of the owl in the wilderness. The second section, The

4 depth of sadness, suggests the daily trudge of village life for the priest: the baptisms, weddings and funerals. The third section Che-Kwa-La is a simple minuet. The depiction of this local village festival is combined with a veiled reference to a popular revival hymn, the combination of two religions in one celebration. Finally Come wolf Come swimmer depicts the rushing waters and the storm before a logging accident. Gutteral sounds are introduced with the use of bird calls. Themes from the beginning are heard, and then the call of the owl is heard for the last time. Three simple chords conclude the work. As the final chord fades into the distance, the forces of nature are symbolically restored by open fifths, sung by the bass voices. I N T E R V A L 5. Geistliches Lied, Op 30 Brahms JOHANNES BRAHMS : Born 7 May 1833, Hamburg; died 3 April 1897, Vienna. Despite the continuing popularity of A German Requiem, many people will not immediately think of Brahms as a choral composer. Yet choral music undeniably played an important role in his creative life. His active concern for the preservation and restoration of such early composers as Palestrina, Gabrieli, Schütz and Bach is well documented. He conducted, reportedly with considerable success, four different choral societies between 1857 and 1875, roughly the period during which his own compositional style came to maturity. His interest in the medium continued until at least 1889, and eventually 26 opus numbers were assigned to choral works, large and small, a cappella and with various instrumental ensembles. Geistliches Lied (Sacred Song), for four-part choir with organ accompaniment, was composed in 1856 and was first performed only in 1865 in Chemnitz. A highly reflective piece, it urges us to remain calm and steadfast during times of adversity. It shows Brahms s enviable ability to conceal an impressive contrapuntal feat within a beautiful artistic creation. The free, undulating organ part supports a double canon across the four voices (the tenor follows the soprano, and separately the bass follows the alto - in both cases at a distance of one bar at the interval of a ninth). The first and third sections form the columns of a musical arch in that they state the same music (to different verses of the early-seventeenth-century poem). The Amen coda which ends the piece is an ecstatic double canon (alto following bass at a distance of two bars at the interval of a ninth, and the tenor trailing soprano by a bar at the interval of a seventh). (Jeremy Summerly) Lass dich nur nichts nicht dauren mit Trauren; Sei stille, wie Gott es fügt, So sei vergnügt mein Wille. Was willst du heute sorgen auf morgen? Der Eine steht allem für; Der gibt auch dir das Deine. Sei nur in allem Handel ohn Wandel, Steh feste; was Gott beschleußt, Das ist und heißt das Beste. Let nothing weigh you down with sadness; be calm, as God disposes, So be content, my will. Why worry today about tomorrow? The One is in command of everything; and He will give you your portion. Just be unwavering in all you do, stand firm; what God ordains that is and is agreed to be the best. 6. Plainte, from Suite Brève, Op 54 Langlais JEAN LANGLAIS : Born 15 February 1907, La Fontenelle, France; died 8 May 1991, Paris. Jean Langlais, the blind organist for some 45 years of Sainte-Clotilde (Franck's church) in Paris, was internationally famous both as a recitalist and as a composer. He played recitals throughout Europe and the United States, including several at the Royal Festival Hall, and his many honours and awards included becoming (in July 1987) a Fellow Honoris Causa of the Royal College of Organists. More than 300 of his works have been published, and some of these are regularly performed in France and to a lesser extent in other countries. Although he composed chamber music, songs and sacred works (mainly masses and motets), the most important aspect of his output is the large number of works written over an extended period for the organ.

5 The Suite Brève (1947) has four movements, of which Plainte (Complaint) is the third. It is based on two notes that form a harmonic ostinato. The French have always been enamoured of the various sound colours available on the organ, and here Langlais makes his first use of the Voix humaine, a stop which somewhat resembles the human voice and which sets a mood all its own. 7. Pater Noster Handl JACOB HANDL : Born 15 April 1550, Ribnica, Yugoslavia; died 31 July 1591, Prague. Also known as Jacobus Gallus, Handl was a monk who spent much of his time in various monasteries, to take the opportunity, as he put it, to understand the muse and meditate on the shepherd's pipe. In about 1586 he was Kantor at a Prague church, where he supervised the publication of his Opus musicum (four volumes, ), a collection of 445 motets, at least one for each day of an entire liturgical year. His works were generally popular, although their complexity caused some criticism by his contemporaries. The Lord s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13, a slightly different version in Luke 11:2-4), perhaps the best-known prayer in Christianity, has been set in Latin and in English by many composers. In his setting Handl uses the polychoral style, a four-part women s chorus alternating and responding to a four-part male chorus, as each phrase is elaborated until all voices unite in the last lines. Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo, et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed libera nos a malo. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 8. Abendlied, Op 69 No 3 Rheinberger JOSEF GABRIEL RHEINBERGER : Born 17 March 1839, Vaduz, Liechtenstein; died 25 November 1901, Munich. Possibly the only composer of significance to have emerged from the tiny principality of Liechtenstein, Josef Rheinberger was a child prodigy who became town organist in Vaduz at the age of seven. He studied in Munich, and for some 40 years he was highly regarded as a composition teacher there. He was a prolific composer, and was once considered comparable with Brahms and Bruckner. While known (at least in Australia) mainly for his 20 organ sonatas and nearly 100 short organ pieces, his output of more than 400 works includes music for the Catholic church, chamber and piano music, five operas and five symphonies. He wrote 18 masses, four requiems, five Stabat Mater settings, as well as numerous hymns, motets and other short pieces, of which the Mass in E flat (1878) for a cappella double choir has been highly praised. Abendlied (Evening Song) is the third of three short sacred pieces published in 1873 and dedicated to a choral society in Berlin. The text is part of Luke 24:29. Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, und der Tag hat sich geneiget. Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. 9. Motet, Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwabheit auf, BWV 226 Bach JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH : Born 21 March 1685, Eisenach; died 28 July 1750, Leipzig. The word motet has been used over the centuries for widely differing purposes. Bach applied it to works for choir alone (i.e. without solo voices) in which the writing is predominantly contrapuntal

6 (meaning that each part carries its own melodic strength). The six works normally called motets rank among his finest vocal works. It is likely that they were sung on numerous occasions, either at specific services or during the weekly ones instead of a cantata, but now they are featured mainly in concerts as a musical tour de force, for that is what they are for the singer. The infrequently performed Der Geist hilft is the only one of the six motets that can be assigned with certainty to a particular occasion: an important funeral on 24 October The work has two movements: the first a setting of Romans 8:26,27 (a passage telling of the intercession of the Spirit with God the Father on behalf of the saints), while the second is a simple setting of the third verse of the chorale Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott (one verse by an anonymous 15th century German poet, then two verses (1524) by Martin Luther). The melody, of unknown origin, also appeared in The musical style is more modern. The first section of the first movement, for example, is in the polychordal motet style, but uses a lively metre and has a main theme that returns in fragments in the manner of a concerto ritornello theme. A set of original doubling instrument parts, for strings and woodwinds, survives but is not used today. Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, denn wir wissen nicht, was wir beten sollen, wie sich s gebühret; sondern der Geist selbst vertritt uns aufs beste mit unaussprechlichem Seufzen. Der aber die Herzen forschet, der weiß, was des Geistes Sinn sei; denn er vertritt die Heiligen nach dem, das Gott gefället. Du heilige Brunst, süßer Trost, nun hilf uns fröhlich und getrost in deinem Dienst beständig bleiben, die Trübsal uns nicht abtreiben. O Herr, durch dein Kraft uns bereit und stärk des Fleisches Blödigkeit, dass wir hier ritterlich ringen, durch Tod und Leben zu dir dringen. Alleluja. The Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with sighing which cannot be uttered. But he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, for he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Heavenly fervour, sweet consolation, help us now to be cheerful and confident in our faithful service to Thee, and not to be deflected by despondency. Oh Lord, prepare us through thy might and strengthen the infirmity of the flesh, that we may struggle nobly through death and life to Thee. Alleluia. * * * * * The program notes were compiled by Michael Edgeloe; Bach and Brahms translations by Nic Witton. The AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER CHOIR is a choir of eighteen voices (six sopranos, four altos, four tenors and four basses) formed in March Following two preliminary performances in the Promenade of Sacred Music in Hamilton and nearby towns in April of that year, the choir undertook a highly successful tour of Europe, with 20 concerts in Denmark, Germany and Poland. The choir s first Australian concert as an independent entity took place in Central Hall, Australian Catholic University, on St Cecilia s Day 2007, with another concert in the same venue in May the following year. A second European tour took place in July In May 2010, the choir gave its first Victorian country tour, with concerts in Wangaratta, Shepparton and Castlemaine. The ACC will again tour Europe in July Venues include the Thomaskirche - Leipzig, Bonn Cathedral, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedaechtnisskirche - Berlin and the American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity - Paris. Today s concert is being recorded by ABC FM. The ABC will also record the November 21 concert (see under OUR NEXT PERFORMANCE below). On December the 5 th the choir will give an ABC Sunday Music Live programme from the Iwaki Audatorium The choir aims to establish an Australia-wide touring program as soon as the necessary funds are available. We welcome your support and would like to thank our first Diamond ($15,000 or more) donor, Mr Bob Henderson. Donations to the Australian Chamber Choir Support Fund are tax deductible. If you would like to assist the choir, please contact us through or telephone (03)

7 THE SINGERS TODAY ARE Sopranos : Taya Annable, Felicity Bolitho, Cailin Howarth#, Bronwyn Jones, Kate McBride*, Myfanwy McIndoe*, Leonie Millard, Ailsa Webb# Altos : Elizabeth Anderson, Amelia Ballard*, Claire Saidler, Zoe Wong Tenors : Robin Czuchnowski, Jacob Lawrence, Timothy Reynolds, Christopher Roache Basses : Rhys Boak, Simon Gannon, Andrew Moffat, Kieran Rowe* * Small group in Allegri # Extra sopranos in Nunn Our thanks this afternoon to Our Lady of Mt Carmel, Scots Church, Michael Edgeloe OAM, IT Consulting Management and Support, Mobiquity, 3MBSFM, Mini Maestros, Counterpoint Wines and Emma and Tom s fruit juices. Director: Douglas Lawrence OAM Chairman: Prof Robin Batterham AO Patrons:Prof Barry Jones AO, Prof John Griffiths, Oficial de la Orden de Isabel la Católica DOUGLAS LAWRENCE OAM, Director of Music at Scots' Church since 1984, has performed widely as organist or conductor in Australia, many European countries, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and North America. He recently undertook a tour with recitals in Lincoln Cathedral, St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, and several venues in Germany and Poland, and in October he performs recitals in Italy and Switzerland. Educated at the University of Melbourne and the Musikhochschule in Vienna (studying with Anton Heiller), he founded the renowned Choir of Ormond College and has given, with that choir and as organist, more than 100 first performances of works by Australian composers. For 16 years he was Artistic Director of the Melbourne International Festival of Organ and Harpsichord and now directs the Southern Grampians Promenade of Sacred Music. He was responsible for the tonal design of the Rieger organ (1999) in Scots' Church as well as for several other Melbourne organs. MUSIC LIST: If you would like to receive occasional announcements about classical concerts (you would have received these notes several days in advance, for example), please send your address to <michael.edgeloe@mq.edu.au>. There are separate lists for Melbourne and Sydney, and you can join either or both of these lists. OUR NEXT PERFORMANCE is on Sunday 21 November at 3 p.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, The Bells of Christmas: The Bell Anthem (Purcell), O Magnum Mysterium (Victoria, Kristof), What sweeter music (R.R. Bennett), Beatus vir (Monteverdi), I sing of a maiden (Biazack, 2008), A Hymn to the Virgin (Britten), In Dulci Jubilo (Buxtehude), New work (Hodgson), Freut euch, ihr Christen alle (Hammerschmidt). Bookings and further information at CDs are available after the concert: The Australian Chamber Choir live in Europe, July $15