King Solomon s Singers present Crazy Tommy s Christmas in July Sunday, July 26, 7:30PM St. Josaphat Parish, Chicago
Orientis partibus Ther is no rose of swych vertu Marvel not, Joseph Green grow the rushes Gloucestershire Wassail Introit: Puer natus est nobis CRAZY TOMMY S CHRISTMAS IN JULY Anon. (13th c. Provence?, arr. Danny Johnson) Anon. (English, 14th c.) Anon. (English, early 15th c.) Traditional (after Roberts & Barrand) Traditional Sarum chant Gloria from Missa Puer natus est nobis Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) Rejoice in the Lord alway Anon. (attr. John Redford, d. 1547) Ave Maria Robert Parsons (ca. 1530-1572) Sanctus and Benedictus from Missa Puer natus est nobis Agnus Dei from Missa Puer natus est nobis Nesciens mater Tallis Tallis Sarum chant Nesciens mater John Trouluffe (d. ca. 1473) Nesciens mater Jean Mouton, 1459-1522) NOTES ON THE PROGRAM Those of you of a certain age may remember Crazy Eddie, the shady proprietor of a New York-area electronics store who promised "Christmas in August" with CRAZY low prices. Well tonight King Solomon's Singers team up with "Crazy Tommy" Tallis and friends to bring you Christmas in July with CRAZY beautiful polyphony, chant, and carols. This whirlwind ride from Advent through Epiphany (not necessarily in that order), from the Middle Ages through the 18th century, and back and forth across the English Channel features some of the great achievements of many-voice polyphony by some of the masters of the age, as well as smaller but equally beautiful settings of Christmas texts familiar and strange, sober and cheeky. The structure of the concert is basically that of a midnight Christmas Eve mass: a short carol service first, followed by a full sung mass, with the movements of the mass ordinary punctuated by motets and chant. Of course, we take some liberties that would be frowned upon in a true liturgical setting. Our journey begins in Medieval Provence, in the season of Epiphany. We first hear chant from the Three Kings, but the true hero of Orientis partibus is their burden-bearing donkey, certainly one of the least-sung Christmas characters. This arrangement of the Orientis partibus is by Austin and Amherst Early Music stalwart Danny Johnson, from whose regular Early Christmas Euro-tour programs with the Texas Early Music Project this concert has liberally borrowed. From Provence, we cross the Channel for a long stay in England. During the first part of this sojourn, we explore the tradition of the English Christmas carol. This tradition dates at least back to the time of King John and contains hints of even deeper roots, such as the use of the Saxon toast Waes hael ( be in good health ), now written as wassail. The origin of the term carol is the subject of some dispute. Some scholars believe it arose from the French carole, a secular dance song, often associated with spring, and many carols do have a dance-like character. But even by the 15th
century, the word was being used for sacred works as well, which were often quite solemn. R. H. Robbins, the editor of Early English Christmas Carols, identifies a strict form for the Medieval English carol, with set stanzas and a burden, referring to two lines sung at the beginning of the piece and repeated after each verse. The two Medieval carols we present this evening, Ther is no rose of swych vertu and Marvel not, Joseph are indeed of this form. We then leap forward to the golden age of the English folk carol. I first became aware of the two examples of this genre that we present, Green grow the rushes and the Gloucestershire Wassail, through the work of John Roberts and Tony Barrand, who championed this type of music as scholars and performers, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s as members of the ensemble Nowell Sing We Clear. The Wassail is likely the most recognizable melody we have ever performed in concert, especially popular with men s glee clubs. Green grow the rushes is a particular sub-genre of carol, the counting song, other examples of which are The Twelve Days of Christmas and Children, go where I send thee. The imagery in Green grow the rushes is by turns strictly Biblical ( twelve for the twelve apostles ten for the ten commandmens four for the gospel makers ) and inscrutably mystical ( eight for the April rainers three the rivals, two, two the lily-white boys covered all in green-o ). These latter verses are the subject of great speculation and very little knowledge, lending a pleasing air of mystery to the song. Closing the carol service portion of the concert, we remain in England for most of the mass portion as well. We begin with the traditional Introit for the Christmas Day mass, Puer natus est nobis, or Unto us a child is born. In addition to being a lovely and appropriate starting point for our sung mass, this chant is also the basis for the setting of the ordinary of the mass, Thomas Tallis s seven-voice masterpiece Missa puer natus est nobis. The choice of cantus firmus material, the unusual voicing, and the strongly imitative character of the writing in this mass have led scholars to speculate that it was written to celebrate the thought-to-be-imminent arrival of an heir to Queen Mary and her husband, Philip of Spain, and to be performed by the combined forces of the Chapel Royal and the Capilla Flamenca. If true, this would explain the particularly continental feel of the piece compared to most of Tallis s work; there is far more imitative polyphony and more musical flourishes than in typical Tallis compositions, all presumably to impress his patron and his Spanish/ Flemish counterparts. In a theme we will return to at the end of the concert, there is a mathematical game hidden in the lush sonority of this work: According to Joseph Kerman and John Caldwell, Tallis has a complex formula for the length of the cantus firmus notes. From Kerman: Tallis assigned a factor to each cantus firmus note according to the vowel chanted in the introit (a=1, e=2, i=3, o=4, u=5) and also assigned a time unit to each Mass movement; the length of each tenor note is the time unit multiplied by the vowel factor...[t]he unit in the 'Et in terra'...is the semibreve [whole note]. In later movements, Tallis has even more fun with this, repeating parts of the chant both straight and in retrograde while maintaining the basic formula. However, none of these machinations disturb the gorgeous sound and sweep of the piece. Between movements of the ordinary of the mass, we hear what could be Offertory motets in our approximation to a Christmas Eve service. The first of these two 16th-century English motets, Rejoice in the Lord alway, was long attributed to John Redford, more famous for his organ music than his choral compositions; this attribution is now generally agreed to be false, and the piece is once again in credited to that greatest of masters, Anon. The lovely text is from the Book of Common Prayer (1559 one particularly good reason to doubt the original attribution), and the setting, among its many virtures, ends with a nearly perfect-in-its-simplicity Amen. The second motet is Robert Parsons wonderful setting of Ave Maria, which will be sung by a men s quintet tonight. After completing the ordinary of the mass with the Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei movements, we sing our version of a Communion proper and two Communion motets, with which we conclude our Midnight mass of a concert. In what may seem like an odd decision, all three of these final pieces share the same text: Nesciens mater virgo virum peperit sine dolore salvatorem saeculorum. Ipsum regem angelorum, sola virgo lactabat, ubera de caelo plena. or: The virgin mother who knew not a man bore the Savior of the world; the virgin alone suckled the very King of the angels, her breasts were filled from heaven. This Christmas antiphon, the author of which was not only awed by the magic of the virgin birth but also apparently curious about other mechanics of the operation, was extremely popular in the late Medieval and Renaissance periods, with settings by Lambe, Byttering, Trouluffe, Mouton, Lassus, and possibly others. Or perhaps it was the chant melody that captivated these composers: at least Trouluffe and Mouton based their motets (which we perform tonight) on the chant melody, and Taverner used it as the basis for a Magnificat setting. The Trouluffe and Mouton settings take us from England back across the Channel to Brittany and, more importantly, demonstrate two extremes of the art of harmonized chant that is the basis of all Renaissance polyphony. Trouluffe s setting is a simple three-voice faburden (related to the continental fauxbourdon). In this style, the cantus firmus is sung by the middle voice, with the top and bottom voices harmonizing, often in 6-3 chords. Mouton adds a fourth voice to the polyphony, but then he performs
one of the more dazzling feats of contrapuntal acrobatics I have ever witnessed: he doubles the entire four-part setting up a fifth and delayed by four beats. The result is an eight-part quadruple canon which should by all rights sound forced at best and a complete train wreck at worst. But like any truly great trick, you don t even notice it. Instead of hearing the gears of a giant piece of machinery grinding, you hear one beautiful sonority after another, building to an ecstatic pinnacle at ubera de caelo plena. Mouton apparently enjoyed this moment very much, because instead of ending the piece there, he repeats the final ten bars; I know of no singer or listener who has ever complained about this decision. Thanks for coming, thanks for listening, and Waes hael Tom Crawford, July 2015 References: Howard Mayer Brown, Music in the Renaissance, Prentice Hall, 1976; Sally Dunkley and David Wulstan, eds., Thomas Tallis: Mass Puer natus est nobis, Oxenford Imprint, 1977; Joseph Kerman, The Missa Puer natus est nobis by Thomas Tallis in Sundry sorts of music books: Essays on The British Library Collections, Chris Banks, Arthur Searle, Malcolm Turner, eds., The British Library, 1993; Edith Rickert, Ancient-English Christmas Carols, Chatto & Windus, 1910; Rossell Hope Robbins, ed., Early English Christmas Carols, Columbia University Press, 1961; Wikipedia. TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS Orientis Partibus (Anonymous, 13th-century Provence?, arr. Danny Johnson): 1st King: Stella fulgore nimio rutilat. 2nd King: Quem venturum olim prophetiae signaverant. 3rd King: Pax tibi, frater Three Kings: Pax quoque tibi. Three Kings in turn: Ecce stella All: Hez va Orientis partibus, adventavit asinus, Pulcher et fortissimus, sarcinis aptissimus. Hez va, hez, sire asne, hez Hic in collibus Sychem, iam nutritus sub Ruben, Transiit per Iordanem, saliit in Bethlehem. Hez va, hez, sire asne, hez Aurum de Arabia, thus et myrrham de Saba, Tulit in Ecclesia virtus asinaria. Hez va, hez, sire asne, hez Dum trahit vehicula, multa cum sarcinula, Illus mandibula dura terit pabula. Hez va, hez, sire asne, hez Amen dicas Asine, iam satur de gramine Amen, Amen, itera, aspernare vetera. Hez va, hez, sire asne, hez 1st King: The star glows with exceeding brightness. 2nd King: To whose coming the prophecies of old had pointed. 3rd King: Peace to you, brother Three Kings: And peace be unto you Three Kings in turn: Behold the star All: Hey ho From Orient lands an ass came, Handsome and strong, an excellent beast of burden. Hey, ho, hey, Sir Ass, and hey Here, in the hills of Sychen, already suckled below the Ruben, He crosses through the Jordan, and leaps into Bethlehem. Hey, ho, hey, Sir Ass, and hey Gold from Arabia, incense and myrrh from Saba This gallant ass bore to the church. Hey, ho, hey, Sir Ass, and hey While he pulls carts, many with small loads, He grinds down the tough fodder with the bit. Hey ho, hey Sir Ass, and hey Say your "Amen," O ass, now stuffed with grass, And again "amen, amen," and hold ancient sins in disdain. Hey ho, hey, Sir Ass, and hey
Ther is no rose of swych vertu (Anonymous, English, 14th-century) Refrain: Ther is no rose of swych vertu as is the rose that bar Jhesu. Verses: Ther is no rose of swych vertu as is the rose that bar Jhesu. Alleluia. For in this rose conteyned was heven and erthe in lytle space. Res miranda. Be that rose we may weel see that he is God in personys thre. Pari forma. The aungelys sungyn the sheperdes to: "Gloria in excelsis Deo." Gaudeamus. Leave we all this worldly mirth, and follow we this joyful birth. Transeamus. Marvel not, Joseph (Anonymous, English, early 15th-century) Refrain: Marvel not, Joseph, on Mary mild, forsake her not though she be with child. Verses: I, Joseph, wonder how this may be, that Mary wax great when I and she ever have lived in chastity. If she be with child, it is not by me. The Holy Ghost with merciful distens, in her hath entered without offense: God and man conceived by his presence, And virgin pure without violence. Joseph, thou shalt her maid and mother find, her Son Redemptor of all mankind, thy forefathers of pains to unbind; Green grow the rushes (Traditional, English, after Roberts & Barrand) (Only final verse shown) I ll sing you twelve-o Green grow the rushes-o, what is your twelve-o? Twelve for twelve apostles; Eleven for the eleven that went to heaven, and ten for the Ten Commandments; Nine for the nine bright shiners, and eight for the April rainers; Seven for the seven stars in the sky, and six for the six proud walkers; Five for the symbols at your door, and four for the Gospel makers; Three, three, the rivals; Two, two, the lily-white boys, covered all in green-o; One is one and all alone, and evermore shall be it so. Gloucestershire Wassail (Traditional, English) Therefore muse this matter not in thy mind. Wassail, wassail all over the town Our bread it is white, and our ale it is brown, Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree; with the wassailing bowl we ll drink to thee. Come, butler, come fill us a bowl of the best, then we pray that your soul in heaven may rest; But if you do draw us a bowl of the small, then devil take butler, bowl and all Then here s to the maid in the lily-white smock, who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock Who tripped to the door and pulled back the pin, for to let these jolly wassailers in.
Puer natus est nobis (Sarum chant) Antiphon: Puer natus est nobis, et filius datus est nobis: cujus imperium super humerum ejus: et vocabitur nomen ejus, magni consilii angelus. Psalm: Cantate Domino canticum novum: quia mirabilia fecit. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Gloria (Missa puer natus est nobis, Thomas Tallis, 1505-1585) Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. Rejoice in the Lord alway (Anonymous; attr. John Redford, d. 1547) Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, rejoice. Let your softness be known unto all men: the Lord is e en at hand. Be careful for nothing: but in all prayer and supplication, let your petitions be manifest unto God with giving of thanks. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesu. Amen.. Ave Maria (Robert Parsons, ca. 1530-1572) Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui. Amen. A boy is born to us, and a son is given to us, upon whose shoulders authority rests, and His name will be called "The Angel of Great Counsel. Sing to the Lord a new song, because he has done the miraculous. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Amen.
Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei (Missa puer natus est nobis, Thomas Tallis, 1505-1585) Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria Tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem. Nesciens mater (Sarum chant; John Trouluffe, d. ca. 1473; Jean Mouton, 1459-1522) Nesciens mater virgo virum peperit sine dolore salvatorem saeculorum. Ipsum regem angelorum, sola virgo lactabat, ubera de caelo plena. Heather Ahrenholz Julie de Boer Mike Byrley Bill Chin Tom Crawford PERFORMERS Matthew Dean Joseph Hubbard Joe Labozetta Amy Mantrone Bill McDougall Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant us peace. The virgin mother who knew not a man bore the Savior of the world; the virgin alone suckled the very King of the angels, her breasts were filled from heaven. Jessica Melger Peter Olson Gregory Peebles ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the LORD, and to the king s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers; and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah. (2 Chronicles 9:10 11) Founded in 2010, King Solomon s Singers is an ensemble dedicated to the performance of Renaissance polyphony and chant. The members of the ensemble are professional and semi-professional singers from the Chicago area members of ensembles such as Chicago Chorale, Schola Antiqua of Chicago, The Oriana Singers, The Newberry Consort, and Chicago a cappella who share a love of this particular repertoire. For more information, visit our website at http://www.king-solomons-singers.org, or find us on Facebook. SPECIAL THANKS King Solomon s Singers wish to thank Rockefeller Memorial Chapel for providing rehearsal space, Cathryn Crawford for help with concert logistics, and especially the clergy and staff of St. Josaphat Parish for hosting us at their wonderful space.