Peter Phillips Artistic Director

Orfeó Català Song of the Stars

Sunday 26 April 2015, 1pm Programme notes Programme: Song of the Stars Granados El cant de les estrelles Today Orfeó Català will take a journey was followed by a reconstruction and a piano of one of the Cinco invocaciones through the choral music of the last few second premiere in the city in 2007. al Crucificado by the same composer. centuries in Catalonia, performing works by The dramatic nature of the words is Casals composers who were (with the exception of Although composition made up a relatively reflected in the music with great tenderness, O vos omnes Josep Reig), linked to the Orfeó Català and small part of Pau Casals’ career, a group of without sacrificing Montsalvatge’s own great compositions have come down to us. Nigra sum the Palau de la Música Catalana. personal language in terms of harmony The motets O vos omnes and Nigra sum, with a broader tonality and rhythm. Glòria a Déu 1911 saw the premiere at the Palau de both highly expressive, were dedicated to the la Música in Barcelona of two works by choir school of the monastery at Montserrat. As well as conducting and teaching, Josep Enrique Granados which were very different Glòria a Déu is the final fragment of the Vila i Casañas has cultivated composition, [ Interval ] in nature: the four pieces from the first oratorio El Pessebre, premiered in Mexico in mainly of choral works intended for different book of Goyescas and an ambitious work 1960 and conducted by the composer himself, types of choir. These have helped to expand Reig for piano, organ and choirs, El cant de who went on to conduct it in many countries and renew the repertoire of Catalan choral Sancta Maria les estrelles, inspired by a poem by the as part of a great crusade for peace. music. The Dues peces sacres performed German writer Heinrich Heine. The poem today are an eloquent example of this. begins with an extensive piano introduction Josep Reig was the Kapellmeister of the Toldrà of great virtuosity and, throughout church of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona Bernat Vivancos has said this about the Cançó de comiat work, this instrument does not take on between 1618 and 1669. The 26 motets that work which brings today’s programme have survived reveal strong Italian influence Festeig an accompanying role, but appears as a to an end: ‘Le cri des bergers is a song prominent voice throughout. and alternate derivative passages with about solitude. It is also a cry of anguish, homophony giving rise to a dialogue between of suffering, of uncertainty; it is, at bottom, Morera The Cant de les estrelles was unanimously choirs, always complemented with basso a lost song that resonates inside every one La sardana de les monges praised by both audiences and critics but continuo. of us. If we are able to listen to the ‘echoes fell into obscurity for many years and of silence’ of this loneliness, this suffering Eduard Toldrà was a violinist, orchestral Montsalvatge the score was thought to have been lost. and this uncertainty, of this lost song... The discovery of a manuscript, in very conductor and composer, whose personality we will be able to turn the silence into magic, Pianto della Madona poor condition, in an archive in New York had a lasting influence on the music scene magic into sound and sound into beauty. in Barcelona. Highlights of his work include This is when, mysteriously, loneliness finds Josep Vila i Casañas more than 40 songs for voice and piano company, anguish becomes peace and which take the words from texts by the most suffering joy. This is when this lost song Laudate Dominum Smoking: representative Catalan poets of their day. finds an answer with the same strength.’ In paradisum All areas of Cadogan Hall are non-smoking. Later version of some of these songs were Food & drink: written for choir and piano, and it is one of Bernat Vivancos You are kindly requested not to bring food and other these that we perform today. refreshments into Cadogan Hall. The sardana is a Catalan traditional dance Le cri des bergers Cameras and electronic devices: Video equipment, cameras and tape recorders are not for which music has been written by many permitted. Please ensure all mobile phones, pagers composers, danced in the open air to the and watch alarms are turned off. music of a special band known as a cobla. Interval and timings: Some of the most famous sardanes also Latecomers will not be admitted until a suitable break exist in choral versions, as in the case of in the performance. La sardana de les monges by Enric Morera. Courtesy and consideration: Orfeó Català We aim to deliver the highest standards of customer Pianto della Madonna by Xavier Albert Guinovart piano service. Therefore we ask you to treat our staff and Montsalvatge, based on Laud 93 by the David Malet organ other customers with courtesy and in a manner in mediaeval Italian poet Jacopone da Todi, which you expect to be treated yourself. Josep Vila i Casañas director which was premiered by the Cor de Cambra Thank you. We hope you enjoy the concert. of the Palau de la Música Catalana on 16 May 1992, is an adaptation for choir and

2 3 Texts and translations

Enric Granados (1867-1916) Glòria a Déu (Glory to God)

El cant de les estrelles (Song of the stars) Glòria a Déu! Cantem! Glòria en l’altura! Glory to God! Let us sing! Glory on high! Glòria a Déu i a tota criatura! Glory to God and all creatures! Oh!, Immensitat eternal Oh, Infinite vastness Pau a la terra! Peace on earth! dels espais! and stillness of space! Mai més cap guerra! War no more! Follia i febre d’amor, deliri no hem conegut mai! Oh, wild delirium of love, whose fever we never could Mai més pecat! Sin no more! Mai! know! Never! Pau als homes de bona voluntat! Peace to men of goodwill! Per això és nostra vida eterna serena i pura nostra llum. And so is our life eternal, and pure is our light. Pau! Peace! Quan en la nit calmada, When in the still of the night, we wait and watch from guaitant del fons de la blavor llunyana, the deep blue distance, we watch as you seek in vain for [ Interval ] veiem com cerqueu repòs debades pels vostres cors solace for your hearts assedegats per la febre inestroncable del desig. overwhelmed by the insatiable fever of desire. Per això és nostra vida eterna i pura nostra llum quan, And so is our life eternal, and pure is our light. en la calma nit, de vosaltres ens compadim! when in the still of night, we pity you! Josep Reig (c. 1584-1674) Som filles de la nit, ulls d’esguard brillant, We are daughters of the night, shining brightly down, Sancta Maria (Holy Mary) que a través dels espais vers vosaltres compassives across the vastness of space we turn with compassion girem! to you! Sancta Maria, succurre miseris, Holy Maria, aid those in need, juva pusillanimes, refove flebiles aid the weak, comfort the afflicted. Som víctimes de l’amor! We are victims of love’s cruel spell! Ora pro populo, Pray for your people, No havem conhort! We shall never fins repose! interveni pro clero, intervene for the clergy, intercedere pro devoto femineo sexu; intercede for the faithful women; L’eterna serenitat, Infinite stillness of space, sentiant omnes tuum juvamen let all feel your aid que augusta plana en el cel, bearing relentlessly down, quicumque celebrant tuam commemorationem. enfondeix nostra pietat vers vostre estèril anhel. deepens our pity for you, longing in vain to find peace. to those who celebrate your day. Ah!, eterna serenitat del cel. Ah!, infinite stillness of space. Lliures voldríem volar! Ah! Oh for the freedom to fly! Ah! (1895-1962) Som presoners de l’amor! No more the prisoners of love! Eduard Toldrà Com ens podrem deslliurar? How can we break off the bonds? Cançó de comiat (Song of farewell) Feblesa porteu al cor! Love in man’s heart makes him weak! (Choral version by Jordi Domènech) Debades repòs cerqueu! You vainly hope for release! Volem conèixer nous mons! We want to visit new worlds! Adéu, galant terra, adéu! Farewell, rich earth, farewell! Encisos d’amor trenqueu! Break the enchantments of love! Adéu-siau, vinya verda, Farewell, green vineyard, flor seca del caminal No podem rompre els grillons! There’s no escape from its bonds! dry flower along the byway lledoner de bona ombreta. Immensitat! Infinite space! shady hackberry Ja no m’assec al pedrís Eternitat! Eternity! No more shall I sit on the stone bench ni me bressa la riera. Eternitat! Eternity! nor the stream bed rock me. Adéu, galant terra, adéu. Farewell, rich earth, farewell. Les lloses d’aquell bancal The stones of that plot són ombrejades i fresques. Pau Casals (1876-1973) are shady and cool. Els lledoners de la font The hackberry trees by the spring O vos omnes (Oh all you) han tret una fulla tendra have sprouted tender leaves i el ceps faran bon raïm and the vines will yield good grapes O vos omnes qui transitis per viam, Oh all you who travel the way, quan els oregi el setembre. when September airs them. attendite et videte stop and see Adéu, galant terra, adéu. Farewell, rich earth, farewell. si est dolor sicut dolor meus. if there is a pain like my pain. Els ceps faran bon raïm The vines will yield good grapes i llum viva les estrelles. and the stars bright light. Nigra sum (I am black) Vindran les nits de l’estiu, The summer nights will come, la mar quieta i estesa the sea calm and flat Nigra sum, sed formosa, I am black, but beautiful, llambrant sota el cop dels rems, sparkling under the strokes of the oars, filiae Jerusalem. a daughter of Jerusalem. tallada per la carena. furrowed by the keel. Ideo dilexit me rex So the king loved me Adéu, galant terra, adéu. Farewell, rich earth, farewell. et introduxit me and took me in cubiculum suum into his room Vindran les nits de l’estiu, The summer nights will come, et dixit mihi: and said to me, la tardô i la primavera, of autumn and of spring, les boires que baixa el cim, the mists that fall on the hilltop, Surge, amica mea, et veni. Rise my friend and come. el crit de les orenetes. the cry of the swallows. Iam hiems transiit, Winter is past, I sempre el respir del mar And always the whisper of the sea imber abiit et recessit. the rains have gone away. i el batec de les estrelles. and the beat of the stars. Flores apparuerunt in terra nostra. Flowers have burst forth in our land. Adéu, galant terra, adéu. Farewell, rich earth, farewell. Tempus putationis advenit. Pruning time is here. Alleluia. Halleluiah. (continued over...)

4 5 Texts and translations

Adéu, muntanya, pedrís, Farewell, mountain, stone, Ballen totes porugues, ben dolçament; They dance all timidly, but sweetly; paret blanca de l’església, white church wall, enrogides les galtes, mig somrient, their cheeks blushing, half smiling, aigua clara de la font, clear spring water, i sos peus en la terra, ni menys se’ls sent. and their feet on the ground cannot be heard. plata de les oliveres, the silver of the olive trees, Rondinant l’abadessa ja se n’hi va. Now the abbess comes grumbling over. olor mullada dels horts, the damp smell of the vegetable gardens, Sent-hi a prop, llagrimeja; no sap renyar, But once close, she weeps; she cannot tell them off, estrella, riera, vela. star, stream bed, sail. que ella també n’és filla de l’Empordà. for she too is a daughter of the Empordà. Adéu, galant terra, adéu. Farewell, rich earth, farewell. La lluna que s’aixeca, les monges veu. The moon coming up sees the nuns. Pel damunt de la tàpia la cara treu, Showing its face over the wall, Festeig (Courtship) i els hi diu, bondadosa: –Balleu, balleu! and tells them, generously, “Dance, dance!” Sota les estrelles, d’espatlles al mar, Under the stars, back to the sea, una galta humida, fresca de serena, a damp cheek, cool with dew, una galta suau i plena a soft, full cheek Xavier Montsalvatge (1912-2002) és ben dolça de besar. is so sweet to kiss. Entre dos silencis, bes silenciós, Between two silences, a silent kiss, Pianto de la Madona (Our Lady’s lament) com vares deixar-nos tremolant tots dos as you left us both trembling Figlio, l´alma t´è uscita, figlio de la smarríta, My son, your soul has left you, son of a devastated woman, dins la nit quieta, amb deixos ardents in the quiet night, with ardent memories de la migdiada i dels terrals vents. of midday and inland winds. figlio de la sparíta, figlio attossecato! son of a woman wracked by pain, my poisoned son! Figlio bianco e vermiglio, figlio senza simiglio, White and red son, son without equal, El reberes silenciosa. You received it silently. figlio, a chi m´appiglio? Figlio, pur m´hai lassato! my son, to whom shall I appeal? Son, you have truly Mos llavis, dolços encar, My lips, still sweet, abandoned me! te van preguntâ una cosa asked you something Figlio bianco e biondo, figlio volto iocondo, White and red son, son with the face of a jewel, i tu no vas contestar. and you did not reply. figlio perché t´ha il mondo, figlio così sprezzato? my son, why has the world scorned you so? Què vaig preguntar-te?... Sols recordo el bes What did I ask you?... I remember only the kiss Figlio dolze e placente, figlio de la dolente. My son, sweet and pleasant, son of a hurt woman. i que se sentia la plena mar alta. and the sound of the open sea. Figlio hatte la gente malamente trattato! My son, people have mistreated you! Tu, tota caiguda, semblaves malalta... You, overcome, seemed ill... Oh, no hi tornaré mai més! Oh, never shall I return! Prô la flonja galta ruixada amb serena, For the soft cheek wet with dew, sota de ma boca, d’espatlles al mar; beneath my mouth, back to the sea; Josep Vila i Casañas (b. 1966) prô la xafegosa nit d’agost serena, for the close, calm August night, Laudate Dominum (Praise the Lord) ai, com la podré oblidar? ay, how can I forget it? Laudate Dominum omnes gentes Praise the Lord all nations, Laudate eum, omnes populi let all peoples praise him, Quoniam confirmata est for his mercy towards us, (1865-1942) Enric Morera Super nos misericordia eius, is proven. La sardana de les monges (The sardana of the nuns) Et veritas Domini manet in aeternum. And may the Lord’s truth reign for all eternity. Aleluia! Halleluiah! (The sardana is a sedate Catalan dance, played by a band called a cobla.) In paradisum (To paradise) Al davant de l’ermita de Sant Rafel Before the chapel of Saint Raphael les sardanes airoses pugen al cel, the graceful music rises up to the sky, In paradisum deducant Angeli; May the angels take you to paradise; i tothom sent en l’ànima dolçor de mel. and everyone feels in their soul a honey sweetness. in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, may martyrs welcome you on your arrival, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem. and bear you to the holy city of Jerusalem. Sardanes com aquestes mai s’han sentit. Sardanas like these have never been heard. Chorus angelorum te suscipiat, May the heart of the angels receive you Fins les ballen els avis quan ve la nit. As the evening comes even the old dance to it. et cum Lazaro quondam paupere, and like Lazarus, once poor, I als genolls de les mares salta el petit. And the little ones jump at their mother’s knee. æternam habeas requiem. may you find eternal rest. Per planúries i serres escampa el vent Over hill and plain the Cobla de la cobla les notes alegrement, joyfully spreads the notes of its music, i fins l’ona s’hi acosta, que al lluny la sent. and even the waves draw closer to the far-off sound. Bernat Vivancos (b. 1973) En un coll de muntanyes hi ha un monestir. On a mountain pass there is a monastery. De puntetes les monges van al jardí, Where the nuns tiptoe round the garden, Le cri des bergers (The cry of the shepherds) que les roses enceses, i el llessamí. of bright roses, and jasmine. (Tenor soloist: Daniel Morales) Les sardanes arriben fins als seus cors The music reaches into their hearts amb gatzara i rialles dels balladors, with the hubbub and laughter of the dancers, (vocalise) i entorn d’elles, els arbres, quines remors! and around them, in the trees, what sounds! Dues monges, en l’ombra, les mans s’han pres; In the shadows, two nuns have joined hands; ja se n’hi ajunten d’altres, i altres després; now others join them, and then others; les de més lluny s’acosten; tothom ja hi és. those further away come nearer; now everybody is there. (continued over...)

6 7 Biographies

Orfeó Català Josep Vila i Casañas Director

One of the country’s top amateur choirs, In June 2013 the Orfeó Català performed Josep is one of the most eminent choir Orfeó Català was founded in 1891 by Lluís Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder at Vienna’s conductors in Catalonia and Spain. His Millet and Amadeu Vives to circulate a Konzerthaus, alongside the Wiener prolific work in the area of choral conducting Catalan and world choral repertoire and hone Singakademie and conducted by Kent and composition has earned him high regard the artistic excellence of its performances. Nagano, and on 1 July it performed Fauré’s among both critics and audiences. These values have marked its career up to Requiem with the Berliner Philharmoniker the present day. It has as its home the Palau conducted by Sir Simon Rattle at the Palau Josep has been Director of the Orfeó Català de la Música Catalana, built between 1905 de la Música Catalana. In February 2014 since 1998 and was appointed Director of the and 1908 and listed by UNESCO as a World the Orfeó gave a concert at the Gulbenkian Cor de Cambra in 2011, the chamber choir of Heritage Site. in Lisbon on the occasion of its reopening, the Palau de la Música Catalana. Alongside and in January 2015 it performed at the his professional conducting work, Josep Throughout its history the Orfeó has Palau de la Música Catalana alongside has been a professor of choral conducting performed the most outstanding works in the the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar de at Catalonia College of Music since 2005. choral repertoire and starred in premieres Venezuela, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. in its own country of works like Bach’s Mass Trained with Manuel Cabero, Lluís Vila, Pierre in B minor and The Seasons by Haydn. It has www.orfeocatala.cat/en Cao, Laszlo Heltay, Josep Prats, Johan Duijck been conducted by leading figures on the and Eric Ericson, he was the founder of the international scene including Richard Strauss, Cor Lieder Càmera of Sabadell, Director Camille Saint-Saëns, Pau Casals, Zubin of the Coral Càrmina of Barcelona and of Mehta, Frans Brüggen, Mstislav Rostropovich, the Coro de Radiotelevisión Española. He Charles Dutoit, Lorin Maazel and Gustavo has also conducted other ensembles such Dudamel, among others. Josep Vila i as the Coro Nacional de España, Orfeón Casañas has been its Director since 1998. Donostiarra of San Sebastián, Choir of the Franz Liszt Academy of Budapest, Coral Juvenil Nacional Simón Bolívar of Venezuela, Orquesta de RTVE, OSV and others.

Passionate about education, Josep has given courses and masterclasses in cities includuing Barcelona, Palma, Lleida, Múrcia, Ljubljana, Budapest, Caracas, Mendoza and Puerto Madryn (Argentina).

8 9 Thursday 14 May, 7.30pm The Tallis Scholars Tintinnabuli Celebrating the 80th birthday of Arvo Pärt and the 500th anniversary of John Sheppard, with the former’s contemplative language reflected in Renaissance works by Tallis, Mouton and Allegri. Heavenly choral music at Cadogan Hall

Sunday 3 May, 7pm Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace Eltham College Choir and Choral Society

Saturday 30 May, 7.30pm

Booking: 020 7730 4500 | www.cadoganhall.com/choral Brahms’ Requiem Constanza Chorus & London Mozart Players

Saturday 13 June, 7.30pm Haydn’s The Creation Thames Philharmonic Choir Wednesday 20 May, 7.30pm Saturday 27 June, 7.30pm Warsaw Philharmonic Verdi’s Requiem Orchestra & Chorus Kingston Choral Society, Londinium and Thames Sinfonia Beethoven’s ‘Choral’ Symphony Wednesday 16 December, 7.30pm Jacek Kaspszyk conductor The Sixteen The Virgin Mother and Child Szymanowski Stabat Mater Beethoven Visit our website to see all events at Cadogan Hall: Symphony No. 9 (Choral) www.cadoganhall.com

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