Josh Wang Choral Literature II Dr. Carmen Tellez University of Notre Dame Fall 2018
Choral Music of Igor Stravinsky
Le Roi des étoiles (The King of the Stars), 1911-12 for men's choir and orchestra, Text: Russian text by poet Konstantin Balmont, known commonly by its French title/translation. Duration: 6m Other notes: dedicated to Debussy, rarely performed due to large orchestration
Ochte Nash (Pater Noster), 1926 A cappella, SATB Text: Slavonic, available and often performed in Latin. “Our Father” prayer. Duration: 2m
Symphony of Psalms, 1930, rev. 1948 For chorus and orchestra (including two pianos) Text: Latin vulgate, Psalms 38, 39, 150 Duration: 20m Other notes: Composed for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony. Very high part writing.
Simol verï [Symbol of faith], 1932, revised as ‘Credo’ 1949 A capella SATB Text: Slavonic, Latin Duration: 3m
Bogoroditse devo [Blessed Virgin] rev. as Ave Maria, 1949 SATB Text: Slavonic, Latin Duration: 2m
Babel, 1944 Male narrator, male chorus, Orchestra Text: English, Genesis xi.1–9 Duration: 6m
Mass, 1944-48 Text: Latin SATB, 2 ob, eng hn, 2 bn, 2 tpt, 3 trbn 1944–8
Cantata, 1951-52 Text: late medieval English verse Soprano solo, tenor solo, women’s chorus, 2 fl, ob, ob + eng hn, vc
Josh Wang Choral Literature II Dr. Carmen Tellez University of Notre Dame Fall 2018
Canticum sacrum ad honorem Sancti Marci nominis (Sacred Canticle to the name of Saint Mark), 1955 Tenor solo, Baritone solo, SATB chorus, orchestra Text: Latin Vulgate Duration: 17m Other: composed for the city of Venice whose patron saint is Mark
Threni: id est Lamentationes Jeremiae prophetae, 1957-58 SAATBB soloists, SATB chorus, orchestra Text: Latin Vulgate Duration: 30m
A Sermon, a Narrative and a Prayer (Cantata), 1960-61 Alto solo, Tenor solo, narrator, SATB chorus, orchesta Text: English, Bible: Romans viii.24–5, Hebrews xi.1, xii.29 Duration: 15m
Anthem ‘The dove descending breaks the air’, 1962 SATB a capella Text: T.S. Eliot: Little Gidding, pt.IV Duration: 4m
Introitus (T.S. Eliot in memoriam), 1965 Male chorus, piano harp, 2 timp, 2 tam-tams, viola, double bass Text: Latin from Requiem Mass Duration: 4m
Requiem Canticles, 1965-66 Alto solo, Bass solo, SATB chorus, orchestra Text: Latin from Requiem Mass
Podblyudnïye [Saucers (literally ‘In the Presence of the Dish’] (Four Russian Peasant Songs), 1914-17, rev. 1954 Female chorus, revised later for Equal chorus, 4hns Text: Russian, folk texts 1. U spasa v′ Chigisakh [`In Our Saviour’s Parish at Chigasï] 4part chorus, 1916 2. Ovsen′ [Ovsen] 2 part chorus, 1917 3. Shchuka [The Pike] 3 solos, 4part chorus, 1914 4. Puzishche [Mr Portly] Soloist, 4part chorus, 1915
Josh Wang Choral Literature II Dr. Carmen Tellez University of Notre Dame Fall 2018
Les Noches, composed 1913-1917, (1919, 1981),2008*,2009** Ballet music with SATB soloists, SATB chorus, four pianos and percussion. Text: French translation of Russian wedding texts of songs collected by Pyotr Kireevsky. Duration: 20m Other: premiered by the Russian Ballet at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in 1923. This was the version for four pianos, (however the 1919 version included harmonium and cimbalom which were not conventional for the premiere in 1923. This instrumentation actually received a premiere in Paris in 1981 conducted by Pierre Boulez.)*In 2008 the Los Angeles Philharmonic commissioned Steven Stucky to arrange the work for symphony orchestra. **An early unpublished draft of the work, which included pianola, was finished by Dutch composer Theo Verbey and premiered in 2009 in the Netherlands.
Other works to note
Unpublished, lost: Cantata (for the 60th birthday of Rimsky-Korsokov), 1904.
Ballets with chorus (English titles): The Nightingale (1914), Oedipeus Rex (1926-7)
Musical drama/opera with chorus: Perséphone (1933-4), The Rake’s Progress (1947-51), The Flood (1961-2) includes SAT chorus.