Program Notes and Translations

Trois Chansons (Three songs) - Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Trois chansons are the only works that the Parisian composer wrote for unaccompanied choir. The songs were written between 1914-1915 while he was waiting to be enlisted in World War I. Trois chansons are modeled after the Renaissance Parisian chansons (1500). The three songs are a fairy-tale-like story. Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis is the story of a girl that is waiting for her beloved to come back from the war. She sent three birds to bring her news. The three birds -colors of the french flag (blue, white and red)- bring symbolic news of the beloved: Blue gaze of loyalty, white of a kiss, and red of heart’s-blood.

• From Trois Chansons: Trois Beaux Oiseaux du Paradis (Three Beautiful birds of Paradise)

Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis Three beautiful birds of paradise (Mon ami z-il est à la guerre) (My beloved is gone to the war) Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis Three beautiful birds of paradise Ont passé par ici. Have passed by here.

Le premier était plus bleu que le ciel, The first was bluer than the sky (Mon ami z-il est à la guerre) (My beloved has gone to the war) Le second était couleur de neige, The second was the color of snow Le troisième rouge vermeil. The third was red vermilion.

"Beaux oiselets du Paradis, "Beautiful little birds of paradise (Mon ami z-il est à la guerre) (My beloved has gone to the war) Beaux oiselets du Paradis, Beautiful little birds of paradise Qu'apportez par ici?" What do you bring here?" "J'apporte un regard couleur d'azur "I bring an azure-colored glance (Ton ami z-il est à la guerre)" (Your beloved has gone to the war)” "Et moi, sur beau front couleur de neige, “And I, on your beautiful snow-colored forehead, Un baiser dois mettre, encore plus pur." must place a kiss, even more pure."

“Oiseau vermeil du Paradis, "Vermillion bird from paradise, (Mon ami z-il est à la guerre) (My beloved has gone to the war) Oiseau vermeil du Paradis, Vermillion bird from paradise, Que portez vous ainsi?” What are you bringing there?"

"Un joli coeur tout cramoisi" "A loving heart, completely crimson." Ton ami z-il est à la guerre (Your beloved has gone to the war)”… "Ha! je sens mon coeur qui froidit... "Ah, I feel my heart freezing . . . Emportez le aussi." Take it away as well."

Wisło moją, Wisło szara (My Vistula, Grey Vistula) Opus 46 - Henryk Mikołaj Górecki (b. 1933)

Górecki was born in Poland but spent several years in Paris. After going back to Poland he focused his attention in composition. He became famous for his third symphony of sorrowful songs. He has received many awards including the UNESCO International Composers Rostrum Award (1973), and an honorary doctorate in 1994 from the University of Warsaw. Wisło moją was first performed in 1987 by the Schola Canturum Gedanensis. It is a folk song that talks about the Vistula River, which flows through Warsaw. The song pictures the scene of a serene river with each voice representing a part of the river and making dynamic gestures to emphasize the different places where the River travels. In it he used tonal harmonies in slow-moving harmonic rhythms, with minimal textures and a steady repetition of short motifs.

Wisło moją, Wisło szara My Vistula, grey Vistula Gdzie tak cicho płyniesz? Where are you flowing so quietly? Skąd swe wody nazbierałaś Where did your water come from? Mów, nim w morzu, zginiesz Tell me, before you vanish into the sea.

Nazbierałam swoje wody I have gathered my water Z tej polskiej krainy from the Polish countryside, Z tej krainy ukochanej, from my most beloved country. Nie ma nad nią innej. There is no other better.

Bogoróditse Djévo (Rejoice, O virgin Mary) - Arvo Pärt (b.1935)

Pärt was born in Estonia and began his musical training at the Tallin Music Middle School. He worked as a recording engineer for the Estonian Radio and composed for film music. He moved to Vienna, then Berlin and after 1976 has been characterized by a minimalistic style that blends diatonic scales and triadic arpeggios. He describes this style “tintinnabuli” because it continues lingering similar to the stroke of a bell. He explains it as “music of essentials, music of few notes, but of great strength and purity.” Many of the small-scale works were written as commissioned works. Bogoróditse Djévo was commissioned by the King’s College Choir, Cambridge, on occasion of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, for Christmas eve 1990. Its text is based on Luke 1:28, 42 and Matthew 1:21.

Bogoróditse Djévo, rádujssja, Rejoice, O virgin Mary, full of grace, the Lord is Blagodátnaja Maríje, Gosspód ss Tobóju: with thee: blagosslovjéna Ty v zhenákh, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the i blagosslovjén plod chrjéva Tvojegó, fruit of thy womb, jáko Sspássa rodilá jeessí dush náshikh. for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.

Symphony of Psalms, I: Prayer - Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

Stravinsky was a Russian composer raised in a musical home. However, he was self-taught while using his father’s musical scores, attending concerts, and meeting composers that visited the home. He studied harmony, counterpoint and composition privately with Rimsky-Korsakov whom he deeply admired. He had three different musical developmental periods in his lifetime: Russian, neo-Classical, and serial. The symphony of psalms is a neo- Classical work that is based on traditional formal structures (ABA). The work has three movements and the text is taken from the Latin Vulgate Bible. The first movement- prayer- is taken from Ps. 39: 12, 13. Some of the elements the composer used are pandiatonicism, dodecaphonism, and bitonality. He uses the e minor chord as a recurrent axis and the rhythm is presented in a variety of meter changes. Stravinsky wrote this composition in 1930 commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. However, he felt that it was not only a commission but also a sacred work. On the cover of the manuscript he wrote: “This symphony, composed to the glory of God, is dedicated to the “Boston Symphony Orchestra” on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary.”

Exaudi orationem meam, Domine, et deprecationem Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with Thine ears consider meam. Auribus percipe lacrimas meas. Ne sileas. my calling: hold not Thy peace at my tears. Quoniam advena ego sum apud te et peregrinus, sicut For I am a stranger with Thee: and a sojourner, as all omnes patres mei. my fathers were. Remitte mihi, ut refrigerer prius quam abeam et O spare me a little that I may recover my strength: amplius non ero. before I go hence and be no more.

Daemon Irrepit Callidus (The Devil Speaks Expertly)- György Orbán (b. 1947)

Romanian composer, György Orbán, editor of the Editio Musica Budapest, theory and composition professor at the Liszt Academy of Music, has also been very busy as a composer. With nine masses, several motets, and part songs, Orbán is perhaps most famous for Daemon Irrepit Callidus. The song is very descriptive; the minor second intervals, augmented chords, and chromatic scales represent the artifice the devil uses to deceive and seduce the honorable heart. The text is taken from an anonymous medieval Goliardic text "Anonymi Hungari affectus in Jesum super omnia amabilem."

Daemon irrepit callidus, The Devil speaks expertly, Allicit cor honoribus, Tempting the honorable heart; Ponit fraudes inter laudes, cantus, saltus. He sets forth trickery amidst praise, song, and dance. Quidquid amabile Daemon dat, However appealing the Devil is, Cor Jesu minus aestimat. It is still worth less than the heart of Jesus.

Caro venatur sensibus; The Flesh is tempted by sensuality; Sensus adhaeret dapibus; Gluttony clings to our senses; Inescatur, impinguatur, dilatatur. It overgrows, it encroaches, it stretches. Quidquid amabile Caro dat, However appealing the Flesh is, Cor Jesu minus aestimat. It is still worth less than the heart of Jesus.

Adde mundorum milia, Though the Universe may confer Mille millena gaudia; Thousands upon thousands of praises, Cordis aestum non explebunt, non arcebunt. They neither fulfill nor put out the desire of the heart. Quidquid amabile Totum dat, However appealing the whole Universe is, Cor Jesu minus aestimat. It is still worth less than the heart of Jesus.

Trois Chansons - Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) See First page for program notes

Nicolette is an altered version of Little Red Riding Hood. The girl had three propositions and she accepted the last one: money over love. The song is very descriptive. Phrases such as “A perte d'haleine, s'enfuit Nicolette (Losing her breath, Nicolette fled)” and each character of the story (the wolf, the page and the Ancient twisted Lord) are painted by the music helping one to imagine the tale.

• From Trois Chansons: Nicolette

Nicolette, à la vesprée, Nicolette, at evening, S'allait promener au pré, Went out to stroll in the meadow, Cueillir la pâquerette, To gather daisies, la jonquille et la muguet. Jonquils and lilies-of-the-valley. Toute sautillante, toute guillerette, Skipping, perky, Lorgnant ci, là de tous les côtes. looking here, there, and everywhere.

Rencontra vieux loup grognant, She met a growling old wolf, Tout hérissé, l'oeil brilliant: All bristle up and with a shining eye: “Hé là! ma Nicolette, “Hey there, my Nicolette, viens-tu pas chez Mère-Grand?” aren’t you going to Grandma’s house?” A perte d'haleine, s'enfuit Nicolette, Losing her breath, Nicolette fled, Laissant là cornette et socques blancs. Leaving her hat and white socks.

Rencontra page joli, She met a nice page, Chausses bleues et pourpoint gris, Blue stocking and grey vest: "Hé là! ma Nicolette, “Hey there, my Nicolette, veux-tu pas d'un doux ami?” don’t you want a gentle friend?” Sage, s'en retourna, pauvre Nicolette, Wisely turning away-poor Nicolette- très lentement, le coeur bien marri. and very slowly, her heart truly grieved.

Rencontra seigneur chenu, She met an ancient Lord, Tors, laid, puant et ventru Twisted, ugly, stinking, and big-bellied: "Hé là! ma Nicolette “Hey there, my Nicolette, veux-tu pas tous ces écus?” don’t you want all these pieces of silver?” Vite fut en ses bras, bonne Nicolette, She was quickly in his arms, good Nicolette… Jamais au pré n'est plus revenue. Never again did she return to the meadow.

El Hambo - Jaakko Mäntyjäarvi (b. 1963)

Born in Finland, Mäntyjäarvi received his education in English and linguistics from the University of Helsinky and Music Theory and choral Conducting from the Sibelius Academy. He is a composer-in-residence for the Tapiola Chamber Choir and works as a professional translator and computer system manager at the English Centre Helsinky and also as translator for the Finnish Music Information Centre and the Ondine record label. He has written approximately forty compositions for choir. El Hambo is a Swedish folk dance in ¾. However, the composer augmented the ¾ to a 5/4 in honor of those musicians “whose enthusiasm much exceeds their sense of rhythm.” The composer took as sources of inspiration the Norwegian choral folk arrangements and the Swedish Chef in The Muppet Show. The composer says that the text is supposed to be meaningless and the first three chords of the piece are violin tunings that are used in Norwegian folk music. The composer also remarks that “an alternative transliteration” could be ‘the jump of joy’.