Strange Beasts November 2019

STRANGE BEASTS

7:30PM | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 KOERNER RECITAL HALL, VANCOUVER ACADEMY OF MUSIC VANCOUVER CHAMBER CHOIR

Artistic Director Kari Turunen began leading the Vancouver Chamber Choir - one of Canada’s premier professional choral ensembles - in Board of Directors September 2019, its 49th concert season. George Laverock Jon Washburn founded the choir in 1971 and it has President become an amazing success story, ranking with Dr. Jeanette Gallant (Oxford) the handful of North America’s best professional Vice President choruses and noted for its diverse repertoire and Adam J. Garvin, CPA, CMA performing excellence. The choir has presented Treasurer concerts at home in Vancouver and on tour across Brent Hunter Canada. International excursions have taken them Secretary to the USA, Mexico, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Finland, France, Germany, Matthew Baird the Czech Republic, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine. Anne Bonnycastle Dr. Donna Hogge Honoured with the Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence by Chorus America, the choir Wendy Kish has performed countless concerts and broadcasts, released 36 recordings and received numerous Colin Miles awards. Foremost supporters of Canadian music, they are responsible for commissions and Alexandra Nicolas premieres of 334 choral works by 145 composers and arrangers, most of whom are Canadian. Over Dr. Robert Rothwell the years the choir has sung over 4,000 performances of works by Canadian composers, in addition Dolores Scott to their extensive international repertoire. Anthony G.V. Tobin Cara Ventura The choir’s award-winning educational programs include the Conductors’ Symposium for advanced Marianne Werner choral conductors, Interplay interactive workshops for choral composers, Focus professional Jennifer Wilnechenko development program for student singers, OnSite visitations for school choirs, the biennial Young Honorary Patrons Composers Competition, and many on-tour workshops and residencies. John Bishop Stephen Chatman Tama Copithorne KARI TURUNEN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR David Cousins Dr. Stephen Drance, O.C. Sam Feldman Kari Turunen is the new Artistic Director of the Vancouver Chamber Charles Flavelle Choir and the former artistic director of the male chorus Akademiska Violet Goosen Sångföreningen, Kampin Laulu chamber choir, the choir of the cantors Janis Hamilton of the Finnish Lutheran Church, Chorus Cantorum Finlandiae, the all- Ben Heppner, O.C. male Ensemble Petraloysio and the Spira Ensemble. He has won numerous Don Hudson prizes at national and international festivals with his groups. He was Doris Luking named choral conductor of the year in Finland in 2008. Dr. John MacDonald, O.C. Viviane Nitting Dr. Turunen was educated at the University of Helsinki and the Sibelius Imant Raminsh Academy. He has a Master’s degree in choral conducting and a Doctorate in Elizabeth Rathbun early music performance practice from the University of the Arts, Helsinki. R. Murray Schafer He tries to balance scholarly activities with his artistic work and firmly Administrative Staff believes that scholarship and performance can greatly benefit each other. Dr. Kari Turunen He is a sought-after guest conductor, adjudicator, clinician and teacher of choral conducting, both in Artistic Director Finland and abroad. He has also acted as the chairman of the Finnish Choral Directors’ Association Steven Bélanger from the mid-90s until 2017 and is the artistic director of Aurore, an annual Renaissance music Executive Director festival in Helsinki. Jon Washburn, C.M. Founder & Conductor Emeritus Before becoming a full-time conductor, Dr. Turunen taught choral conducting and was the head Nat Marshik of choral activities at the School of Music of the Polytechnic University of Tampere from 2001 to Bookkeeper/Office Coordinator 2011. He is also a founding member of Lumen Valo, a professional vocal ensemble of eight voices. Karen Seaboyer Lumen Valo has been a driving force on the early music scene in Finland since its conception in Manager, Communications & Production 1993 and has made a name for itself in almost 250 concerts around Finland and Europe. The group has recorded nine CDs, all of them critically acclaimed for their fresh programming and quality of Vancouver Chamber Choir singing. 1254 West 7th Avenue Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6H 1B6

Tel: 604.738.6822 • Fax: 604.738.7832 The Vancouver Chamber Choir acknowledges that it operates and performs on the unceded Indigenous land ̓ ̱ [email protected] belonging to the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are grateful for this privilege. www.vancouverchamberchoir.com

2 VANCOUVER VANCOUVER CHAMBER CHOIR CHAMBER CHOIR KARI TURUNEN, CONDUCTOR s o p r a n o s Beth Currie (Buono) Emily Cheung STRANGE BEASTS Christina Cichos Lorraine Reinhardt Capricciata & Contrappunto bestiale alla mente Adriano Banchieri Madeline Lucy Smith (1568-1634) a l t o s The Silver Swan Orlando Gibbons Dinah Ayre (1583-1625) Maria Golas Martina Govednik Selections from Bizarre Bestiaire Philippe Bodin Fabiana Katz (b. 1960) Dolores Scott Le Couscous Tacheté Le Dugong t e n o r s Le Lièvre Variable Ian Bannerman Eric Biskupski Le Mouton à Grosses Fesses Tom Ellis Eric Schwarzhoff Quel augellin che canta Claudio Monteverdi Taka Shimojima (1567-1643) b a s s e s Biegga luohte Jan Sandström Steven Bélanger (b. 1954) Jacob Gramit Eric Biskupski, tenor Steven Bélanger, drum Paul Nash George Roberts Wim Vermeulen INTERMISSION

Le chant des oiseaux Clément Janequin (c. 1485-1558)

At Every Instant (premiere) Paul John Rudoi (b. 1985) Dinah Ayre, mezzo-soprano Ian Bannerman, tenor

Sweet Suffolk Owl Thomas Vautor (fl. 1592-1619)

Sweet honey-sucking bees John Wilbye (1574-1638)

Trois chansons Maurice Ravel Nicolette (1875-1937) Please turn off all phones. Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis Recording devices of any kind Ronde are strictly prohibited. Emily Cheung, soprano Dinah Ayre, mezzo-soprano Ian Bannerman, tenor Steven Bélanger, baritone

James Ong Stage Management Pre-Concert Talks Corporate Graphics Graphic Design You are invited to attend pre-concert talks at 6:45pm on most concert evenings. You can Violet Goosen meet Kari Turunen and learn about the evening’s repertoire and composers. Seating Development is general admission at the front of the auditorium. You are welcome to reserve your José Verstappen favourite seats elsewhere so that they are waiting for you after the talk. Program Typography

3 Sun Life Community Outreach Program

Sun Life is pleased to provide a Community Outreach Program through which the regular season

concerts of the Vancouver Chamber Choir are made available to hundreds of people with health

related disabilities.

Non-profit organizations involved with community health join with the Vancouver Chamber Choir

to help distribute tickets. For more information on this program or to register your organization,

please call the Vancouver Chamber Choir office at 604-738-6822 and speak with Steven Bélanger.

CHRISTMAS ORATORIO

40th Annual Conductors’ OWEN MCCAUSLAND Symposium EVANGELIST

FEBRUARY 10-15, 2020 VANCOUVER, BC 7:30PM | FRIDAY, DEC 6, 2019 An intensive workshop with Master Conductors Kari Turunen, Jon THE ORPHEUM, 601 SMITHE ST AT SEYMOUR ST Washburn and one of Canada's premier professional choral ensembles, WITH OWEN MCCAUSLAND, EVANGELIST the Vancouver Chamber Choir. The 40th Annual Conductors' PACIFIC BAROQUE ORCHESTRA Symposium is an opportunity to take part in master-classes as a Three festive cantatas from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (I, III and conductor or observer. Learn choral techniques, conducting gesture, VI) with the Pacific Baroque Orchestra on period instruments – score interpretation and more. Each conductor will conduct before an what could be a better way to open the festive season? With audience, as part of the Choir’s regular concert season. soloists predominantly from within the choir and the softer tone of the period instruments, this aims to be a leaner and lighter For information and an application form: reading of this great classic. [email protected] www.vancouverchamberchoir.com 1.855.985.ARTS (2787) Application deadline: November 18, 2019 vancouverchamberchoir.com

4 NEW HONORARY PATRON

Tama Copithorne

A testimony: “Encountering the Vancouver Chamber Choir” Earlier this year, Ms. Tama Copithorne (a former board member and President of the Vancouver Chamber Choir) was appointed as one of our Honorary Patrons. She described her history with the choir: “It was in the early 1980s when my late husband, Maurice, and I first heard the Vancouver Chamber Choir. We were still living in Vienna then but spending our home leave holiday in Vancouver. Our good family friends, Peggy and Doug Prior (now deceased but long-time supporters of this choir) took us to a Vancouver Chamber Choir concert. Having been living in Vienna, we were somewhat spoiled by an abundance of excellent concerts. That evening, however, gave both my husband and me a refreshing joy of choral music in the new world! This unforgettable experience led us to become lifelong supporters of this professional choir when we returned to live in Vancouver. “My personal experience with choral music goes way back to my childhood during the Second World War in Japan. The war broke up our family, as many tragedies of family separation affected the entire world. Evacuating from the metropolitan Tokyo to a countryside town was, in those days, without exaggeration, like going to another planet. There was a vast cultural difference between the two regions. However, singing was one activity we were able to share with the locals more easily, as we evacuated from place to place. During the early days of recovery from the war, our school choir used to give ‘concert tours’ to nearby fishing and farming communities. We were only urban elementary school kids but making “concert tours” to schools in the rural area! “Why I think concert tours are important for all concerned is not unrelated to my wartime experience. It gives both singers and listeners an important venue for mutual understanding. My past experience of three concert tours to Japan with the Vancouver Chamber Choir is not just for the sake of beauty of choral music, but this is also one of the best ways for mutual understanding among different cultures and people.”

Founder and Conductor Emeritus Jon Washburn had these comments about Tama: “Tama and Maurice each served long terms as President of the Vancouver Chamber Choir’s board, the only time that has happened. Maurice was the kind of friend who actually showed interest in my yearly report to the Annual General Meeting... for a decade or so I really wrote it only for him. Both he and Tama were inspirational. But Tama was also a doer, an organizer, a worker. She masterminded many of the choir’s most exciting artistic and cross-cultural touring experiences, including especially the private command performance for - and reception with - the Emperor and Empress of Japan. She describes herself as a life-long supporter of the Vancouver Chamber Choir, but I would describe her as our very own choral treasure.”

CALLING STUDENTS OF ANY AGE!

For only $15, you can enjoy some of Canada’s finest choral concerts when you purchase rush tickets to Vancouver Chamber Choir regular season performances. All students and youth (26 and under) are welcome. Tickets are available at the door, one hour before the concert.

5 RECORDINGS FOR SALE IN THE LOBBY *

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e Masters Series BaroqueFest Festive music of Bach, Purcell, Handel and Monteverdi from a gala Expo 86 concert, with Jon Washburn and Michael Corboz conducting their professional choirs from Canada and Switzerland. Missa Brevis Four contrasting short masses by Haydn Missa Brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo, Fauré Messe basse, von Weber Jubelmesse and Christoph Bernhard Missa Durch Adams Fall.

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e Christmas Recordings A Dylan omas Christmas * e Vancouver Chamber Choir’s signature 7:30PM | FRIDAY, DEC 20, 2019 PACIFIC SPIRIT UNITED CHURCH, 2205 W 45TH AVE AT YEW ST performance of A Child’s Christmas in Wales, read by Welsh actor Russell Roberts with special carol settings by Jon Washburn. This Christmas journey through time and space incorporates reflections of musical traditions mainly from Northern Europe. It A World Christmas Carols and seasonal songs of many lands from guitarist is a mixture of voices, of styles and languages – a polyphony of and arranger Ed Henderson, the Worldfest Ensemble and the Vancouver musical voices. The music ranges from deep calm to joyous Chamber Choir with Jon Washburn conducting. dance and from philosophical depth to childlike naiveté, much like the message of this season itself. e Miracle of Christmas Christmas music with a colourful Central and South American ﬂ avour played by the ensemble Ancient Cultures with several 1.855.985.ARTS (2787) vancouverchamberchoir.com tracks featuring the Vancouver Chamber Choir.

6 PROGRAM NOTES, TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS

STRANGE BEASTS

Birds, the animals that sing, have throughout history captured the imagination of composers. But what other beasts have inspired composers? This concert, with a blend of the old and new, presents beasts regular and strange in a range of styles. When composers turn to animals, the motivation seems to be twofold: either depicting the appearance or sounds of the animal or saying something about human beings or the lives of human beings using the animals as a symbol of human traits or a vessel for human emotions. This program features both approaches. In many of the pieces, animals are animals, birds singing in a forest or a dugong being deliberate and hungry. In others, they symbolize lovers or deep knowledge. And in yet others they are just part of the soundscape, be they dogs or monkeys. They even acquire some very human characteristics in a few of the pieces. As the animals of our program are varied, also the music takes on very different forms. Renaissance madrigals act as the introduction and as entremets between the main courses, and the more contemporary works have a broad stylistic and geographical range. And for good measure, we have thrown in a Ravel classic with the strangest beasts of them all to end the program.

Claudio Monteverdi: Capricciata & Contrappunto bestiale alla mente

Adriano Banchieri’s claim to fame are his madrigal comedies, cycles of separate Italian madrigals that, put together, tell a story. Considering Banchieri was a Benedictine monk, his light-hearted, even ribald songs might seem surprising, but this was the stuff of all monasteries. TheCapricciata & Contrappunto bestiale are the best-known madrigals from his Festino nella sera del giovedì grasso (for the feast of what we now know as Mardi Gras) from 1608. The Capricciata is an introduction of the protagonists and a description of what is to come (“the listed animals will now sing counterpoint above a bass”); which is exactly what happens in the Contrappunto: animals give their best above a bass line which is not exactly politically correct – likely not even in Banchieri’s time.

Nobili spettatori Noble spectators, udret’hor hora quattro belli humori: you are about to hear four humours: un cane, un gatto, un cucco, un chiù per spasso, a dog, a cat, a cuckoo and an owl, far contrappunto a mente sopra un basso. as a joke make counterpoints upon a bass. Fa la la. Fa, la, la. Nulla fides gobis Don’t trust hunchback, similiter est zoppis. Nor the hobbler, Si squerzus, bonus est, If a squinter is good, he’s good, super annalia scribe. Write this down in the annals! Bau, bau! (dog) Miao, miao! (cat) Chiù, chiù! (owl) Cucù, cucù! (cuckoo) Fa la la. Fa, la, la.

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The Vancouver Chamber Choir is pleased to recognize the Vancouver Academy of Music as one of our community partners. We look forward to returning in February for our 40th Conductors’ Symposium and concert The Source.

7 Orlando Gibbons: The Silver Swan

The English madrigal was a late bloomer: it flourished from the last decade of the th16 century to the 1620s, several decades after the boom in Italy. It began as a movement mimicking the Italian style but grew more and more English as the form developed. The topics were naturally similar to the Italian madrigal, and revolved around love and death, but the English madrigalists were also drawn to Arcadia, the playground of nymphs and shepherds (and probably not an infrequent reference to their Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I) even more than their European brothers-in-arms. This gives the English madrigals a lighter, more playful character. Orlando Gibbons, better known for his sacred music, published one of the most famous English madrigals, The Silver Swan, in his collection The First Set of Madrigals and Mottets in 1612. The mythical silver swan dies nobly, and in its swansong denounces its times. Some believe Gibbons is referring to the slow death of the madrigal or the Elizabethan musical world, but there is no definite answer to who the geese/fools are.

The Silver Swan who, living, had no note, When death approach’d, unlock’d her silent throat. Leaning her breast against the reedy shore, Thus sung her first and last, and sung no more: “Farewell all joys, O death come close mine eyes. More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise.”

Philippe Bodin: Bizarre Bestiaire

French composer-singer-pianist Philippe Bodin’s Bizarre Bestiaire is set to poems by Jacques Roubaud. Roubaud’s poems are humoristic, fantastic, and at times even dadaistic. Bodin uses a great many means in setting music to these poems, and does it with aplomb. The music is extremely demanding for the choir, but it is always musical, elegant and often full of fun. The first movement features the common spotted cuscus, a cat-sized marsupial that lives in Northern Australia and the islands north of Australia, especially New Guinea. It is a shy, red-eyed creature that spends most of its time in solitude. The music creates both the environment in which it lives and the solitary lifestyle of the cuscus. The second movement concentrates on the changing colours of the pelt of the hare. Major turns into minor, rhythmic patterns never seem to settle and colorful ’French’ chords reflect the changes in the hare. The dugong, the star of the third movement, is a medium-sized, herbivorous marine mammal of the Indo-West Pacific. This slow-moving, food-munching animal is depicted by Bodin in prevalent pure-fourth harmonies that have no specific direction or energy. “Va donc, dugong !” is something that French drivers might yell in their frustration at other drivers who they think are reacting too slowly. The final movement is tonal, a tango mainly in f minor. The story of the fat-bottomed sheep takes unexpected turns both in the poem and the music.

Le Couscous Tacheté The Spotted Cuscus Dans les considérables forêts In the immense forest Des îles Moluques et sombres Of the islands Moluccan and tenebrous Vit le Couscous Tacheté Lives the Spotted Cuscus Dans la paresse et dans l’ombre. In shadow and laziness Couscous, Couscous Cuscus, Cuscus Couscous aux yeux rouges O, red-eyed Cuscus Méfie-toi de tous Beware of everyone De tout ce qui bouge. Of everything that moves. Son poil est laineux et long His coat is long and laniferous De la couleur du pois chiche Of the color of chickpea Il ne possède pas de maison He does not own a house Car le Couscous n’est pas riche. For the Cuscus is not wealthy. (Couscous, Couscous…) (Cuscus, Cuscus…) >>

8 Il se nourrit simplement : His diet is quite vanilla: La banane est à son goût He likes a banana Et la moelle de sagou And the marrow of sagu (Fruit moluquais succulent). (exquisite fruit from Maluku). (Couscous, Couscous…) (Cuscus, Cuscus…) De sa queue en hameçon With his hooked tail he’s bound Il s’accroche aux basses branches Himself to low branches Tout le jour sans faire un son All day long without a sound Il pend, remuant des hanches. He hangs, wiggling his haunches. (Couscous, Couscous…) (Cuscus, Cuscus…)

Pour attraper le Couscous To capture the Cuscus Pas besoin d’arc ni de flèches No need for bow and arrow Ni de fusil à trois coups Or a rifle with three-shots Ni même de canne à pêche. Nor even a fishing rod. (Couscous, Couscous…) (Cuscus, Cuscus…) Il suffit de s’approcher One simply creeps up to his De ses yeux rouges dans l’ombre Red eyes when the light is dim Et fixement le fixer And fixedly fix him Il pisse de peur et tombe. He pisses himself and falls down (Cuscus, Cuscus…) (Couscous, Couscous…)

Le Lièvre Variable The Variable Hare Le Lièvre dort les yeux ouverts The Hare sleeps with open eyes En faisant claquer ses mâchoires While clicking his jaws Ça lui fait trembler les oreilles This makes his ears quiver Et sans arrêt il se réveille And constantly he awakens Au printemps le lièvre est gris In the spring the Hare is silvery Souvent le Lièvre varie. The Hare varies frequently. Le Lièvre mange des trèfles The Hare eats clovers Des saules nains, des violettes Dwarf-willows, other flowers Et de l’écorce de daphné And the bark of the daphne Qui lui chatouille le nez Which makes his nose tickle badly En été le Lièvre est roux In the summer the Hare is russet Le Lièvre change beaucoup. The Hare is often varied. Le Lièvre part en promenade The Hare goes for a saunter En sautillant dans les salades Hopping along in the salads Il suit les charrettes de foin He follows the hay carts Glanant les épis, mais de loin Gleaning the blades, but from afar En automne le Lièvre est brun In the fall the Hare is ginger Il a encore changé de teint ! Again he has changed his color! Le Lièvre a fui les chasseurs The Hare has fled the hunter Dans le terrier de la marmotte In the burrow of some groundhog Choisir celui du renard Choosing that of the fox Eût été une grave faute Would have been a grave blunder En hiver le Lièvre est blanc In winter the Hare is white Le Lièvre varie tout le temps. The Hare varies all the time.

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9 Le Dugong Th e D u g ngo Avec sa tête d’hippopotame With his hippopotamus’s head Avec sa nageoire de poisson With his fi sh’s fi n On l’a observé bien souvent He has been spotted oft en Allongé paresseusement Lazily lyin’ Au fond de la mer il arrache On the bottom of the sea De ses grosses lèvres les algues He tears out with his fat lips algae Et tranquillement il les mâche. And chews on them calmly. Dugong ! Dugong ! Dugong! Dugong! Va donc, eh, Dugong ! Move on, eh, Dugong! Quoi ? des soupirs à fendre l’âme ? What? heart wrenching moans? Quoi ? des plaintes ? quel est ce son What? wails? what are these sounds Qui nous arrive dans la mousson Th at come to us in the monsoon Qui souﬄ e sur l’Indien océan ? Th at blows over the Indian ocean? Ces gémissements qui s’arrachent Th ose groans that emanate Du Dugong ? C’est qu’il n’a plus d’algues. From the Dugong? It’s because he’s out Il va falloir qu’il che déplache. Of algae. He’j gonna have tcho relocate. Dugong ! Dugong ! Dugong! Dugong! Va donc, eh, Dugong ! Move on, eh, Dugong!

Th ank you to tonight’s Concert Patrons, Dr. Jeanette Gallant Dr. Donna Hogge e Nicolas Family

Th e Vancouver Chamber Choir appreciates your continued support of our performances.

10 Le Mouton à Grosses Fesses The Fat-Tailed Sheep [le lever] [waking up] Le soleil sort de la nuit noire Out of the black night the sun gets out Le Mouton sort de sa baignoire Of his bathtub the Sheep climbs out Il mange un yaourt à la poire. He eats a pear yogurt. Avant de partir à la foire Before going to the market Il met ses roses bermudas He slips on his pink Bermudas Choix discutable je le confesse A dubious choice I must confess Pour un Mouton à Grosses Fesses. For a Fat-Tailed Sheep. [le Mouton au bureau] [the Sheep at the office] Le soleil fait de gros efforts The sun makes a massive effort Le Mouton sue par tous ses pores The Sheep sweats everything he’s got Mais il a beau baisser le store And although down the blind he brought La chaleur monte et monte encore. The heat keeps coming hotter than hot. Car nous sommes en Ouganda It’s that we are in Uganda Pays un peu loin de la Perse Country far away from Persia Patrie du Mouton à Grosses Fesses. Motherland of the Fat-Tailed Sheep. [le Mouton au bureau, suite] [the Sheep at the office, continued] Le soleil dépasse les bornes The sun really exaggerates Le Mouton sue jusqu’à ses cornes The Sheep swelters, drips, and sweats Il décroche son téléphone While another call he awaits Encore un appel du Cap Horn On the phone with the Malacca Straits La sueur trempe son agenda The sweat soaks his agenda Cela fera fondre ma graisse This will help me lose some weight Pense le Mouton à Grosses Fesses. Thinks to himself the Fat-Tailed Sheep. [la sieste] [the nap] Le soleil penche sur les cimes The sun finally goes more quiet Le Mouton pense à son régime The Sheep thinks about his diet Une biscotte ? du gouda ? Maybe a cracker? Some Gouda? Hélas il va dans la cuisine Alas he goes in his kitchenette Où le chocolat le fascine Where is bewitched by the chocolate Ensuite sous la véranda Then under the veranda Il sombre en une lourde sieste He sinks into a heavy sleep Malheureux Mouton à Grosses Fesses. Unfortunate Fat-Tailed Sheep. [le soir] [the evening] Le soleil rentre dans sa boîte The sun finally relents Le Mouton va danser en boîte The Sheep goes to the club to dance Il prend la biche entre ses pattes Between his hooves the doe he takes La regarde de ses yeux moites At her with his eyes aglow he gapes Et dit « aimez-vous Dalida ? » And says « do you like Dalida? » Choix surprenant je le confesse Surprising choice I must admit Chez un Mouton à Grosses Fesses. For a Fat-Tailed Sheep. [le retour] [the return] Le soleil dort dans la nuit noire The sun sleeps in the black night Le mouton est au désespoir The Sheep is filled with despair and blight La biche l’a chassé sans gloire The doe in shame cast him out Elle a dit « non, mais quelle poire ! » She said « wow, what an idiot! » En partant avec le panda While taking off with the panda Il est très dur je le confesse It’s very hard I do concede D’être un Mouton à Grosses Fesses. To be a Fat-Tailed Sheep.

Jacques Roubaud, translated by Philippe Bodin

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11 Claudio Monteverdi: Quel augellin che canta

At the time when the English madrigal started to thrive, the Italian madrigal, its paragon, was in its sunset. It had gone from a fairly simple matter of melody plus harmony through the wringer of counterpoint and turned into an art form. The poems were of the highest quality and its main composers, including Monteverdi, claimed they were working on a new level; one above the traditional confines and their mission was to move people’s feelings and bring the text to life. Monteverdi’s Quel augellin is from his Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603), in many ways the summit of the polyphonic Italian madrigal. Many of the madrigals of that collection are serious and ultra-expressive. Quel augellin shows that Monteverdi mastered the light touch, as well.

Quel augellin che canta That little bird which sings si dolcemente So sweetly e lascivetto vola And gaily flies hor da l’abete al faggio Now from the fir to the beechtree et hor dal faggio al mirto,- And now from the beech to the myrtle, s’havesse’ humano spirto, If he had a human mind, direbb’: Ardo d’amor, ardo d’amore! Would say: I burn with love, I burn with love! Ma ben arde nel core But in his heart he burns indeed e chiam’ il suo desio And calls to his beloved che li rispond’: Who replies to him: Ardo d’amor anch’ io! I too am burning with love! Che sii tu benedetto, How fortunate you are, Amoroso, gentil, vago augelletto! Sweet little loving bird! Translation by Mick Swithinbank

Jan Sandström: Biegga luohte

A concert music piece by a middle-aged white classical composer with an indigenous song-form with a Christian indigenous text and a landscape of sounds from the north, including dogs and reindeer: patent material for a discussion on cultural appropriation, do you not think? I think you need to know the whole story. Jan Sandström lives and works in the north of Sweden, an area in which the Sámi culture is strong. Sandström has worked extensively with local indigenous musicians and collaborated intensely with Johan Märak, a member of the indigenous community and a Lutheran minister, on this piece. The yoik is written for this work and in the premiere, which I happened to hear, Märak sang the solo part. So, if anything, this work is a serious attempt to wed yoik and classical choral music to create an independent work of art, in collaboration with an indigenous musician. Biegga luohte (Yoik to the mountain wind) is a clever choral work with a sense of energy in a fairly static landscape, interrupted by the cries that mimic dogs barking. The yoik melody, sung mainly by a soloist, is fairly dominant in the piece, but other elements at times take over, only for the yoik to return.

Na de jo biegga båsåðij Now the wind blows lo, lo, lo, lo… lo, lo, lo, lo… Basse Vuojŋha bukta rij Coming with the Holy Spirit Ibmilis dervuoðajt A Greeting from God Ålmmujta sáme ednamij to the people Buorre sivnnjaðusájt. in our Lappland, with His blessing.

INTERMISSION

12 Clément Janequin: Le chant des oiseaux

The French equivalent to the madrigal was the Renaissance chanson. It blossomed, predominately in Paris, from ca. 1520 until the mid-century. One of the biggest names of the French 16th-century chanson is Clément Janequin, who, despite having written some 250 chansons, is mainly known for his three onomatopoetical chansons. Le chant des oiseaux from 1529, is, as its name says, a chanson based on imitating certain birds. The story around the birdsong is simple: It is the beginning of May, awake all to love and hear the birds singing.

Réveillez-vous, coeurs endormis Awake, sleepy hearts, le dieu d’amour vous sonne. The god of love calls you. À ce premier jour de may, On this first day of May, oyseaulx feront merveillez, The birds will make you marvel. pour vous mettre hors d’esmay To lift yourself from dismay, destoupez vos oreilles. Unclog your ears. Et farirariron (etc…) And fa la la la la (etc…) Vous serez tous en joye mis, You will be moved to joy, car la saison est bonne. For the season is good. Vous orrez, à mon advis, You will hear, I advise you, une douce musique A sweet music que fera le roy mauvis (le merle aussi) That the royal song thrush will sing (the blackbird, too) d’une voix autentique. In a pure voice. Ty, ty, pyty (etc…) Ti, ti, pi-ti (etc…) Rire et gaudir c’est mon devis, To laugh and rejoice is my device, chacun s’i habandonne. Each with abandon. Rossignol du boys joly, Nightingale of the pretty woods, à qui le voix résonne, Whose voice resounds, pour vous mettre hors d’ennuy So you don’t become bored, vostre gorge jargonne: Your throat jabbers away: Frian, frian, frian (etc…) Frian, frian (etc…) Fuiez, regrez, pleurs et souci, Flee, regrets, tears and worries, car la saison l’ordonne. For the season commands it. Arrière maistre coucou, Turn around, master cuckoo sortez de nos chapitres. Get out of our company. Chacun vous donne au bibou, Each of us gives you a ‘bye-bye’ car vous n’estes q’un traistre. For you are nothing but a traitor. Coucou, coucou (etc…) Cuckoo, cuckoo (etc…) Par traison en chacun nid, Treacherously in others’ nests, pondez sans qu’on vous sonne. You lay without being called. Réveillez-vous, coeurs endormis, Awake, sleepy hearts, le dieu d’amour vous sonne. The god of love is calling you.

13 Paul John Rudoi : Thomas Vautor: At Every Instant Sweet Suffolk Owl

Paul John Rudoi, a US composer, reworked the first movement Very little is known of Thomas Vautor, other than that he was in of his Song of Sky and Sea: A Song of Realization, originally the service of a notable family and that he had a music degree written for male voices, for mixed choir at the commission of from Oxford. His preserved music comes from one collection: the Vancouver Chamber Choir. This performance marks the Songs of Divers Airs and Natures from 1619. Sweet Suffolk Owl is premiere of the first movement,At Every Instant. It is based on a a dainty little madrigal that has a fairly surprising reference to poem by 13th-century poet, theologian, lawyer and mystic Jalal the dead towards the end of the piece. ad-Din Mohammad Rumi, usually known by his last name. As the music publisher of the work puts it: “A blend of whirlwind Sweet Suffolk owl, so trimly dight, melodies, tight harmonies and broad steps toward clarity, when With feathers like a lady bright, love is not just an aspect of our former journey as a human: It is Thou sing’st alone, sitting by night: the very reason for being, both during life and after.” Te-whit, te-whoo… Thy note, that forth so freely rolls, At every instant and from every side, With shrill command the mouse controls, resounds the call of Love: And sings a dirge for dying souls: We are going to sky, who wants to come with us? Te-whit, te-whoo…

We have gone to heaven, we have been the friends of the angels, And now we will go back there, for there is our country. John Wilbye: We are higher than heaven, more noble than the angels: Sweet honey-sucking bees Why not go beyond them? Our goal is the Supreme Majesty. As luck would have it, not only Vautor’s owl, but also John What has the fine pearl to do with the world of dust? Wilbye hails from Suffolk. He was a household musician in the same manner as Vautor but has a bigger reputation and a bigger Why have you come down here? Take your baggage back. output than Vautor. His Sweet honey-sucking bees is from his What is this place? Luck is with us, to us is the sacrifice! Second Set of Madrigals, published in 1598. The subject matter Like the birds of the sea, men come from the ocean – the might seem light, but this is clearly an ambitious art madrigal ocean of the soul. Like the birds of the sea, men come from in the Italian style. The setting is Arcadian, but the sexual the ocean – the ocean of the soul. How could this bird, born undertones are clear. from that sea, make his dwelling here? No, we are the pearls from the bosom of the sea, it is there Sweet honey-sucking bees, why do you still that we dwell: Otherwise how could the wave succeed to the surfeit on roses, pinks and violets, wave that comes from the soul? as if the choicest nectar lay in them wherewith you store your curious cabinets? Rumi, translated by Simone Fattal Ah, make your flight to Melisuavia’s lips. There may you revel in ambrosian cheer, where smiling roses and sweet lilies sit, Keeping their springtide graces all the year. Yet, sweet, take heed, all sweets are hard to get: Sting not her soft lips, O, beware of that, for if one flaming dart come from her eye, was never dart so sharp, ah, then you die.

14 Maurice Ravel: Trois chansons

Maurice Ravel’s Th r e e S o gs n are from the fi rst winter of World War I. Ravel wanted desperately to enlist and described writing the songs in a fervour whilst waiting for the call-up. He even dedicated the songs to people who helped him in his endeavours to enlist. Ravel wrote texts that fi t the context: all of the movements are extremely French. Th ey are all fairy tales of sorts, that begin as they should, but have a defi nite twist in their tales. Th e fi rst movement isLittle a Red Riding Hood adaptation, with a protagonist who is not what we are expecting, but a wise (?) young girl who chooses money over love. Th e hauntingly beautiful second movement bears the clearest reference to the war – the birds of Paradise bring word of a great sorrow. Th e last movement turns the wise words of warning of the elders to spoiling all fun and perhaps bears a reference to the composer’s frustrations. Ravel’s music refl ects these themes of loss of innocence, sorrow and irony through sudden twists, spiced-up dissonances and complex harmonies. Th e three-song set is Ravel’s only contribution to a cappella choral repertoire and was premiered in 1917.

Nicolette Nicolette Nicolette, à la vesprée, Nicolette, at vespers, s’allait promener au pré, went walking through the fi elds cueillir la pâquerette, la jonquille et le muguet. picking daisies, jonquils, and lilies of the valley. Toute sautillante, toute guillerette, Skipping merrily, glancing here, lorgnant ci, là, de tous les côtés. there, and everywhere. Rencontra vieux loup grognant, She met an old, growling wolf, all bristly with sparkling eyes, tout hérissé, l’œil brilliant : “Hey there, my Nicolette, would you like to come to « Hé là ! ma Nicolette, viens-tu pas chez Mère-Grand ? » Grandmother’s house?” À perte d’haleine, s’enfuit Nicolette, Quite breathless, Nicolette ran away, laissant là cornette et socques blancs. leaving behind her cap and white socks. Rencontra page joli, She met a handsome page with blue shoes and grey doublet, chausses bleues et pourpoint gris : “Hey there, my Nicolette, would you like a boyfriend?” «Hé là ! ma Nicolette, veux-tu pas d’un doux ami ? » Wisely, she turned away, poor Nicolette, Sage, s’en retourna, très lentement, le cœur bien marri. very slowly, her heart quite sore. Rencontra seigneur chenu, She met a grey-haired lord, twisted, tors, laid, puant et ventru : ugly, arrogant, and potbellied. « Hé là ! ma Nicolette, veux-tu pas tous ces écus ? » “Hey there, my Nicolette, would you like all of these gold coins?” Vite fut en ses bras, bonne Nicolette, Quickly she ran into his arms, good Nicolette, jamais au pré n’est plus revenue. never to return to the fi elds again.

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15 Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis Three beautiful birds from Paradise Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis, Three beautiful birds from Paradise, (Mon ami z’il est à la guerre) (My beloved is away at war) Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis Three beautiful birds from Paradise ont passé par ici. have passed by here. Le premier était plus bleu que ciel, The first was bluer than the sky, (Mon ami z’il est à la guerre) (My beloved is away at war) Le second était couleur de neige, The second was the color of snow, le troisième rouge vermeil. the third a red vermilion. « Beaux oiselets du Paradis, “Lovely little birds of Paradise, (Mon ami z’il est à la guerre) (My beloved is away at war) Beaux oiselets du Paradis, Lovely little birds of Paradise, qu’apportez par ici ? » what brings you here?” « J’apporte un regard couleur d’azur. “I bring a look from blue eyes. (Ton ami z’il est à la guerre) » (Your beloved is away at war)” « Et moi, sur beau front couleur de neige, “And I, on your snow-white brow, un baiser dois mettre, encore plus pur. » am to lay a kiss, even purer.” « Oiseau vermeil du Paradis, “Red bird of Paradise, (Mon ami z’il est à la guerre) (My beloved is away at war) Oiseau vermeil du Paradis, Red bird of Paradise, que portez-vous ainsi ? » what do you bring?” « Un joli cœur tout cramoisi, “A dear heart all crimson, (Ton ami z’il est à la guerre) » (Your beloved is away at war)” « Ah ! je sens mon cœur qui froidit … “Ah! I feel my heart growing cold . . . emportez-le aussi. » take it with you as well.”

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16 Ronde Roundelay [Les vieilles] [Old women] N’allez pas au bois d’Ormonde, Do not go to the woods of Ormond, jeunes filles, n’allez pas au bois : Young girls, do not go to the woods. il y a plein de satyres, de centaures, de malins sorciers, It is full of satyrs and centaurs, des farfadets et des incubes, of cunning wizards, des ogres, des lutins, Of hobgoblins and incubus, ogres and imps, des faunes, des follets, des lamies, Fauns, will o’ the wisps, roguish lamies, diables, diablots, diablotins, Flying devils, devilkins, goat-footed folk, des chèvre-pieds, des gnomes, des démons, gnomes and demons, des loups-garous, des elfes, des myrmidons, Full of werewolves, elves, tiny myrmidons, des enchanteurs et des mages, of enchanters, magicians, stryges, and sylphs, des stryges, des sylphes, des moines-bourrus, Full of outcast monks, of cyclops and djinns, des cyclopes, des djinns, gobelins, Goblins, korrigans, necromancers, and kobolds. korrigans, nécromans, kobolds… Do not go to the woods of Ormond!

[Les vieux] [Old men] N’allez pas au bois d’Ormonde, Do not go to the woods of Ormond, jeunes garçons, n’allez pas au bois : Young boys, do not go to the woods. il y a plein de faunesses, de bacchantes et de males fées, They are full of fauns, bacchantes, fairy folks, des satyresses, des ogresses et des babaïagas, Satyresses, ogresses, babaïagas, des centauresses et des diablesses, Centauresses and she-devils, goules sortant du sabbat, witches out from their Sabbath, des farfadettes et des démones, Of she-hobgoblins, female demons, des larves, des nymphes, des myrmidones, larves and nymphs, tiny myrmidons, hamadryades, dryades, naïades, ménades, thyades, Of hamadryads, dryads, naiads, menades, thyades, follettes, lémures, gnomides, Will o’ the wisps, lemurs, female gnomes, succubes, gorgones, gobelines… succubus, gorgons, and she-goblins. N’allez pas au bois d’Ormonde. Do not go to the woods of Ormond!

[Filles et garçons] [Young boys and girls] N’irons plus au bois d’Ormonde, We no longer go to the woods of Ormond hélas ! plus jamais n’irons au bois. Alas! We never go to the woods. Il n’y a plus de satyres, plus de nymphes ni de males fées. There are no more satyrs, no more nymphs, or fairy folks, Plus de farfadets, plus d’incubes, No more hobgoblins and incubus, plus d’ogres, de lutins, nor ogres or imps, de faunes, de follets, de lamies, Fauns or will o’ the wisps or furies, diables, diablots, diablotins, Devils, flying devils, or devilkins, de chèvre-pieds, de gnomes, de démons, Goat-footed folk, gnomes, demons, de loups-garous, ni d’elfes, de myrmidons, werewolves, elves, imps, myrmidons, plus d’enchanteurs ni de mages, de stryges, de sylphes, No more enchanters, or magicians, stryges, sylphs, de moines-bourrus, de cyclopes, de djinns, Or outcast monks nor cyclops, Djinns, de diabloteaux, d’éfrits, d’aegypans, de sylvains, gobelins, little devils, efrits, aegypans, sylvans, goblins, korrigans, nécromans, kobolds… korrigans, necromancers, kobolds… Plus d’ogresses, non. De satyresses, non. No more ogres, no. No more satyrs, no. Plus de faunesses, non ! No more fauns, no! De centauresses, de naïades, de thyades, ni de ménades, Centaurs, naiads, thyads, menads, d’hamadryades, dryades, follettes, lémures, Hamadryads, dryads, will o’ the wisps, lemurs, gnomides, succubes, gorgones, gobelines… She-gnomes, succubus, gorgons, female goblins… N’allez pas au bois d’Ormonde, Do not go to the woods of Ormond. les malavisées vieilles, The ill-advised old women les malavisés vieux and old men have frightened les ont effarouchés. Ah ! them all away. Ah!

17 A FAMILY FAVOURITE

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18 W I T H O U R T H A N K S

The Vancouver Chamber Choir is pleased to thank and acknowledge our Corporate and Individual Sponsors and Donors as well as the Foundations and Government Agencies who, through their leadership and financial support over the past season, make it possible for the Vancouver Chamber Choir to present outstanding high-quality performances of choral music and deliver award-winning education and community programs. 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212 1212

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IN REMEMBRANCE IN HONOUR

19 SUBSCRIBE TO A WONDERFUL SEASON WITH NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, KARI TURUNEN BEGINNINGS THE SOURCE 7:30PM FRIDAY, SEP 27, 2019 7:30PM SATURDAY, FEB 15, 2020 Paci c Spirit United Church* Koerner Recital Hall, VAM

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STRANGE BEASTS ST. JOHN PASSION 7:30PM FRIDAY, NOV 15, 2019 7:30PM FRIDAY, APR 10, 2020 Koerner Recital Hall, VAM Orpheum Theatre with Zach Finkelstein CHRISTMAS ORATORIO Paci c Baroque Orchestra 7:30PM FRIDAY, DEC 6, 2019 Orpheum Theatre THIS DELICATE UNIVERSE with Owen McCausland 7:30PM FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2020 Paci c Baroque Orchestra Chan Centre for the Performing Arts with the Vancouver Youth Choir A ROSE IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER Subscribe today to our new 7:30PM FRIDAY, DEC 20, 2019 concert season. Design your own Paci c Spirit United Church* series or sign up for all 10 wonderful concerts. Call BYRDS AND BEES us for a season brochure at 7:30PM FRIDAY, JAN 24, 2020 Paci c Spirit United Church* 604.738.6822 or visit us online. with Jon Washburn, conductor * Formerly known as Ryerson United Church vancouverchamberchoir.com