ASTASTRRRRAAAA CONCERTS 2 0 1 3

555 pm, Sunday 888 DecDecemberember SACRED HEART CHURCH Carlton, Melbourne

György Ligeti LUX AETERNA Dan Dediu O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM Thomas Tallis O NATA LUX TE LUCIS ANTE TERMINUM Ruth Crawford-Seeger CHANTS DIAPHONY Heitor Villa-Lobos PRAESEPE

Catrina Seiffert, Elizabeth Campbell, Jerzy Kozlowski Mardi McSuMcSulllllea,lea, Elise Millman, Alister Barker The Astra Choir and ensemble

Catrina Seiffert Elizabeth Campbell mezzo-soprano Jerzy Kozlowski

Mardi McSullea flute Elise Millman bassoon , Alister Barker cello

Aaron Barnden violin , Phoebe Green viola, Nic Synot double bass , Craig Hill clarinet , Robert Collins trombone , Kim Bastin piano , Joy Lee organ

The Astra Choir soprano Irene McGinnigle, Gabriella Moxey, Susannah Polya, Catrina Seiffert, Kristy de la Rambelya, Yvonne Turner

Jenny Barnes, Louisa Billeter, Jean Evans, Maree Macmillan, Kate Sadler, Haylee Sommer Amy Bennett, Laila Engle, Gloria Gamboz, Anna Gifford, Judy Gunson, Xina Hawkins, Katie Richardson

Beverley Bencina, Heather Bienefeld, Jane Cousens, Joy Lee, Joan Pollock, Sarah Siddiqi , Aline Scott-Maxwell Stephen Creese, Greg Deakin, Matthew Lorenzon, Ronald McCoy, Ben Owen, Richard Webb, Simon Johnson bass Robert Franzke, Steven Hodgson, Nicholas Tolhurst, Stephen Whately

Jerzy Kozlowski Tim Matthews Staindl, Chris Rechner, Chris Smith, John Terrell

conducted by John McCaughey

Concert Manager: Margaret Lloyd Recording: Michael Hewes, Steve Stelios Adam Astra Manager: Gabrielle Baker Front of House: Stiabhna Baker-Holland, George Baker-Holland

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PROGRAM

György Ligeti LUX AETERNA (1966) 16-part choir

Dan Dediu O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM (2013) 6-part choir

Thomas Tallis O NATA LUX (1575) vespers hymn, 5-part choir

Ruth Crawford DIAPHONIC SUITE No.1 (1930) solo flute I. Scherzando II. Andante

CHANT 2. To an Angel (1931) chorus with solo soprano

DIAPHONIC SUITE No.1 III. Alegro IV.Moderato, ritmico

Dan Dediu LUX AETERNA (1996) Concerto for mezzo-soprano and choir

I N T E R V A L

Ruth Crawford DIAPHONIC SUITE No.2 (1930) bassoon and cello I. Freely II. Andante cantando

CHANT 3. To a Kind God (1931) 12-part female chorus with solo soprano and alto

DIAPHONIC SUITE No.2 III. Con brio

Thomas Tallis TE LUCIS ANTE TERMINUM (1575) vespers hymn, 5-part choir

Max Reger HEBBEL REQUIEM Op.144b (1915) solo bass-, choir and orchestra arranged for chamber ensemble first performance

Heitor Villa-Lobos PRAESEPE (THE MANGER) (1952) solo mezzo-soprano and choir

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György Ligeti, LUX AETERNA (1966) 16-part choir

Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, Light eternal shine upon them, Lord, cum sanctis tuis in æternum, quia pius es. with all your saints in eternity, for you are merciful. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, et lux perpetua luceat eis. and let perpetual light shine on them.

– Communion from Requiem Mass

Dan Dediu , O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM (2013) 6-part choir

O magnum mysterium, O great mystery, et admirabile sacramentum, and wonderful sacrament, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum, that animals should see the new-born Lord, jacentem in praesepio! lying in a manger! Beata Virgo, cujus viscera Blessed is the Virgin whose womb meruerunt portare was worthy to bear Dominum Christum. Christ the Lord. Alleluia. Alleluia! – mediaeval Gregorian, fourth Responsory for Matins of Christmas Day

Thomas Tallis, O NATA LUX (1575) vespers hymn, 5-part choir

O nata lux de lumine, O light who once were born of light, Jesu redemptor saeculi, Jesus redeemer of the world, dignare clemens supplicum deign mercifully to hear the praise laudes preces que sumere. and prayers of all your supplicants.

Qui carne quondam contegi Who taking flesh in former time dignatus es pro perditis. were deemed to stand for all the lost, Nos membra confer effici grant now to us that we be made. tui beati corporis. the limbs of your own body blessed.

Prae sole vultu flammeus, Much brighter than the flaming sun, ut nix amictu candidus, in white apparel as the snow, in monte dignis testibus upon the mountain you were seen, tu paruisti conditor. attested maker of all things.

Vates alumnis abditos A prophet to your followers novis vetustos conferens conferring secrets ancient, new, utrisque te divinitus through both divinely you bestowed deum dedisti credere. belief in them that you are God – 10th C

Ruth Crawford, DIAPHONIC SUITE No.1 (1930) solo flute

I. Scherzando II. Andante

CHANT 2. To an Angel (1931) wordless chorus with solo soprano

III. Allegro IV. Moderato, ritmico

Dan Dediu , LUX AETERNA (1996) Concerto for mezzo-soprano and choir

I. Preludio serafico Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine

II. Double Cum sanctis tuis in æternum, quia pius es

III. Chaccona Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine

IV. Cadenza Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine

V. Invenzione Quia pius es

I N T E R V A L

4 Ruth Crawford, DIAPHONIC SUITE No.2 (1930) bassoon and cello

I. Freely II. Andante cantando

CHANT 3. To a Kind God (1931) 12-part female chorus, solo soprano and alto

III. Con brio

Thomas Tallis, TE LUCIS ANTE TERMINUM (1575) vespers hymn, 5-part choir

Te lucis ante terminum, To you before the close of light, Rerum Creator, poscimus, Creator of the world, we pray Ut pro tua clementia, That you with gracious clemency Sis praesul ad custodiam. our keeper and custodian be.

Procul recedant somnia, Keep far from us the evil dreams Et noctium phantasmata: and all phantasms of the night: Hostemque nostrum comprime, our enemy keep in restraint Ne polluantur corpora. that no pollution cause us harm.

Christe qui lux es et dies, Christ, who are the light, the day, Noctis tenebras detegis, You drive away the dark of night, Lucisque lumen crederis, As light of light we hold your name Lumen beatum praedicans. Since you proclaim the blessed light.

Memento nostri Domine Remember us, O Lord, who bear In gravi isto corpore, the burden of this mortal form; Qui es defensor animae, You are protector of all souls, Adesto nobis Domine. Attend and be our aid, O Lord.

Gloria tibi, Domine Glory to you, O Lord of all Qui natus est de virgine, who by the virigin once were born Cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu with Father and with Holy Ghost, In sempiterna saecula. remaining through eternity.

– Ambrosian 7th century

Max Reger, HEBBEL REQUIEM Op.144b (1915) solo bass-baritone, choir and ensemble

Seele, vergiss sie nicht, Soul, forget them not, Seele, vergiss nicht die Toten! Soul, forget not the dead!

Sieh, sie umschweben dich, See, they hover about you, Schauernd, verlassen, shuddering, abandoned, Und in den heiligen Gluten, and in the holy glowing coals Die den Armen die Liebe schürt, which love fuels for the poor Atmen sie auf und erwarmen they breathe again and grow warm Und geniessen zum letztenmal and enjoy for the last time ihr verglimmendes Leben. their life fading away.

Seele, vergiss sie nicht, Soul, forget them not, Seele, vergiss nicht die Toten! Soul, forget not the dead!

Sieh, sie umschweben dich, Look, they hover about you, Schauernd, verlassen, shuddering, abandoned, Und wenn du dich erkaltend and if, turning cold, you Ihnen verschliessest, erstarren sie close yourself to them, Bis hinein in das Tiefste. they grow rigid to their very depths. Dann ergreift sie der Sturm der Nacht Then the storm of the night seizes them Dem sie, zusammengekrampft in sich, which they, clutched together closely Trotzten im Schosse der Liebe, defied in the lap of love, Und er jagt sie mit Ungestüm and the storm pursues them with fury Durch die unendliche Wüste hin, on through the endless desert, Wo nicht Leben mehr ist, nur Kampf where life no longer is, only struggle Losgelassener Kräfte of unleashed powers Um erneuertes Sein! for renewed being!

Seele, vergiss sie nicht, Soul, forget them not, Seele, vergiss nicht die Toten! Soul, forget not the dead!

– Friedrich Hebbel (1813-1863). 5

Heitor Villa-Lobos, PRAESEPE (1952) solo mezzo-soprano and choir

PRAESEPE THE MANGER

Sed iuvat inteea tanti primordia partus But it is still delightful to consider the origins Nascentisque urbem volvere mente Dei; of so great a birth, and the town where God was born; Quae domus excepit Dominum, what home welcomed the Lord, quae regia Christum what realm the Christ, Quae dedit infanti culcita blanda torum what soft pillows made a bed for the baby, Quae comites sacrae famulaeve fuere parenti, what servants attended his holy mother, Qui puero cantus, what song was sung for the child, qui sonuere modi: what music played:

Nascitur in Bethleem, veteris sub culmine tecti He is born in Bethlehem, under an old man’s roof Nascentem nudum nuda receptat humus. the naked earth receives the naked infant Fit praesepe torus; the manger forms his bed; hinc bos, hinc tardus asellus, here the ox, here the dull ass, Hinc tacitus pueri pendet in ora senex. here silently the old man bends over the child’s face. Iubilat alma parens, The kind mother rejoices. infantulus ore tenello The baby’s tender mouth vagit, makes cries, inauditis personat aethra modis. the air resounds with music unheard before.

– José de Anchieta (Brazil 1534-97)

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Themes of requiem and nativity are uncomfortably close neighbours in the world at the ending of 2013.

Lux aeterna , the text of eternal light from the ancient requiem liturgy, takes on two substantial and distinct choral forms at the hands of the two Romanian-born composers György Ligeti and Dan Dediu. Ligeti’s Lux aeterna of 1966 became famous as a manifestation of a serene, otherworldly modernism, noted for its filmic use by Stanley Kubrik. The Lux aeterna of Dan Dediu came three decades later, from Bucharest in the years following the violent Romanian revolution in the week of Christmas, 1989. The earlier work was a single-minded creation in a new kind of choral sound, embodying Ligeti’s own special technique of ‘micropolyphony’ – a haze of multiple voices suspended in slowly changing sonic clouds. Dediu’s setting re-assumes a more restless human drama and energy, cast as a ‘Concerto for Mezzo-soprano and Choir’. Memories of multiple styles from mediaeval and Renaissance music to the present are embedded in Dediu’s own rich harmonic language, extending to East-European chant-like connotations and micro-tunings in the virtuoso solo line of Elizabeth Campbell. This work from 1996 was given its premiere performance by her and the Astra Choir in 2012.

Max Reger’s secular Requiem for solo bass-baritone and choir extends the span back to the early 20th century, and likewise projects a more restless, conflicted consciousness around the ‘hovering dead’ of the poem by the bicentennial dramatist Friedrich Hebbel. Completed in 1915 a few months before Reger’s own death, it is dedicated to the war dead of the still developing Great War, and suggests a vast terrain in response to the poem, from a mediaeval Dance of Death to a Lutheran and passages of pure musical prose in some of the most extended chromatic writing in the choral repertoire.

Ruth Crawford was a major innovator in American music who largely ceased composing in her mid-life in the early 1930s, turning to social causes and folksong collecting with her husband, the important music theorist Charles Seeger. Their interactions between theory and creative practice had seen the development of her ‘diaphonic’ composition, implying an alternative model to traditional categories such as and polyphony. In the solo and duo Suites 1 and 2, this can be heard as a kind of multiple-space transcending the limitations of the instruments as units. In her Three Chants for Female Chorus , Crawford carried this principle even further. The Chant 3, in particular, anticipates by four decades the Lux aeterna of György Ligeti, with animated sound-clusters incanted in a mysterious, invented phonetic language. Despite its importance in the history of choral writing, this music has remained largely unknown. In today’s concert, it is heard from the same part of the building as Ligeti’s much later work.

The choral compositions of the Brazilian Heitor Villa-Lobos have also been mostly overlooked for their original contribution to the repertoire. The poem of Praesepe , for mezzo-soprano with choir, is the work of the revered 16th-century Spanish-Brazilian Jesuit, José de Anchieta, a scholar of the indigenous language of the country. The radical simplicity implied in the words is captured in the mixture of folk and ecclesiastical style of Villa-Lobos’s setting. It complements the various other models of the program, tracing different kinds of human boundaries around the interactions of solo voice and collective song.

–JMcC

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Thanks to:s The Rector, Fr Brendan Lane and Diane Carey, Corpus Christi College.

Astra concerts receive support in 2013 from numerous private donors; the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria; The William Angliss Trust; Diana Gibson; The Ian Potter Foundation; The Robert Salzer Foundation.

 ASTRA CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY President: John Terrell Manager: Gabrielle Baker Musical Director: John McCaughey PO Box 365, North Melbourne, Victoria 3051, Australia ABN 41 255 197 577 Tel: +61 (3) 9326 5424 email: [email protected] web: www.astramusic.org.au

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