sign in sign up
<<
Home , Herbert Howells, Missa brevis, Missa Brevis (Bernstein), Nunc dimittis

Kodály Missa Brevis THE OF ORMOND COLLEGE directed by Douglas Lawrence Christopher Tye Missa Euge Bone Herbert Howells Three Latin Church Motets Motet for double choir Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf Organ Thomas Heywood Kodaly Missa Brevis THE CHOIR OF ORMOND COLLEGE directed by Douglas Lawrence Organ: Thomas Heywood

Christopher Tye 1497-1572 Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750 Missa Euge Bone The motet for double Choir 1 Octavi Toni 2'47" Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf 2 Gloria 4'41" 9 Verse 1 3'24" 3 4'05" q0 Verse 2 2'06" 4 et Benedictus 4'53" qa Chorale 1'27" 5 (four verses) 4'13" Zoltan Kodaly 1882-1967 Herbert Howells 1892-1983 Missa Brevis Three Latin Church Motets qs Introitus: Maestoso (organ solo) 3'10" 6 (à 6) 4'02" qd Kyrie: Andante 2'01" 7 Regina Cæli (à 8) 3'19" qf Gloria: Allegro, Adagio, Tempo primo 3'56" 8 (à 8) 2'46" qg Credo: Allegro moderato, Adagio, Allegro Mosso 4'49" qh Sanctus: Larghetto 2'11" qj Benedictus: Tranquillo 3'04" P 1997 MOVE RECORDS qk Agnus Dei: Maestoso 5'01" move.com.au ql Ite Missa est (organ solo) 3'34"

his ecording was recorded at Ormond College, presents The 1997 choir: Tin two sessions during the an annual series and choir’s 1997 concert tour of undertakes select engagements Europe. for leading concert Sopranos: Katrina Renard, Bianca On 26 June the Kodály Missa organisations. The choir has 24 Schimizzi, Lee Abrahmsen, Brevis was recorded in the singers though that number is SarahNorman, Nathalie Chambers 17th century Martinskirche in increased when major works are Altos: Amée Baird, Susan Furphy Wangen in Allgäu; Southern performed with orchestra. Germany. Wangen is just 25 The choir’s repertoire is wide, Tenors: Matthew Flood, Joel Gladman kilometres from the Bodensee, ranging from the earliest choral known to English speakers as music to recently composed Basses: Christopher Johnston, Samuel Lake Constance. works. Special interest has been Furphy, Jonathan Wallis The second recording session taken in the music of Bach and Decani was held on 24 July in the in contemporary Australian 15th century church of Santa music. The choir gave, with the Sopranos: Katherine Abrat, Rebecca Maria Bressanoro near Crema in Australian Baroque Ensemble Bennett, Virginia Jones, Lucy Monie, Caroline Tunnell-Jones Northern Italy. This church is playing early instruments, unique in the choir’s experience the first historically accurate Altos: Helena Simpson, Kate Brian in that we had absolute silence performances of Bach’s B Minor for the whole period of the and St. John Passion and Tenors: Vaughan McAlley, Michael Roe recording session. Handel’s , to be heard Basses: Jamie Wallis, Dougal Phillips, This tour is the seventh that in Melbourne. Many first Grantley McDonald the choir has undertaken since performances of Australian its formation in 1982. On works have been given. Perhaps these tours the choir has given the best known of these is: I in New Zealand, Japan, Heard the Owl call My Name by Singapore, England, Scotland, Phillip Nunn. This work was France, Germany, Denmark, recorded in 1993 on Move CD I Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Heard the Owl call My Name. Austria and Italy. At Melbourne University the choir sings in the chapel Christopher Tye 1497-1572 the dominant key of G major. Agnus Herbert Howells 1892-1983 Missa Euge Bone II begins daringly on the second Three Latin Church Motets inversion of that key and finishes 1 Kyrie Octavi Toni (plainchant) with an interrupted in the 6 Salve Regina (à 6) 2 Gloria key of F major. Agnus III takes the 7 Regina Cæli (à 8) 3 Credo second inversion of that key F major 8 Nunc Dimittis (à 8) 4 Sanctus and Benedictus as its starting point and finishes in the 5 Agnus Dei (four verses) dominant of F major which is C major Herbert Howells was the last composer and in that key the fourth Agnus Dei in the great tradition of English Christopher Tye was one of the most brings this exquisite work to an end. romantic —the tradition famous and revered composers of his The Mass Euge Bone is probably based of Stainer, Parry, Stanford and Vaughan time. His career stretched through four on a lost antiphon of the same name. Williams. These three Latin motets eventful reigns: those of Henry VIII, It demonstrates two further features were written in 1914/15 for the Choir Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth, a period typical of English mass settings of the of , London’s marked by turmoil and instability in the time: the abbreviation of the text of the Roman Catholic seat. The motets are history of the English monarchy and Credo, and the omission of a polyphonic distinguished by their sumptuous the church. Professional musicians, by Kyrie, which was usually still sung as harmonies and fluent melodies. necessity, had to compose their music ‘pricksong’ or Sarum Chant in England Perhaps the most important feature of to satisfy the constantly changing during the sixteenth century. Byrd’s Howells’ music is his ability to write needs and doctrinal specifications of Masses are anomalies in this respect, in a romantic idiom, without falling the time; the music of Tallis and Tye since they were written for private into sentimentality; in the case of these demonstrates these changes clearly. devotion during the time of Catholic motets, this is possibly a result of the Their early works recall the glories of persecution under Elizabeth, and for strong modal feel of the writing. late-fifteenth century English music: international audiences. The demands the soaring treble lines, the rich inner of liturgical change obviously had their Salve Regina textures, the frequent opposition of effect on Tye’s patience. The chronicler, Soprano solist: Katherine Abrat high voices against lower voices, and Antony Wood, tells us that the verger techniques such as the ‘Gimmell’ (a of the was once sent by Salve Regina, Mater misericordiae: corruption of cantus gemellus or ‘twin Elizabeth into the organ loft to tell Tye Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. song’), in which the upper lines split, as that he was playing out of tune; the Ad te clamamus, exsules, filii Hevae. in the Sanctus. old man sent the reply that it was Her Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in A curious feature of the mass Euge Majesty’s ears that were out of tune! lacrymarum. Bone, but one that we can be grateful Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos for, is the inclusion of four Agni Deorum. misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Unique in the mass repertoire of the Et Jesum benedictum fructum ventris time one can only assume that this tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. simply evolved whilst the mass was O clemens: O pia: O dulcis Virgo Maria. being composed. Agnus I finishes in Hail, Queen, mother of mercy. O Life, A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory Geist selbst vertritt uns aufs beste mit Sweetness, our Hope— Hail. of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father unaussprechlichem Seufzen. To you we cry, the exiled children of Eve, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it groaning and weeping in this valley of was in the beginning is now and ever shall The Spirit helps us how to pray tears. Please, then, be moved by our prayer be; world without end. Amen for we do not know what to pray for to turn your merciful eyes on us. And after the Spirit intercedes for us with this exile show us , the blessed fruit of inexpressible sighs. your womb. O mild and holy one; blessed Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750 Virgin Mary. The motet for double Choir q0 Verse 2 Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf Der aber die Herzen forschet, der weiß, was des Geistes Sinn sei, demm er This joyous work for double choir, one vertritt die Heiligen,nach dem, das Gott Regina Caeli laetare, : of only six or seven motets by Bach, gefället. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia: takes its text from the eighth chapter of Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia: Paul’s to the Romans. The first The searcher of hearts knows the mind Ora pro nobis Deum: alleluia. part is written in lively triple time, and dwelling in the Spirit because he pleads for contains vigorous dialogue between the the saints according to the will of God. Praise to you, Queen of Heaven, since He two . The two choirs gradually whom you were worthy to bear has risen unite during the second half of the first qa Chorale again, as He promised. Pray to God for us. verse, Sondern der Geist selbst vertritt Du heiliger brunst, süsser Trost, nun uns auf’s beste, and sing the second hilf uns, fröhlich und getrost in deinem Nunc Dimittis part, Der aber die Herzen forschet in Dienst beständig bleiben, die Trübsal Soprano soloist: Nathalie Chambers unison. The last section, the chorale uns nicht abtreiben. Du heilige Brunst, süßer Trost, is both a O Herr, durch dein Kraft uns bereit und Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine, commentary on the previous text and stärk des fleisches blödigkeit, daß wir secundum verbum tuum in pace: Quia a musical conclusion to the whole. The hie ritterlich ringen, durch Tod und viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum: work shows Bach’s pre-eminent genius Leben zu dir dringen. Quod parasti ante faciem omnium in composing for choir. Compositional Halleluia. populorum: Lumen ad revelationem techniques flood the texture; canon, gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel. fugue, haemiola, stretto, profound Look down O Holy Dove, Spirit. , et Filio, et Spiritu Sancto. Et modulation and all this imbued with Descend from heaven and help us now,. nunc, et semper, et in saeculorum, et in the unequalled musicality of this Inspire our hearts while humbly kneeling, saecula saeculorum. Amen. peerless composer. to pray with zeal. Prepare us through thy cleansing, power for Now Lord, you send forth your servant in 9 Verse 1 death, peace, according to your word: Because my Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf, That we may find the grave a portal to thee eyes have seen your which you denn wir wissen nicht, was wir beten in heaven have prepared before the face of all people: sollen, wie sichs gebühret; sondern der and life immortal. Hallelujah. Zoltán Kodály 1882-1967 horror of that period in history. In Notes: Grantley McDonald and Missa Brevis its passion and haunting melodies, Douglas Lawrence the Missa Brevis contains a depth of Recording engineer: Vaughan McAlley qs Introitus: Maestoso (organ solo) emotion exceptional in Kodály’s œuvre. Digital editing: Vaughan McAlley qd Kyrie: Andante soloists: Caroline One could perhaps single out firstly the Front cover painting: Tunnell-Jones, Virginia Jones, Katherine soprano divisi sections which occur in “Bridge over the Brenta” Bernardo Bellotto Abrat the Kyrie and in the Agnus Dei. Here The organ in Martinskirche: RIEGER qf Gloria: Allegro, Adagio, Tempo primo is something new, Kodály pushing the ORGELBAU soloists: alto-Helena Simpson, tenor-Joel limits of his music and indeed, the Gladman, baritone-Grantley McDonald limits of the singers’ abilities; then, Photographs of the recording venues (page qg Credo: Allegro moderato, Adagio, secondly, at the words - Qui tollis peccata 3) taken by Jonathan Wallis and Douglas Allegro mosso mundi the wonderful wide reaching Lawrence — qh Sanctus: Larghetto melody sung in turn by alto, baritone Top left: St Martin’s Kirche qj Benedictus: Tranquillo and tenor. Not many composers have Top right: Santa Maria Bressonoro qk Agnus Dei: Maestoso soloists: alto- portrayed pathos as movingly as this. Bottom: the choir at Santa Maria Helena Simpson, tenor-Matthew Flood This work may be accompanied by ql Ite Missa est (organ solo) organ or orchestra. In this version we Special thanks to Wllibald Guggenmos, the have used the organ version. Kodály organist of Martinskirche in Wangen and to As The New Grove Dictionary Of composed two settings of the Ite Missa the church of Santa Maria Bressanoro and Music And Musician’s puts it “For Est (Go, the mass is ended); one for to Louisa Merlin/Buffari Kodály the beauty of the human voice choir and organ and the second for and the charm of singing were alike organ alone. Having the services of Other choral recordings by The Choir of inexhaustible.” a fine player and the luxury of an Ormond College and organ recordings by This splendid work composed in absolutely wonderful organ, we decided organist Thomas Heywood are available 1944 reflects Kodály’s understanding to let the mighty organ roar! from Move Records. Ask us for a catalog. of the capabilities of the voice and of using them to striking advantage. P 1998 Move Records Soaring and penetratingly beautiful solos are combined with sections for the move.com.au full choir, to create drama and passion. Jazz elements abound with idiomatic harmonies and the occasional use of blue notes. Much of the work is based on chant. This mass was composed in the dark years of World War II and it may be that chant seemed to Kodály to form the best basis of a work reflecting the