Joby Talbot: An Analysis of Path of Miracles and Ave Verum Corpus

Richard Carrick MUSIC 484: Choral Repertoire of the 20th-Century Dr. Giselle Wyers March 19, 2019

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Joby Talbot’s composition portfolio is quite impressive and well diversified. Born in

London in 1971, Talbot began his musical studies as a young child playing piano and oboe, and performed his first composition at age 9.1 Talbot then went on to study music and composition at

Royal Holloway and Bedford New College and then earned his Master of Music in composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied with Simon Bainbridge.2

Following his studies at Royal Holloway, Joby Talbot toured with a rock band, The Divine

Comedy, for nearly a decade. This choice in career path is more unconventional than other composers in the classical music genre. Talbot’s role with the band was to create arrangements, serve as Music Director, and conduct the orchestra that would accompany the band. While touring with The Divine Comedy, Talbot simultaneously composed music, receiving commissions from the Kings’ Singers, the BBC Philharmonic, Paul McCartney, and film- studios.3 Joby Talbot’s film credits includes the music to several major motion pictures. Two of the movies he scored with the highest grossing box office are, Sing! and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Talbot also composed the theme music and television and film scores to the popular British Series, .4 In addition to film scores, Talbot has composed many Ballets, and recently premiered his opera, , with Dallas Opera. Clearly

Joby Talbot has enjoyed a successful career as a composer and musician since the early 1990s.

However, it wasn’t until he composed Path of Miracles in 2005 that he gained a larger audience in the choral music world. Talbot was commissioned to write this piece of music by Nigel Short and his ensemble, . Since then, the piece has become wildly popular among audiences

1 Joby Talbot, Interview by Kaya Savas, December 6, 2016, at 57 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv4Jqd9VfGw 2 Joby Talbot, “About,” section of his website, accessed February 11, 2019, Http://www.jobytalbot.com/about. 3 Joby Talbot, Interview by Darryn King, October 9, 2015 https://darrynking.com/2015/10/09/interview-joby-talbot/. 4 Joby Talbot, “Selected Works” section of his website, accessed on February 11, 2019, http://www.jobytalbot.com/works/#/screen/

Carrick 2 and choirs across the world. The popularity of Path of Miracles has steadily blossomed since

Tenebrae’s premiere and recording. Numerous ensembles excerpt single movements, and the piece was recorded for the second time in 2015 by the Grammy award winning ensemble,

Conspirare.5 In the 2018 and 2019 concert season alone, Path of Miracles has been performed in concert by many of the world’s top ensembles, including: The Singers – Minnesota Choral

Artists, Westminster Choir College, Sydney Philharmonia, Tenebrae, and Luminous Voices.6

Because of the difficulty of the work, Path of Miracles is performed almost exclusively by professional-level choirs. Despite this broad success, Talbot’s choral output comes in at a mere seven published compositions.7 First, this paper will examine one of Talbot’s un-recorded compositions, Ave Verum Corpus. It will provide some parameters describing postminimalism and explain how Talbot’s music fits into this category. The paper will provide a brief description and analysis of the work, focusing on Talbot’s use of text painting. Next, the paper will describe the famous pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago, define the Codex Calixtinus, and examine the influences the pilgrimage and historical document had on the composition of the Path of

Miracles.

Joby Talbot wrote Ave Verum Corpus in 2006, just one year after the premiere of Path of

Miracles. Ave Verum Corpus was commissioned by the Norfolk and Norwich festival. It was premiered by the Festival Chorus and Academy of Ancient Music, conducted by John Aplin.8

Joby Talbot sets the text in a postminimalist style. Postminimalism is difficult to define because it is such a new genre of composition, however Joy Meade identifies some characteristics of postminimalism as follows:

5 Talbot, Joby. Path of Miracles. Performed by Conspirare, conducted by Craig Hella Johnson. Harmonica Mundi, 2015. CD 6 Talbot, Joby. “Calendar.” Rent Performance List. Accessed on March 19, 2019. 7 Talbot, Joby. “Selected Works.” Works List. Accessed on February 3, 2019. 8 Joby Talbot, Ave Verum Corpus. London: Chester Music Ltd, 2006, p. 1.

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“Postminimalism is strongly influenced by the minimalist style that precedes it as exemplified by the works of Philip Glass by retaining many of the same characteristics: repetition, phase shifting, and additive processes. However, Musicologist Kyle Gann suggests postminimalism is not so highly structured, and allows for strict process and free composition to coexist.”9

This quote helps clarify how postminimalism evolved from minimalism in that it borrows many of the same techniques but gives the composer more freedom of expression because they are not bound by rules of process. Therefore, while the music sounds similar to minimalism, postminimalism gives the composer the opportunity to utilize techniques like text painting.

Examples of postminimalism can be found in the compositions of John Adams, whom Talbot admires. Talbot states: “Growing up as an orchestral player, I want to hear my music programmed in concert halls next to my favorites […] I think I’d like to be where John Adams is, his music is part of the orchestral canon now.”10 Elements of postminimalism can clearly be heard in Talbot’s own compositions. Joby Talbot’s use of repetition, small melodic fragments, cluster chords, parallel fifths, unprepared dissonances, and juxtaposition of ancient music devices with modern devices make Ave Verum Corpus a great example of postminimalism.11 The following paragraphs will highlight aspects of postminimalism in the Ave Verum Corpus, as well as the places where Talbot uses text painting.

The tonality of Ave Verum Corpus is E-Dorian. Because the text is both sacred and hundreds of years old, Talbot’s choice to use one of the church modes is very appropriate. The primary theme in Ave Verum Corpus is a descending motive of B-G-F#-E. This theme is found at the very beginning of the piece in the soprano and alto voices, doubled exactly by the strings

(See figure 1). The atmosphere is stiff, as Talbot instructs the ensemble to play delicately and

9 Meade, Joy Elizabeth, and Daniel J Bara. Pilgrimage and Postminimalism in Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles. PhD diss., University of Georgia, 2016, 64. 10 Anderson, Porter. “Music For Writers: Joby Talbot On The ‘Path Of Miracles.’” Thought Catalog, May 22, 2015. 11 Meade, p. 66.

Carrick 4 always rhythmically. This instruction is yet another aspect of postminimalism, which often uses repeated rhythms and a consistent tempo.12 Talbot sets the text carefully and purposefully, using text-painting throughout the piece. The beginning of the piece is slow-moving polyphony, however the texture briefly becomes homophonic on the word “homine,” meaning “mankind.”

Perhaps this shift in texture is symbolic of the sacrificial death of Jesus for all mankind, not just individuals. Another example of text painting can be found when the choir sings “Cujus latus perforatum, unda fluxit sanguine,” which means, “Whose side was pierced whence/water flowed blood.”13 On the word “perforatum,” meaning “pierced,” he writes an F# and C#. Talbot seems to be using the visual representation of the sharps to represent the piercing of Jesus’ body. To further accentuate the piercing motive, Talbot instructs the violins to play pizzicato. Bach used sharps to represent piercing in the Saint Matthew Passion and other cantatas. Utilizing compositional devices of previous generations is commonplace among minimalist and postminimalist composers.14

Figure 1: Primary Theme, found in measures 1-3 from Talbot’s Ave Verum Corpus

12 Meade, p. 66. 13 Jeffers, Ron. Translations and Annotations of Choral Repertoire: Volume 1: Sacred Latin Texts. Corvalis: Earthsongs, 1988. p. 105 14 Meade, p. 67 Carrick 5

From measures 65 to 96, the sopranos carry the text alternating between F major and G major harmonies, while an arpeggio outlining an E-Minor-9 chord is being played by the strings.

At measure 97 the harmonies shift from E-Minor to E-Major for the first time, which occurs on the phrase: “O Jesus sweet.” The “sweeter” sounding major-tonality is another example of Talbot paying careful attention to text setting. Additionally, the primary motive (B-G-F#-E) is played in a descending melodic figure in the strings, which creates a flowing texture (See Figure 2).

Figure 2: Measures 57-60 of Talbot’s Ave Verum Corpus.

Ron Jeffers states that the text to the Ave Verum Corpus “focuses on the great symbol of

Baptism: the pouring forth of water from his pierced side.”15 This descending figure truly sounds like the water flowing from Jesus’ side. Examples of text painting continue when the sopranos sing the words, “truly [Jesus] has suffered and was crucified on the cross for mankind.” On this

15 Jeffers, p. 105 Carrick 6 phrase, the sopranos sing a descending scale in parallel 3rds. Because the scale is in E-Dorian, there are unexpected dissonances for modern listeners. This dissonance is a very appropriate reflection of the text, which refers to suffering. The choice to have the scale be descending can be interpreted as the suffering coming from God in heaven (high) for men and women on Earth

(low). The piece ends in a very subdued manner, with the basses singing alone on an E2 before fading away to nothing. By ending quietly, the performers are ending with reverence, humbled by the sacrifice.

One does not have to identify as Christian to be able to appreciate the beautiful text painting and powerful symbolism that Talbot captures in Ave Verum Corpus. There is much to be gained by studying history and understanding symbolism of different faiths. For example, thousands of people make the pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago every year, many of whom do not identify as Christian. Nevertheless, pilgrims of all world-views describe the journey as being a transformative experience. Joby Talbot wrote Path of Miracles, an hour long, unaccompanied choral work for five sopranos, four altos, four tenors, four basses, and crotales, as a musical representation of the pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago. Joy Meade writes in her dissertation: “Path of Miracles is a modern-day soundtrack of this enduring pilgrimage.”16

Joby Talbot has not walked the entire Camino de Santiago himself, but when he received the commission from Tenebrae to compose Path of Miracles he took a road trip with his family to research the major sites along the route.17 Before exploring the Path of Miracles movement by movement, it is first essential to develop a better understanding of the Camino de Santiago and the Codex Calixtinus.

16 Meade, abstract. 17 Anderson, Porter. “Music For Writers: Joby Talbot On The ‘Path Of Miracles.’” Carrick 7

The Camino de Santiago means the road, or “way” of Saint James, referring to James, the brother of John, and disciple to Jesus. After Jesus was crucified, his disciples travelled all over the world proselytizing. James went to the Iberian Peninsula. After being largely rejected by the people there, James went back to Jerusalem where he was beheaded by Herod in 44 AD. Joy

Meade writes:

“Despite Herold’s refusal to grant permission for James’ decapitated body to be buried, a group of James’ disciples were able to rescue the body. Legend suggests that the disciples placed James’ body in an unmanned boat made of tombstone that was led by an angel across the sea and up the River Ulla to Irina Flavia, the capital of Galicia, to a place where there was a cemetery.”18

His body was lost for over 800 years, until a hermit named Pelayo saw a star over a field. Much like the story of the magi following the star to Bethlehem, Pelayo followed the star until he found the remains of St. James: “An ancient burial place was unearthed and on July 25, A.D. 813, the holy remains were drawn triumphantly in an ox cart into the center of Santiago.”19 A cathedral was constructed in honor of St. James and was named Santiago (St. James) de Compostela.

Compostela is derived from the Spanish “Campo de la estrella,” or the “field of the star,” honoring the miracle of the star that lead Pelayo to St. James’ body. 20 Since the 9th century, people have made the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Over the centuries, this journey became one of the most completed pilgrimages: “As a center of Christian pilgrimage, Santiago rivaled Rome and the Holy Land. The Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James, originated in towns all over Europe – in England, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia and, of course, France”21

Pilgrims traveled extreme distances to arrive in Santiago. A pilgrim traveling from Paris to

Santiago and back would have traveled almost 2000 miles. 22 If a person walked 26 miles per

18 Meade, p. 4 19 Billington, Rachel. “Santiago’s Golden Legend.” Magazine, October 1, 1989. 20 Billington, “Santiago’s Golden Legend.” 21 Billington, “Santiago’s Golden Legend.” 22 Shaver-Crandell, Annie., Paula Lieber Gerson, and Alison Stones. The Pilgrim’s Guide to Santiago De Compostela: A Gazetteer. London: Harvey Miller Publishers, 1995, p 20-21. Carrick 8 day (the distance of a marathon), it would take them almost 80 days to make the journey. The scallop shell has come to symbolize the Camino de Santiago because the shell has multiple curved lines that all come to a focal point. The image of a scallop shell represents the many different routes that lead to one location; Santiago.23 While there are many routes to Santiago de

Compostela, most pilgrims arrive in Spain at Roncevalles and end at Santiago.24 When taking this route, the pilgrim will travel through many small towns and villages, as well as four larger cities (See Figure 3). These larger cities, Roncevalles, Burgos, León, and Santiago, have famous churches and cathedrals associated with them. These stops would provide the pilgrim an opportunity to rest and be spiritually renewed from the tiresome journey. Joby Talbot chose to name the four movements of Path of Miracles after these four cities:

“A trip to northern Spain [where we] visited many of the important points of the Camino, including four of its greatest churches: the abbey at Roncesvalles in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and the great cathedrals of Burgos, Leon, and Santiago itself. The impressions these places left on me became the basis for the musical structure of the work.”25

After traveling to Santiago, pilgrims would walk an additional 50 miles to the coast of Spain, called Finisterre. Even though Finisterre isn’t even the most western part of Europe, it was considered to be the edge of the world in Medieval times, hence the name, which translated is

“Finis” – “End” and “Terre” – “Earth.”26 The pilgrimage became so popular in the 9th-12th centuries that a document was created to served as a travel guide. Today, that document is known as the Codex Calixtinus.

23 Melczer, William. The Pilgrim’s Guide to Santiago De Compostela. New York: Italica Press, 1993, p. 58. 24 Meade, p. 5 25 Talbot, Joby, Path of Miracles CD Liner Notes, Signum Records, 2005, CD. 26 Billington, “Santiago’s Golden Legend.”

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Figure 3: Map of the Camino de Santiago. The Codex Calixtinus, named after Pope Callixtus II, was written and compiled between

1130 and 1140 AD.27 While some of the chapters are attributed to Pope Callixtus, it is clear that he did not write the Codex himself; however he is credited with providing the resources and impetus to create the document.28 Once Callixtus became Pope, he elevated Santiago to an

Archdiocese, making the Cathedral an even more important destination: “Pope Callixtus II granted graces and privileges of the Vatican to Compostela in 1122 CE, ushering in the golden age of pilgrimage to Compostela, at which time St. James and the cathedral became the most visited shrine in the Christian world.”29 The codex is in 5 sections, or Libros, and the contents include everything from sermons and liturgical texts to information on good places to sleep and eat along the route. Of particular interest to musicologists are the chants and polyphonic settings that are included in the document. These represent some of the earliest written examples of polyphony available to scholars.30 The Codex Calixtinus was used extensively as inspiration for

27 Shaver-Crandell. 28 Shaver-Crandell, p. 22-30. 29 Meade, 5-6. 30 Shaver-Crandell, 65-96. Carrick 10 the Path of Miracles: “Much of the Latin portions of the libretto in Path of Miracles comes from this guidebook, as do many of the poetic English interpolations by Dickinson [the librettist for

Path of Miracles].”31 The next part of this paper will examine each movement of Path of

Miracles, providing insights to develop a deeper understanding of Talbot’s composition.

The first movement, Roncesvalles, begins with a vocal technique from the Bunan tribe of

Taiwan called Pasiputput. Pasiputput can be described as an extremely long glissando with slowly shifting vowels that manipulate overtones. The ensemble members stagger breathe and re-enter slightly below the pitch they left and continue their glissando upward.32 Talbot describes his first experience with Pasiputput:

“I clearly remember lying on the floor of the attic room in my parents house. As the slow, endless glissando […] drew me in, I became aware that I was hallucinating […] A decade and a half later, when Nigel Short of the English choir Tenebrae approached me with the idea of writing a piece about the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, the Pasiputput sprang to mind.”33

Joy Meade writes in her dissertation: “Though this ritual and culture have no direct links to the

Camino, the primordial groaning sound of this ancient ritual expresses renewal and rebirth […]

Pasiputput singing depicts the interaction of man with his fellow man and with nature.”34

Following this effective opening, the first text is heard. The text is known as the Pilgrim’s Hymn and is found in the Codex Calixtinus. It is a prayer that is traditionally said at the beginning of the pilgrim’s journey: “Herr Santiagu, Grot Santiagu, Eultreya esuseya Deius aia nos,” meaning

“O Santiago, Great Santiago, God help us now and evermore.”35 Talbot sets this text throughout the four movements, always in a homophonic texture, varying in dynamics. In Roncesvalles, we hear many different languages, including: German, Greek, Latin, Spanish, Basque, French, and

31 Meade, 10. 32 Talbot, Joby. Path of Miracles. London: Chester Music Ltd, 2005, 1. 33 Talbot, Joby. Path of Miracles: From the Composer. Conspirare, conducted by Craig Hella Johnson, 2014. Program Notes. 34 Meade, 70. 35 Meade, 56. Carrick 11

English. This convergence of languages represents the pilgrims that come from all over the world to travel the Camino de Santiago. The text that follows, written and compiled by Robert

Dickinson, tells the origins of the Camino de Santiago, as previously described in this paper.

Talbot sets this text using rhythmic motives that represent the physical act of walking. Joy

Meade describes how the music achieves this: “Through steady and unremitting rhythms, syncopation, and sudden pauses [the music] lacks a definitive end because of its irregular and unpredictable metrical changes. In these ways, this melody implies continuous travel on a winding and unending road.”36 Much like an opera or an oratorio, Talbot adjusts the style of composition to either progress the story with declamatory sections or to create musical atmospheres that represent the more emotional aspects of the pilgrimage. Talbot also uses various solo lines throughout the movement in chant-like settings, which is reminiscent of a cantor that would be heard at churches throughout the journey.

The second movement is titled Burgos, after the city which has a famous gothic cathedral. In an interview, Joby Talbot describes his experience at Burgos:

“Burgos was the exact opposite [of Leon]— dark, gloomy, dripping with saints’ relics…your archetypal uber-Catholic cathedral with lots of gilt and lots of shrines and great, big gory oil paintings in various stages of neglect. So I thought, well, then Burgos could be more of my dies irae.”37

The text used in Burgos is the darkest of the movements. The Pilgrims pray to St. James as they realize the perilous nature of the road. There have been elements of danger along the Camino de

Santiago throughout its history. Pilgrims would experience theft, cheating, disease, and even murder. In an attempt to combat the dangers of the Camino, the Codex Calixtinus included information about safe places to stay, which inns were reputable, and which establishments would give you a good meal at a fair price.38 The libretto in Burgos states:

36 Meade, 21. 37 Anderson, Porter. “Music For Writers: Joby Talbot On The ‘Path Of Miracles.’” 38 Shaver-Crandell, p. 22-23. Carrick 12

“Innkeepers cheat us, the English steal, the devil waits at the side of the road […] Remember the pilgrim robbed in Pamplona, cheated of silver the night his wife died. Remember the son of the German pilgrim, hanged as a thief at the gates of the town, hanged at the word of an innkeeper’s daughter.”39

The libretto continues to describe other hardships that the pilgrims have heard or experienced along their journey. Meade eloquently describes the compositional atmosphere at the beginning of Burgos:

“The recurrent parallel motion in this first motive in ‘Burgos’ suggests a sense of wandering, which fits the text of the fatigued pilgrim travelling slowly along the Camino to Burgos. No focal pitch or key area is established, which offers an atmosphere of uncertainty and mystery to this motive. With only the upper voices singing, and without any bass sonorities, the texture lacks foundation, reinforcing the feeling of the rootless, drifting, and weary traveler on a long and dangerous road.”40

The image of a weary traveler is clearly heard in the music. The bass voices repeat an ostinato of unrelenting half notes, repeating the words “Santiago Peregrino,” meaning “St. James Pilgrim.”

Set in a low tessitura, this ostinato sounds like the plodding of boots down the road in a hypnotic state. In measure 223 the tempo dramatically speeds up and the music becomes like a

“Totentanz.” Although the meter remains in 3/2, the faster tempo and syncopations that accommodate good text stress make it function as alternating between 6/4 and 3/2. This complete change in atmosphere portrays the text, which states:

“Sometimes the Saint takes the form of a pilgrim, sometimes the devil takes the form of a saint. Pray to the Saints and the Virgen del Camino, to save you as she saved the man from Lyon who was tricked on the road by the deceiver, tricked by the devil, and who killed himself from fear.”41

The tempo and meter capture the craftiness of the devil as he tries to trick pilgrims along the road. Following this very thrilling music, Talbot ends the movement with only the bass voices singing the pitches E2-B3-D3-E3. This incomplete E-Minor-7 chord is very unstable, which is

39 Talbot, Path of Miracles, 60-67. 40 Meade, 79-80. 41 Talbot, Path of Miracles, 88-89. Carrick 13 evocative of the unease the pilgrims must have felt, knowing that danger could lurk around any corner.

As soon as movement 3 begins, the atmosphere changes dramatically. Hope can be heard everywhere in the music. Leon is the penultimate movement of the Path of Miracles, and as the title suggests, “light” is the primary theme of this movement. Talbot is quoted in an interview saying: “Standing in Leon Cathedral while the sun was setting and seeing this extraordinary quality of light through the beautiful Medieval stained glass, I thought of a lux aeterna.”42 The opening text chosen for this movement is: “Li soleus qui’en moi luist,” meaning “The sun that shines within me is my joy, and God is my guide.”43 The opening motive that the sopranos state in measure one is repeated throughout the entire movement. Joy Meade writes: “Talbot composes a seven note ‘light motive’ that dominates the character of this movement. This motive

[…] represents the light streaming through the stained-glass windows of the Leon Cathedral.”44

The use of this ostinato provides the listener with a sense of the monotony of walking many miles, day after day. Using repeated patterns is a common technique in postminimalist compositions. Although there is plenty of dissonance in this movement, the harmonies used are relatively predictable and stable; a welcome reprieve to the listener. At measure 56, all voices drop out except for a lone soprano, which sounds like a single ray of light illuminating the path forward. As other voices join the sopranos, they sing the text:

“Rumours of grace on the road, of wonders: The miracles of Villasirga, the Virgin in the apple tree, The Apostle on horseback, a journey of days in one night. God Knows we have walked in Jakobsland.”45

This is such a contrast to movement 2 where the devil was terrorizing the pilgrims. The music climaxes in measure 79, where the choir modulates to a glorious E-flat major chord on the word

42 Porter Anderson Interview 43 Talbot, Path of Miracles, 99. 44 Meade, 87. 45 Talbot, Path of Miracles, 106-107. Carrick 14

“Jakobsland.” E-flat major has been used throughout history to represent Jesus and Christianity.

The three flats of the key represent the Holy Trinity, and the warmth of the key is a perfect choice to represent the light of Leon’s cathedral. After having heard so many somber modes and dissonances, hearing a simple major triad is both shocking and effective. Following this beautiful moment, the ostinato “light motive” returns, symbolizing that though they have come far, the pilgrims have more distance to travel before they reach Santiago.

Movement four, Santiago, begins with a familiar triplet motive which Talbot introduced in movement one. The triplet rhythm is interrupted by pauses, which represent the travelers’ need for rest as they journey over the hilly terrain. Joy Meade notes that Talbot uses shifting harmonies to build suspense:

“With the return of the triplet motive from ‘Roncesvalles’ from measures 1 through 48, pitch class sets return, and the symmetrical construction of the pitch class set allows the motive to hover between major and minor tonalities. This adds a feeling of suspense and anticipation as the pilgrim approaches Santiago.”46

The music really does sound suspenseful, and it is only further heightened at measure 149 where there is a grand pause and a new slower tempo. The inner voices of the choir sing in a homophonic texture:

“Then, from the stream at Lavacolla to the foot of Monte de Gozo, a morning; From the foot of Monte de Gozo to the summit of Monte de Gozo the road climbs, before the longed-for final descent to Santiago.”47 The pilgrims are so close to their destination, as Monte de Gozo is the final climb before the descent into Santiago. From the summit of Monte de Gozo, there is a famous view of Santiago.

This would be the Pilgrims’ first view of their destination after months of travel on the Camino de Santiago. Imagine the joy and the emotional release these pilgrims must have felt when they laid eyes on Santiago! At this moment in the piece, Talbot augments the rhythm creating a

46 Meade, 97. 47 Talbot, Path of Miracles, 142-145. Carrick 15 cinematic effect of slow-motion. This draws the listener into the significance of this moment. In measure 169, everyone cuts off except for the tenors, who sing a unison A4, before another grand pause. Talbot breaks the pause with the Pilgrim’s Hymn. However, instead of singing fortissimo, as in the opening statement in Roncesvalles, the choir sings at a piano dynamic. This choice by Talbot demonstrates a deep understanding of the drama and psychology of these

Pilgrims. The choice to sing the hymn quietly shows humility and reverence. They are not the same people as they were when they began their pilgrimage. What follows is a 19 measure accelerando, as if the pilgrims are gaining momentum as they descend towards Santiago, before breaking into a sprint. At measure 201, a dance of unbridled joy erupts. Talbot explains in an interview one of his experiences in Santiago:

“I was standing on the porch of the great cathedral in the pouring rain and this group of teenaged French pilgrims arrived in the main square. And they were so ecstatic that they threw their backpacks into a huge pile and started this impromptu crazed dance around them. And that didn’t seem at all odd in that context. You really get the sense of being part of something hundreds and hundreds of years old there.”

One has to imagine that this was the image that Talbot had in his head when he composed measures 201 to 336. The music is contagious in its joy. At measure 337, Talbot brings back the

Pilgrim’s Hymn, this time fff in dynamic, and in F major as opposed to D major, a third higher.

The relationship of a 3rd is symbolic in Christian iconography, and perhaps this modulation up by a third represents the pilgrims’ transcending closer to God. After they sing the pilgrim’s hymn there is an abrupt key change, accompanied by a repeating triplet motive in the alto line, which sounds very haunting. The text describes Santiago as a place where “the walls of heav’n are thin as a curtain, transparent as glass.” This journey has transformed the pilgrims into people that have a deeper understanding of themselves, drawing them closer to God.

Beginning at measure 360, Talbot moves the pilgrims forward toward Finisterre. The basses sing: Carrick 16

“At the Western edge of the world we pray for our sins to fall from us as chains from the limbs of penitents. We have walked out of the lives we had and will return to nothing, if we live, changed by the journey, face and soul alike. […] Take from our backs the burdens of life, what we have done, who we have been; Take them as fire takes the cloth. They cast into the sea at Finisterre”48

As mentioned previously, Finisterre was considered to be the edge of the world during Medieval times. Pilgrims would continue their journey from Santiago to Finisterre where they would remove their shoes and clothing, burning them in a fire on the beach. Having been forever changed by their pilgrimage, the burning of clothes is symbolic of their old lives being transformed. They literally walked out of their lives to venture on this pilgrimage, and this mountaintop experience leaves the pilgrim wanting to be forever changed. Talbot closes the entire work with the Pilgrim’s Hymn again, but this time set in English. The music repeats over and over again, ad. lib, until the music fades to nothing.

The Path of Miracles is a masterwork filled with deep symbolism. It was carefully crafted and is worthy of further study. Joby Talbot’s skill as a composer comes through in this work, and it is baffling to think that this was only the second choral piece he’d ever published.

Furthermore, Talbot’s Ave Verum Corpus is worthy of further attention, performances, and a recording. As choral musicians, we can only hope that Talbot will continue to write music for choirs. Talbot’s postminimalist writing is pleasing to hear, and his attention to text is superb.

While Talbot’s music can be vocally and aurally demanding, the rewards are well worth the effort.

48 Talbot, Path of Miracles, 186-203.

Bibliography

Aguirre, M. Yolanda. A Study of Early Polyphony: The Music of the Codex Calixtinus. M.A. diss., The American University 1992, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

This thesis gives an overview of the Codex Calixtinus’ contents, including the liturgical services for St. James, a pilgrim’s guide to the Camino de Santiago, the written record of St. James’ miracles, and the music that was included in the codex. This thesis focus is on the polyphonic music found in the codex, but it is useful to my paper in that it contains scholarly information that I can use to describe the significance of the Codex Calixtinus.

Anderson, Porter. “Music For Writers: Joby Talbot On The ‘Path Of Miracles.’” Thought Catalog, May 22, 2015. http://tcat.tc/1IQb8b8.

This article is both a synopsis of the Path of Miracles, but more importantly it includes an interview with Joby Talbot about his life, career, and the Path of Miracles itself. Because of the interview portions of this article, it is a valuable source because it provides quotes directly from Joby Talbot that are not accessible in scholarly journals at this time.

AP Sion, Phyllis. ‘Reference and Quotation in Minimalist and Postminimalist Music.” In The Ashgate Research Companion to Minimalist and Postminimalist Music, edited by Keith Potter, Kyle Gann and Pwyll AP Sion (Burlington: Ashgate Publishing, 2013).

I was not able to get my hands on this resource yet, however it was used in Joy Meade’s dissertation extensively. For future projects, this will be a useful resource. It will allow me to write and quote Phllis AP Sion directly, rather than secondarily through Meade’s dissertation.

Billington, Rachel. “Santiago’s Golden Legend.” The New York Times Magazine, October 1, 1989. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/01/magazine/santiago-s-golden- legend.html?auth=login-email.

While the New York Times Magazine may not be considered a scholarly journal, it is nevertheless written by excellent journalists who write for the lay-person. This article is a wonderful synopsis of how St. James was brought to northern Spain and gives some context to the Camino de Santiago. This article goes into some detail for people who want to travel the Camino, which is not as helpful for this paper, but it does indicate how the Camino de Santiago has remained a popular pilgrim journey for the past thousand years.

Jeffers, Ron. Translations and Annotations of Choral Repertoire: Volume 1: Sacred Latin Texts. Corvalis: Earthsongs, 1988.

This text is an invaluable resource for any choral conductor. It has translations and annotations of the most commonly used Latin sacred texts. For this project, I used the notes and translations for the Ave Verum Corpus text and was able to better analyze Joby Talbot’s score because of this resource.

Longo, Kathryn. “Joby Talbot: Path of Miracles by Craig Hella Johnson.” The Choral Journal 56, no. 11 (2016): 79. Http://www.jstor.org.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/stable/43917015.

This is a review of the Conspirare recording of Talbot’s Path of Miracles. I find reviews very meaningful sources for papers, especially of modern works. This review offers some good insight to the Path of Miracles.

Meade, Joy Elizabeth, and Daniel J Bara. Pilgrimage and Postminimalism in Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles. PhD diss., University of Georgia, 2016.

This dissertation examines Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles and analyzes sections of the work as an example of postminimalism in choral music. Additionally, this document analyzes the Path of Miracles and shows how it is a musical representation of the pilgrimage itself and how it reflects both the sacred and secular aspects of the Camino de Santiago. Having a dissertation like this for a work that has hardly been written about is incredibly useful in my paper. I will use this source as a cornerstone reference as I do my own analysis and description of this monumental choral work.

Melczer, William. The Pilgrim’s Guide to Santiago De Compostela. New York: Italica Press, 1993.

This book discusses the Camino de Santiago, including the fascination with St. James, the myths and historical realities surrounding St. James. This book also serves as a reference to understanding the Codex Calixtinus, but referred to in this book as the “Liber Sancti Jacobi,” one of the codex’s alternate titles. This source also has some interesting information surrounding the iconography of St. James, and contains useful information about the pilgrimage along the Camino itself.

Miami. “Music for the Eyes: Manuscripts from the Frank Cooper Music Facsimile Collection.” Codex Calixtinus. Accessed on February 4, 2019. http://scholar.library.miami.edu/facsimile/calix.html

This website includes some images of the Codex Calixtinus as well as descriptions about the Codex as a whole document. This was useful as I was unable to gain access to a copy of the codex in time for this paper. The University of Oregon has a copy, but it is currently out on loan. It was therefore necessary to find some facsimiles of the document for my paper. Of particular interest were the polyphonic settings of the music.

Omnifacsimilies. “Codex Calixtinus: Deluxe Facsimile Edition.” Accessed on February 4, 2019. http://www.omifacsimiles.com/brochures/images/calix2.pdf

This website is useful because it has some photographs of the actual Codex Calixtinus. It also includes some general history of the document. While most of my information will be cited from the Shaver-Crandell, this was a useful website and gave me some background information and influenced my general thinking surrounding this paper.

Savers, Dorothy L. The Song of Roland. New York: Penguin Books, 1957.

The fourth libro in the Codex Calixtinus gives a history of Charlemagne and Roland, and it is known as the “Historia Turpini.” Because the codex includes the history of Roland, I thought it would be important to read and include as a reference the epic poem The Song of Roland. This work is the oldest surviving major work of French literature and was very popular in the 12th-14th centuries. Its inclusion in the Codex Calixtinus demonstrates how important this story was to 12th-Century Christians and for Pilgrims traveling the Camino de Santiago.

Shaver-Crandell, Annie., Paula Lieber Gerson, and Alison Stones. The Pilgrim’s Guide to Santiago De Compostela: A Gazetteer. London: Harvey Miller Publishers, 1995.

This source is an English translation of the original manuscript from the Codex Calixtinus, which was written in Latin. This translation is so valuable, as it provides easy access to the exact information that 12th-century travelers had as they traveled the Camino de Santiago. The book contains points of interest, relics, and information on where to spend the night and where to get a good meal. The book contains many illustrations, including a map of the routes of the Camino.

Talbot, Joby. “About.” Biography. Accessed on February 3, 2019. Http://www.jobytalbot.com/about

Joby Talbot is not located in the New Grove or Grove Online, nor could I find biographical information about him in any peer-reviewed article or book. Therefore, his personal website is necessary to gather personal information about the composer. Since this is his personal website, one has to assume that the information is curated to show the composer in the best light, and it is not a comprehensive biography.

Talbot, Joby. Ave Verum Corpus. London: Chester Music Ltd, 2006.

This is the full score of the work. There are no recordings of the piece, nor are there any articles or references in books about the Ave Verum Corpus. In the score there is information about who commissioned the work and who gave the premiere. Additionally, I used the score to analyze the music and understand Talbot’s compositional style, including the ways that he uses minimalism technique while still evoking strong emotions through text painting.

Talbot, Joby. “Calendar.” Rent Performance List. Accessed on March 19, 2019. http://www.jobytalbot.com/performance-calendar

This portion of the website is helpful as it shows which ensembles are performing, or have recently performed Talbot’s works.

Talbot, Joby. 2016. Interview by Kaya Savas. December 6, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv4Jqd9VfGw

This is an interview with the composer that was recorded in 2016. The audio to the interview is available on youtube at the link above. Interviews are very valuable for getting biographical information about Joby Talbot, since there has yet to be a reliable article or book published that contains this information. This interview is also useful for getting some insight into Talbot’s compositions.

Talbot, Joby. 2015. “Interview: Composer Joby Talbot.” Darryn King, October 9, 2015. https://darrynking.com/2015/10/09/interview-joby-talbot/.

This is an interview with the composer that was recorded in 2015. The transcript of the interview is available to view through the link above. Interviews are very valuable for getting biographical information about Joby Talbot, since there has yet to be a reliable article or book published that contains this information. This interview is also useful for getting some insight into Talbot’s compositions.

Talbot, Joby. Path of Miracles. London: Chester Music Ltd, 2005.

This is the full score of the work. There is very little written about the Path of Miracles, except for the dissertation by Meade. Therefore using the primary source is the primary method of my analysis of the work.

Talbot, Joby. Path of Miracles. Performed by Conspirare, conducted by Craig Hella Johnson. Harmonica Mundi, 2015. CD

This is the second professional recording of Path of Miracles, performed by the professional American ensemble, Conspirare. Craig Hella Johnson is widely recognized as one of America’s top choral conductors, and he has won a Grammy for his work with Conspirare. I used this recording as a guide in my score study. The recording is very well done and has different nuances than the original recording by Tenebrae.

Talbot, Joby. Path of Miracles: From the Composer. Conspirare, conducted by Craig Hella Johnson, 2014. Program Notes.

This is a valuable resource, as it has the composer’s own words describing Path of Miracles. While program notes are generally not reputable sources, I am using this as a primary source from the composer.

Talbot, Joby. Path of Miracles. Performed by Tenebrae, conducted by Nigel Short. Signum Records, 2005. CD.

This was the original recording of Talbot’s Path of Miracles, and it is spectacular. The musical details of tuning and balance are masterful, and the artistry is superior. I cannot speak more highly of the work of Nigel Short and his Brittish Ensemble, Tenebrae. While the Conspirare recording is also excellent, this original recording is my preference. I think the “British” sound more accurately captures the spirit of Talbot’s composition.

Talbot, Joby. Path of Miracles CD Liner Notes. Signum Records, 2005. CD.

Liner notes are not ideal sources, however since these were written by the composer himself, they provide useful information about the construction of the piece, as well as some historical information surrounding the influences behind the music.

Talbot, Joby. “Selected Works.” Works List. Accessed on February 3, 2019. Http://www.jobytalbot.com/works

Talbot’s website includes a section for his “selected works,” or a sampling of his compositions. It is not a complete list of his output, as other pieces can be found for purchase on other publishing websites. This was useful for Talbot’s own descriptions of his compositions as well as some background information about the pieces.