Saturday, November 26, 2016, 8pm Zellerbach Hall Vienna Boys Choir 2016 Tour of the United States
Jimmy Chiang, choirmaster
Procession Ad te levavi animam meam Gregorian Chant – Introit for the Advent season (I have raised up my soul to you ) [Psalm 2 4 (25):1-4]
Jacobus DE KERLE (1531 –1591) Sanctus from: Missa Regina Coeli (c. 1570) for four voices a cappella
Johann Joseph FUX (1660 –1741) Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen ), K. 257 Marian antiphon, [attributed to Hermann von Reichenau]
Joseph HAYDN (1732 –1809) Insanae et vanae curae (Mad and useless worries ), Hob. XXI:1, 13c
Michael HAYDN (1737 –1806) Anima nostra (Our soul ) Offertory for the Feast of the Holy Innocents, MH 452
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756 –1791) Die ihr des unermesslichen Weltalls Schöpfer ehrt arr. Gerald Wirth (You, who praise the Creator of the unfathomable Universe ) [Franz Heinrich Ziegenhagen] Cantata, K. 619
Gerald WIRTH (b. 1965) mercy —forgiveness—inner peace (Agnus Dei)
Folk song from Burgenland, Austria Es steht ein Baum im tiefen Tal arr. Gerald Wirth (e tree in the valley)
Josef STRAUSS (1827–1870) Auf Ferienreisen (On Holiday ) arr. Gerald Wirth Fast polka, Op. 133 (1863) [Tina Breckwoldt]
Joseph LANNER (1801–1843) Die Schönbrunner (e People of Schönbrunn ) arr. Gerald Wirth Waltz, Op. 200 (1842) [Tina Breckwoldt]
INTERMISSION
PROGRAM
John Francis WADE (c. 1711–1786) Adeste fideles arr. Gerald Wirth (Herbei, o ihr Gläubigen/O Come, All Ye Faithful)
Carol from the Speyer Hymnal, Cologne 1599 Es ist ein Ros´entsprungen arr. Michael Praetorius (1571–1621) (Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming)
Advent carol O Heiland, reiss’ die Himmel auf Tune: Rheinfels Hymnal, 1666 (O savior, tear open the skies) arr. Gerald Wirth [Friedrich von Spee]
Am Weihnachtsbaum die Lichter brennen [Gustav Hermann Kletke]
Franz SCHUBERT (1797 –1828) Ave Maria – Ellens dritter Gesang (Hail, Mary – Ellen’s ird Song) D. 839, Op. 52, No. 6 (1825)
Johann Ritter VON HERBECK (1831 –1877) Pueri concinite (Boys, begin ) Cantus pastoralis, for soprano solo and four-part choir
Anton REIDINGER (1839–1912) Es wird scho glei dumpa (It will be dark soon) arr. Gerald Wirth Sacred lullaby from Upper Austria and the Tyrol
Benjamin BRITTEN (1913–1976) Four pieces from A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28 (1942) Balulalow [James, John, and Robert Wedderburn] As Dew in Aprille is Little Babe [R obert Southwell] Deo gracias
Johnny MARKS (1909 –1985) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1949) [Johnny Marks]
Hotel Residenz Palais Coburg is the Vienna Boys Choir general sponsor.
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PLAYBILL PROGRAM NOTES
Procession scholarship. From 1690 onwards, Fux lived in Ad te levavi animam meam Vienna, working as the organist at Schotten - (I have raised up my soul to you) kirche. By 1705, he was director of music in [Psalm 24 (25):1-4] St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In 1713, Fux appears in “Ad te levavi animam meam” is the introit of the the Imperial court records as vice Kapellmeister , mass for the first Sunday of Advent, and as such and in 1715, he was appointed Kapellmeister , might be understood as a motto for the entire (director of music) of the Chapel Imperial— church year: this is how a Christian should quite a career for a villager in the 17th century. live. Melody and rhythm indicate that Christ Fux enjoyed a good bit of fame as a composer, is the speaker, or singer, like a cantor leading and he is considered the main exponent of the his congregation. This would explain why Austro-Italian Baroque. His vast output (cata - the customary address, “Domine”—Lord—is logued by none other than Ludwig Ritter von omitted (Christ can hardly address himself). Köchel, who also catalogued Mozart’s works) The second part, “et enim universi,” is sung by comprises several large-scale operas and over all—by the congregation, by mankind, by the 400 church compositions, some of them written entire universe. The text is based on the first in a mock Palestrina style. Fux was also an four verses of Psalm 24 (25), subtitled “a prayer influential musicologist: his Gradus ad Parnas - in danger or distress.” sum is a ground-breaking analysis of con tra - puntal theory—J.S. Bach owned a copy. Jacobus de Kerle The Salve Regina is a Marian antiphon—a Sanctus prayer to the Virgin Mary used in the Catholic from Missa Regina Coeli liturgy after the final service of the day and sung for four voices a cappella from Trinity to Advent. The text is generally Jacobus de Kerle came from Ypres in Flanders. attributed to Hermann von Reichenau, a Bene - He received his first musical training as a dictine monk and all-round scholar who wrote choirboy in the city‘s cathedral, St Martin‘s. Like on music, mathematics, and astronomy. Fux many musicians of his time, de Kerle moved wrote several settings of the Salve . from one post to another: from 1550, he was a singer and organist in Orvieto, and from 1561 Joseph Haydn to 1565, he worked for Cardinal Otto Truchsess Insanae et vanae curae von Waldburg in Rome, writing music for the (Mad and useless worries ), Hob. XXI: 1, 13c Council of Trent. During this time, de Kerle In 1775, Joseph Haydn wrote the oratorio Il composed the Missa Regina Coeli. In 1565, he ritorno di Tobia, a setting of the apocryphal moved back to Ypres to become director of book of Tobit, for the Vienna Tonkünstler- music at St. Martin‘s. Following a row with a Societät, a society founded by musicians that priest, de Kerle was thrown out of the cathedral paid small pensions to performers and their in 1567; after that, he accepted positions in families. Haydn was asked to join and waived Rome, Augsburg, Cambrai, Mons, and Co - his normal fee. In spite of the generous gesture, logne. Around 1580 he was active in the Vienna which certainly helped the society’s finances, Chapel Imperial, and in 1583 he joined the the composer had to wait until 1790 before court of Rudolf II in Prague, alongside his being admitted. Another performance of Tobia , countrymen Philippe de Monte, Charles Luy- planned for 1781, could not be “produced, ton, and Lambert de Sayve. because of the departure of an alto.” But in 1784, the oratorio was performed again. Haydn was Johann Joseph Fux asked to revise Tobia . Among other things, Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen ), K. 257 he added a chorus in D minor (“Svanisce in un Johann Joseph Fux was born in the village of momento”). This chorus, with a new Latin text, Hirtenfeld, Styria; he studied logic, languages, evolved into Insanae et vanae curae. It is not music, and law in Graz and Ingolstadt on a known what prompted this (Haydn certainly
PROGRAM NOTES knew that he had written a very successful and physical health and his increasing paranoia piece). The author of the text remains un - (fed by his family’s intrigues), but there is no known. The motet was published in 1809, and evidence that the massacre actually took place, was reviewed as a work in its own right in 1810. and most modern scholars consider it fiction. Haydn contrasts the wild passages in D The text praises God as Savior of Israel (i.e. minor (“Insanae et vanae curae,” “mad and humankind); it is from Psalm 124 (123):7, attri - useless worries”) with calm passages in F Major buted to King David. (“quid prodest, o mortalis,” “O mortal man, what good does it?”). The resolution is in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart D Major (“sunt fausta tibi cuncta, si Deus est Die ihr des unermesslichen Weltalls Schöpfer pro te,” “all things work in your favor, with God ehrt (You, who praise the Creator of the on your side”). unfathomable Universe ), Cantata, K. 619 The piece was used in Curt Faudon’s 2009 [Franz Heinrich Ziegenhagen] film about the Vienna Boys Choir, Silk Road– arr. Gerald Wirth Songs along the Road and Time , in which it is Mozart’s K. 619 cantata, written in the year of sung by the boys to Emperor Joseph II. his death, was composed as a small favor for a friend and fellow freemason, Franz Heinrich Michael Haydn Ziegenhagen, a merchant from Hamburg who Anima nostra (Our soul ) spent much time developing utopian ideas. In Offertory for the this text, Ziegenhagen postulates a common Feast of the Holy Innocents, MH 452 world religion based on the idea that the gods The younger brother of Franz Joseph Haydn, of all religions are really the same divine being Johann Michael Haydn was born in Rohrau in or force. Freemasons saw all of mankind as 1737. Like his brother, he left home as an eight- brothers. The cantata was intended as an an - year-old to become a chorister at St. Stephen’s them for a socialist model community near Cathedral in Vienna —since the court tried to Strasbourg. save money, the cathedral choristers were in Mozart’s composition is fairly conventional, effect also the court choristers at that time. but turns dramatic for the main political From 1762 Michael Haydn worked in Salz - message. The idea of turning swords into burg. In 1781 he succeeded Mozart as cathe dral ploughshares is biblical (Joel 3:10, Micah 4:1-4, and court organist in the employ of the arch - and Isaiah 2:4). bishop of Salzburg, and he held this post until his death. He is particularly well-known for Gerald Wirth his many sacred compositions. In 1782 he mercy—forgiveness—inner peace ( Agnus Dei) was asked to edit the Austrian hymnal to Gerald Wirth, the artistic director of the Vienna make it more accessible to the people. Basically Boys Choir, writes much choral and vocal this meant translating Latin texts into German music. He has composed three children’s operas, and simplifying and transposing melodies as well as several settings of the mass ordinary, a in order to encourage the congregation to join number of motets, and other works for use in a in the singing. church context. Wirth, who firmly believes that Anima nostra was written for the Feast of the making music brings out the best in people, also Holy Innocents (December 28), which com - believes that everyone can and should sing. memorates the mass infanticide in Bethlehem He likes to use mythological, philo sophical, described in Matthew 2:16. The Magi had or s piritual texts as a starting point, and often prophesied that King Herod the Great would combines texts from different cultures, em - lose his throne to a newborn King of the Jews in ploying a number of different languages. He Bethlehem, and Herod had all male children in translates the words into music that conveys the the village killed to prevent this outcome. This under lying emotion. Wirth’s works have been would tie in with Herod’s deteriorating mental per formed by many choirs around the world.
Opposite: Photo by Lukas Beck PROGRAM NOTES
mercy—forgiveness—inner peace, Wirth’s items, he invented a street cleaning machine ver sion of the “Agnus Dei,” was written for the for the Viennese magistrate. In 1853 Johann Missa universalis that opened the 2010 Bregenz suf fered a nervous breakdown and the entire Festival. It follows the “classical” tripartite struc- family begged Josef to step in for his brother ture of the Agnus Dei; after a first invo cation of since they depended on the concerts for their God, the prayer asks for mercy, for the ability livelihood. Josef, who hated being the center to forgive, and for inner peace. This is followed of attention, finally gave in and conducted by the hope for both inner and outer peace. The the Strauss Kapelle whenever his brother was final plea is repeated in a number of languages, unable to do so. among them English, German, Spanish, Rus - Due to a severe depression in early 1863, sian, Mandarin, Farsi, Sanskrit, and Hindi. Johann was under doctor’s orders not to “excite himself” and forbidden from composing; Josef was left to write the new music for the students’ Es steht ein Baum im tiefen Tal ball, which took place in the Imperial Palace (The tree in the valley) on February 11. The ball was a grand affair to arr. Gerald Wirth raise money for a medical fund designed to help This East Austrian folk song dates back to the chronically ill students; one aim was to send Middle Ages; there are early arrangements by them on holiday to recuperate. With this in Clemens non Papa and Caspar Othmayr, and mind, Josef took up the idea of writing a fast there are many variants throughout the cen - polka. The piece begins with a joyful fan fare, turies. The text—there are 25 verses—relates and then takes off, quoting contemporary songs the old tale of lovers who must part. Girl en route. promises to wait for boy, but boy does not At the request of Mariss Jansons, Gerald return for years, usually because he must fight Wirth arranged this piece for the Vienna Boys a war. Girl remains steadfast, waiting—as is Choir; the polka was first performed to great customary in such cases—by the linden tree in acclaim at the New Year’s Concert of the Vienna the village square. In Germanic lore, the linden Philharmonic Orchestra in 2015, with mem bers tree was dedicated to Freya, goddess of love and of the orchestra singing along in the last part. good fortune; later, the village linden tree was the place of judgement, and thus of fate. Joseph Lanner The tune inspired an aria in Joseph Haydn’s Die Schönbrunner (The People of Schönbrunn ) oratorio The Creation —in it, the archangel Uriel Waltz, Op. 200 praises the love and devotion between Adam [Tina Breckwoldt] and Eve. This was almost certainly the last arr. Gerald Wirth music that Haydn ever heard: it was sung for Joseph Lanner was born in Vienna. As a child, him several days before his death in 1809 by a he taught himself the violin and started playing French military officer, a member of Napoleon’s at dances. At age 12, he entered a dance orch - invading army. It was a touching gesture of estra; at 18, he founded his own ensemble. One respect for the great composer. of its members was Johann Strauss, Sr., three years Lanner’s junior. Lanner’s ensemble proved Josef Strauss extremely popular; in 1824, he had to divide Auf Ferienreisen (On Holiday ) the orchestra in order to meet demand. He Fast polka, Op. 133 worked obsessively, often con ducting several [Tina Breckwoldt] concerts a day. arr. Gerald Wirth Lanner’s compositions—mainly waltzes— Josef Strauss was the younger brother of Jo - are inspired by Viennese folk music; they in hann, the “Waltz King.” He did not see himself turn influenced the compositions of the Strauss as a musician—Josef was an engineer, and quite family. He wrote complicated parts for a solo happy in his profession. Among other useful violinist, a role he often took on himself. He
PLAYBILL PROGRAM NOTES liked to “stage” his works and wrote short Es ist ein Ros´entsprungen pantomimes to be performed with the music. (Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming) Die Schönbrunner was written in 1842, when From the Speyer Hymnal, Cologne 1599 Lanner was already very ill, and first performed arr. Michael Prätorius on October 13 of that year. Stravinsky quoted This song dates at least to the 15th century, and it in his music for the ballet Petrushka . The according to the Oxford Book of Carols it dates Vienna Boys Choir performed it for Curt Fau - to the 14th century. There are a number of don’s film Bridging the Gap (2013), with a new textual variants, one of them by the famous text of nonsense verses referring to an animal German poet Hans Sachs (1524). The oldest party at the Schönbrunn zoological garden, one publication of both text and melody is in a of the oldest in the world. collection called Alte Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesäng (Cologne 1599). John Francis Wade The “rose” of the first verse is in fact a mis - Adeste fideles (Herbei, o ihr Gläubigen/ translation of the old German word for shoot O Come, All Ye Faithful) or sprig (“Reis”); later on, it became a play on arr. Gerald Wirth the two words. The shoot is, of course, Jesus, the The original Latin text is a hymn for Christmas youngest offspring of an old family. The song written by John Francis Wade, an English Cath- follows Joseph’s (and Jesus’) roots to Jesse (Isai), olic who spent many years in French exile, and the father of King David (cf. Matthew 1:16). This it seems that the tune is also by him. There are is the textual legitimization of Jesus as king, additional contemporary verses by French abbot and Jesus as God. Jean-François-Étienne Borderies (1764–1832). The carol is known in English-speaking Adeste fideles became popular through out countries as “Lo, How a Rose Eer Blooming” Europe in the 1740s, and has been translated (translation by Theodore Baker). into virtually every language. The English translation of Frederick Oakeley (1802 –1880), O Heiland, reiss’ die Himmel auf an Anglican priest who converted to Catho - (O savior, tear open the skies) licism in 1845, has become standard in English- Tune: Rheinfels Hymnal, 1666 speaking countries. [Friedrich von Spee] It is possible that Wade’s carol has older roots, arr. Gerald Wirth and it is sometimes thought of as being Portu - Friedrich von Spee (also: Spee von Langenfeld) guese; some say this is because the Duke of was a German Jesuit priest. Spee, who wrote a Leeds—who served as Foreign Secretary under number of poetic hymns still used in churches William Pitt the Younger—heard it in the today, observed witch trials in several German Portuguese Embassy in London in 1795. cities and spoke out against them. His famous Another theory has it that King John IV of book Cautio criminalis , published in 1631, con - Portugal wrote the hymn when his daughter tains in particular arguments against the use of Catherine married King Charles II in 1662. torture as a means of obtaining confessions and Wherever she went, she would be announced led to the abolition of the persecution of witches by this music, like a theme song. The two in Germany. theories do not exclude one another; they might The text of this carol—found in both Catho - well both be true. lic and Protestant hymnals—is based on the Vulgate translation of Isaiah 45:8: “Shower, o Heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout.”
PROGRAM NOTES
Am Weihnachtsbaum die Lichter brennen expressed in a hymn to the Virgin. It seems to [Gustav Hermann Kletke] touch people . . . . I think this is perhaps because Hermann Kletke was a journalist, writer, and I never force myself to pray.” poet, originally from Silesia. In 1838 he became When the “Ave Maria” is performed on its editor of the Vossische Zeitung , at that time the own, the Latin prayer is often substituted for the most important newspaper for the bourgeoisie German text. in Berlin. Around 1840, he penned “Am Weih - nachtsbaum”—the poem was sung to an older Johann Ritter von Herbeck tune popular in Thuringia and Saxony. The Pueri concinite (Boys, begin ) words reflect the atmosphere in 19th-century Cantus pastoralis, for soprano solo and German households; and there is no mention four-part choir of the birth of Christ. Herbeck was born in Vienna into a musical In the 1820s the custom of putting up a family—his grandfather had been an imperial decorated fir tree at home for Christmas court musician. As a child, Herbeck was a chor- became popular in Germany; adding candles ister in the Heiligenkreuz monastery, where he was a luxury only the rich could afford. The tree received piano lessons. Later, he studied phil os - itself was seen as a symbol of constancy, hope, ophy and law. and life. Its leaves do not change color, and In 1852 he became a member of Vienna’s green is the color traditionally associated with Män ner gesangverein, and in 1856 its head fidelity, trust, with new beginnings, spring, and con ductor. He became a professor at the con ser- hope. In the Middle Ages, green was a sign of vatory, founded the Vienna Singverein, and in love, and the German idiom “jemandem grün 1859 he started to conduct at the Musik verein, sein” “(to be green towards someone”) means succeeding Johannes Brahms. Herbeck was to like them. responsible for the first performance of Franz Schubert’s unfinished Eighth Symphony, and Franz Schubert he facilitated Anton Bruckner’s appointment as Ave Maria – Ellens dritter Gesang pro fessor at the Vienna Conservatory. (Hail, Mary – Ellen’s Third Song) In 1863 he started his career with the Chapel D. 839, Op. 52, No. 6 Imperial as vice Kapellmeister . He advanced In 1825 Schubert set to music three passages to first Kapellmeister and finally took over the from Sir Walter Scott’s narrative poem “The court’s opera house. His own compositions Lady of the Lake”—“Soldier rest! Thy warfare are fairly conservative. His Pueri concinite , o’er” (Canto I), “Huntsman rest” (Canto I), and written for the Imperial musicians, remains a what is now known as “Ave Maria” (Canto 3). Christmas favorite. All three are sung by the poem’s heroine Ellen Douglas. The “Ave Maria” is sung in distress, a Anton Reidinger prayer to the Virgin for help. Es wird scho glei dumpa Sir Walter Scott wrote “The Lady of the Lake” (It will be dark soon) in 1810 and Adam Storck translated the songs arr. Gerald Wirth for Schubert in 1820. Schubert set them to This particular carol takes the form of a lullaby music in 1825. From June to October, Schubert for Jesus; it was originally sung in the Alps by and his friend Johann Michael Vogl traveled carollers dressed as shepherds—and is thus a through Upper Austria. They stayed at the so-called “shepherd carol.” castle of Steyregg as guests of Count and Shepherd carols focus on the shepherds’ role Countess von Weissen wolff, and this is where in the Christmas story; their belief, their dignity, the Scott songs were first performed. The “Ave their reliability. An important aspect in the Maria” in particular received much attention, performance of these carols was the possibility and Schubert wrote in a letter to his father, for both listeners and singers to identify with “People are amazed at my piety, which I have someone who is part of the story: the biblical
Opposite: Photo by Lukas Beck PROGRAM NOTES
shepherds are simple people, yet their gifts Johnny Marks are as important as the gifts from the three Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer kings. In other words, the story—the gospel— [Johnny Marks] concerns everyone. The roots of this popular song will be found in Most shepherd carols are of medieval origin. Henry Livingstone’s (1743– 1828) poem “T’was In the 18th and 19th centuries, singers in Aus - the Night Before Christmas,” originally attri - trian rural communities would act out the text buted to Clement Clarke Moore (1779 –1863). while singing, and it was customary to come up The poem marks the first appearance of Santa’s with at least one new carol each Christmas. team of eight reindeer. These carols are typically written and sung in Rudolph, a ninth reindeer picked to guide the local dialect. Santa’s sleigh through the fog, started life as an advertising campaign for Montgomery Ward’s Benjamin Britten department store in Chicago. In 1939 Robert Four pieces from A Ceremony of Carols, L. May, one of the store’s copywriters, wrote a Op. 28 story for a coloring book that Ward wanted to After three successful years in America, use as a promotional give-away. May created the Ben jamin Britten and Peter Pears boarded a story of Rudolph, the outsider in the sleighing Swe dish cargo vessel, the Axel Johnson, on team; ridiculed for a physical feature that March 16, 1942 for their return to Britain. The eventually helps him save Christmas. journey took nearly a month, and the mood Between 1939 and 1946, Montgomery Ward must have been subdued. A war was on, and distributed a total of six million copies of the there were U-boats about. Britten had intended booklet. In 1947, it was printed commercially. to continue work on Hymn to St. Cecilia and In 1949, May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, a piece for Benny Goodman, but customs wrote the lyrics and melody for a Rudolph song. officials confiscated the manuscripts fearing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was an that they might be in code. instant hit, and the recording by singing cow- During the voyage the ship berthed at Hali - boy Gene Autry helped cement Rudolph’s fax, Nova Scotia, where Britten came across a popu larity. Over the years, more than 500 book of medieval poems, most of them of artists have recorded “Rudolph,” and more than religious content with a distinctly pagan flavor. 160 million recordings of the song have been Some of these he set during the voyage as the sold. The Rudolph phenomenon spawned mer - Ceremony of Carols, a work for boys choir and chandise tie-ins and three television spe cials; harp. This is more than a set of jolly or sweet today, he is a Christmas institution that can be Christmas carols: Britten’s carefully crafted referred to and quoted out of context. Who music captures the poems’ medieval spirit and does not know the most famous reindeer of all? evokes the fight of light against dark, good Marks went on to write other holiday favo - against evil. rites, among them “Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and “Holly Jolly Christmas.” —© Tina Breckwoldt
PLAYBILL ABOUT THE ARTISTS
oys have been singing at the court in touring choirs. Between them, the ensembles Vienna since the 14th century. In 1498, give around 300 concerts and performances Bmore than half a millennium ago, Holy each year in front of almost half a million peo - Roman Emperor Maximilian I moved his court ple. Each group spends nine to 11 weeks of and his court musicians to Vienna. Historians the school year on tour. ey visit virtually have settled on 1498 as the foundation date of every European country, and are frequent the Vienna Chapel Imperial ( Hofmusikkapelle ) guests in Asia, Australia, and the Americas. and in consequence, the Vienna Boys Choir. e Vienna Boys Choir has a close asso - Until 1918, the choir sang exclusively for the ciation with the Vienna Philharmonic. Together imperial court, at mass, concerts, and private with members of the orchestra and the men of functions, and on state occasions. the Vienna State Opera Chorus, the choir main - Musicians like Heinrich Isaac, Philippe de tains the tradition of the imperial mu sicians: Monte, Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber, Johann as Hofmusikkapelle (Chapel Imperial) they Joseph Fux, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, provide the music for the Sunday Mass in Antonio Caldara, Antonio Salieri, Christoph Vienna’s Imperial Chapel, as they have done Willibald Gluck, and Anton Bruckner worked since 1498. Last year, the choir participated with the choir. Composers Jacobus Gallus, and for the sixth time in the New Year’s Concert Franz Schubert were themselves choristers. of the Vienna Philharmonic, con ducted by Brothers Joseph Haydn and Michael Haydn Mariss Jansons. were members of the choir of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and frequently sang with the imperial Repertoire boys choir. e choir’s repertoire includes everything from In 1918, aer the breakdown of the Habs - medieval to contemporary and experimental burg Empire, the Austrian government took music. Motets and lieder for boys choir form over the court opera, its orchestra, and the adult the core of the touring repertoire, as do the singers, but not the choir. Josef Schnitt, who choir’s own arrangements of quintessentially became Dean of the Imperial Chapel in 1921, Viennese music, including waltzes and polkas turned the Vienna Boys Choir into a private in - by Lanner, Lehár, and Strauss. stitution.e former court choir boys became Both the choir and the Chapel Imperial have the Wiener Sängerknaben (Vienna Boys a long tradition of commissioning new works, Choir); the imperial uniform was replaced by going back to Imperial times, when composers the sailor suit, then the height of boys fashion. like Mozart, Haydn, or Bruckner wrote for the ere was not enough money to pay for the ensemble. Austrian composers Heinz Kratoch- boys’ upkeep, and the choir started to give con - wil, Balduin Sulzer, Wolfram Wagner, and certs outside of the chapel in 1926, performing Gerald Wirth have written works for today’s motets, secular works, and at the boys’ request — boys. Benjamin Britten penned a vaudeville that children’s operas. e impact was amazing. could be performed on tours, and Australian Within a year, the choir had performed in Berlin composer Elena Kats-Chernin wrote her Land (where Erich Kleiber conducted them), Prague, of Sweeping Plains for the choir. e Vienna and Zurich. Athens and Riga (1928) followed, Boys Choir performs major choral and sym - then Spain, France, Denmark, Norway, and phonic works as part of the Hofmusikkapelle , Sweden (1929), the United States (1932), and with other orchestras and men’s choirs. Australia (1934), and South America (1936). ey are regularly asked to supply soloists for Since 1926, the choir has completed more than large choral and orchestral works, such as Bern - 1,000 tours in 100 different countries. stein’s Chichester Psalms . In recent years, the choir has performed with the Vienna Phil har - Present monic Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orch - Today, there are 100 choristers from 31 nations estra, the London Philharmonic, Staatskapelle between the ages of 10 and 14, divided into four Berlin, the Oslo Philharmonic, and the Pitts -
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
burgh Symphony Orchestra. Over the last e choir has been recording its music since decade, the choir has worked with, among the 1930s and the boys have appeared on prac - others, Pierre Boulez, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, tically every major label. In 2015 the choir Mariss Jansons, Zubin Mehta, Marc Minkow - signed a long-term partnership with Deutsche ski, Riccardo Muti, Kent Nagano, Seiji Ozawa, Grammophon. e first joint project was a Christian ielemann, Franz Welser-Möst, and hugely successful Christmas CD. Simone Young. e choir also takes part in opera performances at the Vienna State Opera, e Choir on Film: Silk Road, Bridging the the Vienna Volksoper, and the Salzburg Festi - Gap, Songs for Mary, and Good Shepherds val. Choristers appear regularly in Mozart’s e choir’s Silk Road project inspired director e Magic Flute . Curt Faudon to make a film about the globe- trotting choristers. For over a year, Faudon Children’s Operas followed the boys’ life in Vienna and on the e boys love to act, and children’s operas are road, filming them at work and at play, on and an important part of the repertoire. e choir off stage, meeting and working with artists started performing operas in the 1920s, begin - from Central Asia, China, and India. e ning with classics such as Mozart’s Bastien und resulting 90-minute film is a clever blend of Bastienne , Weber’s Abu Hassan, and Haydn’s documentary, road movie, costume drama, Lo Speziale , later branching out to contempo - and music, with stunning footage from all rary works. Benjamin Britten rehearsed his across the world and an unusual, off-beat e Golden Vanity with the boys, and con - soundtrack that has the boys singing in ducted the world premiere at the Aldeburgh Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Japanese, Latin, Festival in 1967. Marathi, Maori, Savo Finnish, Tajik, Uyghur, Over the last decade, the choir has produced Urdu, Uzbek, and German. a number of new operas. Gerald Wirth’s e Faudon’s second film about the choir had a Journey of the Little Prince and e Tablet of limited cinema release in 2014; in Bridging the Destinies , an opera based on the Babylonian Gap , the boys sing with an Apache medicine myth of Anzu, and Raoul Gehringer’s Moby- man, perform with an entire Indian village, Dick , based on the novel by Herman Melville, and ham it up in a Peruvian train. And in New were all performed at Vienna’s Musikverein. Zealand they are adopted into a Maori tribe, Wirth’s Der Bettelknabe (e Begging Boy) , a via song. Songs for Mary pays hommage to story set in medieval Palestine and Europe, was the Virgin in 21 beautifully filmed pieces. Last first shown in 2010; and again in 2015 and 2016 year, a new film was released: Good Shepherds at the choir’s own concert hall, Mu. takes an unusual look at shepherd carols and shepherd music from the Holy Land to the World Music and Other Projects Arctic circle. One of the choir’s goals is to introduce the boys to as many different styles of music as possible: e Choir School since the 1920s, the choir has collected music e choir maintains its own schools. Almost from around the world. In recent years, the 400 children and teenagers between the ages choir has commissioned and produced a of three and 18 study and rehearse at Augar - number of world music projects, including Silk tenpalais, a Baroque palace and former impe - Road, Between Worlds, Inspiration, and Pirates!. rial hunting lodge in Vienna. Beginning with As Gerald Wirth explains, “We do not claim to kindergarten, and run in cooperation with the play ‘authentic’ world music; instead, we create city of Vienna, boys and girls are provided with something from the original sources that is our an all-round education. At age 10 the most tal - own. We want to be faithful to the source in the ented boys are selected to join the choir and sense that we treat it with respect.” enter the choir’s grammar school. All boys are
PLAYBILL ABOUT THE ARTISTS assigned to one of the touring choirs. Academic lessons are taught in small groups. e school offers extracurricular ac - tivities ranging from all kinds of sports to attending a wide range of concerts, operas, plays, musi - cals, and films. e choristers are also encouraged to create their own projects; some form their own bands, others create short skits or movies. All choir boys live in the choir’s well-appointed boarding school, with two to three boys sharing a room. In 2010 the choir launched its new senior high school for boys and girls. e unique curriculum for years 8 to 12 was developed in conjunction with the Uni - versities of Music in Vienna and in Salzburg; it is designed to help young singers find their voice and discover and develop their talents, and to prepare young k singers for university and for a c e B
career in music. s a k u L
Most students retain a life - y b
o long commitment to the arts. t o h
Roughly a quarter of the school’s P alumni go on to become profes - sional musicians, conductors, singers, or in - e POK Pühringer Privatstiung, based in strumentalists. Almost all continue to sing. Vienna’s Palais Coburg, is the choir’s general ere are two male vocal ensembles made sponsor. With its backing, the choir was able up entirely of former choristers, the Chorus to build its own on-campus concert hall to Viennensis and the Imperial Chapel’s Schola facilitate opera productions in particular. e Cantorum, which specializes in Gregorian chant. hall, which was built to include the Baroque gate house and the old park wall, opened in Development and Funding December of 2012, with a joint gala concert e Vienna Boys Choir is a private, non-for- by the Vienna Boys Choir and the Vienna profit organization, that finances itself largely Philharmonic Orchestra. Its name, Mu, through concerts, recordings, and royalties. e stands for “Music and eater.” Mu serves Ministry of Education and the State’s Art the entire community of Vienna with a wide Department help fund special projects, such range of performances, and there is special as the production of new children’s operas. focus on providing a platform for young Further development and projects depend on performers. additional support: the choir is launching a new For more information, visit the Vienna Boys fundraising campaign this year. Choir at www.viennaboyschoir.net.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Jimmy Chiang (choirmaster ) is a conductor and Jimmy Chiang has served as principal con - pianist from Hong Kong who started his musi - ductor of the Hong Kong Pan Asia Symphony cal career at the age of 13 with his first public since 2008, worked as assistant music director appearance as a concert pianist. Hailing from a of the Wagner’s Ring cycle at eater Lübeck musical family, Chiang began piano lessons from 2007 to 2009, and was Kapellmeister at when he was four and also went on to study eater Freiburg from 2009 to 2011, where he cello and composition. He received the Fellows led numerous new productions. In September Diploma from the Trinity College of Music in 2013, Chiang became choirmaster of the London at the age of 16, graduated with a bach - Vienna Boys Choir. elor’s degree in music from Baylor University Other conducting highlights include guest (USA), and finished his education with a mas - conducting the Komischen Oper Berlin, ter’s degree from the University of Music and Orquesta Sinfonica de Castilla y Leon, Zagreb Performing Arts Vienna. Chiang’s conducting Philharmonic, and Hong Kong Philharmonic, career began with winning the renowned Lovro and appearances at festivals such as the Eutin von Matacic Competition for Young Con - Opera Festival (Germany), FACYL (Spain), ductors in Zagreb in 2007. He is a versatile and Macau International Music Festival, and the well-rounded musician known for interpreting Rohm Music Festival in Kyoto, Japan, where he a variety of repertoire from opera, symphony, was invited to study and work with Maestro choral, solo piano, and chamber music worlds, Seiji Ozawa during the summer of 2004. both in opera pits and on concert stages.
Berkeley RADICAL INCLUSION, INNOVATION, AND IMMERSION is performance by the Vienna Boys Choir is part of the 2016/17 Berkeley RADICAL Immersion strand, a selection of concerts and related activities that dive deeply into a single genre or follow the trajectory of an artist’s work, allowing fresh, new perspectives to emerge. Cal Performances’ upcoming vocal Immersion programs feature the continuation of our ongoing choral festival with a performance of Handel’s Messiah by the Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Trinity Baroque Orchestra (Dec 10). And on December 4, a per - formance with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato (with the period-instrument ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro ) continues the season’s Cele bration of the Human Voice. For complete details of all performances and re - lated activities, please visit calperformances.org.
PLAYBILL TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Procession – Gregorian Chant Ad te levavi animam meam I have raised up my soul to you [Psalm 24 (25): 1-4] Ad te levavi animam meam, Deus meus I have raised up my soul to you, my God, in te confido in you I trust, Non erubescam neque irrideant me that I may not be ashamed, that my enemies inimici mei. may not mock me. Et enim universi qui te expectant non And all, who set their hope in you, shall not confundentur be confounded. Vias tuas, Domine, demonstra mihi et semitas Your ways, Lord, show me and teach me tuas edoce me. your paths.
Jacobus de Kerle From Missa Regina Coeli Sanctus for four voices a cappella Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Holy is the Lord, God of hosts. Pleni sunt coeli et terrae gloriae tuae: Heaven and Earth are full of your glory: Hosanna in excelsis! Hosanna in the highest!
Johann Joseph Fux Hail, Holy Queen Salve Regina, K. 257 Marian antiphon [attributed to Hermann von Reichenau] Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae; Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve. our life, our sweetness and our hope: hail. Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae. To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve; Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes to you we send up our sighs, mourning and in hac lacrimarum valle. crying in this valley of tears. Eia ergo, advocata nostra, Turn then, our most gracious advocate, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. your merciful eyes toward us; Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, and show Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. unto us after our exile.
Joseph Haydn Insanae et vanae curae , Hob. XXI: 1, 13c Mad and useless worries Insanae et vanae curae invadunt mentes Mad and useless worries flood our minds, nostras, saepe furore replent corda privata spe, often fury fills the heart, robbed of hope, Quid prodest, o mortalis conari pro O mortal man, what good does it to strive for mundanis, worldly things, si coelos negligas. if you neglect the heavens? Sunt fausta tibi cuncta, si Deus est pro te. All things work in your favor, with God on your side.
TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Michael Haydn Anima nostra Our soul , Offertory for the Feast of the Holy Innocents, MH 452 Anima nostra sicut passer erepta est de laqueo Our soul is sprung like a bird from the venantium. fowler’s net. Laqueus contritus est et nos liberati sumus. The net is ripped and we are set free.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Die ihr des unermesslichen You, who praise the Creator Weltalls Schöpfer ehrt of the unfathomable Universe) Cantata, K. 619 [Franz Heinrich Ziegenhagen] arr. Gerald Wirth Die ihr des unermesslichen Weltalls Schöpfer You who praise the creator of the ehrt, unfathomable universe, Jehova nennt ihn, oder Gott, nennt Fu ihn, Whether you call him Jehova or God, Fu or oder Brahma, hört! Brahma, Hört Worte aus der Posaune des Listen up! Listen to the words from the Allherrschers! trumpet of the universal lord! Laut tönt durch Erden, Monde, Sonnen ihr Loud and clear its eternal sound echoes ew’ger Schall, through earths, moons and suns. Hört Menschen, hört, Menschen, ihn auch ihr! Hear it, men.
Liebt mich in meinen Werken, Love me in my works! Liebt Ordnung, Ebenmass und Einklang! Love order, symmetry, and harmony. Liebt euch selbst und eure Brüder! Love yourselves and your brothers! Körperkraft und Schönheit sei eure Zierd’, Strength and beauty be your decoration, Verstandeshelle euer Adel! A bright mind your nobility. Reicht euch der ew’gen Freundschaft Extend your hands as brothers in eternal Bruderhand, friendship, Die nur ein Wahn, nie Wahrheit euch so Which by delusion, never because of truth, lang entzog! has been kept from you for so long.
Zerbrechet dieses Wahnes Bande, Break the shackles of this madness, Zerreisset dieses Vorurteiles Schleier, Tear the veil of prejudice! Enthüllt euch vom Gewand, Shed the garments which divide mankind Das Menschheit in Sektiererei verkleidet! into sects! In Kolter schmiedet um das Eisen, Forge irons into ploughshares and Das Menschen-, das Bruderblut bisher vergoss. Zersprenget Felsen mit dem schwarzen Staube, Blow up cliffs with the black powder Der mordend Blei ins Bruderherz oft That is often used to propel lead into a schnellte! brother’s heart.
PLAYBILL TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Wähnt nicht, dass wahres Unglück sei auf Don’t imagine that true misery exists on meiner Erde! my earth, Belehrung ist es nur, die wohltut, It is learning that soothes and helps, Wenn sie euch zu bessern Taten spornt, If it leads you to better deeds Die, Menschen, ihr in Unglück wandelt, Which only you, people, turn into misery, Wenn töricht blind ihr rückwärts in den Blindly lashing out at the sting Stachel schlagt, Which was meant to push you forward Der vorwärts, vorwärts euch antreiben sollte. towards progress. Seid weise nur, seid kraftvoll und seid Brüder! Be wise, strong and be brothers! Dann ruht auf euch mein ganzes So I shall be utterly delighted with you; Wohlgefallen, Dann netzen Freudenzähren nur die Wangen, And only tears of joy will wet the cheeks Dann werden eure Klagen Jubeltöne, And your laments will turn into shouts of joy, Dann schaffet ihr zu Edens Tälern Wüsten, And you will turn deserts into paradise Dann lachet alles euch in der Natur, And all of nature will smile at you. Dann ist’s erreicht, des Lebens wahres Glück! Then you will have achieved it: life’s true happiness.
Gerald Wirth mercy—forgiveness—inner peace (Agnus Dei) Agnus Dei, miserere mei—Lamb of God, have mercy upon me Agnus Dei, teach us to forgive Agnus Dei, grant us inner peace Dona nobis pacem—grant us peace
Agnus Dei, miserere mei— Poshaluysta eleison imas kripakaru, bebakhshid— huruma, erbarme dich unser kelian women ba, jihi o ataeru ten piedad de nosotros, have mercy! Agnus Dei, doce nos veniam
Lamb of God, have mercy upon me Agnus Dei, teach us to forgive Agnus Dei, grant us inner peace
Dona nobis pacem—gib uns Frieden, grant us peace Beh-Ma Solhe Daruni-Jad Bedahid Hamen Atmic Shankti Do
TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Es steht ein Baum im tiefen Tal The tree in the valley arr. Gerald Wirth Folk song from Burgenland, Austria Es steht ein Baum im tiefen Tal, There is a tree in the deep valley, War oben breit und unten schmal, its top was vast, its bottom narrow, Darunter stand im Mondenschein Beneath it, in the light of the moon, Ein Bursch und ein Mädel ganz allein. a boy and a girl stood, alone.
“Ei, pfiat di Gott, mei liaber Schatz, “May God guide and protect you, dearest heart, Weil ich auf sieben Jahr muss fort.” for I must away for seven years.” “Und musst du sieben Jahre wandern, “Even if you are gone seven years, Ich heirat’ keinen Andern.” I will not marry another.”
Als sieben Jahr’ verflossen sein, Seven years passed, Im Garten ging das Mäd’l allein. the girl walked alone in the garden, Da kam mit stolzen Schritten as a proud soldier Ein Soldat wohl hergeritten. came riding by.
“Tritt her, tritt her, in meine Arm’, “Come, come into my arms, Wir treten hin zum Traualtar let us walk up to the altar Und woll’n so lang besammen bleib’n, and stay together until Bis dass uns der liebe Gott wird scheid’n!” God resolves to part us.”
Josef Strauss On Holiday Auf Ferienreisen Fast polka, Op. 133 arr. Gerald Wirth [Tina Breckwoldt] Heute endlich Ferienbeginn, endlich Today, finally, the holidays begin, Ferienbeginn: holidays begin, Alle haben Reisen nur im Sinn, haben Reisen and all everyone thinks about is travel. nur im Sinn.
Auf nach Singapur, nach Roc Amadour, Riga, Let’s go (to) Singapore, to Roc Amadour, Riga, Kopenhagen, weiter, Copenhagen, nicht verzagen (um die ganze—) Don’t give up yet, Auf nach Singapur, nach Roc Amadour, Riga, Let’s go (to) Singapore, to Roc Amadour, Riga, Kopenhagen, um die Welt. Copenhagen, around the world.
Ach, wohin die Reise uns auch führt Wherever the journey may lead us, und was dabei noch passiert whatever happens en route, keiner bleibt davon gänzlich unberührt no one remains aloof, das Leben ist es, was man spürt. Life is what you feel.
Wilde Bilder für das Fräulein Hilda Wild pictures for Miss Hilda, Wieder Lieder singen wir für Ida New songs we sing for Ida, noch ein Selfie mit der schönen Elfi let’s take a selfie with beautiful Elfi: So beglücken schöne Augenblicke, These are moments that make you happy; so kann man sich bestens amüsieren. this is how you have the best of times.
PLAYBILL TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Wilde Bilder von dem Fräulein Hilda Wild pictures for Miss Hilda, Wieder Lieder singen wir für Ida New songs we sing for Ida, noch ein Selfie mit der schönen Elfi let’s take a selfie with beautiful Elfi: Alle haben jetzt ihr Souvenir! Everyone gets the right kind of souvenir.
Wer verreist, wer verreist, der kann was He who travels, experiences life, erleben— (und) sind Menschen weitgereist, (dann) sie and a well-traveled person is justly called wise. zu Recht als Weise preist. Reisen ist, Reisen ist, Reisen ist das Leben To travel is to live, (und) sind Menschen weitgereist, (dann) sie and a well-traveled person is justly called wise. zu Recht als Weise preist.
Heute endlich Ferienbeginn, endlich Today, finally, the holidays begin, Ferienbeginn holidays begin, Alle haben Reisen nur im Sinn, haben Reisen and all everyone thinks about is travel. nur im Sinn . . .
Reisen ist die Welt! Traveling means the world! Hei! Yay!
Joseph Lanner The People of Schönbrunn Die Schönbrunner Waltz, Op. 200 arr. Gerald Wirth [Tina Breckwoldt] Es erhebt sich, es bewegt sich, Something’s rising, something’s moving, denn der Zoo Schönbrunn belebt sich For Schönbrunn Zoo is coming to life, es erhebt sich, es belebt sich Something’s rising, something’s coming to life mit den Gästen der Nacht With the guests of the night.
Diesen Tanz beginnt der Leu The lion begins this dance Doch das Gnu ist schrecklich scheu But the gnu is somewhat shy Also walzt er mit den Kraits So he must waltz with the kraits Das hat durchaus seinen Reiz Which is not without its charm.
Auf der Tugend schmalem Pfad On the narrow path of virtue Schlägt ein Pfau sein schnelles Rad A peacock displays Im Gezweig ein kleiner Gott And in the branches, a small deity Lacht für sich mit leisem Spott. Laughs to himself, quietly mocking.
Heut serviert man Linguine, Today they serve linguine das entspricht gutem Ton This is good form Schwarz befrackte Pinguine Penguins in black tails Drängen sich ums Grammophon Crowd around the gramophone.
TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Alle plappern, alle schnattern, Everyone jabbers, everyone chatters, Kreischen um ein goldnes Kalb Screeches around a golden calf Schnäbel klappern, Lider flattern Beaks clatter, lids flutter, Wahrheiten sind heute halb. Truths are only half today.
Königskobra fühlt sich adlig The king cobra feels noble Brillenschlange ist gemein Whereas a spectacled cobra is base Doch benimmt sie sich untadlig But if it behaves according to protocol Lässt man sie bei Hofe ein. It will be admitted to court.
Siebenschläfer, Wiesel, Frettchen Dormouse, weasel, ferret, Marder, Nerz und Hermelin Marten, mink, and ermine, Die Nutria hätt’ gern ein Bettchen Nutria would like to curl up Bei der alten Kaiserin. Next to the old Empress.
Ach, es ist der Ball der Bälle It is the ball of balls, Niemals war der Freude mehr Never was there more cheer, Dünne Häute, dicke Felle, Thin skins, thick pelts, es geht äußerst menschlich her. It all seems very human.
Nachtaktive Beuteltiere Nocturnal marsupials strecken von sich alle Viere Collapse on all fours lassen fünfe gerade sein Turn a blind eye Denn der Morgen bricht herein. As morning breaks
Zum post mortem dieser Feier For the postmortem of this party (Dunkle Flecken gab’s wie nie) (never were there more dark spots) Fliegt postwendend her ein Geier A vulture arrives, without delay, Denn er liebt die Autopsie. For he loves autopsies.
Adeste fideles (Herbei, o ihr Gläubigen) O Come, All Ye Faithful John Francis Wade arr. Gerald Wirth Adeste fideles O come all ye faithful Laeti triumphantes Joyful and triumphant, Venite in Bethlehem. O come ye to Bethlehem. Natum videte regem angelorum, Come and behold him, born the King of Angels, venite adoremus Dominum. O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
Aeterni parentis splendorem aeternum The eternal father’s eternal splendour Velatum sub carne videbimus. We will see manifest in flesh: Deum infantem pannis involutum, The child God swaddled in cloth. venite adoremus Dominum. O come let us adore the Lord.
PLAYBILL TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Es ist ein Ros´entsprungen Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming arr. Michael Prätorius Carol from the Speyer Hymnal, Cologne 1599 Es ist ein Ros entsprungen A shoot came up Aus einer Wurzel zart. From a tender root. Wie uns die Alten sungen, As the ancients told us, Aus Jesse kam die Art This kind stemmed from Jesse. Und hat ein Blümlein bracht, And it brought fourth a flower Mitten im kalten Winter, In the middle of the cold winter, Wohl zu der halben Nacht. At midnight.
Das Röslein das ich meine, The little shoot that I refer to Davon Jesaia sagt: Of which Isaiah says: Maria ist’s, die Reine, It is Mary, the pure, Die uns das Blümlein bracht. Who brings us the flower. Aus Gottes ew’gen Rat According to God’s eternal counsel, Hat sie ein Kind geboren She bore a child, Wohl zu der halben Nacht. At midnight.
Das Blümelein so kleine, The little flower, so small, Das duftet uns so süss, Smells so sweetly, Mit seinem hellen Scheine And with its bright sheen Vertreibt’s die Finsternis. It dispels the darkness. Wahr’ Mensch und wahrer Gott, True human and true God, Hilf uns aus allem Leide, Save us from all pain, Rettet von Sünd’ und Tod. Saves from sin and death.
O Heiland, reiss’ die Himmel auf O savior, tear open the skies Rheinfels Hymnal, 1666 Advent carol arr. Gerald Wirth [Friedrich von Spee] O Heiland, reiss die Himmel auf, O Savior, tear open the heavens, Herab, herab, vom Himmel lauf! And come down from heaven. Reiss ab vom Himmel Tor und Tür, Tear the gates and doors from heaven, Reiss ab, wo Schloss und Riegel für! Tear down everything with locks and bolts.
O Gott, ein’ Tau vom Himmel giess; O God, drop dew from heaven, Im Tau herab, o Heiland, fliess. O Savior, fly within that dew, Ihr Wolken, brecht und regnet aus Ye clouds, they burst and rain falls, Den König über Jakobs Haus. The King above the House of Jacob.
O Erd’, schlag aus, schlag aus, o Erd’, O Earth, make everything grow, o Earth, Dass Berg und Tal grün alles werd’ So mountain and valley might become green O Erd’, herfür dies Blümlein bring, O Earth, bring out this flower, O Heiland, aus der Erden spring. O Savior, spring from the earth.
TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Am Weihnachtsbaum die Lichter brennen The candles are alight on the Christmas tree [Gustav Hermann Kletke] German folk song Am Weihnachtsbaum die Lichter brennen, The candles are alight on the Christmas tree, Wie glänzt er festlich, lieb und mild, glowing festively, warm, and cozy, Als spräch’ er: “Wollt in mir erkennen As if the tree wanted to say, “You shall see in me Getreuer Hoffnung stilles Bild.” an image of staunch hope.”
Die Kinder stehn mit hellen Blicken, The children are standing by, eyes bright, Das Auge lacht, es lacht das Herz, with a laughing eye and a laughing heart. O fröhlich, seliges Entzücken, O cheerful, happy bliss, Die Alten schauen himmelwärts. as the older generation looks up to the heavens.
Zwei Engel sind hereingetreten, Two angels have entered, Kein Auge hat sie kommen sehn, no eye has seen them. Sie geh’n zum Weihnachtsbaum und beten They walk up to the tree to pray, Und wenden wieder sich und geh’n. then they turn to leave.
Kein Ohr hat ihren Spruch vernommen No ear has heard their speech, Unsichtbar jedes Menschen Blick (they remain) invisible to human eyes. Sind sie gegangen wie gekommen, They have left as they have come: Doch Gottes Segen bleibt zurück. But they leave God‘s blessing.
Franz Schubert Ave Maria – Ellens dritter Gesang Hail, Mary – Ellen’s Third Song D. 839, Op. 52, No. 6 (1825) Ave Maria, gratia plena Hail Mary, full of grace, Dominus tecum the Lord be with you, Benedicta tu in mulieribus blessed are you among women Et benedictus fructus ventris tuae, Jesus and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Ave Maria, Mater Dei Hail Mary, mother of God, Ora pro nobis peccatoribus pray for us sinners, Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae now and in the hour of our death. Ave Maria Hail Mary
PLAYBILL TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Johann Ritter von Herbeck Boys, begin Pueri concinite Cantus pastoralis, for soprano solo and four-part choir Pueri concinite nato regi psallite. Boys, begin to sing of the king’s birth, Voce pia dicite: Apparuit quem genuit Maria. Say with a pious voice: He has appeared whom Mary conceived. Sunt impleta quem predixit Gabriel It has happened what Gabriel has foretold. Eja! Virgo Deum genuit quem divina voluit Eja. Through the virgin God is born as divine clementia. mercy wanted. Hodie apparuit in Israel. Today he has appeared in Israel. Ex Maria virgine natus est Rex. Alleluia. Out of the virgin Mary the King is born. Alleluia.
Anton Reidinger It will be dark soon Es wird scho glei dumpa Sacred lullaby from Upper Austria arr. Gerald Wirth and the Tyrol Es wird scho glei dumpa, It will be dark soon, Es wird scho glei Nacht. it will soon be night. Drum kimm i zu dir her, Therefore I come to you, Mein Heiland, auf d’Wacht. My savior, to guard (you). Will singen a Liadl I want to sing a carol Dem Liebling, dem kloan, for (my) darling, the little one. Du mågst ja net schlåfn, You cannot sleep: I hör’ di nur woan. I hear you fret. Hei, hei, hei, hei! Hei, hei, hei, hei. Schlaf süss, herzliabs Kind! Sleep softly, (my) darling child.
Vergiss hiaz, o Kinderl, dein Kummer, dei Load, Now forget, o child, your sorrow, your pain, dass d’dåda muasst leidn im Ståll auf da Hoad. Which makes you suffer in the stable, on the heather. Es ziern jå die Engerl dei Liegerstatt aus. Angels adorn your bedstead. Möcht schöna nit sein drin an König sei Haus. It could not be prettier in a king’s house. Hei, hei . . Hei, hei, hei, hei. Jå Kinderl, du bist hålt im Kripperl so schen, Sleep softly, (my) darling child. mi ziemt, i kånn nimmer då weg von dir gehn. Yes, (my) child, you are so beautiful in your crib, That I feel as if I could not part from you. I wünsch dir von Herzen die süasste Ruah, I wish you with all my heart the sweetest of rests, die Engerl vom Himmel, die deckn di zua. (for) the angels from heaven tuck you in. Hei, hei . . . Hei, hei . . .
TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Benjamin Britten Though he himself for cold do shake; Four pieces from A Ceremony of Carols, For in this weak unarmed wise Op. 28 The gates of hell he will surprise. With tears he fights and wins the field, Balulalow His naked breast stands for a shield. [James, John, and Robert Wedderburn] His battering shot are babish cries, O my deare hert, young Jesu sweit (= sweet), His arrows looks of weeping eyes, Prepare thy creddil in my spreit (= spirit), His martial ensigns Cold and Need, And I sall rock thee to my hert, And feeble Flesh his warrior’s steed. And never mair from thee depart. His camp is pitched in a stall, His bulwark but a broken wall; As Dew in Aprille The crib his trench, haystalks his stakes; I sing of a maiden Of shepherds he his muster makes; That is makèless (= without blame, without And thus, as sure his foe to wound, match): The angels’ trumps alarum sound. King of all kings My soul with Christ join thou in fight; To her son she ches (= chose). Stick to the tents that he hath pight (= pitched). Within his crib is surest ward; He came al so stille, This little Babe will be thy guard. There his moder was, If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy, As dew in Aprille Then flit not from this heavenly Boy. That falleth on the grass
He came al so stille Deo gracias To his moder’s bour (= bower), Deo gracias! [Thanks be to God!] As dew in Aprille Adam lay i-bounden, That falleth on the flour (= flower). bounden in a bond Four thousand winter He came al so stille, thought he not too long. There his moder lay, Deo gracias! As dew in Aprille And all was for an appil, That falleth on the spray. an appil that he tok, As clerkes finden Moder and mayden was written in their book. Never none but she: Well may such a lady Deo gracias! Goddes moder be. Ne had the appil take ben, The appil take ben, Ne hadde never our lady This Little Babe a ben hevene quene. [Robert Southwell] Blessed be the time This little Babe so few days old, That appil take was. Is come to rifle Satan’s fold; Therefore we moun singen All hell doth at his presence quake, Deo gracias!
PLAYBILL TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS
Johnny Marks All of the other reindeer used to laugh and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1949) call him names [Johnny Marks] They never let poor Rudolph join in any You know Dasher and Dancer, and Prancer reindeer games. and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and Donner and Blitzen Then one foggy Christmas Eve Santa came But do you recall, the most famous reindeer to say of all? “Rudolph with your nose so bright won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?” Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very Then how the reindeer loved him as they shiny nose shouted out with glee And if you ever saw it you would even say “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll go it glows down in history!”