Invisible Cities Choral & Electronic Music by Marco Galvani
SANSARA Marco Galvani (b.1994) Tom Herring ar s c director 1. ALEPH [3:02]
2. Lamenta ons I [4:48] 3. Ubi caritas [4:45] 4. Lamenta ons II [5:58]
5. BETH [3:14]
6. Ave sanc ssima Maria [3:44] 7. Ave maris stella [5:04] 8. Alma Redemptoris Mater [3:21]
9. GHIMEL [4:26]
10. Super flumina Babylonis [4:51] 11. O sacrum convivium [6:16]
12. DALETH [5:10]
About SANSARA: Total playing me [54:47] ‘SANSARA slips easily into the elite ranks of excep onal performers...breathtaking’ Choir & Organ
‘[...] perfect intona on and a clean, pure sound...choral singing with real depth’ The Observer Invisible Ci es imagined – are a recurring theme in the novel and something we wanted to draw on as we Invisible Ci es is a sequence of sacred choral contemplated the album anew. works and electronic refrac ons composed by Marco Galvani. The album was ini ally The recording sessions in October 2020 were conceived as a collec on of Marco’s choral the first me the choir had sung together in music, selected to showcase his dis nct person in several months and a mely voice and consolidate our rela onship reminder of the power of a cappella choral with him as one of our Associate Composers. music. Our aim was to invest the music with In March 2020, everything changed, and a sense of longing and passion – giving voice we had to postpone our original recording to feeling in a me of social isola on. sessions. There runs an invisible thread that binds Suddenly, we were spread all over the UK, one living being to another for a moment, not knowing when we would be able to then unravels, then is stretched again meet, let alone sing together. We began to between moving points as it draws new and reflect on how best to reimagine the project rapid pa erns so that at every second the to address the extraordinary circumstances unhappy city contains a happy city unaware of the pandemic and its paralysing effect of its own existence.* on society the world over. During this me, certain passages of text from the repertoire began to take on fresh significance. In The sequence is built around Marco’s se ng par cular, the famous line from the of the Lamenta ons. Originally commissioned Lamenta ons of Jeremiah: ‘Quomodo sedet by Jeremy Summerly for The Queen’s College sola civitas plena populo’ / ‘How lonely lies Chapel Choir in 2013, they exemplify his the city that was full of people’. unique brand of polyphony mixed with passages of stasis and rich chordal textures. As ci es around the world fell silent, we were We first performed the set at the 2016 reminded of Italo Calvino’s novel Invisible Passion de at Merton fes val in Oxford and Ci es, with its fantas cal places and have wanted to record it ever since. medita ons on humanity – vividly described Throughout, Marco explores modal harmony by Marco Polo to the ageing Emperor Kublai with each tonal centre derived from the Khan. Connec ons between people – real or chant passages that open the two parts. This Calvino-like structural device es the or another,’ Marco answers, ‘but by the line destruc on of Jerusalem and the plight of The inferno of the living is not something whole set together, underpinning the surface of the arch that they form.’ those in exile. Super flumina Babylonis is that will be; if there is one, it is what is textures with a subtle yet steady harmonic Kublai Kahn remains silent, reflec ng. Then a lament for the lost city, with its remarkable already here, the inferno where we live trajectory. he adds: ‘Why do you speak to me of the line ‘Quomodo cantabimus can cum Domini every day, that we form by being together. stones? It is only the arch that ma ers to in terra aliena?’ / ‘How do we sing the Lord’s There are two ways to escape suffering it. Drawing on famous se ngs by composers me.’ Polo answers: ‘Without stones there song in a strange land?’, strikingly set here The first is easy for many: accept the such as Thomas Tallis and Alonso Lobo, Marco is no arch.’ * by Marco. Jerusalem has become an inferno and become such a part of it that gives considerable space to the Hebrew invisible city, exis ng only in the memory you can no longer see it. The second is le ers that punctuate the verses. Each one One of the core ques ons posed by this of its cap ve and homeless popula on. As risky and demands constant vigilance and is dis nct in texture and colour, and yet they album is how sacred texts can speak to us with the Lamenta ons, this text resonates apprehension: seek and learn to recognize all reside in the same dimension – a meless today, par cularly beyond performance in today – par cularly for refugees fleeing war who and what, in the midst of the inferno, space above and beyond the plane of the religious contexts and Chris an spaces. The and persecu on around the world, but also are not inferno, then make them endure, more descrip ve passages. These passages middle sec on of the sequence features in the global context of the pandemic. The give them space.* form the basis for the four electronic tracks se ngs of three Marian texts, each with closing verses speak of the importance of on the album which frame the choral pieces, a strong sense of devo on to the queen collec ve memory – the imagined worlds At me of wri ng in March 2021, we remain drawing threads between them and and gate of heaven. It is this idea of a of the mind’s eye. in a liminal phase – caught between two providing space for reflec on. celes al portal that gives this triptych its worlds, the past and future simultaneously structural role in the wider context of the The final choral work in the sequence is illusory and unreal. This album is our a empt Between the two parts of the Lamenta ons sequence, forming the central phase with Marco’s se ng of O sacrum convivium. This to capture something of this moment, is Ubi caritas, with its upli ing message of two connected but independent worlds text is also about memory and imagina on, recorded in the midst of this stretched charity and love. Marco’s se ng stems from before and a er. inspired by the ‘sacred banquet’ of Holy out ‘in between’. We invite you to listen the plainsong chant which is presented in a Communion where the memory of Christ’s to the sequence in full and for it to be the series of varia ons punctuated by more Travelling, you realize that differences are Passion is renewed, ‘the mind is filled with soundtrack to personal reflec on – as declamatory passages. With its reserved lost: each city takes to resembling all ci es, grace, and a pledge of future glory to us is Marco Polo observes in Invisible Ci es, sense of op mism, this piece represents places exchange their form, order, distances, given.’ Marco’s approach to the text is ‘it is not the voice that commands the the importance of community and hope a shapeless dust cloud invades the par cularly striking for its slow and steady story; it is the ear.’ in mes of fear and uncertainty. con nents. Your atlas preserves the increase in tempo and energy. Beginning differences intact: that assortment of with calm stasis, the music changes gear © 2021 Tom Herring with each new line of text un l the Marco Polo describes a bridge, stone by quali es which are like the le ers in a name.* rapturous ‘Alleluia’ bursts through in stone. ‘But which is the stone that supports cascading melodies in all voice parts before * Calvino, I. (1997) Invisible Ci es. Trans. the bridge?’ Kublai Khan asks. gradually dissipa ng back to s llness. William Weaver (Vintage, London): p74, ‘The bridge is not supported by one stone In the Lamenta ons, we hear of the p125, pp133–4, p148 Texts and Transla ons
2. Lamenta ons I
Incipit Lamenta o Jeremiae prophetae. Here beginneth the Lamenta ons of the Prophet Jeremiah. ALEPH. ALEPH. Quomodo sedet sola civitas plena populo! Facta est quasi vidua domina gen um; How lonely lies the city that was full of people! princeps provinciarum facta est sub tributo. How like a widow has she become, she that was great among the na ons! BETH. She that was a princess among the ci es has become a vassal. Plorans ploravit in nocte, et lacrimæ ejus in maxillis ejus: BETH. non est qui consoletur eam, ex omnibus caris ejus; She weeps bi erly in the night, tears on her omnes amici ejus spreverunt eam, et fac cheeks; sunt ei inimici. among all her lovers she has none to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they have become her enemies.
3. Ubi caritas Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Where charity and love are, God is there. Congregavit nos in unum Chris amor. Christ’s love has gathered us into one. Exultemus, et in ipso iucundemur. Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him. Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum. Let us fear, and let us love the living God. Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero. And may we love each other with a sincere heart.
Amen. Amen.
Offertorium on Maundy Thursday 4. Lamenta ons II
De Lamenta one Jeremiae prophetae. The Lamenta ons of the Prophet Jeremiah.
GHIMEL. GHIMEL.
Migravit Judas propter afflic onem, et Judah has gone into exile because of mul tudinem servitu s; afflic on and hard servitude; she dwells now habitavit inter gentes, nec invenit requiem: among the na ons, but finds no res ng place; omnes persecutores ejus apprehenderunt her pursuers have all overtaken her in the eam inter angus as. midst of her distress.
DALETH. DALETH.
Viæ Sion lugent, eo quod non sint qui The roads to Zion mourn, for none come to veniant ad solemnitatem, omnes portæ the appointed feasts; all her gates are ejus destructæ, sacerdotes ejus gementes; desolate, her priests groan; virgines ejus squalidæ, et ipsa oppressa her maidens have been dragged away, amaritudine. and she herself suffers bi erly.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, convertere ad Jerusalem, Jerusalem return unto the Dominum Deum tuum. Lord thy God.
6. Ave sanc ssima Maria, mater Dei, Hail most holy Mary, mother of God, Regina caeli, porta paradisi, domina mundi. Queen of heaven, gate of paradise, Pura singularis tu es virgo. ruler of the world. Tu concepis Jesum sine peccato. You are a uniquely pure virgin. Tu peperis creatorem et salvatorem mundi You conceived Jesus without sin. in quo ego non dubito. You bore the creator and saviour of the Libera nos ab omni malo et ora pro world in whom I do not doubt. pecca s nostris. Free us from every evil and pray for us sinners. 7. Ave maris stella, Hail, star of the sea, 10. Super flumina Babylonis By the waters of Babylon we sat down Dei Mater alma, Nourishing mother of God, illic sedimus et flevimus, and wept, Atque semper virgo, Ever a virgin, cum recordaremur Sion. when we remembered thee, O Sion. Felix caeli porta. Joyous gate of heaven. In salicibus in medio eius suspendimus As for our harps, we hanged them up upon Solve vincla reis, Release the chains of the guilty, organa nostra: the trees that are therein: Profer lumen caecis, Bring light to the blind, quia illic interrogaverunt nos, qui cap vos for they that led us away cap ve required Mala nostra pelle, Take away our wrong-doing, duxerunt nos, verba can onum, et qui of us then a song, and melody in Bona cuncta posce. Demand all that is good. abduxerunt nos: Hymnum cantate nobis our heaviness: de can cis Sion. Sing us one of the songs of Sion. Vitam praesta puram, Display a pure life, Iter para tutum, Prepare your path, Quomodo cantabimus can cum Domini How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a Ut videntes Jesum, So that we may see Jesus in terra aliena? strange land? Semper collaetemur. And rejoice together always. Si oblitus fuero tui, Jerusalem, oblivioni If I forget thee, O Jerusalem: let my right Sit laus Deo Patri, Let praise be to God the Father, detur dextera mea. hand forget her cunning. Summo Christo decus, Glory to Christ the great, Spiritui Sancto, To the Holy Spirit, Adhaereat lingua mea faucibus meis, If I do not remember thee, let my tongue Tribus honor unus. One honour in three. si non meminero tui; cleave to the roof of my mouth: si non proposuero Jerusalem in yea, if I prefer not Jerusalem in my mirth. Amen. Amen. principio lae ae meae.
8. Alma Redemptoris Mater, Loving Mother of the Redeemer, Psalm 137, vv. 1–6 quae pervia caeli porta manes, who remains the gate by which we et stella maris, succurre caden mortals enter heaven, 11. O sacrum convivium in quo O sacred banquet! in which sugere qui curat populo: and star of the sea, help your fallen Christus sumitur; Christ is received, people who strive to rise: recolitur memoria passionis ejus the memory of his Passion is renewed, Tu quae genuis , natura mirante, mens impletur gra a, the mind is filled with grace, tuum sanctum Genitorem: You who gave birth, amazing nature, et future gloriae nobis pignus datur. and a pledge of future glory to us is given. to your sacred creator: Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab Alleluia Alleluia. ore sumens illud Virgin prior and following, taking from the Ave, peccatorum miserere. mouth of Gabriel that Hail! Have mercy on our sins. Acknowledgements SANSARA
This project was supported in part Ar s c Director & Conductor by The RVW Trust Tom Herring
Our thanks also go to: Soprano Heather & John Cawley Lucy Cox (solo: Lamenta ons II, Bill Cli lands Alma Redemptoris Mater) Alastair Coates Fiona Fraser (solo: Lamenta ons II) Jill & David Galvani Victoria Meteyard* Antonia Lacey Daisy Walford Julia Moore Carol & Duncan Neithercut Alto Wyn Pugh Laura Baldwin (solo: Lamenta ons I, II) Phil Smith Amy Blythe Rosie Parker
Tenor Tom Castle Oscar Golden-Lee (solo: Lamenta ons I, II) Jonathan Hanley
Bass Piers Kennedy Ben McKee Ben Tomlin (solo: Lamenta ons I, II)
*Lamenta ons only SANSARA ‘Choral singing with real depth’ The Observer SANSARA is an award-winning vocal collec ve uni ng the next genera on ‘SANSARA slips easily into the elite ranks of of choral ar sts. Choirs are living, breathing excep onal performers’ instruments – bodies of voices with Choir & Organ unparalleled expressive poten al and powerful symbols of human coexistence. ‘Truly special’ We harness this crea ve force through Sir James MacMillan our engaged musicianship, communica ng with passion and integrity to conjure ‘Hail SANSARA! A new star in the galaxy of spell-binding atmospheres. wonderful chamber choirs.’ John Ru er Winners of the 2015 London Interna onal A Cappella Choir Compe on, performance www.sansarachoir.com highlights include Barbican Sound Unbound, Kings Place, St John’s Smith Square, V&A, Holy Week Fes val, Temple Winter Fes val, Newbury Spring Fes val, Budleigh Fes val and Winchester Fes val.
The choir’s debut recording, Cloths of Heaven (Convivium Records, 2017) received high praise for its ‘perfect intona on and clean, pure sound’ (The Observer) and ‘breathtaking interpreta ons’ (Choir & Organ). The group’s second release, The Wai ng Sky (Resonus Classics, 2019) was described as ‘an excellent record’ (Gramophone) and ‘imagina ve and eclec c’ (The Observer). Both recordings have featured on BBC Radio 3 and 4 (The Choir, Breakfast, Essen al Classics, The World Tonight). More titles from Resonus Classics Tom Herring from a variety of musical genres. Tom is a conductor, singer and crea ve The Waiting Sky: Music for Advent and Christmas producer based in London. Co-founder and Marco has also worked extensively in the SANSARA, Benjamin Cunningham & Ar s c Director of SANSARA, he has directed fields of opera and instrumental music, Tom Herring (conductors) the choir at fes vals and venues across the having been commissioned and performed RES10250 UK and abroad, producing ‘breathtaking by ar sts and founda on such as Ma hew ‘Imaginative and eclectic’ interpreta ons’ (Choir & Organ) of a broad Schellhorn, The Hermes Experiment, The Observer range of repertoire. An alumnus of the CHROMA, London Accordion Orchestra, Netherlands Chamber Choir’s innova ve Borough New Music, and his two operas NXT scheme, Tom sings regularly with Rothschild’s Violin and Autopilot Saves Tenebrae and other professional ensembles Model S were performed in 2016 and 2018, as well as developing a solo career. se ng Chekhov and a New York Times In No Strange Land: Choral Music by Martin Bussey inspired ar cle/libre o by Leo Mercer Sonoro, Micheal Higgins (organ) & Tom read Music at the University of Oxford respec vely. Neil Ferris (conductor) and has worked for Oxford Lieder, Associa on RES10251 of Bri sh Orchestras, Intermusica and His recent work has explored the integra on Sulivan Sweetland ar st management. He of electronics and AI with composi on, ‘This isn’t a Tenebrae or a Polyphony, where blend is is the producer of the Holy Week Fes val including new commissions for Liverpool paramount, but an ensemble where individual voices at St John’s Smith Square and a Project Light Nights Fes val collabora ng with push and urge and jostle. The effect is exciting – Manager and Mentor with Young People virtual reality ar st Rosie Summers and Leo released, urgent, vibrant’ in the Arts. Mercer, a new work for virtual ensemble Gramophone Bandwidth, and a new opera c work Marco Galvani exploring the idea of transhumanism for © 2021 Resonus Limited Marco is a composer based in London, Tête-à-Tête Opera Fes val 2021. è 2021 Resonus Limited whose choral music is published by Edi on Recorded at the Church of St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London on 12–13 October 2020 Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks Peters. Marco’s choral pieces have been Marco has taught General Music and Recorded at 24-bit/96kHz resolution commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic composi on at the Yehudi Menuhin School Cover image and artwork: Henize 2–10 – Study, oil and pigment on linen, 100cm x 80cm Society, The Sixteen, Siglo d’Oro, Rushworth since 2018, and divides his me between by Charlie Barton www.charliebarton.com Founda on, and the Choir of The Queen’s teaching and composing. College Oxford, among others. His work in RESONUS LIMITED – UK this area explores ways of reinterpre ng www.marcogalvani.co.uk polyphonic vocal wri ng for the twenty-first [email protected] century, while drawing harmonic inspira on www.resonusclassics.com
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