CONVIVIUM MUSICUM

The Measure of My Days Virtual Concert Summer 2021 convivium musicum Michael Barrett, music director The Measure of My Days — program —

Cobham William Billings (1746 - 1800) Audi, o Domine, meum clamorem Giovanni Croce (1557 - 1609) When we’re young Nyla Harris

Inclina, Domine, aurem tuam Giovanni Gabrieli (1554/7 - 1612) Prayers From A Sinner India-Mae Fraser

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine (1450/5 - 1521) Unser Leben währet siebnzig Jahr (1586 - 1630) Bridges To Burn Sonja Grey

Lehre uns bedencken Schein

Tu as esté, Seigneur, nostre retraicte Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562 - 1621) The Break of Dawn Jessica Daniel

Domine, exaudi orationem meam Orlandus Lassus (selected verses) (1530/2 - 1594)

• Saturday, June 26, 2021, 7 pm The easureM of My Days: A Virtual Concert Please join us for a Virtual Afterparty on Zoom at the link above, or follow this QR Code

Convivium Musicum: Soprano: Jaime Riggs, Kristina Jackson, Sarah Spinella, Katie Yosua^ Alto: Deanna Biddy, Sarah Gore, Dylan Hillerbrand, Anne Kazlauskas, Ruthie Miller, Monika Otter Tenor: Ron Lacro, Andrej Savol, Dan Schenk, Josh Smith Bass: Christopher Chase, Michael Dettelbach, Saul Frankford, John Nesby ^assistant conductor

Board of Directors: Sarah Spinella, President; Ruthie Miller, Treasurer; Gabriel Ellsworth, Clerk; Michael Barrett, Music Director; Michael Dettelbach, Dylan Hillerbrand Ron Lacro, Anne Matthews, Dan Schenk, Katie Yosua

Special thanks to our Sponsors for this virtual concert Michael Barrett, John A. Carey, Ron Lacro and Jon Schum, and Michael McDonald

for more information web: www.convivium.org · phone: 617-320-7445 · email: [email protected] Texts & Translations

Cobham

Teach me the measure of my days, Thou Maker of my frame; I would survey life’s narrow space, And learn how frail I am.

A span is all that we can boast, An inch or two of time; Man is but vanity and dust In all his flower and prime.

See the vain race of mortals move Like shadows o’er the plain; They rage and strive, desire and love, But all the noise is vain.

Some walk in honor’s gaudy show, Some dig for golden ore; They toil for heirs, they know not who, And straight are seen no more.

What should I wish or wait for, then, From creatures earth and dust? They make our expectations vain, And disappoint our trust.

Now I forbid my carnal hope, My fond desires recall; I give my mortal interest up, And make my God my all.

4 Francesco Bembo’s paraphrase of Psalm 102 (101 )

Audi, o Domine, meum clamorem, Hear, o Lord, my cry, faciem tuam a me ne absconde, and do not hide your face from me. namque ut fumus sunt dies mei, For like smoke are my days. cor meum ad te, aures tuas a me cur Why would you turn my heart vertis? towards you, but turn your ears away from me? Amicus nullus est qui me non neget, There is no friend who does not disown me. pro panibus in cinere me pavi & fletu I have fed on ashes instead of bread, multo, and much weeping, nec tamen latui ab ira tua, and yet have not been able to hide from your ire. cur denuo non precer? Why should I not pray to you again?

Ergo Deus, ad quem omnes gentes Therefore, O God, to whom all confugiunt, peoples flee, & reges se demittunt, before whom kings have humbled themselves qui meritis tuis se frui norunt. knowing that they were benefiting from your kindness. Ah ne me deferas, tu es defensor & Oh do not take me away from what Dominus, you have created. rei abs te creatae, You are my defender and my Lord, atque semper eris in omne aevum. and will always be so for all ages.

5 6 Psalm 86 (85 Vulgate):1-2. Inclina, Domine, aurem tuam et Incline thine ear, O Lord, exaudi me, quoniam inops et pauper and hear me, for I am needy and poor. sum ego. Custodi animam meam, quoniam Preserve my soul, for I am holy; save sum; salvum fac servum thy servant, o my God, who trusts tuum, Deus meus, speramus in te. in thee.

Prayers From A Sinner I will lift up a voice filled with death and despair Let these sacrilegous tones ring through the air Pray to a God they say has forsaken me And hope that he still holds an ear for my plea

From the night that has clothed me, I’ll shake off the ties And all the star’s melodies, Shield from my eyes

I’ll whisper your holy words, Confess each sin at the pyre And hope that someday You can forgive this sinner’s fire

When the days fell heavy, I cried oceans of tears, And when they grew dark, I grew strong off the fears

But now the sun shines, And these prayers are my cry That on this dug grave, I will not quietly lie

Every word, every action, will be wiped from this life Like the dawn of doom, the Grim Reaper’s scythe All I ask is that, when storms become my soul’s refrain, You let me be free, to dance in the rain

7 Et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Psalm 130, Vulgate 129 De profundis clamavi ad te, Out of the depths have I cried to thee, Domine; O Lord. Domine, exaudi vocem meam. Lord hear my voice. Fiant aures tuae intendentes in Let thy ears be attentive to the voice vocem deprecationis meae. of my supplication. Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine, If thou, O Lord, will mark iniquities: Domine, quis sustinebit? Lord, who shall stand it. Quia apud te propitiatio est; For with thee there is merciful forgiveness; et propter legem tuam sustinui te, and by reason of thy law, I have waited Domine. for thee, O Lord. Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus: My soul hath relied on his word. speravit anima mea in Domino. My Soul hath hoped in the Lord. A custodia matutina usque ad noctem, From the morning watch even until night, speret Israël in Domino. let Israel hope in the Lord. Quia apud Dominum misericordia, et Because with the Lord there is mercy, copiosa apud eum redemptio. and with him plentiful redemption. Et ipse redimet Israël ex omnibus And he shall redeem Israel from all its iniquitatibus ejus. iniquities. et filio et spiritui sancto, Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et As it was in the beginning, is now and semper, ever shall be,

world without end. Amen. :10 (Luther translation) Unser Leben währet siebnzig Our life lasts seventy years, Jahr, Und wenn es hoch kömmpt so sinds and at most eighty years. achtzig Jahr, Und wenn es köstlich gewesen ist, And if it has been delightful, So ist es Müh’ und Arbeit gewesen. it has been sorrow and toil. Denn es fehret schnell dahin als For it passes swiftly, as if we were flögen wir davon. flying away.

8 Bridges To Burn

I find such places quickly Entrust in them too much I hold them ‘til they strangle me With just the memory of their clutch

But now I have received As well as given too My stars are yours and yours are mine Though ours days left are but few

We gazed up at the sky Of our friend’s twelve year old car You pointed out the constellations Helped me save them in a jar

The seeds that you have sowed I’ll try to sun them still I’ll drench them in the dappled sun With me you have instilled

It came out from the bushes A timid morning dove Who lit on wings of silken spun As soon as given love

I can taste the sugar Melting on my tongue From the sourcandy words Together we had strung

I can see the laughter Can hear the shining eyes Can touch the love that we all shared Before it fizzles up and dies

The scent of bowing poppies Of barley ripe matured You keep me safe from filed claws Your dreams for me stay pure

9 The crackle of the campfires We could never light How can it have been only months Never have known what might

Maybe I could make it Safe within myself If only I could keep you all Secured upon my shelf

But now I must have faith As sure as I have in you For time is up and all is left Is everything we ever knew

Psalm 90:12-14 Lehre uns bedenken, Teach us to consider Daß wir sterben müssen, That we must die, Auf daß wir klug werden. so that we may become prudent. Herr, kehre dich doch wieder zu uns, Lord, turn to us again Und sey deinen Knechten genädig. and be merciful to your servants. Fülle uns früh mit deiner Gnade. Fill us in the morning with your grace, So wollen wir rühmen und fröhlich and we shall give praise and be merry seyn Unser Leben lang. all our lives long.

Psalm 90:1-2 (paraphrase by Clément Marot) Tu as esté, Seigneur, nostre You, Lord, have been our retreat retraicte, Et seur recours de lignee en lignee: and secure refuge from generation to generation: Mesmes devant nulle montagne nee, Even before any mountain was born Et que le monde et la terre fust faicte, and before the world and the earth were made, Tu estois Dieu desia comme tu es, you already were God as you are now, Et comme aussi tu seras à jamais. and as you will be for ever.

10 The Break of Dawn

The imet passes unceasingly, Indifferent to our earnest pleas. Countless days lost to seclusion, To the closed doors between us. Knowing What we need to do doesn’t Make it much easier. We have been brought to our knees.

The uns sets.

The air always smells like rotten eggs now. Sulfurous… Is this hell? From our solitude, we are trying So hard to see each other through The eerie blue-light-burning brimstone. All of us Squinting with invisible eyes.

Night Descends Upon us Again In draping blankets, smothering. An embroidery of satellite-stars, A searing heat.

How lonely we are in the dark, And how selfish we are to complain While the rest are locked outside. We are cloistered In our little hells on earth, though We have been luckier than most. Our skins are peeling, Charring. Our fitful bodies Convulsing.

11 When might He allow us at last to emerge fully Into the sweet sunlight? My friends, Hear His voice and Strike deliberately. Now, look!—let our hearts quiet As we watch the weeping rock. Just Watch the cold, Clean water gush forth.

Psalm 102 (101 Vulgate): 2-3, 9, 13-14, 19-23 Domine, exaudi orationem Hear, o Lord, my prayer, meam, et clamor meus ad te veniat. and let my cry come to thee. Non avertas faciem tuam a me: Turn not away thy face from me; in quacumque die tribulor, inclina ad when I am in trouble, incline thy ear me aurem tuam; to me. in quacumque die invocavero te, What day soever I shall call upon thee, velociter exaudi me. hear me speedily. ... Tota die exprobrabant mihi inimici All day long my enemies reproached mei, me et qui laudabant me adversum me and they that praised me did swear jurabant: against me. ... Tu autem, Domine, in aeternum But thou, O Lord, endurest forever; permanes, et memoriale tuum in generationem and thy memorial to all generations. et generationem. Tu exsurgens misereberis Sion, Thou shalt arise and have mercy on Sion: quia tempus miserendi ejus, quia for it is time to have mercy on her, for venit tempus: the time is come. ...

12 Scribantur haec in generatione altera, Let these things be written unto another generation, et populus qui creabitur laudabit and the people that shall be created Dominum. shall praise the Lord Quia prospexit de excelso sancto suo; Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary; Dominus de caelo in terram aspexit: from heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth ut audiret gemitus compeditorum; That he might hear the groans of them that are in fetters: ut solveret filios interemptorum: that he might release the children of the slain: ut annuntient in Sion nomen Domini, That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion et laudem ejus in Jerusalem: and his praise in Jerusalem in conveniendo populos in unum, when the people assemble together, et reges, ut serviant Domino. and kings, to serve the lord. ... Gloria patri et filio et spiritui sancto, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et as it was in the beginning, is now, and semper, ever shall be, Et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. World without end. Amen

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13 Acknowledgments Current Donations During the 2020-2021 Season Thanks to Michael Barrett, Ron Lacro, and Michael Dettelbach for spearheading the tech- nologies that have allowed us to present to you virtually. We are grateful to Harvard-Epworth Church and John Nesby for hosting our recording session. Thanks to Rebecca Smoler, ELA coordinator for the town of Sharon, for promoting our poetry competition. Special thanks to Cole Barbour for his fantastic recordings, and to Sarah Spinella for the extraordinary video editing work that made this presentation possible. Many thanks to those who have continued to help us fulfill our financial obligations during this second year of the pandemic. We are immensely grateful that we have been able to continue making music in any form, and know that it is completely due to your generosity. Our heartfelt thanks to our family of donors.

Convivium Musicum is a non-profit organization largely supported by membership dues and tax-deductible donations. Please join us in our effort to bring this beautiful music to all by considering a donation this season. Many thanks!

Guarantor Cynthia Lacro John A. Carey Joan Logan Ron Lacro and Jon Schum Charlene and Ron Nilson Michael McDonald Jaime Riggs Anne Matthews and Edward Fay, Jr. Sarah Riskind Ruthie Miller Irving Rockwood Sarah Spinella Joseph Spector Ruth S. Westheimer Kathleen Spinella Fred and Dianne Yosua Underwriter Robert Henry Dylan Hillerbrand Sponsor Richard Tarrant David Bryant Roger Cleghorn and Lise Foss Grand Patron Martha Davidson Rebecca and Thom Barrett Ellen and Gary Fox Chris Chase Polly and Jameson Marvin Robert Cochran Scott Metcalfe Luther and Iris Miller Dennis and Anne Moore Holly Rothermel and Michael Dettelbach Cheryl Ryder Michal Truelsen and Jody Wormhoudt Patron David Knudsen Monika Otter Friend Andrew Sigel John Becker John Stewart and Susan McGee Evan Boudreau Robert B. Strassler Ellen Browning Marianne Duddy-Burke Benefactor Jane Mead Karen and Steve Bernacki Michael Wark 14 Marissa Coutts Sheila Donahue Evan Ingersoll List updated June 2021

Fall 2018 Fall 2018

A Cappella Singers, www.theacappellasingers.org Kings Chapel Concert Series, www.kings-chapel.org A Cappella Singers, www.theacappellasingers.org Kings Chapel Concert Series, www.kings-chapel.org Andover Choral Society, andoverchoralsociety.org/ Koleinu, Boston’s Jewish Community Chorus Andover Choral Society, andoverchoralsociety.org/ Koleinu, Boston’s Jewish Community Chorus Arlington-Belmont Chorale, psarlington.org/drupal/ www.koleinu.org Arlington-Belmont Chorale, psarlington.org/drupal/ www.koleinu.org Back Bay Chorale, bbcboston.org Labyrinth Choir, www.labyrinthchoir.org/ Back Bay Chorale, bbcboston.org Labyrinth Choir, www.labyrinthchoir.org/ Belmont Open Sings, Lexington Pops Chorus, Belmont Open Sings, Lexington Pops Chorus, www.powersmusic.org/belmont_open_sings www.LexingtonPopsChorus.org www.powersmusic.org/belmont_open_sings www.LexingtonPopsChorus.org Boston Cecilia, www.bostoncecilia.org Master Singers of Lexington, Boston Cecilia, www.bostoncecilia.org Master Singers of Lexington, Boston Choral Ensemble, www.BostonChoral.org www.themastersingers.org Boston Choral Ensemble, www.BostonChoral.org www.themastersingers.org Boston Gay Men's Chorus, www.bgmc.org Masterworks Chorale, www.masterworkschorale.org Boston Gay Men's Chorus, www.bgmc.org Masterworks Chorale, www.masterworkschorale.org Boston Saengerfest Men's Chorus, saengerfest.org Meridian Singers, web.mit.edu/meridians Boston Saengerfest Men's Chorus, saengerfest.org Meridian Singers, web.mit.edu/meridians Braintree Choral Society, Metropolitan Chorale, www.metropolitanchorale.org Braintree Choral Society, Metropolitan Chorale, www.metropolitanchorale.org braintreechoralsociety.weebly.com Mishawum Choral Society, www.mishawumchoral.org braintreechoralsociety.weebly.com Mishawum Choral Society, www.mishawumchoral.org Brookline A Cappella, www.brooklineacappella.com MIT Women's Chorale, Brookline A Cappella, www.brooklineacappella.com MIT Women's Chorale, Cambridge Chamber Singers, web.mit.edu/womensleague/womenschorale/ Cambridge Chamber Singers, web.mit.edu/womensleague/womenschorale/ www.cambridgechambersingers.org Mudville Madrigal Singers www.cambridgechambersingers.org Mudville Madrigal Singers Cambridge Community Chorus, mudvillemadrigalsingers.blogspot.com Cambridge Community Chorus, mudvillemadrigalsingers.blogspot.com www.cambridgechorus.org Musica Sacra, musicasacra.org www.cambridgechorus.org Musica Sacra, musicasacra.org Cantata Singers, www.cantatasingers.org Mystic Chorale, www.mysticchorale.org Cantata Singers, www.cantatasingers.org Mystic Chorale, www.mysticchorale.org Cantemus, www.cantemus.org Nashoba Valley Chorale, www.nashobachorale.org Cantemus, www.cantemus.org Nashoba Valley Chorale, www.nashobachorale.org Cantilena - a woman's chorale, www.cantilena.org Neponset Choral Society, Inc., www.ncschorus.org Cantilena - a woman's chorale, www.cantilena.org Neponset Choral Society, Inc., www.ncschorus.org Cappella Clausura, www.clausura.org New England Classical Singers, Cappella Clausura, www.clausura.org New England Classical Singers, Charles River Chorale www.charlesriverchorale.net www.newenglandclassical.org Charles River Chorale www.charlesriverchorale.net www.newenglandclassical.org Choral Art Society of the South Shore, New World Chorale, www.newworldchorale.org Choral Art Society of the South Shore, New World Chorale, www.newworldchorale.org www.choralartsociety.org Newton Community Chorus, www.choralartsociety.org Newton Community Chorus, Chorus North Shore, www.chorusnorthshore.org www.NewtonCommunityChorus.org Chorus North Shore, www.chorusnorthshore.org www.NewtonCommunityChorus.org Chorus pro Musica, www.choruspromusica.org Night Song nightsong.org Chorus pro Musica, www.choruspromusica.org Night Song nightsong.org CircleSinging Boston, Oriana Consort, www.theorianaconsort.org CircleSinging Boston, Oriana Consort, www.theorianaconsort.org www.meetup.com/Circlesi nging-Boston/ Persephone's Daughters, www.meetup.com/Circlesi nging-Boston/ Persephone's Daughters, Commonwealth Chorale, www.persephonesdaughters.org Commonwealth Chorale, www.persephonesdaughters.org commonwealthchorale.com Pilgrim Festival Chorus, commonwealthchorale.com Pilgrim Festival Chorus, Concord Chorus, www.ConcordChorus.org www.pilgrimfestivalchorus.org Concord Chorus, www.ConcordChorus.org www.pilgrimfestivalchorus.org Concord Women's Chorus, Polymnia Choral Society, www.polymnia.org Concord Women's Chorus, Polymnia Choral Society, www.polymnia.org www.concordwomenschorus.org Quincy Choral Society, www.quincychoral.org www.concordwomenschorus.org Quincy Choral Society, www.quincychoral.org Coolidge Corner Community Chorus, Reading Community Singers, Coolidge Corner Community Chorus, Reading Community Singers, www.cccchorus.org www.readingcommunitysingers.org www.cccchorus.org www.readingcommunitysingers.org Coro Allegro, www.coroallegro.org Seraphim Singers, www.seraphimsingers.org Coro Allegro, www.coroallegro.org Seraphim Singers, www.seraphimsingers.org Coro Dante, www.dantemass.org/html/coro-dante Sharing A New Song, www.sanschorus.org Coro Dante, www.dantemass.org/html/coro-dante Sharing A New Song, www.sanschorus.org Dedham Choral Society, www.dedhamchoral.org Somerville Community Chorus, Dedham Choral Society, www.dedhamchoral.org Somerville Community Chorus, Exsultet! www.exsultet.us www.somervillechorus.com Exsultet! www.exsultet.us www.somervillechorus.com First Unitarian Society in Newton, fusn.org Sounds of Stow Chorus & Orchestra, First Unitarian Society in Newton, fusn.org Sounds of Stow Chorus & Orchestra, Golden Tones, goldentones.org www.soundsofstow.org Golden Tones, goldentones.org www.soundsofstow.org Greater Boston Intergenerational Chorus, Spectrum Singers, www.spectrumsingers.org Greater Boston Intergenerational Chorus, Spectrum Singers, www.spectrumsingers.org www.bostonchorus.net Tremble Clefs, marilynliptonokonow.com www.bostonchorus.net Tremble Clefs, marilynliptonokonow.com Halalisa Singers, www.halalisa.org Vocal Revolution, vocalrevolution.org Halalisa Singers, www.halalisa.org Vocal Revolution, vocalrevolution.org Harvard Choruses, harvardchoruses.fas.harvard.edu Voices Rising, www.voicesrising.org Harvard Choruses, harvardchoruses.fas.harvard.edu Voices Rising, www.voicesrising.org Harvard pro Musica, www.harvardpromusica.org Wellesley Choral Society, Harvard pro Musica, www.harvardpromusica.org Wellesley Choral Society, Highland Glee Club, www.highlandgleeclub.com www.WellesleyChor alSociety.org Highland Glee Club, www.highlandgleeclub.com www.WellesleyChoralSociety.org In Choro Novo, www.inchoronovo.org Westford Chorus, www.westfordchorus.org In Choro Novo, www.inchoronovo.org Westford Chorus, www.westfordchorus.org Jameson Singers, www.jamesonsingers.org Zamir Chorale of Boston, www.zamir.org Jameson Singers, www.jamesonsingers.org Zamir Chorale of Boston, www.zamir.org

Convivium Musicum is a member of the Greater Boston Choral Consortium, a cooperative association of diverse choral groups in Boston and the surrounding areas. About the Artists Founded and run by its singers, Convivium Musicum has been dedicated to concerts of uplifting beauty since 1987. Praised inThe Boston Musical Intelligencer for our “radiant and full sound ... complete interpretive assurance and a palpable sense of dedication to this music,” Convivium is known for performances of Renaissance choral music that shimmer with precision, fine intonation, rhyth- mic accuracy, and lively attention to text. Over three decades we have offered rarely-heard gems alongside stirring masterworks, and we have collaborated with the Boston Camerata, the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, and the Viola da Gamba Society of New England. The 2017-2018 season saw Convivium undertake our first international tour, singing concerts in Boston and Montreal in a collaboration with Montreal’s Ensemble Bellechose. As we enter our thirteenth season with Music Director Michael Bar- rett, our programs continue to be informed by careful research and scholarship, and our performances devoted to bringing to life the complex and profound emotional texture of this repertoire. Early Music America has acclaimed our per- formance as “the kind of transforming experience that concert junkies are always seeking.” This is what Convivium strives for in every concert program.

Music Director Michael Barrett is a Boston-based conductor, singer, multi- instrumentalist, and teacher. He has performed with many professional early music ensembles, including Blue Heron, the Boston Camerata, the Huelgas En- semble, Vox Luminis, the Handel & Haydn Society, Nederlandse Bachvereniging (Netherlands Bach Society), Seven Times Salt, Schola Cantorum of Boston, and Nota Bene.

Michael serves as music director of The Boston Cecilia, Convivium Musicum, and the MIT Meridian Singers. He is also an Assistant Professor at the Berklee College of Music, where he teaches courses in conducting and European music history. Michael holds degrees in music (AB, Harvard University), voice (First Phase Diploma, Royal Conservatory in The Hague, The Netherlands), and cho- ral conducting (MM, Indiana University; DMA, Boston University).

Assistant Conductor Katherine Yosua is a Brookline-based church musician. This season is her tenth as a singer with Convivium Musicum and her third as its assistant conductor. She holds a Master of Sacred Music from Boston University, where she studied organ with Peter Sykes, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Williams College, where she studied voice with Kerry Ryer-Parke and choral conducting with Brad Wells. She is currently the Music Director of Green Street Baptist Church in Melrose, Massachusetts.

Visit our website to learn more about the ensemble: www. convivium.org •