Sunday Afternoon, January 15, 2017, at 2:00 Isaac Stern Auditorium / Ronald O. Perelman Stage Changing Lives through the Power of Performance Iris Derke, Co-Founder and General Director Jonathan Griffith, Co-Founder and Artistic Director presents The Music of Sir Karl Jenkins: Aberfan, Cantata Memoria Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Sir Karl Jenkins, DCINY Composer-in-Residence DISTINGUISHED CONCERTS ORCHESTRA DISTINGUISHED CONCERTS SINGERS INTERNATIONAL SIR KARL JENKINS Requiem (with film) I. Introit II. Dies irae III. The snow of yesterday IV. Rex tremendae V. Confutatis VI. From deep in my heart VII. Lacrimosa VIII. Now as a spirit IX. Pie Jesu X. Having seen the moon XI. Lux æterna XII. Farewell XIII. In paradisum JOANIE BRITTINGHAM , Soprano HOLLY SORENSEN , Mezzo-soprano JAMES NYORAKU SCHLEFER , Shakuhachi CATRIN FINCH , Harp Intermission PLEASE SWITCH OFF YOUR CELL PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES. SIR KARL JENKINS Cantata Memoria For the Children Libretto by Mererid Hopwood (North American Premiere)(with film) 1. Pitran, patran 2. Then Silence Tawelwch fu 3. Cortège 4. Lament for the Valley Marwnad y Cwm Agnus Dei 5. Lacrimosa Lullaby Lacrimosa ’Maban Glân 6. Did I hear a bird? 7. Satin Feathers Aderyn Du 8. And-a-half Blwyddyn-a-mis 9. And once upon a time Unwaith amser maith yn ôl 10. When the shadow dies 11. Lux æterna JOANIE BRITTINGHAM , Soprano MARK WALTERS , Baritone JORGE ÁVILA , Violin CATRIN FINCH , Harp DAVID CHILDS , Euphonium WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Use #CANTATAMEMORIA to post your post-concert and intermission photos and com - ments to @DCINY on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram! | DCINY DCINY thanks its kind sponsors in education: Artist Travel Consultants, VH-1 Save the Music, Education Through Music, High 5, and WQXR. Credit to BBC Cymru Wales; S4C for commissioning; Hefin Owens and Rondo Media. A special thanks to Catrin Brace, Efe Soltol, and the Welsh Assembly Government. Every year children around the globe fall victim to unforeseen disasters and unimaginable tragedies. In the wake of such events several organizations offer emergency response serv - ices and critical aid to children in their most crucial times of need. How you can help: Text AID to 20222 to donate $10 to save the Children | Text 0900 to Donate $10 to The Red Cross | Text the word UNICEF to 80100 to donate $10. A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. All donations must be authorized by the account holder. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. User must be age 18 or older or have parental permission to participate. By texting YES, the user agrees to the terms and conditions. Service is available on most carriers. Message & Data Rates May Apply.” For information about performing on DCINY’s series or about purchasing tickets, e-mail [email protected], call (212) 707-8566, or visit our website at www.DCINY.org. DISTINGUISHED CONCERTS INTERNATIONAL NEW YORK 250 W. 57 STREET, SUITE 1610 NEW YORK, NY 10107 (212) 707-8566 Notes ON THE PROGRAM SIR KARL JENKINS (b.1944) Requiem A Requiem is a Mass for the souls of Benedictus and the Agnus Dei respec - the dead. In general, I have set the usual tively. Both are intoned by male voices Latin movements but, in keeping with in a monastic style as a counterpoint to my usual trait of drawing from other the Japanese text sung by females. cultures, I have also set five Japanese haiku ‘death’ poems. Such poems are The instrumentation of these haiku set - usually to do with nature, have a single tings includes the ancient Japanese idea, and consist of seventeen syllables wind instrument the shakuhachi. divided 5-7-5 over three lines. As one Elsewhere, as usual, I have used some can see from the text, the Japanese view ethnic drums ( eg Arabic darabuca, nature’s water cycle (precipitation) as Japanese daiko, frame drums) and even being synonymous with life. a hip-hop rhythm in the Dies irae ! I have combined the Western and The work is dedicated to my late father, Eastern texts in two of the haiku move - a musician and an inspiration. ments, Having Seen The Moon and Farewell , which incorporate the —Note by Sir Karl Jenkins SIR KARL JENKINS Cantata Memoria For the Children Cantata Memoria commemorates the whilst also being mindful of the respon - Aberfan tragedy of October 21st 1966. sibility the commission carried in writ - It was on this day that 116 children ing something with integrity and acces - and 28 adults perished when a coal sibility that would connect and move spoil tip enveloped Pantglas Junior everyone – the bereaved who are still School together with some houses in with us, those who remember and Aberfan, South Wales. Aged twenty- those who come to this catastrophe two, I was in my first term at the Royal anew. Paradoxically, dealing with a Academy of Music, London, at the subject that lies so deep in the soul of time, and inevitably the disaster had a the Welsh is both a harrowing and massive impact on me and millions of uplifting experience, but the journey others. has been made easier and more reward - ing by my traveling companion, Two years ago, I was approached by Mererid Hopwood, the brilliant Welsh Ian Jones, CEO of S4C (Sianel Pedwar poet, academic and linguist who has Cymru – Channel Four Wales), and written a remarkable libretto. Hefin Owen of Rondo Media and offered a commission to compose a And while the work starts in Aberfan, work commemorating the 50th alas, we must be mindful of how it anniversary of the tragedy. Feeling priv - might encompass other heartbreaking ileged, humbled and honored to have tragedies involving children. Think of been chosen, I immediately accepted, Dunblane (1996), the Beslan school siege (2004), the Korean ferry disaster men. It was said also that birdsong was and the Peshawar School massacre not heard in the hours before or after (both 2014) – each one a disaster too the tragedy. many. We have all been children, and many of us are parents and grandpar - The text is multilingual, in English, ents, and my hope is that the work is Welsh and Latin (four texts from the symbolic, concerning childhood and Requiem Mass), while also referencing the cherishing of the precious young as various other languages for specific well as offering a memorial in music for words ( eg ‘why’ and ‘light’) in Welsh, the disaster in Wales. As Mererid says, English, Swedish, Latin, Spanish, “we sincerely hope the work speaks German, French, Dutch and Italian. It from two hearts to many hearts.” is hoped these many languages symbol - ize how the memorial is at once both This work is music and a poem. It is specific and universal. not a documentary, nor even a drama - tization, but it does include a confla - The work is in two distinct sections but tion of ideas and facts that were rele - performed continuously. The first (20 vant and by now part of the legacy. minutes) deals with the tragedy and the There wasn’t just the one cortège, for immediate aftermath, and the second example. Some events remain open to (35 minutes) moves from darkness to debate but we do know that All Things light, reliving memories and celebrating Bright and Beautiful was sung at childhood, ending with Lux æterna Pantglas School from time to time and (everlasting light). also Myfanwy (by Joseph Parry from nearby Merthyr Tydfil) on one occa - Cantata (from the Italian cantare , sion by soldiers who dug for victims. meaning ‘to sing’) has come to mean a Myfanwy was also the first piece sung work for soloist(s), choir and orches - by the Ynysowen Male Choir that was tra, and memoria is both Latin and formed after the tragedy with the inten - Italian for memory or remembrance. tion of raising money for charity while providing a social activity for the local —Note by Sir Karl Jenkins Texts and Translations Requiem SIR KARL JENKINS 1. Introit Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, et lux perpetua luceat eis. and let perpetual light shine upon them. Te decet hymnus Deus, in Sion, A hymn becomes you, O God, in Zion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem. and to you shall a vow be repaid in Exaudi orationem meam; Jerusalem. ad te omnis caro veniet. Hear my prayer; Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, to you shall all flesh come. et lux perpetua luceat eis. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. 2. Dies irae Dies irae, Dies illa, This day, this day of wrath, Solvet saeculum in favilla, Shall consume the world in ashes, Teste David cum Sibylla. As foretold by David and the Sibyl. Quantus tremor est futurus What trembling there shall be Quando iudex est venturus When the judge shall come Cuncta stricte discussurus! To weigh everything strictly! Tuba mirum spargens sonum The trumpet, scattering its awful sound Per sepulchra regionum Across the graves of all lands Coget omnes ante thronum. Summons all before the throne. Mors stupebit et natura, Death and nature shall be stunned, Cum resurget creatura When mankind arises Iudicanti responsura. To render account before the Judge. Liber scriptus proferetur The written book shall be brought In quo totum continetur In which all is contained Unde mundus iudicetur. Whereby the world shall be judged. Judex ergo cum sedebit, When the judge takes his seat Quidquid latet apparebit: All that is hidden shall appear: Nil inultum remanebit. Nothing will remain unavenged. Quid sum miser tunc dicturus, What shall I, a wretch, say then.