Dmitry Bortniansky at 250: His Leg~cy as a Choral Symphonist

by Marika C. Kuzma

Woodcut by S. Hnizdovsky, 1985, after the nineteCllth-cCIltlll'Y drawing by Afanas'ev. Copy1'ight pC17nission granted.

The effect of [his choral music] on sensitive people is Admittedly; Bortniansky's name3 does not come to mind (or overwhelming. Upon its unusual entrances, one feels seized roll off the tongue) as easily as that of Mozart, Beethoven, or in spasmodic, almost painful movements that one cannot Berlioz. Although American directors may be familiar with his control. ... There was an entanglement of voice-parts that Cherubic Hymn4 and several pieces occasionally found in Prot­ seemed impossible-sighs, vague murmurs as one estant hymnals (i.e., The Vespers Song), his choral legacy is not sometimes hears in dreams, and from time to time attacks nearly as well known as that of his Slavic compatriots that, in their intensity, resembled outcries, seizing the heart Grechaninov, Ralchmaninov, or Stravinsky. The reason for our all of the sudden, pressing against one's breast, and stopping lack of familiarity with Bortniansky may be largely political. all breathing. His choral music is almost exclusively sacred; during the Soviet -Hector Berlioz! era, when many churches were either closed or converted into museums, his choral music fell into relative obscurity. The above quotation from Berlioz calls to mind several Even earlier, in the nationalist era of the late nineteenth possible known to him: Beethoven? Cherubini? century and at the turn of the twentieth century, Slavic com­ One .of the Baroque masters? posers and music critics shunned Bortniansky's music, consid­ It might come as a surprise that in this rhapsodic commen­ ering it too Italianate, not sufficiently Russian-sounding. The tary Berlioz is referring to the Slavic Dmitry noted Russian music critic Alexander Serov denigrated Bortniansky, whose music he heard during a trip to Russia in Bortniansky's choral music as a mere "weak echo of the the 1840s. He became so enamored of Bortniansky's music, he under the Venetian master in the 1770s."5 programmed some of the choral music in his Paris .2 In faulting him for his style, however, they overlooked the The year 2001 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of cultural context of his music. Bortniansky studied composition (1751-1825), perhaps the foremost Slavic under the Venetian master Baldassare Galuppi during the composer of his day. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth Mozartean era. In Bortniansky's day, a European international centuries he was known internationally; his music performed style dominated the aesthetic of the Russian court, and the in Vienna and Rome, as well as his native court, St. Petersburg. Russian aristocracy was most concerned about not appearing or Now at the beginning of the twenty-first century; his choral sounding Russian. spoke French with her music is once again reemerging as central to the Western choral countrymen, and the musicians she hired were largely from tradition. and Germany. Russian nationalism as a political, cultural, and musical movement was still decades away. Marika Kuzma, a visiting professor at the University ofVrrginia, Politics and aesthetic prejudices aside, Slavs nevertheless directs the University Chorus and Chamber Chorus at the have always recognized Bortniansky as their principal com­ University of California, Berkeley. poser of the late Classical era. At least in Eastern Europe, his has always been a household name among church musicians.

AUGUST 2001 PAGE 9 The enduring value of his music lies-if Requiem. Bortniansky's music achieves not in the folksy Glinkaesqe melodies or Reportedly, Bortniansky's comparable dramatic variety of texture unusual Musorgskian harmonies we have and striking dynamic contrast strictly in come to associate with Russian music­ voice was so outstanding, an unaccompanied medium. in .its virtuosic manipulation of choral How and why did Bortniansky de­ textures and consummate melodic the Empress Elizabeth velop his colorful and dramatic ap­ vocality. proach to the unaccompanied chorus? Bortniansky grew up singing, first as a would have him sit on Bortniansky heard and composed all man­ boy soprano in the town where he was ner of concerted music (vocal-instrumen­ born, , , and later at the her lap after tal and instrumental) during his studies Imperial Court Chapel in St. Petersburg. with Galuppi in St. Petersburg and later Reportedly, Bortniansky's voice was so performances, a singular in (1769-79). In addition to vo­ outstanding, the Empress Elizabeth would cal-instrumental motets, he composed have him sit on her lap after performances, privilege. , chamber music, and . a singular privilege. In his teen years, he His three Italian operas, Aldde, Creonte, sang leading roles in court produc­ and Quinto Fabio, were successfully staged tions as well. His understanding of the Bortniansky's treatment of the unaccom­ in Venice and . Upon returning voice is obvious in his choral music. It panied chorus is remarkable. Western Eu­ to Russia in 1779, he composed sacred never exceeds a comfortable range, the ropean choral works usually generate stark music for Catherine and continued to voice leading is fluid, and the phrasing changes of texture and sonority through compose secular vocal-instrumental mu­ moves easily on the breath. Choirs gener­ changes in instrumental accompaniment. sic at the country estate of her son Paul. ally love to sing Bortniansky's music.6 Audiences perk up when trumpets enter In 1796, when Paul became Czar, he ap­ Although the vocal ease of his music is into the of Bach cantatas or pointed Bortniansky director of the Im­ perhaps not immediately discernible to Haydn masses. They are stunned when perial Court Chapel; Bortniansky thus the listener, his masterful manipulation Brahms removes the orchestra altogether, became the first native Slav accorded this of choral texture does catch the ear. leaving the chorus bare, in portions of his prestigious position.? In his music for the Imperial Court Chapel, however, Bortniansky had to limit himself to strictly vocal resources. No instruments are allowed in the Ortho­ dox Church. Thus, after his extensive ex­ perience with instrumental music, Bortniansky had to adapt his musical imagination to the unaccompanied cho­ ral medium when composing sacred music. Necessity was the mother of Bortniansky's choral invention. No doubt it was Bortniansky's innova­ tive, symphonic approach to the unac­ AUGUST 3! -SE~TEMBER 3, PORTLAND, OR companied choral music that so arr~sted Berliois attention. Bortniansky treated his The 2001 Leadership Conference will feature a wide range of sessions on chorus chorus as an orchestra of variable timbres management and artistic leadership. Institutes, clinics and workshops at the and sonorities. Leadership Conference are designed for professional and volunteer managers, board members, volunteers, officers and facilitators for choruses of all sizes, and budgets. In all of [Bortniansky's choral Guest Institute Presenters: Ling Jing-Tam - Artistic Directors Institute, Ann concertos], one finds ... a rare skill Meier Baker and Eve Campbell - Board Development, Kim Klein - Fund Raising in the grouping of vocal masses, a Institute, Gary Rifkin - Leadership Institute, Anne Rhodes - Diversity Institute wondrous sense of nuance, a resonance of harmony and, above Sponsored by: all, an incredible freedom in the AmericanAiriines' The Musical Source handling of the parts-a reigning disdain for the rules respected by both his predecessors and his contemporaries .... H. BerliozB The principal genre for Bortniansky's exploration was the choral . His

PAGE 10 CHORAL JOURNAL oeuvre includes ten concertos for eight­ the Melodiya label. 12 Though vocally voice chorus and thirty-five concertos for Bortniansky's choices of sumptuous, Poliansky's rendition reflects four-voice chorus. Sung at the moment an unfortunate twentieth-century Russian of the consecration, choral concertos are texture and dynamics practice of eliminating the solo/tutti alter­ the musical centerpiece of the orthodox nation. In singing tutti throughout, liturgy. 9 They are usually settings of Psalm often underscore the Poliansky's choir obscures the symphonic verses and are comprised of three or four nature of the concertos. Poliansky also movements of contrasting tempo often meaning ofthe text. favors rather protracted, romanticized ending with a fugal section. Manuscripts phrasing. Bortniansky, however, con­ . and editions of Bortniansky's concertos structs his vocal phrases mostly in classi­ term his concertos "na 4 golosa" [for four strate the virtuosity of the orchestra, cal four-bar phrases and sometimes voices] or "na 8 golasa" [for eight voices], Bortniansky's concertos afford the choir enforces even more ftequent punctuation but this designation is misleading. the opportunity to demonstrate the skill with eighth rests (Figure 2). Bortniansky's concertos never limit them­ of both the chorus en masse and of its Other recordings preserve the solo/tutti selves to a single voicing. Rather, the score constituent singers. 11 They also challenge alternation and classical phrasing, but are might shift from four-voice chorus to SSA, and build an ensemble's listening skills somewhat flawed by their reliance on to TBB, to SSB, etc. The opening of his and sense of interdependence. Given the faulty editions. Choirs (in the West and Concerto 6 exemplifies a dialogue of tex­ acrobatic shifts of texture and dynamic in Eastern Europe) generally perform the tures (Figure 1). the music, particularly without instru­ concertos from editions based on one pro­ Moreover, Bortniansky's scores shift mental support, the singers must keep duced by Tchaikovsky in the 1880s. Al­ not only from one combination of voice their ears very open at all times. though his edition is not careless, parts to another, but also from solo to Perhaps the most readily available re­ Tchaikovsky openly criticized tutti designations. After an opening for cording of the Bortniansky choral con­ Bortniansky's melodies as overly florid, full chorus, the score might turn to a pair certos is by conductor Valery Poliansky his harmonies as un-Slavic, and his form or trio of soloists. Several of his concertos and the Russian State Symphonic Choir, as too predictable. He consciously elimi­ begin with soloists (Figures 2 and 3). who recorded all thirty-five of them on nated some of the ornamentation and His scores sometimes include. rapid fluctuations of texture (Figure 4). Bortniansky also combines dynamics and textures in unpredictable ways. A phrase : ~ Musica Mundi. I ~.,/ Concert Tours marked forte for tutti chorus might lead I· ."The Artistic Alternative" to a phrase in for soloists. Alterna­ I tively, after a solo section, the tutti chorus Custom Concert Tours might respond in a hushed silence (Fig­ ure 5). Experience in over 40 countries on 5 continents! Bortniansky's choices of texture and dynamics often underscore the meaning Tuscany International Children's Chorus Festival of the text. In the above excerpt, the solo­ ists sing "he was crucified" in an impas­ Doreen Rao Henry Leck sioned manner, while the tutti chorus July 1- 9, 2002 June 30-July 8, 2003 responds piano and grief-stricken "and was buried." The chromaticism at the words for crucifixion are significant also, and the simpler cadential harmonies at the burial express an appropriate resignation. The Ukrainian conductor Volodymyr Inaugural Vox Feminae Kolesnyk (1928-97) compared International Women's Chorus Festival Bortniansky's concertos to late Mozart and early Beethoven symphonies;lO indeed, - for women's ensembles and individual singers Borrniansky's concertos date from the Diane Loomer same period. As in Beethoven's sympho­ nies, where the score might shift from July 7 -17,2002 MusicaMundiConcertTours tutti orchestra to solo winds then return Florence & Rome, Italy 1-800-947-1991 to forte full orchestra, much of the excite­ [email protected] ment of Bortniansky's music lies in dra­ www.musicamundi.com 101 First Street, Suite 454 • Los Altos, CA 94022 matic textural and timbral shifts. Further, Phone 650 949 1991 • Fax 650 949 1626 just as Beethoven's symphonies demon-

AUGUST 2001 PAGE 11 some of the rapid texture shifts from his chaic clefs of earlier editions into modern edition. In doing so, Tchaikovsky may For his exploration ofthe clefs and providing a piano reduction for have made the music less expressive and, rehearsal purposes, the edition also pro­ ironically, more formulaic. 13 symphonic possibilities of vides a transliteration and translation of Volodymyr Kolesnyk's recording of all the Church Slavic texts. 16 Moreover, the thirty-five concertos from the 1980s pre­ the unaccompanied Musica Russica edition is based on the sents the concertos in a more accurate early 1830s edition and retains all the light.14 Kolesnyk based his recording on chorus, Bortniansky is ornamentation and textural shifts elimi­ an early edition he found in the British nated from or altered in Tchaikovsky's National Library. Published in the 1830s regarded as a edition. The Musica Russica edition is soon after Bortniansky's death, this edi­ perhaps closest to Bormiansky's original tion was produced from plates engraved revolutionary figure in and closest to the music that so capti­ under Bormiansky's personal supervision. Slavic music. vated Berlioz. Since few autograph manuscripts of For his exploration of the symphonic Bormiansky's choral works survive, this possibilities of the unaccompanied cho­ edition best approximates an authorita­ rus, Bormiansky is regarded as a revolu­ tive version of the concertos. 15 based on primary sources. At the mo­ tionary figure in Slavic music. The Until recendy, the choral concertos ment, the publisher Musica Russica is pro­ concertos themselves are a valuable legacy. have been lime available to Westem choirs ducing a Western-friendly edition of the Aside from their own importance as a in any recording or edition, let alone one concertos. Aside from transcribing the ar- repertory of works, the inventive, sym-

[I] - Soprano -

SIn va vo vi"sh - rub va vo va vo ella Ba BO BLrm-HHX'L Bo - ry, ella - Ba BO BLrm HHX'L Bo - ry, ella - Ba BO [/]- - Alto

Shl . va vo vi"sh - rub Bo - hu sin va vo vi"sh - rub Bo - hu, ella Ba BO BLrm-HHX'L Bo - ry, ella Ba BO BLrm- HHX'L Bo - ry,

Tenor

va vo vi"sh - rub Bo - hu sIn - va ella Ba BO BLrm-HHX'L Bo - ry, ella - Ba [I] Bass Sin va vo vi"sh - nih Bo - hu sIn - va ella Ba BO BLIll!-HHX'L Bo - ry, ella - Ba

Bo - hu, shi - va vo vi"sh - nih Bo - hu, sin - va vo Bo -hu, Bo - ry, ella - Ba BO BLrm - HHX'L Bo - ry, ella - Ba BO BLrm - HHX'L . Bo - ry.

Bo - hu, shi - va vo vi"sh - nib Bo - hu, sIn - va vo vi"sh - rub Bo - hu, Bo - ry, ella - Ba BO BLrm - HHX'L Bo - ry, ella - Ba BO BLIll! - HHX'L Bo - ry. p

sIn - va YO vish - ni"b Bo - hu, sIIi - va vo vi"sh - nib Bo - hu, slli - va vo vish - ena - Ba DO BLIll! - HHX'L Bo - ry, ella - Ba BO BLrm - HHX'L Bo - ry, ella - Ba BO BLIll! ------P shi - va vo vish - rub Bo - hu, sIn - va vo vi"sh - nib Bo - hu, sIa - va vo vi"sh - ella - Ba BO BLrm - HHX'L Bo - ry, ella - Ba BO BLrm - HHX'L Bo - ry, cna - Ba BO BLrm -

Figure 1. Concerto No.6, "Slava YO vyshnikh Bohu" [Glory to God in the highest], mm. 1-1l

PAGE 12 CHORAL JOURNAL phonic process that Bortniansky de­ directed by Charles Dutoit, includes symphonique de Montreal, 289 458 veloped in the concertos had a last­ several liturgical pieces by Bortniansky 921-2, Decca, 1999. ing influence on Slavic composers with Latin text that Berlioz had 3 The spelling of Bortniansky's name, like who succeeded him. I? Glinka, substituted for the original Church Slavic. the spelling of other Russian and T chaikovsky, and Rakhmaninov all knew Berlioz Requiem, Choeur de l'Orchestre Ukrainian composers (i.e., Rakhma­ Bortniansky's music intimately. Hence, symphonique de Montreal,Orchestre ninov/Rachmaninoff), varies in Western the marvelous choral palette of Adagio Rakhmaninov's Vsenoshchnoe bdenie [All­ ill Solo[Pl > ~ Night Vigi~18 was developed not over­ S " " night, but over the course of more than a III Hla, sam mo-im ko Hos - po-du voz - vUh, h~ sam mo-im century. Even Stravinsky's secular Les Noces rJla - COM'b MO - liM'b KO roc - 1T0-.t\Y B03 .. Bax"b, tJla - COM'b MO-liM'b [The wedding], with its mercurial shifts of Solo[Pl A > choral texture, seems-however dis­ tantly-related to Bortniansky's concer­ AI~~~~~~~~BIII 4 ...... 4 ...., '-' ~ Hlii - .. sam rna - im ko Has - po-duvoz - vUh, hlii sam mo-im tos and his colorful, adventurous choral rJla - COM'b MO - liM'b KO roc - 1T0-.t\Y B03 - BaX'b, tJla COM'b MO-HM'b tradition.19 A ~P > When reconstructed with care and sung with a symphonic sensibility, the TI~~~~~~~~~ '!I Hlii - sam rna - im choral concertos of Dmitry Bortniansky rJla- COM'b MO - HM'b that so arrested Berlioz's attention can con­ tinue to seize the hearts of sensitive sing­ ers, composers, and listeners in our own Hla­ century. rna-

f Tu1tti " > Notes - 1 "L' action qu' exerce ce choeur et la musique k Bo - hu villat I mi. Hili-sam rna - im ~O Hos- po-du voz - yUh KL Eo - ry H BHlIT'b MH. r Jla-coM'b MO - HH'b KO r oc- 1T0-.t\Y BOC - BaX'b, qui'il execute, sur les personnes nerveuses, HI.- est irresistible. A ces accents innOliis, on rna- fTutti > se sent pris de mouvements spasmodiques " - presque douloureux qu'on ne sait I 1000II' ~ I I comment mrutriser. . . . II y aviat des kBo - hu vnlilt L.1Iii~Yam mo-im ko Hos- po-du voz - vllh KL Eo - ry H BHlIT'b MH. r Jla-coM'b MO - HH'b KO r oc- 1T0-.t\Y BOC - BaX'b, enchevetrements de patties qui semblent Hla- rna- impossibles, des soupirs, des vagues A fTutti > ..... murmures comme on en entend parfois - en reve, et de temps en temps de ces -=--- accents qui, par leur intensite, kBo - hu i vmat G. ~Iii-:am mo-im ko Has- po-du voz - vllh KL Eo - ry H BHJiT'b MH. r Jla-COM'b MO -HH'b KO roc- 1T0-.t\Y BOC .. B8.X'b, ressemblent 11 des cris, saississent Ie coeur fTutti 11 l'improviste, oppressent la poi trine et > .' --.,. . ~: suspendent la respiration." Hector Hlii sam rna-1m ko Berlioz, Les soirees de l'orchestre (Paris: - Hos- po-du voz - vllh rJla - COM'b MO -HH'b KO r oc- 1T0-.t\Y BOC - BaX'b, Clamann-Levy, Editeurs, 1895),271-2. Figure 2. Concerto No. 27, "Hlasom moim ko Hospodu vozvakh" 2 A recent recording of the Berlioz Requiem, [With my voice 1 cried unto the Lord], mm, 1-11

ill Adagio

Voz - ve - doh a chi rna - yi v ho - n at - illu - du zhe pri - Boc - Be - ~0X'b a 'lH MO-H B'b to - PLY aT - IDIO- .t\Y lKe rrpi - Salop Alto =--

Voz - ve - doh chi rna - yi v"];";;'- n at - illu - du zhe pri - Boc - Be - ~0X'b a 'lH MO-H B'b to - PLI aT - IDIO- .t\Y lKe ITpi - Tuttip Solo =-- Bass

Voz - ve - doh a - chi mo-yi v ho - n Voz - ve-doh a - chi mo-yi v ho - n Boc - Be - ~OX'b a - 'lH MO- H B'b to - pLI Boc - Be-~OX'b a 'lHMO-H B'b to - PLI Figure 3. Concerto No. 24, "Vozvedokh ochi moyi v hod" [I lifted my eyes to the mountains], mm. 1-5

AUGUST 2001 PAGE 13 ill] '/11 Tutti Solo Tutti Solo Soprano .., - .- Poy te Bo - bu, poy - te Bo - hu ~he-~u, poy te Tsa - re - vi, poy- te Tsa - re - vi ~e-~u lIoH Te Bo - !'y, IIOH - Te Bo -!'y HB - me-MY, IIOH Te IJ;a- pe DH, IIOH-Te IJ;a - pe - DH HB - me- MY

Tutti Solo Tutti Solo Alto " .., -, -' Poy - te Bo - bu, poy - te Bo - ru na - she-;;u, poy - te Tsa - re - VI, poy- te Tsa ~re - ~ oa - she-,- mu- lIoH Te Bo - .!'y, IIOH - Te Bo -!'y HB - me-MY, IIOH Te IJ;a- pe DH, IIOH-Te IJ;a - pe - DH HB - me- MY Tulli Solo Tutti Tenor " I r, Poy - ~ Bo - hU, poy te poy - ~sa-~e VI, poy te " lIoH - Te Bo - !'y, IIOH Te IIOH - Te IJ;a - pe - DH, IIOH Te Tulli Solo i"""'-! Tutti Solo l"""-I Bass .... "" Poy - te Bo - bu, poy- - te BO-hu na - she-mu, poy - ~ ts'a - re - vi, p-:;;;T'sa - re - ~ na - she- mu lIoH - Te Bo - !'y, IIOH - Te Bo -!'y HB - me-MY, IIOH - Te IJ;a- pe DH, IIOH-Te IJ;a - pe - DH HB - me- MY

Figure 4. Concerto 10, "Poyte Bohu nashemu" [Sing to our God], mm. 15-18

t:I Solo ~ , P TUlli

r - --...... - sm, ras - pruy sm, ras poty sm, po - hre - Illy ClI, pac - mn.m - ClI, pac mn.IH ClI, tpe OLm IIO -

II .. Solo pTutli

~ ~ r::: ;:!l' sla, ras - pruy sm, ras - pruy Sia, po - hre -blY ClI, pac- mn.m ClI, pac - mn.m ClI, i IIO - tpe - OLm pTutti " .. t:\

sia, po - hre - bty - " ClI, i IIO - tpe oLm Tutti t:\ Solo - PI '" I I "" sia, ras - poly sla, ras poty sIa, po - hre - bty ClI, pac- mn.m ClI, pac - mn.m ClI, IIO - tpe - OLIH

Allegro moderato Solo pTutli ------

ras ~ pruy sla, ras- pruy sla, i po hre· sla, i vos-kre-sty, pac- IIHLIil: ClI, pac- mn.m ClI, H IIO rpe ClI, H Doc-xpe-cLlli, Solo pTutli

-....:=: .- ras - pruy sm, I"IS- pruy sla, i po - hre - bty ------Sla, i vos-kre-sty, pac- mn.m ClI, pac- mn.m ClI, H IIO" rpe- oLm ClI, H Doc-xpe-cbm, pSolo p pTlltli

ras - pru'y -sm, ras - pru'y- sm, po hre - bl'y sm, i vos-kre­ pac - mn.m- ClI, pac - mn.m-clI, H IIO rpe- obm ClI, H Doc-xpe- P Tulli - sia, po hre blY sm, i vos-kre­ ClI, H IIO rpe oLm ClI, H Doc-xpe-

Figure 5. Concerto 15, "Priidite vospoim liudiye" [Come let us sing, ye people], mm. 75-87

PAGE 14 CHORAL JOURNAL sources, depending on the transliteration Traetta, and Sarti, had been imported from Stepanovich Bortnianskii (1751-1825): system used. Western Europe by the czars and czarinas. An Introduction to the Composer 4 Bortniansky com:posed nine settings of the The Imperial Court Chapel is the longest Through an Edition of his Choral Cherubic Hymn. His setting No.7 in D continuously existing choral institution in Concertos Priidite, Vospoim and Glasom major is best known in the West. Russia, now continuing under the name moim" (D.M. diss., Indiana University, Transcribed into Latin by Berlioz under Glinka Cappella. 1992). the title Adoremus, it is one of the pieces 8 "Dans toutes ces oeuvres, on trouve ... une 10 Private conversation with Volodymyr found on the Decca CD mentioned above. rare experience du groupement des masses Kolesnyk, then living in Toronto, July 5 Comment published in later anthology of vocales, une prodigieuse entente des 1988. Some music scholars see the choral essays. AN. Serov, "Muzyka, muzykal'naia nuances, une harmonie sonore, et, chose concerto as essentially a vocal translation nauka, muzykal'naia pedagogika" [Music, surprenent, une incroyable liberte dans la of the concerto grosso genre. This music studies, and music pedagogy], in disposition des parties, un. mepris souverain comparison, however, breaks down upon Izbrannye statz, vol. 2, ed. G. Khubov des regles respectees par ses preciesseurs closer examination. Whereas the (Moscow: Gosudarstvennoe muzykal'noe comme par ses contemp-orains ...." configuration of soloists remains relatively izdatel'stvo, 1957), 21l. Berlioz, Les soirees, 271-2. constant in the concerto grosso, the 6 I have directed choirs at Indiana University, 9 The concertos typically are six to ten minutes disposition of soloists changes constantly the University of Virginia, and the in length (depending upon the tempos in the course of the genre. University of California in performances observed). Perhaps the principal Slavic 11 The concertos are particularly advantageous of his music. Despite the unfamiliar scholar of the choral concerto genre is Nina for student choirs whose individual Church Slavic language, his choral Herasymova-Persyds'ka (also found under singers may not yet be ready to sing full concertos are accessible to American the Russian name Gerasimova-Persidskaia). solo arias but would gain valuable singers. The music is relatively easy to For English-language information on the experience in singing short solo passages. sight-read, and singers respond genre, see Carol Bailey Hughes, "The 12 D. Borrnyansky, Concertos for Choir, USSR immediately to the consonant sonorities. Origin of the First Russian Patriotic Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir, The vowels of , as : Stepan Anikievich Degtiarev's SUCD 10-00030, Melodiya, 1987-90; pronounced in Bortniansky's day, are Minin i Pozharskii (1811)" (Ph.D. diss., recently re-released on the Chandos label very close to Italian vowels. University of North Carolina at Chapel under the name Russian State Symphonic 7 Its previous directors, among them Galuppi, Hill, 1984). See also my "Dmitrii Choir. 13 In his preface to the edition, T chaikovsky outlines the changes he made. For a

,.;" Solo~ T{:!!!. Tutti~ discussion of Tchaikovsky's edition, see S my article, "Bortniansky ala Bortniansky: III Ay1ilI-If. IilI-If. IilI- II. Ii-pen - ki. oy IilI- If! oy Ifu - An Exanlination of the Sources ofDrnitry All JIlO·JIH. JIlO.JIH. JJIO~ Jln. JtH~nem. ~ xu. all JlJO - JIU! all JlJO Bortniansky's Choral Concertos," The Solo~ T~ TUlti~ A " Journal of Musicology 14, no. 2 (Spring III 1996): 183-212. Ay Iiil-If. 1ilI-If. Ifu - If. Ii- pen - ki. ay Ifu _ rIf! ay Iio - All me-nH. JIlO-JIH, JlJO - Jln. JIu-nem. - KR. all JIJO- JIU! all JlJO 14 D. Borrniansky, 35 Sacred Choral Concertos, Solo Tutti " T~ .-.. Millennium Choir, Septima Recording T Ltd., Toronto, 1988, re-released on , Ay Ifu -If. yf(' - g'1id.ka kras-:';;a. kras -mil Ail JUO· ni. .H • rOJl.-Ka KpaC-HB" Kpac-Ha! compact disc in 1999. Another recording Tutti .. li1II' that includes several concertos performed B from this edition is Icons ofSlavic Music, kras -OIl! '" Kpnc-Ha! Chamber Chorus of the University of California, Ameridisc, 1996. Tutti ... -''' 15 Kolesnyk's choice of this edition reflects .., keen insight and perhaps serendipity. At If! Ay- 1lu- shen- ki. llu - III Ya- go-da ya JIU! JIlO-WeHL-KH, mo· nil the time of his recording, the 1830s Tuttf'! JI- rO-Aa R...... :. " edition was not yet fully authenticated. III For a discussion of the sources of !, A;' llu- shen- ki; llu - III Ya- go-da ya ~e Solo _ Tutti All JIIO·me~KB. mo - nil.. JI- rO-Aa JI...... :. rO-Ae Bortniansky's concertos, including this " '"' 1830's edition, see Kuzma, Journal of

Ya- go-da ya ~e Musicology. .H- ro-,u;a 11 ro-,u.e 16 Among the concertos currently available are No.6 Glory to God in the Highest (the best known of the concertos, appropriate spe -la! Ay IilI-If! cne- JIa! AMJIlo-nul for the Christmas season); No. 32 Lord, Figure 6. Les Noces, excerpt from Tableau IV make me to know my end (Tchaikovsky's

AUGUST 2001 PAGE 15, favorite); No. 33 Why are you cast down, o my soul (the concerto Bortniansky requested to be sung at his deathbed); and those from which the above musical examples are excerpted. Perform in the oldest theater 17 Bortniansky's music also seems to have in the Americas, exquisite influenced Western composers who came in contact with his music. Berlioz's late auditoriums, and splendid sacred pieces, for example, are highly colonial era cathedrals, before derivative of the choral concertos. immense, appreciative audiences. 18 The All-Night Vigil is commonly known in . the West as the Rachmaninov Vespers. Ambassador Tours has the unique 19 Granted, in these textural changes, Stravinsky is primarily imitating Russian experience and knowledge to make folk practice. (See Margarita Mazo, your concert tour in Brazil a reality. "Stravinsky's Les Noces and Russian Village Wedding Ritual," Journal of the American Musicological Society 43 (1990): Contact us ((i)) 113. Nevertheless, in Bortniansky, we forfurther details: note that the phenomenon of rapidly shifting textures was not limited to AMBASSADOR TOURS Russian foilc music, and his music might 148 East Michigan Avenue also have influenced Stravinsky's Kalamazoo, MI 49007 imagination. 1-800-247-7035 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.ambassador-tours.com -C]-

, , DIRECTOR OF CHORAL ACTIVITIES MUSIC DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN Uilioll Uiliversity Jncksoll, Tr(ll1lessee

NION UNIVERSITY seeks to fill U the positions of Director of Choral Activities and Chair of the Music Department, roles that may be combined or separatd, depending on the applicant. This is a nine-month, full­ catalog and pnmewcoples online at time, tenure-track appointment. The www.orrganizedsound.com Director will conduct the major choral oupnized sound, pD bOlIO!. hDP...u. oj 08525 ensembles and teach conducting. Successful candidates should articulate a Christian worldview in their academic teaching and be able to support fully Union's vision, mission, and core values (http://www.uu.edu/union/statem/ htm). Candidates should send letter of 1r~ HAWAII MUSIC FEST/YALS application, resume, philosophical 'i "Specializing in performance and educational tours to paradise" statement about teaching, teaching ~ . evaluations if available, transcripts of \ graduate work, and three letters of * Educational Tours recommendation (recordings will be * Music Festivals rquested at a later time) to Dr. Barbara McMillin, Dean, College of Arts and * Year-Round Performances Sciences, Union University; 1050 Union * We are based in Hawaii University Drive, Jackson, TN 38305- 3697. Union University encourages For more information: Phone: 1·800·366·7486 women and minorities to. apply. E·Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.himusicfest.com

PAGE 16 CHORAL JOURNAL