In The Dark Platinum Consort Scott Inglis-Kidger conductor RES10110 In The Dark Felice Anerio (c. 1560-1614) Richard Bates 1. Christus factus est [2:26] Tenebrae 6. Tamquam ad latronem [2:36] Platinum Consort Richard Bates 7. Tenebrae factae sunt [2:54] 2. In The Dark [5:20] 8. Animam meam [2:37] 9. O vinea mea [1:45] Scott Inglis-Kidger conductor Antonio Lotti (c. 1667-1740) 10. Jesum tradidit [1:56] 3. Crucifixus a 8 [3:02] 11. Caligaverunt [3:21] Emma Walshe soprano Zoe Brown soprano Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548-1611) Tomás Luis de Victoria 12. Ecce quomodo moritur [5:32] Raffaele Pe countertenor 4. Versa est in Luctum [3:35] Simon Ponsford countertenor Orlande de Lassus (1532-1594) Oliver Jones tenor Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa (1560-1613) [4:52] 13. Tristis est anima mea [4:06] Michael Solomon Williams tenor 5. Tristis est anima mea Timothy Murphy bass Henry Purcell (1659-1695) Nick Ashby bass 14. Hear my prayer [2:20] James MacMillan (b. 1959) 15. Miserere [11:32] Total playing time [58:04] In The Dark: are gradually extinguished until only the top disciples will all ‘take flight’), Lassus’ innate follow a strict pattern in terms of structure, A celebration of music for, and candle remains lit. The office itself is pared understanding of the emotions and the with each third responsory being in an inspired by, the Tenebrae tradition down so as to exclude any part which may significance of the text is dazzlingly vivid ABCBAB form; and Ecce quomodo moritur falls constitute an element of praise, with only throughout. into this category. The responsory is for use The Tenebrae tradition stretches back as the most basic facets of the service remaining. on Holy Saturday and laments the taking far as the church’s liturgy, and the name The premise throughout is one of mourning Equally as significant from this same era of of a just man, while no one looking on of this specific ritual office refers to a and sorrow at the events that took place at Renaissance music was the Spanish composer appears to care or can change it. number of services that occur in the last the end of Jesus’s passion. The programme Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548-1611), who three days of Holy Week (Maundy Thursday, recorded here features music for, or inspired was born in Avila and received his early One of the most fascinating characters of Good Friday and Holy Saturday). This by, the Tenebrae tradition, with the majority musical education at the city’s cathedral Renaissance music was Carlo Gesualdo da period – the culmination of Passiontide drawing on texts used at various points and later in Rome under the patronage of Venosa (1560-1613), and his setting of Tristis and the season of Lent – exists as a vital during the liturgy, or of closely related themes, Philip II of Spain, where he became inspired est anima mea embodies much of what is event in the Christian church’s year, and with both early and contemporary works by such figures as Palestrina, returning to so absorbing and at times even seemingly for many centuries the strong emotional inextricably bound by common sentiments. Spain in 1585. The first work of his featured erratic in his music. Aside from his unusual significance of this liturgy has provoked in this programme, Versa est in luctum, is and often chromatic music, he was the and inspired some of the most potent and One of the earliest works of this programme from his ‘Office for the Dead’, an extensive Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza, and poignant choral music in the western world. is by Orlande de Lassus (1532-1594) – without Requiem composed in tribute to the sister famously murdered his wife and her lover doubt the most celebrated composer of his of Philip II, the Dowager Empress Maria of having caught them in the act of adultery. More particularly in the Roman Catholic generation of Franco-Flemish polyphonic Austria and first performed at her memorial His music is supposed by some to be an rite, Tenebrae refers to the services of Renaissance. The text of Tristis est anima service in 1603 and published just two years outlet for his extreme lifelong guilt over Matins and Lauds that take place in the mea, is taken from the words Jesus spoke later in 1605. The motet itself originally the murders, although he was not alone early hours (or the previous evening) on to his disciples immediately before his featured at the end of the Requiem Mass in writing in this particular dramatic style. each of these days towards the end of arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane and is text and before a setting of ‘Libera me’, and The contrast between this setting and Holy Week, and in hours of darkness. The from a responsory used on Maundy Thursday. depicts both the harp and the flute ‘tuned’ that of Lassus could not be starker, with word itself can be translated as ‘darkness’, At once present is the ability of Lassus to in sadness and grief with a final plea to the deceptively simple but vivid setting and each Tenebrae service features a portray the immense sadness of an occasion, God for mercy. been replaced with a highly sensual and ceremony that includes the extinguishing with a work that is quite sophisticated emotional version of this text. of a candle following each psalm or despite its apparent simplicity. From the The second work by Victoria, Ecce quomodo canticle to emphasise this theme. The opening imitative entries of ‘Sorrowful is moritur is the fifteenth of his eighteen Felice Anerio (c. 1560-1614) was born and liturgy begins with fifteen candles my soul, even unto death’, until the calm Tenebrae Responsories (Officium Hebdomadae spent his entire life in Rome, eventually customarily arranged in a triangular shape – and resigned air of ‘I shall go to be sacrificed Sanctae) first published in Rome in 1585 succeeding Palestrina as composer to representing the remaining eleven apostles, for you’, (preceded by the increased rhythmic before his return to his homeland. The the Papal choir – the only two people ever the three Mary’s and Christ himself – which activity of Jesus’ premonition that the responsories are grouped in threes and to hold such a position. The text of Christus factus est is from the Epistle to the Philippians, of his career in St Mark’s Basilica in Venice provides no exception. Commissioned by and is used as the gradual on Passion Sunday. gradually working his way up to the premier the AMUZ (Flanders Festival Antwerp) for Anerio here demonstrates his predilection to position of maestro di capella. A prolific the 2009 Laus Polyphoniae Festival, Miserere move away from the modality typical of this composer of both sacred and secular music – was first performed in Carolus-Borromeuskerk, period with a relatively simple homophonic including a substantial number of operas, Antwerp, by The Sixteen conducted by Harry work, while the text celebrates that in Christ madrigals and instrumental music – Lotti Christophers, it is a setting of the Psalm 51 – giving his life on the cross to save the lives composed a number of different settings of a Latin text perhaps best-known in its of others, God has exalted him and ‘given the Crucifixus, the text of which is taken ubiquitous setting by Gregorio Allegri. him the name which is above every name.’ from the Nicene Creed. This particular, and This version scored for eight voices by most well-known, of Lotti’s settings of the MacMillan does allude slightly to that of Considered by some as the finest composer text is taken from his Credo in F, which is Allegri, particularly in aspects of its partial Britain has ever produced, Henry Purcell part of his Missa Sancti Christophori and is recurring sectional construction, the use (1659-1695) holds central importance in the scored for eight voices. It is characterised of the full Miserere mei text and his rebirth of church music in England following by repeated suspensions and resolutions, employment of plainchant, but there is the barren period of the Commonwealth which gives added tension this most crucial where the similarities end. The broader and the subsequent restoration of the section of the creed ‘For our sake he was range of MacMillan’s setting provides a monarchy in 1660. His musical influence crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered particularly absorbing and potent version was also considerable outside the church death and was buried.’ of the text – from the opening homophonic Richard Bates and he is credited with contributing heavily section for the tenors and basses, which is to the birth of English opera. Hear my prayer Since a number of notable premieres in contrasted with an extended improvisatory contemporary music came about during the is the first part of an anthem intended for the 1990s – the best-known of these section, through to the stunningly simple Cambridge student days of both Bates and the funeral of Charles II but, as the state being The Confession of Isobel Gowdie – plainchant and the towering climax at the the group’s director Scott Inglis-Kidger, and funeral never took place following the James MacMillan has become one of end of the work at ‘Then shalt thou be the first concert by the group in November king’s conversion to Catholicism on his the foremost composers in the world, in pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, 2005 featured the premiere of Bates’s deathbed, the anthem remained unfinished, addition to being a renowned conductor.