Drop, Drop, Slow Tears
- James L. Klein, Phineas Fletcher
In Monte Oliveti - Anton Bruckner
Hymns: #439 Wondrous Love, #315 Song 1, #163 Kedron
The prelude for tomorrow night’s service is Max Reger’s Basso Ostinato from his Op. 129 Neun Stücke. This is the conclusion of
my Reger through Lent series. I picked this piece for Maundy Thursday because I
feel that it effectively depicts the events of Holy Week. The piece starts off
quietly with just the “basso ostinato,” a repeating bass line that is there
through the whole piece. Above this the piece builds and grows in volume with
note values becoming faster as the piece builds to the middle of its arch
shape. From there the piece begins to taper and soften ending on a quiet major
chord. When I think of this piece in the context of Holy Week it reminds me of
the quiet journey to the garden of Gethsemane and the building intensity of the
arrest and the crucifixion. The decrescendo is the time that Christ was dead
and the major chord at the end is a glimmer of the hope of Easter.
Drop, Drop, Slow Tears
is a setting of a text by the poet Phineas Fletcher (1582-1650). Fletcher was
educated at Eton College and went on to become a priest. His poem The Locusts or Apollyonists is said to
be the inspiration for Milton’s concept of Satan. This setting by James L.
Klein (whom I found nothing about) is totally driven by the text. The piece is
freely metered so that strong syllables and important words fall on the
accented beats of the music. Much of the piece is in 5/4 which gives it an
unsteady feeling. The “added” beat seems to lend the piece extra forward
motion. The rich key of Db adds darkness and depth to the plaintive setting.
The communion anthem is Anton Bruckner’s motet for Holy
Thursday, In Monte Oliveti, the first
of the nine responses for Matins on Maundy Thursday. This piece is typical of
Bruckner’s writing in that it is about dynamic contrast. Each phrase starts at
a different dynamic level and the phrases are primarily in arch form with the
high point being in the middle. The text tells the story of Christ on the Mount
of Olives praying that the cup be taken from Him but resolving that God’s will
must be done.
No comments:
Post a Comment