Gloria: "Qui sedes" - Francis Poulenc
Hodie: "The Blessed Son of God"
- Ralph Vaughan Williams
Hymns: #35 Mighty Savior, #120 Solemnis Haec Festivus # 444 Thornbury
The music this week is taken from the late Romantic period.
Two of the pieces are from France and the third England. The harmonic language
of these pieces is lush and beautiful flowing from powerful blocks of sound to
soft chromatic lines.
Louis Vierne (1870-1937) was a blind organist, composer and
teacher in Paris. Vierne was educated at the National Institute for Blind
Youths in Paris where he received organ instruction from Cesar Franck. He later
entered the Paris Conservatoire where he continued his studies with
Charles-Marie Widor. In 1900 Vierne was named interim organist at Notre Dame
and was appointed to the position after winning a competition for the job. In
addition to his duties at Notre Dame, Vierne toured as a concert organist in
the United States playing many important venues including the mammoth Wanamaker
organ in Philadelphia. This trip was physically taxing and to make matters
worse he went through a bitter divorce, suffered the loss of his son and
brother in World War I and the loss of his mother. On June 2, 1937 as Vierne
was beginning an improvisation at a recital at Notre Dame the leaned forward on
the bench and his foot struck the low “e” pedal. He had suffered a heart attack
or stroke. He died on the bench of the organ that had been so influential
throughout his lifetime. Berceuse is taken
from his Op. 31, 24 Pièces en style libre,
a collection of pieces that are suitable for organ or harmonium. The pieces in
this collection are layed out like Bach’s Well
Tempered Clavier moving, in order, through the major and minor keys. This
piece, dedicated to Vierne’s daughter is a gentle lullaby that seems
appropriate in this early part of the Epiphany season.
The Poulenc Gloria
was dedicated to the memory of Sergei and Nathalie Koussevitzky, the former
music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and his wife. Koussevitzky was
responsible for commissioning many works including Stravinsky's Symphony of
Psalms and Ravel's arrangement of Pictures at an Exhibition. The text Qui sedes ad dexteram patris is the
final movement of this work. The text is translated as You sit at the right hand of the Father. This movement features a
soprano solo, premiered by Adele Addison (b. 1925) who is best known as the
voice of Bess in the movie version of Porgy
and Bess. The piece opens with an exuberant statement from the altos and
tenors interrupted by huge crashing chords that will continue to punctuate the
piece. After the free opening section the orchestra (organ in our performances)
bursts through with rhythmic drive pushing ahead with a running bass line. This
is interrupted by the soprano soloist singing an “Amen”. The choir enters this time
with a slow chromatic line accompanied by lush harmonies in the strings. This
new idea continues to the end with echoes of the opening motive returning at
the close of the piece.
The communion anthem is taken from Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
cantata Hodie. This work was composed
for the Three Choirs Festival of 1954 and premiered under the baton of the
composer on September 8 at Worcester Cathedral. The work is scored for soprano,
tenor, and baritone soloist with mixed choir, boys choir, orchestra and organ. The Blessed Son of God is the sixth
movement from this work and is labeled “Choral.” It is a translation of a
choral by Martin Luther included in Bach’s Christmas
Oratorio. This a cappella setting
uses language that harmonically fits in with Vaughan William’s vernacular.
These pieces each express different aspects of modern
compositional style and rich harmonic
langue. In addition to this, the prelude and communion anthem paint a vivid
picture of the yng Crist as he grows strong and begins his ministry
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