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CHAMBE∏ CHOI∏ I∏ELAND
The Hugh Lane Gallery 20 December 2020 8pm —1—
Carols at the Gallery with Chamber Choir Ireland Conductor Alan Leech Sunday 20 December 2020 – Friday 25 December 2020
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Programme Hodie Christus Natus est (from Quatre motets pour le temps de noel) Francis Poulenc (1899–1963) Wexford Carol Irish Traditional carol arr. John Rutter There is no Rose Eric Sweeney (1948-2020) Chorale (after an old French Carol) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) Lullay, My Liking Rhona Clarke (b.1958) O Magnum Mysterium (from Quatre motets pour le temps de noel) Francis Poulenc (1899–1963) Carol of the Birds Stephen McNeff (b.1951) Ding Dong! Merrily on High 16th c French Tune, Harmonised by Charles Wood Coventry Carol Eoghan Desmond (b. 1989) The Morningstar Philipp Nicolai, Arr. Eoghan Desmond (b. 1989) The Christ Child Lay on Mary’s Lap Colin Mawby (1936–2019) A Spotless Rose Herbert Howells (1892–1983) Dormi Jesu Conor O’Reilly (b. 1967) Noel: Verbum Caro Factum Est Tamsin Jones (b. 1972) —3—
Texts and notes Hodie Christus Natus est (from Quatre motets pour le temps de noel) – Francis Poulenc Hodie Christus natus est hodie Salvator apparuit: hodie in terra canunt Angeli, laetantur Archangeli: hodie exsultant justi, dicentes: Gloria in excelsis Deo, alleluja.
Today is Christ born; today the Saviour has appeared; today the Angels sing, the Archangels rejoice; today the righteous rejoice, saying: Glory to God in the highest. Alleluia!
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Wexford Carol Irish Traditional carol arr. John Rutter Good people all, this Christmas time, Consider well and bear in mind What our good God for us has done In sending his beloved son With Mary holy we should pray, To God with love this Christmas Day In Bethlehem upon that morn, There was a blessed Messiah born. The night before that happy tide, The noble Virgin and her guide Were long time seeking up and down To find a lodging in the town. But mark how all things came to pass From every door repelled, alas, As was foretold, their refuge all Was but a humble ox’s stall. With thankful heart and joyful mind The shepherds went the babe to find And as God’s angel had foretold They did our Saviour Christ behold Within a manger he was laid And by his side the virgin maid Attending on the Lord of Life Who came on earth to end all strife.
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There is no Rose Eric Sweeney 1 There is no rose of such virtue As is the rose that bare Jesu; Alleluia. 2 For in this rose conteinéd was Heaven and earth in litel space; Res miranda. 3 By that rose we may well see There be one God in persons three, Pares forma. 4 The angels sungen the shepherds to Gloria in excelsis deo: Gaudeamus. 5 Leave we all this worldly mirth, And follow we this joyful birth; Transeamus.
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Lullay, My Liking Rhona Clarke Lullay, my Liking, my dear Son, my Sweeting, Lullay, my dear heart, my own dear darling. I saw a fair maiden, sitting and sing, She lulled a child a sweet lording: Refrain Eternal Lord is He that made alle thing, Of alle Lordes He is Lord of alle Kings king. Refrain There was mickle melody at that Childe’s birth, All that were in heaven’s bliss, they made mickle mirth. Refrain Angels bright they sang that night and saiden to that Child, “Blessed be Thou, and so be she that is both meek and mild.” Refrain I saw a fair maiden, sitting and sing, She lulled a child a sweet lording: Refrain
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O Magnum Mysterium (from Quatre motets pour le temps de noel) Francis Poulenc O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum, jacentem in praesepio. Beata Virgo cujus viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Christum.
O great mystery and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord lying in a manger! Blessed is the Virgin, whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord.
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Carol of the Birds Stephen McNeff
Full many a bird did wake and fly Curoo curoo curoo Full many a bird did wake and fly To the manger bed with wandering cry On Christmas day in the morning Curoo curoo curoo Curoo curoo curoo The lark the dove and the red bird came Curoo curoo curoo The lark the dove and the red bird came And they did sing in sweet Jesus’ name. On Christmas day in the morning Curoo, curoo, curoo, Curoo, curoo, curoo, The owl was there with eyes so wide Curoo, curoo, curoo, The owl was there with eyes so wide And he did sit at sweet Mary’s side. On Christmas day in the morning Curoo, curoo, curoo, Curoo, curoo, curoo, The shepherds knelt upon the hay, Curoo, curoo, curoo, The shepherds knelt upon the hay, Angels sang the night away. On Christmas day in the morning. Curoo, curoo, curoo.
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Ding Dong! Merrily on High 16th c French Tune, Harmonised by Charles Wood Ding dong merrily on high, In heav’n the bells are ringing: Ding dong! verily the sky Is riv’n with angel singing. Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis! E’en so here below, below, Let steeple bells be swungen, And “Io, io, io!” By priest and people sungen. Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis! Pray you, dutifully prime Your matin chime, ye ringers; May you beautifully rime Your evetime song, ye singers. Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
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Coventry Carol Eoghan Desmond
Lully, lulla, Thou little tiny child, By by, lully, lullay. Oh sisters too, how may we do, For to preserve this day This poor youngling, for whom we do sing: By by, lully, lullay. Herod the king, in his raging, Charged he hath this day His men of might, in his own sight, All young children to slay. That woe is me, poor child, for thee, And ever mourn, and may For thy parting, neither say, nor sing: By by, lully, lullay.
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The Morningstar Philipp Nicolai, Arr. Eoghan Desmond How brightly beams the Morningstar! What sudden radiance from afar doth glad us with its shining. Brightness of God that breaks our night And fills the darkened souls with light who long for truth were pining. Thy word, Jesu, Only feeds us, Rightly leads us, Life bestowing; Praise, oh praise such love o’erflowing!
The Christ Child Lay on Mary’s Lap Colin Mawby 1 The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap, His hair was like a light. (O weary, weary were the world, But here is aright.) 2 The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast, His hair was like a star. (O stern and cunning are the kings, But here the true hearts are.) 3 The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart, His hair was like a fire. (O weary, weary is the world, But here the world’s desire.) 4 The Christ-child stood at Mary’s knee, His hair was like a crown. And all the flowers looked up at Him, And all the stars looked down. — 12 —
A Spotless Rose Howells A spotless rose is blowing, Sprung from a tender root, Of ancient seers foreshowing, Of Jesse promised fruit; Its fairest bud unfolds to light Amid the cold, cold winter, And in the dark midnight. The rose which I am singing, Whereof Isaiah said, Is from its sweet root springing In Mary purest maid; For through our God’s great love and might, The Blessed Babe she bare us In a cold, cold winter’s night.
Dormi Jesu Conor O’Reilly Dormi, Jesu! Mater ridet Quae tam dulcem somnum videt Dormi, Jesu! blandule! Si non-dormis, Mater plorat Inter fila cantans orat Blande, veni, somnule
Sleep, sweet babe! my cares beguiling: Mother sits beside thee smiling; Sleep, my darling, tenderly! If thou sleep not, mother mourneth, Singing as her wheel she turneth: Come, soft slumber, balmily!
(TRANSLATION BY S. T. COLERIDGE SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE 1772 – 1834)
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Noel: Verbum Caro Factum Est Tamsin Jones 1 This night there is a Child y-born, That sprang out of Jesse’s thorn; We must sing and say thereforn: Verbum caro factum est. 2 Jesus is the Childes name And Mary mild is His dame, All our sorrow is turned to game: Verbum caro factum est. 3 It fell upon the high midnight, The stars they shone both fair and bright, The angels sang with all their might: Verbum caro factum est. 4 Now kneel we down upon our knee, And pray we to the Trinity, Our help, our succour for to be. Verbum caro factum est.
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People Artistic Director Paul Hillier Conductor Alan Leech
Sopranos Elizabeth Hilliard Aisling Kenny Méav Ní Mhaolchatha Sarah Keating
Chief Executive Majella Hollywood
Altos Christina Whyte Leanne Fitzgerald Stephen Wallace Constance Gardiner*
Board of Directors Olga Barry Bea Kelleher Susan Lannigan Alastair Rankin Brian Walsh (Chair) Richard Twomey
Tenors Stuart Kinsella Shane Barriscale Christopher Bowen Basses Jeffrey Ledwidge Paul McGough Eoghan Desmond Simon Morgan
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Concerts’ Manager David Darcy
Alan Leech Conductor Alan Leech is one of Ireland’s leading tenors and choral practitioners. Since graduating from UCC in 1995 he has been in consistent demand both as a performer and choral specialist. As well as chamber music Alan has also performed with most of Ireland’s leading orchestras and choirs in oratorio and concert performances. Monteverdi’s Vespers, Mozart’s Mass in C, Haydn’s Nelson Mass & Heiligemess, Barber’s Songs of Kierkegaard & Tippet’s ‘A Child of our Time’. He has also performed with Opera Cork, Opera South, Anna Livia Opera and Opera Ireland including many roles as well as professional chorus. Roles include Acis in Handel’s Acis & Galatea, Tamino in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Goro in Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, and El Remondado in Bizet’s Carmen. Apart from his performance career, Alan has a true passion for education and choral development. He is much in demand as a voice teacher, and has been teaching singing at the Leinster School of Music & Drama since 2003 where he also lectures in Aural Skills, Repertoire in Context and Choral Conducting for Griffith College’s H Dip in Music. Alan also teaches Voice at undergraduate level in Mater Dei Institute, a college of University College Dublin. In 2015 Alan was invited to lecture both undergraduate and — 16 —
postgraduate Montessori teachers in the Creative process of Music at St Nicholas Montessori College. Working both as a professional singer and singing teacher is central to Alan’s significant contribution the greater choral community in Ireland. He has worked as a vocal consultant for the Association of Irish Choirs on their annual Choral Conducting Summer School. Since 2007 the AOIC have invited him to work as tenor coach with the Irish Youth Choir, and recently as a vocal coach with the exciting new Irish Youth Chamber Choir. In 2012 Alan joined the teaching staff of the Ulster Youth Choir. Alan is also an education facilitator for Chamber Choir Ireland’s Educational Outreach programme. A highlight of this role has been working on the ‘Sing’ project since 2007 in conjunction with the Axis, Ballymun, which brings together groups of older people to develop choral skills.
in his native Drogheda. Outside of the traditional choral world Alan has facilitated workshops in Coolmine Rehabilitation and also Cork prison. Alan’s extensive experience and abilities in the choral area have led to invitations from several bodies to develop choral programmes both with young and older people, including Dún Laoghaire – Rathdown County Council, Dublin City Council, South Dublin County Council, Tipperary County Council, Temple Bar Cultural Trust and Bealtaine Festival, Music Generation Offaly/Westmeath & Music Generation Louth. Mixing natural pedagogic skills with conducting and singing is what sets Alan apart. Working with 3rd level students, adult choirs, older people and especially with young singers, both primary and post primary, in one of the widest ranging repertoires of all the genres is fulfilling, stimulating and rewarding.
Combining singing, pedagogy and conducting skills has led to many invitations to work with a varying range of choirs and ensembles nationwide; the Mornington Singers, Culwick Choral Society, Limerick Choral Union, Anima Chamber Choir, Dublin, Tribal Chamber Choir, Galway, Cois Cladaigh, Galway, Aspiro, Carlow, Cork Chamber Choir, Pfizerphonics, Cork and Tredagh Singers — 17 —
Chamber Choir Ireland Times was Letters which included the CCI commission Triptych by David Fennessy and A Letter of Rights by Tarik O’Regan & Alice Goodman on the Naxos label (November 2020).
Garnering a strong reputation for its unique approach to creative commissioning, recording and programming, Chamber Choir Ireland is the country’s flagship choral ensemble and national chamber choir under the Artistic Direction of the multiaward-winning conductor, Paul Hillier. The Choir’s programmes span from early renaissance to the present day, incorporating established choral classics with cutting edge commissions, and a style of performance that incorporates versatility, dynamism and often vocal pyrotechnics.
Chamber Choir Ireland has a strong Learning and Participation programme, including in Composers in the Classroom, Choral Sketches, Sing! at Axis:Ballymun and a lecture series on the history of choral music in Ireland. Chamber Choir Ireland receives principal funding & support from the Arts Council/ an Chomhairle Ealaíon with additional support from Dublin City Council.
Chamber Choir Ireland performances have been described as having a tone which is ‘liquid in its power and purity’ with a ‘strong vocal flexibility of style’ (Belfast Telegraph). The Choir has a strong commitment to touring in Ireland and continues to develop its touring network in order to present high quality choral concerts to audiences around the country. International touring has included the USA, UK, Belgium, Russia, Germany and South America.
Chamber Choir Ireland is a resident ensemble at the National Concert Hall of Ireland, Associate Artists to Dublin City University, and a member of TENSO – the network of professional chamber choirs in Europe
The choir has previously recorded for the Harmonia Mundi, RTÉ lyric fm labels including the world premiere recording of works by Gerald Barry, Barry meets Beethoven, featuring the Crash Ensemble and Stephen Richardson on the Orchid Classics label. The most recent release garnering a 5-star review in the Irish — 18 —
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Chamber Choir Ireland National Concert Hall Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2 telephone +353 (0) 1 554 5210 email admin@chamberchoirireland.com www.chamberchoirireland.com — 20 —