Soul Peace with Guest Director Nils Schweckendiek - Programme - Chamber Choir Ireland

Guest Director Nils Schweckendiek 12 November 2021 All Hallows Chapel, DCU —1—

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Guest Director Nils Schweckendiek Friday 12th November 2021 All Hallows Chapel, DCU

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Programme 12 Madrigals No. 4 ‘Trink aus!’ & No. 5 ‘An eine Tote’ Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895–1963)

Lamentations Eugene Birman (Latvia, b. 1987)

Five Gaelic Hymns Ina Boyle (Ireland, 1889-1967)

Longwave Amanda Feery

(Ireland, b. 1984)

Help us, O God op. 50 Amy Beach (USA, 1867–1944)

THE PROGRAMME WILL RUN FOR C. 1 HOUR

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Programme Note As the evenings lengthen and autumnal weather reminds us that the year is drawing to a close, we offer a programme in which we explore themes of mortality, loneliness and the need for divine guidance in finding inner peace.

For some, the experiences of the last two years may have made this subject matter more poignant than ever.

Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) was moved to write a set of twelve madrigals in the early months of 1958 after exploring the highly chromatic and expressive madrigals of Carlo Gesualdo in a series of lectures at the University of Zurich the previous December. He chose to set texts by Josef Weinheber (18921945), an Austrian poet admired for his tightly structured verse who had alternated between embracing and distancing himself from both religion and Nazism. Contemporaries described him as having a tendency towards a fatal melancholy. In Trink aus!, the alcoholic poet muses on the futility of life, while Hindemith chose to turn the poem An eine Tote into a memorial for the wife of a good friend, news of whose death had reached him the day he was composing Trink aus!

The cosmopolitan composer Eugene Birman (b. 1987) has written a substantial amount of vocal music in which he combines a clear debt to Baltic choral traditions with a fascination for extended vocal techniques and a

flamboyant sense of theatre. The three movements of his Lamentations create haunting and at times claustrophobic atmospheres: glissandi and ritualistic clapping characterise the first movement; the second enfolds a tenor solo—by turns forlorn and desperate—in a halo of whistling and low humming, while the third features propulsive accelerating recitation, a mezzo soprano solo involving enormous leaps across the registers, a fanatical street preacher, and a quasi-archaic quartet of basses.

Recent years have seen a nascent revival of interest in the music of Ina Boyle (1889-1967), an Irish composer who composed a substantial body of work despite a constant struggle for recognition. A pupil of Vaughan Williams (amongst others), she wrote a number of choral works and paid J & W Chester to publish five of her sixteen Gaelic Hymns in 1930. The Hymns set English translations of Scots Gaelic folk poetry collected by Alexander Carmichael in the Hebrides and Western Highlands in the second half of the nineteenth century. The five published pieces have had sporadic performances, including a broadcast in 1964 that pleased Boyle very much. Although not conceived as a cycle, we will perform the hymns in the published order, with four slower pieces framing a central fast one.

Irish composer Amanda Feery (b. 1984) says of her work Longwave: “For this

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piece, I re-approached the text of the radio Shipping Forecast to explore themes of loneliness and isolation. Using a text that originated from analogue radio, a once crucial and communal medium, also opens up the opportunity to meditate on new media of the present, particularly social media, and the power it has to simultaneously foster community and exacerbate loneliness.

Ultimately my objective for the piece was to write a lullaby for adulthood, using the transformed shipping forecast text to explore memory, grief, joy, and loneliness, amongst hazy recollections of old media formats and half-remembered melodies.”

undertake a three-year tour of Europe, where she found recognition as both a composer and a pianist. Beach’s bestknown vocal works are her songs, but she also wrote both sacred and secular choral music. The motet Help us, O God (published in 1903) is a substantial work in three sections: the heartfelt cry of the slow four-part opening is followed by a tender trio for female voices that brings Mendelssohn to mind, and the work ends with a vigorous fugue in five parts.

Nils Schweckendiek 2021

The American Amy Beach (18671944) showed prodigious talent at a young age and made her first forays into composition at the age of four.

She became celebrated as a pianist, performing as a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra while still a teenager. In common with Ina Boyle, family circumstances dictated that she was not able to go to Central Europe to study despite the advice of her teachers.

When Beach married, she had to agree not to teach and to perform only two public recitals a year. This left her a good amount of time for composition – and yet her husband forbade her from receiving tuition. Nonetheless, she became the first American woman to write a symphony. It was only when she was widowed that she was able to —7—

12 Madrigals Paul Hindemith (Germany, 1895–1963) No. 4 ‘Trink aus!’ (‘Drink up!’)

Schenk ein, Kamerad!

Das Leben ist traurig und toll.

Wir haben gezahlt unsern Elendszoll, das Maß ist vollschenk ein!

Pour it out, comrade!

Life is crazy and sad, We have paid our misery’s toll, our measure is full – pour!

Kein Glück, Kamerad!

Von ferne lockt Flötengetön.

Wir mußten nach Teufels Pfeife uns drehn und zuschanden gehn – Kein Glück!

No luck, comrade!

The sound of flutes beckons from afar.

We must dance to the tune of the devil and perish – bad luck!

Zum End, Kamerad!

Die Jahre und Wolken ziehn.

Was Mieder und Band, was Gunst und Gewinn Laß fahren dahin – Zum End!

To the end, comrade!

The years and clouds drift away.

Ties and bondage, fortune and profit Let go of it all – to the end!

Trink aud, Kamerad!

Am Herzen schabt der Grind.

Bald flackern Kerzen auf muffiger Spind, und die Nacht beginnt – trink aus!

Drink up, comrade!

The grind is already scratching at the heart.

Soon candles will flicker on a mouldy bedside, and the night begins – drink up!

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No. 5 ‘An eine Tote’ (‘To the dead’) Stille Blume, er Blaßt unter herbstlichen Sternen, demütig Licht, in den schweigenden Abend verweht: Mögen von dir die Liebenden ehrfürchtig lernen.

Quiet flower, faded under the autumnal stars, Humble light, going into the silent evening: May lovers learn from you in reverence.

Nimm uns, da du gegangen, nicht das Gebet, nicht die Geduld zu unsrer endlichen Reife, nun die Erfüllung dir auf erblichener Stirne steht.

Don’t take from us, since you’re gone, the prayer, the patience for our final ripening, Now that the look of fulfilment is on your pallid brow.

Gabst du uns doch, erhoben aus ruhloser Streife, Beispiel genug, auf, daß an der Wurzel berührt, in deinem Sterben sich unser Leben begreife.

You gave us, elevated from restless rounds, example enough so that, moved to the roots, in your death, our life might finally make some sense.

Nicht daß du ruhest, von keiner Klag’ verführt, schmerzt uns Verwirrte, die in der Woge blieben: Du bist am Ufer, das allem Leide gebührt.

Not that you rest, seduced by no lament your confusion pains us, and we remain in the waves as they swell You are on the bank, meriting all this suffering.

Aber wir trauern, daß wir dich nun erst lieben, da wir erkennen, wie du nach sanftem Gebot deine Vollendung schon allen Dingen verschrieben.

But we mourn that we only now love you Realising how you, with a gentle command, have already committed your perfection to all things.

Und wir dienen in Schauern: Dem Abend, dem Herbste, dem Tod.

And we serve in dread: Evening, Autumn, and death.

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Lamentations Eugene Birman (Latvia, b. 1987) Tu autem Domine in aeternum permanebis solium tuum in generatione et generatione.

But thou, O Lord, shalt remain for ever, thy throne from generation to generation.

Quare in perpetuum oblivisceris nostri derelinques nos in longitudinem dierum

Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long?

Converte nos Domine ad te et convertemur innova dies nostros sicut a principio

Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted: renew our days, as from the beginning.

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Five Gaelic Hymns Ina Boyle (Ireland, 1889-1967) I. Jesu, Thou Son of Mary Jesu, Thou Son of Mary, Have mercy upon us.

Make peace with us.

Oh, with us and for us Where we shall longest be, Be about the morning of our course, Be about the closing of our life, Be at the dawning of our life, At the darkening of our day.

Be for us and with us, Merciful God of all, Consecrate us, condition and lot, Consecrate us, heart and body, Each heart and body, Each day to Thyself.

Each night accordingly Thou King of kings, Thou God of all.

Amen.

2. The Guardian Angel Thou angel of God, who hast charge of me From the dear Father of mercifulness, The shepherding kind of the fold of the saints To make round about me this night; — 11 —

Be thou a bright flame before me, Be thou a guiding star above me, Be thou a smooth path below me, And be a kindly shepherd behind me, Today, tonight, and forever.

I am tired and I am a stranger, Lead thou me to the land of angels, For me it is time to go home To the court of Christ, To the peace of heaven.

3. The Light’ner of the Stars Behold the Light’ner of the stars On the crests of the clouds, And the choralists of the sky Lauding Him. Coming down with acclaim From the Father above, Harp and lyre of song Sounding to Him. Christ, Thou refuge of my love, Why should I not raise Thy fame?

Angels and saints melodious Singing to Thee.

Thou Son of the Mary of the graces, Of exceeding white purity of beauty, Joy were it to me To be in the fields of Thy riches.

Oh Christ, my beloved Oh Christ of the Holy Blood, By day and by night I praise Thee.

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4. The Soul Leading Be this soul on Thine arm, O Christ, Thou, the King, of the city of Heaven.

Since Thou, O Christ, It was who bought’st this soul, Be its peace on Thine own keeping.

And may the strong Michael, high King of the angels, Be preparing the path before this soul.

O God, O the strong Michael in peace with thee, Soul.

And preparing for thee the way to the Kingdom of the Song of God. Amen.

5. Soul Peace Since Thou, Christ, it was who did buy the soul At the time of yielding the life, At the time of pouring the sweat, At the time of offering the clay, At the time of shedding the blood, At the time of balancing the beam, At the time of sev’ring the breath, At the time of delivering the judgement Be its peace upon Thine own ingath’ring Jesus Christ, Son of gentle Mary.

And may Michael, white, kindly, High King of the holy angels, Take possession of the beloved soul And shield it home to the Three of surpassing love.

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Longwave Amanda Feery (Ireland, b. 1984) A note from the Composer: Listeners of the radio Shipping Forecast have said that it casts a calming presence over the airwaves, particularly the late-night shipping forecast. I have long been interested in the rhythm and cadence of the forecast itself, but also the public’s positive reaction to it, even though it communicates specialist maritime information.

I have been drawn to the music of the phrases underlying the geographical place names and numerical coordinates; phrases such as ‘fair’, ‘poor, becoming moderate’, ‘occasionally good’, ‘veering off course’. Taken out of their nautical context, they possess their own poetic rhetoric. For this piece, I re-approached the text of the radio Shipping Forecast to explore themes of loneliness and isolation. Using a text that originated from analogue radio, a once crucial and communal medium, also opens up the opportunity to meditate on new media of the present, particularly social media, and the power it has to simultaneously foster community and exacerbate loneliness. Ultimately my objective for the piece was to write a lullaby for adulthood, using the transformed shipping forecast text to explore memory, grief, joy, and loneliness, amongst hazy recollections of old media formats and half-remembered melodies.

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Help us, O God op. 50 Amy Beach (USA, 1867–1944) Help us, O God of salvation, for the glory of Thy name, O deliver us, and be merciful unto our sins, O God, be merciful for Thy name’s sake.

O Lord, God of hosts, How long wilt Thou be angry against the prayer of Thy people?

Wilt Thou hide Thyself forever?

Shall Thy wrath burn like fire?

O God of our salvation! Awake, Arise, Why sleepest Thou? Cast us not off for ever.

Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face.

And forgettest our misery and trouble?

How long wilt Thou be angry?

Oh come, let us worship and bow down, Come let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

Arise for our help, and redeem us for Thy mercies’ sake, Lord, arise!

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People Artistic Director Paul Hillier Guest Director Nils Schweckendiek Patron Michael D Higgins President of Ireland Principal Funder Arts Council Additional Support Dublin City University National Concert Hall Friends & Society Members Volunteers

Sopranos Abbi Temple Elizabeth Adams Felicity Hayward Charlotte Trepess

Chief Executive Majella Hollywood

Altos Christina Whyte Leanne Fitzgerald Constance Gardiner* Mark Chambers*

Marketing and Development Manager Aoife Cuthbert

Tenors Stuart Kinsella Shane Barriscale Christopher Bowen* Edward Woodhouse* Basses Jeffrey Ledwidge Eoghan Desmond William Gaunt Juhani Vesikkala* *Deputy

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Concerts’ Manager David Darcy

Publicist Mary Folan Board of Directors Olga Barry Susan Lannigan Alastair Rankin Brian Walsh (Chair) Richard Twomey

Nils Schweckendiek Guest Director

NILS SCHWECKENDIEK STUDIED music at Clare College, Cambridge, and orchestral and choral conducting in Freiburg and Helsinki.

Since making his highly successful debut at the Finnish National Opera with Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier in 2006, he has performed with orchestras, ensembles and choirs in many European countries, the United States and China, and appeared at numerous opera houses and festivals, including the Leipzig Opera and Savonlinna Opera Festival.

appointed Professor of Choral Conducting at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, and from 2017 he has been Artistic Director of the Chorus of the Helsinki Music Centre.

Nils Schweckendiek is committed to performing the music of our time and has conducted around 100 first performances, including music theatre, orchestral, choral and ensemble works.

He has made a number of critically acclaimed CDs for the BIS, Toccata Classics, Alba and ICSM labels, winning several awards.

Since 2007 Nils Schweckendiek has been Artistic Director of the Helsinki Chamber Choir. In 2014 he was

Recent guest conducting has included the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Crash Ensemble, Oulu Sinfonia, Seinäjoki Orchestra, RIAS Kammerchor, Chamber Choir Ireland, the Croatian Radio and TV Choir, Coro Casa da música in Porto and the North German Radio Choir in Hamburg. In 2020 the Society for Swedish Literature in Finland awarded him the Fredrik Pacius Prize for his services to Finnish music.

Nils Schweckendiek has worked with Chamber Choir Ireland previously on Choral Sketches and the ‘Between Us’ concert series in 2018, and on a concert entitled ‘I will sing away the despair of the old universe’ in March 2020.

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Chamber Choir Ireland ‘It was at once a sheerly beautiful immersion in choral sonority’ IRISH TIMES, MARCH 2019 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 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.

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 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).

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, 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. In 2021, Chamber Choir Ireland welcomed President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins as Patron.

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 — 18 —

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AVAILABLE TO STREAM ONLINE

Friday 19 – Friday 26 November

Book Online at www.chamberchoirireland.com

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Thank You! Friends of Chamber Choir Ireland

Chamber Choir Ireland Society

Patricia Barker Ita Beausang Kevin Boushel David & Dorothy Byers Aileen Cashman Helen Cole Mary Collins David Costelloe Mary Delaney Emer Foley Sheila Greene Ruth & Desmond Kinsella Mary MacAodha Penelope McAuley Jenny Mellerick Kathleen Morrissey Mairead Mullaney Ray Mulligan Lisa Murphy Mary O’Flynn Sean O’Neill Alastair & Gillian Rankin Sarah Rogers Geoff Simpson Edel Sludds Brendan & Siobhan Supple Michael Telford Deirdre Torpey

Catherine Cashman-Santoro Barry Doocey Warwick Harte Majella Hollywood Geraldine O’Sullivan Brian Walsh

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Chamber Choir Ireland National Concert Hall Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2 email admin@chamberchoirireland.com www.chamberchoirireland.com — 22 —