Program notes: 2019.01.05 — Rossini "Petite Messe Solennelle"

Hong Kong Voices // Conductor / Grace Chiang

Saturday / 8:00 p.m. / Jehovahjireh Concert Hall, ICQM

Petite Messe Solennelle

ROSSINI 5-1-2019

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Gioachino ROSSINI (1792–1868) Petite Messe solennelle (1863) Gioachino Rossini, the famed Italian opera composer who gave the world Il barbiere di Siviglia (1816) and Guillaume Tell (1829), was at the height of his career when he decided to take a break from composing. At age 38, Rossini already wrote a little short of forty operas, and was equally at home with opera buffa and French grand opera.

A native of Pesaro, Italy, Gioachino was born to musician parents—his father was a trumpeter and his mother was a singer. As the family moved to Bologna a decade later, young Rossini became a professional singer and took part in productions at the local theatre. His first opera commission came in 1810, and by his fourth opera, L’inganno felice (1812), he was already a well-known opera composer in Italy. Soon after, he composed classics such as Tancredi (1813), L’italiana in Algeri (1813), and moved to Naples in 1815. It was in Naples that Rossini penned his Il barbiere di Siviglia, La Cenerentola (1817) and many more operas, before moving to Paris in 1824.

In subsequent years, Rossini returned briefly to Italy despite persistent health problems, and after the death of his wife (Spanish soprano Isabella Colbran) in 1845, he married his mistress Olympe Pélissier and settled permanently in Paris.

It was after Guillaume Tell that Rossini decided to stop writing operas, and until his death in 1868, Rossini wrote music for keyboard, voice and some sacred pieces, what he called Péchés de vieillesse (“Sins of Old Age”), but never a new work for theatre. However, these late works were only shared with his inner circle, and never meant for public performances.

Rossini’s last major work, Petite Messe solennelle, was premiered in 1864, the same year as he was honoured by Napoleon III as grand officier of the Legion d’honneur—the highest rank there was. Rossini called the Messe “the last mortal sin of my old age”: “Dear God, here it is finished, this poor little Mass. Have I wrtten sacred music or rather damned music? [Est-ce bien de la musique sacrée queje viens de faire ou bien de la sacrée musique?] I was born for opera buffa, as you well know. A little science, a little heart, that’s all. Be blessed, then, and admit me to Paradise. G. Rossini. Passy 1863.”

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The first performance of the Messe, which involved four soloists and a choir of eight singers formed by students of the Conservatory, took place on 14 March 1864 as part of a private dedication in the chapel of the Count and Countess Pillet-Will’s new residence. At the rehearsal, Rossini stood by one of the pianists, indicating the tempo and turning the pages; during the actual concert, the Gloria and Credo were separated by a buffet lunch.

As a “petite” mass, this piece employed only two pianos and a third keyboard part for the Harmonicorde-Debain—not the standard harmonium per se, but a specific variant perfected

by Francois Debain (1809-1877) in the early 1840s, a hybrid of the harmonium and the piano. While the instrumentation for two pianos and harmonium is crucial to the work’s character and colour, Rossini orchestrated the Messe in 1867 in order to prevent others from doing so, and the orchestral version was only premiered after Rossini’s death.

Kyrie The Kyrie eleison begins in A minor, with the piano steadily outlining the ostinato figure as the harmonium fills in the harmony. The voices enter one by one, from intense pianissimos gradually expanding to brief fortissimos, and condensing into zealous pppps before modulating to the relative key of C major. The middle Christe eleison is performed a cappella, in stark contrast to the two Kyrie, and is in fact a direct quotation of the Et incarnatus est (1849) by Louis Niedermeyer, whom Rossini has known since 1819.

Niedermeyer was an advocate of sacred music, and before his untimely death in 1861, he worked to re-establish a school of church music in Paris, reviving Gregorian chant and classical polyphony. So it was no accident that Rossini borrowed from Niedermeyer’s mass, as a final tribute to an old friend. The final Kyrie eleison recapitulates the opening material, this time in C minor, with more marked dynamic contrasts and accents as it shifts between the parallel keys of A major.

Kyrie eleison.

Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

Lord, have mercy Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

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Gloria The Gloria in excelsis Deo bursts in with a quasi-fanfare in F major. After some florid runnings by the soloists, the chorus briefly responds in chant-like phrases on Adoramus te. Several extended solo movements follow: the Gratias agimus tibi is a trio for bass, contralto (sung by countertenor in this concert) and tenor; the tenor aria Domine Deus recalls the Cujus animam from Rossini’s Stabat Mater; Qui tollis peccata mundi is an intimate duet for soprano and contralto; Quoniam tu solus Sanctus is almost an operatic aria for bass, hinting at the buoyancy of the final movement of the Gloria. Almost a Handelian chorus, the closing Cum Sancto Spiritu repeats the opening figure from the beginning of the Gloria, and then quickly developed into an extended fugue, illustrating Rossini’s classical training in harmony and counterpoint at every turn of page.

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Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you.

Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.

We give you thanks for your great glory.

Domine Deus, Rex cœlestis, Deus Pater omnipotens.

Domine Fili Unigenite, Jesu Christe, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.

Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.

Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.

You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.

You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ.

Cum Sancto Spiritu: in gloria Dei Patris.

Amen.

With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

Credo In the extended Credo in unum Deum, Rossini punctuates the sections with a recurring “Credo” as the choir and soloists sing in an almost responsorial manner. The Crucifixus etiam pro nobis is a reflective prayer, where the soprano solo floats above a lilting piano accompaniment, before the chorus suddenly interrupts and pivots from A-flat major into a brilliant B major chord on Et resurrexit. Again, the movement is interjected by the chorus in firm declaration on “Credo”, as the music alternates between subdued solo quartets, and sequential choral passages. It then goes attacca into Et vitam venturi sæculi, another extensive fugal movement with a melismatic Amen section.

Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem cœli et terræ, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.

Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum, ante omnia sæcula.

Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri: per quem omnia facta sunt.

Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de cœlis.

Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven.

And by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

Crucifíxus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato; passus et sepultus est.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried.

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Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas, et ascendit in cœlum: sedet ad dexteram Patris.

Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, judicare vivos et mortuos, cujus regni non erit finis.

Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem.

Qui ex Patre, Filioque procedit, Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur, et conglorificatur: qui locutus est per Prophetas.

Et unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.

Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.

Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum.

And rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceed from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead.

Et vitam venturi sæculi.

Amen.

And the life of the world to come. Amen.

Offertoire: Prélude religieux—Ritournelle Although not part of the Ordinary of the Mass, the instrumental solo written for performance during the Offertory is a standard practice in 19th-century French masses. In the foreign key of F-sharp minor, this Prélude religieux is scored for piano, and to a certain extent, it reflects Rossini’s study of Bach’s The Well-tempered Clavier. This is shortly followed by a nine-bar Ritournelle for harmonium, which provided the chorus with the C major tonality of the subsequent Sanctus.

Sanctus Performed entirely a cappella, the movement begins with three choral Sanctus, with each iteration louder than the previous one. The four soloists and chorus sing in alternation throughout this lyrical movement, and closes on a rich chordal statement on Osanna in excelsis.

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Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth.

Pleni sunt cœli et terra gloria tua.

Osanna in excelsis.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini Osanna in excelsis.

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

O salutaris hostia Previously not included in the initial chamber version, O salutaris hostia is a lyrical post-Communion hymn that was originally composed as a separate aria for contralto, and later included into the mass when Rossini orchestrated the work. The aria is transposed from E major up to G major, and reassigned for soprano solo.

O salutaris hostia, Quæ cæli pandis ostium, Bella premunt hostilia, Da robur, fer auxilium.

Amen. —St. Thomas Aquinas (1227–1274)

O saving Victim, opening wide The gate of Heaven to us below; Our foes press hard on every side; Thine aid supply; thy strength bestow. Amen.

—translated by E. Caswall (1814–1878)

Agnus Dei The concluding Agnus Dei opens with a seven-bar introduction in E minor, followed by a syncopated ostinato on piano and sustained chords on the harmonium not dissimilar to that of the first Kyrie movement. The accompaniment sets the solemn and earnest aura that permeates the entire movement; the long, lyrical melody of the contralto solo juxtaposes with the rhythmic piano writing, and answered by the chorus’s plea for peace (dona nobis pacem) in sotto voce. As the music intensifies throughout the three Agnus Dei, the final statement extends into an polyphonic choral passage on qui tollis peccata mundi, building up towards a powerful fortissimo dona nobis pacem, before winding down in a instrumental postlude that harks back at the beginning of the movement.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

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Grace CHIANG, conductor

Grace Chiang graduated from the Music Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, studying voice with Chan Siu-Kwan. Upon graduation, she was awarded the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music Scholarship to read for a Master’s degree in Music, majoring in Historical Musicology at Royal Holloway, University of London, where she continued her vocal studies with baritone Christian Immler. An active performer, Grace’s interests extend to contemporary music, often performing works by Hong Kong composers; she collaborated with the Chinese Music Virtuosi in premiering Chan Hing-Yan’s Schmetterlingsträumen Lieder at the Musicarama 2010, and appeared with the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble in performing works by Lam Bun-Ching at the 2012 Macau International Music Festival.

Grace took part in conducting masterclasses and workshops of maestros Stephen Layton, Rolf Beck, James Jordan and William Weinert. Since 2011, she returned to serve at her alma mater, and led the girls’ choir to win Gold Medals at the 2012 Cincinnati, USA and the 2014 Riga, Latvia World Choir Games, as well as the Grand Prix Champion and Special Conductor Prize at the 3rd Singapore International Choral Festival in 2016. Her choral experience has also taken her to perform in Austria, United Kingdom, and Mainland China.

Grace conducts Hong Kong Voices among various choral ensembles, and recently appeared in performances such as Brahms’s A German Requiem, Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore, and J. S. Bach’s Magnificat BWV 243.

LAW Tsz-Ying, soprano

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Law Tsz-Ying, Joyce earned a Bachelor Music degree in Hong Kong Baptist University with first honor and outstanding award in 2012, majoring in Voice performance and pedagogy. With the professional guidance of Chan SiuKwan, she achieved the Singing Diploma (LTCL—Recital) with distinction in 2010. In 2015, Joyce further achieved a Master degree of Music (Vocal Performance) in Royal Holloway, University of London, studying in the studio of Elaine Pearce. She also received Choral Scholarship to be the Choral Scholar of the renowned The Choir of Royal Holloway, which is represented by Edition Peters Artist Management.

During her time as a choral scholar, Joyce gave around 50 concerts a year, performed as Soprano solo in St. Martinin-the-Fields, St. Paul’s Cathedral (London), St. George’s Bristol and Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace. She has participated in international tours, two CD recordings with the Hyperion label, broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 and a live TV Broadcast by BBC One. Joyce has also performed for Her

Majesty the Queen and other British Royal family members at the Buckingham Palace, Royal Albert Hall, and the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary in 2014–2015.

Law Tsz-Ying, Joyce is currently a vocalist and soloist of Singfest Choral Academy, has been performing under the batons of Helmuth Rilling, Yip Wing-Sie, Stephen Coker and William Weinert. She was also invited to perform in the new chamber opera Heart of Coral and new cantata Hong Kong Odyssey, commissioned and produced by the Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2013 and 2017 respectively.

Keith PUN, countertenor

Keith Pun studied at the Royal College of Music with Lawrence Zazzo, before furthering his training at the Opera Works at English National Opera. Keith is extremely grateful to have been supported by the Hong Kong Talent Development Scheme, Peter Curzon Oram Charitable Trust and scholarships by The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is a prize winner of the 2018 David Clover Singing Competition in recital class.

His operatic roles include Chai Ping in The Original Chinese Conjuror by Raymond Yiu for Northern Opera Group (Left Bank Opera Festival), title role of L’Orfeo for Rotterdam Opera Festival, Oberon (cover) and fairy in A Fairy Queen for Iford Arts Festival, Spirit in Dido and Aeneas, Pastore in Tosca and Liu the slave boy in Reimagined Turandot for Grimeborn Festival. He created the role of The Mathematician in On False Perspective for a Royal College of Music collaboration with Tête à Tête (UK) in 2014.

In concert, Keith has appeared at National Gallery and St. John Smith Square in the UK, Hong Kong and Japan. His repertoire includes Bach’s St. John Passion and cantatas, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Handel’s Messiah and Israel in Egypt, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Haydn’s Missa Sancti Nicolai with London Chorus, conducted by Jonathan Cohen, John Butt and Ronald Corp among others.

Engagement highlights in the 2018/19 season include Handel’s Jephtha with Grantham Choral Society, a concert of Vivaldi, Pergolesi and Zelenka with Highgate Choral Society, Elena Langer’s Beauty and Sadness and Du Yun’s Angel’s Bone for Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival.

Justin LI, tenor

Justin Li began his vocal training in Hong Kong with tenor David Quah and continued later in London under the tutelage of mezzo-soprano Catrin Johnsson and David Harper. During his study in London, he appeared in concerts 11

such as Mozart’s Mass in C minor and Bach’s Magnificat in D as the tenor soloist and was the winner of the UK Spring Grove Music Festival Young Voices Category in 2006.

Returning to Hong Kong in 2007, Justin has then won the Oratorio and Art Song competitions in the 61st Hong Kong Schools Music Festival and was awarded the Miss Barbara Fei Vocal Scholarship Open Class and the Harry Ore Memorial Prize. He was also the winner of the Art Song category of the 4th Hong Kong Youth Singing Festival. In 2008 he obtained his Licentiate Diploma in Recital in Voice with distinction from the Trinity College, London.

Since then, Justin has been frequently invited as tenor soloist in performances held by the Hong Kong Young People’s Chorus and the Hong Kong Voices, including works such as Saint-Saëns’ Oratorio de Noël, Hadyn’s Theresienmesse, Lotti’s Missa Sapientiae, J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and St. John Passion, where he made his debut as the role of the Evangelist in 2014. He has also worked with Die Konzertisten and SingFest Choral Academy, appearing as the guest soloist in their various early music projects including J.S. Bach’s cantata Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis BWV 21 conducted by Dr. William Weinert, J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion conducted

by Professor John Butt, and Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine conducted by Wolfgang Katschner in 2017.

Frankie FUNG, bass

Frankie Fung has been studying with renowned Italian soprano Isabel Gentile and baritone Roberto Abbondanza since the age of 14. After he graduated from university, Fung pursued a Master’s degree in chamber vocal music in the G. Briccialdi High Institute of Musical Study in Terni, Italy, under the tutorship of Abbondanza. During his study in Italy, Fung performed in different cities such as Castel Viscardo, Porano and Perugia. Fung was a participant of Jockey Club Opera Hong Kong Young Artist Development Programme in 2015 to 2016 and studied with distinguished bass Gong Dongjian and New York Metropolitan Opera vocal coach Pierre Vallet.

His roles in opera include Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, the Duke in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, Ufficiale di Registrar in Madama Butterfly, Araldo in Otello and Ambrogio/Officer in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. He also performed as soloist in different concerts, including Bruckner’s Te Deum, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 Choral, Rossini’s Petite Messe solennelle and Haydn’s The Creation.

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As an avid chorister, Fung has joined Wah Yan College, Kowloon Boys’ Choir as an alumnus singer and vocal coach to perform and participate choral festivals and competitions around the world, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, USA, Canada, Ireland, Singapore and Japan with excellent results.

Cynthia CHAN, piano

Cynthia Chan earned a Master of Music Degree in Piano Accompanying from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Timothy Bach. She also holds a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance from the Conservatory, where she studied with Mack McCray; and received Bachelor of Arts (Music) Degree from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where she studied with Mo Cheung-Yu. She has been on staff accompanist for San Francisco Conservatory of Music, San Francisco Ballet School, Bay Area Summer Opera Institute, Royal Ballet School Hong Kong Spring Intensive, and Genée International Ballet Competition 2018.

Cynthia is currently the pianist for the Hong Kong Dance Company, as well as part-time dance accompanist and music for dance lecturer at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. As a collaborative pianist, she recently curates and performs her multidisciplinary work NEON: Reimagination of Henry Cowell’s Works presented by the Hong Kong Dance Company’s “8/F Platform”.

Anne LAM, organ

Anne Lam is the Music Director & Organist at Chung Chi College Chapel, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). She teaches at the Music Department of CUHK, and also at the organ educational programme at Hong Kong Cultural Centre. A recipient of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund Scholarship, Anne obtained a Sacred Music Diploma and a doctoral degree in Organ Performance & Literature from the Eastman School of Music, New York.

She has won prizes in international competitions and her solo performances have been broadcast on Radio Television Hong Kong Radio 4, Metro Radio Hong Kong and American Public Radio’s programme Pipedreams in the United States.

Her engagements for 2017–19 include performances in Belgium, France, New Zealand, as well as playing as continuo player/accompanist/soloist in concerts for The Hong Kong Bach Choir, Hong Kong SingFest, The Hong Kong Baptist University Choirs, The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra during the Hong Kong Arts Festival.

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Hong Kong Voices is a chamber choir established in 2000.

Aspired to bring choral music closer to the Hong Kong people, we cultivate the ability of music appreciation among our singers, and offer our audience an artistic experience that both delights and inspires.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Ken LAM PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Grace CHIANG CHAIRPERSON Linda CHAN VICE-CHAIRPERSON Tony LING GENERAL SECRETARY Winnie CHOI FINANCIAL SECRETARY Benjamin NG Website: www.hkvoices.org Facebook: fb.com/hkvoices/ Email: choir@hkvoices.org Whatsapp: +852 5509 9455 Instagram: @hkvoices

Our repertoire spans from the Renaissance to the modern era, including acclaimed works such as Bach’s St. John Passion, Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore and Brahms’s A German Requiem. We often introduce some lesser-known choral masterpieces to the audience, most notably we gave the Hong Kong premiere of Schoenberg’s Friede auf Erden in 2005. We also infuse our programme with works by Asian and Hong Kong contemporaries as a tribute to our unique cultural heritage.

We have collaborated with many leading local artists as well as young and rising musicians and vocalists. We perform regularly with our professional instrumental partners and had joined the Hong Kong Sinfonietta in performances of Haydn’s Little Organ Mass and Fauré’s Requiem. We are also involved in cross-media projects such as Samson Young’s music theatre Electric Requiem—God Save the Queen (2009), and Muted Situations #5: Muted Chorus (2016) that appeared in his first Europe solo exhibition at Kunsthalle Düsseldorf.

We believe that music lives beyond the concert hall: from 2010 onwards all our live concerts have been captured

by Claying’s Studio and are archived on the Internet for educational purpose.

Ken Lam, currently Music Director of Charleston Symphony Orchestra and Illinois Symphony Orchestra, has been our Artistic Director since 2001. Grace Chiang, award-winning Hong Kong choral conductor and soprano, is appointed as Principal Conductor of the choir in 2015.

SOPRANO Alice CHAN Linda CHAN Esther CHIANG Lorrain LAU Sheep YING Carina WONG

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ALTO Katie CHAN Kitty CHEW Winnie CHOI Jess HO Mimi HO Martina KERBL Dora LAU Karen LEUNG

TENOR CHOI Chak-Hon Francis LEUNG Tony LING Benjamin NG BASS Donald CHAN Ronald LEUNG Pasu YIP Davis YIU Timothy YU

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