Dress Rehearsal Program: Carmina Burana + Credo – Student Newsletter

CARMINA BURANA

CARMINA BURANA @ A GLANCE

Carl Orff (1895–1982) was a German composer and educator. He studied at the Munich Academy of Music and with German composer Heinrich Kaminski. In his dramatic choral works, he used simple harmonies and emphasized percussion and the repetition of forceful rhythmic patterns. Orff was also an influential teacher noted for his creative ideas in elementary music education.

LISTENING GUIDE

WRITTEN BY Lily Kass, Scholar in Residence

CARMINA BURANA

“O Fortuna” “Oh Fortune”

This opening chorus may sound familiar to some of you since it is often used in commercials and on movie soundtracks. It begins with loud, crashing, dissonant chords before the chorus suddenly switches to a pulsing whisper. Tension builds and builds until the orchestra and chorus come crashing back in at maximum volume. It is a powerful reflection on the relentless fickleness, and often cruelty, of Fate.

“Reie” “Round Dance”

This movement shows, through contrasts, how love is sometimes celebratory and sometimes yearning, sometimes out of control and sometimes contained. The orchestra starts off playing what sounds like a formal ballroom dance, ending with a trumpet fanfare of sorts. Next, lower voices and higher voices trade off lines of text before coming together into a raucous, dizzying dance. The movement melts into a lullaby-type melody with a gentle flute solo before returning to the dance.

TRACK 1 TRACK 9

TRACK 12 TRACK 6

“Tanz” “Dance”

This movement is the only one in the entire piece that doesn’t have any voices. It is purely instrumental, and it is called a dance. If you were trying to dance to this piece, however, you might easily get confused! The number of beats in each measure changes rapidly, giving the dance a bit of an unbalanced feeling. The middle of the movement includes a peaceful flute solo that sounds almost like birdsong that the rest of the orchestra patiently listens to before joining back into the dance even more enthusiastically than before, with brass and crashing cymbals.

“Olim lacus colueram” “Once I Lived on Lakes”

This movement is a silly parody, with the tenor soloist taking on the role of a swan that has been roasted for dinner. It starts with a solo clarinet that sadly honks along until a cymbal crash, perhaps symbolizing the swan’s untimely demise. The tenor sings in falsetto, very high in their range, along with the clarinet as the swan mourns their fate. The chorus enters in short bursts at the end of each verse for emphasis.

Check out these significant musical moments in Carmina Burana! Scan the QR code to listen to each piece as you read.

“Dulcissime”

“Sweetest

volat undique”

The orchestra seems to take flight at the start of this movement, with fluttering flutes imitating the movement of Cupid, the God of Love. A children’s chorus sings a repetitive melody, simply stating Cupid’s role in creating couples. Listen as the soprano soloist enters to sing rather plaintively about “the girl without a lover” who “misses out on all pleasures.” They hold their final note for an impressive twenty-eight beats as the orchestra continues its fluttering. To close out the movement, the children’s chorus repeats its same melody, commenting matter-of-factly that “it is a bitter fate.”

Orff: Carmina Burana Alsop, Marin; Bournemouth Symphony Chorus; Naxos | 8.570033 TRACK 15

TRACK 22

“Tempus est Iocundum” “This is the Joyful Time”

One”

This is the shortest movement in Carmina Burana, with only four measures of music. It takes less than one minute to sing. The soprano soloist sings the word “sweetest,” sweetly as the orchestra falls silent. Then, muted strings play a sustained chord to accompany them as they sing a technically challenging passage on the syllable “ah.” This kind of singing is often used by composers to indicate that words are not enough to express such a strong emotion, and that only music can. This short movement of Carmina Burana allows the audience to focus on a single voice without other distractions and serves as a strong contrast to the movements that surround it.

TRACK 23

As the title of this movement indicates, this movement is about joy and pleasure. This spirit is embodied in the music, which moves ahead quickly and almost breathlessly. There is repetition of individual syllables of text in several phrases, which makes it sound like the singers are so overwhelmed by excitement that they are struggling to get out a full sentence. A returning refrain, which is sung twice by the baritone soloist and once by the soprano soloist with the children’s chorus, is accompanied by castanets, handheld percussion instruments often used by flamenco dancers. The high bell-like sound of a glockenspiel also adds festive cheer.

“Amor

“Cupid flies everywhere”

1965-1966

Margaret Allison Bonds (1913–1972) was an American composer and pianist who wrote and performed classical works, arrangements of African-American spirituals, and popular music. She was one of the first Black woman composers to gain nationwide recognition for her work. At twenty years of age, she became the first Black soloist to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Bonds is best remembered today for her comprehensive output of music (much of which remains unpublished), and her dedication to advancing the careers of prominent Black creatives through performance and collaboration.

The text for Credo comes from an essay written by African American educator, sociologist, historian, philosopher and civil rights activist William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1869–1963). This proclamation on racial equality and social justice was first published in the New York Independent in October of 1904. In 1910, Du Bois co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

I believe in God, who made of one blood all nations that on earth do dwell. I believe that all men, black and brown and white are brothers, varying through time and opportunity, in form and gift and feature, but differing in no essential particular, and alike in soul and the possibility of infinite development.

Especially do I believe in the Negro Race: in the beauty of its genius, the sweetness of its soul, and its strength in that meekness which shall yet inherit this turbulent earth.

I believe in Pride of race and lineage and self: in pride of self so deep as to scorn injustice to other selves; in pride of lineage so great as to despise no man’s father; in pride of race so chivalrous as neither to offer bastardy to the weak nor beg wedlock of the strong, knowing that men may be brothers in Christ, even though they be not brothers-in-law.

I believe in Service—humble, reverent service, from the blackening of boots to the whitening of souls; for Work is Heaven, Idleness Hell, and Wage is the “Well done!” of the Master, who summoned all them that labor and are heavy laden, making no distinction between the black, sweating cotton hands of Georgia and the first families of Virginia, since all distinction not based on deed is devilish and not divine.

I believe in the Devil and his angels, who wantonly work to narrow the opportunity of struggling human beings, especially if they be black; who spit in the faces of the fallen, strike them that cannot strike again, believe the worst and work to prove it, hating the image which their Maker stamped on a brother’s soul.

I believe in the Prince of Peace. I believe that War is Murder. I believe that armies and navies are at bottom the tinsel and braggadocio of oppression and wrong, and I believe that the wicked conquest of weaker and darker nations by nations whiter and stronger but fore-shadows the death of that strength.

I believe in liberty for all men: the space to stretch their arms and their souls, the right to breathe and the right to vote, the freedom to choose their friends, enjoy the sunshine, and ride on the railroads, uncursed by color; thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of beauty and love.

I believe in the training of children, black even as white; the leading out of little souls into the green pastures and beside the still waters, not for pelf or peace, but for life lit by some large vision of beauty and goodness and truth; lest we forget, and the sons of the fathers, like Esau, for mere meat barter their birthright in a mighty nation.

Finally, I believe in Patience—patience with the weakness of the Weak and the strength of the Strong, the prejudice of the Ignorant and the ignorance of the Blind; patience with the tardy triumph of Joy and the made chastening of Sorrow—patience with God!

LISTENING GUIDE

WRITTEN BY Rollo Dilworth, Vice Dean and Professor of Choral Music Education at Temple University

CREDO

“I Believe in the Pride of Race”

“I Believe in God”

The introduction features a tremolo of pitches in the lower strings (cello and contrabass) as the choir delivers a powerful statement of the words “I believe in God, who made of one blood all nations that on earth do dwell.” This powerful theme sets the tone for the entire work and returns at various points throughout the cantata.

The brief, four-measure introduction features the full forces of the orchestra. For this movement, Bonds only utilizes the lower voices of the chorus (tenors and basses). The music is in duple meter and is majestic and march-like in its character. In the first half of the movement, the voices perform the text using a powerful, authoritative and confident tone at dynamic levels that are primarily “mezzo forte” and “forte.” MOVEMENT I

Do I Believe in the Negro Race”

In the opening four-measure introduction, Bonds utilizes the clarinets and bassoons to create a mellow and lilting mood in 6/8 meter. Throughout the soprano solo section, Bonds creates a lyrical melody is decorated by occasional “blue notes” on the words “Negro” and “meekness.” When the choir enters the texture, it essentially creates an “echo” of the opening lines of the soprano solo. At this point the soprano soloist sings above the choir on a descant. The movement concludes with three “I believe” statements—the first two sung by only the choir, and the final statement by both the choir and the soprano soloist.

“Especially

MOVEMENT II

MOVEMENT III

“I Believe in the Devil and His Angels”

This movement features an instrumental accompaniment consisting of a repeated musical pattern (ostinato). This pattern is characterized by a consistent pulsation of a low sounding minor chord played by lower strings, contrabassoon and timpani. Added to this ostinato is a trill (a rapid alternation between two notes) played by the bassoon.

MOVEMENT IV

MOVEMENT V

musical moments

“I Believe in Liberty”

This movement features a lengthy, lyrical baritone solo, under an instrumental accompaniment that was created to evoke the concepts of thinking, dreaming, and the sound like a train in motion. It is at the halfway point in the movement that we hear the first statement from the chorus singing the text, “thinking, dreaming, working as they will in a kingdom of beauty” in support of the baritone soloist.

MOVEMENT VI

MOVEMENT VII

Believe in the Prince of Peace”

Following a short introduction played by the strings, bassoons, and clarinets, this first section of the movement features the treble voices of the chorus (sopranos and altos) calmly and reverently singing the words, “I believe in the Prince of Peace” in a style reminiscent of the African American gospel tradition. In the next section of the movement, the tenors begin with a more forceful and agitated statement “I believe that War is murder.” The other voices respond with their own statement of the text. The chorus continues to create a tense, dark and turbulent mood.

Believe in the Prince of Peace”

In this final movement, Bonds achieves closure by bringing back a lot of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic ideas from earlier movements in the cantata. On the final words of DuBois’ essay, “with God,” the meter shifts back to duple, the chorus is at a fortissimo dynamic, and the orchestra reminds us, just one more time, of the “I Believe in God” theme.

Orff: Carmina Burana Alsop, Marin; Bournemouth Symphony Chorus; Naxos | 8.570033

“I

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SPOTLIGHTS

BRANDIE INEZ SUTTON Soprano Soloist BOB LOY Orchestra Librarian & Personnel Coordinator

What inspired you to become an opera singer?

I grew up around music all my life. I was raised in the Oakwood University community, around MANY great musicians. I grew up listening to the university choir, the Aeolians, and was always inspired to be part of it when the time came. I actually auditioned for the choir when I was a sophomore in college, which my mother had to force me to do, because I was too cool to be part of the choir, by the time I got older and lost the interest. Ha! But, I’m glad she did. Best decision if my life. I didn’t get in at first, though! So I started taking voice lessons and re-auditioned. The conductor at the time was also my voice teacher, and she convinced me that I was worthy of having a real career one day! I thank her to this day.

What is your dream role to sing? Why?

I’d have to say Lucia. There are a few, but she’s always been on the top of my list. Bel canto is my MOST favorite style of singing. You can express so much emotion in a passage. You get lost in it- in a good way of course. Also, playing crazy is fun! (evil laughing) But, also a challenge, however! Who doesn’t love challenges coupled with lots of high notes?!

What is on your “recently played” playlist?

Well, because I’ve been auditioning recently, I’ve got an audition playlist right now with Prendi sung by Kathleen Battle, Zerbinetta’s aria sung by Reri Grist, Caro Nome sung by Renata Scotto, and Douce enfant sung by Ruth Welting. But I’m a person of variety, so when I wasn’t cramming for an audition, the last I listened was Evanescence, Dru Hill, Witness (a female gospel group), and Too Short! I love literally ALL genres. If I can find some sort of musical genius in it, I’m hooked.

What does a typical day at Opera Philadelphia look like as a librarian?

A typical workday for an opera orchestra librarian consists of editing the orchestra materials for distribution to the orchestra members in advance of the first orchestra rehearsal. For Carmina Burana for instance, that involves penciling in the string bowings so that all of the stands are identically marked going into that first rehearsal. This saves lots of rehearsal time, as the players will all be starting “on the same page”. The wind and brass and percussion books are edited individually, and require singular focus. Each of the books on the stands onstage will require my careful attention, and for the Carmina Burana + Credo program there are 68 separate books. PDFs of each book are made and sent to the players ahead of time for practice purposes. A typical opera project of this magnitude generally takes a month from start to finish to complete.

How did you get the orchestral, chorus, and soloist parts for Credo?

Credo is a work that I have never encountered before, and the performance materials are rented directly from the publisher. The preparatory process is much the same as Carmina Burana, but not so big a project as the piece is of much shorter duration. The choral parts for both pieces are marked where necessary by our Chorus Master, PDFs are made and distributed for practice purposes, and the chorus parts distributed at the first rehearsal.

What is on your “recently played” playlist?

Here is what I am listening to, in no particular order:

Keith Jarrett, Bordeaux Concert

Johann Sebastian Bach, Brandenburg Concerti

Miles Davis / Gil Evans, Porgy and Bess

Anne Hampton Calloway, How deep is the ocean

Billie Holiday, Lady in Satin

Kurt Weill / Lotte Lenya, Threepenny Opera