18 minute read
ABOUT THE LA PHIL
musical mood and style, but at the same time continuity was necessary. Exoticism was an audience favorite in both settings, and each composer had to take into account the choreography, making sure rhythms and tempos would allow the dancers to show their skills to the best effect.
The overtures in each case set the tone and show the range of timbre, volume, and articulation possible in each of their respective orchestras. Both are also elegant and balanced, whether in terms of the classicism that Tchaikovsky gleaned from Mozart and Haydn or the carefully calibrated swing of Ellington’s band. What typically follows in any concert performance of Tchaikovsky’s music is a selection from among the “characteristic dances,” which contrast style, tempo, and orchestration in order to conjure the various members of the court of the Sugar Plum Fairy. As most conductors do, Ellington selected some, but not all, of these dances in order to show off the members of his band.
Ellington’s “Toot Toot Tootie Toot” is the closest to its source material, although the innovations set the tone for what is to come. Where Tchaikovsky had piping flutes and bassoons over a quiet string ostinato, Ellington has the reed section divided into clarinets and saxes in close alternation, over a relaxed groove in the rhythm section, with more forceful interjections from the brass. The melancholy, resonant English horn solo becomes a series of broad smears with cup mutes in the trombones. Where the middle portion of Tchaikovsky’s dance is an exoticized whirling dervish, with trumpets over an ostinato in the low strings and brass, Ellington instead lets the band break out into an improvisatory section with the clarinet in the lead.
The two marches also make for an interesting comparison— similar in spirit but executed on their own terms. Tchaikovsky’s quick marche militaire is all about precision of articulation and brilliance in figuration and orchestration. Although the brightness of trumpet also figures in Ellington’s “Peanut Brittle Brigade,” the virtuosity shines through most clearly in a series of up-tempo, boppish solo choruses for trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax, and piano.
Tchaikovsky’s indifference to his own score for The Nutcracker is famous, but the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” allowed him to showcase a new instrument that fascinated him—the celesta—making it perhaps the only part of the score he was pleased with. The twinkling, ethereal sound of the instrument, accompanied only by delicate pizzicatos, does make for a magical atmosphere—and it is here that Ellington and Strayhorn part ways with Tchaikovsky in all but the melody they borrowed. Over a slow vamp from the drummer, using the evocative toms, the tenor saxophone struts through “Sugar Rum Cherry,” encouraged by occasional smears and growls in the brass.
The blistering trepak of Tchaikovsky’s Russian Dance becomes the energetic bounce of the “Volga Vouty.” In another reversal, Tchaikovsky’s graceful but somewhat melancholy and restrained “Waltz of the Flowers” becomes an opportunity for almost every member of the band to have a virtuosic turn in the rousing series of swing choruses that make up “Dance of the Floreadores.” —Katherine Baber, Ph.D., Professor of Music and Director of the Salzburg Program, University of Redlands
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus
LOS ANGELES CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Grammy Award®-winning Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC), one of the world’s preeminent youth choruses, has been lauded as “hauntingly beautiful” (Los Angeles Times), “astonishingly polished” (Performances Magazine) and “one of the world’s foremost children’s choirs” (Pasadena StarNews). Founded in 1986 and led now by Artistic Director Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, LACC presents its own concerts and regularly performs with leading arts organizations, including LA Opera, the LA Phil, LA Master Chorale, and Pasadena Symphony and POPS, among others. The Chorus serves over 425 children ages 6–18 through seven choirs and two First Experiences in Singing programs. Recipient of a 2022 Grammy Award and Chorus America’s 2014 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, LACC frequently tours internationally, having performed in more than 20 countries on six continents. LACC is featured in alumna Billie Eilish’s 2021 film Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, is the subject of four documentaries from Oscarwinning director Freida Lee Mock, and is featured on John Williams’ album John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection. LACC has appeared on NBC’s The Tonight Show, PBS’ Great Performances, BBC Radio, and Public Radio International’s From the Top. For more information, visit lachildrenschorus.org.
GUSTAVO DUDAMEL
For a biography of Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, please turn to page 7.
LOS ANGELES CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Fernando Malvar-Ruiz,
Artistic Director
Mandy Brigham,
Associate Artistic Director
Twyla Meyer,
Principal Pianist
Peony Anand Severine Beasley Sallie Berentsen Mimi Bernstein Amelie Besch Willow Beuoy Portia Bharne Mary Bingham Natalie Braxton Ella Cannon Ella Carey Natalie Chan Cynthia Chao Nitya Chawla Sarah Chen Annabelle
Cheung Kaitlyn Chiao Sophie Chiu Audrrey Choi Kaylin Choi Elizabeth
Christian Camden Corey Eleanor Cramer Kai Cunningham Abby Davis Maya Day Trinity Dela Cruz Linnea Dunsheath Sabreen El-Amin Stephanie Endara Leigh Epstein Annie Fisher Ava Freeland Joy Gao Mila Gustafson Hannah
Hagiwara Tessa Henriod Megan Hoffman Claire Huang Elizabeth Huang Saxon Humphrey Harmony Jones Maya Kasturi Atticus King Madeleine King Raia Kita Erika Kok Zora Kuzma Clarissa Lalin Sophia Lalin Zara Latif Isabella Leyva Phoebe Li Kelsi Lo Sasha Madilian Therese Faith
Magboo Natalia Mathias Natalie
McMahon Elle Michelson Amanda Moore Katherine Olsen Aurora Patlan Clara Pierce Lilia Prokopec
Urueta Edie Remender Daniel Rigali Cozette Rinde Kimberly
Robinson Elena Ruiz Liv Ryssdal Frances Salata Leona Ray Salata Quinn Scherbert Matilda Scott Madison Shen Mimi Singer Jasmine Sov Preethi Syverson Leah Taylor Erin Tomooka Chloe Tse Reagan
Voxman Emily Woo Sophia Wood Cailyn Wu Claire Xuan Pema Yu Irene Zhang Chloe Zou
A Chanticleer Christmas
Chanticleer Cortez Mitchell, Gerrod Pagenkopf, Kory Reid,
Bradley Sharpe, Logan Shields, Adam Ward, countertenors Vineel Garisa Mahal, Matthew Mazzola, Andy Van Allsburg, tenors Zachary Burgess, Matthew Knickman, baritones Andy Berry, bass Tim Keeler, Music Director
TUESDAY
DECEMBER 13, 2022 8PM
I
Plainchant Al jorn del judici Bartolomé Cárceres Refrain / Al jorn del judici
Orlande de Lassus Prophetiae Sibyllarum IX. Sibylla Europaea X. Sibylla Tiburtina Cristóbal de Morales Ecce virgo concipiet Lassus Recordare Jesu pie
II
III
Tomás Luis de Victoria Ecce Dominus veniet Victoria O Regem caeli / Natus est nobis
Anonymous Catalan E la don don, Verges Maria Mateo Flecha el Viejo Ríu, ríu, chíu
IV Trad. Catalan, arr. Enrique Ribó El noi de la mare Trad. Catalan, arr. Tim Keeler Fum, fum, fum
V
Arvo Pärt Bogoroditse Djevo Franz Biebl Ave Maria
VI Trad. English, arr. Paul Attinello I saw three ships Trad. Basque, arr. David Willcocks Gabriel’s message Trad. French, harm. Charles Wood Ding dong! Merrily on high
& Adam Ward
VII
Cecilia McDowall Lo! He slumbers in his manger Howard Blake, arr. Adam Ward Walking in the air
VIII Irving Berlin, arr. Sanford Dole White Christmas
Richard Carpenter, arr. Andy Van Allsburg Merry Christmas, darling
John Francis Wade,arr. Amanda Taylor O come, all ye faithful Trad., arr. Joseph H. Jennings Medley of Christmas Spirituals “Well, the savior is born” “Sweet little Jesus boy” “Oh Jerusalem in the mornin’” Tonight’s program is presented without intermission.
Programs and artists subject to change.
Every Christmas on the Balearic island of Mallorca, singers at the cathedral of Palma de Mallorca and those at the monastery of Lluc perform a Christmas play with origins that date back to the earliest days of Christianity. The “Song of the Sibyl,” or “Cant de la Sibil.la” in Catalan, is based on an ancient Greek prophecy from the Erythraean Sibyl foretelling the coming of the Messiah. The earliest version of the prophecy was written down by Eusebius of Caesarea (d. c. 340), and the first musical setting of the text appears in the early 10th-century codex of St. Martial de Limoges. This chant uses a Latin translation by St. Augustine: “Iudicii signum: tellus sudore madescet” (“Sign of judgment: the earth grows wet with sweat”). The chant spread widely throughout Medieval Europe, making its way to France, Italy, and Spain. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Latin text was translated into local vernaculars, including the Catalan version, “Al jorn del judici,” which is still sung to this day.
Typically, the solo chant verses are separated by choral restatements of the first verse. Many composers have arranged versions of this refrain, including the Spanish Renaissance composers Bartolomé Cárceres (fl. 1546) and Cristóbal de Morales (c. 1500–1553). In our program, we perform the refrain by Cárceres and the ravishing Advent motet “Ecce virgo concipiet” by Morales, which sets prophetic texts from the Book of Isaiah (7:14).
Sibylline prophecies also feature in a set of highly chromatic motets by the Franco-Flemish master Orlande de Lassus (1532–1594). Though not published until after his death, his Prophetiae Sibyllarum is likely the work of a 20-something Lassus showcasing and exploring his mastery of tonality. Each movement, including “Sibylla Europaea” and “Sibylla Tiburtina,” is a brief and intense exploration of chromatic voice leading. Most of the sonorities are root-position triads, and most of the part-writing is homophonic. Their unearthly mysticism is brought about almost exclusively through unexpected chromatic twists that foreshadow the intense expressionism of Carlo Gesualdo a generation later.
“Recordare Jesu pie”
demonstrates the more conventional side of Lassus. Here, expressive chromaticism gives way to expressive polyphony with a text from the Requiem liturgy. Perhaps a curious choice for a Christmas program, “Recordare Jesu pie” is a stanza from the “Dies irae,” which prophesies the final day of judgment “teste David cum Sibylla,” or, “as David prophesied with the Sibyl.”
Born in Ávila, Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548–1611) moved to Rome as a teenager to study music. Here he likely interacted, and perhaps even studied, with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. After making a name for himself and publishing at least seven books of polyphony, he moved back to Spain in 1587 to take a post at the royal Monasterio de las Descalzas de Santa Clara in Madrid, where he served until the end of his life. His motet “Ecce Dominus veniet” is an antiphon for the first Sunday of Advent. The text is based on a passage from the Old Testament that can be interpreted as a prophecy for the birth of Jesus (Zechariah 14:5-6). This work and the Christmas motet “O Regem caeli” showcase Victoria’s refined and joyful compositional style. Duets and trios come through the texture, and harmonic pillars give an almost tonal structure to the works. This is expertly crafted, high Renaissance polyphony.
If Victoria is the most famous Spanish composer from the Renaissance, then Francisco Guerrero (1528–1599) is likely the second most famous. Born in Seville, he spent most of his life working at the Seville Cathedral, first as a singer and then as the choirmaster. Unlike Victoria, Guerrero wrote many secular songs. “A un niño llorando” and “Oy, Joseph” both come from his 1589 publication Canciones y villanescas espirituales, a collection of brief sacred songs written in the style of the typically secular Spanish villancico. Villancicos are often spirited and dance-like, featuring frequent rhythmic interplay between duple and triple meter. They consist of a series of verses (coplas) sandwiched between a recurring refrain (estribillo).
“E la don don” and “Ríu, ríu, chíu” are also villancicos. The former is an anonymous setting of a Catalan text that asks us to dance and sing for joy at Christ’s birth. “Ríu, ríu, chíu” sets a Spanish text and is likely the only villancico that has maintained its widespread popularity from the 1500s—even The Monkees recorded a version of it for television back in 1967. It is attributed to the Catalan Renaissance composer Mateo Flecha (1481–1553). In Spanish, “ríu” is a nonsense syllable. In Catalan, “ríu” means river.
We conclude the first half of our program with two traditional Catalan Christmas carols. “El noi de la mare” is a simple and sweet folk tune arranged by the 20th-century choir director and Barcelona native Enrique Ribó. “Fum, fum, fum” could be an onomatopoeic title referencing the sound of a guitar or the beat of a drum. “Fum” also translates to “smoke” in Catalan, so perhaps this song alludes to the familiar winter tropes of warmth and fires. The arrangement we perform tonight, written for us by our music director Tim Keeler, showcases the many different sides of Chanticleer.
Arvo Pärt (b.1935) wrote “Bogoroditse Djevo” in 1990 for the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s
College, Cambridge. The service, which began in 1918 and has been broadcast on Christmas Day since 1928, often features a new composition from a prominent composer. Much of Pärt’s oeuvre is slow and contemplative. “Bogoroditse Djevo,” however, is a brief, jubilant burst of joy. Its Church Slavonic text comes from the Orthodox Book of Prayers and is a hymn to the Virgin Mary similar to the Latin prayer “Ave Maria.”
The “Ave Maria” by Franz Biebl (1906–2001) has become synonymous with Chanticleer. Every Christmas season we look forward to sharing this gem with our audiences around the country. Biebl’s setting is actually a version of the “Angelus,” a Catholic devotional prayer, which tells the story of the annunciation and incarnation. The TTBB arrangement we sing in these concerts, as well as two other editions for SATB chorus, are published by Hinshaw Music as part of the Chanticleer Choral Series. —Program notes by Tim Keeler
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
CHANTICLEER
The Grammy Award®-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices” for its wide-ranging repertoire and dazzling virtuosity. Founded in San Francisco in 1978 by singer and musicologist Louis Botto (1951–1997), Chanticleer quickly took its place as one of the most prolific recording and touring ensembles in the world, selling more than one million recordings and performing thousands of live concerts to audiences around the globe.
Rooted in the Renaissance, Chanticleer’s repertoire has been expanded to include a broad range of classical, gospel, jazz, and popular music and to reflect a deep commitment to the commissioning of new compositions and arrangements. The ensemble has dedicated much of its vast recording catalogue to these commissions, garnering Grammy Awards for its recordings of Sir John Tavener’s Lamentations & Praises and the ambitious collection of commissioned works entitled Colors of Love. Chanticleer is the recipient of Chorus America’s Dale Warland Commissioning Award and the Chorus America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming. During his tenure with Chanticleer, its Music Director Emeritus Joseph H. Jennings received the Brazeal Wayne Dennard Award for his contribution to the African American choral tradition.
Named for the “clear-singing” rooster in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Chanticleer continues to maintain ambitious programming in its hometown of San Francisco, including a large education and outreach program and an annual concert series that includes its legendary holiday tradition, “A Chanticleer Christmas.”
Tim Keeler, Music Director; Gerrod Pagenkopf, Assistant Music Director; Ayanna Woods, Composerin-Residence. Andy Berry occupies The Eric Alatorre Chair given by Peggy Skornia. Vineel Garisa Mahal occupies The Tenor Chair, given by an Anonymous Donor. Gerrod Pagenkopf occupies The Ning G. Mercer Chair for the Preservation of the Chanticleer Legacy, given by Ning and Stephen Mercer.
Chanticleer is a nonprofit organization, governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, administered by a professional staff with a full-time professional ensemble. In addition to the many individual contributors to Chanticleer, the Board of Trustees thanks the following foundations, corporations, and government agencies for their exceptional support: Cal Arts (California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program), The George Family Foundation, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, The Bernard Osher Foundation, The Bob Ross Foundation, and Small Business Association—Shuttered Venue Operators Grant.
Artist Management:
Opus 3 Artists, Ltd.
chanticleer.org
Refrain
Al jorn del judici On the day of the Last Judgment se pagarà nostre servici. our service will be paid for.
Verse
Un rey vindrà perpetual, An eternal king shall come vestit de nostra carn mortal; dressed in our mortal flesh; del cel vindrà tot certament he will most certainly come from Heaven per fer del setgle jutjament. to make a judgment of our times.
Al jorn del judici On the day of the Last Judgment se pagarà nostre servici. our service will be paid for.
IX. SIBYLLA EUROPAEA from Prophetiae Sibyllarum — Orlande de Lassus (1532–1594)
Responsory Motet
Virginis aeternum veniet de corpore verbum The eternal word will come pure from the body of a
Purum, qui valles et montes transiet altos. virgin, and it will cross valleys and high mountains. Ille volens etiam stellato missus olympo, He will come willingly, sent from starry Olympus,
Edetur mundo pauper, qui cuncta silenti given to the world, a poor man with silent majesty Rexerit imperio. Sic credo et mente fatebor: who will rule all. I believe and confess in my mind Humano simul ac divino semine natus. that he is born both human and divine.
Verse
Ans que’l judici no serà Before the Judgment takes place un gran senyal se mostrarà: there shall be a great signal; lo sol perdrà la resplandor, the sun shall lose its splendor, la terra tremirà de por. and the very earth shall tremble with fear.
Al jorn del judici On the day of the Last Judgment se pagarà nostre servici. our service will be paid for.
Responsory Motet
Verax ipse Deus dedic hæc mihi munia fandi, True God himself gave these prophetic duties to me,
Carmine quod sanctam potui monstrare puellam, so I could show in song the holy maid, who will Concipiet, quæ Nazareis in finibus illum, conceive in Nazareth, him who Bethlehem Quem sub carne Deum Bethlemitica rura videbunt. will see embodied as God. O nimium felix coelo dignissima mater, Oh most happy mother, most valued by heaven, Quæ tantam sacro lactabit ab ubere prolem. who will feed such a baby at her sacred breast.
Verse
Vosaltres tots qui escoltau, All of you who heed these words devotament a Déu pregau with piety, and pray to God de cor ab gran devoció, from the bottom of your hearts, with devotion: que’ns porte a salvació. He is bringing you Salvation!
Al jorn del judici On the day of the Last Judgment se pagarà nostre servici. our service will be paid for.
ECCE VIRGO CONCIPIET — Cristóbal de Morales (c. 1500–1553)
Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet filium Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, et vocabitur nomen ejus: Admirabilis, Deus Fortis. and his name shall be called: Wonderful, Mighty God. Super solium David, Over the throne of David, et super regnum ejus sedebit in aeternum. and over his kingdom, he will reign in eternity. Et vocabitur nomen ejus: Admirabilis, Deus Fortis. And his name shall be called: Wonderful, Mighty God.
Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7
RECORDARE JESU PIE — Lassus
Recordare Jesu pie, Remember dear Jesus, quod sum causa tuae viae: that I am the reason for Thy journey: ne me perdas illa die. do not cast me away on that day.
Quaerens me, sedisti lassus: Seeking me, Thou didst sit down weary, redemisti crucem passus: Thou didst redeem me, suffering the death on the Cross: tantus labor non sit cassus. let not such toil have been in vain.
Verses from Dies Irae of the Requiem Mass
ECCE DOMINUS VENIET — Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548–1611)
Ecce Dominus veniet Behold, the Lord comes et omnes sancti ejus cum eo, alleluia! and all his saints with him, alleluia!
Et erit in die illa lux magna. Alleluia! And on that day, there will be great light. Alleluia!
Ecce apparebit Dominus super nubem candidam, Behold, the Lord will appear on a white cloud, et cum eo sanctorum millia. Alleluia! and with him thousands of saints. Alleluia! Et erit in die illa lux magna. Alleluia! And on that day, there will be great light. Alleluia!
Antiphon from Vespers for the Blessed Virgin Mary
O REGEM CAELI / NATUS EST NOBIS — Victoria
O Regem caeli, cui talia famulantur obsequia! O King of heaven, served with such obedience!
Stabulo proponitur qui continet mundum: He is laid in the stable who holds the world: Iacet in praesepio, et in caelis regnat. Alleluia. He lies in the manger and reigns in heaven. Alleluia.
Natus est nobis hodie, salvator Today is born unto us a savior qui est Christus Dominus, in civitate David: who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David: Iacet in praesepio, et in caelis regnat. Alleluia. He lies in the manger and reigns in heaven. Alleluia.
Sequence from the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord
A UN NIÑO LLORANDO — Francisco Guerrero (1528–1599)
A un niño llorando al hielo To a little boy crying in the icy cold van tres Reyes a adorar, come three Kings to adore him, porque el niño puede dar because the child can bestow reynos, vida, gloria y çielo. kingdoms, life, glory, and heaven.
Naçe con tanta baxeza He is born in lowliness aunque es poderoso Rey, although he is a powerful king, porque nos da ya por ley because he is lawfully giving us abatimiento y pobreza. humility and poverty.
Por esto llorando al hielo For this reason, though he cries in the icy cold van tres Reyes a adorar, three Kings are going to adore him, porque el niño puede dar because the child can bestow reynos, vida, gloria y çielo. kingdoms, life, glory and heaven.
