30
Nov, 2007

A Yuletide Concert

Mysticism – Poetry – Fire

The tradition of singing and playing music during Advent and at Christmas goes back many centuries. This programme presents medieval and modern versions of well-known carols. Interspersed between the carols, medieval instruments remind us how advent sounded several hundred years ago.

The Quempas tradition of singing from all four corners of the church is featured and the 5th century Christmas text “a solis ortus cardine” provides the framework for the programme.

This musicmakers production took place on the following dates:

  • 30th November 2007 at 19:30 in the Open Church Elisabethen in Basle
  • 2nd December 2007 at 17:00 in Bruggen/SG
  • 5th December 2008 in Eischoll, VS
  • 7th December 2008 in the Reformed Church, Hinwil
  • 12th December 2008 in St. Andrew’s Church, Zurich

Programme

Plainchant (men only) A solis ortus cardine §1, 2: God comes to earth as a servant [+]
Three part choir (with bells) Nowell, nowell (Owt of your slepe aryse) [+]
Choir with organ Edwards: No small wonder [+]
Medieval instruments arr. M. Praetorius: In dulci jubilo [+]
Choir a capella In dulci jubilo arr. Westbrook
 
Plainchant (men only) A solis ortus cardine §3, 4: Mary the mother of Jesus
Medieval instruments Stella maris nuncumparis
Solo voice with organ Swete was the song the virgine soong
Choir a capella Britten: A Hymn to the Virgin
Solo voices a capella Ther is no rose of swych virtu
Choir a capella Joubert: There is no rose of such virtu
 
Plainchant (men only) A solis ortus cardine §5, 6: Jesus born in a manger
Medieval instruments Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen (Praetorius)
Three part choir with instruments Coventry Carol (Trad. 1591)
Choir a capella Leighton: Coventry Carol
Choir Bennett: Susanni
 
Plainchant (men only) A solis ortus cardine §7, 8: Angels appear to the shepherds
Medieval instruments Nowell, This is the salutation of th’angel Gabriel
Four choirs (+ medieval instruments) : in Quempas style Quem pastores in Latin
Medieval instruments Branle de l’Officiel (Ding Dong merrily on high)
Choir with drum Riu, riu, chiu
 
Choir, organ & medieval instruments Javier Hagen: Yuletide Modules (première)
Medieval instruments Sir Christèmas
Choir with organ Mathias: Sir Christèmas
Choir with instruments Trad.: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day
Medieval instruments Patapan
Choir with organ and drums Gardner: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day
Gardner: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day (encore)

 

This musicmakers production took place on several dates in 2007 and 2008:

  • MP3 files on this page recorded in the Reformed Church Hinwil (07.12.2008) and [+] St Andrew’s Church Zurich (12.12.2008), © musicmakers 2008
  • “Zürcher Oberländer” newspaper report
  • Programme (German)
5
Apr, 2007

Maundy Thursday 2007

Music and words for Maundy Thursday in the Reformed Church in Hinwil

Modern composers have not neglected Holy Week as a source of inspiration for creating moving music. In “quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence”, Francis Poulenc produced one of his most outstanding sacred works, full of fascinating sounds and effects, seldom heard here in Switzerland.

Francesco Saverio Pedrini, born in Italy in 1973, based his organ fantasia on the Gregorian chant “terra tremuit” (offertorium for Easter Sunday) and thus built a particularly exciting bridge between our time and the middle ages.

Guy Bovet, a Swiss organist and composer born in 1942, is well known around the world for his skilled interpretation on the organ. He wrote the meditative and calm piece “Ricercare” for his own instrument.

The programme is rounded off with two outstanding works from the 16th century. The composer Orlando di Lasso who lived in what is today known as Belgium was a renaissance genius – witty, innovative and far ahead of his time. His six voice motet “timor et tremor” for unaccompanied choir is one of the best-known works from that period, and was also inspiration for Poulenc’s first motet.

The Dutchman Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was not only a notable organist of the renaissance and early baroque periods, but was also a prolific composer. One of his well-known organ works was the variation on the German folksong “Mein junges Leben hat ein End”.

The music is linked together by meditative texts on Holy Week and Easter themes read by Rolf Diezi.

Programme

organ Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562 − 1621) Six variations on “Mein junges Leben hat ein End”
 
a capella choir Orlando di Lasso (1532 – 1594)
Timor et tremor Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me
 
solo voice Terra Tremuit (plain chant)
organ Francesco Saverio Pedrini (*1973) Fantasia super Terra Tremuit
 
a capella choir Francis Poulenc (1899 − 1963) Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence
Timor et tremor Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me
Vinea mea electa O my noble vine, I did plant thee
Tenebræ factæ sunt Darkness came over the land
Tristis est anima mea My soul is exceeding sorrowful
 
organ Guy Bovet (*1942) Ricercare

 

This musicmakers production took place on 5th April 2007 at 20:00 in the Reformed Church in Hinwil:

  • The MP3 files on this page were recorded live in the Reformed Church Hinwil on 5th April 2007 © musicmakers (owing to a problem with the recording machine during the concert, the fourth Poulenc motet recording was made during the dress rehearsal and the Bovet separately on 12th April 2007)
  • “Zürcher Oberländer” newspaper report
  • Programme