Matériel : Vocal Score
Morten Lauridsen's Nocturnes addresses aspects of the common theme of 'Night' in arrangements for accompanied SATB chorus. His setting of Rilke's impassioned and atmosphereic Sa nuit d'ete is rich with dense colourful harmonies while Soneto de la noche is quiet serene and fold-like reflecting the eloquence with which the poet Pablo Neruda speaks of everlasting eternal love. Sure on the shining night is a lyrical beautiful setting of James Agee's well-loved poem. Rilke is the source of the epilogue Voici le soir bringingthe Nocturnes to a quiet end as darkness arrives. The Choral Programme Series is a well-esatablished programming tool for many choirs as it offers a wealth of fresh material from many eras and in many styles. Also offering great value for money as each volume in the series provides up to forty minutes of music
SKU: BT.PMC3603
Four poems sharing a common motif of 'Night' provide the texts for my choral cycle Nocturnes, the American Choral Directors Association's commissioned work for its 2005 national convention. For Rilke's atmospheric Sa nuit d'ete,several melodic themes are supported by dense, colorful harmonies in both the choral and piano parts, leading to a climactic section where all are combined and stated simultaneously. Neruda's Soneto de la Noche, from his CienSonetos de Amor, speaks of an eternal love that transcends death while reaffirming life. My a cappella setting of this gorgeous poem is predominantly quiet, serene and folk-like, utilizing direct harmonies accompanying long,lyrical vocal lines. Agee's wondrous Sure on this Shining Night is set much like a song from the American musical theater, a genre for which I have held a life-long esteem. Rilke's poignant Voici le soir recalls the opening bellsounds and jazz-tinged chords of the first movement and serves as an epilogue, quietly concluding this cycle of night songs as darkness descends. --Morten Lauridsen.
SKU: BT.PMC3297
In addition to his vast output of German poetry, Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) composed nearly 400 poems in French. His poems on roses struck me as especially charming, filled with gorgeous lyricism, deftly crafted and elegant in their imagery. These exquisite poems are primarily light, joyous and playful, and the musical settings are designed to enhance these characteristics and capture the delicate beauty and sensuousness of the poetry. Distinct melodic and harmonic materials recur throughout the cycle, especially between Rilke''s poignant 'Contre qui, rose' (set as a wistful nocturne) and his moving 'La rose complète.' The final piece, 'Dirait-on,' is composed as a tuneful chanson populaire, or folksong, that weaves together two melodic ideas first heard in fragmentary form in preceding movements. 'Les Chansons des Roses' was premiered and recorded in 1993 by Portland, Oregon ''s celebrated chamber choir, Choral Cross-Ties, conducted by Bruce Browne. The complete cycle has been widely performed since then and also recorded by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Chamber Singers, Nordic Chamber Choir and tonight's performers, the Donald Brinegar Singers. (Morten Lauridsen).
