an earth day concert
Transcription
an earth day concert
COMING EVENTS ASU SCHOOL OF MUSIC PRESENTS SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 7:30 P.M. FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF MESA 15 E 1ST AVE, MESA IN NATURE’S REALM Men’s Chorus and Women’s Chorus Bartlett Evans and Ashley Conway, conductors Tickets: $10 (students, $5) Available at Herberger Institute Box Office, phone 480-965-6447 http://herbergerinstitute.asu.edu/events/tickets/box_office.php WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 7:30 P.M. GAMMAGE AUDITORIUM THE CREATION BY JOSEPH HAYDN ASU Symphony Orchestra and combined choirs David Schildkret, conductor Admission free VISIONS OF CREATION: AN EARTH DAY CONCERT Gamelan “Children of the Mud Volcano” Ted Solis, director ASU Chamber Singers David Schildkret, conductor ASU Chamber Players Gary Hill, conductor THIS IS A CREATION PROJECT EVENT Learn more at creationproject.herberger.asu.edu School of Music Courtyard and Katzin Concert Hall April 22, 2015 PROGRAM ASU Chamber Singers I. Gamelan “Children of the Mud Volcano” (performed in the Courtyard, 7 – 7:30 p.m.) One Household High and Low (Wendell Berry) Gangsaran In the beginning of creation (Genesis) Ketawang “Puspawarna” (Colors of Flowers) Laras slendro, pathet (mode) manyura Daniel Pinkham (1923 – 2006) II. Sicut cervus (Psalm 42) Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525 – 1594) Ladrang “Asmaradhana” Laras slendro, pathet manyura “Sunset” from Due West (Tara Wohlberg) Ladrang “Eling-Eling” Laras slendro, pathet manyura Lancaran “Ricik-Ricik” Andrew Maxfield (b. 1980) Thou Whose Harmony is the Music of the Spheres Rachel Messing, oboe Laras slendro, pathet manyura Stephen Chatman (b. 1950) Chatman III. Yapong dance (Folk/popular music of Jakarta region) Selections from Songs of Nature, opus 63 Antonín Dvořák (1841 – 1904) Melodies steal into my heart Slender young birch Geographical Fugue (for speaking chorus) Ernst Toch (1887 – 1964) Intermission ASU Chamber Players La création du monde, opus 81 (1923) Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) GAMELAN “Children of the Mud Volcano” Ted Solis, director Isaac Bickmore, kempyang, kethuk, and kenong gongs Andrea Ivis, slenthem metallophone Soyeon Kang, peking metallophone Kang Won Kim, gendèr metallophone Jonathan Lang, kempul and gong kemodhong gongs and vocals Bliss Little, bonang gong chimes Emma Quinn, siter zither Jesse Rathgeber, saron metallophone Emily Smith, vocals Amy Swietlik, kempul and gong kemodhong gongs and vocal Ted Solís, kendhang drums and vocals Kevin Villalta, gambang xylophone We would like to dedicate our performance in this program to our friend and fellow gamelan player Emma Quinn, with all our best wishes. ASU CHAMBER SINGERS Nathan Uhl, rehearsal pianist David Schildkret, conductor Bernny Apodaca Frances Bingham Carey Brant Perry Chacon Christina Cullers Ryan Downey Kellie Egging Karista Filopoulos Melanie Holm Chelsea Janzen Brian Jeffers Titus Kautz Se Hoon Kim John Kraft Alex Kunz Vanessa Naghdi Julie Neish Andrew Peck Miriam Schildkret Katherine Thilakaratne Alli Villines Asleif Willmer ASU CHAMBER PLAYERS Gary Hill, conductor Elizabeth Buck and Kristin Bateman, flute Martin Schuring, oboe Albie Micklich, bassoon Robert Spring and Olivia Moonitz, clarinet Christopher Creviston, saxophone Christina Romano, horn Garrett Klein and Jonathan Kaplan, trumpet Adam Dixon, trombone Katie McLin and Artur Tumajyan, violin Ruth Wenger, cello Catalin Rotaru, double bass Andrew Campbell, piano Alex Wier, percussion PROGRAM NOTE Tonight’s program presents visions of creation and nature from many different times, places, and cultures. ASU's Javanese gamelan "Children of the Mud Volcano" embodies principles of creation in its name, its media, and in its performance practice. Gamelans are made of bronze, brass and/or iron, and embody principles of transformation, whether alchemically forging alloys, or through cold hammering. The act of gamelan creation engages religious practices which reflect the volcanism which created the Indonesian archipelago, with obeisance to deities of the volcanos, similar to those found throughout the volcanic Pacific Rim among the Austronesian and Melanesian-speaking populations. Both volcanic mud and basalt create the lands inhabited by these peoples. The act of musical realization in gamelan music involves creating, enveloping, filling in, and building like that process involved in the seeping of volcano mud and rock over a landscape. The limited improvisation within strict rules characteristic particularly of Javanese gamelan is also homologous to the ways this seepage inhabits and builds upon pre-existing topographies. The choir sings music contemplating nature from many points of view, ranging from the recent setting of a text by the poet Wendell Berry, “One Household High and Low,” to music from the Renaissance, looking both forwards and into the past at the same time. Though Andrew Maxfield’s music for the Berry poem was written in 2011, it is nevertheless in the old shape-note style and is based on “Wondrous Love” from the Sacred Harp. Pinkham’s setting of the opening of the Book of Genesis employs electronic media in a style that was highly adventurous in 1970 when the piece was written. The modern spirituality of Stephen Chatman’s settings of texts on nature and nd mystery stand nicely alongside the mysticism of Palestrina’s motet based on the opening of the 42 Psalm. Dvořák’s songs are typically romantic views of nature, and the modernist “Geographical Fugue,” once a staple of the choral repertory, provides a whimsical look at our world. Concerning the Milhaud work, wind scholar Steven Miller tells us: The Creation of the World is often cited as one of the first compositions by a "classical" composer that exhibits the influence of jazz. The work was premiered by the Ballets Suedois in October of 1923. Although it has become known as one of Milhaud's finest works, it was at first ridiculed as frivolous and better suited to the dance hall than the concert stage. Having heard and studied jazz in New York, Milhaud enjoyed this opportunity to use a new expressive influence in his own composition. The instrumentation of this jazz suite is modeled after a theater orchestra Milhaud heard in Harlem. Regarding the use of ragtime, jazz, and other influences in his music, Milhaud stated, "I have never understood how it is that one can set up different sorts of music (classical or modern music, serious or light music, etc.). It is not right. There is just music full-stop, that can be found in a cafe-concert jingle or air in an operetta, as in a symphony, an opera or in chamber music." The work was premiered in the same theater where Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring was first performed only six years earlier. The music accompanied a ballet inspired by African folk stories published in 1921 in a collection by the Swiss author Blaise Cendrars, who also created the scenario for the ballet. TEXTS One household, high and low Wendell Berry In the beginning of creation Genesis 1:1-3 The dark around us, come, Let us meet here together, Members one of another, Here in our holy room. In the beginning of creation, when God made heaven and earth, the earth was without form and void, with darkness over the face of the abyss. And all the earth shall sing, Light, leaf, foot, hand, and wing, Such order as we know, One household, high and low. And a mighty wind that swept over the surface of the waters. God said, ‘Let there be light’, And there was light. Here on our little floor, Here in the daylit sky, Rejoicing mind and eye, Rejoining known and knower. And all the earth shall sing, Light, leaf, foot, hand, and wing, Such order as we know, One household, high and low. Sicut cervus Psalm 42:1 Sicut cervus desiderat ad fonts aquarum, Ita desiderat, anima mea ad te Deus. As the deer longs for running waters, So my soul longs for you, my God. Sunset Tara Wohlberg Thou Whose Harmony is the Music of the Spheres Robert French Leavens When the sun sets West, Feathered shift of sky, Satin clouds undress, Heaven’s kiss bids the flat light goodbye. Thou whose harmony is the music of the spheres, By our presence here with one another, In thy presence, may some of the harshness, May some of the discord of our human lives, May some be transmutted into music. A new song in our hearts may there be, And a new harmony in our beings, So we shall return to our many duties, By our presence here with one another, May there be a new harmony, With fresh courage, with rejoicing, And with eagerness. Amen. Endless calm, red mist, Glist’ning golden beams, Gently they are kissed, By night’s dark melting blaze of dreams. Songs of Nature Melodies Steal Into My Heart Melodies steal into my heart; I never know how melodies do it. You would not ask the grass to know Whence come the diamonds that bedew it? ‘Round me the world grows still and clear As Nature greets the new day’s sunrise; Now beauty fills my soul with joy, Now tender sadness moistens my eyes. Dewdrops from moonlit sky appear; And from a heart that’s filled with joy and sorrow Thence come the songs we love to hear, And thence comes all hope for a brighter new day, And thence comes hope for a brighter morrow. Slender Young Birch Slender you birch, how straight you grow, Green and silver, there on the hill, Banishing thoughts of winter snow, Promising rose and daffodil. Buds form and swell, blossoms unfold, Till all spring’s glory we behold, While branches stir and gently wave, Joining in praise of their Maker. Birch tree, your feath’ry robe of green Shyly bids the breezes to play; Whisp’ring, they tell of things they’ve seen While wand’ring through this April day, Building their nests in ev’ry tree, Birds sing again their roundelay, And all of Nature soon will be Greeting the lovely month of May. What could that magic tone have been, Sounding like shawn or violin? ‘Tis the enchanting carol of spring Through all of Nature echoing. Geographical Fugue Trinidad! And the big Mississippi and the town Honolulu and the lake Titicaca, the Popocatepetl is not in Canada, rather in Mexico, Mexico, Mexico! Canada, Málaga, Rimini, Brindisi Yes, Tibet! Nagasaki! Yokohama! Trinidad!