A Contemporary Choir Concert

I had the opportunity to attend a concert put on by the Oregon State University Chamber Choir this weekend, so today’s blog post is going to discuss some of the highlights from the show. There was so much wonderful music ranging from Bach to Penderecki that it was difficult to narrow down which pieces to discuss! But here are my favorites that they performed:

O Magnum Mysterium by Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)

A few weeks ago we discussed Tomás Luis de Victoria’s O Magnum Mysterium, so head over to that post for the history of the piece. Poulenc composed his version of the Catholic chant in 1952 as a motet (a short, unaccompanied choral piece that’s often sacred in nature).

Text

Latin Text	English Translation
O magnum mysterium,et admirabile sacramentum,ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,iacentem in praesepio!	O great mystery,and wonderful sacrament,that animals should see the new-born Lord,lying in a manger!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscerameruerunt portareDominum Iesum Christum.	Blessed is the Virgin whose wombwas worthy to bearour Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Music

The solemn nature of the music suggests mystery and religious awe through its haunting melodies and twisting harmonies. As the piece progresses, listen for an increase of intensity as the main text repeats (starting at 2:09) before fading out on a major chord.

Shaffe in Mir, Gott ein rein Herz by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Text

Composed in 1860, Brahms quotes a verse from Psalm 51 in each movement:

German Test	English Translation
Schaffe in mir, Gott, ein rein Herz, und gib mir einen neuen, gewissen Geist.	Create a pure heart within me, O God, and grant me a new and sure spirit.
Verwirf mich nicht von deinem Angesicht und nimm deinen heiligen Geist nicht von mir.	Do not drive me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Tröste mich wieder mit deiner Hülfe, und der freudige Geist erhalte mich.	Comfort me once again with your assistance, and sustain me with your joyful spirit.

Music

This delightful piece is full of counterpoint (very reminiscent of Bach); in fact, the first movement is a canon ( a contrapuntal technique where multiple voices have the same melody at different entrances) between the soprano and the bass. The soprano part sings the theme two full times while it is augmented (a compositional technique where the note values are lengthened) in the bass (which means they only get through the whole melody one time).

Conductor Ryan Turner describes the rest of the piece wonderfully:

The middle movement is a chromatic fugue set to the words “cast me not away from thy presence.” Aptly depicting the wrenching text, Brahms goes on to invert and augment the countersubject in tight, overlapping entrances that create a conflict between major and minor. The third movement, as the text suggests, brings comfort by restoring the technique of canon used in the first movement, this time at the 7th between the tenors and basses, then echoed in the treble voices. The tenors and basses return with a new canon at the same interval, which gives way to a spirited fugue based on the motet’s opening theme.

Shenandoah arranged by James Erb (1926-2014)

This traditional American folk song has been around since the early 19th century, although no one is sure exactly how Shenandoah came to be. The song is believed to have originated with American fur traders who traveled down the Missouri River.

Text

Due to its folk origins, the lyrics to Shenandoah have changed over the years. Many of the early versions refer to the Native American Chief Shenandoah and an American trader who wishes to marry the Chief’s daughter. Modern lyrics are usually some variation of this:

Oh, Shenandoah,
I long to see you,
Away you rolling river.
Oh Shenandoah,
I long to see you,
Away, I’m bound away,
‘cross the wide Missouri.
Oh Shenandoah,
I love your daughter,
Away, you rolling river.
For her I’d cross,
Your roaming waters,
Away, I’m bound away,
‘Cross the wide Missouri.
‘Tis seven years,
since last I’ve seen you,
And hear your rolling river.
‘Tis seven years,
since last I’ve seen you,
Away, we’re bound away,
Across the wide Missouri.
Oh Shenandoah,
I long to see you,
And hear your rolling river.
Oh Shenandoah,
I long to see you,
Away, we’re bound away,
Across the wide Missouri.

For more information, read here.

Music

Composer and conductor Erb arranged Shenandoah around 1970 (I think; I haven’t been able to find an actual date). The gorgeous and easily recognizable melody rises and falls, much like the rolling river described in the text. The first section features the women and men singing in a single, unaccompanied line. Then at 1:42 the harmony begins to build, slow and chorale-like. The third section (2:38) staggers each entrance, creating a canon and a rolling effect in the music.

The Runner (2017) by Joshua Rist (b. 1988)

Fun fact: Rist is an Oregon State University choral education graduate!

Text

The text for The Runner was written by Oregon native and poet Roger Weaver:

The ground fits his foot
perfectly as he runs,
each breath fits his lungs.
The earth pushes back
in its slow spin.
While he crosses the golden
field of barley, it seems
to him his body will burst
into song.

Music

This choir piece opens dramatically with a driving piano ostinato that supports the choir through the whole work. The soaring vocal lines alternate between unison and harmony, creating a beautiful sense of space and color. Through the energetic accompaniment and lyrical melody, The Runner carefully paints an image of space, nature, and the universe.

Agnus Dei by Krzysztof Penderecki (b. 1933)

Angus Dei is part of the large-scale choral mass entitled Polish Requiem. Penderecki wrote Angus Dei in 1981 as a commemoration of his friend, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, who symbolized the Polish struggle against the Communist regime in the 1900s. Check out this interview where Penderecki discusses the requiem.

Text

Latin Text	English Translation
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem sempiternam.	Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Grant them eternal rest. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Grant them eternal rest. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Give them eternal rest.

Music

Angus Dei begins with a simple, single falling line that bursts into harmony before the men enter at 0:34. The music weaves its way in and out of each voice, growing in texture and intensity. Increasing amounts of chromaticism symbolize angst and unrest, and listen to the chord clusters at 4:45! These consist of all 12 notes in the chromatic scale. It’s almost eerie how much it sounds like the cries of those who suffer during hard times.

The final word in the song turns into a drone, representing “eternal rest” (sung on the word “sempiternam”).

More Choir Pieces

If I discussed in-depth every piece the choir sung at the concert, this post would be incredibly long! I’ve talked about my favorites, but here is a list of the other pieces the choir performed if you are interested (click on the links to hear the piece):