Norman, are you listening?

[mint]

Thank you for the links.  I have now caught up with them.  I am quite converted to Victoria and I must admit I'd never heard of him until you introduced us!

The Vatican does have wonderful music and I have been lucky enough to have heard music there a couple of times.  I think that's one of the things that have ensured the survival of the Roman Church....if only IMHO![:$]

I think the speakers are better because then I can discuss the music with OH or whoever else I might be listening with.  But thanks for the suggestion of the headphones.

[NormanH]

The wonderful Tenebrae

Responsories for the Office of Holy Week are

here

http://www.youtube.com/user/musicaergosum#p/c/E9EA654CB15BF9FC/0/O54z-k1aoPM

The

links should play one after the other.

I am sure you will know the

texts, but

I will copy them as the sequence is

one

of the most moving dramas I know

before

the

Passions of Bach.

Amicus meus osculi me tradidit

signo:

Quem osculatus fuero, ipse est, tenete eum:

hoc malum

fecit signum,

qui per osculum adimplevit homicidium.

Infelix praetermisit pretium sanguinis,

et in fine laqueo se

suspendit.

Bonum erat illi,

si natus non fuisset homo ille.

The sign by which my friend

betrayed me was a kiss:

The one I kiss, he is your man; hold him

fast.

This was the evil sign he gave,

and through a kiss murder

he wrought.

The wretch returned the price of blood,

and in the end he

hanged himself.

It would have been good for that man,

had he never been born.

Iudas mercator pessimus osculo

petiit Dominum:

ille ut agnus innocens non negavit Iudae osculum:

Denariorum numero Christum Iudaeis tradidit.

Melius illi erat, si natus non fuisset.

Judas, that dealer in wickedness,

sought out the Lord with a kiss,

and He, like an innocent lamb,

did not refuse Judas’ kiss:

For a handful of coins he delivered Christ up to the Jews.

It would have been better for him, had he never been born.

Unus ex discipulis meis tradet

me hodie:

Vae illi per quem tradar ego:

Melius illi erat, si natus non fuisset.

Qui intingit mecum manum in paropside,

hic me traditurus est in

manus peccatorum.

This day shall one of my disciples

betray me.

Woe to him by whom I am betrayed.

It would have been better for him, had he never been born.

He who dips his hand into the bowl with me

will deliver me into

the hands of sinners.

Eram

quasi agnus innocens:

ductus sum ad immolandum, et

nesciebam:

consilium fecerunt inimici mei adversum me, dicentes:

Venite, mittamus lignum in panem eius,

et eradamus eum de

terra viventium.

Omnes inimici mei adversum me cogitabant mala mihi:

verbum

iniquum mandaverunt adversum me, dicentes:

I was like an innocent lamb.

I

was led to sacrifice, and did not know.

My enemies plotted against

me, saying:

Come, let us put wood into his bread,

and drive him from the

land of the living.

All my enemies devised evil against me.

Cruel words they spoke

against me, saying:

Una hora non potuistis vigilare

mecum,

qui exhortabamini mori pro me?

Vel Iudam non videtis, quomodo non dormit,

sed festinat

tradere me Iudaeis?

Quid dormitis? Surgite et orate,

ne intretis in tentationem.

Could

you not keep watch with me one hour,

you who declared you would

die for me?

Or do you not see that Judas does not sleep,

but hastens to

deliver me into the hands of the Jews?

Why do you sleep? Arise and pray

that you may not be put to the

test.

Seniores populi consilium

fecerunt,

ut Iesum dolo tenerent, et occiderent:

cum gladiis et

fustibus exierunt tamquam ad latronem.

Collegerunt pontifices et pharisaei concilium.

The

elders of the people plotted together

to have Jesus arrested by some trick, and to put him to

death:

with swords and cudgels they went out as if against a

robber.

The priests and pharisees conferred together.

Tamquam ad latronem

existis

cum gladiis et fustibus comprehendere me:

Quotidie apud vos eram in templo docens,

et non me

tenuistis: et ecce,

flagellatum ducitis ad crucifigendum.

Cumque iniecissent manus in Iesum,

et tenuissent eum, dixit

ad eos:

As

if against a robber

you have come out with swords and cudgels to

seize me.

Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple

and you did

not arrest me, but now

you scourge me and lead me away to death

upon the cross.

And when they had laid hands upon Jesus,

and had arrested him,

he said to them:

Tenebrae

factae sunt, dum crucifixissent Iesum Iudaei:

et circa horam nonam

exclamavit Iesus voce magna:

Deus meus, ut quid me dereliquisti?

Et inclinato capite, emisit spiritum.

Exclamans Iesus voce magna ait:

Pater, in manus tuas

commendo spiritum meum.

There

was darkness when the Jews crucified Jesus,

and about the ninth

hour Jesus cried out aloud:

My God, why have you forsaken me?

And having bowed down his head, he

breathed his last.

Crying out aloud Jesus said:

Father,

into your hands I commit my soul.

Animam

meam dilectam tradidi in manus iniquorum,

et facta est mihi

haereditas mea, sicut leo in silva:

dedit contra me voces

adversarius meus,

Congregamini, et properate ad devorandum

illum:

posuerunt me in deserto solitudinis,

et luxit super me

omnis terra:

Quia non est inventus qui me agnosceret, et faceret bene.

Insurrexerunt in me viri absque misericordia,

et non

pepercerunt animae meae.

The life that I held dear I put into the hands of the

unrighteous,

and my inheritance has become for me like a lion in

the forest.

My enemy spoke out against me,

Come, gather

together and hasten to devour him.

They placed me in a wasteland

of desolation,

and all the earth mourned for me.

For there was no one to acknowledge me or give me help.

Men rose up against me without mercy

and spared not my life.

Tradiderunt

me in manus impiorum,

et inter iniquos proiecerunt me,

et non

pepercerunt animae meae:

congregati sunt adversum me fortes:

Et sicut gigantes steterunt contra me.

Alieni insurrexerunt adversum me,

et fortes quaesierunt

animam meam.

They delivered me into the hands of the ungodly

and cast me among

the unjust

and spared not my life.

The mighty gathered against

me,

and like giants they stood against me.

Strangers rose up against me,

and the mighty sought my life.

Iesum

tradidit impius summis principibus sacerdotum,

et senioribus

populi:

Petrus autem sequebatur eum a longe, ut videret finem.

Adduxerunt autem eum ad Caipham principem

sacerdotum, ubi

scribae et pharisaei convenerant.

The ungodly man betrayed Jesus to the chief priests

and the elders

of the people:

but Peter followed him at a distance, to see how it would end.

They led him to Caiphas, the chief

priest, where the scribes

and pharisees were gathered together.

Caligaverunt

oculi mei a fletu meo:

quia elongatus est a me, qui consolabatur

me:

Videte, omnes populi,

si est dolor similis sicut dolor meus.

O vos omnes, qui transitis per viam, attendite et videte.

My eyes were blind with weeping;

for he that consoled me is far

from me.

Consider, all you people,

if there is any sorrow like my sorrow.

All you who pass along this way, take

heed and consider.

Recessit

pastor noster, fons aquae vivae,

ad cuius transitum sol obscuratus

est:

Nam et ille captus est,

qui captivum tenebat primum

hominem:

hodie portas mortis et seras pariter Salvator noster

disrupit.

Destruxit quidem claustra inferni,

et subvertit potentias

diaboli.

Our shepherd, the fount of living water, is gone,

at his passing

the sun grew dark:

For even he is taken,

who captive held the first of men.

Today

our Saviour has burst alike the gates and bolts of death.

The bounds of Hell he has destroyed

and overthrown the devil’s

power

O vos

omnes, qui transitis per viam, attendite, et videte

si est dolor similis sicut dolor meus.

Attendite universi populi, et videte dolorem meum.

All you who pass along this way, take heed and consider

if there is any sorrow like my sorrow.

Take heed, all you people, and

consider my sorrow.

Ecce

quomodo moritur iustus, et nemo percipit corde:

et viri iusti

tolluntur, et nemo considerat:

a facie iniquitatis sublatus est

iustus:

et erit in pace memoria eius.

Tamquam agnus coram tondente se obmutuit, et non

aperuit os

suum: de angustia, et de iudicio sublatus est.

Behold how the just man dies, and no one feels for him:

the just

are done away with, and no one cares:

from the face of iniquity is

the just man taken,

and his memory shall be in peace.

Like a lamb before the shearer he was silent and opened

not his

mouth. From anguish and from judgement was he taken.

Astiterunt

reges terrae,

et principes convenerunt in unum,

adversus Dominum, et adversus Christum eius.

Quare fremuerunt gentes,

et populi meditati sunt inania?

The kings of the earth rose up,

and the princes assembled together

against the Lord, and against His

Christ.

Why have the nations given vent to

their rage,

and why have the people set their hearts on empty

thoughts?

Aestimatus

sum cum descendentibus in lacum:

Factus sum sicut homo

sine adiutorio, inter mortuos liber.

Posuerunt me in lacu inferiori,

in tenebrosis, et in umbra

mortis.

I am counted among them that go down into the pit:

I have become like a man

without help, free among the dead.

They placed me in the pit of Hell,

in darkness, and in the

shadow of death.

Sepulto

Domino, signatum est monumentum,

volventes lapidem ad ostium

monumenti:

Ponentes milites, qui custodirent illum.

Accedentes principes sacerdotum ad Pilatum,

petierunt illum.

When the Lord was buried, they sealed his tomb,

rolling a rock

before the entrance to the tomb:

setting soldiers to guard it.

The chief priests came to Pilate

and

petitioned him.

My personal

favourite recording of this sequence is

by Westminster

Cathedral Choir, and extracts can

be heard from each

track on this site

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/tw.asp?w=W6886

(just click on the

little notes by the track you

wish to hear.)

The passion in

this performance is incandescent

[mint]

Wonderful indeed, Norman.  Made the hairs stand at the back of my neck.  Have been reading about Victoria and found the Pelestrina connection exciting.

[mint]

Came back from Keep Fit this evening and caught part of the most wonderful programme on the BBC about Rostropovich. 

He was such a very brave and moral person besides being a wonderful musician. 

It's a great pity you can't get BBC TV....[:(]

[NormanH]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

Came back from Keep Fit this evening and caught part of the most wonderful programme on the BBC about Rostropovich. 

He was such a very brave and moral person besides being a wonderful musician. 

It's a great pity you can't get BBC TV....[:(]

[/quote]

I can watch on iPlayer...

[NormanH]

A very 'Spanish' piece of Bach [:)]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0_tqChAd9M

[mint]

Norman, thanks for the clip.  It's not a piece that I know.

BTW, did you watch the Rostropovich programme?  It brought tears to my eyes.

When I mangled the fourth finger of my right hand earlier this year, I played Bach for weeks, just the bottom line, until I got the dressing small enough to enable me to use both hands again.

Actually, I got to quite like just playing with my left hand!  Then, after my finger healed, I found I really knew the music very well once I started using both hands again.

It always fascinates to watch Brendel, with all his fingers taped.  Don't know how he could feel the keys, but he's one of my favourites and I have been to several of his concerts.

 

[mint]

Norman, if you are there now, there's a programme on French radio on early music.  Victoria and Peslestrina's names have just been mentioned.

Enjoy!

[mint]

I know it's not "listening" as such but I use this site to follow the concerts that people I know play in.  Thought you might find something interesting to read about....

http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_viewall_concert.php

 

[NormanH]

Thanks. I will send that link to friends who live within reach of some of those events...

[mint]

Norman, I couldn't send this post as the site was "down" but I have been meaning to tell you that yesterday evening, when I got home (late alas) from Keep Fit, there was a programme on BBC 4 about......VICTORIA!

I caught the last parts of the programme and I thought how much you'd enjoy it.  So, here is my post to let you know to stand by your iPlayer!

I could have sent you a PM but this is so brilliant that I thought other people on the Forum might also benefit.

And to think that there was this massive gap in my musical knowledge that, but for you, I would not have plugged![:D]

Happy Watching and Listening!

[mint]

Norman, I'm really keen that you don't miss "God's Composer" because I believe you'd really enjoy it.

Can you please come on and tell me if you have read my message or, alternatively, that you already know about the programme?

Anyone else living near Norman, can you please bang on his barrel and tell him about this post?

[NormanH]

I replied last night with several links to other music, but that post seems to have disappeared.

Must be one of Clair's hiccoughs

[mint]

I hadn't realised that when Clair hiccoughs, the Forum catches indigestion.

But, I am glad that you got my message.  I was going to say that you have me converted to Victoria's music but, perhaps, it might be truer to say that Victoria (his having been a priest and all) has indeed converted me!

Sublime and enduring............

A neighbour persuaded me to accompany her to an Advent carol service this evening but I must say that the music is entirely forgettable.  No wonder, stray as I might, I always do go back to Rome.

If you get the chance, Norman, the Vatican is a MUST for any music lover.

Regards [kiss]

Edit:  Gemonimo, if you should chance to read this, I was told there was definitely NO carol service at the church.  This wasn't a Hark the Herald Angels Sing sort of service:  it was all informal and hymns that are obscure and not known to me.  So, in case you're wondering, you ain't missed nothin'.

[pachapapa]

Mario Monti will be busy on friday in Milano but will have time to take in the opening of the La scala season.

http://www.teatroallascala.org/en/season/opera-ballet/2011-2012/don-giovanni.html

Live in direct on Arte.

[mint]

Something for Christams, Norman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izocuWYYxfk

[mint]

Something for Christmas, Norman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izocuWYYxfk

[NormanH]

Thank you..

And for you one of the links lost when I replied to your post about Victoria..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMuyi5FjC7A&feature=plcp&context=C24ed9UDOEgsToPDskLrrIGrqaI0jlvCxXRuBNUO

and as every year over my tin of Ravioli..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVeluHdzcBY&feature=related

[mint]

Handel for me, also as usual.

[mint]

This evening, Radio 3, live from Festival Hall, Renee Fleming singing 4 last songs.  Do NOT miss!  If you are not spellbound, I will manger mon chapeau.

[mint]

A request please, Norman, STP.

Can you find me a better recording of L'enfance du Christ than the one I gave you a couple of posts ago?

[NormanH]

I rather liked that version in fact.

If you want the whole work I like John Eliot Gardiner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGHeo-eSQ7A&feature=related

(that is only the opening, but it shows the CD cover so you can get the details)

He takes the 'Farewell much slower than most, which gives the harmony time to breathe..

http://www.deezer.com/music/john-eliot-gardiner/berlioz-l-enfance-du-christ-259950

you can listen to the whole piece from that link...

There is also Colin Davis's version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqJ77e-3JK8&feature=related

[cooperlola]

Britten will be the musique du jour chez the Coops on Sunday in spite of being a couple of raging atheists.  I was in the school choir and we did this for the Christmas concert a couple of times.  Absolutely mega stuff to sing.

[mint]

Thank you.  I am very excited that the Britten Sinfonia now has its own choir and I see from their website that they are touring with this work.  Amsterdam, Norfolk and somewhere else that I can't remember.

Will be following closely to see what else they are going to do.  If you looked at the site, you can hear the interviews about the new choir.

[mint]

Sorry, folk. Just going to give you the website when the neighbour called.

Here it is: www.brittensinfonia.com