Programme
Notes
This evening’s concert of
the ESOC Chorus is a programme of American choral works of the 20th
century. The two pillars of the concert are Aaron Copland’s “Four
Motets” and Morten Lauridsen’s “Lux Aeterna”.
The two works are from the
extreme ends of the century; the “Four Motets” were composed in 1921
and “Lux Aeterna” in 1997. Copland was a composition student in Paris
at the time, studying with the French composer Nadia Boulanger. The
harmonies are classical in nature but with strong and rapid harmonic
changes of late romantic music. “Lux Aeterna”, on the other hand, is
full of the rich harmonies of the mid to late 20th century, thick chords
in close harmonies but constantly contrasted with unison simplicity. The
opening themes in the organ and the chorus present the harmonic material
of the piece which is constantly being reshaped throughout the rest of
the work. Because of this, the piece has an almost minimalist effect.
The three other works in the
concert are all arrangements of traditional American hymns from the
1950’s and 1960’s. Of interest here is the simplicity of the
harmonies Copland chooses in contrast to the “Four Motets” from 30
years earlier. One hears the elements for which Copland is best known in
these two arrangements. He takes a simple theme, adds occasional
dissonances and changes in meter and in so doing gives it a “20th
century touch”. But he leaves the substance of the music to speak for
itself.
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