Chronos presents: Connect, Create!
With special guests: Spiritus Chamber Choir
To close the season, we present a long-awaited collaboration with Calgary-based Spiritus Chamber Choir. The combined sounds of these two fine, award-winning ensembles will enthral our audience, and we will offer a program suited to the scale of that sound! Spiritus boasts a legacy of nearly 30 years of choral excellence, and was one of the exemplary choral organizations that inspired the founding of Chronos a decade ago. These two ensembles first joined together in a Calgary performance in 2015; we are delighted to reciprocate the invitation these eight years later.
Extended Program Notes
Find out more about the music on the program, below!
Notes by Jordan Van Biert or Andrea Ciona (for music conducted by each) except where indicated.
Omaa Bindig
Andrew Balfour (b. 1967)
Part of a recent album project called Nagamo, by musica intima (Vancouver) featuring the music of Andrew Balfour, Omaa Bindig is a reworking, with new text of an older work Balfour composed in 2003 on a latin sacred text. The text of Omaa Bindig incorporates Ojibwe teachings that Andrew has received, referencing the traditional four directions, as well as Water and Earth, before concluding with a reminder of the direction “we so often forget: here, inside ourselves.”
Andrew describes the larger Nagamo project as follows:
“… As a 60’s scooper, I was taken away from my Indigenous family when I was a baby, but luckily was raised in a loving and very musical family. I have spent most of my life trying to identify my Indigenous blood, culture and language. Through my composing and collaboration with Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists it has been a beautiful Ispiciwin (journey)… By taking choral music of the Elizabethan masters and other later choral music, I have reshaped the thoughts behind the texts, by changing the Latin to Ojibway or Cree perspectives. These are not direct translations of the sacred texts, rather a more Indigenous perspective of spirituality, but keeping the beauty of the polyphony intact… I’d like to think this is only the first step of many more towards a deeper understanding of Indigenous healing and artistic perspectives on Mother Earth now, and in the future.”
Rytmus
Ivan Hurušovský (1927-2001)
Ivan Hrušovský’s “Rytmus” is an exploration of rhythm and energy, reflecting the composer’s unique blend of avant-garde and traditional Slovak influences. Known for his innovative approach to contemporary Slovak music, Hrušovský (1927-2001) crafted a piece that challenges performers and engages listeners with its complex rhythmic structures.
“Rytmus” relies on syncopation, shifting time signatures, and intricate patterns, creating a vibrant and dynamic auditory experience. Performers must navigate rhythmic complexity and maintain precise ensemble coordination, all while conveying the underlying drive that propels the piece forward. Through a repeated text honoring Eve, “Rytmus” represents the constant evolution of rhythmic motifs. This interconnectedness of rhythmic patterns invites listeners to consider the dynamic nature of rhythm and its role in shaping the emotional and energetic landscape of music. Ultimately, this work is a testament to Hrušovský’s rhythmic innovation and modernist approach.
Frost Myth
Katerina Gimon (b. 1993)
Using the words of American poet Alice Williams Brotherton, “The Frost Myth” explores the Norse creation story of our universe, born from the elemental forces of fire and frost. This captivating musical narrative by composer Katerina Gimon weaves through a rich tapestry of textures, incorporating driving rhythmic patterns and forceful Viking-like chants to illustrate the ancient myth. The piece’s dynamic time signatures keep the momentum building, creating an intense and unpredictable progression that culminates in a climactic chorus proclaiming, “And who shall say the gods have left us?”
Spiritus Chamber Choir collaborated with Gimon to prepare for the world premiere of the SATB arrangement of “The Frost Myth” in April 2024, offering a thrilling new Viking inspired interpretation of this Norse saga.
Cantus Missae in E♭ Major, Op. 109
Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger (1839–1901)
Lichtenstein’s sole composer of international stature, Josef Gabriel Rheinberger was active in Munich from age 12 until his death, Rheinberger was long, if loosely, aligned with the Cecilian movement — a group of composers who aimed, with the best of (largely inflexible) intentions, to make Catholic church music ‘appropriate’ to the liturgy. Their means included a return to the church modes (a reaction against the advancement of chromatic harmonic language, most notably by Wagner and Liszt), a cappella singing, and a carefully naturalistic declamation of liturgical texts. If Rheinberger never adhered slavishly to these aims, neither was he a proponent of the so-called New German School — Wagner et al. Nevertheless, he made a decisive break from the group in 1877, the same year he left his post at the Munich Conservatory to become Hofkapellmeister (Master of the Court’s Music).
The Cantus Missae, op. 109, Rheinberger’s only work for double chorus, was composed the following year, dedicated to Pope Leo XIII. His Holiness (who holds the distinction of being the ‘star’ of the oldest surviving Italian motion picture) thought highly enough of the work to make Rheinberger a member of the order Cavelliere del Gran Croce. The work indeed betrays Rheinberger’s indebtedness to earlier models: the split choirs (cori spezzati) are used antiphonally throughout the Mass (note the spatial effect of the first four measures of the work – rather like extreme panning in early stereo recordings – and note how frequently that back-and-forth pattern between the two choirs is used), recalling that Venetian practice from late Renaissance – perhaps learned from Schütz.
– Iain Gillis, for Chronos Vocal Ensemble’s 2014 program
Why the Caged Bird Sings
Jake Runestad (b.1986)
Jake Runestad’s choral composition “Why the Caged Bird Sings” is inspired by Maya Angelou’s powerful poem of the same name. The work captures the essence of the caged bird, a metaphor for oppression, and the voice that sings for freedom. Runestad is renowned for his emotionally rich choral music, and this piece exemplifies his ability to translate profound themes into compelling musical expression. In 2023 Spiritus experienced Runestad’s ability to express profound ideas firsthand, working with the composer in preparing several of his works.
This particular composition uses a range of musical elements to reflect the emotional journey of the text. It begins with gentle and somber tones, gradually building to a soaring climax, symbolizing the caged bird’s enduring hope despite its constraints. The music’s intensity fluctuates, mirroring the struggle and defiance described in the poem. Through harmonious melodies and dynamic contrasts, Runestad creates a vivid soundscape that resonates with the listener.
The connection between text and music in “Why the Caged Bird Sings” underscores the idea that music can be the voice of the soul. The caged bird’s song represents a longing for liberation, while the music’s soaring passages suggest the soul’s inherent strength. The rhythmic sections evoke the struggle for freedom, while the harmonious crescendos capture the dream of a better world. Runestad’s composition invites us to reflect on the power of hope and resilience, illustrating that even in the face of adversity, the human spirit finds ways to sing.
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), arr. Clytus Gottwald (b. 1925)
During the summers of 1901 and 1902, Gustav Mahler set five poems by the German Romantic poet Friedrich Rückert to music. The third of these, “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen” (“I have become lost to the world”), portrays a world-weary artist who exists in our everyday world, but who lives his life in another, more ethereal plane reserved for great artists. Mahler, much maligned as a composer during his lifetime, identified strongly with the poem, saying that it expressed his very self. In this work, he reused themes from his famous Adagietto of his Fifth Symphony, which he composed during the summer of 1902. The orchestral version of this piece begins with a mournful melody played by a solo English horn. This melody is then restated and extended by the singer during the first stanza, which speaks of the artist’s isolation in a world that already thinks him dead. The tempo increases slightly for the second stanza, during which the artist reflects that he does not really care what the world thinks. The third stanza is remarkably peaceful as the artist describes the other world in which he resides: “I live alone in my heaven, in my love, in my song.” The gentle consonant-dissonant alternation of the violins and English horn in the coda seems to portray the artist staring beyond the horizon into his musical paradise. Many consider this piece Mahler’s greatest song, one of his most profound and moving works and of immense personal significance. This 16-part a cappella setting by Clytus Gottwald moves the orchestral parts around and through every section, supporting the melody in the vocal line with rich harmonic sonority.
Clytus Gottwald (b. 1925) celebrates his 91st birthday today; with the Stuttgart Schola Cantorum, his work is known to millions from the performance of Ligeti’s Lux aeterna on the soundtrack to Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Performing Ligeti’s masterpiece gave Gottwald the idea to apply “Ligeti’s innovations to models of late Romantic music”. Gottwald acknowledges his debt to Ligeti in his use of “micropolyphony”, in which “the harmonic background is dispersed into a multitude of tiny polyphonic gestures.” In transcribing Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen from the Rückert-Lieder, Mahler’s orchestral song cycle from 1901–2 (which Mahler himself reworked the song for the famous Adagietto of his Fifth Symphony, which was in turn transcribed for choir in 1997 by Gerard Pesson), Gottwald has remarked that “the stylistic emphasis is clearly laid on the layout of the sound, which [he] attempted to define through a specific orchestration of the voices.”
Inside the Frame – from “Chosen Family”
Stuart Beatch (b. 1991)
Chosen Family is a four-movement choral cycle adapting poetry by Victoria-based poet John Barton. The text is taken from his most recent book Lost Family, a memoir in sonnets. The four poems recall important people in his life, both friends and family, who have since passed away. Together, they form a narrative of life, love, and coping with loss through the support of our chosen families.
“Inside the Frame” remembers James Gordaneer (1933-2016), a well-known artist in Victoria. Following a stroke in 2011, James was wheelchair-bound but continued to paint until his final days. The music transitions from quiet solitude into a rollicking sea shanty, celebrating the liberation he felt through his art.
– Stuart Beatch
Climbing Shadows – from “Zoo Nocturnes”
Nicholas Ryan Kelly (b.1986)
Chronos Vocal Ensemble and Penticton-based composer Nicholas Kelly have built a collaborative connection over several years. Nick was the winner of Chronos’ first Composition Competition in 2017 with the work “Little Bells”. Chronos subsequently included his piece “A Flame in the Embers” on the 2018 album Fresh: New Music from Canada and featured it in a performance at Podium 2018 in St. John’s.
Over the past two seasons, we have been fortunate to commission Nick for a series of pieces featuring texts by Hamilton-based poet Shannon Bramer, from the collection Climbing Shadows. Each of the poems describes a child’s experience of the world. Zoo Nocturnes was co-commissioned with the Vancouver Cantata Singers and premiered by Chronos in June 2023 here in Edmonton, with the composer present.
You Speak Violets
Nicholas Ryan Kelly
The first of our commission projects with Nicholas Kelly, “You Speak Violets” was premiered by Chronos in 2022 and subsequently included in our most recent album, RESOLVE.
“This piece is about seeing a quiet child’s vibrant inner world: the deep wells of imagination and emotion that lie beneath a shy, placid surface.
I was once such a child myself (and am now, in many ways, a quiet adult). How freeing and validating it would have been to have heard this piece’s sentiments back then! For those of us without a knack for words, music and the arts can be a powerful way to communicate our experiences–and I hope this piece gives voice to the forests, waterfalls, and (yes) violets blooming, unspoken, in many an introverted mind.”
– Nicholas Ryan Kelly
Alleluia
Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)
“I’m not an atheist, but I’m not a Christian either, and for my entire career, I have resisted setting texts that could be used in a liturgical context. After spending the 2010 Michaelmas term in Cambridge (Sidney Sussex College), though, singing with Dr. David Skinner and his marvellous Chapel Choir, I began to see the deep wisdom in the liturgical service. I found myself suddenly open to the history and the beauty of the poetry, and it was the single word Alleluia, ‘praise God’, that most enchanted me. It seemed the perfect fit for the music of my wind symphony work October, which to me is a simple and humble meditation on the glory of Autumn.”
– Eric Whitacre