Musical Moments #4 - Two for One Friday
“The Church knew what the Psalmist knew: Music praises God. Music is well or better able to praise Him than the building of the church and all its decoration; it is the Church’s greatest ornament.”
–Igor Stravinsky
The Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) traces its roots to the 15th century as followers of Czech priest Jan Hus, who was martyred in 1415. After being nearly wiped out during the Thirty Years’ War, the sect found refuge in Saxony, where the ancient church was revived in 1727. Within five years, they started sending missionaries around the world, including a young America in 1735.
Music has always played an essential role in lives of Moravians. They brought with them from Europe the great music of Bach, Haydn, and others, as well as being prolific composers themselves. In my eyes, they were our country’s first sophisticated music-makers. In one of their largest colonies, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, they founded America’s first Bach Festival in 1898.
Sharla Nafziger, soprano, sings O Anblich, der mir’s Herze bricht by Simon Peter. He came to America in 1770 along with his brother Johann Fredrich Peter, who is considered by many to be the most gifted of the late 18th century Moravian composers. Simon Peter was a pastor and church administrator who served churches both in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
This hauntingly mournful work, sung in German, is significant for Christians during this somber Lenten Season leading to Easter, the day of resurrection.
The translated text: “Behold, O there’s a sight that rends my heart, nor can it from my mind depart, how you on Olivet did languish. Lord Jesus, I will not forget. O Lord, for your soul’s agony, when wrestling there with death for me, make me a trophy of your anguish.”
I hope you will love this work as much as I do and experience its sincere and elegant testament of faith, for me the essence of Moravians and their music.
John V. Sinclair, Artistic Director and Conductor
“Fashion a hymn in the mouth. Expand like the cloud. Sing a song of praise.”
–Rig-Veda, c. 1000 B.C.
“All true and deeply-felt music, whether secular or sacred, has its home on the heights where art and religion dwell.”
–Albert Schweitzer
Charles Dubois never quite received recognition as one of the great French composers primarily because he was a traditional Romanticist in an emerging impressionistic France. A prominent organist, he succeeded the likes of Cesar Franck and Camille Saint-Saens in church positions. He attended the Paris Conservatory as a student and later in life became its director where his rigid pedagogical, anti-modernism, beliefs were his undoing. He was hostile to his student, Maurice Ravel and forbade students from attending concerts of Claude Debussy’s music. This forced an early retirement and was replaced by a true impressionist, Gabriel Faure’.
His Les Sept paroles du Christ (The Seven Last Words of Christ) is his best-known work. The second movement of this work sung in Latin, is translated as Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And then, the crowd (Choir) proclaims that Christ is guilty and should be crucified. The following movement is translated Verily, thou shalt be in Paradise today with me. Hopefully, meaningful selections for many of you during this Lenten Season.
Our recording of a live performance from last April, features audience favorite soloists, Kevin Deas, bass and Robert Breault, tenor.
I hope you enjoy an excerpt from this rarely heard work as much as the Choir enjoyed singing it!
John V. Sinclair, Artistic Director and Conductor
“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”
–Victor Hugo
