The JMU Carnegie Hall Collective
Shenandoah American Folk Song, arr. James Erb (1926-2014)
Where Once We Stood Based on ‘Triptych’ by Tarik O’Regan (1978)
I. Threnody
II. As We Remember Them
III. From Heaven Distilled a Clemency
Rubén Graciani, choreography
Jo-Anne van der Vat-Chromy, conductor
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This performance was made possible through the generous support of James Madison University: Charlie King, Interim President, Bob Kolvoord, Interim Provost, Towana Moore, Vice President of Administration and Finance, and Mark Angel, Associate Vice President of Finance, among many others on the JMU Administrative Affairs Team.
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PROGRAM NOTES
Where Once We Stood
Choreography: Rubén Graciani
Music: Triptych by Tarik O’Regan
Where Once We Stood, a unique collaboration between James Madison University's dance, choral, and percussion departments, set to the evocative Triptych by celebrated composer Tarik O'Regan, is a project inspired by Rubén Graciani, Dean of the JMU College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Choreographer Graciani writes: “When listening to O’Regan’s Triptych, I was inspired by the collection of interfaith ideas/ideals at the center of the work and libretto. This led me to generate movement development with the dancers based on those things we feel but do not act on. We considered what it might feel like to share oneself fully and not take any “secrets” to the grave (so to speak). The score and libretto seemed to ask what it would be like, physically, to “take off the mask” and to choose to live fully – to recognize what we share across faiths or human experiences now. This is a departure from the direct text, but the score felt so resonant in its hope that I wanted to move beyond just the life/death aspect and focus on how all these shared concepts could help us connect. None of the movement is literal but an abstraction of these thoughts, feelings, ideas, and inspirations.”
Triptych, a portrayal of life, death, and resurrection, of mortality and immortality, represents the merging of two extant works by composer Tarik O’Regan. O’Regan recounts: “Relatively new to living in New York, I am much more aware of the independent, vibrant cultural plurality that exists today; it’s probably the single most dazzling facet of the city and is largely responsible for the infamous ‘edginess’ that pervades daily life there. With this in mind, I set to work on Threnody (Movement I here) in 2004; I wanted to write something relevant to the Israeli/Palestinian issue without losing that city ‘edge.’” The first movement is fast and rhythmically influenced by the music of both North Africa and pop-rock music in its syncopations, as well as innovative treatments and disguises of the note F throughout this movement and work as a whole as wrapped into the modal liveries of F Dorian, F Mixolydian, F Lydian and finally, in movement 3, F Major (From Heaven Distilled a Clemency).”
Movement I: Threnody, conducted by Jeremy Summerly in Christ Church, Spitalfields, premiered on December 18, 2004, while Movements II and III were premiered by the Portsmouth Grammar School Chamber Choir and the London Mozart Players in a concert at Portsmouth Anglican Cathedral in November 2005. O’Regan explains: “From the moment that the commission for And There Was a Great Calm (Movements II & III of the final work) was offered, I knew the piece I was about to embark upon would end up being linked with Threnody in some way...Musical works connected with commemoration or memorials are often suitably pensive and slow; I wanted to start with that concept but bring in some of the relentless urban rhythms that had been such a large influence on my life in the preceding two years in New York City. The result is that the second movement is quiet and gentle (a moment of recollection), while the final movement is much faster and vibrant, returning to a more openly elated rendering of the start of Triptych; the texts here deal with transmigration and the future.”
The texts sources in Triptych represent a diverse range of religious and spiritual traditions, underpinning a global sense of unity and understanding of the human journey. These sources include William Penn, William Blake, John Milton, the Psalms of David, William Wordsworth, Muhammad Rajab Al-Bayoumi, an Egyptian poet of the early 20th century, 13th-century Persian poet Jalalu-’d’Din Rumi, and a couplet from the medieval Zoroastrian texts, the Bundahis-Bahman Yast. The second movement is almost entirely based on the famous Hebrew prayer of remembrance, “As We Remember Them,” and is concluded with a line from Thomas Hardy’s poem “And There Was a Great Calm,” written at the signing of the World War I Armistice on November 11, 1918. An additional couplet from this poem is set in a moment of tranquility in the final movement.
Combining dance with live music-making, Where Once We Stood creates an emotionally rich experience. The dancers bring to life the archetypal and emotional shapes, struggles, and stresses of life, death, and resurrection. These thematic portrayals are further intensified through the harmonic density, modal fluidity, and non-traditional falling chained suspensions of the choral singing and the nearly rock-music-influenced accompaniment of O’Regan’s mallet percussion writing, promising a performance that will inspire and connect with the audience.
This cross-disciplinary collaboration was initially planned for Spring 2020. Yet, interrupted by COVID-19, it saw its first fruition as part of the JMU 2023 ‘New Voices in Dance’ Festival. When James Madison University overwhelming supported the invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall, Dr. van der Vat-Chromy proposed Where Once We Stood as the project that most uniquely represents our CVPA mission: Embracing the values of collaboration, critical inquiry, integrity, creative excellence, inclusivity, and transformation, we strive to empower our communities to collaborate, envision, and achieve their creative and professional aspirations through exploring the arts as a vehicle for cultural advancement, engagement and transformation. Through each unique iteration, this innovative collaboration has proven to be a one-of-a-kind artistic experience. As such, we are honored to bring Where Once We Stood, focused on sharing our deepest selves across faiths and human experiences and steeped in Triptych’s messages of oneness through diversity and the transformational power of divine clemency, to Carnegie Hall.
TEXT AND SOURCES
I. Threnody
When death takes off the mask, [we] will know one another, though diverse liveries [we] wear here make [us] strangers.
William Penn (1644 - 1718), from ‘Some Fruits of Solitude in Reflections and Maxims’ (1682)
Tremblest thou when my face appears to thee? Wherefore thy dreadful fears? Be easy, friend; ‘tis thy truest gain to be far away from the sons of men. I offer a couch to give thee ease: Shall dreamless slumber so much displease?
Muhammad Rajah AI-Bayoumi (dates unknown), from ‘Death Speaks’, translated by Arthur J. Arberry (1950)
To see a World in a Grain of Sand, and a Heaven in a wildflower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, and Eternity in an hour.
William Blake (1757-1827), from ‘Auguries of Innocence’ (1808)
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for [people] to dwell together in unity
Psalm 133, from The Bible (King James Version, 1611)
II. As We Remember Them
In the rising of the sun and at its going down, we remember them.
In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter, we remember them.
In the opening buds and in the rebirth of spring, we remember them.
In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer, we remember them.
In the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn, we remember them.
When [we’re] weary and in need of strength, we remember them.
When [we’re] lost and sick at heart, we remember them.
So long as we live, they too shall live, for they are part of us, as we remember them.
Roland B. Gittelsohn (1910- 1995) [adapted], from ‘The Gates of Repentance’ (1978)
And the Heav’nly Quire stood mute, and silence was in Heav’n.
John Milton (1608-1674), from ‘Paradise Lost’, Book III (1667)
III. From Heaven Distilled a Clemency
Each shall arise in the place where their life [spirit] departs.
‘Bundahis-Bahman Yast’; Indian Bundahishn (ninth century) [adapted], from ‘Sacred
Books of the East’, Volume 5, translated by Edward W. West (1860)
[So] Why then should I be afraid? I shall die once again to rise an angel blest.
‘Masnavi i Ma’navi’; Mathwani of Jalalu-’d’Din Rumi (thirteenth century) [adapted], from ‘Masnavi i Ma’navi’, Book III, translated by Edward H. Whinfield (1898)
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting; The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star, Hath had elsewhere its setting. And cometh from afar.
William Wordsworth (1770 - 1850), from ‘Ode: Intimations of Immortality’ (1807)
Calm fell. From heaven distilled a clemency; There was peace on earth, and silence in the sky.
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), from ‘And There Was a Great Calm’ - on the signing of the Armistice, (1918)
The JMU Carnegie Hall Collective Personnel
Choreography: Rubén Graciani Dean, JMU College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)
Conductor Jo-Anne van der Vat-Chromy: JMU Director of Choral Activities
Percussion Ensemble: Casey Cangelosi, JMU Studio Percussion
Collaborative Pianists: Amy Robertson, Elizabeth Williams
Choral Graduate Assistants: Colin Cossi, Addison Walton, (DMA), Ivan Godoy, (MM)
Choral Librarian: Marlow Lewis
Carnegie Hall Tour Managers: Kelly Donlan, Leah Brown, Natalie Gillum, Elijah Keyes, Eva Pierce+
Percussion Ensemble: Adelaide Hofmann, Brian McDermott, Emily Stevens Jonathan Ramirez, Josh Sheppard+, Olivia Miller Richard Collister III+, Zane Johnson
Dance Ensemble/Alternates*: Asiah Jones, Brooklynn Borders*, Brynn Persons, Destiny Bigos*, Grace Kohler, Jessie Scanlon, Jordyn Butts*, Katie Shin, Lauren Coles, Leah Overton, Maddie Gaffney, Myah Scott*Rylee Tiller, Kiley Flaherty
Choral Ensemble
SOPRANO: Abbey Spencer, Abby Wilson, Allie Ranton JMU Alumni* Anna Osborne, Augusta Nafziger+, Aven Buchanan, Graduate Student+ Christina Santiago, Danis Jones, Ella Gallagher, Emalee Stepp, Emma Corrao, Emma Jones, Helen Albiston, Isabel Layman, Isabella Cerullo, Isabelle Schweiter, Jaisyn Holland, Josephine Suwanpoh+, Katie Blackwell, Katy Lange, Kaylea Manners, Kimberly Aikens, Marlow Lewis, Megan Wong, Nancy Walker, Natalie Carter, Parker Bigley, Sophie Osmani, Sydney Ashworth
ALTO: Addison Walton+, Amy Cajigas*, Ashley Seminaro*, Bella Baptiste, Ciara Theisz, Eva Pierce+, Grace Hollowell, Isabel Perrine, Isabelle Rhodes, Jackie Copeland, Kelly Donlan, Leah Brown, Madeleine Parr, Mara McBane, Marija Grove, Natalie Gillum, Nicole Dudley, Olive Poole, Rebecca Imbasciani, Rochelle Jordan* Savannah Whitley, Sofia Vazquez, Sofia Vergara, Sydney Parow, Ziqi Guo+
TENOR: Aiden Cahill, Anthony Bassett, Brendan O’Donnell*, Bruce Russell, Colin Cahill, Devonte Garcia, Drew Dodson, Garrett Gass, Jacob Wunderler/Walton, Jasper Wilson, Jaylan Garcia, Joshua Nieves, Kieran Morales, Luke Brooks, Matt Underwood, Michael Creswick, Nick Gomez-Colon+, Paolo Mancini
BASS: Alex Dickerson, Colin Cossi+, Dan Klein, Darien Roby, Elijah Keyes, Habib Jaafar, Ian Amos, Ivan Godoy+, Johnny Park, Kevin Landry, Maximillian Stempel, Michael Tsougranis, Riley Jefferson, Roman Leonard, Takoma Williams, Thayer Causer, Thomas Stachelski, William Palestrant
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The JMU Carnegie Hall Collective extends their deepest thanks to:
John Allemeier, Director, JMU School of Music,
Donna Wampler, Program Support Specialist,
Kim Velazquez, Administrative Assistant,
Jeremiah Padilla, Administrative Assistant,
Sarah Macomber, Music Operations Coordinator, Website Design,
Casey Cangelosi, JMU Studio Percussion,
and Addison Walton, Choral Graduate Assistant,
without whose expertise, creativity, and support this trip would not have been possible.
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
Mass in C Major, K. 317, “Coronation”
Mozart composed his Mass in C Major, K. 317—known as the “Coronation” Mass—in 1779 while serving as court organist and composer to the Archbishop of Salzburg. Likely performed at Salzburg Cathedral that Easter, it is his best-known Salzburg mass. It was also performed later, possibly at the coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II and his successor, Francis II. The mass blends grandeur with brevity, meeting the Archbishop’s requirement that even the most solemn music not exceed 45 minutes. As Mozart wrote, it had to include “all instruments—trumpets, drums, and so forth.” Mozart may have inserted a church sonata between movements. One, written around the same time, shares its key and orchestration. Later renumbered K. 317a to reflect this connection, it was traditionally placed between the Gloria and Credo, making it appropriate for modern performances of the “Coronation” Mass.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67
Beethoven began to work on music found in the Fifth Symphony in 1804, but set it aside around 1806 to finish the Fourth, and then worked simultaneously on the next two symphonies. The Fifth was completed early in 1808 and the Sixth in autumn. On December 22, 1808, Beethoven gave a concert of his latest works, all performed for the first time. The program included the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies; the concert aria “Ah! Perfido;” “Sanctus” from the Mass in C Major; a fantasia for piano solo; Fantasia, Op. 80, for piano, chorus, and orchestra; and the Fourth Piano Concerto. Beethoven conducted and also played all the solo piano parts. A contemporary observer said that the concert lasted from 6:30 to 10:30 in the evening, that the unheated hall was bitterly cold, and that he “experienced the truth that one can have too much of a good thing.” In addition, the orchestra broke down several times, and the soprano who sang the aria was so nervous that she had to be given a sedative. Needless to say, the evening was not a great success. Nevertheless, the Fifth Symphony went on to be considered the masterwork of all time.