Monday, October 22, 9.30 pm
Sé Cathedral

Inspiration from Gregorian Chant
Grupo Vocal Lusiovoce
Sérgio Silva, órgão organ
Clara Coelho, direção direction

Gregorian chant – an expression generally used to designate the group of monodic melodies developed especially from the end of the 8th century and which would become the official musical language of the Roman Catholic Church – has, during the course of the history of music, been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for composers. This inspiration is audible in works of such different origins as the organa of Léonin (one of the first manifestations of polyphony, in which one of the voices reproduces, in long values, a liturgical melody), the Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz (which quotes, in its third movement, the opening phrase of the Dies irae) and the Requiem by Duruflé (in which every section is built on the Gregorian chants for the Mass of the Dead).

The Quatro antífonas marianas (Four Marian Antiphons) for female choir and organ arose from a commission from the 2nd Santarém Organ Cycle in 2017 and are all based, in different ways, on the respective Gregorian antiphons: in Alma Redemptoris Mater, one of the voices quotes in full (though with a different rhythm) the original melody; the organ part of Salve Regina is an ostinato built on the first five notes of the Gregorian antiphon; in Ave Regina caelorum, the original melody is quoted as a cantus firmus in one of the voices, serving also as the basis for the organ interludes; finally, in Regina Caeli, after an opening homophonic section, each phrase is developed in imitative counterpoint (based on melodic cells from the Gregorian chant) between the two voices.

De Sancta Maria for female voices and organ, by the Swiss composer Caroline Charrière, is inspired by the antiphon Cum erubuerint by Hildegard of Bingen. After the antiphon has been sung by a soloist, the choir intones a lament, accompanied by the organ. The antiphon is superimposed on this texture and the work ends with a slo section for the organ which functions, as the composer says, “like an arrow fired in the direction of the light.”

Alma Redemptoris Mater for mixed choir and organ, by Ignácio Rodrigues (choirmaster of the Cathedral of Funchal) was written expressly for this concert. Beginning with the first phrase of the Gregorian chant, it develops towards polyphonic writing, creating different atmospheres which emphasize the text. The piece is divided into two parts. The first presents Mary, Mother of the Redeemer and Star of the Sea, through whose intercession help is asked for her fallen people to lift themselves up. There follows an interlude for organ in which, according to the composer, the pedal note symbolizes those who find balance and harmony when they seek to be united with the Creatorm and the ascending melody in the right hand all those who seek the transcendent. Subsequently, the descending movement represents the Kenosis, that is, the descend of Christ. This interlude prepares the second part, in which reference is made to Mary’s “yes” at the Annunciation, which gave rise to the generation of Christ, ending with a plea for mercy for sinners.

Pange lingua by Rodrigo Cardoso is the result of a challenge given to the students of the composition class of the Higher School of Music in Lisbon, to write a piece based on this Gregorian hymn. Here, the original melody is not obviously recognizable. According to the composer, the work “seeks a dialogue between the present and the past, through absorption, fluctuation, and nakedness.”

The first four bars of Lux aeterna – in which the organ part, built on the first notes of the Gregorian antiphon, serve to support the successive entries of the three voices (soprano, tenor and bass) – were written by João Pedro d’Alvarenga, while still a pupil at the Gregorian Institute of Lisbon, in the 1980s. At the beginning of this century, on the basis of this fragment, I wrote most of the central section. Only in 2017 did we write, together, the end of the piece. Each of the sections of the text is built on the corresponding Gregorian melody, the organ part being based always on the opening phrase.

Originating in the 15th century, and not falling precisely within the category of Gregorian chant, O filii et filiae is one of the most popular paschal hymns throughout the world. In this work by Sérgio Silva (for mixed choir and organ), the melody appears always in its original form, though enveloped in a different texture in each strophe. Throughout the piece different atmospheres are created – including a Bachian fugue – which culminate in the final strophe, in which the melody is sung in unison by the whole choir and punctuated majestically by the harmonies of the organ.

João Vaz

Canto Gregoriano

¬ Alma Redemptoris Mater

João Vaz (1963)

¬ Alma Redemptoris Mater
(Quatro Antífonas Marianas, 2017)

Canto Gregoriano

¬ Salve Regina (tonus simplex)

João Vaz

¬ Salve Regina
(Quatro Antífonas Marianas, 2017)

Canto Gregoriano

¬ Ave Regina Cælorum (tonus simplex)

João Vaz

¬ Ave Regina Cælorum
(Quatro Antífonas Marianas, 2017)

Canto Gregoriano

¬ Regina Cœli (tonus simplex)

João Vaz

¬ Regina Cœli
(Quatro Antífonas Marianas, 2017)

Hildegarde von Bingen (1098-1179)

¬ Cum erubuerint

Caroline Charrière (1960)

¬ De Sancta Maria (2005)

Ignacio Rodrigues (1972)

¬ Alma Redemptoris Mater (2018)

Canto Gregoriano

¬ Pange lingua

Rodrigo Cardoso (1997)

¬ Pange lingua (2018)

Canto Gregoriano

¬ Lux æterna
(antiphona ad Communionem, Missa pro Defunctis)

João Pedro Alvarenga (1961)
/ João Vaz

¬ Lux æterna (2017)

Sérgio Silva (1981)

¬ O filii et filiæ (2018)

Participants

 Notes about the organ

Sé do Funchal (Choir organ)
Dinarte Machado, 2017

The new choir organ of Funchal Cathedral is the result of a project organized by the Chapter of the Cathedral, to endow the building with an instrument essentially intended for the current needs of the liturgy, but at the same time appropriate for recitals and other events outside the context of the liturgy. The organ was installed in the south transept, next to the altar and the choir (emphasizing its eminently liturgical vocation), but it can be turned on a central axis and face the central nave.

The case, designed by the organ builder Dinarte Machado, is the result of a free interpretation of the ogival arches of the Cathedral and the majority of the decorative elements refer to religious elements (names of saints) or traditional themes (wicker baskets).
The organ, the final version of which was the result of discussions between the organ builder and the Choir master of the Cathedral, Fr Ignácio Rodrigues, has sixteen registers, spread over two keyboards and a pedalboard. The voicing of all these registers took into account not only the instruments multiple functions, but above all the acoustics of the church.

The phonic conception is very original, not being inspired by any similar instrument, or identified with any period or style. It was intended that, by using its timbral diversity and exploring its capacities, organists could use the instrument in repertoires from many different periods and by many different composers, as well as to encourage contemporary composers to write new works. This was the vision of its builder, Dinarte Machado, who considers that the organ “offers every freedom to the organist as improviser”.

I Manual – Great organ (C – g’’’)
Flautado 12 aberto [8’]
Flauta em 12 [8’]
Oitava real [4’]
Quizena [2’]
Mistura III vozes

II Manual – Swell organ (C – g’’’)
Flautado 12 tapado [8’]
Viola da gamba [8’]
Flauta de chaminé [4’]
Dozena [2 2/3’]
Quinzena nazarda [2’]
Dezassetena [1 3/5’]
Dezanovena [1 1/3’]
Clarinete [8’]

Pedal (C – f’)
Flautado de 24 tapado [16’]
Flauta [8’]
Baixão [16’]

Couplers
I - P
II - P
II - I