Sept répons des ténèbres
| Sept répons des ténèbres | |
|---|---|
| Sacred music by Responsories | |
| Language | Latin |
| Composed | 1961-62 |
| Performed | April 11, 1963: New York City |
| Scoring |
|
Sept répons des ténèbres (Seven responsories for
History
Poulenc returned to sacred music first in 1936 when he composed his
Sept répons des ténèbres was written in 1961 on a commission by
Poulenc composed first a version for voices and piano in 1961 and orchestrated the work in 1962. The first performance was on 11 April 1963, after the composer's death, by choir and orchestra of the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Thomas Schippers.[3]
The first performance in France was at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris on 10 December 1963, with the Orchestre National de France, Les Petits chanteurs de la Sainte-Croix and the choirs of RTF, conducted by Georges Prêtre.[4]
Text, structure and scoring
The work is based on
- Una hora non potuistis vigilare mecum
- Judas, mercator pessimus
- Jesum tradidit
- Caligaverunt oculi mei
- Tenebrae factae sunt
- Sepulto Domino
- Ecce quomodo moritur justus
The first movement reflects Jesus in
The second movement is focused on
The third and fourth movement are taken from the
The fifth movement is
The sixth is
and the final movement is
Poulenc scored the music for boys' choir with a treble soloist and symphony orchestra. Later performances added female singers for the solo part and in the choir.[2]
Recording
For a long time, the recording by Prêtre was the only one,[2] until the work was recorded again in 2012[1] by Carolyn Sampson, the Cappella Amsterdam and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Reuss.[2] A reviewer notes the music's "dark and extremely sombre character",[1] expressing a wide range of emotions, facing the crucifixion in sorrow and distress.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e Cookson 2014.
- ^ a b c d Bossert 2014.
- ^ BNF 2017.
- ^ gloriamusica 2017.
- ^ a b c Schmidt 1995.
Bibliography
- Bossert, Dorothea (25 March 2014). "Bestechende Präzision und Klangkultur" (PDF) (in German). SWR. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- Cookson, Michael (2014). "Francis Poulenc (1899–1963) / Stabat Mater (1950) / Sept Répons des Ténèbres (1961/62)". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- Schmidt, Carl B. (1995). The Music of Francis Poulenc (1899–1963): A Catalogue. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-816336-7.
- Sept répons des ténèbres . FP 181 / liturgie (in French). BNF. 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- "Sept Répons des ténèbres de Francis Poulenc" (in French). gloriamusica.fr. 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
Further reading
- Brandenstein, W.W. (2002). Francis Poulenc's Sept Répons Des Ténèbres: An Introduction and Analysis for Conductors. University of Southern California. 642 pages. (subscription required)
External links
- 7 Répons des ténèbres, FP 181 (Poulenc, Francis): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Sept répons des ténèbres at AllMusic
