THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING

ERIK WESTBERG VOCAL ENSEMBLE

MARKUS WARGH, ORGAN CONDUCTOR ERIK WESTBERG

RIGA CATHEDRAL – 8TH NOVEMBER 2019 TUKUM CHURCH – 9TH NOVEMBER 2019

P R O G R A M M E

Sven-David Sandström (1942-2019) – Te Deum (2008) Choir, Organ

Brett Dean (b. 1961) – Was it a Voice? (2014)

Choir a cappella

Anton Webern (1883-1945) – Entf l ieht auf leichten Kähnen, Op.2 (1908) Choir a cappella

Jörgen Jersild (1913-2004) – Tre Romantiske Korsanger (1984)

I Min Yngl ingsdal II Natteregn III Den Kedsom Vinter

Choir a cappella

* * * Improvisation

Markus Wargh, Organ

Jan Sandström (b. 1954) based on a yoik by Johan Märak (b. 1928) – Jiegnáffo (2019)*

Choir a cappella

* * *

Carl Unander-Scharin (b. 1964) – The Cloud of Unknowing (2019)* I Cloud and Light IV Darkness V Nowhere Bodi ly

Choir and Organ

*World premiere

LYRICISTSANDCOMMENTS TeDeumOp.2Lyricist:AnonymousTeDeumlaudamus,TeDeumconfitemur.TibiomnesAngeli,tibicoelietuniversaepotestates,TibiChérubimetSeraphimincessabilivoceproclamant:HeligdenstoreHerrenSebaot.OGudvilovadig.Vemgörattalltidettanuejblirtillintet?EndastduHeligHerrenGud.

YouareGod:wepraiseyou;YouaretheLord:weacclaimyou;YouaretheeternalFather:Allcreationworshipsyou.Toyouallangels,allthepowersofheaven,CherubimandSeraphim,singinendlesspraise:Holy,thegreatLordZabaoth!OGod,wepraisethee.Whopreventseverythingfromturningintonothingnessatthismoment?OnlyThou,HolyLordGod

Sandström’s“TeDeum”iswrittenforThanksgivingSunday(celebratedinSwedenonthesecondSundayinOctober).BeingintendedfortheSundayMass,Sandström’scompositionisrelativelyshortanddoesnotusetheentiretext;italsomixestheoriginalLatinwiththeSwedishtranslationofLuther’sGermanparaphraseofTeDeum.Inthesolemnandpowerfulopeningsection,theorganisgivenaprominentrole;bycontrast,thefollowing“TeDeumconfitemur”issungalmostentirelyacappella,mostlyinsoftdynamics.Fortheangel’scries,“Holy,Holy,Holy”(beginning,surprisingly,inpianissimo),thelanguageswitchestoSwedish;herethechoirisdividedbetweenwomenandmen,representingtheseraphscryingtoeachother,accordingtotheprophet’scelestialvisioninChapter6ofIsaiah.

WasitaVoice?Lyricist:GraemeWilliamEllis(b.1944)

WasitavoiceJustbeforedawnthatWhisperedindreams“Awaken”?WasitavoiceFirstmadeusawareWhendespairshedherleavesOnthethirddayofthorns?WhyseekyeThelivingamongthedead?SolaceOfarockRolledaway

SolaceInthecryOfourdyingworldBythegraceOfonevoiceIntheharmonyOfeachvoicedsufferingLostInthedarkwood’soriginSolaceIntheunheardFinalRising

“Wasitavoice?”wascommissionedbytheChoirofClareCollege,CambridgefortheirAscensiontideService,2014andismythirdworkinaongoingseriesofsacredsettingsfora-cappellamixedchoir.ItfollowstheChristmasCarol“Nowcomesthedawn”(fortheChoirofKing’sCollege,Cambridge–2007)andagracesetting,“ConcedasDomine”(fortheChoirofReptonSchool–2010).ThetextwasespeciallywrittenfortheoccasionbytheMelbourne-basedpoet,GraemeWilliamEllis.ThoughAscensionDayisoneofthegreatfeastsintheChristianliturgicalcalendarandtraditionallycelebratedwithasenseofsplendor,majestyandradiance,GraemeandIwishedtoexpresssomethingofhumilityandrestraintinthisobservationofthelastdayofChrist’sphysicalpresenceonEarth.Mysetting,withitslayered,dualC-Dpedalpointofinterweavedmalevoicesposingthetitle’sopeningquestion,strives,evenasthefemalevoicesjoinandtheworkbuildsindensity,tohonourthesenseofthehushedmysteryandreflectivegratitudethatEllis’stextexpresses,placedasitisagainstthetragicbackgroundoftheEasterpassionstory.

BrettDean

EntfliehtaufleichtenKähnen,Op.2Lyricist:StefanGeorge(1868-1933)EntfliehtaufleichtenKähnenberauschtenSonnenweltendaßimmermildreTräneneucheureFluchtentgelten.SehtdiesenTaumelblonderlichtblauerTraumgewaltenundtrunknerWonnensonderVerzückungsichentfalten.DaßnichtdersüßeSchauerinneuesLeideuchhülle–esseidiestilleTrauerdiediesenFrühlingfülle.

Takeflightinlightbarksfromtipsy,sunnyworlds,thatevermildertearsrewardyouforyourflight.Watchwithoutecstasyhowtheintoxicationofblondlight-bluedreampowersanddrunkenpassionsunfolds.Sothatthesweettremblingwillnotenvelopyouwithnewsorrow-Letsilentsadnessfillthisspring.

AntonWebernmethismentorArnoldSchoenbergforthefirsttimeinthefallof1904.Webernhadonlystartedcomposingaboutfiveyearsbeforethatand,impressedbyVerklärteNachtandotherSchönbergworks,hesoughttheoldermusicianoutandbecameSchönberg'sfirstprivatepupilinVienna.WebernworkedonseveralcompositionsunderSchoenberg'ssupervision,thelastofwhichwastheshortworkforunaccompaniedchorusEntfliehtaufleichtenKähnen,completed1908.ThepoemisbyStefanGeorge,whowasoneofWebern’sfavouritepoets.AsGeorge'spoemfallsintothreefour-lineverses,Webern'ssettingisinthreeconnectedsections.ThequietascendingmelodiclinethatopenstheworkmirrorsGeorge'sinvitationto"takeflightinlightbarks."Graduallythepolyphonybecomesmorechromaticanddense,infourpartswithcanonicalinteractionbetweenthemen'sandwomen'svoices.Amovinghushdescendsatthementionofthe"newsorrow"thatensuesonceoneleavesthese"tipsy,sunnyworlds."Then,afterapause,thesettingofthefinaltwolinesactsasasortofrepriseofthefirstsectionasthechorussingsofthe"stilleTrauer"(silentsadness)ofspring.Despitethattheworkwaspublishedin1921,itwasn'tgivenitsfirstperformanceuntilApril10,1927,andwasperformedseldomifeverduringtheremainderofWebern'slifetime.

TreRomantiskeKorsanger ThreeRomanticPiecesforChoirIMinYnglingsdalLyricist:SteenSteensenBlicher(1782-1848)

IMyfavouritevalley

Hvorestdu,elskteplet,hvaderditnavn?Nårskaljegdigengangiverdenfinde?Nårvildutildinyndefuldefavnforstedsemigogmineønskerbinde?Minbarndomsskønnedrøm,ukendtedal!Hvorjegenhyttemellemroserbygger.Nårskaljeghøredinekildersfald?Nårvildufavnemigidineskygger?Nuharjegledtomdalenfjernognærmeningenstedsendnujeghardenfundet.Derforjegsorgenimithjertebærogderforhaveminetårerrundet.Farveldaduminbarndomsskønnedrøm.Denstrengeskæbnensrøstmiggrusomtvækker!Jeghvirvlesbortiminedagesstrøm,ogarmeneforgævesmoddigstrækker.

Whereareyou,belovedspot,whatisyourname?WhereintheworldshallIfindyou?Whenwillyouinyourdelicateembracebindmeandmywishesforever?Lovelydreamofmychildhood,unknownvalley!WhereshallIbuildacottageamongroses.WhenshallIhearthesplashofyourfountains?Whenwillyouembracemeinyourshadows?FarandnearIhavesoughtforthevalleyButnowherefounditasyet.ThereforemyheartisheavywithsorrowAndthereforetearsIhaveshed.Goodbyelovelydreamofmychildhood.Thevoiceofaharshfatecruellycalls!IamcarriedawaybythestreamsoftimeAndforyoumyarmsreachinvain.

IINatteregnLyricist:NisPetersen(1897–1943)

IINightrain

Faldblideregn,faldsagte-givmuldenkraftogbøjensluftdenrene,sommerbagteogæterklareduft.Faldregnidæmpetbrusen,hviskregnognynisusentilalleminetræer,dertrivesimitkrat.atalledissemidnatsstænkerhjertegladetårer,somkyssedestilsvimlenogfaldafsologtårerdenlatterlysesvimlenidendanskesommernat.Blæsblæst-blæsblidt-iblinde,blæsfriskhedtilminhyttesbænkmedmyge,vegevindeogregnisagtestænk.Blæsblæst-blæsop-fanfarer,tilnattenåbenbarerforalleminetræer,dertrivesimitkrat,atalledisselydeialtdetgråoggrønneogalledissedufte,dertumleromminrønne,erdensvimmellyselatteridendanskesommernat.

Fallmildrain,fallsoftly-Givepowertothesoilandtotheairofthehillthepure,summer-bakedandeither-clearfragrance.fallraininmutedmurmur,whisperraininhummingandsighingtoallmytreesthatthriveinmycoppice,thatallthesemidnightdropsareheart-pleasingtears,kissedtodizzinessandfallofsunandchoosethelaughingdizzinessoftheDanishsummernight.Blow,wind–blowsoftly,blindly,blowfreshnesstothebenchofmyhutwithpliant,yieldingwindsandraininsoftdropsBlow,wind–soundoutflourishes,tillthenightrevealstoallmytreesthatthriveinmycoppice,thatallthesesoundsinallthegreyandgreenandallthesefragrancestumblingonmyhovelarethedizzy-lightlaughteroftheDanishsummer.

IIIDenKedsomVinterLyricist:AmbrosiusStub(1705-1758)

IIIThetediouswinterwentitsway

Denkedsomvintergiksingangdendagsåkort,dennatsålangforandrersigsålempelig;Denbarskevind,denmørkesky-måfly;Vorkakkelovnsåenestår,oghverdagskoldesygefår;Dentykkevams,denforetdragteralthængthen,ogrentforagt,ogmuffenertilligegemtogglemt;Manfrygterej,atsneogsludskalmødedem,somvilgåud,Thiladosgåatskuepå,Hvorsmuktnaturensigbeter–ogler.Akse,hvorpyntetsolengårMedlangestrålerisithår!Denvarmekranserrettekands,Foralleting,somnumågry-påny.DenklarelysehimmelblåErværdatkasteøjetpå;Sefugleneiflokketal,iluftensvidesommersal,deholdersnarthvertøjeblikmusik;Dekappesdagligtoogtoatbyggehvordebedstkanbo,herflyverenjomedsingren,Enandensankerhårogstrå-såsmå.Akse,hvorspejleklarogglatdensødogerilavesat!Deterjo,somatsolenkom,Kunforatsesitskilderideri.BekymretSjæl,såserdudogataltingståriHerrensBog!Ihvordetgår,såvedjeggrantmitNavnstårtegnetderiblandt;Gudkommervistmintarvihuendnu;hanrammernokdenrettetid,dahimlendenskalbliveblid;jegtørmåskevelfåatseminvinterblivetilenvår-iår.

Thetediouswinterwentitsway,ThedaysoshortthenightsolongClangingSogently;TheharshwindandthedarkcloudsMustflee.OurstovesolonelystandsAndthedailyillsreceives;Thethickdoublet,thepaddedclothesAreallhungawayquitedisdained,ThemufftooispackedAndforgotten.ThereisnofearthatsnowandsleetWillmeetthosewhowalkabroad:Soletusgo–AndbeholdHowbeautifullylaughingnaturebehaves.Oh!SeehowlovelythesunmovesWithlongbeamsinhishair;ThewarmgarlandGivesgoodchanceForallthatnowmustdawnAnew.TheclearblueskyIsworthaglanceSee,thebirdsinnumerousflockInspacioussummerair,MakingmusicAllthetimeTheystruggledailytwoandtwoTobuildwherebestitistolive.HerefliesoneWithatwig,AnothergathershairandstrawsSosmall.Ohsee,howmirror-likeandsmooththelakeliesinitsplaceItisasifThesuncameJusttoseeitsimagethere.Uneasyspirit,seehowallIswritteninthebookofthelord!Comewhatmay,Iclearlyknow,Myname,too,iswrittenthere;GodwillstillrememberMyneed;HewillfindthepropertimeWhenheaveniskind:IstillmightseeMywinterturntospringThisyear.

AttherequestoftheconductorMogensDahl,JörgenJersildwrotemusicin1994forAmbrosiusStub'ssensualpoem:Thetediouswinterwentitsway.Thisratereplacestheoriginal'EveningRed'asanewpieceinthework:ThreeRomanticChoralSongs.InadetailedanddistinctivestylethatissocharacteristicofJörgenJersildchoralmusic,thesethreebeautifultextsareexpressedwithafinechiselledclarity,wheretheindividualpartsweavetogetherintoaneffectiveandamazingwhole.JiegnáffoBasedonayoikbyJohanMärakDejonJiegnanáfonalteguoktasuohkanajonealusajuobálggadedjelolo…Dejonbeaivenmáhttáoaidnitgostecáhpadedjelolo…Dejonguoktasuohkanajonealusajuobálggadedjelolo…

OnJiegnáffotwoparishes’reindeerherdsarecoolingoffAlreadyontheday,onecanseehowitblackens(byreindeer)Twoparishes’Reindeerherdsarecoolingoff

ThemountainJiegnáffolocatedsouthwestofStaloluoktahasaglacierwherereindeerlovetocooloffduringsunnysummerdays.AyoikisatraditionalSamipieceoflyricsandmusic,heremergedtogether/accompaniedwithchoirinanarrangementbyJanSandström.TheCloudofUnknowingLyrics:AnonymousICloud&LightBethousurethatclearsightshallnevermanhavehereinthislife:butthefeelingmaymenhavethroughgracewhenGodvouchsafeth.Andthereforeliftupthylovetothatcloud:letGoddrawthyloveuptothatcloudandstrivethouthroughhelpofHisgracetoforgetallotherthing.Hewillsometimesperadventuresendoutabeamofghostlylight,piercingthiscloudofunknowingthatisbetwixttheeandHim.ThenshaltthoufeelthineaffectioninflamedwiththefireofHislove,farmorethanIcantellthee,ormayorwillatthistime.Beatuponthishighcloudofunknowing,andrestafterward.Useittobeatuponthecloudofdarknessaboveyou.Andtosubduealldistractions,consignthemtothecloudofbeneathyou.Itistrulyandperfectlycomprehendedinthislittleblindlovepressed,whenitisbeatinguponthisdarkcloudofunknowing.Thenallotherthingsareputdownandforgotten.BethousurethatclearsightshallnevermanhavehereinthislifeIVDarknessWhenIsaydarkness,Imeanalackingofknowing:asallthatthingsthatthouknowestnot,orelsethatthouhastforgotten,itisdarktothee;forthouseestitnotwiththyghostlyeye.Andforthisreasonitisnotcalledacloudoftheair,butacloudofunknowing.Letthatquietdarknessbeyourwholemindandlikeamirrortoyou.

VNowhereBodilyiseverywhereghostlyNowherebodily,iseverywhereghostly.Lookthenbusilythatthyghostlyworkbenowherebodily.Andthenwheresoeverthatthatthingis,onthewhichthouwilfullyworkestinthymindinsubstance.Surelythereartthouinspirit,asverilyasthybodyisinthatplacethatthouartbodily.Andthereforebewarythatthouconceivenotbodilythatwhichismeantghostly.Althoughthatathingbeneversoghostlyinitself,neverthelessyetifitshallbespokenof,sinceitsoisthatspeechisabodilyworkwroughtwiththetongue,thewhichisaninstrumentofthebody,itbehovethalwaysbespokeninbodilywords.Nowherebodily,iseverywhereghostlyThisworkforchoirandorganinsixmovementsisacommissionfromtheErikWestbergVocalEnsemblewithsupportfromtheSchoolofMusicinPiteåatLuleåUniversityofTechnology,Sweden.ThecompositionbuildsonanastonishingtextfromtheEnglishmedievalperiodwiththename“TheCloudofUnknowing”.Thetextwaswrittenbyananonymousmonkinthe14thcenturyandrevolvesaroundthetimelessquestionofhowtounderstandandtoknowGod.Theonlywaytodothat,accordingto“TheCloud”isto“abandonconsiderationofGod'sparticularactivitiesandattributes,andtosurrenderone'smindandegototherealmof"unknowing",atwhichpointonemaybegintoglimpsethenatureofGod”.

Forthetextualcompilationforthecompositionalwork,Ialsoincludedsomesentencesfrom“TheBookofPrivyCounseling”–anotherformidableworkattributedtothesameanonymous14thc.author.Thetwobooksformarichtextureofcomplicatedtheologicalconsiderations,outofwhichIcompiledsixthemes,whichlaterformedthebasisforthesixmovementsinthechoralsuite.

CarlUnander-Scharin

ABOUTTHEPERFORMERSMarkusWargh(b.1969,Jakobstad,Finland)isarenownedconcertorganistwithBach,thegreatromanticworksandtheimprovisationclosetohisheart.HegraduatedwithdiplomafromtheSibeliusAcademyin1991–beingthethirdinthehistoryoftheacademytoachievethehighestpossiblegrades.ThefollowingyearshecontinuedhisstudiesattheAcademyofmusicinPiteå,Sweden,wherehegraduatedasconcertorganist1995.

TheartistryofMarkusWarghreliesonagreatabilityofexpression,energyandvirtuosity–aswellwhenheimprovisesaswhenheinterpretsBachandthemastersoftheRomanticAge.

MarkusWarghhastouredacrossEuropeandtheUSA,andhehasmadenumerousappearancesinradioandtelevision.Exceptforbeinganinternationalsoloorganist,MarkusWarghisorganistinLuleåCathedral.

ErikWestberg(b.1956)studiedchoralconductingwithMaestroEricEricsonattheRoyalCollegeofMusicinStockholm1976–1987.Hehasbeentheleaderofnumerouschoirs,includingtheYMCAchoirinStockholmandtheOsloPhilharmonicChoir,andhehasalsobeenguestconductoroftheSwedishRadioChoir.InternationallyErikWestberghasbeenengagedasguestconductorforProCoroCanada,CoroNacionaldeEspaña,CoroSinfônicadoEstadodeSãoPaulo,andJaunaMuzika,Lithuania.HehasalsobeenArtist-In-ResidenceatWollongongUniversity,Australia.WiththeErikWestbergVocalEnsemblehehaspremieredover40worksby,amongothers:BTommyAndersson,GunnarEriksson,MatsLarssonGothe,PaulaafMalmborgWard,JanSandström,Sven-DavidSandströmandArvoPärt.WithTheUniversityChamberChoirinPiteåandtheErikWestbergVocalEnsemble,hehasperformedover50tourstoEurope,North-andSouthAmericaandAsia.HisaudiocatalogincludesmorethantwentyrecordingsfromtherecordlabelsStudioAcusticumRecords,Opus3,Naxos,andCaprice,severalofwhichhasreceivedexcellentreviews.AmonghismanycollaborationsaremusicianssuchasformerABBA-memberBennyAndersson,thejazzsingerAliceBabsandthetrombonevirtuosoChristianLindberg.HehasbeenamemberoftheRoyalSwedishAcademyofMusicsince2008andProfessorofChoralConductingandChoralSingingattheSchoolofMusicinPiteå,LuleåUniversityofTechnologysince2003.TheErikWestbergVocalEnsemblewasformedin1993andconsistsof16-20singers.ThemembersoftheEnsembleworkassoloists,churchmusiciansandmusicteachersandcomefromNorthernSwedenandFinland.TheEnsemblehascommissionedandpremieredabout40worksbycomposerssuchasGunnarEriksson,PaulaafMalmborgWard,TebogoMonnakgotla,JanSandström,Sven-DavidSandströmandArvoPärt.TheSwedishBroadcastingCorporationhas,inclosecollaborationwiththeEnsemble,sentseveralliveperformances,bothinSwedenandthroughoutEurope.TheEnsemblehasundertakenover40tourstoNorthandSouthAmerica,EuropeandAsia.AparticularlynotableengagementwastheprojectChoralSingingforPeaceandJusticewithatourtoTongaandSamoabytheturnofthemillennium,seenbythelargesttelevisionaudienceever.

SopranosVirveKarénChristinaFridolfssonAlvaSternLinneaPetterssonCeciliaGrönfelt

AltosKatarinaKarlssonAnuArvolaAnnaRisbergAnna-KarinLindström

TenorsErikStillesjö StefanMillgårdÖrjanLarssonAlexanderOlsson 

BassesMartinErikssonAndersSteinwallJonatanBrundinAndersBekJannePosti

TheErikWestbergVocalEnsembleissupportedbyCurtBoströmfoundationattheSchoolofMusicinPiteå,LuleåUniversityofTechnology,Kempestiftelserna,

SwedishArtsCouncilandRegionNorrbotten.

AclosecooperationispursuedtogetherwithStudioAcusticumwhenitcomestoconcert-productionsandreleasingCD’s.

Kempestiftelserna

CD’saresoldatthecostof10Euro.Theymayalsobeorderedatourwebsite:www.vokalensemblen.se

ChorusGloriosus(2017)StudioAcus}cum

VitaNuova

(2015)StudioAcus}cum

Originals

(2014)StudioAcus}cum

Dreamlike

(2013)StudioAcus}cum

Arabesques

(2012)StudioAcus}cum

PaterCæles\s–TerraMater–VoxHumana(2010)Studio

Acus}cum

WilhelmPeterson-Berger

(2009)Naxos

AStarisShining(2004)

Opus3

AcrosstheBridgeofHope

(2002)Opus3

MusicaSacra(1996)Opus3