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Works

And One of the Pharisees ...

1992

Scored for

3 voices or 3-part choir (Ct/ATB) a cappella

Duration

10 min

Short description

And One of the Pharisees…

And One of the Pharisees... for three voices (countertenor or alto, tenor and bass) or a three-voice choir a cappella was composed in 1992 and dedicated to Paul Hillier. The piece was premiered in February of the same year in Davis, California by the ensemble Theatre of Voices.

Pärt has designed the parables from Luke 7 into a musical scene featuring male voices due to the characters in the story. The countertenor (or alto) and the bass voice appear as solo parts that convey a dialogue between Simon the Pharisee and Jesus, while the narrative passages of the events are homorhythmically sung by all voices. The music is rather ascetic, subjecting everything to the narrative, the word. The scope and dynamics of the melody is i…

And One of the Pharisees…

And One of the Pharisees... for three voices (countertenor or alto, tenor and bass) or a three-voice choir a cappella was composed in 1992 and dedicated to Paul Hillier. The piece was premiered in February of the same year in Davis, California by the ensemble Theatre of Voices.

Pärt has designed the parables from Luke 7 into a musical scene featuring male voices due to the characters in the story. The countertenor (or alto) and the bass voice appear as solo parts that convey a dialogue between Simon the Pharisee and Jesus, while the narrative passages of the events are homorhythmically sung by all voices. The music is rather ascetic, subjecting everything to the narrative, the word. The scope and dynamics of the melody is in correlation with the number of syllables in the text and the melodic formation is premised on the rules of tintinnabuli. Due to the large number of one-syllable words in the English translation, the melody remains mostly static, giving a recitative-like atmosphere to the work. As an exception, the melodic line of Jesus (the bass part) is not tied to the rules of tintinnabuli and is composed more freely using stepwise motion.

Vox Clamantis, Jaan-Eik Tulve (conductor). CD The Deer's Cry. ECM New Series 2466

© ECM Records

World premiere

09.02.1992
Davis Community Church, Davis, California, United States

Concert: Music for a While

Paul Hillier (baritone), Drew Minter (countertenor), Paul Elliott (tenor)

Completion year

1992

Dedication

to Paul Hillier

Commissioned by

Theatre of Voices and University of California, Davis

Scored for

3 voices or 3-part choir (Ct/ATB) a cappella

Duration

10 min

Publishers

Universal Edition

Language

English

Vocal text

Luke 7, 36–50

And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
And when they had nothing to pay, he frank…
Luke 7, 36–50

And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are for¬given; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

On 28.03 - 31.03 the Centre is closed. Happy Easter!

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