Vox Lucens presents 

  

Stories  

Sacred and Secular Motets, Madrigals, and a Shipwreck 

   

Park Avenue Congregational Church 

Arlington, Massachusetts 

Sunday, April 3, 2011 

3:00 p.m. 

No quede congoxa alguna, demos prissa, al navegar, poys o vento nos ha de llevar. ¡Garrido es el vendaval! No se vió bonança ygual sobre tan gran desatiento. Bien ayas tú, viento, que ansi me ayudas contra fortuna. Gritá todos a una, grita: “¡Bonança! Salvamiento!” Miedo ovistes al tormento, no tu viendo y a sperança, O modicae fidei! Ello está muy bien ansí. Gala es todo. A nadie hoy duela la gala chinela. “de la china gala, la gala chinela.” Mucho prometemos en tormenta fiera, mas luego ofreçemos infinita çera. “De la china gala, la gala chinela.” ¡A Dios, señores! ¡A la vela! Nam si pericula sunt in mari, Pericula sunt in terra, pericula in falsis fratribus.

Let no grief remain, let us hurry to set sail

and let the wind carry us away. What a fine gale it is!

Such fair weather has never been seen after such a great storm.

Thou art welcome, O wind who helps against misfortune.

Now let us all shout in one voice:

“Fair weather, salvation!” During your torment

you had no hope, O ye of little faith!

Now everything is very good here.

Everything is festive. Let no one be sad today, just like the famous

song, “La Gala Chinela.” “De la china gala, la gala chinela”

Many promises are made within the fierce storm,

while afterwards we offer an infinite number of votive candles.

“De la china gala, la gala chinela.”

Farewell, men! To the sails! There are not only perils at sea

there are also perils on land and perils in false brotherhood.

 Stories 

Sacred and Secular  

Pueri Hebraeorum  Tomás Luis de Victoria (c.1548‐1611) 

Clamabat autem mulier Chananaea   Cristóbal Morales (c.1500‐1553) 

Egressus Jesus   Giaches de Wert (1535‐1596) 

Gabriel archangelus  Francisco Guerrero (1528‐1599) 

Ab oriente  Jacob Handl (1550‐1591) 

Al resplandor d’una estrella  Guerrero 

Paulus apostolus  Morales 

Stabat Mater  G. P. da Palestrina (1525‐1594) 

 

Intermission 

 

Maria Magdalena  Guerrero 

Exaltata est  Guerrero 

Locutus est Dominus  Jean Lhéritier (c.1480‐after 1552) 

Giunta qui Dori  Giovanni Cavaccio (1556‐1626) 

As Vesta was  Thomas Weelkes (1576‐1623) 

La Bomba  Mateo Flecha (1481‐1553)  

Vox Lucens  

Sopranos  Altos Laurie Francis‐Wright  Mary Briggs Jessica Raine  Jean Monroe Sarah Richmond  Michael Terranova Diane Taraz    Tenors  Basses Jay Lane (Director)  Barry Goldberg Jonathan Solomon  John Nesby (President) Marc Vilain  John Yannis 

      Vox Lucens, now Ensemble in Residence at Church of Our Saviour, Arlington, Massachusetts, came together in 1998 to explore the Renaissance sacred and secular a capella repertoire.  We work cooperatively to develop programs com‐bining popular favorites with lesser‐known works, often in our own editions.  We approach the repertoire and rehearsals with a sense of fun, and in performance we enjoy bringing out the dramatic aspects of the music.  Our director Jay Lane holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Yale University, and is a professional choral conductor, organist, and voice teacher.  He is Director of Mu‐sic at the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist in Newburyport Massa‐chusetts, and President of the McClosky Institute of Voice (www.mcclosky.org).  As a voice teacher, he particularly enjoys working with older singers and those recovering from vocal injuries.    

◊   ◊ ◊  

¡Oh, gran socorro y bonança! ¡Nave viene, en que escapemos! ¡Allegad, que pereçemos! ¡Socorred, no aya tardanca, Socorred! ¡No sea un punto detenido, señores, esse batel! ¡O, que ventura he tenido, pues que pude entrar en él! Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro. Dignum et justum est, de tan grande beneficio reçebido en este día. Cantemos con alegría todos hoy pro su servicio. ¡Ea, ea, sus, empecemos! Empiaça tú, Gil Piçarra, a tañer con tu guitarra, y nosotros te ayudaremos. Esperad que esté templada. Tiemplala bién, hi de ruín. Din-dirin-din… ¡Oh, como está destemplada! ¡Acaba, mal dito, ya! Din-dirin-din… ¡Es por demás! Sube, sube un poco más. Din-dirin-din… ¡Muy bien está! Ande, pues, nuestro apellido, el tañer con el cantar, concordes en alabar, a Jesús rezién nascido. Din-dirin-din… Bendito el que ha venido, a librarnos de agonía. Bendito sea este día que nasció el contentamiento. Remedió su advenimiento mil enojos. Din-dirin-din… Benditos sean los ojos que con piedad nos miraron, y benditos, queansí amansaron tal fortuna.

Oh, help is coming and the sea is calm! A ship is coming in which we might escape! Come close lest we perish! Help us without hesitation, help! Let that boat not be even a tiny bit detained! Oh, what great luck I have had that I may enter into it! Let us give thanks to the Lord our God: It is truly meet and right, for the great boon received on this day. Let us all sing with joy today for your aid! Hey, hey, halloo, let's get started! You start, Gil Pizarra, to play your guitar and the rest of us will help you along. Wait until it is tuned. Tune it well, you son of a ... Din-dirin-din… Oh, just listen how out of tune it is! Finish it up, you wretch! Din-dirin-din… It's still not right! Higher, a little bit higher! Din-dirin-din… Now it's very good! Let's continue, then, our prayer, strumming and singing together in praise to the newborn Christ Child. Din-dirin-din… Blessed is he who has come to free us from pain. Blessed be this day on which joy was born. His advent cured a thousand pains. Din-dirin-din… Blessed be those eyes that looked upon us with pity, and thus ameliorated such a fate as ours.

La Bomba ¡Bomba, bomba, y agua fuera! ¡Vayan los cargos al mar que nos ymos anegar, do remedio no se espera! ¡A l'escota socorred! ¡Vosotros id al timón! ¡Que espacio! ¡Corred, corred! ¿No veis nuestra perdición? Essas gúmenas cortad porque se amaine la vela. ¡Hazia acá contrapesad! ¡O, que la nave se asuela! ¡Mandad calafetear que quizá dará remedio! ¡Ya no ay tiempo ni lugar, que la nau se abre por medio! ¿Qué haremos? ¿Si aprovechará nadar? ¡O, que está tan bravo el mar, que todos pereçeremos! Pipas y tablas tomemos. Mas, triste yo, ¿qué haré? Que yo, que no sé nadar, ¡morire! Virgen madre, yo prometo rezar contino tus horas. Si, Juan, tu escapas, hiermo moras. Monserrate luego meto. Yo, triste, ofrezco también, en saliendo deste lago, ir descalço a Santiago, eu yendo a Jerusalén. ¡Santa Virgen de Loreto, sant Ginés, socorrednos! ¡Que me ahogo, santo Dios! Sant Elmo, santo bendito! ¡O, Virgen de Guadalupe, nuestra maldad no te ocupe! ¡Señora de Monserrate! oy, señora y gran rescate!

The story of a shipwreck

Pump, pump and out with the water! Into the sea with the cargo

because we're about to drown, and there's no hope of rescue whatsoever!

Help out with the sheet! Help! You guys, go to the helm!

Such a delay! Run, run! Don't you see our doom?

Cut those cables to drop the sail!

Bring some counterweight over here! Oh, the ship is going to sink!

Maybe adjusting the pitch will give some aid! Now is neither the time nor place for that

since it will split the boat in two! What shall we do?

Would it help to swim?

Oh, the sea is so rough that we shall all perish!

Let us grab some barrels and planks! But, woe is me, what shall I do?

For I, who cannot swim, shall die!

Virgin mother, I promise to pray every hour.

Juan, if you escape this safely, go live in the wilderness. Later, get thee to Montserrat.

And I solemnly offer as well, if I manage to leave these waters,

to walk barefoot to Santiago. I'm heading off to Jerusalem.

Holy Virgin of Loreto, Saint Ginés, help us!

Holy God, I'm drowning! Saint Elmo, blessed saint!

Oh, Virgin of Guadalupe, do not dwell upon our sins!

Our Lady of Montserrat, hear and rescue us!

Program Notes 

 Today we present stories, both sacred and secular, as told in the music of the 16th 

century.  Most of the pieces you will hear are church music: motets, which served roughly the same function as anthems in a modern Protestant service.  These de‐pict scenes from the bible, such as the three wise men visiting the baby Jesus, Mary and her companions discovering Jesus’ empty tomb, and the conversion of Paul.  This music is subtle and complex—one rarely hears dramatic depictions of each moment in the story, but rather elaborated and heightened speech, in which the important words are brought forth with flourishes.  One must listen closely to hear the gentle fall of the clothes cast in the road as Jesus enters Jerusalem, or to hear the arguing voices of Jesus and the Canaanite woman.  But at other times the voice of God clearly thunders (or whispers) from heaven: when Jesus calls “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” or when the God of Moses booms, “The clamor of the sons of Israel has come before me,” it is certainly dramatic enough!  And when we sing about the three wise men, several of our singers tell me that they think of camels, although they are not mentioned in the text.  One sacred work is different from the rest: the little Christmas song “Al resplandor,” accord‐ing to some scholars, may have been used in a procession.  We like to think of it this way, and have added some improvised percussion.    The program concludes with madrigals from Italy, England, and Spain.  The first,  “Giunta qui Dori,” comes from a 1598 collection of madrigals dedicated to a rich Venetian gentleman’s bride.  Each madrigal in this collection (all by different composers) ends with the line “Viva la bella Dori!”  Our second madrigal, “As Vesta was” comes from a similar collection in England dedicated to Queen Eliza‐beth I.  All of “her” madrigals end with the refrain, “Long Live Fair Oriana.”  This piece is quite the opposite of all the subtle motets, and nowadays it is often used in music appreciation classes to explain the sort of jokes that madrigal composers enjoyed.  Here the jokes appear every few seconds.  Listen to how each word is illustrated: “decending,” “ascending,” “running down amain,” “two by two,” “three by three,” “together,” “all alone,” and (listen to the basses) “long.”  This composi‐tional exuberance continues in our final work, “La Bomba.”  Follow the text, and you will hear the story unfold before you.  Don’t miss the tuning of the guitar before the celebration.               —Jay Lane 

Pueri Hebraeorum Pueri Hebræorum Vestimenta prosternebant in via, et clamabant dicentes: Hosanna Filio David, benedictus qui venit in nomini Domini. Clamabat autem mulier Clamabat autem mulier Chananaea ad Dominum Jesum dicens: Domine, Jesu Christe, Fili David, adjuva me. Filia mea male a daemonio vexatur. Respondens ei Dominus dixit, Non sum missus, nisi ad oves quae perierunt domus Israel. At illa venit,et adoravit eum, dicens: Domine, adjuva me. Respondens Jesus ait illi: Mulier, magna est fides tua: Fiat tibi sicut vis. Egressus Jesus Egressus Jesus secessit in partes Tÿri et Sidonis. Et ecce mulier Chananaea a finibus illis egressa clamavit, dicens ei: Miserere mei, Domine fili David: filia mea male a daemonio vexatur. Qui non respondit ei verbum. Et accedentes discipuli ejus rogabant eum dicentes: Dimitte eam: quia clamat post nos.

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem

The Hebrew children spread their garments in the way,

and cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of God:

blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!”

Jesus and the Canaanite woman

The Canaanite woman was shouting to the Lord Jesus, saying,

“Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of David, help me.

My daughter is persecuted by an evil demon.” The Lord responded to her, saying,

“I am not sent, except to the sheep which belong to

the house of Israel.” But she came and worshiped him, saying:

“Lord, help me.” Jesus, responding, said to her:

“Woman, great is your faith: Let it be for you as you wish.”

(the same)

Jesus went away and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.

And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried to him,

"Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon."

But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came

and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us."

Texts and Translations  Exaltata est Exaltata est sancta Dei Genitrix, super chorus angelorum, ad caelestia regna Mariam virgo caelos ascendit: Gaudete quia cum Christo regnat in aeternum. Locutus est Locutus est Dominus ad Moysen dicens, Descende in Egyptum, edic Pharaoni ut dimitat populum meum. Clamor filiorum Ysrael venit coram meam. Giunta qui Dori Giunta qui Dori, e pastorelli amanti, e boscarecci numi, danzano a garra, e vezzosette ninfe. Quivi de’ suoni e canti, grat’armonia qui fiumi, limpidi sono e fresch’e dolci linfe. Quivi d’amor la dea, con gioia immensa l’alma paga e bea. Dunque lieti cantiam tra l’herb’e fiori, “Viva la bella Dori!” As Vesta Was As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending, She spied a maiden Queen the same ascending, Attended on by all the shepherds’ swain, To whom Diana’s darlings came running down amain, First two by two, then three by three together, Leaving their goddess all alone, hasted thither; And mingling with the shepherds of her train, With mirthful tunes her presence entertain. Then sang the shepherds and nymphs of Diana: “Long live fair Oriana.”

Mary ascends to heaven

Exalted is the holy Mother of God, above the choirs of angels,

Mary the maiden ascended the heavens to the celestial kingdom:

Rejoice because she rules with Christ for eternity.

The Israelites in Egypt

The Lord spoke to Moses saying, “Descend into Egypt, announce to Pharaoh that he

may release my people. The cry of the sons of Israel

has come before me.”

A Pastoral scene

Dori has arrived, and loving young shepherds and woodland gods

vie in dance with charming nymphs. Here are music and song,

tuneful harmony; here rivers are clear, and the waters fresh and sweet.

Here the goddess of love requites and blesses the soul with great joy.

therefore let us happily sing amidst the plants and flowers, “Long live fair Dori!

(the same)

Juxta crucem tecum stare et me tibi sociare in planctu desidero. Virgo virginum praeclara, mihi iam non sis amara; fac me tecum plangere. Fac ut portem Christi mortem, passionis fac consortem et plagas recolere. Fac me plagis vulnerari, crucem fac inebriari et cruore Filii. Inflammatus et accensus per te, Virgo, sin defensus in die iudicii. Fac me cruce custodiri, morte Christi praemuniri, confoveri gratia. Quando corpus morietur, fac ut animae donetur paradisi gloria. Maria Magdalena et altera Maria Maria Magdalene et altera Maria emerunt aromata ut venientes ungerent Iesum. Et valde mane una Sabbatorum veniunt ad monumentum orto iam sole. Alleluia. Et introeuntes in monumentum, viderunt iuvenem sedentem in dextris coopertum stola candida, et obstopuerunt. Qui dicit illis: 'Iesum quem queritis Nazarenum cruxifixum: surrexit, non est hic. Ecce locus ubi posuerunt eum.' Alleluia.

To stand beside the cross with you, and to join you

in mourning, this I desire. Chosen Virgin of virgins,

be not bitter toward me now; let me mourn with you.

Grant that I may bear the death of Christ, share His passion

and commemorate His wounds. Let me be wounded with distress, inebriated in this way by the cross

and the blood of your Son. Aflame with love for you, O Virgin,

may I be defended on the day of judgment.

Let me be guarded by the cross, fortified by the death of Christ,

and cherished by grace. When my body dies,

grant that to my soul is given the glory of paradise.

The Resurrection of Jesus

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary brought spices so that they might anoint Jesus' body.

And very early on the Sabbath, just after sunrise, they came to the tomb.

Alleluia.

Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side

dressed in a white robe, and they were stupefied.

He said to them: “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified:

he has risen, he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him.”

Alleluia.

Ipse autem respondens ait: Non sum missus nisi ad oves, quae perierunt domus Israel. At illa venit, et adoravit eum, dicens: Domine, adjuva me. Qui respondens ait: Non est bonum sumere panem filiorum, et dare canibus. At illa dixit: Etiam Domine: nam et catelli edunt de micis quae cadunt de mensa dominorum suorum. Tunc respondens Jesus, ait illi: O mulier, magna est fides tua: fiat tibi sicut vis. Gabriel Archangelus Gabriel archangelus locutus est ad Virginem dicens: Ave Maria, gratia plena, dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus. Gabriel archangele veni in adjutorio populo Dei, qui semper assistis in conspectu Domini. Ab oriente Ab oriente venerunt magi in Bethlehem ad adorare Domino; et apertis thesauris suis preciosa munera obtulerunt: aurum sicut regi magno, thus sicut Do vero, myrrham sepulturae ejus. Alleluia.

He answered her, "I was sent only to the sheep

who were lost of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him,

saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered,

"It is not good to take the bread of the children and give it to the dogs."

But she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs

that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus answered her,

"O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire."

The angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear the Son of God

The archangel Gabriel spoke

to the Virgin, saying: “Hail Mary, full of grace,

the Lord is with you, you are blessed among women.”

Archangel Gabriel,

come in aid for the people of God, you who always stand by

in the sight of the Lord.

The magi bring their gifts to the baby Jesus

From the East wise men arrived in Bethlehem to adore the Lord;

and when they had opened their treasures they presented him with precious gifts:

gold, as for a mighty ruler, frankincense, as for a true God,

and myrrh for his burial. Alleluia.

Al resplandor Al resplandor d’una estrella, buscan los Reyes d’Oriente Nuevo sol resplandeçiente, en braços d’una donzella. Tan pequeño y pobre vino y con tan gran humildad que escondió su claridad el sol hermoso y divino. Y así siguiendo una estrella buscan los Reyes d’Oriente… Mirad qué prendas de amor que baxa Dios a una aldea y es menester que se vea con ajeno resplandor. Y con la luz d’una estrella, buscan los Reyes d’Oriente… Paulus apostolus Paulus apostolus spirans in discipulos Domini cum iter faceret et appropinquaret Damasco, subiter circumfulsit eum lux de caelo, et cadens in terra audivit vocem dicentem sibi: 'Saule, quid me persequeris?' Qui audita voce dixit: 'Quis es, Domine?' 'Ego sum Iesus Nazarenus, quem tu persequeris. Durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare.' 'Domine, quid me vis facere?' 'Surge, quia vas electionis factus es mihi, plenus spiritu sancto, ut portes nomen meum in universo mundo.'

(the same)

Led by the beam of a star The kings of the Orient seek

A radiant new sun In the arms of a virgin.

So small and poor did he come And with such great lowliness

That the beautiful and divine Sun Hid his brightness.

And so, following a star,

The kings of the Orient seek…

Behold what endowments of love That God descends to a small hamlet

And it is necessary to see it by heavenly light.

And by the light of a star,

The kings of the Orient seek…

The conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus

Paul was breathing [threats] against the

disciples of the Lord while journeying toward Damascus, when suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And, falling to the ground,

he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, why do you persecute me?”

After he heard the voice, he said, “Who are you, Lord?”

“I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the goad.”

“Lord, what do you wish me to do?” “Get up, for you are a chosen vessel for me,

full of the Holy Spirit, to take my name into all the world.”

Stabat Mater Stabat Mater dolorosa iuxta crucem lacrimosa, dum pendebat Filius. Cuius animam gementem contristatam et dolentem pertransivit gladius. O quam tristis et afflicta fuit illa benedicta mater Unigeniti! Quae moerebat et dolebat et tremebat cum videbat nati poenas incliti. Quis est homo qui non fleret, Christi matrem si videret in tanto supplicio? Quis non posset contristari, piam mater contemplari dolente cum Filio? Pro peccatis suae gentis vidit Iesum in tormentis et flagellis subditum. Vidit suum dulcem natum morientem, desolatum, dum emisit spiritum. Eia Mater, fons amoris, me sentire vim doloris fac, ut tecum lugeam. Fac ut ardeat cor meum in amando Christum Deum ut sibi complaceam! Sancta mater, istud agas, Crucifixi fige plagas cordi meo valide. Tui Nati vulnerati tam dignati pro me pati poenas mecum divide. Fac me tecum pie flere Crucifixo condolere, donec ego vixero.

At the foot of the Cross

The grieving Mother stood beside the cross weeping

where her Son was hanging. Through her weeping soul,

compassionate and grieving, a sword passed.

O how sad and afflicted

was that blessed Mother of the Only-begotten!

Who mourned and grieved, and trembled to see

the torment of her glorious Son. Who is the man who would not weep

if seeing the Mother of Christ in such agony?

Who would not have compassion on beholding the devout mother

suffering with her Son? For the sins of His people she saw Jesus in torment

and subjected to the scourge. She saw her sweet Son

dying, forsaken, giving up His spirit.

O Mother, fountain of love,

make me feel the power of sorrow, that I may grieve with you.

Grant that my heart may burn in the love of the Lord Christ

that I may greatly please Him. Holy Mother, grant this of yours,

that the wounds of the Crucified be well-formed in my heart.

Grant that the punishment of your wounded Son, so worthily suffered for me,

may be shared with me. Let me weep with you, O pious one,

bemoan the Crucified, for as long as I live.