[Magdalen] A question (musical)

[James Oppenheimer-Crawford]

I love the Poulenc piece as choral music. It is a bit harder for me to see
how the music actually relates to the text. Some parts of it seem to be
just sublime, and even if it doesn't totally match the text at times, the
music is still marvelous. I think Poulenc often just got a great idea and
rolled with it (Mozart was much the same) whether it fit the text or not. I
don't know whether it was a matter of haste or his view of how a text
matches the music differs greatly from mine. I saw this a lot in the
Gloria, which I also love to sing, and which in my opinion, doesn't even
attempt to match the sense of the text a lot of the time.

Both Vittoria and Lauridsen write wonderfully to the text. Of course, there
are a lot of folks who don't think writing to the text is essential or even
appropriate, so everybody's kilometer readings or mileage will vary.

Poulenc is almost always fascinating to listen to.  Delightfully French in
the very best sense. I have not heard a lot, but I have not failed to enjoy
everything I've heard by him.  He wrote a marvelous flute sonata, suite or
whatever. Wild and melodious at the same time.

I sang his Gloria in the sixties. I did not realize how new it was at the
time. Didn't know anything about it or him at the time.

James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy

On Sat, Dec 3, 2016 at 2:44 AM, Sally Davies <sally.davies at gmail.com> wrote:

> How lovely, thanks for sharing. I listened to the Poulenc as well, just
> because.
>
> Sally D
>
> On Saturday, 03 December 2016, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
> oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > That must have been a grand event.
> >
> > James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
> > *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
> > except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
> >
> > On Fri, Dec 2, 2016 at 10:06 PM, Dorothy Collman <dac7792 at gmail.com
> > <javascript:;>> wrote:
> >
> > > I've sung both of these. The Manz was a favorite of our church
> > > organist/choir director a number of years ago. The Lauridsen was a
> > favorite
> > > of the director of The Brandywine Valley Chorale. I was a member (2nd
> > Alto)
> > > during the 2013 season when we sang the following in our November
> > concert:
> > > Sure On This Shining Night, Dirait-on, O Magnum Mysterium, and all five
> > > parts of Lux Aeterna.
> > > http://www.thebvc.org <http://www.thebvc.org/>
> > >
> > > - - -
> > > Dorothy Collman
> > > St. John’s, Concord, Episcopal Church
> > > http://www.saintjohnsconcord.com/ <http://www.saintjohnsconcord.com/
> > >Home:
> > > DottieAnne at aol.com <javascript:;>
> > > List: dac7792 at gmail.com <javascript:;>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > On Nov 30, 2016, at 10:39 PM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
> > > magdalen at herberthouse.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > There was mention of the Advent anthem, E'en So Lord Jesus, by
> > > > American Paul Manz.
> > > >
> > > > My new favorite Christmas anthem is the arrangement of one of the
> > > Christmas
> > > > antiphons, O Magnum Mysterium by American, Morten Lauridsen.
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>