| Stabat Mater |
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| Another very successful Fringe production for Carpe Diem. The acoustic in St Marks in Castle Terrace is wonderful: it is both sharp and clear yet warm. It is a lovely place to sing. |
| Scored for choir, soprano, tenor and baritone with piano accompaniment, this setting of the 13th century prayer meditating on the sorrows of the Virgin Mary in her station at the Cross is in ten sections. Unusually, the work finishes with a setting of "In Paradisum", a triumphant hymn for choir, soprano and tenor. Although also a traditional text, In Paradisum is not normally appended to the Stabat Mater, however, it seemed a fitting close to the piece since it is a celebration of the assured entry into Heaven which Christ?s sacrifice gives to all believers. Stylistically, the music, in its mainly polyphonic nature, reflects the tumult of emotions expressed in the text, with the piano frequently taking its place as an integral part of the polyphony. The piece initially fluctuates between major and minor keys, with the major gradually becoming more predominant. After a brief return to the minor in the final section, the work closes with an exultant Tierce de Picardie taking the piece from its opening in D minor to its close in F major. Historically Stabat Mater was sung on the Friday before Palm Sunday. Also, shorter versions existed as psalm-like songs that were not part of the daily mass. By the 12th century the Stabat Mater had become one of the most influential literary and musical forms of the Middle Ages. However, largely because the texts were not taken from the Bible, the Stabat Mater was banned by the Council of Trent (1545-1563): it could be sung at religious celebrations but not during church services. However, in 1727 it was again included as part of the liturgy by the initiative of Pope Benedict XIII. Since then its popularity has continued to rise; over 400 composers have set the text to music. |
| 2000 |
| Sopranos Brid Cullen Betty Ganson Elinor Hay Elspeth Hay Margo Imrie Marilyn Maule Linda Milne Ann Mirtle Maureen McCue Kenna Orkney Linda Shipman Jan Stuart Audrey Westwaters Altos Karen Austin Cathie Brannigan Eunice Classon Jillian Davie Anne Easson Alison Goodwin Linda McMann Carol Mentiplay Christine Thomson |
| 1. Stabat Mater - - Tenor, Choir 2. Quis Est Homo - - Soprano, Tenor 3. Eja Mater, Fons Amoris - - Choir 4. Fac Ut Ardeat Cor Meum - - Soli 5. Juxta Crucem - - Tenor, Choir 6. Virgo Virginum Praeclara - - Soparno, Baritone, Choir 7. Fac Ut Portem - - Tenor, Baritone, Choir 8. Inflammatus et Accensus - - Soprano, Tenor, Choir 9. Quando Corpus Morietur - - Soli 10. In Paradisum - - Soprano, Tenor, Choir |
| I 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 II Quis est homo qui non fleret, Christi Matrem si videret In tanto supplicio? Quis non posset contristari, Piam Matrem contemplari Dolentem cum Filio? Pro peccatis suae gentis Vidit Iesum in tormentis, Et flagellis subditum. Vidit suum dulcem natum Moriendo desolatum Dum emisit spiritum III Eia Mater, fons amoris Me sentire vim doloris Fac, ut tecum lugeam IV 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 vere tecum flere, Crucifixo condolere, Donec ego vixero. V Iuxta crucem tecum stare, Te libenter sociare In planctu desidero VI Virgo virginum praeclara, Mihi iam non sis amara Fac me tecum plangere VI Fac, ut portem Christi mortem Passionis eius sortem, Et plagas recolere. Fac me plagis vulnerari, Cruce hac inebriari, Ob amorem Filii VIII Inflammatus et accensus Per Te, Virgo, sim defensus In die iudicii. Fac me cruce custodiri Morte Christi praemuniri Confoveri gratia IX Quando corpus morietur, Fac, ut animae donetur Paradisi gloria. Amen. X In Paradisum deducant angeli, In tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres Et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem. Chorus angelorum te suscipiat Et com Lazaro quondam paupere Aeternam habeas requiem. |
| At the cross her station keeping Stood the mournful Mother, weeping Close to Jesus at the last. Through her soul, of joy bereaved Bowed with anguish, deeply grieved Now at length the sword hath passed. O, that blessed one, grief-laden Blessed Mother, blessed Maiden, Mother of the all-holy one. O that silent, ceaseless mourning, O those dim eyes, never turning From that wondrous, suffering son. Who on Christ's dear Mother gazing In her trouble so amazing, Born of woman, would not weep? Who on Christ's dear Mother thinking, Such a cup of sorrow drinking, Would not share her sorrow deep? For his people's sins, in anguish, There she saw the Victim languish, Bleed in torments, bleed and die. Saw the Lord's Annointed taken; Saw her Child in death forsaken, Heard his last expiring cry. In the Passion of my Maker Be my sinful soul partaker May I bear with her my part. Of his Passion bear the token In a spirit bowed and broken Bear his heath within my heart. Thou, who on the cross are bearing, All the pains I would be sharing, Glows my heart with love for Thee By Thy glorious Death and Passion, Saving me in wondrous fashion, Saviour, turn my heart to Thee. At Thy feet in adoration, Wrapt in earnest contemplation See, beneath Thy Cross I lie. There, were all our sins Thou bearest In compassion fullest, rarest, Hanging on the bitter tree. Thou who art for ever blessed, Thou who art by all confessed, Now I lift my soul to Thee. Make me of Thy death the bearer, In Thy Passion be a sharer, Taking to myself Thy pain. Let me with Thy stripes be stricken! Let Thy Cross with hope me quicken That I thus Thy love may gain. All my heart, inflamed and burning, Saviour, now to Thee is turning; Shield me in the Judgement Day. By Thy Cross may I be guarded, Meritless, yet be rewarded Through Thy grace, O living Way. While my body here is lying Let my soul be swiftly flying To Thy glorious Paradise. Amen. May the angels receive thee in Paradise; At thy coming may the martyrs receive thee, And bring thee into the Holy City Jerusalem. There may the choir of angels receive thee And with Lazarus, once a beggar, May though have eternal rest. |
| Gillian Haycock - - Soprano Neil Mudie - - Baritone Peter Robinson - - Tenor Dorothy Moncrieff - - Piano |
| Tenors Iain Hughes Alex Keddie Robert Milne David Mitchinson Keith Murray Bill Split Basses Peter Easson Duncan Robertson Chalie Sinclair Neil Thomson Alan Woolley |
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