Contemporary Choral
PANUFNIK This Paradise
for Male voices and String Quartet Choral Score
No. 71885a
ROXANNA PANUFNIK
This Paradise for Male voices and String Quartet
Choral Score
EIGENTUM DES VERLEGERS
路
ALLE RECHTE VORBEHALTEN
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
EDITION PETERS LONDON
路 FRANKFURT/M. 路 LEIPZIG 路 NEW YORK
to the Dante Quartet
This score is a facsimile of the composer’s manuscript, reflecting the state of editorial work and correction as of Jan 2009
ROXANNA PANUFNIK
This Paradise for Male voices and String Quartet Words by Dante Alighieri, trans. Robin Kirkpatrick
Duration c. 11 minutes
When the Dante Quartet approached me to write a piece for them that would be influenced by some aspect of Dante’s Divine Comedy, the concept of composing something from Paradiso immediately appealed. With the help of Dante expert Professor Robin Kirkpatrick, we isolated Canto (verse) 23, which seemed to include all Paradiso’s emotional extremes of Dante’s re-unification with his beloved Beatrice and their ascent into Heaven. The main musical theme of this work is influenced by the troubadour traditions of Dante’s time (12th/13th Century), in the Dorian mode with delicate ornamentation. In the optional male voice choir part I would love to have used all 1,156 words of Robin’s beautiful translation – however, there wasn’t time! The Canto seemed to fall into 6 sections – and I have followed this structure in my composition. 1. ‘A bird,… her heart ablaze, awaits the sun,’ The canto opens with lines depicting a mother bird watching the horizon for the first signs of daybreak which are intended to describe the expectant attention on Beatrice's face as she looks up to heaven. We hear the first phrases of the troubadour melody, growing against a backdrop of high held anticipatory notes and small bursts of bird song. A fanfare opens the second section 2. ‘Triumphing, the soldiery of Christ,’ heralding a vision of Christ who now progresses through the Heavens accompanied by the souls of all the blessed. It then leads swiftly into a more harmonically and rhythmically languorous rendition of the troubadour theme, creating an atmosphere of “calm, clear skies of moon-lit nights”. The sun rises and soars over all with an unbearably brilliant incandescence, illuminating “all wisdom and strength that cleared the open road that runs from Heaven to earth,” portrayed by swirling strings, punctuated by accented clusters for “exploding vapours” in 3. ‘…bolts of fire, unlocked from thunder clouds,’ escorting Dante and Beatrice into a higher form of celestial life. In 4. The indescribable smile, all becomes calm. Beatrice and the Virgin Mary seem to merge as Dante writes of a smile so awesomely beautiful and emotive that it is indescribable: “… that holy smile… How her holy look grew purer still, I’d still not reach one thousandth of the truth.” Here the music ascends harmonically and melodically to create the feeling of lips slowly forming into a smile. The original melody changes from its slightly solemn minor key into the major, implying a great sense of contentment and relief. In 5. Call to the Virgin Mary the notion of mirroring Mary with Beatrice is developed as the music calls for Maria, “La Rosa” (“The rose, in which the Word of God became our flesh,”) and Beatrice. These calls become more ardent until they break out into a “…swirling crowd of splendours flung out like thunderbolts…” (developing the swirling strings and punctuated clusters of section 3.) heralding the plea: “You (God) generous strength! Open this arena to my eyes…” …/cont. 6. ‘And so the perfect circling of that tune sealed its conclusion,’ – we come full circle as the opening melody returns in its original form. The piece ends triumphantly with invocations to Mary/Beatrice as Dante concludes that “…here beneath the most exalted son, (…) triumphs the one who holds such glory’s key.” I would like to thank the Dante Quartet (to whom this work is dedicated) for commissioning this piece. I could not have done this without the inspirational guidance and support of Prof. Robin Kirkpatrick, whose insight and translation have been the cornerstone of this music. And I am very grateful to Stephen Cleobury for supervising my addition of the ad lib. choral parts. Roxanna Panufnik March, 2008
for the Dante Quartet
This Paradise for string quartet and male voice choir ad lib. (2008) words by Dante, translated by Robin Kirkpatrick
Roxanna Panufnik (* 1968)
1. ‘A bird,… her heart ablaze, awaits the sun,’ Molto espressivo
q. = 52
Altos 1&2
p
(Hum)
Tenors 1&2
Violin 1
Violin 2
poco sul pont.
Violoncello
*)
ord.
p non vibrato
p
poco sul pont.
(Hum)
p non vibrato
7
Va.
ort. p
Vl. 2
ord.
Vc.
(Hum)
*) bars to be ommitted in the string quartet (without choir) version
T.1&2
Vl. 1
A.1&2
B.1&2
port.
p
port.
p non vibrato poco sul pont.
p non vibrato
Viola
(Hum)
Basses 1&2
(Hum)
poco sul pont.
Edition Peters No. 71885a © Copyright 2008 by Hinrichsen Edition, Peters Edition Limited, London
A.1&2 2
12
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Vc.
(Hum)
morendo
morendo
ord.
mp
*)
(Hum)
Va.
p
p
p
morendo
4
*) all glissandos from start of note
A.1&2 19
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
port.
(Hum)
ord.
pp
pp
pp
morendo
cresc.
morendo
morendo
26
T.1&2
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
3
(Hum)
mf
pp
mp sub.
pp
4
p
pp
like an echo...
mp A.1 34
heart
p
- blaze,
p
mp
A.2
Her
T.1&2
mp
heart
a
-
-
p
mp B.1&2
- blaze,
p
Her
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
a
-
-
morendo
p
mf
cresc.
3
4 Vl. 1
40
Va.
Vc.
p
mp sub.
p
mp
p
Vl. 2
mp
mp
A.1 43
A.2
p cresc.
heart,
p
her
B.1&2
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
T.1&2
morendo
4
p
p
p
heart,
heart,
mp
her
Ah
a -
Ah
her
her
p cresc.
mp
p
cresc.
a -
cresc.
mf
cresc.
mp
mp
cresc.
mp
cresc.
mp
A.1 51
heart
A.2
heart
T.1
T.2
heart a -
blaze,
waits
cresc.
a
blaze
blaze
B.1
heart a -
blaze,
Vl. 2
-
-
sun,
sun.
mf
mp sub.
mp sub.
mp sub.
mp sub.
(hum)
cresc.
(hum)
mf
(hum)
sun.
mf
mp sub.
(hum)
f
cresc.
sun.
mf
the
(hum)
mp sub.
(hum)
sun.
mf
cresc.
cresc.
Vc.
sun,
the
sun.
a
cresc.
mf
mf
cresc.
sun.
mf
- waits
sun,
cresc.
Va.
the
- waits
blaze
Vl. 1
cresc.
blaze
B.2
-
a
mf
cresc.
mp sub.
p sub.
p sub.
p sub.
5
6
A.1&2
Vl. 1
Vc.
G.P.
cresc.
B.1&2
Vc.
cresc.
Va.
67
Vl. 2
cresc.
A.1&2
Vl. 1
cresc.
T.1&2
(Ah)
(Ah)
f
ff
ff
e=e
Christ,
Christ,
of...
phing,
ff
phing,
f
Tri - um -
ff
ff
port.
of...
sold - ie - ry
sold - ie - ry
f
ff
Tri - um -
of...
phing,
Tri - um -
f
f 2
ff
f
f
f
sold - ie - ry
f
f
(Ah)
Va.
Vl. 2
q. = 66
T.1&2
B.1&2
2. Triumphing, the soldiery of Christ,
poco accel. 59 G.P.
Christ,
f
f
7
A.1&2
molto accel. mp
74
Vl. 1
mp
mp
T.1&2
B.1&2
f
Vl. 2
Va.
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
77
3
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
78
6
6
6
fff
fff
fff
8
"calm, clear skies of moonlit nights" Langourously q = 60 80 mp
A.1&2
Calm
clear
Calm
clear
Calm
mp
T.1&2
*)
mp sub.
*)
Vl. 2
moon cresc.
-
moon
-
cresc.
mp sub.
lit
lit
lit
3
cresc.
*)
Va.
Vc.
of
-
skies
moon cresc.
of
of
skies
mp
skies
clear
B.1&2 Vl. 1
cresc.
mp sub.
cresc.
*)
mp *) with no break from previous glissando, even if gliss. travels higher than next note.
cresc.
"soaring sun..."
mf A.1&2 83
nights,
nights,
mf
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
nights,
Vc.
3
moon
-
lit
mf
mf
Va.
of
Vl. 2
mf
mf
mf
3
nights,
A.1&2
"...that glow, to bright within my eyes for me to tolerate."
85
T.1&2
Vc.
saw one sun that soar -
mp
saw one sun that soar -
mp
mf
mp 3
soar - ing,
mp
I
Va.
saw one sun that
I
Vl. 2
I
B.1&2 Vl. 1
mp
3
lit them
all,
ing,
lit them all,
ing,
lit them all,
f
f
f
mp
f
3. "...bolts of fire, unlocked from thunder clouds,"
A.1&2
q = 104
89 ff
brigh
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
-
-
-
ff
brigh
-
-
-
-
-
ff
brigh
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
t...
t...
t...
Vl. 2
mf
Va.
Vc.
mf
9
f A.1&2 10
92
Vl. 1
is
all
is
all
is
Here f
B.1&2
all
Here
T.1&2
f
Here
and
the
wis - dom,
and
the
and
the
wis - dom,
wis - dom,
mf
Vl. 2
Vc.
A.1&2 94
strength
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
mf
6
cleared
the
cleared
that
the
that
cleared
the
Va.
that
strength
Vl. 2
Vc.
strength
6
A.1&2
11
95
o
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
o
-
o
-
pen
road
that
from Hea- ven
pen
road
runs
to
3
that
runs
from Hea - ven
pen
road
that
runs
from Hea - ven
to
3
to
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
-
3
6
6
6
6
A.1&2 97
Earth,
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
Va.
Earth,
Vl. 2
Vc.
Earth,
6
6
6
6
A.1&2 12
98
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
Va.
Bolts
Vl. 2
Vc.
of
6
6
6
6
6
B.1&2
99
fire,
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
13
thun - der
molto rall.
100
T.1&2
Vl. 1
Vc.
Va.
clouds,
Vl. 2
p sub.
p sub.
p sub.
p sub.
4. The indescribable smile a tempo (q = 104) with great love and huge warmth
f A.1&2 102
sing
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
- ing
of
that
ho - ly
smile...
ff
ff
ff
mp
How
ff
f
14
"..sweetest milk...that holy smile...I'd still not reach one thousandth of the truth."
gently q = 48
107 mp
A.1&2
How
How B.1&2 mp
T.1&2
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
mp
her
grew
pur - er
still,
look
ho - ly
her
ho - ly
look
grew
pur - er
her
ho - ly
look
grew
pur - er
mp
I'd
still
3
3
3
mp
Vc.
mp
Va.
still,
3
3
cresc. A.1&2 111
still
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
not
reach
one
not
reach
one
not
reach
one
still
cresc.
still
the
truth.
thou - sandth mf
of
the
thou - sandth
of
the
mf
sandth of
(imagine a mouth slowly stretching into a smile)
6
cresc.
Vl. 2
Va.
cresc.
cresc.
3
mf
6
truth.
truth,
one
mf
cresc.
Vc.
thou -
I'd
mf
cresc.
I'd
mf
mf
A.1&2
mp sub.
114
thou - sandth of
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
Va.
thou - sandth of
3
3
*)
15
3
(Hum)
port.
mp sub.
mp sub.
(Hum)
mp sub.
3
3
3
*)
truth.
the
3
(Hum)
mp sub.
truth. mp sub.
truth.
Vl. 2
Vc.
the
*)
mp sub.
118
A.1
A.2
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
a tempo
(Hum)
the
truth.
(Hum)
of
the
Va.
of
(Hum)
q = 48
(Hum)
Vl. 2
Vc.
rall.
*) ATB1 hum and ATB2 "oo"
of
the
truth.
16
5. Call to the Virgin Mary
A.1 q. = 72
123
A.2
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
p
-
-
Va.
-
-
-
Ro
p
p
p ("La
-
-
La
-
p
Ma - ri
La
- sa,
Ro
sa")
3
port.
-
("Ma - ri
Vl. 2
- sa,
Ro
p
3
-
a
Ma
a")
3
17
A.1
128
- sa,
A.2
-
T.1
T.2
B.1
B.2
Vl. 1
3
-
3
-
Vc.
Ro
-
-
Ro
-o -
p
-
-
p ("Ma
- ri -
a")
-o
-
-
-
-
La
- o -
3
Ro
a")
-
La
-
a
a
("Ma - ri
Va.
-
Vl. 2
-
-o
ri
La
ri
-
3
18 q. = 96
accel.
A.1 -o
-
-
B.1
-
f
-
Vl. 1
Va.
-
ri
-
a.
f
-
f
mp
Ma
-
ri
-
a.
*)
Ma
-
ri
-
a
mp
*)
Ma
-
ri
-
a
4
*) like an echo, fading away
4
mp
4
a.
-
sa,
ri
*)
sa,
-
sa,
Vl. 2
Vc.
Ma
sa,
-
B.2
Ma
sa,
mp *) -
T.1&2
mp
*)
f
A.2
f
132
mp
3
mp
mp
mp
Vl. 1
137
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
mf
3
cresc.
("Ma
cresc.
cresc.
3
rall.
-
mf ("Ma
-
mf ("Ma
cresc.
-
mf
ri
-
ri
ri
-
19
a")
-
a")
a")
143
Vl. 1
q. = 72
Va.
Vl. 2
Vc.
"...swirling crowd of splendours flung out like thunderbolts..."
mp
mf
mp
mf
mp
mf
mp
146
Vl. 1
mf
mp
Vl. 2
mp
mf
mf
6
Vc.
mf
mf
mp
3
mf
f
3
6
f
Va.
mp
20
149
Vl. 1
mf
mp
mf
3 6 3
Vl. 2
6
f
mf
mf
Va.
Vc.
mp
mf
Vl. 1
152
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
f
f
6
6
mp sub.
6
6
6
f
f
mp sub.
154
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
mf
mf
6
6
mp sub.
mf
mf 6
mp sub.
6
6
157
A.1&2
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
Va.
Vc.
f
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
"You (God), generous strength!"
T.1&2
Va.
ge - ne - rous strength!
gen - ne - rous strength!
A.1&2
Vl. 2
(e = e )
162
Vl. 1
You,
f
B.1&2
You,
You,
Vl. 2
Vc.
21
f
o - pen
this
a
o - pen
this
a
o - pen
this
a
gen - ne - rous strength!
ff
ff
ff
-
re - na
-
re - na
re - na
to
my
3
3
3
3
my
my
to
to
-
ff very intensely
ff very intensely
ff very intensely
eyes...
eyes...
eyes...
ff very intensely
22
rall.
A.1&2
169
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
mf
Ma - ri
-
*)
a,
Be - a - tri
-
mp gently
Ma
-
-
a,
ri
ce,
mp gently
Ma - ri
mf
mp gently
-
gently
mf
mf
Va.
Vc.
Vl. 2
q = 56
mf
mf
mf
gently
gently
gently
A.1&2 174
Ma
- a, B.1&2
-
ri
-
a,
Vl. 1
Va.
Vc.
a - tri
-
-
Vl. 2
Be
T.1&2
*) Be
*) Be
ce,
Be
3
3
*) pronounced the Italian way: "Be-a-tree-chay"
-
a - tri -
-
-
ce,
a - tri -
a - tri -
ce,
ce,
mp
mp
mp
mp
Ma - ri -
Be
i-
a,
-
a - tri
-
23
A.1&2 177
3
ma
T.1&2
-
gin - ing
Va.
Vc.
-
dise,
3
port.
p
(Hum)
- ce.
thispa - ra - dise.
3
3
this pa - ra - dise,
Vl. 2
this Pa - ra
B.1&2 Vl. 1
6. "And so the perfect circling of that tune sealed its conclusion," Molto espressivo q. = 52
p
p
p
p
T.1&2
183
B.1&2
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
p
(Hum)
p
(Hum)
pp
A.1&2 24
189
Vl. 1
(Hum)
ort. p
(Hum)
Va.
Vl. 2
Vc.
T.1&2
B.1&2
morendo
mp
p
p
morendo
p
p
morendo
196
Vl. 1
Vl. 2
Va.
Vc.
molto rall.
p
4
morendo
p
p
morendo
morendo
25
"And this, to me, made clear what depths of heart-felt love they bore towards Maria."
A.1&2 203
T.1&2
p
p
B.1&2 Vl. 1
Ma - ri
3
-
-
La Ro - sa,
La Ro - sa,
3
p
a,
Va.
Vc.
p
p
("La
3
mp
Ro - sa")
"And here beneath the most exalted son, (...) triumphs the one who holds such glory's key."
A.1&2
207
T.1&2
B.1&2
Vl. 1
Va.
Vc.
mp
("Ma - ri
-
*) sing top note, also, if poss.
-
mf
-
morendo
morendo
-
ri
mp
mf
*)
-
ff
a!
-
a!
f
- a!
a!")
ri
-
Ma
Ma
Vl. 2
mp
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
ff
Photo © Keith Saunders
This Paradise
Roxanna Panufnik studied at the Royal Academy of Music, and has written opera, ballet, music theatre, choral, chamber and film music. Key works include Westminster Mass, written for Westminster Cathedral Choir to mark Cardinal Hume’s 75th birthday, and settings of Vikram Seth’s Beastly Tales, commissioned by the BBC for Patricia Rozario and the City of London Sinfonia; harp concerto Powers & Dominions; violin concerto Abraham – for Daniel Hope – which exists also as an overture for the World Orchestra for Peace, premiered in Jerusalem under Valery Gergiev; Schola Missa de Angelis (choir of London Oratory School and brass octet); and The Generation of Love, a Shakespeare sonnet cycle (Mark Padmore, Richard Watkins, Julius Drake).
PANUFNIK
Roxanna Panufnik
Roxanna Panufnik studierte an der Royal Academy of Music und schuf Kompositionen für Oper, Ballett und Musiktheater sowie Chor-, Kammer- und Filmmusik. Zu ihren wichtigsten Werken gehören: die Westminster Mass für den Westminster Cathedral Choir, entstanden zum 75. Geburtstag des Londoner Erzbischofs Kardinal Hume; Vertonungen nach Vikram Seths Beastly Tales für Patricia Rozario und die City of London Sinfonia, ein Auftragswerk der BBC; das Harfenkonzert Powers & Dominions; das Violinkonzert Abraham für Daniel Hope, das auch als Ouvertüre für das World Orchestra for Peace existiert und in dieser Form unter Valery Gergiev in Jerusalem uraufgeführt wurde; Schola Missa de Angelis (Chor der London Oratory School und Blechbläseroktett) sowie The Generation of Love, ein Zyklus von Shakespeare-Sonetten (Mark Padmore, Richard Watkins, Julius Drake).
Edition Peters No. 71885a
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