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PATRICK HAWES

The Wedding at Cana

for SATB choir, soprano, tenor and orchestra

Vocal Score

PATRICK HAWES

The Wedding at Cana

for SATB choir, soprano, tenor & orchestra

Libretto by Andrew Hawes (1954 - )

forperusalonly

VOCAL SCORE

Cover image: The Wedding Feast at Cana Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794 - 1872)

ISBN 978-1-910623-78-7

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Published by Hawes Music Ltd

www.hawesmusic.com

No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior permission of Hawes Music Ltd.

Printed in the United Kingdom by Caligraving Ltd, Thetford, Norfolk.

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The Wedding at Cana was comissioned by Ken and Joy Whitehead for the Pangbourne Choral Society.

The original version for choir, soloists and full orchestra was premiered at Pangbourne College 3rd February 1990.

The subsequent version for choir, soloists and reduced orchestration was premiered by the Choir of the Earth in Summer 2026.

DURATION

circa 55 minutes

INSTRUMENTATION

FULL ORCHESTRAL VERSION:

2 Flutes

2 Oboes

2 Clarinets in B fat

2 Bassoons

2 Horns in F

2 Trumpets in B fat

2 Tenor Trombones

1 Bass Trombone

2 Percussion

Timpani

Harp

Strings

REDUCED VERSION:

1 Flute

1 Oboe

1 Clarinet in B fat

1 Bassoon

1 Horn in F

1 Trumpet in B fat

1 Percussion

Timpani

Harp

Strings

COMPOSER’S NOTE

The Wedding at Cana was my first ever sizable composition. Written during the second half of 1989, it was the result of a commission from Joy and Ken Whitehead who were parents of a music scholar at Pangbourne College in Berkshire, where I was a teacher of Music and English. I had written a few solo piano pieces and songs which had been performed at school concerts but never imagined embarking on a large-scale work like this. The commission was for the Pangbourne Choral Society which was flourishing under its director Bob Barsby, and the singers wholeheartedly welcomed the arrival of a new composition (which was originally expected to be ten to fifteen minutes in length but finally emerged as a dramatic cantata lasting about an hour.)

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My brother Andrew suggested the subject of the Wedding at Cana and skilfully adapted the text of St John’s gospel into ten separate movements, three of which were Andrew‘s own poetic reflections. I spent most of the summer of 1989 at the piano of a deserted music school in the College grounds and had a life changing experience, not only musically but in terms of my Christian faith. Bringing Christ’s first miracle to life - as well as setting the words of Christ and his mother Mary - helped to provide the foundations of a deep faith which has grown and intensified over the years. There is inevitably a youthful innocence about this work. It is totally free of any kind of pretension, and is quite simply the expression of a young man’s faith through a spontaneous and natural grasp of Western musical language. Performers should approach The Wedding at Cana in this light, never trying to analyse or be over-expressive. All that is needed is that the choir and soloists tell this magnificent story with honesty and integrity, reflect on its implications for mankind and help audiences to come to ”believe in Him.“

I. CHORUS

On the third day, there was a Wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there and Jesus and his disciples were guests also.

II. TENOR

In the echoing harmony of the third day, The virgin moment of a new world; The waters of creation break Yielding from the deep Fruitful ground.

In the dancing rhythms of the third day, In the innocent ecstasy of celebration.

Heaven’s Son takes fesh In passionate embrace Making joy From a new world’s wine.

In the silent dawning of the third day, In the expecting light The garden murmurs its mystery; The retreating tide of the water of death.

III. CHORUS

The wine gave out and the mother of Jesus said unto Him, ‘They have no wine left’. He answered, ‘Your concern mother is not mine’.

IV. SOPRANO, TENOR & CHORUS

Jesus ‘My hour has not yet come’

Mary ‘Do whatever He tells you’ Chorus There were six stone water jars standing near of the kind used in the Jewish rites of purifcation.

V. CHORUS

LIBRETTO

The water of love wells from man’s heart; sweet tears of love’s pain and hard tears of regret. The springs of forgiveness, the deep pool of peace are found in each person and yearn for release.

The waters of love, human and divine, when mingled create the most beautiful wine. In the glass of life’s living in the joy of our hearts the waters are joined and will never part.

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Jesus said to the servants: ‘Fill the jars with water’. And they flled them to the brim.

VI. SOPRANO & TENOR

The water of love fows from God’s heart; like rain, like a river to quench the parched. The strength of the tide, the still ocean deeps the pounding on conscience the caressing of dreams.

VII. CHORUS

‘Now draw some off and take it to the steward of the feast’. The steward tasted the water now turned into wine. He did not know the source though the servants knew.

VIII. SOPRANO

It is the empty-handed that grasp the richness of God. Only the broken-hearted hear the healing words of unspoken silence. Only in those whose lives are spent the fruit of love is grown. It is the eyes that watch the world that see the mystery unfold. For only a servant can know in truth the will of the slave of all. To a servant the gift is a wounded heart a cup of bitter wine, which poured through tender blood-red hands all creation binds.

IX. CHORUS

The steward hailed the bridegroom and said, ‘Everyone serves the best wine frst but you have saved the best wine till now.’

X. CHORUS

This deed at Cana in Galilee is the frst of the signs by which Jesus revealed His glory and led his disciples to believe in Him.

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Text compiled by Andrew Hawes

THE WEDDING AT CANA I

Allegro con brio q = c 132

there

there was a wed ding,

Meno mosso q = c 82

the p legato wine gave out, the wine gave out, the wine gave

the p legato wine gave out, the wine gave out, the the p legato wine gave out, the wine gave the p legato wine gave out, the p

Meno mosso q = c.82 out, out, the wine gave out, the wine gave out, and p the mo ther,poco rall. meno mosso

wine gave out, the wine gave out, and p the mo ther,out, the wine, the wine gave out, gave out, and p the mo ther,wine gave out, gave out p poco rall. meno mosso

Più mosso

him, un to - him, p ´They have no wine left, they p have rall. a tempo

said to him, p ´They p have said to him, p ´They have no wine left, said to him, p p rall. a tempo no

cresc f tells you, what e - ver - he tells you, what e - ver - he tells you ´

Je più legato sus - said, Je più legato sus - said, sempre

said to the ser vants,

sempre

Fill f the jars with wa ter, - ll the jars with

Fill f the jars with wa ter, - ll the jars with f stacc

jars with

jars

wa ter, - ll the jars with

ter,

with wa ter, - ll the jars with

- with wa ter, - ll the jars with

And they lled them to the to the brim, and they lled them to the brim, they lled them, And they

brim, they lled them to the brim, and they lled them to the brim, they lled them to the brim, the brim, to the brim,

lled them to the brim, they lled them to the brim, and they

they lled them, they lled them to the brim, and they lled them, and they lled them to the brim,

lled them to the brim, they lled, they lled them to the

to the brim, they lled, they lled, them, they lled them, they lled them to the brim, they lled them, they

brim, the brim, to the brim,

to the brim, to the brim, to the brim, to the brim, to the brim, and they lled them to the brim,

and f they lled them to the brim, and f they lled them to the brim, and f they lled them to the brim, and f they lled them to the brim, and they

lled them, they lled them, they lled them to the brim,

and they lled them to the brim, they lled them

and they lled them, they lled them, they the brim, they lled them, they lled them, they lled them, lled

to the brim, and they lled them to the brim, and they lled them, to the

they

brim, and they lled them, they lled them to the

lled them, they lled them, they to the brim, and they lled them to the lled them to the brim, they lled them brim, they lled them to the brim, they

lled them to the brim, the brim, brim, the brim, the brim, and they to the brim, and they lled them to the

lled them, they lled them, they

and they lled them to the brim, lled them to the brim, they lled them they lled them, they lled

lled them to the brim, the brim, and they lled them to the

lled them to the brim, the brim, they lled them, to the brim, and they lled them to the brim, and they lled them them to the brim, the brim, they lled them, they lled them,

brim, and they lled them to the brim,

they lled them, they lled them to the brim, to the brim, and they lled them to the brim, they lled them, they lled them, they lled them, to the brim, they lled

brim, and they

brim, and they brim, and they brim, and they lled them, and they lled them, and they

lled them, and they lled them, and they lled them, and they lled them, and they lled them, and they lled them, and they

lled them to the brim, to f the poco a poco accel.

lled them to the brim, to f the

lled them to the brim, to f the f poco a poco accel.

res - sing - - - of dreams, the p poun ding - on

-res sing - of dreams, on p

con science, - the ca res - sing - of con science, - ca res - sing - of dreams. rit.

Moderato espressivo h = c 50

off, now p draw, now draw, now

off, draw, draw, sim off, draw, draw, sim. off, draw, draw, sim draw some

Poco più mosso h = c 60

and p take

to the ste ward - of the feast,

to the ste ward - of the feast, to the ste ward - of the feast, to the ste ward - of the feast, take

of the feast, take f it to the ste ward - of the

of the feast, take f it to the ste ward - of the of the feast, take f it to the ste ward - of the of the feast, take f it to the ste ward - of the f allargando

Subito più mosso (h = c 68)

Subito

mosso (h = c 68)

He did not know the source, he did not know the source,

did not know the source, though p poco a poco cresc the ser vants - knew, though the ser vants - knew, the the allarg.

though p poco a poco cresc. the ser vants - knew, the ser vants - knew, the though p poco a poco cresc the ser vants - knew, the ser vants - knew, the though p poco a poco cresc the ser vants - knew, the ser vants - knew, the allarg.

he did not know the source,

though the ser vants, - the ser vants

the stew ard - hailed the bride groom, -

bride groom, - the sempre marcato hailed, he hailed,

bride groom, - hailed, sempre marcato

bride groom, - hailed, sempre marcato hailed,

hailed,

bride groom, - hailed, sempre marcato

he hailed the bride groom, -

he hailed the bride groom,he hailed the bride groom,hailed, he hailed the bride groom,

rst but you have saved the

rst but you have saved the rst but you have saved the rst but you have saved the best wine till now, but you have saved the best wine, but

best wine till now, but you have saved the best wine, but

have

the

till

but you have

the

you have saved the best wine, the best wine, the best wine till

you have saved the best wine, the best wine, the best wine till best wine, but you have saved the best wine, the best wine till best wine, but you have saved the best wine, the best wine till

The f marcato stew ard - hailed the bride groom, -

The f marcato stew ard - hailed the bride groom,marcato

bride groom, - hailed the bride groom, - and

bride groom, - hailed the bride groom, - and said, and said, rall.

said, and said, said, and said, said, and said,

rall.

best wine till now, but

you have saved the best wine, but

best wine till now, but f you have ser ved the

best wine till now, but f you have saved the best wine, but best wine till now, but f you have ser ved the

now, you p have saved the best wine till rit.

now, you p have saved the best wine till now, you p have saved the best wine till now, you p have saved the best wine till p rit.

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signs by which Je

signs, the rst of the

signs, the rst of the signs, the rst of the signs, the rst of the

cresc in Him, cresc Maestoso con moto (q = 116)

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