EDITION WILHELM HANSEN WH33846
Joel Järventausta
REFLECTING TAVERNER for SSAATTBB Choir (2019)
Chorus Score
Joel Järventausta
REFLECTING TAVERNER for SSAATTBB Choir
(2019) The premiere was given by ORA Singers, conducted by Suzi Digby. King’s College Chapel, London.
Duration: c. 6 min.
Chorus
Copyright © 2025 Edition Wilhelm Hansen A/S, Copenhagen Music engraving in Sibelius Publisher´s editor Katrine Gregersen Dal Edition Wilhelm Hansen, A/S Bornholmsgade 1A 1266 København K Denmark www.wisemusicclassical.com
Composer’s notes My piece - as kindly requested by ORA Singers - is a reflection upon Dum transisset Sabbatum by John Taverner (1490-1545). The word reflection has two meanings, to physically reflect and to contemplate, so I decided to approach the task from two perspectives; the audible and the abstract, hence the homonymous title Reflecting Taverner. The rich tonal language of Taverner is reflected in the harmonic landscape of my piece. Only five words - Sabbatum, Maria, aromata, Jesum, Alleluia - of the original text remain in my work, all of which bear resonant vowels to allow a rich choral sound. I have also attempted to make the choir sound as if heard from afar or possibly from outside a church, with humming and occasionally chopping the words into syllables.
The choir is split into two groups of four set apart from each other, to allow a certain amount of echo effect and call and response type of interplay. A hushed, distant chorale begins the piece. Words start to emerge. The music soon reaches the climax on the word ‘aromata’ (spices) which is emphasized and reiterated across the choir. This is a word that is also emphasised in Taverner’s setting, through extensive melisma. By the end, the music has stabilised and reached a whole new place harmonically, with the repetition of the words ‘Jesum’ and ‘Alleluia’.
Performance notes Notated rhytms are approximate; effect of speeding up and slowing down is desired. The glissandi: whole duration. The choir should form into two consorts of four singers, both with one to a part. The distance and positioning of the two consorts can be experimented with but they should be standing clearly apart from each other.
1. SATB
(Stage)
2. SATB
___________________________ (Audience) Occasionally, only syllables are sung, jumping from part to part to form a full word. All syllables are taken from the words previously sung (i.e. ‘Ma’ originates from ‘Maria’), therefore pronouncing these as if singing the whole word, gives the desired effect. Joel Järventausta
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WH33846 ISMN 9790661402817
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402817