 | Purcell, Henry - "Tantum Ergo" for Harp & Woodwind Sextet Opus 55 All instrument |
| Composer : | Purcell, Henry (1659 - 1695) | ||
| Instrumentation : | All instrument | ||
| Style : | Baroque | ||
| Arranger : | MAGATAGAN, MICHAEL (1960 - ) | ||
| Publisher : | MAGATAGAN, MICHAEL | ||
| Date : | 1890 | ||
| Copyright : | Public Domain | ||
| Added by magataganm, 01 Feb 2013 Tantum ergo are the opening words of the last two verses of Pange Lingua, a Mediaeval Latin hymn written by St Thomas Aquinas. These last two verses are sung during veneration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church and other churches that practice this devotion. It is usually sung, though solemn recitation is sometimes done, and permitted. Gabriel Fauré once defended his Requiem (1887 - 99), often accused of being more like a sentimental lullaby than a mass for the dead, by saying that the music any composer writes for religious purposes reflects that composer's own emotions and spirituality. Accordingly, Fauré's own Requiem may be said to express the composer's belief that death was a deliverance of the soul to everlasting bliss. Fauré's ca. 1891 setting of Tantum ergo, Op. 55, shows something of the same sensibility via lush harmonies, persistent harp arpeggios, and quiet, largely scalar vocal lines for both the soloist and choir. It is one of the composer's simplest works; the vocal parts are highly repetitive and unfold within a generally narrow range of pitch and dynamics, while the instrumental parts are similarly uncomplicated. Throughout most of the piece, the soloist and chorus alternate statements of the main theme; overall, the atmosphere is one of quiet tranquillity. Although originally written for Solo Reed, Chorus (SATBB) Keyboard & Organ, I created this arrangement for Harp & Woodwind Sextet (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, English Horn, French Horn & Bassoon). | |||
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