Toivo Tulev (1958)
Estonia
2005 for soloists, choir and chamber ensemble
Duration : 30'
Theatre of Voices Edition – a selection of fine choral works handpicked by Paul Hillier.
For more information on the composer and the full, updated TOVE catalogue, visit the Edition·S website.
www.edition-s.dk
Songs (2005) was designed for the resonant, airy acoustics of the Niguliste (St Nicholas Church in -Tallinn, Estonia). The performers are spaced out in the form of a cross :
Coro lontano (part VI)
Orchestra I Coro I
Archi Soli Conductor
Organo lontano (part VI)
Orchestra II Coro II
The text is a collage created by the composer from various sources: the Bible in both English (the King James version) and Latin translations (Neo Vulgata) of Song of Songs; and two poems, Cantico espiritual (Spiritual Canticle) and Coplas del alma que pena por ver a Dios (Stanzas Of The Soul That Suffers With Longing To See God), by San Juan de la Cruz. Along with the original text in Spanish, selected passages of the English translation by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguezi are used.
The work, which is dedicated to Paul Hillier, was premiered in October 2005 in the Niguliste Church as part of the NYYD (‘NEW’) festival.
Vocal Text
(with translations of the non-English passages shown in bold)
IBy night on my bed I sought him
Whom my soul loveth:
I sought him, but I found him not. / Song of Songs 3:1 /
I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, And in the broad ways /surgam et circuibo, surgam I will seek him whom my soul loveth… / Song of Songs 3:2 /
By night on my bed I sought him Whom my soul loveth:
I sought him, / quaesivi illum / but I found him not. / et non inveni
II
Where have you hidden, Beloved, and left me moaning? You fled like the stag after wounding me; I went out calling you, but you were gone. / Cantico espiritual 1 /
Seeking my Love / Buscando mis amores I will head for the mountains and for watersides / iré por esos montes y riberas
I will not gather flowers, Nor fear wild beasts; I will go beyond strong men and frontiers. / Cantico espiritual 3 /
O woods and thickets, / iré, iré… Planted by the hand of my Beloved! O green meadow, Coated, bright, with flowers, Tell me, has he passed by you? / Cantico espiritual 4 /
This life that I live Is no life at all, And so I die continually Until I live with you; you… until… you Hear me, hear me, my God: … you I do not desire this life, I am dying because I do not die. / Coplas del Alma 2 /
I am dying because I do not die… die… because I do not… You… because I do not… where have you hidden?… This life that I live… I do not desire… This life… desire… is no life… And so I die until I live with you… Until I live… you…you… you…
Esta vida que yo vivo Es privación de vivir… Que esta vida no la quiero Que muero porque no muero
This life that I live Is no life at all… I do not desire this life, I am dying because I do not die.
Esta vida que yo vivo Es privación de vivir Y así es continuo morir… continuo morir Hasta que viva contigo Oye mi Dios… / Coplas de alma 2 /
This life that I live Is no life at all… And so I die continually… die continually Until I live with you Hear me, my God…
Nigra sum sed formosa, Filiae Ierusalem, Nigra sum sed formosa, Filiae Ierusalem, / Song of Songs 1:5 /
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem,
Look not upon me, Look not upon me, Look not because I am black, Because the sun hath looked upon me: Looked upon me… Look not upon me… upon me… / Canticle 1:6 /
Nigra sum…
As the tents of Kedar, As the curtains of Solomon. / Song of Songs 1:5 /
This life that I live…
Look not upon me… Is no life at all…
And so I die until I live with you… / Coplas del alma 2 /
Look not upon me…
V
Behold, thou art fair, behold, my love; Behold, thou art fair; Thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that
Appear from mount Gilead. / Song of Songs 4:1 /
Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, And thy speech is comely: Thou temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks. / Song of Songs 4:3 /
Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, Which feed among the lilies. / Song of Songs 4:5 /
Thy two breasts… Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, Thou art all fair, my love
Awake, awake, O north wind; And come, thou south; blow upon my garden, That the spices thereof may flow out.
Let my beloved come into his garden, And eat his pleasant fruits… fruits… pleasant fruits… Awake… awake, Blow upon my garden… / Song of Songs 4:16 /
VI
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk:
Eat, O friends; drink, yea, / Veniat dilectus meus
Drink abundantly, O beloved. / in hortum suum / Song of Songs 5:1/
/ Let my beloved / come into his garden
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: /et comedat fructus eius I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; / optimos. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; / Veniat I have drunk my wine with my milk:/ dilectus meus
Eat, O friends; drink, yea, / in hortum
Drink abundantly, O beloved. / suum. / Song of Songs 4:16 / / and eat his pleasant / fruits. / Let / my beloved come / into his / garden.
VII
Veniat / Reveal, reveal, Reveal your presence, Reveal your presence, reveal, Reveal your presence,
Reveal your presence
And may the vision of your beauty be my death,
For the sickness of love is not cured
Except by your very presence and image.
Reveal, reveal,
Reveal your presence/ By night on my bed I sought Him
Reveal your presence
And may the vision of your beauty,
And may the vision of your beauty be my / I sought Him / death / whom my soul loveth
And may the vision of your beauty be my death / I sought Him but I found Him not / Song of Songs 3:1/
And may the vision of your beauty be my death. / Cantico espiritual 11 /
VIII
Mira que la dolencia De amor, que no se cura
Sino con la presencia y la figura / Cantico espiritual 11 /
For the sickness of love
Is not cured
Except by your very presence and image
My beloved is the mountains, And lonely wooded valleys, Strange islands
And resounding rivers, The whistling of love-stirring breezes,
The tranquil night
At the time of the rising dawn, / hear me Silent music, Sounding solitude / hear me
The supper that refreshes, / hear me / and deepens love / hear me. / Cantico espiritual 15-16/ Mi amado, las montañas, Los valles solitarios nemorosos, Las ínsulas extrañas, Los ríos sonorosos, El silbo de los aires amorosos.
My beloved is the mountains, And lonely wooded valleys, Strange islands
And resounding rivers, The whistling of love-stirring breezes.
La noche sosegada
En par de los levantes del aurora, La soledad Sonora, La cena que recrea y enamora, Y enamora, Y enamora. / Cantico espiritual 15-16 /
The tranquil night
At the time of the rising dawn, Sounding solitude,
The supper that refreshes and deepens love, And deepens love, And deepens love.
How fair is thy love / y enamora
My sister, my spouse!
How much better is thy love than wine, Wine! / Cantico espiritual 4:10 / Thou hast ravished my heart, My sister, my spouse. / Song of Songs 4:9 /
How much better is thy love than wine…
Thou hast ravished my heart, Heart, My heart, Heart, Heart,
Thou hast ravished.
Soli:
Soprano
Alto (from the choir)
Mezzosoprano (from the choir)
Tenor
Countertenor
Baritone (from the choir)
Orchestra:
Flute / Recorder / Piccolo / Duduk
Oboe / Duduk
Bassoon
Organ
Percussion I: Marimba, Vibraphone, (Thai) Gongs; 2 Crash Cymbals, 2 Tam-tams (medium, large); 3 Woodblocks, Maracas, Line Bells, Sandpaper, Bass Drum
Flute / Alto Flute / Piccolo
Oboe / English Horn
Bassoon / Contrabassoon
Organ
Percussion II: Marimba (large), Crotales, 3 Cowbells; 2 Crash Cymbals, 3 Cymbals, Tam-tam (large), Sleigh Bells; 4 Bongos, Maracas, Sandpaper, Bass Drum
Choir I SATB
Choir II SATB
Choir III S – distant (Parts VI - VIII)
Strings
Soloists:
2 violins
2 violas
Violoncello
Double Bass
Organ - distant (Part VI, played by a separate player (in the case of a church organ) or by the 2nd organ player with a speaker in the back of the hall)
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kets.
p poco a poco crescendo J
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