"History, Analysis and Performance Considerations of Gerald Finzi's ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

49agogic stresses to achieve a fitting text accentuation is strikingly apparent than in his setting ofthe lines of Crashaw’s, “Lo, the Bread of Life” stanza. Such statements as “This day’sTriumphant Text,” and “To the great twelve distributed,” highlight Finzi’s ability to find theaural and notational gesture most fitting the spirit and rhythm of a text, while (contrary to itsawkward appearance in the score) maintaining a most effective and natural musicality.As Section D draws to a close, its own dynamic arch rapidly descending at measure 123,the music takes an unanticipated turn. Here Finzi sets one last gasp, a short and final rise on“When Life, himself, at point to,” reaching a musical peak at Crashaw’s poetically moving “dieof love.” The soprano D♯ against the organ pedal E, heightened by emotive downward andupward leaps of resolution, 59 paint a bittersweet glow around the image of the Last Supper.Theme j having transitioned through the common tone relationships of G major, E major, and G♯minor (in a dominant capacity), comes finally to harmonic rest in C♯ major on the word“Legacy” (measure 125). Plagally-prepared and mode-shifted on the last note of the section, thiscadential formula, together with final organ intimations of “this sovereign subject,” follows thefavored Finzian figure (see Figures 22 and 32).A reduction of theme j indicates a subtle upward shift in the background line from G toG♯, balancing in small degree the earlier descent of themes h and i (see Figures 31 and 33). Tosummarize the thematic structure of Section D, following the psalm tone introduction, the twonew celebratory march themes delineate the anthem midpoint, providing both its climax and thebeginning of its long recapitulation (see Table 4).59 Double appoggiatura with octave transfer.
50Figure 32. “This sovereign subject” organ echo (measures 125-126).Figure 33. Reduction of theme j, “Lo the Bread of Life” (measures 116-126).
Page 1 and 2:
HISTORY, ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCECO
Page 3 and 4:
. . . as surely as birds must sing,
Page 5:
LIST OF FIGURESFigurePage1. Constru
Page 8 and 9: LIST OF TABLESTablePage1. Section A
Page 10 and 11: HISTORICAL OVERVIEWIt was the summe
Page 12 and 13: 3Hussey suggested a Eucharist theme
Page 14 and 15: Lo, the Full Final Sacrifice was at
Page 16 and 17: 7miniaturist is now generally recog
Page 18 and 19: 9Hardy (agnostic fatalist), Wordswo
Page 20 and 21: 11According to Christopher, his fat
Page 23: 14Examination of FormSection AThe a
Page 26 and 27: 17However the arrival of A major at
Page 28 and 29: 19Figure 7. Reduction of measures 1
Page 30 and 31: 21Stanford, being of his generation
Page 32 and 33: 23unique contour of these lines, a
Page 34 and 35: 25Figure 12. Rising major third key
Page 36 and 37: 27with the downward leap of a minor
Page 38 and 39: 29Figure 15. “O Let that love”
Page 40 and 41: Figure 16. “Jesu Master” organ
Page 42 and 43: 33Crashaw’s images of “Food”
Page 44 and 45: 35Harmony then, falls among every o
Page 46 and 47: 37Section CAn immediate resetting o
Page 48 and 49: Figure 21. “Weeping” organ gest
Page 50 and 51: 41another shortened verse and fitti
Page 52 and 53: 43unison/octaves. The preceding org
Page 54 and 55: 45Figure 28. “Stretch all thy pow
Page 56 and 57: 47Arriving at the word “love” a
Page 60 and 61: 51Table 4Section D - Thematic Struc
Page 62 and 63: 53famine, feeding its young with it
Page 64 and 65: 55global humanity en masse, but mor
Page 66 and 67: 57Figure 37. “And that long day
Page 68 and 69: 59Figure 39. Reduction of Section B
Page 70 and 71: 61sublime heavenly and musical asce
Page 73 and 74: PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONSPrinciple
Page 75 and 76: 66and 16 to clarify structural punc
Page 77 and 78: 68To add further contrast with the
Page 79 and 80: 70breath in the vocal part to compl
Page 81 and 82: 72pairings. A lift at the end of th
Page 83 and 84: 74for the tenor soloist be placed a
Page 85 and 86: 76the word “chase” followed by
Page 87 and 88: 78Finzi always had a sense that he
Page 89 and 90: 808 Lo the Bread of Life, this day
Page 91 and 92: 82_____ . The Composer’s Use of W
show all

"History, Analysis and Performance Considerations of Gerald Finzi's ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?