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

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51Table 4Section D – Thematic StructureTheme Function Measures TexthijIntroductory (Petition)Thematic (March)Continuation/Return90-100100-115116-126(PAUSE)Help Lord, my FaithRise, Royal SionLo the Bread of LifeHaving examined the anthem to the current point of arch-recapitulation, it is helpful tonow present a wide-view reduction of the background line commencing from measure 1 (seeFigure 34). What is striking about this particular analysis is that, regardless of how much (orlittle) structural pre-planning he undertook in the composition of Lo, the Full Final Sacrifice,Finzi certainly had a sense of structural breathing from at least a mid-range point of view. Afterthe extended opening focusing on E, the background line makes a long descent from A, andarriving at its lowest point on F, rises a semitone in harmonic and melodic release. The samemotion is observed at the resetting of the background to B at measure 87, and after a shorterdescent, also provides a release in ascending by semitone at measure 119. While these ‘note’movements represent large-scale gestures spanning multiple measures, the underlying aestheticis that of providing a final dissipation or release of musical energy at the close of a sectionthrough some unique harmonic shift. And it is this exact technique that we have repeatedlyFigure 34. Reduction of Section A through D (measures 1-126).
52observed as used by Finzi on the small scale in his cadential formulas, shifting by common tone,mediant, and/or mode on the conclusive chord of thematic statements! What is consciouslyrecognized or simply subconsciously sensed by a composer in regards to creating wide-viewstructural gestures certainly varies by individual. While this subject as specifically relating toFinzi has not been explored anywhere in detail, Walker provides the following in regards to his“constructions”:Nowadays it is fashionable to separate composers into those who compose fromthe head and those who compose from the heart. The truth is that all music mustbe organised if it is to be coherent. Whether such organisation involves'intellectual' labour or whether it occurs quite spontaneously, i.e., comes from 'theheart', is a purely secondary consideration. The thematic relationships set upwithin a work are neither good nor bad simply because they occurred consciouslyor unconsciously. Finzi is not the sort of composer whom friends and criticsgenerally regard as having 'constructed' his music. In my submission both partieshave a totally wrong evaluation of the word 'construction' which they incorrectlyequate with 'consciousness'. Finzi had the sort of mind that could achieveremarkable results in musical craftsmanship when prompted by words thatcaptured his imagination.” 60It remains therefore, an interesting speculation only, as to the underlying relationships of similarmacro- and micro-gestural elements in this work.Section C’Section C’ is marked by the return of theme f in its original key of B♭ minor(transitioning by common organ tone in measure 126), as well as the return of the Adoro Te text,the last stanza of which is used for all remaining anthem sections. The extended tenor and basssolos comprising the entirety of C’ (measures 127-141) paint a lyrical and poignant image of the“soft self-wounding Pelican” which, according to mythology, would strike its breast in times of60 Walker, 9-10.
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 58 and 59: 49agogic stresses to achieve a fitt
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
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