Track Listings
| 1. Genesis | ||
| 2. Ave Christe: Josquin | ||
| 3. A Solis Ortu | ||
| 4. Mass for the Restoration of St. Luke in the Fields |
Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Howard Stokar writes: "Religion, specifically the Judeo-Christian continuum, is integral to Charles Wuorinen's view of the world and his own work as a composer. The Latin Mass for the Restoration of St. Luke in the Fields was written to celebrate the rededication of a church in lower Manhattan which had burned to the ground on the night of March 6, 1981, and was subsequently rebuilt. The work is divided into seven sections: the first and last are purely instrumental, the central five compose the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus/Benedictus, Angus Dei and a Communion motet. The motet is a setting of words from St. John which are inscribed on the rood screen of the original church. The Mass is a central work in Wuorinen's catalog. It is actually a Missa Brevis as it does not include the Credo. The reason for this is practical: St. Luke's requires congregational singing of the Credo. The mass was performed for the first time on November 20, 1983 at St. Ignatius of Antioch, New York City. A Solis Ortu and the reworking of the Josquin motet Ave Christe for piano were composed for Stephen Fisher, then President of C.F. Peters Corporation. Fisher, a fine amateur photographer, had given Wuorinen a photo of the sun rising over Yosemite National Park. In response, Wuorinen wrote the lovely short a cappella antiphon, A Solis Ortu, which is based on a related chant in the Liber usualis "From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is to be praised". The first performance took place as part of the Solemn Mass at St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church conducted by Harold Chaney on December 30, 1990. Ave Christie is a re-casting of a portion of a motet by Renaissance master Josquin des Prez. Unlike Busoni, whose transformations of Bach chorales into late 19th century virtuoso showpieces are designed to display the talents of the performer, Wuorinen presents the Josquin simply, with elegant octave doubling, and registeral changes. He transforms the motet into a choral-like work for piano". About the main work on this disc, Genesis, Michael Steinberg writes: "Herbert Blomstedt, Music Director (1985-1995) of the San Francisco Symphony, was not just the first conductor of Genesis; he was in an important sense, the inspiration and godfather of this powerful work. In one of his conversations with Charles Wuorinen during the four years, 1985 to 1989, that he, Wuorinen, was the San Francisco Symphony's composer-in-residence, Blomstedt said 'Wouldn't it be nice if someone wrote a new Genesis' or words to that effect. Moreover, having conducted several of Wuorinen's instrumental works - Movers and Shakers, The Golden Dance, Another Happy Birthday, the Piano Concerto No. 3, and Machault Mon Chou - Blomstedt was curious to see what effect the challenge of writing a new work for chorus might have on the composer's musical language. From these exchanges came the impetus for Wuorinen to add his Genesis to the list - not large, but distinguished - of compositions on that subject by Haydn, Schoenberg and Milhaud."
Charles Wuorinen: Genesis, Music, Charles Wuorinen, Charles Wuorinen, Edo de Waart, Minnesota Orchestra, Harold Chaney, David Taylor [2], James (Jim) Pugh, Joseph Alessi, Curtis Macomber, Chamber Music & Recitals, Choral, Classical, Classical Artists, Mass, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music
Average customer rating: 
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Wuorinen: Mass for the Restoration of St. Luke in the Fields/A Solis Ortu/Ave Christie:Josquin/Genesis
Manufacturer: Koch Int'l Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
| Opera & Vocal
| Styles
| Music
Masses
| Vocal Non-Opera
| Opera & Vocal
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
Minnesota Orchestra
| ( M )
| Featured Performers, A-Z
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000001SIX Release Date: 1996-01-23 |
Tracks:
Customer Reviews:
12 Tone Spirituality.......2003-06-10
The Mass for the Restoration of St. Luke's In The Fields was written for the rededication of this Episcopal Church in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. A joint choir of St. Luke's and St. Ignatius of Antioch premiered it. The work is meant for liturgical use, but only by a fine parish choir. Scored to choir, organ, trombones and violin, the Mass resembles nothing so much as the late work of Stravinsky. There is almost an air of the Renaissance in the work, though it is thoroughly serial. Wuorinen's serial music is rigorous, but points out the fallacy of considering 12 tone music "atonal". Tonalities slip in and out of the ear with great frequency, but they are there nonetheless. The Kyrie is a very moving movement, The Gloria as exuberant a 12 tone piece as I have ever heard, the Sanctus and Agnus Dei are hushed and spiritual, and there is a beautiful communion motet in English. There are also two instrumental movements that one presumes must function as prelude and postlude. All-in-all this is an amazing piece of liturgical music...highly modern and yet completely appropriate for worship.
The second major work on the disc is Genesis, an oratorio for choir and orchestra. Texts to this work are mostly in Latin and taken from texts which refer to the creation story. The musical idiom is more dissonant and conventionally 12 tone, but the vibrant rhythms and strong melodic profile make this an astounding work, perhaps the strongest oratorio written in the last 20 years. And in the final section, where the choir begins an extended "alleluia" the material is ecstatic....a strange but true description for this 12 tone work.
The smaller works are quite charming as well. The motet is lovely, very much of a piece with the idiom of the Mass. The piano work is more unusual. It is a subtle reworking or piano of a motet by Josquin, one which does nothing more than to create a true piano work out of the choir work.
This is a tremendous disc. Highly recommended.
Who's afraid of twelve-tone music?.......1999-08-18
His setting of the Mass is wonderful. I found the Kyrie deeply moving. Genesis too is a powerful account of the story of creation. The final movement of Genesis is an absoultely thrilling piece of music.
This recording is a wonderful introduction to Wuorinen and his music. I reccommend it highly.
One of Wuorinen's finest works to date (GENESIS).......1998-10-12
Average customer rating: 
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Charles Wuorinen: Genesis
Manufacturer: Albany Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music
| Forms & Genres
| Classical (c.1770-1830)
| Historical Periods
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Chamber Music
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
Minnesota Orchestra
| ( M )
| Featured Performers, A-Z
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Opera & Vocal
| Styles
| Music
Masses
| Vocal Non-Opera
| Opera & Vocal
| Styles
| Music
Classical
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
ASIN: B0002NY8JO Release Date: 2004-08-31 |
Tracks:
Album Description
Howard Stokar writes: "Religion, specifically the Judeo-Christian continuum, is integral to Charles Wuorinen's view of the world and his own work as a composer. The Latin Mass for the Restoration of St. Luke in the Fields was written to celebrate the rededication of a church in lower Manhattan which had burned to the ground on the night of March 6, 1981, and was subsequently rebuilt. The work is divided into seven sections: the first and last are purely instrumental, the central five compose the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus/Benedictus, Angus Dei and a Communion motet. The motet is a setting of words from St. John which are inscribed on the rood screen of the original church. The Mass is a central work in Wuorinen's catalog. It is actually a Missa Brevis as it does not include the Credo. The reason for this is practical: St. Luke's requires congregational singing of the Credo. The mass was performed for the first time on November 20, 1983 at St. Ignatius of Antioch, New York City. A Solis Ortu and the reworking of the Josquin motet Ave Christe for piano were composed for Stephen Fisher, then President of C.F. Peters Corporation. Fisher, a fine amateur photographer, had given Wuorinen a photo of the sun rising over Yosemite National Park. In response, Wuorinen wrote the lovely short a cappella antiphon, A Solis Ortu, which is based on a related chant in the Liber usualis "From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is to be praised". The first performance took place as part of the Solemn Mass at St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church conducted by Harold Chaney on December 30, 1990. Ave Christie is a re-casting of a portion of a motet by Renaissance master Josquin des Prez. Unlike Busoni, whose transformations of Bach chorales into late 19th century virtuoso showpieces are designed to display the talents of the performer, Wuorinen presents the Josquin simply, with elegant octave doubling, and registeral changes. He transforms the motet into a choral-like work for piano". About the main work on this disc, Genesis, Michael Steinberg writes: "Herbert Blomstedt, Music Director (1985-1995) of the San Francisco Symphony, was not just the first conductor of Genesis; he was in an important sense, the inspiration and godfather of this powerful work. In one of his conversations with Charles Wuorinen during the four years, 1985 to 1989, that he, Wuorinen, was the San Francisco Symphony's composer-in-residence, Blomstedt said 'Wouldn't it be nice if someone wrote a new Genesis' or words to that effect. Moreover, having conducted several of Wuorinen's instrumental works - Movers and Shakers, The Golden Dance, Another Happy Birthday, the Piano Concerto No. 3, and Machault Mon Chou - Blomstedt was curious to see what effect the challenge of writing a new work for chorus might have on the composer's musical language. From these exchanges came the impetus for Wuorinen to add his Genesis to the list - not large, but distinguished - of compositions on that subject by Haydn, Schoenberg and Milhaud."Music Review:
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