Ok, so maybe Dylan isn’t really working with BCE on TENEBRÆ but his music is infused into Paul Crabtree’s Tenebræ Responsories on the Songs of Bob Dylan.
NB has chatted with Paul and parts of the interview will unfold in future posts. For now, though, we want to explore and understand the relationship between the ancient tradition of Tenebræ and the music of Bob Dylan. To be explain, here’s an excerpt of the program notes Paul wrote for the concert premiere of the works by Conspirare in Texas.
I find the expression of human experience in some of Bob Dylan’s songs to run parallel to these Responsory texts. For example, Dylan’s “You’ve got a lot of nerve to say you are my friend” (from Positively 4th Street) and Jesus’ “My own familiar friend has betrayed me with a kiss” seem cut from the same fabric of shared human experience, so I based the Responsories on melodic, harmonic, and textural elements from this and eight other songs in which I saw points of connection.
To be sure, listeners in BCE’s audience wont be able to sing along to Dylan tunes with different words. Instead, a much more thorough assimilation has occurred between Dylan’s music and Paul’s composition. The choral scores sound like new, fresh music but contain the slightest hints of melody, harmony, and texture from the Dylan.
Before NB profiles each movement, we thought we’d refresh your memory on the reference tunes from Dylan and, soon, we’ll post a iMix from iTunes so you can hear the songs yourself!
Responsory 1: In monte Oliveti » “Father of Night”
Responsory 2: Tristis est anima mea » “Love Sick”
Responsory 3: Ecce vidimus eum » “Unbelievable”Responsory 4: Amicus meus » “Positively 4th Street”
Responsory 5: Judas mercator pessimus » “The Wicked Messenger”
Responsory 6: Unus ex discipulis meis » “Slow Train”Responsory 7: Eram quasi agnus » “In The Garde”
Responsory 8: Una hora non potuisti vigilare » “Something’s Burning, Baby”
Responsory 9: Seniores populi » “Changing of the Guards”
Check back soon for the iMix.
Post a comment