FULL Eternal Light (Goodall) Gent 2022 Jolien De Gendt, Teun Michiels, Kris Belligh
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Eternal Light
- Composer: Goodall Howard
- Libretto: Howard Goodall based on Latin texts and English poems
- Venue & Opera Company: Sint Pieterskerk Gent, Belgium
- Recorded: May 13, 2022
- Type: Concert Live
- Singers: Jolien De Gendt, Teun Michiels, Kris Belligh
- Conductor: Joris Derder
- Orchestra: Orkest La Passione
- Chorus: Gents Universitair Koor
- Stage Director:
- Costume Designer:
Information about the Recording
- Published by: RECORDA - Vrijwilligersplatform - Beeld en Geluid
- Date Published: 2022
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: nosubs
- Video Recording from: YouTube FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
Talking about composing the work, Howard said – “Most requiems are based, one way or another, on the medieval church’s Mass for the Dead, which is made up of a series of sections (‘movements’) beginning with the ‘Kyrie Eleison’ (Greek meaning Lord have mercy) and ending with ‘In Paradisum’ (Into paradise). Although the traditional requiem text calls for ‘eternal peace, rest and light’ for those who have died, it also emphasises judgement and everlasting damnation for anyone who transgresses the Roman Catholic Church’s code of behaviour, as seen from the perspective of the Middle Ages. I did not feel at ease with this approach to the appalling pain of loss and grief, so in an attempt to provide some solace for the living that mourn, I stripped down the old Latin texts to a few phrases in each movement and laid beside them words from English poems from across the last 500 years.
The movements are arranged like this:
Requiem aeternam (everlasting peace) – Kyrie Eleison – ‘Close now thine eyes and rest secure, thy soul is safe enough, thy body sure’
Revelation I: a passage from the Bible depicting the end of the world (Apocalypse)
Litany: Belief. ‘I have to believe that you still exist somewhere, That you still watch me Sometimes, That you still love me Somehow. I have to believe That life has meaning Somehow, That I am useful here Sometimes, That I make small differences Somewhere. I have to believe That I need to stay here For some time, That all this teaches me Something, So that I can meet you again Somewhere.
Hymn: ‘Lead, kindly light amid the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on…’
Lacrymosa (Tears): ‘Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep…’
Dies Irae (That terrible day): In Flanders Fields the poppies blow, Between the crosses row on row…’
Recordare (Remember us, sweet Jesus): ‘Drop, drop, slow tears..’
Revelation II
Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)
In Paradisum – Lux Aeterna (In paradise, eternal light & everlasting peace).
00:00 Intro
00:00 Requiem_ Kyrie Close now thine eyes
10:15 Revelation_ Factum est silestium
12:53 Litany_ Belief
16:00 Hymn_ Lead, kindly light
18:10 Lacrymosa_ Do not stand at my grave and weep
20:25 Dies Irae_ In Flanders fields
28:13 Recordare_ Drop, drop slow tears
33:05 Revelation_ Tum angelus tertius clanxit
34:20 Agnus Dei
39:25 In Paradisum_ Lux aeterna
48:15 Outro