Musical Notes - Lent 2013
Christmas has been and gone but as I write the Bleak Midwinter has arrived. Snow has fallen snow on snow, but used to bring excitement and fun is now a different story!
By the time you read this we shall be in the season of Lent and looking forward to Palm Sunday, Good Friday and, then, Easter Day. As I have said before, I am glad to live in the northern hemisphere so that this season coincides with the coming of spring and new life in all its aspects.
Musically, Lent is necessarily more sombre and reflective as we remember the momentous events leading up to the end of Jesus’ earthly life. Then comes the glorious outburst of joy in our Easter celebrations and our music should reflect these contrasting periods.
It was always very satisfying to be able to select suitable anthems and music for the various seasons of the Church calendar and I am sure that those who carry this responsibility in other places feel the same.
2013 sees a few notable musical anniversaries. Richard Wagner was born in 1813 and left a legacy of compositions mainly operatic and especially the Ring of Nibelugen sagas between 1845 and 1874. Also Rienzi, Flying Dutchman, Tanhausen, Lohengrin and Master Singers of Nurenburg. He did compose other orchestral works, choral works etc. and was a conductor, author, poet and much more. He died in 1883.
Guiseppe Verdi born in 1813 in Italy is undoubtedly one of the greatest composers of opera of all time. Son of an innkeeper his humble beginnings didn’t prevent him from developing his musical talents. He married but disaster struck when between 1838 and 1840 his wife and two daughters all died. He vowed to abandon his music but was persuaded to carry on and his first operatic success was Nabucco in 1841 and he continued to produce great operas until 1893 (Falstaff). The list of his success is too long to mention here but in addition he produced a sublime requiem (1874) and other choral pieces, songs and chamber music. Truly a great composer he died in 1901.
Benjamin Britten born in Lowestoft - 1913, died in Aldborough in 1976 perhaps I will write about him in a future edition of the magazine.
John Garrett