Wednesday, May 14, 2003
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Wednesday, May 14, 2003 |
'Magnificat' at Holy Trinity this weekendThe Southside will experience a treat this coming weekend with the Atlanta premiere of Robert and Eileen Twynham's "Magnificat." This choral work, originally commissioned for the Baltimore Choral Arts Society in 1980 had its World Premiere on May 5, 1980. Since then, it has been performed across the country with rave reviews. "Magnificat" will be performed at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Peachtree City on Saturday, May 17 and at Holy Family Catholic Church in Marietta on Sunday, May 18. A local Pediatrician, Dr. Quentin L. Van Meter, is responsible, in part, for the upcoming concert. Dr. Van Meter was a member of Robert Twynham's Choir of Men and Boys at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore when he was a fellow in Pediatric Endocrinology at Johns Hopkins from 1978-1980. "The Magnificat" was composed and had its world premiere during that time. The work so moved Dr. Van Meter that he has spent the subsequent 23 years carrying around the score and an original recording to the Choral Directors of symphony orchestras in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, as well as the Directors of the Roger Wagner Chorale, and the Westminster College Choir, in hopes of getting the work performed, and perhaps recorded so that a much wider audience can enjoy it. The piece is very complex and difficult, requiring a large group of skilled voices. This prompted Dr. Van Meter to convince a number of the directors of choirs in the Catholic Churches in metro Atlanta to get together and form an auditioned choir with auditions open to any member of Parish Choirs in the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta. Over the past year, this has come to be a reality, with a Choir of 90 voices from over 35 parishes in metro Atlanta (eight members, including Van Meter, are from Fayette and Coweta Counties). The Twynham piece is a wonderful challenge for such a group and the rehearsals, in progress since January, are going extremely well, under the very capable direction of Wayne Baughman, the Festival Choir's appointed Director. Baughman is very taken with the Magnificat, frequently stopping the rehearsal in mid-phrase just to cherish the lyrics- poems written by Robert Twynham's wife, Eileen. There have been numerous choral Magnificats written from Bach's time to the present day. "The Magnificat" is also known as the Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Luke 1:46-55), in which Mary accepts the will of God to bear his Son. Robert Twynham had conducted a number of Magnificats and decided it was time to write his own setting. Robert, a distinguished graduate in organ studies from the Peabody Conservatory, studied in France under Olivier Messiaen, whose influence is obvious in many of Twynham's compositions. Eileen Twynham, herself an accomplished musician, drew ideas for her poetic themes from the walls and windows of the inspirational "Lady Chapel" at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore, where Marian images abound. She researched the world's religions and found an astounding similarity in the symbology of revered holy women. Symbolic names, such as Mystical Rose (Rosa Mystica) , Morning Star (Stella Matutina), Refuge of Sinners (Refugium Peccatorum), Mirror of Justice (Speculum Justitiae) and Ivory Tower (Turris Eburnea) title the first five movements of the Twynham's "Magnificat." Eileen wrote poems in English, expanding these metaphors on the basis of historical documents about Mary, the mother of Jesus. These are juxtaposed with the Latin text of the Magnificat in what is termed a macaronic text. The result is inspiring. Robert Twynham set these five poems to music in such a manner that repetition allows the first time listener to come away with a clear memory of the piece. The sixth and final movement, Gloria Patri, is a joyous explosion of organ and choral mastery that typically leads the audience to a standing ovation. "The Magnificat" will be performed at the inaugural concert of the Atlanta Archdiocesan Festival Choir at Holy Trinity Catholic Church at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 17. Holy Trinity has an acoustically desirable sanctuary that seats 850 and a capable 29-rank pipe organ, built by the A.G. Schleuter Pipe Organ Company of Lithonia. The church is located at 101 Walt Banks Road, at the corner of Walt Banks and Highway 54 in Peachtree City. A second performance will be held Sunday evening, May 18 at 8 p.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church in Marietta. Tickets will be available at the door. There is a suggested donation of $10 per ticket. For more information, call the concert ticket line at 404-433-2145, ext. 470.
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