Pacem, pacem…

 August 28, 2024

When the Annapolis Chorale performs “Music for Our Time” in November, you’ll hear some absolutely stunning choral works that are part of our contemporary musical landscape. For many years, a concert advertised as “contemporary music” was a scary prospect – but the choral world has moved way beyond that. Music that is melodic, sonorous and full of rich harmonies now make up the expressive landscape of the choral music world.

There are two pieces we’ll perform in November that, to me, are connected and I’ve put them on the program in a way that I hope will demonstrate that connection. They are (in the order you’ll hear them) “Da pacem Domine” by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt and Bach’s setting of the “Dona nobis pacem” from his Mass in B Minor. I’m fascinated by connections and what I view as musical threads across time. In fact, as I type this, I’m getting ready to walk into a lecture with my students at Washington College on this very topic – talking about bass lines from the early 1600’s and connecting them to today’s music.

Back to the two November pieces and what ties them together:

• Both of these works are short.

• Both center around the tonality of D

• The Pärt is centered on D Minor

• The Bach is centered on D Major

• Both are written to reflect an older style of musical composition while utilizing the musical language of their time.

• Both are 46 measures long! (When I discovered this I almost fell off my chair!)

• Both were composed by musicians at the peak of their musical powers.

When you hear Pärt’s “Da pacem Domine” on November 9, try to listen for the ALTO part, coming the women singing on the right side of the stage. That part is the melodic core of this work and is based on a Gregorian Chant. If we were to sing it as one line, it would sound like we were in a cathedral on the eve of the Renaissance! The other voice parts surround the alto line and are built on very old techniques. The result is a stunning and mysterious musical texture that is very compelling to hear. This is why the music of Pärt has become the most popular classical choral music of our time!

Like the Pärt, Bach’s “Dona nobis pacem” is a masterpiece of economy. There is virtually no extraneous material in this work, which is composed like a Renaissance motet in the style of Palestrina. It begins with a simple idea built on a D Major scale and builds to an amazing climax of rich counterpoint (the weaving together of individual lines of music). This piece is a masterpiece of Bach’s compositional prowess. These are two of my favorite pieces and both are transformative. I’m so glad you’ll get to hear the Annapolis Chorale sing them on November 9 with the other works on this concert. I am certain they will leave an impression with YOU as they do me.