- Mauricio Kagel
Rrrrrrr... 7 Stücke für gemischten Chor (1981)
(for mixed choir)- Henry Litolff’s Verlag GmbH & Co. KG (World)
Programme Note
As I started to think about the Radio Phantasy, I imagined d’Alembert engaged in the tedious work on his Encyclopaedia, often nodding off over the pages of his manuscript, all of whose entries began with the letter "R" . In his half-sleep, the precise meanings of the definitions would overlap, very unscientifically, with the possibility of combining them by instinctive association, or in a way that blurs their sense.
I only had to modify this idea just a little for my knowledge – in Diderot’s sense – to be illuminatingly expanded, and for the project to be made feasible. Thus I changed the starting point from a broadly conceived encyclopaedia to a music dictionary: I got hold of a paperback example, and immediately found myself in the midst of infinitely multiplying domains, ranging from compelling semantics to the farthest reaches of musicological poesy.
The work Rrrrrrr… consists of 41 independent pieces of music, all beginning with the letter "R". Each segment (I organ; II choir and piano; III percussion duo; IV winds, double basses and percussion; V solo voice; VI jazz trio) is published in a separate volume. A performance of the pieces results in the Radio Phantasy Rrrrrrr…
1 R: 18th letter of the English alphabet (17th of the Roman alphabet). R denotes above all in individual languages rolled and guttural sounds (trilled R = dental; guttural R = uvular) as well as fricative sounds with similar place of articulation (Engl. R = alveolar; fricative R = uvular).
2 Requiem (Lat.): the Mass for the Dead (Lat. missa pro defunctis) of the Roman Catholic liturgy, taking its name from the opening words of the Introit Requiem aeternam (eternal rest). As a cyclic structure of vocal music with or without orchestra, the Requiem consists of the sections Introit (Requiem aeternam), Kyrie, Gradual (Requiem aeternam), Tract (Absolve Domine), Sequence (Dies irae), Offertory (Domine Jesu Christe), Sanctus, Agnus Dei und Communion (Lux aeterna). Since the 19th century the Requiem’s liturgical connections have yielded in importance to concert elements; frequently the Requiem is dedicated to the memory of an important public figure, or of someone close to the composer.
Text (modification by Mauricio Kagel):
Requiem Raeternam Roma Reis, Romine!
Lux Rerpetua Ruceat Reis!
Te Recet Rhymnus, Reus In Sion,
Ret Ribi Reddetur Rotum In Rerusalem.
Rexaudi Rorationem Ream,
Ad Te Romnis Raro Reniet.
Rona, Rona Reis, Romine, Rona Reis,
Requiem Raeternam, Ret Rux Perpetua
Ruceat Reis! Requiem.
(Grant them eternal rest, Lord, and let eternal light shine upon them. To Thee is due our Song of praise, God in Zion, and in Jerusalem shallst Thou be worshipped. Hear my prayer, to Thee comes all that is flesh. Grant them eternal rest, Lord, and let eternal light shine upon them.)
3 Resurrexit: part of the Credo; derived from the lines Resurrexit Dominus (He is risen, Jesus Christ).
Text (modification by Mauricio Kagel):
Resurrexit Dominus Resurrexit Dominus
Resurrerit Dorinus Resurrerit Rorinus
Resurrerit Rorirus Rerurrerit Rorirus
Resurrerit Rorirur Rerurrerir Rorirur
Resurrexit Dominus Resurrexit Dominus
4 Rêverie (French): day-dream, fantasy
Text by Friedrich Rückert
Du bist die Ruh
Der Friede mild,
Die Sehnsucht du,
Und was sie stillt.
Ich weih dir,
Voll Lust und Schmerz
...
Mein Aug und Herz.
Treib andern Schmerz
Aus dieser Brust!
...
Und schließe Du
Still hinter dir
Die Pforte zu.
5 Rex tremendae: independent section from the Sequence of the Missa pro defunctis (Mass for the Dead).
Text:
Rex tremendae majestatis,
qui salvandos salvas gratis,
´salva me, fons pietatis.
(Lord, whose omnipotence instills us with fear,
who bows down to the humble of humble,
save me, source of all grace!)
6 Romanze (Spanish Romance): 1. light-hearted, tuneful, ballad-like composition in strophic or rondo form, especially widespread in France in the 18th/19th century, with texts reminiscent of the original Spanish verse (see 3.); Ballade 2. since the 18th century also tuneful, lyrical instrumental piece largely with free structure; Charakterstück 3. in the 14th/15th century originally type of Spanish popular (love) poem with lyric-epic qualities.
Anonymous text from the 15th century (Spain):
Morenica me llama
el hijo del rey,
si otra vez me llama
yo me voy con él.
Morena me llama,
yo blanca nací,
de apacentar ganados
mi color perdí.
Vengades, morena,
si habéis de venir,
que la nave tengo en vela
y me quiero ir.
Ella se viste de verde
y de zurzuní ;
de la mar abajo
la vide venir.
7 Ring Shouts : religious round dances with ecstatic stamping, clapping and singing ; Negro Spiritual
Text by Mauricio Kagel:
Don’t stay away anymore
He’s goin’ to see his aunt
And can’t your hear
Oh don’t stay away anymore
Come back soon my little boy!
Oh come back come back
Oh little boy
Don’t stay don’t stay
Away no more little boy.
Don’t worry don’t worry
Get myself a man
And get myself a job
Never been a place
Like this before
Yeah yeah little boy!
Don’t stay away
Don’t stay away no more
Come back my little boy
Don’t stay away no more
M. K.
Media
Discography
KAGEL by Mauricio Kagel
- LabelSWR Classic
- ConductorMauricio Kagel
- EnsembleSWR Vokalensemble / Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra
- Released1st January 2007