Now the Hour Bows Down - Tenebrae (2019)
From Oratorio for the Earth
for bass baritone and electronics
8.5 minutes
Video by Quintan Ana Wikswo
Premiere/Commission: Premiered by Nicholas Isherwood on March 2, 2019 at UQAM, Montréal.
Based on poem Now the Hour Bows Down by Rainer Maria Rilke, from his Book of Hours and Tenebrae, a religious service of Western Christianity held during the three days preceding Easter, characterized by gradual extinguishing of candles, and by a «strepitus» or «loud noise» taking place in total darkness near the end of the service. The work was composed for Nicholas Isherwood, and electronics, using samples of Nicholas’ voice as filter for vocal samples to create a “shadow” choir and field recordings of rocks rubbing against cement, bells recorded at Montserrat and massive sounds of books closing. Quintan’s video was creatively collaboratively through the layering of my hand notated circular sonic mandala, score, and images of forest near the location where Rilke created his Book of Hours, which was dedicated to Lou Andreas-Salome. Rilke’s journeys to the dark remoteness of Russia, in the summer of 1899 and 1900 form the foundation of his concept of an ancient and eternal God in the Book of Hours. Like Rilke, I traveled to Russia and to the vast remoteness of Siberia last year, presenting my work as a composer and pianist and was inspired by my encounter with the vast KAMA River to create my Oratorio for the Earth.
Purchase
To purchase the scores and parts, email Pamela Madsen directly at pmadsen@fullerton.edu.
Press
Performances
April 20, 2022 | Nicholas Isherwood at CSUF
March 2, 2019 | Nicholas Isherwood premieres at UQAM, Montréal.