Bernard Rands’ “now again”-fragments from Sappho and Canti del Sole in Performance at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music

The New Music Ensemble of Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music features two works by Bernard Rands on March 8. Conducted by David Dzubay at the University’s Auer Hall, the program includes “now again”-fragments from Sappho, for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble, as well as Canti del Sole, for tenor and chamber ensemble.

Part of Rands’ lauded Canti Trilogy, a series of works revolving around the celestial themes of sun, moon and eclipse, Canti del Sole won the Pulitzer Prize in 1983 and features a unique text setting from 14 different sources in all. The two works which complete the trilogy, Canti dell’Eclisse for bass and orchestra, and Canti Lunatici for soprano and orchestra, also utilize such an expansive textual setting. The New Music Ensemble presents Canti del Sole in its chamber version.

Based on surviving fragments by the ancient Greek poet Sappho and premiered in 2006, “now again”-fragments from Sappho was recently recorded on Albany Records by the Network for New Music, who commissioned and premiered the work. The piece is also featured in April by the Washington Square Contemporary Music Society at New York City’s Merkin Concert Hall.

In conjunction with the performances at Indiana University, Mr. Rands is also the featured guest composer this month leading a host of seminars and composition lessons. His opera Vincent, with a libretto by J.D. McClatchy, has its world premiere performances at Indiana University Opera Theatre on April 8, 9, 15 and 16.

The choral music of Bernard Rands is on display in the UK this month as Guto Puw leads performances of the composer's Introit and sections of Canti d'Amor at Bangor University in Wales on March 24. On March 25, Rands' work for solo flute Memo 4 is performed by Gregory Peacock at Temple University.

www.bernardrands.com
Bernard Rands-Composer Profile

For more details on the performance, go to www.music.indiana.edu.

Purchase the Network for New Music album "now again"-Music By Bernard Rands, here.

Bernard Rands
Canti del Sole (1984)
for tenor and chamber ensemble
texts from Baudelaire, Celan, Huchel, Montale, Wilfred Owen, Quasimodo, Rimbaud, Sinisgalli, Dylan Thomas, Ungaretti and an anonymous poet of the 12th century
 fl(pic.afl).cl(Ebcl.bcl).tpt.2perc-pno-vn.va.vc
30’
full orchestration: 3.2.3.2-3.3.3.0-3perc-2hp.cel.pno.elec org-str

“now again”-fragments from Sappho (2006)
for mezzo-soprano and ensemble
text by Sappho
fl(afl).cl(bcl)-tpt-perc-hp-vn.va.vc. soprano voice, alto voice
17’

Introit (1992)
text by George Herbert
for mixed chorus
2'

Canti d'Amor (1992)
text by James Joyce
for mixed chorus
22'