Cantata Academica

February 15th, 2013

From Dr. Whitmire: Cantata Academica Errata
II
Men-at mm 11-12 the word should be ar-ca-na (not a-re-a-na)
Women at 17-18 the word should be ar-ca-na (not a-re-a-na). It should look like

XIII
Alto- at M24 (2 before square 45) the notes should be G – A (not B – A)
All- rehearsal square 46 should be moved five measures forward, to m. 38
All- At rehearsal square 46 (m. 38) the syllable is “-lus” (not –lis)
All- Add one measure before the final “saeculorum”
VII
Bass:
M. 53-55.  <EN-DAE-SA-NI-TA-TI-SA-NI-TA-TI-CON-SU>
Tenor and Bass:
M. 72-73. < FLO-REAT-STU-DI-UM>
Bass:
M. 81-83. <EN-DAE-SA-NI-TA-TI-SA-NI- TA-TI-CON-SU>
M. 155.     <TA-TI-TU-U>
Tenor  M.52;  ALTO M81, 86, 87
<CO-PI-IS-LO-CU-P(I)ES>   (in the music).
<CO-PI-IS-LO-CU-P(L)ES > (in the translation)
XIII
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass
M.12-13:
<VI-GE-AT>
M. 15:
Alto, Tenor, Bass
<DE-MIA>
M. 36-38  Soprano, Alto, Tenor,  Bass
<AT-QUE-O-CEL-LUS>

Cantata Academica Notes
Structural elements in #8
-The opening melody employs all 12 notes of the chromatic scale. (Britten tips his hat to serialism)
-The successive fugal entrances starting with the basses at reh square 27 begin on each note of the chromatic scale: G F Eb E F# A D Bb C Db Cb (B) Ab
-beginning at rehearsal square 29 the exact same series of pitches reappears, now in stretto (close succession).
-Moreover, opening 12-tone theme of #8 dictates the overall structure of Cantata Academic, as each movement has as its key or tonal center the successive notes of the theme.
I-G, II-F, III-Eb, IV-E, V- F#, VI-A, VII-D, VIII-Bb, IX- C, X-Db, XI-Cb, XII-Ab, XIII-G
One of my singers said, “the notes seem so random.” I know what she means, but, as your see, thev are systematically structured and actually couldn’t be less random.
#13
At the end we are using optional words (saeculis saeculorum) that Britten provided to make the piece less specific to Basle University, who commissioned the piece.

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