Music at St. James Cathedral: The Office of Tenebrae
Free
- Clarice Alfonso, soprano
- Lisa Cardwell Pontén, soprano
- Elizabeth Peterka Hungerford, soprano
- Meaghan Guterman, soprano
- Tess Roberts, viola da gamba
- St. James Cathedral Cantorei
- Joseph Adam, conductor
Francis Poulenc — Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence ("Four Penitential Motets"), FP 97 ("II. Vinea mea electa")
Gregorio Allegri — Miserere mei, Deus
Anonymous — Selected works (plainchant TBA)
Join us on Wednesday of Holy Week as we observe the Office of Tenebræ. The name Tenebræ (the Latin word for "shadows") was originally given to the ancient monastic services of matins (celebrated after midnight) and lauds (celebrated at dawn) of the last three days of Holy Week. By the late Middle Ages, these services were consolidated into a single daily celebration on each evening before Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
Following numerous 20th-century papal reforms, Tenebræ today is celebrated in many different forms. We include the chanting of the Lamentations of Jeremiah, in which each verse is introduced by a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the gradual extinguishing of candles and other lights in the church to signify the darkness that overshadowed the earth at Christ's crucifixion. The loud noise, or strepitus, at the conclusion of the service suggests the earthquake described in the Passion narratives. The single candle left burning is the symbol and promise of Christ's triumph over death and darkness.
The Cathedral Cantorei will sing the Lamentations of Jeremiah (Leçon de Ténèbres Nos. I and III) by François Couperin (1668–1733), Vinea mea electa by Francis Poulenc (1899–1963), the sublime Miserere mei, Deus by Gregorio Allegri (c.1582–1652), and plainchant. The Couperin features Clarice Alfonso, Bethie Peterka Hungerford, Lisa Cardwell Pontén, sopranos and Tess Roberts, viola da gamba. The famous high Cs of the Allegri will be sung by soprano Meaghan Guterman.
Father Michael G. Ryan, presider. This liturgy is open to all—no tickets required. A freewill offering will be taken up during the service.
About Clarice Alfonso, soprano
About Lisa Cardwell Pontén, soprano
Lisa Cardwell Pontén is an experienced soprano soloist in the Northwest, performing with professional and community ensembles in Seattle, Tacoma, Portland and Vancouver, British Columbia. Lisa has appeared as soloist with Ensemble Alcatraz of San Francisco as well as many Seattle-based groups such as The Versailles Ensemble, Circa 1600, Seattle Choral Company, St. Mark's Compline Choir, and City Cantabile Choir.
She has recorded on the Musical Heritage and Focus labels and also for radio and film; and has recently completed a CD with Opus 7 Choir.
She sings regularly with professional vocal ensembles Opus 7 and The Tudor Choir, is a soprano section leader at St. James Cathedral and teaches privately in Seattle.
Ms. Pontén received her Master's degree in Early Music Performance from Indiana University, where she studied with internationally-know medieval specialist Tom Binkley and studied voice with Paul Elliot (formerly of the Hilliard Ensemble) and Dale Moore.
About Elizabeth Peterka Hungerford, soprano
Praised for her "clarion" (Washington Post), "pure" (Opera Now), and "refreshingly natural" (Göttinger Tagesblatt) sound, soprano Elizabeth Hungerford has been described as a "an outstanding and original interpreter of Purcell . . . and a fine Monteverdian" (Early Music, Oxford University). Elizabeth specialises in early music as a soloist and in small ensembles. Elizabeth completed her studies at the Peabody Conservatory, where she studied with William Sharp and was awarded the Early Music Department's annual Award for Excellence.
Recent solo engagements include a solo concert at the Santa Cruz Early Music Festival, performances with Grammy-nominated Seraphic Fire and Spire Chamber Ensemble in the United States, the Göttingen Historical Music Series in Germany, at the Teatro Olimpico in Italy with the fifty lutenists of the European Lute Orchestra, singing modern premiers of Baroque music with Ballo Baroque in London, with the Catacoustic Consort at the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, with the award-winning Eya Ensemble for Medieval Music, and a one-per-part performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion at the National Cathedral in Washington DC. Elizabeth’s repertoire ranges from medieval chant to contemporary masterworks, with a particular focus on the early Baroque and Renaissance periods.
Before moving to London in 2011, Elizabeth was a soloist and chorister at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Whilst in Washington, Elizabeth sang with the Washington Bach Consort, the Folger Consort, and gave solo performances at the Kennedy Center and Strathmore Mansion. A founding member of Eya Ensemble for Medieval Music, Elizabeth has also performed with Gut, Wind and Wire (a subset of the Baltimore Consort) and a variety of Baroque and modern ensembles throughout the DC and Baltimore area.
Elizabeth has been featured on fifteen recordings to date. Elizabeth's most recent disc, Love and Lust, was recorded with viola da gambist Andrew Arceci in London. Tailoring repertoire from the Renaissance and early Baroque to accommodate viol and voice, this unique disc explores a new sound of old music. The disc can be found on iTunes and CD Baby.
Elizabeth now lives on Vashon Island just off the coast of Seattle.
https://elizabethhungerfordcom.wordpress.com/About Meaghan Guterman, soprano
About Tess Roberts, viola da gamba
Emerging viola da gamba player Tess Roberts has been exploring the world of early music through the viol since age 11. Recent performances include appearances with Tekla Cunningham for Heinrich Biber's Glorious Mystery Sonatas, the University of Washington Baroque Ensemble, Seattle's Medieval Women's Choir, and guest appearances with Seattle Historical Arts for Kids.
Tess has also enjoyed teaching opportunities at Seattle Historical Arts for Kids, UC Davis, the University of Washington, and has recently opened a private viola da gamba studio in Seattle. She is currently studying with Caroline Nicolas after graduating from the studios of Lee Innman and Shulamit Klinerman. She leads casual play-in and coaching sessions of historical music and performance practices for the local viol community. She hopes to broaden her teaching to early childhood music education with a global music focus, by studying Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington as she prepares for graduate studies in Gamba performance in Europe.