WILLIAM BILLINGS: THE CONTINENTAL HARMONIST
The recording The Continental Harmonist, consists of nineteen short a cappella vocal pieces by the composer William Billings grouped together thematically in sets of two or three. The pieces are in English, and are scored for soprano, alto, tenor and bass and performed by the Gregg Smith Singers. The texts range from patriotic, to Biblical, to secular. Individual pieces tend to be short, lasting about three minutes on average.
Billings (1746-1800) was one of several composers to take the Calvinist chorale-writing tradition to the American Colonies and was also the first North-American composer to publish a collection of psalms with his New England Psalm-Singer. While the pieces on this recording definitely show a chorale influence, I also found many other stylistic features that likely took inspiration from a wide variety of sources.
One of the things I found interesting about these pieces was their variety of styles, moods, textures, and structures. Moods of the pieces ranged from light-hearted to somber, texture was either contrapuntal or simple, and style sometimes reflected Handel, Bach, and Martin Luther, and at other times reflected folk-songs, the Beggars Opera, and even Renaissance madrigals. “Chester” is probably the most famous piece on the recording. This well-known tune patriotically proclaims “New England’s God forever reigns.” In this and several other pieces, I could clearly hear the influence of Reformation chorales. Since these chorales had become so well established in Protestant churches, they probably had an influence on Billings. Some pieces make dramatic use of text-painting. For instance, in the humorous piece “Consonance,” the basses are given a low descending line with the text: “Down sings the bass with grave majestic air.” In the piece “Jargon,” the dissonance of the chords matches the text: “Let hearty jargon split the air,” and “Let hateful discord greet the ear . . .” Most humorous was the piece “Modern Music,” in which the lyrics are clever to a degree almost worthy of Gilbert and Sullivan:
We are met for a concert of modern invention, to tickle the ear is our present intention. The audience are seated, expecting to be treated with a piece of the best, with a piece of the best, and since we all agree, to set the tune on E, the author’s darling key he prefers to the rest.
Billings employs what would have been considered basic conventional harmonies in most of these pieces. As might be expected, he tends to use major keys for lighter lyrics and minor keys for more serious subjects. Although some of these pieces employ a large amount of imitation and fugal techniques, others use melodies so simple that they sound like folk-tunes. One example of this is the piece “A Virgin Unspotted” which has a lilting simple melody in compound time. The fact that Billings composed simple, short pieces set in English with folksong-like melodies perhaps owes something to the influence of The Beggar’s Opera, which had gained enormous popularity in England 1728. Although Billings was composing in the later part of the century, he had likely heard of the fame and success of the Beggar’s Opera. The piece “When Jesus Wept” has a beautiful haunting melody, reminiscent of an English folk tune. The voices enter one by one in a fugue. Text painting appears in this piece with the words “falling tears” being set to a descending figure.
I was intrigued by the way Billings used tempo, meter and texture to achieve unique results. There are tempo changes halfway through some of the pieces, most notably in “Swift as an Indian Arrow Flies” and “Shepherd’s Carol.” Billings also uses call and response and antiphonal devices, especially in “The Lord is Risen.” This full and triumphant piece calls to mind the oratorios of Handel, whose music Billings was probably familiar with. Also interesting about this piece is the fact that not only does the text deal with Christ’s resurrection, but it also speaks of “humanity triumphant”—clearly an Enlightenment idea which would have been especially well received in the newly-formed United States. Numerous pieces have small fugues in them, and some were even labeled in parenthesis as “fuging tunes.” I had never heard a chorale that made use of a fugue before, so Billings must have been influenced by some of the more ornate instrumental music of the late Baroque, or perhaps by some of the more elaborate vocal writing of Handel. Although Billings’ pieces employ techniques that wouldn’t normally be expected in simple chorales, they could have easily been sung by amateurs in singing schools as a means of recreation.
I found some of these pieces intriguing, and others tiring and flat. The pieces that grabbed my attention made use of unusual and unexpected compositional techniques, and were beautiful and satisfying to listen to. I enjoyed “Swift as an Indian Arrow Flies” because it opens in a somber minor key and then unexpectedly changes to a tempo that lives up to the swiftness of the title. I also enjoyed several of the dark minor pieces such as “David’s Lamentation” and “Morpheus” which were simple and powerful and reminiscent of Renaissance English madrigals. Several pieces I found a little less original were “Hopkinton,” “A Virgin Unspotted,” and “Boston”, mainly because their melodies quickly became repetitive and didn’t contain much contrast. Overall, these pieces are worth listening to because they hold a unique place in music history as well as possessing some artistic merit. While I can see how they have been eclipsed by other pieces and deprived a place in the canon, they deserve to be known and appreciated by modern audiences.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
ORCHESTRAL MUSIC FROM THE MANNHEIM SCHOOL
ORCHESTRAL MUSIC FROM THE MANNHEIM SCHOOL
In the mid 1700s, the Mannheim orchestra became a center for innovation in the development of the symphony. The Mannheim orchestra was known for its well-trained, virtuoso musicians, its extensive use of wind instruments, most notably the clarinet, exciting dynamic contrasts, and dramatic crescendos. Johann Stamitz (1717-1757) was the most famous composer at Mannheim and played a large role in developing the genre of the symphony, and other composers at the court continued these innovations. The record: Orchestral Music from the Mannheim School contains three symphonies by the composers Johann Christian Cannabich (1731-1798), Ignaz Holzbauer (1711-1783), and Franz Xaver Richter (1709-1789), performed by the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra under the baton of Boris Brott. These three pieces represent one stage in the evolution of the symphony from the brief, three-movement symphonies of Giovanni Battista Sammartini to the full-blown, complex symphonies of composers of the Classical Period such as Haydn and Mozart. They display the balance, symmetry, and simplicity that were so valued by composers of the Rococo while showing the germs of the symphonic forms would became standard in the Classical Period. All of the pieces make extensive use of sudden dynamic contrasts, crescendos, caesuras, virtuosic string writing, and other dramatic effects. Mannheim composers were especially known for writing crescendos, often a rising line over bass pedal point, which gave added dramatic effect (Grove Music Online s.v. “Mannheim Style”).
Holzbauer’s Symphony in E-flat, Op. 4 No. 3 is unlike the other two symphonies on this album because it has four movements instead of three, a practice that would eventually become standard. It calls for a string section with the addition of pairs of bassoons, oboes, and horns. The first movement, Allegro Non Troppo opens with a stately legato theme and seems to be an early version of Sonata-Allegro form, with an exposition containing two themes, a development, and a recapitulation. I was surprised by how brief the development was in this movement and all the sonata form movements on this recording. These developments usually stray into arpeggios in several different minor keys for about a minute, before returning to the tonic for the recapitulation. Unlike later symphonies of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, where the development section is the most crucial part of the piece, these Mannheim composers almost treat the development as an afterthought—a bridge to be crossed as quickly as possible on the way to the recapitulation. The dark minor passages and strategic use of dissonance and suspensions lend a sense of emotional urgency to the Adagio Grazioso which moves almost immediately into the Minuet where the bassoons and oboes play a dominant role in the Trio. Rounding out the symphony is the exciting La Tempesta del’Mar which contains a wide array of dramatic effects. It is full of virtuosic string runs in both the violins and the cellos, sudden changes of dynamics, and the famous Mannheim crescendos. This was one of my favorite movements in the recording. It made me appreciate the fact that Mannheim’s orchestra was famous for its well-trained, technically precise players. Although this movement sounds relatively tame when compared to the final movements of Mozart and Beethoven, audiences who had never experienced such musical fireworks must have been stunned.
Richter’s Sinfonia in G-Major contains only three movements and does not call for any wind instruments. The opening Allegro contains an exposition, a development and a recapitulation, with the violins as the primary carriers of the melody. Another contrast between these Mannheim pieces and the symphonies of Haydn and Mozart is the quantity and quality of melodic material. Richter, Holzbauer and Cannabich write pleasant melodies, but they don’t have as much depth, balance, and sense of direction as those of later classical composters. Each piece usually contains only two or three main melodic ideas which are developed throughout the piece as opposed to the endless stream ideas that characterize the music of Mozart. These Mannheim works contain all the elements of the standard classical symphony, but in a smaller, less developed form. Cannabich’s Sinfonia No. 5 in B-flat is interesting because it is the only piece on this record that requires a pair of clarinets in addition to bassoons, horns, and string section. The clarinets are usually scored in thirds and play a prominent role throughout all of the movements in either carrying the melody line or embellishing it. The most interesting features of the Allegro are the crescendos and dynamic contrasts. Cannabich adds tension by using rising sequences and running eighth notes under the moving lines. Especially climactic is when a large Mannheim crescendo at the end of the development leads to a dramatic pause, and then the start of the recapitulation. The lengthy Andante is followed by a playful Allegro with a driving eighth note accompaniment. There is a plethora of dominant seventh chords scattered throughout this movement, and a pizzicato string accompaniment section gives the texture some variety.
I found these symphonies interesting, if not always very exciting. It is obvious that these pieces were written while the symphony as a genre was still in the developmental stage. Phrases and harmonies are simple and predictable, development sections are small and restricted, and wind writing is conservative. At times, these symphonies sound similar to the early symphonies of Haydn. While symphonies by Mannheim composers are interesting when viewed as a milepost in the evolution of the symphony, they do not have enough merit to stand on their own when compared to the later classical symphonies. The Mannheim works contain all the elements of great symphonies, but the works of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven represent the full flowering of these elements. When compared to the later classical symphonies that have such beautiful and balanced melodies, extended and suspenseful developments and dramatic and conclusive recapitulations, these works from Mannheim lose much of their luster. There are simply so many great symphonies already in the canon that there is no room for anything mediocre. These symphonies are interesting, but not good enough to be included in the canon.
In the mid 1700s, the Mannheim orchestra became a center for innovation in the development of the symphony. The Mannheim orchestra was known for its well-trained, virtuoso musicians, its extensive use of wind instruments, most notably the clarinet, exciting dynamic contrasts, and dramatic crescendos. Johann Stamitz (1717-1757) was the most famous composer at Mannheim and played a large role in developing the genre of the symphony, and other composers at the court continued these innovations. The record: Orchestral Music from the Mannheim School contains three symphonies by the composers Johann Christian Cannabich (1731-1798), Ignaz Holzbauer (1711-1783), and Franz Xaver Richter (1709-1789), performed by the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra under the baton of Boris Brott. These three pieces represent one stage in the evolution of the symphony from the brief, three-movement symphonies of Giovanni Battista Sammartini to the full-blown, complex symphonies of composers of the Classical Period such as Haydn and Mozart. They display the balance, symmetry, and simplicity that were so valued by composers of the Rococo while showing the germs of the symphonic forms would became standard in the Classical Period. All of the pieces make extensive use of sudden dynamic contrasts, crescendos, caesuras, virtuosic string writing, and other dramatic effects. Mannheim composers were especially known for writing crescendos, often a rising line over bass pedal point, which gave added dramatic effect (Grove Music Online s.v. “Mannheim Style”).
Holzbauer’s Symphony in E-flat, Op. 4 No. 3 is unlike the other two symphonies on this album because it has four movements instead of three, a practice that would eventually become standard. It calls for a string section with the addition of pairs of bassoons, oboes, and horns. The first movement, Allegro Non Troppo opens with a stately legato theme and seems to be an early version of Sonata-Allegro form, with an exposition containing two themes, a development, and a recapitulation. I was surprised by how brief the development was in this movement and all the sonata form movements on this recording. These developments usually stray into arpeggios in several different minor keys for about a minute, before returning to the tonic for the recapitulation. Unlike later symphonies of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, where the development section is the most crucial part of the piece, these Mannheim composers almost treat the development as an afterthought—a bridge to be crossed as quickly as possible on the way to the recapitulation. The dark minor passages and strategic use of dissonance and suspensions lend a sense of emotional urgency to the Adagio Grazioso which moves almost immediately into the Minuet where the bassoons and oboes play a dominant role in the Trio. Rounding out the symphony is the exciting La Tempesta del’Mar which contains a wide array of dramatic effects. It is full of virtuosic string runs in both the violins and the cellos, sudden changes of dynamics, and the famous Mannheim crescendos. This was one of my favorite movements in the recording. It made me appreciate the fact that Mannheim’s orchestra was famous for its well-trained, technically precise players. Although this movement sounds relatively tame when compared to the final movements of Mozart and Beethoven, audiences who had never experienced such musical fireworks must have been stunned.
Richter’s Sinfonia in G-Major contains only three movements and does not call for any wind instruments. The opening Allegro contains an exposition, a development and a recapitulation, with the violins as the primary carriers of the melody. Another contrast between these Mannheim pieces and the symphonies of Haydn and Mozart is the quantity and quality of melodic material. Richter, Holzbauer and Cannabich write pleasant melodies, but they don’t have as much depth, balance, and sense of direction as those of later classical composters. Each piece usually contains only two or three main melodic ideas which are developed throughout the piece as opposed to the endless stream ideas that characterize the music of Mozart. These Mannheim works contain all the elements of the standard classical symphony, but in a smaller, less developed form. Cannabich’s Sinfonia No. 5 in B-flat is interesting because it is the only piece on this record that requires a pair of clarinets in addition to bassoons, horns, and string section. The clarinets are usually scored in thirds and play a prominent role throughout all of the movements in either carrying the melody line or embellishing it. The most interesting features of the Allegro are the crescendos and dynamic contrasts. Cannabich adds tension by using rising sequences and running eighth notes under the moving lines. Especially climactic is when a large Mannheim crescendo at the end of the development leads to a dramatic pause, and then the start of the recapitulation. The lengthy Andante is followed by a playful Allegro with a driving eighth note accompaniment. There is a plethora of dominant seventh chords scattered throughout this movement, and a pizzicato string accompaniment section gives the texture some variety.
I found these symphonies interesting, if not always very exciting. It is obvious that these pieces were written while the symphony as a genre was still in the developmental stage. Phrases and harmonies are simple and predictable, development sections are small and restricted, and wind writing is conservative. At times, these symphonies sound similar to the early symphonies of Haydn. While symphonies by Mannheim composers are interesting when viewed as a milepost in the evolution of the symphony, they do not have enough merit to stand on their own when compared to the later classical symphonies. The Mannheim works contain all the elements of great symphonies, but the works of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven represent the full flowering of these elements. When compared to the later classical symphonies that have such beautiful and balanced melodies, extended and suspenseful developments and dramatic and conclusive recapitulations, these works from Mannheim lose much of their luster. There are simply so many great symphonies already in the canon that there is no room for anything mediocre. These symphonies are interesting, but not good enough to be included in the canon.
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