Our surprise guests at the Consort zoom party last Saturday were several members of Consort’s orchestra. During the party Allan mentioned that one of his favorite pieces with the orchestra was Ēriks Ešenvalds “In Paradisum.”
Our program notes for Opus 21 included, “A Latvian composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and choral works that have been performed in the Americas, Asia and Europe, Mr. Ešenvalds studied at a theological seminary in Latvia from 1995–97. He then studied at the Jāzepa Vītola Latvijas Mūzikas akadēmija – Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in Rīga, where he graduated in 2002. He later had postgraduate studies in composition there with Selga Mence from 2002–04. He served as music minister at the Baptist church Vīlandes in Rīga and sang as a member of the state choir Latvija in Rīga. He served as Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge from 2011–13. He taught at High School No. 31 in Rīga from 1998–2002. His music is captivating, mysterious and wonderfully original.”
Persons of the Day: Orchestra Contractors Since 2010 we have listed our Orchestra Contractors in the programs. In that year we indicated that both Wieslaw Pogorzelski and Kelly Maulbetsch shared the contractor position. Wieslaw then took over until he moved to Poland after our 2015 concert, except for 2012 when Martha Wall took the position. Kelly has been our contractor since 2016. These have been the people, with their connections to local musicians, who have brought us such talented and professional instrumental support each season. But they are also key players in our orchestra. The haunting accompaniment to “In Paradisum” was played by Wieslaw on the Viola and Kelly on the Cello. |
In paradisum deducant Angeli:
in tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres,
et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem.
Chorus Angelorum te suscipiat,
et cum Lazaro quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem.
May the angels lead you into paradise;
May the Martyrs welcome you upon your arrival,
and lead you into the holy city of Jerusalem.
May a choir of angels welcome you,
and, with poor Lazarus of old, may you have eternal rest.