 |
| Dr. Jacob Rittenhouse directs the combined choir in the premiere performance
of "Come Home/The Path Ahead," a work by James E. Clemens and
David Wright commissioned for Inauguration and Homecoming Weekend. More photos from Inauguration and Homecoming Weekend |
November 1, 2005
The Inaugural Choral Concert Friday evening, October 28, featured the
world premiere of an original choral work, with music by Mennonite composer
James E. Clemens, Dayton, Va., and words by Mennonite poet David Wright,
Pontiac, Ill.
The work, in two parts, "Come Home" and "The Path Ahead," ran
nearly six minutes in length. The 150 voices consisting of the Bethel College
Concert Choir, the Tabor College Concert Choir, the Hesston College Bel Canto
Singers, and the Hesston College Chorale had one two-hour rehearsal together
Thursday evening, Oct. 27.
Dr. Jacob Rittenhouse, director of the mass choir and director of choral activities
at Hesston College, says the first part "is written in a melancholy, almost
haunting style, with a subtle invitation to come home to Christ," he said. "It's
based on the folk tune 'Expression' as transcribed by George Pullen Jackson in
'Another Sheaf of White Spirituals, 1952.'
"Using that tune, Clemens sets the harmonic structure and adds voices to
it," Rittenhouse explained. "It has an Appalachian folk hymn flavor,
similar to some of Alice Parker's works."
According to Rittenhouse, the second part, titled "The Path Ahead," explores
what's ahead, admits that the journey is scary ("is narrow and steep"),
but emphasizes that we are supported in our journey by God.
Rittenhouse said the second song is much more upbeat, particularly after African
percussion instruments, the conga drum and djambe, along with a shaker, are introduced
and establish a rhythmic beat. "It has forward movement," Rittenhouse
said. "It's not so subtle like the first song. And it has a full and energetic
ending."
Both parts are written for a capella voices. "They are uniquely written," Rittenhouse
said. "The text and music are crafted well together and compliment each
other. Each song has a thematic aspect that plays together and provides unity
to the composition."
Rittenhouse said the two pieces are not the typical choral literature, but the
harmonic structures are not too difficult. "They're both very singable,
yet very interesting."
Neither Wright nor Clemens attended the world premiere performance. In interviews
earlier, they discussed the new choral work.
David Wright, who authored the words for the two pieces, said writing commissioned
works is exciting. "That's because you know a group will learn and perform
the work," he said, "and that a group of people is ready to hear it.
In that way, it will already have a home.
"We knew the choral work was for a celebrative experience, celebrating Hesston's
history and values, and an anticipatory experience, anticipating what the new
president will do," he said.
On a general level, Wright said the two pieces are explicitly about the Christian
and Mennonite heritage Hesston College represents and about the future, the path
ahead. "The first piece is about the call of Jesus to come home, not unlike
a homecoming celebration, where people are invited to come," he explained. "The
second piece is about where Jesus takes us."
"The images of 'home' and 'path' were strong influences while we wrote," Clemens
added.
"Knowing that these pieces were to be premiered for the inauguration helped guide
the way David and I worked together.
"My hope is that these pieces will exemplify the images (home and path)
for the students, faculty, and staff, " Clemens said.
"I hope the two pieces evoke a call from Jesus for us to come home," Wright
said, "as well as Jesus calling us to the future."
Born in 1966, Clemens grew up in Goshen, Ind., and graduated from Goshen College.
His compositions--including works for choir, orchestra, piano, strings, brass,
voice, and various ensembles--have roots in folk song, jazz, music from the Renaissance
and Baroque periods, and the works of Beethoven, Brahms, Copland, and Vaughan
Williams. Clemens has received commissions and awards from the American Composers
Forum, the New England String Ensemble, the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, the
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Goshen College,
and other schools, ensembles, and soloists. He is a member of ASCAP, the American
Composers Forum, and The Hymn Society.
Clemens' favorite projects are commissions that bring him into collaboration
with the artists who will perform his works.
Clemens lives with his wife, Angie, a grade school music teacher, and their two
children in Dayton, Va.
David Wright's poems, essays, and reviews have appeared in many places, including
The Mars Hill
Review, Artful Dodge, The Mennonite Quarterly Review, The Christian Century,
and the anthology A Cappella: Mennonite Voices in Poetry. His most recent poetry
collection is A Liturgy for Stones (Cascadia 2003). He is a past recipient of
an Illinois Arts Council Artist's Fellowship for poetry.
Wright earned his bachelor's degree in English, with a music minor, at Millikin
University in Decatur, Ill., and his master's degree in English at Truman State
University, Kirksville, Mo. He did doctoral work at Loyola University in Chicago.
In addition to teaching writing and literature at Wheaton College, David enjoys
being active in the worship life of the Mennonite Church of Normal.
Since 2001, he has been working with composer Jim Clemens on music, particularly
for choirs and congregations. Currently, they are completing a collection of
new hymns entitled A Field of Voices.
David lives with his wife, Becky, a pediatrician, and their two children in Pontiac,
Ill.