I wanted to extend an invitation to all of you to come to my husband’s first Doctorate of Musical Arts degree recital. The recital is Sunday, December 8th at 4:00pm in the Main Building on the 2nd floor. This is the first of three recitals Caleb needs to give for his degree, so if you can’t make it to this one – no worries! I will definitely be sending out information on the next two as they are scheduled. He’ll be doing one recital per academic year.
About the Performance:
(Estimated length: 1 hour)
This performance is attached to a class on liturgical prayer, by which the members of the class have spent a semester examining and entering into many traditions of prayer. This examination places us in the musical tradition of Mexico City Cathedral in the 1760’s. At the center of this performance is a partial reconstruction of Matins (night prayer) for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception which was set to music in its entirety by Ignacio de Jerusalem, the music director of the Cathedral from 1750-1769. Also featured in this performance are works by two earlier Cathedral music directors: Manuel Zumaya and Hernando Franco. In music tradition of Mexico City Cathedral is, in many ways, the amalgamation of Spanish and Native Mexican influences. The use of vernacular (both native Nahuatl and Spanish), the adaptation of Renaissance composition techniques with traditional folk music, the presence of opera arias within Latin liturgical music, and the novel use of the baroque orchestra to include folk instruments are but a few of the elements part and parcel to this musical tradition. The rich musical tradition of Mexico City would, in turn, be highly influential on the musical life of the California Missions and on the musical infrastructure of the American West Coast.
If you enjoyed the Sacred Music presentation at the UR Summit, you’ll definitely enjoy this performance. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Thanks!
Brooke Wenzel
Administrative Assistant
Office of Gift Planning