The MS College Chorale, and Singers, and the Jackson Choral Society,
with Soprano Dana Rice and Mezzo-Soprano Viola Dacus at MS College's
Swor Auditorium, April 26, 2004. Music of James Sclater.
The program began with Sclater's reflective "Remembrance", recalling
evenings the young Sclater and his father had spent together on the porch.
Sclater's text was at the same time prose and poetry, ideal for setting
to music. The remarkable unity of this work leads me to suspect that
in the composing process much of the text and music were conceived of
simultaneously. The sounds from the orchestra, conducted by James Meaders,
were varied and rich, often referring to events in the text (such as "motor
cars"). Dana Rice, soprano, was simply glorious.
The larger work - premiered in this performance - was Sclater's "Lux
Aeterna" (Psalms of Light). There was an orchestral prologue "And Darkness
gave way to Light", with a flute solo by Sybil Cheesman. Six psalms then
followed. As with "Remembrance" I wondered to what extent the music and
texts were thought of at the same time. The same unity was here, even in
the two psalms written by Sclater's daughter Patricia. After the Prologue
the psalms were "Come, Lead Us Gently" (text by Patricia S.) for chorus and
orchestra - a perfect union of text and music; "Prayer to the Light" for
mezzo-soprano and orchestra - with wonderful extended melismas on the word
"Flourish", sung impeccably by Viola Dacus; "Psalm to the Light of Lights"
(text by Patricia S.) for chorus and orchestra - a big piece with orchestral
interludes; "Psalm: My Darkness Is No Challenge" for unaccompanied chorus
- with some very effective antiphonal passages; "Lux Aeterna", for mezzo-
soprano and orchestra - here Viola Dacus evoked the sense of mystery that
permeated the text and music; and, in closing, "Praise to the Light of
Lights" for chorus and orchestra - including an extended litany of the form
"Praise to the light that...". Each statement of the litany (more than 20
in all) had a different treatment - some syncopated, some melismatic -
that was reminiscent of a theme and variations. The last line "Alleluia
to the Eternal Light of God" was a fitting summary of the work.
The orchestra - drawn from the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra - and
the chorus - were clearly very much into the works and their performance
showed it with a collective enthusiasm for the music. Patricia Sclater's
two texts were powerful, and I hope she and her father will collaborate
again. I especially thank Director/Conductor James Meaders for putting
all this together and making it work. It was all together a profound
experience.
- Glenn A. Gentry