Tenebrae
May 9, 2022
RIITUSED MAAILMA KATUSELT
October 24, 2022

Festival Glasperlenspiel presents:
Mon, July 12th at 7 pm St John’s church, Tartu
TENEBRAE
Estonian National Male Choir, conductor Mikk Üleoja
Gesualdo, Uusberg

The penultimate concert of the Glasperlenspiel festival presents the  Estonian National Male Choir with a contrasting and profound programme. The title „Tenebrae“ („darkness“) refers to the matins and lauds of the final part of Holy Week in the Roman Catholic Church. The emotionality of Tenebrae responsories have inspired composers through the ages; in the context of the current war situation in Ukraine, the texts are even more relevant and eloquent. The concert programme looks at the subject of suffering from two angles – through the eyes of the madrigal composer, notorious Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa and Estonian composer Pärt Uusberg whose music is written five centuries later.

The Estonian National Male Choir is one of the best-known and most prestigious male choirs in the world. In 2004, the choir was awarded with the Grammy award for the best choral performance, first for Estonia. Under the direction of Mikk Üleoja, the choir constantly records for Estonian Public Broadcasting and collaborates with several renowned record companies. The albums with music by Italian composers Giovanni Bonato and Giovanni Gabriel and works by Baltic composers Erkki-Sven Tüür, Peteris Vasks and Juste Janulyte are expected to be released. During its long history, the choir has performed all over Estonia and the former Soviet Union, as well as in many European countries, Israel, Canada, the USA, China, Japan and Singapore.  In 2015, Estonian National Male Choir and Mikk Üleoja were awarded the State Cultural Award, marking the choir’s remarkable performances.

 

Tenor I: Priidu Aardam, Aleksander Arder, Aivar Kaldre, Andrus Kirss, Jaan Krivel, Mart Kroon, Priit Lehto, Lennart Mängli, Valnar Neidre, Oliver Povel, Kuldar Schüts, Karel Tohv
Tenor II: Arvo Aun, Sergii Bilokin, Reio Blond, Madis Enson (soloist), Ero Esko, Olev Koit, Grigori Rutškin, Erkki Targo, Margus Vaht, Mati Valdaru, Margus Vellmann, Rihards Zariṇš
Baritone: Peeter Hillep, Hanno Hint, Ott Indermitte, Rene Keldo, Taavi Kendra, Kaarel Kukk (soloist), Igor Nikiforov, Andrus Poolma, Alo Rammo, Ants Reinhold, Andrus Siimon, Stanislav Šeljahhovski
Bass: Andres Alamaa, Jüri Eensoo, Rasmus Erismaa, Arno Jürjens, Taavi Kivi, Aare Kruusimäe, Geir Luht, Mait Männik, Reigo Männiste, Juss Tamm, Ranno Tamm, Roland Viilukas


In monte Oliveti oravit ad Patrem:
Pater, si fieri potest,
transeat a me calix iste:
Spiritus quidem promptus est,
caro autem infirma.
Fiat voluntas tua.

Tristis est anima mea usque ad mortem:
sustinete hic, et vigilate mecum:
nunc videbitis turbam,
quae circumdabit me:
Vos fugam capietis,
et ego vadam immolari pro vobis.
Ecce appropinquat hora,
et Filius hominis tradetur
in manus peccatorum.

Velum templi scissum est:
et omnis terra tremuit:
latro de cruce clamabat, dicens:
Memento mei, Domine,
dum veneris in regnum tuum.
Petrae scissae sunt,
et monumenta aperta sunt,
et multa corpora sanctorum,
qui dormierant, surrexerunt.

Vinea mea electa,
ego te plantavi:
Quomodo conversa es
in amaritudinem
ut me crucifigeres,
et Barabbam dimitteres?
Sepivi te,
et lapides elegi ex te,
et aedificavi turrim.

Tenebrae factae sunt,
dum crucifixissent Iesum Iudaei:
et circa horam nonam
exclamavit Iesus voce magna:
Deus meus, ut quid
me derelinquisti?
Et inclinato capite,
emisit spiritum.
Exclamans Iesus
voce magna, ait:
Pater, in manus tuas
commendo spiritum meum.

Caligaverunt oculi mei
a fletu meo:
quia elongatus est a me,
qui consolabatur me:
Videte omnes populi,
si est dolor similis
sicut dolor meus.
O vos omnes,
qui transitis per viam,
attendite, et videte.

Ierusalem, surge
et exue te vestibus iucunditatis:
induere te cinere et cilicio,
quia in te occisus est
Salvator Israel.
Deduc quasi torrentem
lacrimas per diem et noctem,
et non taceat pupilla oculi tui.
Quia in te occisus est Salvator Israel.

Plange quasi virgo, plebs mea:
ululate, pastores,
in cinere et cilicio:
Quia veniet dies Domini magna,
et amara valde.
Accingite vos, sacerdotes,
et plangite, ministri altaris,
aspergite vos cinere.

O vos omnes, qui transitis per
viam, attendite, et videte:
Si est dolor similis
sicut dolor meus.
Attendite, universi populi,
et videte dolorem meum.

Ecce quomodo moritur iustus
et nemo percipit corde:
et viri iusti tolluntur,
et nemo considerat:
a facie iniquitatis
sublatus est iustus:
Et erit in pace memoria eius.
Tamquam agnus coram
tondente se obmutuit,
et non aperuit os suum:
de angustia, et de iudicio
sublatus est.

Astiterunt reges terrae,
et principes convenerunt in unum,
adversus Dominum,
et adversus Christum eius.
Quare fremuerunt Gentes,
et populi meditati sunt inania?

Aestimatus sum
cum descendentibus in lacum:
Factus sum sicut homo sine
adiutorio, inter mortuos liber.
Posuerunt me in lacu
inferiori, in tenebrosis,
et in umbra mortis.

Sepulto Domino,
signatum est monumentum,
volventes lapidem
ad ostium monumenti:
Ponentes milites,
qui custodirent illum.
Accedentes principes
sacerdotum ad Pilatum,
petierunt illum.

Benedictus Dominus
Deus Israel,
quia visitavit, et fecit
redemptionem plebis suae.
Et erexit cornu salutis nobis:
in domo David, pueri sui.
Sicut locutus est
per os sanctorum,
qui a saeculo sunt,
prophetarum eius.
Salutem ex inimicis nostris,
et de manu omnium
qui oderunt nos:
Ad faciendam misericordiam
cum patribus nostris:
et memorari testamenti
sui sancti.
Iusiurandum, quod iuravit
ad Abraham, patrem nostrum,
daturum se nobis:
Ut sine timore, de manu
inimicorum nostrorum liberati,
serviamus illi.
In sanctitate, et iustitia coram
ipso, omnibus diebus nostris.
Et tu, puer,
propheta Altissimi vocaberis:
praeibis enim ante faciem
Domini parare vias eius:
Ad dandam scientiam salutis
plebi eius: in remissionem
peccatorum eorum:
per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri:
in quibus visitavit nos,
oriens ex alto:
Illuminare his, qui in tenebris,
et in umbra mortis sedent:
ad dirigendos pedes nostros
in viam pacis.

Tartu
Eesti Kultuurkapital