An Exploration Of Characterizations In JAC Redford’s ...

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An Exploration Of Characterizations In JACRedford’s Oratorio The Martyrdom Of SaintPolycarpMelanie Cross BucknerUniversity of South Carolina

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ANEXPLORATIONOFCHARACTERIZATIONSINJACREDFORD’SORATORIO

THEMARTYRDOMOFSAINTPOLYCARPby

MelanieCrossBuckner

BachelorofArts

MercerUniversity,2005

MasterofMusic

MercerUniversity,2007

________________________________________________

SubmittedinPartialFulfillmentoftheRequirements

FortheDegreeofDoctorofMusicalArtsin

Conducting

SchoolofMusic

UniversityofSouthCarolina

2017

Acceptedby:

LarryWyatt,MajorProfessor

AliciaWalker,CommitteeMember

AndrewGowan,CommitteeMember

ReginaldBain,CommitteeMember

CherylL.Addy,ViceProvostandDeanoftheGraduateSchool

ii

©CopyrightbyMelanieCrossBuckner,2017

AllRightsReserved

iii

ABSTRACT

Thepurposeofthisdocumentistohighlightthefundamentalmusicalfeatures

J.A.C.RedfordemploystocreatecharacterizationswithinhisoratorioTheMartyrdomof

SaintPolycarp.Analysisofmelody,harmony,textureandrhythmdemonstrates

Redford’smethodsofunderscoringtheprinciplesofgoodandevilwhiledemonstrating

aChristianworldview.

Anexaminationofeachcharacterrevealsuniquemusicthathighlightsspecific

aspectsoftheirindividualpersonalities.Redfordemploysavarietyoftechniquesto

accomplishthediversepersonae.Thesetechniquesalsoilluminateelementsofhis

compositionalstyle.Specialfeaturesincludemelodieswithnaturalspeechrhythmsand

inflections,extendedtertianharmonies,andrhythmicandmelodicmotifswoven

throughoutthework.Therearenumerousquotesfromthecomposeronhisthought

processesincreatingthepiece.Thefinalchapterincludesperformanceconsiderations

thatwillbeparticularlyusefultotheconductor.

iv

TABLEOFCONTENTS

ABSTRACT...........................................................................................................................iii

LISTOFFIGURES..................................................................................................................v

CHAPTER1COMPOSER’SBIOGRAPHY................................................................................1

CHAPTER2LIBRETTISTANDLIBRETTO...............................................................................9

CHAPTER3ANALYSIS........................................................................................................28

INTRODUCTIONTOTHEORATORIO......................................................................28

MARCION..............................................................................................................30

STATIUSQUADRATUSANDTHECROWD..............................................................37

POLYCARP.............................................................................................................46

ANGELS,CLOUDOFWITNESSES,JOHNTHEEVANGELISTANDGOD....................51

NICETES,QUINTUSANDGERMANICUS.................................................................55

CHAPTER4PERFORMANCECONSIDERATIONS.................................................................59

SUMMARYANDCONCLUSIONS........................................................................................67

BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................................................................................................69

APPENDIXA—DEGREERECITALPROGRAMSOFMELANIEC.BUCKNER...........................71

v

LISTOFFIGURES

Figure1.1J.A.C.RedfordPhotograph…………………………………………...……………....….........….1

Figure2.1TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarplibretto…………………………….......……......……11.

Figure3.1TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Prologuemm.13-15…………..……….......…..32

Figure3.2TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Prologuemm.28-33…………..………........….33

Figure3.3“Mercy,peaceandlove”motive……………………………………………...………….....…34

Figure3.4TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Prologuemm.82-87…………………......…..…35

Figure3.5TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene3mm.21-26…………………..…....…….36

Figure3.6“Evil”rhythmicmotive………………………………………………………………..........………39

Figure3.7TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene3mm.21-22………………….….......……40

Figure3.8TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene1mm.163-164……………....…....….…40

Figure3.9TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene5mm.206-207……………........…….…40

Figure3.10TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene1mm.34-38………………....….……...41

Figure3.11TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene1mm.20-29…………….…....………...41

Figure3.12TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene5mm.140-142………….....…………..42

Figure3.13TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene5mm.175-176………………......…...43

Figure3.14TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene5mm.197-204…………….......….….45

Figure3.15TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene2mm.22-24…………….............……47

Figure3.16TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene1mm.403-410…...…….......….....…48

Figure3.17TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene2mm.97-102..............................49

vi

Figure3.18TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene5mm.221-228.............................50


Figure3.20TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene2m.106.......................................52


Figure3.22TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene4mm.13-16.................................56



Figure4.1TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene5mm.244-249...............................61

Figure4.2TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene2mm.130-135...............................62

1

CHAPTER1—COMPOSER’SBIOGRAPHY

JonathanAlfredClawsonRedford,b.July14,1953RedfordgoesbyJ.A.C.(pronouncedJack)

Figure1.1J.A.C.RedfordPhotograph

J.A.C.Redfordisaprolificcomposer,writingfilmandtelevisionscores,musicfor

theater,aswellasconcert,chamberandchoralmusic.Heisalsoaconductor,

orchestratorandarranger.1Somenotableaccomplishmentsarehisoriginalfilmscores

forTheMightyDucksIIandIIIandAKidinKingArthur’sCourt.HereceivedEmmy

nominationstwoyearsinarowforhismusicinthetelevisionseriesSt.Elsewhere.He

hasorchestratedmusicinmajorfilmssuchasTheAmazingSpiderManandSkyfall,and

1JACRedford,“Biography,”June15,2016,www.jacredford.com.

2

heconductedsoundtracksforTheLittleMermaidandTheNightmareBeforeChristmas.2

Healsohassevenrecordedcollectionsofhisconcert,chamber,andchoralmusic

includingInsidePassage,ChamberMusicVolume2andTheGrowingSeason,Musicfor

Orchestra,releasedinFebruary2017.

Hehaswrittenover45choralpieces,recentlyreceivingthe2017RaymondW.

BrockMemorialCommissionfromtheAmericanChoralDirectorsAssociation(ACDA).

HispieceHomingpremieredatACDA’sMarch2017NationalConventionwiththe

MinneapolisSymphonyandChorusunderthedirectionofRobertSpano.Hesharesthis

honorwithpastrecipientssuchasCarlisleFloyd,GianCarloMenotti,EricWhitacre,

DominickArgentoandAliceParker.

RedfordistheauthorofWelcomeAllWonders:AComposer’sJourney.This

bookisadetailedaccountofhisearlylife,passageintothemusicindustry,andChristian

conversion.Heisalsoapoetandhassetmanyofhispoemstomusic.Thisbookis

particularlyhelpfulingivinginsightintoRedford’searlyinfluencesandthefoundations

ofhisfaith,bothofwhichheavilyimpacthiscompositionaloutput.3

Inrecentyears,Redford’schoralmusichasreceivedmoreattentionthrough

scholarlystudiesandeventssuchasACDA.Heisbecomingoneoftheforemost

Americancomposersofchoralmusic,andchoraleducatorsshouldbeawareofhis

compositions.Whilehisworksarediverse,manyofthemfeatureelementsthatare

signaturetohisstyle:jazz-influencedextendedtertianharmonies,quartal/quintal

2JACRedford,“Biography,”June15,2016,www.jacredford.com.3JACRedford,WelcomeAllWonders:AComposer’sJourney(GrandRapids:BakerBooks,1997).

3

harmonies,textpaintingandavariedmelodicpalettethathighlightsnaturalspeech

rhythmsandinflections.Thisdocumentwilldiscusshislargestchoralworkandonly

oratorio,whichalsofeaturesalloftheseelements.Whiletheoratorioisasingulargenre

inhisoutput,itseemstohavebeenanidealmatchforhiscinematicbackground.

TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarpisapproximately90minutesinlength,written

formixedchorus,soloistsandorchestra.TheArpadDaraszEndowmentforChoral

MusicattheUniversityofSouthCarolinaandFirstPresbyterianChurchColumbiaco-

commissionedthepiecein2001,anditwascompletedandpremieredin2004.4The

genesisoftheworkcamefromthesecondcenturyPolycarp’swords,spoken18

centuriesafterhisdeathinasmallclassroomatFirstPresbyterianChurchinColumbia,

SouthCarolina.5Inspiredbythemartyr’sprayer,Dr.LarryWyatt,DirectorofChoral

StudiesattheUniversityofSouthCarolina,begantoresearchthelifeandhistoryof

Polycarpandthoughtitwasexcellentmaterialforanoratorio.6Aftercompletinga

performanceofRedford’sChristmascantataWelcomeAllWonders,Wyattthought

Redford’sspirituallysensitivestylemadehimaprimecandidatetocreateapieceabout

theChristianmartyr.7Redfordwasofferedandacceptedacommissiontocraftawork

featuringthelifeandmartyrdomofPolycarp.

RedfordrecountshisfeelingsafterinitiallyreadingaboutPolycarp.Hestates,

“Polycarp’scourageandsingle-mindeddedicationtoChriststirredmyfaithandthe

4ScottCairns,“TheLibretto:WritingtheTrueIcon,”Image44,(Winter2004-5):72.5JACRedford,“TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp:ASacredOratorio”(unpublishedarticlereceivedelectronicallyMay9,2016).6Ibid.7Ibid.

4

dramaticeventssurroundinghisdeathresonatedwithmycinematicsensibilities.”8In

2001,RedfordapproachedrenownedpoetScottCairns(seechapter2)aboutcreating

thelibrettoforthismonumentalwork.

RedfordandCairnsdidnotknoweachotherbeforehand,buttheyrecountthat

theyimmediatelyfeltakinshipandaunifiedvisionforwantingtocreateapiecethat

wouldgivejusticetothestoryandtothesaint.9Redfordwrote:

It’snoaccidentthatinapostmodernworld,whererelativityreignssupreme,linearnarrativeandformlanguishindisrepute,whilevariousstreamsofconsciousnessoverflowtheirbanks,sweepingallbeforethem.Ibelieve,however,thatstorytellinganswersoneofthedeepestandmostdefinitiveneedsofthehumansoul,andtellingastorywellrequiresattentiontonarrativeform.10

ThisquoteprovidesanideaofRedford’sperspectiveoncreatingthework,andtogether

theydecidedonalinearnarrativeform,eventuallyorganizingthepieceintoaprologue

andfivescenes.11Threeyearslater,theycompletedtheoratorio,animmensefirstfor

composerandlibrettist.

BeforefurtherexploringTheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,itwillbehelpfulto

understandthecomposer’shistoryinordertobetterappreciatethecomposition.The

pillarsofRedford’slifehavealwaysbeenfamily,faith,andmusic.12Asachild,his

parentswereinvolvedintheartsandexposedhimtoavarietyofmusicandtheatre.His

motherwasanactivesoprano,andhisfatherwasadramateacher.Theyfosteredin

himaloveofpieceslikeBizet’sCarmen,Stravinsky’sFirebirdSuiteandBernstein’s8JACRedford,“TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp:ASacredOratorio,”unpublishedarticlereceivedelectronicallyMay9,2016.9ScottCairns,“TheLibretto:WritingtheTrueIcon,”Image44,(Winter2004-5):73.10JACRedford,“TheScore:TasteandSee,”Image44,(Winter2004-5):79.11Ibid.12TheauthorbasesthisstatementonthesummationofRedford’sbiography.

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musicalWestSideStory.13Hewrites,“Allofthismusicwasseededdeepintomyheart,

creatingavocabularyofmelody,harmony,andrhythmwithwhichmyearstill

resonates.”14Asidefrommusic,Redfordwrites,“TheLDSChurchwasthehubaround

whicheverythingelserevolved.Itwasthegridthroughwhichmyfamilyobservedand

understoodtheworld.”15

BythetimeRedfordwasayoungteenager,hehadexperiencedpivotaljunctures

inhislife.Hisparentshaddivorced,hehadunknowinglymethisfuturewifeLeAnn

Allred,andhewasrisinginhispriesthooddutiesintheMormonChurch.Outsidestimuli

especiallyfilmandliteraturefedRedford’sromanticsensibilities,andhisloveand

involvementinmusiccontinuedtoflourish.Byhisjunioryearinhighschool,aftersome

exposuretoandexperienceinajazzensemble,hediscoveredhislife’scalling.He

recalls,“Iwrotemyfirstoriginalinstrumentalworkforthisgroup:athree-movement

jazzsuiteIcalledSilverlodeafterTolkien...BythetimeIfinishedthispiece,Iknewmy

destinyaswell:Iwouldbeacomposer.”16Redford’sexplorationofmusicwasalways

diverseinnature,andashewasimmersinghimselfinjazz,hewasalsostudyingtheory

andclassicalforms.

Outwardly,Redford’slifeseemedtomoveinapredictablepath.In1971,he

beganattendingBYU.However,itwasherethathefirstexperiencedarubwithhis

religionandhisowncontemplations.Hewrote,“Mythoughtsaboutartandspirituality,

politicsandthecorruptibilityofinstitutionsseemedsomehowvaguelydangerous,13Redford,WelcomeallWonders,22.14Ibid.15Ibid.,27.16Ibid.,40.

6

hoveringontheedgeofrespectability.Icouldsenseaveileddisapprovallikeahumin

theair.”17Thiswouldlaterflowerintohiswalkingawayfromthereligionofhis

childhood,ofhisfamily,andofhisancestors.Thisdecisiondramaticallyaffectedhislife

andsubsequentlyhischoraloutput.

InFebruaryof1972,J.A.C.andLeAnnwereengaged.18Afterhisreturnfroma

two-yearmissiontoItaly,thetwomarriedinSeptemberof1974.19In1976,Redford

movedtoHollywood,wherehebeganhiscareerasafilmcomposer.ManyofRedford’s

extensiveaccomplishmentsintheTVandfilmindustryarewelldocumentedinhis

autobiographyandcanalsobefoundonhiswebsitejacredford.com.Highpointsinhis

earlycareerwerehissix-yearstintascomposerforSt.Elsewhere,inwhichhewas

nominatedfortwoEmmyAwards.Afterthis,hecomposedthemusicforanother

successfultelevisionseriesCoach.Hedevelopedgrowingconnectionswiththemovie

industrythroughWaltDisneyPicturesinthelate1980sandhassincecomposed,

orchestrated,and/orconducteddozensofscoresformanywell-knownfeaturefilms

suchasLeroyandStitchandTheMightyDucksIIandIII.20Hehasalsowrittenscoresfor

TVmoviesandminiseries.Morerecently,heorchestratedthemusicfortheDisneyfilm

FindingDoryin2016,SPECTRE,a2015JamesBond007film,andBridgeofSpiesby

StevenSpielberg.21HehasworkedwithAcademyAward-winningcomposerssuchas

17Redford,WelcomeAllWonders,61.18Ibid.,66.19Ibid.,106.20AmyLouiseAucoin,“TheIlluminationofE.E.Cummings’PoetryinJ.A.C.Redford’sloveistheeveryonlygod”(DMAdiss.,LouisianaStateUniversity,2010).21BrendaLoweRudd,“AConductor’sAnalysisofPoetryandMusicinJ.A.C.Redford’sAntiphons”(DMAdiss.LouisianaStateUniversity,2016).

7

AlanMenkenandThomasNewman,andGrammyAward-winningartistssuchasSteven

CurtisChapmanandSting.HehasservedasaconsultantfortheSundanceFilmInstitute

andaguestlecturerattheUniversityofSouthernCaliforniaandtheUniversityof

CaliforniaLosAngeles.22Whilethisdocumentwillnotextensivelycoverhiscountless

accomplishmentsinthemusicindustry,itisimportanttoacknowledgetheirinfluence

onhischoraloutputandhisunwaveringaffinityfordramainmusic.Polycarpisthe

perfectmeldingofRedford’sgifts.Ithasacinematicqualitywithatheological

backbone.

Inhisbiography,Redforddocumentsnumeroushighsandlowsinhiscareerand

personallife.However,musicwasalwaysamainstayforhim,ameansofsolaceanda

meansbywhichhedrewclosertoGod.Redford’sChristianfaithisinextricablylinkedto

manyofhiscompositionsandspecificallytoTheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp.Itis

importanttoacknowledgethecomposer’sperspectiveinordertofullyappreciatehis

artisticchoices.Forexample,VaughanWilliam’sFiveMysticalSongswasapivotalpiece

inRedford’sspiritualjourney,andonethatcontinuestoplayanimportantroleforhim.

RedfordhaswritteninparticularabouttheGeorgeHerberttext“LoveBadeMe

Welcome”fromtheFiveMysticalSongs.Thispoemwasaninfluenceonhisrecent

choralworkHomingaswellasanewlycommissionedworkfortheOxbridgeSummer

InstituteoftheC.S.LewisFoundation.2324ThepullofpoetryandmusiconRedford’s

22JACRedford,“Biography,”June15,2016,www.jacredford.com.23Redford,WelcomeAllWonders,119.24LarryDWyatt,“Homing:TheWordsandMusicofJ.A.C.Redford,”ChoralJournal57,no.8:8-31.

8

heartwasalovethatfloweredashemovedclosertohisconversiontoChristianityand

aninfluentialfactorintheeventualcreationofPolycarp.Herecallsinhisbookthathe

haddeveloped“anabidingloveforthemarriageofmusicandtext.”25Hewrites:

Imostenjoyedtheworkofpoetswhocreatedavisceralrhythmwiththeirlanguage.Ilikedthechallengeofsettingsuchpoemstomusicthatwouldpreservethenaturalspokenrhythmsofthewordsandrevealunderlyingmeaningsthroughdramaticshadingandcolor,thetensionbetweenconsonanceanddissonance,counterpoint,andothermusicaltechniques.Theearlydaysofourmarriagemarkedthebeginningofmyinevitablepulltowardthecompositionoflarge-scalechoralworks,agenrethatnowloomslargeinmyoevre.26

Asstated,Redfordhascomposedanextensiverangeofpiecesinavarietyof

genres.Polycarpisameldingofhiscompositionalexperienceandspiritualbackground.

Itistheatricalandyetclearlyaconcertwork.Itishistoricalandyetpersonaltothe

composerbecauseofitsrelationshiptohisfaith.Hehaswrittenthat“aconcert

composerisfreetomakehisorherownartisticdeterminationsandtheworkultimately

representsthecomposer’scraftandtastealone.”Hecontinues,“Concertandchamber

musicoffermoreopportunityforacomposertospeakdeeplyandatlength,without

interruption,fromtheinnerresourcesofhisorherownsoul.”27Chapterthreewill

exploremoredeeplyRedford’s“artisticdeterminations”throughhismusical

characterizationsintheoratorio.

25Redford,WelcomeAllWonders,121.26Ibid.27Ibid.,239.

9

CHAPTER2—LIBRETTISTANDLIBRETTO

ScottCairns,b.November19,1954

ScottCairns,librettistforTheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,wasborninTacoma,

Washington.HereceivedaBAfromWesternWashingtonUniversity,anMAfrom

HollinsCollege,anMFAfromBowlingGreenStateUniversity,andaPhDfromthe

UniversityofUtah.28Heisanaccomplishedwriter,havingauthoredtenbookswhich

includepoetrycollections,hismemoirShortTriptotheEdge:WhereEarthMeets

Heaven—APilgrimage,essaysandanotherlibrettoforGeorgiAndreev’soratorioA

MelancholyBeauty.29Besideshisaccomplishmentsasapublishedauthor,Cairnshas

hadanextensiveacademiccareerservingonfacultyatseveraluniversitiessuchas

WestminsterCollege,UniversityofNorthTexasandtheUniversityofMissouri.Heis

currentlyservingasaprofessorofEnglishatSeattlePacificUniversity.Hehasreceived

numeroushonorsincludingtheJohnSimonGuggenheimFellowship,theNational

EndowmentfortheHumanitiesFellowshipandtheDeniseLevertovAward.30

LikeRedford,manyofCairns’worksareinextricablylinkedtohisspirituality.

Uponfirstspeaking,thetwoimmediatelyfeltakinship,andanaturalworking

28GregoryDunne,(2004-5,Winter).“AConversationwithScottCairns,”Image44,(Winter2004-5):53-65.29“ScottCairns,”accessedNovember15,2016.https://english.missouri.edu/people/cairns.30Ibid.

10

relationshipdeveloped.Hewrote,“WhenJ.A.C.calledthefollowingweek,Iwas

immediatelystruckbyhiswarmthandwit,byhiscandor,andbyhiswillingnessnotonly

totoleratebuttoparticipateinmyinveteratefondnessforpuns(orwhatmywifecalls

“half-witticisms”).Thatistosay,wehititoff.”31Theybothagreedthatthewordsmust

comefirst,andsoCairnswastaskedwiththeenormousjobofwritinghisfirstlibretto.

Cairnshumblyexpressedthattheinitialundertakingseemedoverwhelming.However,heprovedtobetheperfectpersontoauthorthelibretti,beingscholasticallyexperiencedandspirituallysensitivetothesubject.Hewrote:

InthecaseofSaintPolycarp’soratorio,mypurposewastofindavoice,ademeanor,acharacterthatwas,ontheonehand,availableandengagingfortheaudience;thischallengeisalwaysinmindforanydramaticlyric,butforSaintPolycarp,Iwascognizantofanoverridingotherhand:thevoice,demeanor,andcharacterhadtoconstituteatrueiconoftheblessedsaint.Ididn’twanttomakehimup;Ididn’twanttocreateamaninmyownimage,beingnosaint.32

TheremainderofthischapteristhefinalresultofCairns’labors.33Hewrites,“If

wecanapproachanypriortext—theworkofanotherorourownwork—asifitwere

beingwitnessedforthefirsttime,wecanglimpsemuchthatwehadn’tanticipated,

muchthatcanthenleadusintofurthermaking.”34Thereaderisencouragedtoread

andre-readthelibrettotobetterunderstandeachcharacter’suniquepersonalityin

ordertomorefullyappreciateRedford’scomplimentarymusicalchoices.

31Cairns.“TheLibretto:WritingtheTrueIcon,”73.32Ibid.,75.33Librettoisundercopyrightlawandusedbypermission.34Ibid.,76

11

PrologueChoir:

TheChurchofGodwhichdwellsinSmyrnatotheChurchofGodwhichdwellsinPhilomeliumandtoallthecommunitiesoftheall-embracingchurchineveryplace.Maythemercy,peace,andloveofGodtheFatherandofourLordJesusChristbemultipliedforever.

Marcion(fromapulpittotheside):

Wewriteuntoyou,brethren,thestoryofthemartyrsandofblessédPolycarp,whoputanendtothepersecution,settinghissealtheretobyhismartyrdom.Foralmostallthatwentbeforesohappened,thattheLordmightshowforthanewanexampleofmartyrdomconformabletotheGospel.Forhetarriedtobebetrayed,asdidalsotheLord,thatwealsomightbeimitatorsofhim,lookingnotonlyonourownwellbeing,butalsoonthewellbeingofothers.Foritisamarkoftrueandsteadfastlovetodesirenotourownsalvationonlybutthatofall.

Scene1

Atthestadium

Crowd:

Blood!Blood!Giveusblood!Wewouldseetheatheistspay.Loosethebeastsandlightthepyre!WewillworshipCaesar’sway,Andcelebratebytoothandfire.Bloodanddeathisourdesire!Bloodanddeathisourdemand!Polycarp(seatedatadeskintheforeground):Wearepleased,andIdaresayOurLordispleasedtoapprehendHoweagerlyyoumovealongtheway,HowwillinglyyoufollowwhereHeleads.

12

Crowd:

TowinthefavorofthegodsWewouldworshipCaesar’swayLoosethebeastsandlightthepyre!Wewillseetheatheistspay.Bloodanddeathisourdesire!Wecelebratebytoothandfire.Bloodanddeathisourdemand!Proconsul(toQuintus,withmockgenerosity):

DenyyourChristandlive.Forsakeyourblasphemy.Bringjustoblationtothejealousgods.Denythelieandlive.Quintus:Imayhaverushedtomeetyourwrath,ButnowIfearThatIhaverashly,andinhaste.ForwhatstrangefaithwouldcallItssupplicanttoperish,andfornaught?Whatharminpouringwineuponanidol’sface?

Crowd:Attend!Thecourageoftheatheist!Behold!Thehonoroftheirgod!

Polycarp:

...thenarrowway,howeagerlyyoumovealongthenarrowway,despitenosmallincentivetodoquiteotherwise.

Proconsul(toGermanicus):Denythelieandlive.Forsakeyourblasphemy.Bringjustoblationtothejealousgods.DenyyourChristandlive.

13

Germanicus:

Ihavenothurriedtothisplace,Buthavecomplied.IfindmyfaithissuddenlygrownstrongAndthatsweetgracehasfilledWithanunaccustomedcouragefromabove.Proconsul:Takepityonyouryouth.Havecompassionforyourparents.

Germanicus:

Sir,Ihavecompassionforusall,Andpityinabundance.Still,loveforLoveHimselfWillnotpermitmyturningnowawayFromHimWhoismylife.BringthebeastsandIwillseeThattheyarefed,andthattheydoyourbiddingquickly.Iwillnotdoobeisancetoawoodengod.Crowd:Outrage!Themanmustdie!Blasphemy!Andallhiskind!Awaywiththeatheists!Theirinsultisunbridled!Awaywiththeatheists!Theirpresumptionistoomuch!Bringustheauthorofthisevil!Bringtheirpriests!Bringall.Polycarp:...andwearepleasedtowitnessyetinyourcalmdiligenceajoydecliningtoassigntodeathundueesteem,despiteitsgraveproximity.

14

CanitbeinPhilippiThatevennowyourestpersuadedNeitherdeathnorlifenorheightnordepthHasstrengthenoughtomoveusfromHislove?Northingspresent,northingstocome.Northingspresent,northingstocome.

Crowd(erupting,drowningoutPolycarp’sepistle):

SeekPolycarp!Bringusnowthisheretic.Bringtheimpiousoldman.Bringusthisagentoflies,Whoseexamplehasledtosuchblasphemy.

Crowd(continuing):

WewillhearthepretenderrecantOrredeemourhurthonorinmakingOfthefoolanexemplarylight.SeekPolycarp,andbringhimtohisfate.Bringtheimpiousoldman.Bringhimtohisend.

SceneII

AbedroominafarmhouseoutsideofSmyrna

Marcion:

TheexcellentPolycarp,onhearingthenews,wasnotdismayed,butwishedtoremaininthecity;evensothegreaternumberurgedhimtodepartinsecret.Andsohedid,toalittlefarm,notfarfromthecity,andpassedthetimewithafewcompanions,doingnaughtelsebutpraynightanddayforallandforthechurchesthroughouttheworld,aswashiscustom.

15

Polycarp:

ThedayhasassuddenlydimmedAsourcourageandconfidenceThatwewhonowpuzzledremainMightnotdrinkofdeath’sbitterness.Foraseason,Hispromisestoodfirm,AndservedasassurancethatHeWouldreturninashoutfromtheclouds,WouldgatherhisBodyasone.IrecallinconfusionHisagonizedprayerThatthecupmightbetakenaway.IhearinHiswordsasuddendismayThattheFathermightnotdeigntohear.IrecallhowtheSonwasbetrayedbyakiss,HowtheGardenwastornbyasword,IrecallHisgreatcalm,thatHedidnotresist,ThatHegaveHimselfup,withaword.AndnowIobservethatHisagony’scomeAgreatdistancetodwellwithusnow.ThatthegroveofGethsemaneflourishes,Embracesusallwithitsbough.

Marcion:Andwhileprayinghefellintoatrancethreedaysbeforehewastaken,andsawhispillowbeingconsumedbyfire.Andheturnedandsaidtothosewithhim,“Imustbeburnedalive.”Polycarp(suddenlyalert):

AmIfallenintoHell?Anddotheseflamestendermydestruction,ordotheymoveinkindcaress?

16

Angels:

TasteandSee.

Polycarp:

Howdoesmyfacenowburn,withwhatstrangelight?Iseemtoseemypersonborneuponaflamingbed.

Angels:

TasteandSee.

CloudofWitnesses:

TasteandSee.

Polycarp:

Iseemtoseemypersonbathedinfire,bathedinlight.Isee,IthinkIsee,theairisallofflame.

AngelsandCloudofWitnesses:

TasteandSee.TheLordisgood.

Polycarp:

Andthoughmyheartrunswild,thoughIfear,Iseemtoseemypersonborneuponbrightwingsofflame.

John,AngelsandCloudofWitnesses:

TasteandSee.TheLordisgood.

JohnandCloudofWitnesses:

TheFirstandLast,theOneWhowasDeadandcametolifeHassaid,Iknowyourworks,Iknowyourtribulation.Angels:Tasteandsee.

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JohnandCloudofWitnesses:

Iknowyourpoverty,howithasmadeyourich,Iknowtheblasphemyofthosewhoapproachyounow.

Angels:Tasteandsee.JohnandCloudofWitnesses:Donotfearanyofwhatyouaretosuffer.Thoughyouwillbetested,befaithfuluntodeath,AndIwillgiveyouthecrownoflife.HearwhattheSpiritsaystothechurches!Hewhoovercomesshallnotbehurtbytheseconddeath.AngelsandCloudofWitnesses:TasteandSeethattheLordisgood.Polycarp:Theflameacceptstheoffering,theholocaustreceived.Andinsuchdirecommunion,theblessedBecomeHiselement.AngelsandCloudofWitnesses:TasteandSee.TheLordisgood.Polycarp:Accordingtothepromise,wehadknownWewouldbeled,andthattheancientGodWoulddeigntomakeHishiddenpresenceshownBycolumnoffire,andpillarofcloud.WehadcometosuspectwhatfiercedemandOurtranslationtoanotherlandmightbode,ButhadnotguessedHewouldinsistourownBrieffleshshouldbeartheflame,becomethecloud.

18

AngelsandCloudofWitnesses:TasteandSee.TheLordisgood.

SceneIII

Thekitcheninanotherfarmhousenearby

Marcion:

Whilehispursuerswerestillwaitingforhim,hewentawaytoanotherfarm,andimmediatelytheyfollowedcloseuponhim.Notfindinghim,theylaidhandsontwoyoungslaves,oneofwhomconfessedunderthetorture.Theconstablesandhorsemen,armedintheusualway,wentoutaboutthedinnerhour“asagainstathief”atarun.Comingupinabody,theyfoundhimlyinginacottageinanupperroom;hecouldindeedhaveescapedfromthencealsoelsewhere,butherefused,saying“ThewilloftheLordbedone.”

Polycarp:Mercy,Lord,andspeaktome.Icouldflee,andIcouldjustifymyflightInsistingthattheChurch--theVeryBodyOfourLord–wouldsoonerhavemewholeAndservingsomeyearsfurtherItstremblingmembers,suffering.Icouldremaininhiding,andIcouldconceiveSuchcowardiceasnoble,andasnecessary,meet.Icouldlieuponthecrestofexile,andfromafarObservetheflock’sdestruction,abandonedtothewolves.Constables:WeseekPolycarp!Deliverhimtous!Polycarp:Whocomesnow,andinwhosename?Whoarrivestoleadthefamishedsheeptoslaughter?Whodesiresevennowtheinnocents’blood?

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Constables:WeseekPolycarp,theleaderinthelie.Polycarp:WhosofearstheHolyBodyThathemustpierceitsfleshanew?Iraisemyhand.Itouchmyface,andfindThatIamweeping.Hispeople,huddledclose,andtremblingAremyown.Theirtearsaremine.BywhatstrangecalldoIbidthetenderlambsTosuffer?BywhatwildmadnessdoIleadthemTotheirdeaths?WhatisthismeekexamplethatIshape?Isitfitandmeet?BywhatextremeexampledoIaskthemFollowmeintotheKingdom?Master,grantthatImightknowbeforeIerrAndleadyourinnocentstodoom.Angels:TasteandSee.Constables:DelivertheatheistPolycarp,lestallthehouseholddie.Polycarp:ThewilloftheLordbedone.ThewilloftheLordbedone.Marcion:Hearingthenthattheywerecome,hewentdownandtalkedwiththem,thosepresentmarvelingathisgreatageandhisconstancy,andattheirexcessiveeagernesstotakeamansoold.Sohebadefoodanddrinktobesetbeforethematthathour,asmuchastheywanted;andbesoughtthemtogivehimanhourtoprayundisturbed.Onleave

20

beinggiven,hestoodandprayed,rememberingallthateverhaddealingswithhim,greatandsmall,wellknownandunknown,andthewholeChurchthroughouttheworld,beingsofullofthegraceofGodthatfortwohourshecouldnotoncebesilent,andthehearerswereastonished,andmanyrepentedforhavingassailedanoldmansogodlike.

SceneIV

OntheroadtoSmyrna

Marcion:

Thetimehavingnowcomeforhisdeparture,theysethimonanassandbroughthimtothecity.HewasmetbyHerodes,theHighSheriff,andbyHerodes’father,Nicetes,who,havingtransferredhimtothecarriage,satdownbesidehim,andstrovetopersuadehimwiththesewords:

Nicetes:

Whatistheharmofsaying“CaesarisLord,”OfferingpoorincenseTosaveyourpreciouslife?

WhatharminpouringhoneyedwineUponacarvenfaceThatyoumightlivetoserveyourlivinggod?

Won’tyoupourasimplecupofgrain UponthepedestalThatyoumightsaveyourpeople?

Polycarp:

Iwillnotdoasyouadviseme.Yourwordsarenotyourown,butcomeWellingfromtheEvilOne.

Please,standaside,orbetterGetbehindmeThatImightfindwhatmyLordprepares.

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Marcion:

Failingtopersuadehim,theyreviledhim,andmadehimdescendwithsomuchhastethatingettingdownfromthecarriagehehurthisshin.He,asthoughnothinghadhappened,paidnoheed,butwentonwithmucheagernessonhiswaytothestadium,wherethedinwassogreatthatnonecouldbesomuchasheard.

Crowd:Polycarpistaken!Polycarpistaken!

Theatheistishere.Polycarpisours!

Angels:Tasteandsee.Faithful.FaithfuluntodeathfortheOnewhobringsuslife.Crowd:Polycarpistaken!Polycarpistaken!Theatheistishere.Polycarpisours!

SceneV

Atthestadium

Proconsul(afterquietingthecrowd):Wemustbemistaken.YoucannotbePolycarp.Areyouthatman?Correctusinawordandleave.Polycarp(calmlyandquietly):Youarenotmistaken.IamthatservantofGod.IamPolycarp.Proconsul(withamusement):Comenow.Wearebothreasonablemen.Haverespecttoyourage.AssuagethismobandswearbytheFortuneofCaesar,repent,say“Awaywiththeatheists.”

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Polycarp(sighing,thengesturingtothecrowdandgazingheavenward):Awaywiththeatheists.Proconsul(quietly,butinsistently,toPolycarpalone):Don’tpressthemanyfurther,oldman.SwearandIsetyoufree.CurseChrist,andlive.Polycarp(freely,withinhimself):HowwillIdenyHimnow?TheOneWhosePresencehasattendedmeSofaithfullyalongtheWay?Thetruth?IhavedeniedHim.Athousandtimesormore,andinathousandways,InwhatIthink,inwhatIsay,inwhatIdoOrleaveundone,IdenyHimeveryday.Polycarp(continuing):Hehasbeenmybreath,myheart,myverypulseThesescoresofyears.Andstill,IhavedeniedHim.Strangely,thismaddenedmobhashelpedmeknowIwillnotdenyHimnow.Angels:ThepillarofcloudbydayAndthepillaroffirebynightDidnotdepartfrombeforethepeople.Polycarp(totheproconsul):EightyandsixyearshaveIservedhim,andHedidmenowrong.HowcanIblasphememyKing,whosavedme?Crowd:Hearhim!Hearhim!Heblasphemes!WehavenoKingbutCaesar!Havedonewithhim,andnow!

23

Proconsul(shouting):SwearbytheFortuneofCaesar.Polycarp(calmly):IfyouvainlyimaginethatIshallswearbytheFortuneofCaesar,Asyousay,andsupposethatIknownotwhatIam,hearmyanswerplainly:IamaChristian.IfyouwishtolearntheChristian’sreason,givemeaday,andhear.Proconsul(evenly):Itisthepeopleyoumustconvince.Crowd:WehavenokingbutCaesar.Blood!Blood!Awaywiththeatheist!Polycarp:Iwouldhavecountedyouworthytobereasonedwith;forwehavebeentaughttogivehonorasisfit,wherewecanwithoutharm,togovernments,topowersordainedbyGod,butapeopleclamoringforbloodIdonotdeemabletohearanydefensefromme.Proconsul:Ihavebeasts,andyouwillbetheirs,unlessyourepent.Polycarp:Bringthemin,forrepentancefromthebettertotheworseisnochangetobedesired,butitisgoodtorunfromcrueltytojustice.Proconsul:Ifyoudespisethebeasts,Iwillhaveyouconsumedbyfire,unlessyourepent.

24

Polycarp:Youthreatenmewiththefirethatburnsforanhourandisspeedilyquenched;foryouknownothingofthefireofthejudgmenttocomeandofeternalpunishmentwhichisreservedforthewicked.Whydelay?Bringwhatyouwill.Proconsul(formally,totheleftofthecrowd):PolycarphasconfessedhimselftobeaChristian.Polycarp:FaithfulProconsul(formally,totherightofthecrowd):PolycarphasconfessedhimselftobeaChristian.Polycarp:FaithfuluntodeathProconsul(formally,tothecenterofthecrowd):PolycarphasconfessedhimselftobeaChristian.Polycarp:FaithfultotheOnewhoofferslife.Crowd:Fire!Fire!Firetaketheatheist!ThisistheteacherofAsia,thefatheroftheChristians,thedestroyerofourGods,whoteachesmanytoscornfitsacrifice,manytoloatherightworship.Burnhimalive!Burnhimalive!Givehimtotheflame!

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Marcion:

Thisthenwasbroughtaboutwithgreatspeed,thecrowdgatheringtogetherforthwithfromtheshopsandbathswoodandfuel.Whenthepyrewasready,heputoffallhisuppergarmentsandundidhisgirdle.Hewasimmediatelygirdedwiththerobedevisedforhisburning;butwhentheywereabouttonailhimtothestakeaswell,hesaid:

Polycarp:

LeavemeasIam;forhethatenabledmetoabidethefirewillalsoenablemetoabideatthestakeunflinchingwithoutyournails.

PolycarpandCloudofWitnesses(praying):

LordGodAlmighty,FatherofThywell-belovedandblessedSon,JesusChrist,throughwhomwehavereceivedtheknowledgeofThee,GodofAngelsandPowersandofthewholecreationandofalltheraceoftherighteouswholivebeforeThee,

Polycarp,CloudofWitnessesandAngels:

IblessTheethatThoudidstdeemmeworthyofthisdayandhour,thatIshouldtakeapartamongthenumberofthemartyrsinthecupofThyChristintheresurrectionoflifeeternalofsoulandbodyinincorruptionoftheHolySpirit:amongwhommayIbeacceptedbeforeTheetoday,arichandacceptablesacrifice,asThoudidstforeordainandforeshowandfulfill,Godfaithfulandtrue.ForthisaboveallIpraiseThee,IblessThee,IglorifyTheethroughtheEternalandHeavenlyHighPriestJesusChrist,Thywell-belovedSon,throughwhomtoTheewithHimandtheHolySpiritbeglorynowandforevermore.Amen.

Marcion:

WhenhehadoffereduptheAmen,andfinishedhisprayer,thosewhohadchargeofthefiresetlighttoit.Andagreatflameblazingforth,wetowhomitwasgiventobehold,whowereindeedpreservedtotellthestorytotherest,beheldamarvel.Forthefireformingasortofarch,likeaship’ssailbellyingwiththewind,madeawallaboutthebodyofthemartyr,whichwasinthemidst,notlikeburningflesh,butlikebreadinthebaking,orlikegoldandsilverburninginafurnace.Forwecaughtamostsweetperfume,likethebreathoffrankincenseorsomeotherpreciousspice.

PolycarpandCloudofWitnesses:AbbaMosesheardtheVoiceoffirefromabushThefireroared;thebushwasnotconsumed.

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Angels:ThepillarofcloudbydayAndthepillaroffirebynightDidnotdepartfrombeforethepeople.PolycarpandCloudofWitnesses:ThreecompanionsmettheflameWhileyetamongthemstoodaFourth.Andastheircaptorscrumpledfromtheheatandfell,Thethreecompanionsstoodamidtheflames,AndwiththeirLordcommuned.Angels:ThepillarofcloudbydayAndthepillaroffirebynightDidnotdepartfrombeforethepeople.Polycarp,CloudofWitnessesandAngels:Accordingtothepromise,wehadknownWewouldbeled,andthattheancientGodWoulddeigntomakeHishiddenpresenceshownBycolumnoffire,andpillarofcloud.WehadcometosuspectwhatfiercedemandOurtranslationtoanotherlandmightbode,ButhadnotguessedHewouldinsistourownBrieffleshshouldbeartheflame,becomethecloud.AngelsandCloudofWitnesses:ThepillarofcloudbydayAndthepillaroffirebynightDidnotdepartfrombeforethepeople.Marcion:Atlastwhentheimpiouspeoplesawthathisbodycouldnotbeconsumedbythefiretheygaveordersthataslaughterershouldgoandthrustadaggerintohim.Thisbeingdonetherecameforthadoveandsuchagushofbloodthatitputoutthefire,andallthethrongmarveledthatthereshouldbesogreatadifferencebetweentheunbelieversandtheelect;oneofwhomwasthemostadmirablemartyr,Polycarp,anapostolicand

27

propheticteacherofourtime,andbishopofthechurchinSmyrna.Foreverywordthatheutteredfromhismouthwasfulfilledthenandshallbefulfilledhereafter....Havingvanquishedbyhispatiencetheunjustruler,andthusreceivedthecrownofimmortality,herejoicesgreatlywiththeApostlesandwithallthejust,andglorifiestheAlmightyGodandFather,andpraisesourLordJesusChrist,theSaviorofoursouls,thePilotofourbodies,andtheShepherdofthechurchthroughouttheworld.AngelsandCloudofWitnesses(welcomingPolycarpintoheaven):TasteandSee.TheLordisgood.

Copyright©2003byJ.A.C.RedfordandScottCairns.Allrightsreserved.Usedbypermission.

Figure2.1TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarplibretto

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CHAPTER3—ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTIONTOTHEORATORIO

Redfordgaveparticularattentiontotheportrayalofeachcharacterinthe

oratorio.Hewasmindfuloftheclashofgoodandevilinthestory,buthewantedto

carefullydefinetheseroles.Heunderstoodthathiscompositionalchoiceswouldaffect

perception.Hestates:

Musiccancreatepowerfulvisceralandemotionaleffectstounderscorethecharacterizationofgoodandevil,especiallywhencombinedwithdramaticnarrative.Bydefinition,musicaldevelopmentalreadyexploitstheprinciplesoftensionandreleaseandaskilledcomposerhasavarietyoftechniquesinhistoolboxtobuildandresolvetension.35Whilehedrawsfromhisextensiveexperienceinthemovieandmusicindustry,

Redfordalsobringsauniqueperspectivetothissacredworkduetohispersonalfaithin

Christ.HisChristianfaithinfluenceshiscompositionalchoices.Fromthebeginningsof

thisoratorio,RedfordwrestledwithhisdepictionoftheaccountofPolycarp’s

martyrdom.Hedesiredanaccurateandconvincingpresentation,butparticularlyonein

whichthespiritualtruthsofthestorywouldbeilluminated.InanarticlefromImage,a

journalthatexploresfaithandart,Redfordarticulateshisprimarygoalincreating

certaincharacterizations.Hewrote:

InbuildingmusicaltensionbetweenPolycarpandtheRomanspersecutinghim,Iruntheriskofsubliminallysuggestingadualisticuniverseinwhichtitanicforcesmeetincosmicbattle,withthestrongestemergingasvictor...I’mtryingto

35Redford,“TheScore:TasteandSee,”Image,82.

29

framethecentralconflictofthepieceasaconflictbetweenthetrueandabundantlifetowhichPolycarpiscalled,andanillusoryworldrepresentedbytheRomans.PolycarpisabletoacceptandenduremartyrdombecausehehasbelievedtheTruthratherthanthelie.36

ItiscriticaltounderstandRedford’sviewpointinordertofullyappreciatehismusical

language.Hisunderstandingofgoodandevildictatethemusichecreatesforeach

characterintheoratorio.Inthatsamearticlehefurtherarticulateshowhechoseto

displaythevariouscharacters.Hewrites:

HowdoesonedepictevilinmusicwithoutcreatingthefalseimpressionthatitissomehowaviablerivaltoGod?ThiswasmychallengeinPolycarp.Iattemptedtomeetitbytreatingtheevilintheoratorioinwaysthatwouldspecificallyemphasizeitspallidpretenseincontrastwiththeprofoundandbracingrealityofthegood.37

Hefurtherilluminatesthispointbywriting“ScottandIworkedhardtorevealagoodthatistextured,profoundlylayered,fullofmeaning,andanevilthatisultimatelymonochromaticandbanal,capableofeffectingatemporarybuzz,butfinallydevoidofrealsubstance.”38

Redfordmakesknownhisintentionsforthecharactersandclearlyilluminates

thenatureofeachcharacterthroughhischoicesofharmoniclanguage,texture,

melodyandrhythms.HisattentivenesstoCairns’linguisticchoicescreatesa“sonic

hologram”forthelistenertoexperience.39Hemusicallydefinesmajorandminor

charactersandhighlightsrelationshipsthroughcomplementaryorcontradictory

36“J.A.C.Redford,”accessedNovember1,2016.https://www.imagejournal.org/artist/j-a-c-redford/.37Redford,“TheScore:TasteandSee”Image,82.38Ibid.,83.39Redford,WelcomeAllWonders,248.

30

material.Thefollowingisanexaminationofeachcharacterandthemusicalfeatures

Redfordusestoelucidatetheirpersonalities.

A.MARCION

Historically,MarcionplayedacriticalroleinthesurvivalofPolycarp’sstory.He

sentalettertothechurchofPhilomeliumrecountingPolycarp’sunwaveringfaithand

ultimatemartyrdom.RedfordandCairnsbothrecognizedhissignificantroleinhistory

andnecessarypresenceintheoratorio,butthequestionofhowtoincorporatehimand

portrayhischaractertooktimetodevelop.RedfordultimatelydecidedtouseMarcion

asanarrator.Hestates,“Hewouldserveasastoryteller,forwardingtheplot,easing

transitionsandinterpretingeventsforthelistenerifnecessary.”40

WiththefunctionalaspectofMarcion’sroledetermined,nextcamethedecision

astowhowouldpresenthiswords.Redfordconsideredthisacriticaljunctureinthe

creationoftheoratorio.HewrestledwiththefactthatMarcionspokeonbehalfof

himselfandasarepresentativeofhischurch.Redfordwantedtofindabalance

betweenindividualityandcommunity,aconceptheexploitsthroughoutthework.He

resolvedthisdichotomybycreatingwhathecalleda“hybridapproachtoMarcion,with

thechoiceofsoloistorchoirdependingontheparticularitiesofthetextathand.”41

WithMarcionnowdeterminedtobeachoral/solostoryteller,Redfordstruggled

withonelastconsideration.TheactualwordsthatMarcionwrotecouldbeconsidered

bysometobeoutrageousorunbelievable.Theyrecountamiracle:amanwhosebody

40Redford,“TheScore:TasteandSee,”Image,80.41Ibid.

31

couldnotbeconsumedbyfire.HowcouldRedfordpresentthisinawaythatwouldnot

distractbutratheramplifythemartyrdomofPolycarp?Hethoughtfullydecidedtohave

achildren’schoirsingthesolopartsofMarcioninunison.Hewrote,“Children’sstories

aredisarmingandfullofunselfconsciouswonder.Childrenmoveustodropourguard

andlistenfreshlywithoutpreconceptions.”42Intruecollaborativefashion,Cairns

emphaticallysupportedthedecisionhighlightingboththeliteraryandmusical

advantages.Hewrote:

hissolutionwasbrilliant:heestablishedthevoicesofchildrenasdeliveringthisnarration,effectivelymitigatingresistanceinanaudienceuncomfortablewithmysteryandmiracle.Butmorethanthis:theaddedtextureofthechildren’schoir—sometimesreciting,sometimesintoning,sometimessingingconnectingelementsofMarkion’snarrative—broughtadeliciouslyfreshaspecttotheoverallcomposition.43

RedfordlaterrevisedthepartsofMarcion’srolethatwereintonedbynotatingspecific

pitchestobesunginunison.ItshouldalsobenotedthatMarcion’srolecouldbesung

byanysortoftreblevoicesorasoloistwhenachildren’schoirisunavailable.

ThePrologueisentirelythewordsofMarcion,firstpresentedbythechoirand

thenbythechildren’schoir.Inkeepingwithhisdesiretocommunicatethecommunal,

Redfordcreatesapolyphonictextureinconveyingthegreetingsfromthechurchin

SmyrnatothechurchinPhilomelium.Eachvoicepartentersseparatelyonthetext“to

thechurchofGod”asiftoimplythegreetingwasfromabodyofpeople.Inadramatic

switch,Redfordbringsallvoicesintounisononthewords“Maythemercy,peaceand

42Redford,“TheScore:TasteandSee,”Image,81.43Cairns,“TheLibretto:WritingtheTrueIcon,”78.

32

loveofGodtheFather”toimplytheirunifiedhopeforthechurch.

Figure3.1JACRedford,TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Prologue,mm.13-15

Afterthissection,hecontinuestorepeat“maythemercy,peace,andloveof

God”alternatingbetweensoprano/altoandtenor/bassvoices,creatinganantiphonal

effect.WithRedford,mostmusicalchoiceshaveanintentionalmeaning,andthe

amplificationofthistextiscommunicatingoneofhisprimarygoals.Hestates,“The

wholestory,violentassomeofitwas,mustbetoldandheardwithinthecontextofthe

“mercy,peace,andloveofGod.”44Subsequently,heusesaparticularmelodicmotive

withthistextthathelaterweavesthroughouttheentireworkwheregoodispresent.44Redford,“TheScore:TasteandSee,“Image,81.

33

Figure3.2JACRedford,TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Prologue,mm.28-33

34

Figure3.3“Mercy,peaceandlove”motive

Marcion’sharmoniclanguageisuniqueandconsistentthroughoutthework.Redford

mostfrequentlypairshischaracterwithmajorchords,regularlyshiftingtheharmonies

bywholetones.

TheinterludessurroundingMarcion’swordsarealmostentirelypolychordal,

specificallymajorchordsstackedonmajorchordsinwhichheusesvoice-leading

parallelism.Whileitmaynotbeevidentimmediately,Marcion’sharmonieshelp

establishadimensionoftimeinthepiece.Theoscillatingharmoniesdifferentiatea

presenttenserecountingofeventsfromtheactioninthestory.

Whilethemelodiccontourofthechoralbeginningisarching,thetreblechoir,

moreoftenrepresentingMarcion,singsinachant-likestyle.Longstretchesofnarration

bythisgrouprarelyexceedthespanofamelodicfifth.Figure3.4showsthechantstyle

melodyandtheoscillatingmajortriads.Redfordcreatesmusicthatharkensbackto

soundsoftheearlychurchchantwithamodernharmonicpalette.Hecarefullyassigned

speech-likerhythmstoMarcion,andthechangesinpitchmimicinflectionsinthevoice.

CarefulattentiontonaturalspeechrhythmsisahallmarkofRedford’schoralmusicin

generalandofallthecharactersintheoratorio.

35

Figure3.4JACRedford.TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Prologue,mm.82-87

Hewrites:

Thehumanvoiceisapowerful,vulnerable,perilous,sensitive,maddening,andheartbreakinginstrument...thespokenwordridesonitsownmysteriousrhythms,inanaurallandscapecoloredbysubtleshadingsofpitchandtimbre...Itrytoletthenaturalaccentsandrhythmsofthewords,astheysoundwhenspoken,dictatetherhythmsofthemusic.45

Fortheperformer,thiscreatesalevelofeaseinanotherwiseheavilytextedpart,andit

alsoaidsthelistenerinunderstandingthestory.

45Redford,WelcomeAllWonders,241.

36

WhileMarcion’scharacterismusicallyconsistent,Redfordcreatessome

variationwiththeaccompanimenttoamplifythestoryline.Marcion’smelodicdirection

isnotdynamic,butratherRedfordcreatesrhythmicandharmonicinteresttohighlight

theunfoldingdrama.Forexample,inSceneIII,hecreatesanxietywithanincessantand

dissonant16thnoteaccompaniment.Onecanseethatthemelodicmaterialismostly

static,buttheoveralleffectisintense.

Figure3.5JACRedford,TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene3,mm.21-26

37

HecreatesasimilareffectinSceneVwhendescribingthecrowdgatheringtowitness

themurderofPolycarp.Redfordunderscoresasimplemelodywithastridentostinato

chordconsistingofanF,A-flat,C-sharpandanE.

MarcionisgiventhehonorofmakingthefinalremarksafterPolycarp’s

martyrdom.Hesummarizeshisgreatlife,honorabledeath,propheticvalidityand

eternalrewardofimmortalitywithGod.ThismusicmirrorsthematerialinthePrologue

whenhefirstintroducedthestoryofPolycarp.Redfordneatlybeginsandendsthis

characterwithconsistency.Marcion’sprimarydistinguishingfeaturesarehischant-style

melodies,harmonicparallelism,andmixofpolyphonicandhomophonictexturesto

conveythedualnatureofindividualityandcommunity.Anotherimportantaspectofhis

characterishisintroductionofthe“mercy,peaceandlove”motive.Allothercharacters

fallwithinagoodorevilcharacterization.Marcionisuniquebecauseofhisuniquerole

intheoratorioasnarrator.

B.STATIUSQUADRATUSANDTHECROWD

ThecharactersofStatiusQuadratus(theProconsul)andtheraucousand

relentlesscrowdserveastheproponentsofevil.Thesimilaritiesinandtherelationship

betweenthesecharactersservetohighlightboththediversityandtheunitedforcesof

evil.Redfordstates,“Thepush-pullrelationshipbetweentheProconsulandtheCrowd

38

functionsasamodelofhowevilworksincommunity.Likethegood,itseffectsmaybe

amplifiedbynumbers.”46

StatiusQuadratusisaRomanofficialandassuchhepossessedgreatpowerand

authority.Hisfirstentranceisaccompaniedbytenmeasuresofarowdyandsupportive

crowd.Thelistenerknowsimmediatelythismanhasclout.Hisfirstwordsare“Deny

yourChristandlive.”Heholdsthepoweroflifeanddeathandisnotafraidtowieldit.

Redfordtookonamuchdeepertaskthansimplypresentingcharactersastheyappear

inthestorywithsuitablemusictotietheworktogether.Heattemptedtoportray

unspokenaspectsofgoodandevilthroughallthecharacters.Hecreateslessnuance

withtheevilcharactersandrevealstheirinnernaturemoredirectly.Redfordusedthis

oratorioasaplatformforhighlightingthemagnitudeofGod’sgoodnessandtheflawed

limitationsofevil.HeusedStatiusQuadratusasanemblemofevil’sweakness.He

writes:

TheProconsulisaportraitofhumanpower.Heistheconsummateentertainer/politician,manipulative,cagey,inmanywaysathoroughlymodernman.Heknowshowtoworkacrowd,masterfullywhippingitintoafrenzy,thensidesteppingresponsibilityforhisactionswithaspuriousresponsetoitsdemands.Yetinallthis,hestillwantstoseehimselfasarational,evenmoralman.Hismusicisthesimplest,mostdiatonicmusicintheoratorio.Iwantedtogivehimtunesthathecouldhamup,shallowtunesthatcanbeusedtoplayontheemotionslikepopsongs.Iwantedtosuggestbythisthatevilwaslesstextured,lesslayeredthanthegood,thinnerthantherichlifewhichisinGod.47

46Redford,“TheScore:TasteandSee,”Image,83.47Ibid.,82,83.

39

TheProconsul’sfirstentranceisconstructedfromaCmajordiatonicscale,and

moreimportantlyperhaps,RedfordusesarhythmicmotiveshowninFigure3.6inthe

accompanimenttothecrowd’sjeering.Heweavesthisparticularmotivethroughnearly

everypartoftheoratoriowhereevilispresent.

Figure3.6“Evil”rhythmicmotive

Likethemelodicmotivethatconveysthemercy,peaceandloveofGod,this

rhythmicmotiveisanindicatorofevil’spresence.Belowareexamplesofhis

presentationsofthisidea.Redfordoftendisguisesitwithcounter-rhythmsorvariesit

usingdiminutionoraugmentation,soitmaynotbeobviousfromaninitialscorestudy.

Figure3.7isindiminutionfromitsoriginalappearance.Figure3.8ismoreconspicuous

withasupportiveunderlyingrhythm.Redfordparticularlycamouflagestherhythmin

Figure3.9.Notonlyistherhythmobscuredbyitspresentationintheasymmetrical7/4

meter,butRedfordalsoputsastrongostinatointhebassthatworkscontrarytothe

motive.Notsurprisingly,thisisaparticularlytenseandchaoticmomentinthework

whenthecrowdispreparingtoburnPolycarpatthestake.Redfordcharacterizesevil

withdisorderandoftenwithasymmetry.

40




Twomoreexamplesbelowcontinuetoshowthevarietyofwaysthemotive

appears.Figure3.10isobscuredbythemelodiccontourandthecounterrhythmin

41

thetrebleclef.Figure3.11isareturntotheoriginalpresentationwithmounding,

dissonantharmonies.AftertheProconsultriestomanipulatetwoyoungmentodeny

ChristinSceneI,hedoesnotreturntothestoryuntilSceneV.



42

SceneVcontainstheultimateshowdownbetweengoodandevil.Statius

QuadratusapproachesPolycarpwithalistofreasonswhyheshoulddenyChrist.

Interestingly,thesemanipulativestatementsaremostlydiatonicuntilherealizesheis

notgoingtoswayPolycarp’sfaith.RedforddemonstratesthatPolycarp’spersistence

andfaithfulnessrattletheProconsul.Hislinesbecomeshorterandsignificantlymore

chromatic.ThedissolutionoftonalmelodiesmirrorstheprogressionoftheProconsul’s

threats.HepronouncesPolycarp’sjudgmentofdeathbystating,“Polycarphas

confessedhimselftobeaChristian.”Hemakesthisfinalstatementthreetimesinthe

highlychromaticmelody.Evilhaslostitsdiatonicpretenseandhasbecomeunraveledat

itsdefeat.SeethemelodiccontrastbetweenFigures3.12and3.13.


43


Asanaside,PolycarprefusesthreetimestodenyChrist.Thisisincontrasttothe

BiblicalstoryofPeter,afaithfulfollowerofChrist,whodiddenyhimthreetimesina

momentofweakness.Forthosewhoknowthisstory,thisfurtherstrengthensthe

perceptionofPolycarp’sdevotion.

WhileStatiusQuadratusembodiesanelementofevilinthestory,thecrowd

furthercolorsitwiththeirunrulyandruthlesspresence.RedfordandCairnshadclear

ideasabouthowtheywouldportraythem.Redfordexplains:

ThepeopleintheCrowd...arenotnecessarilytheinitiatorsofevil,butcomplicitorswithit.They’relikecollegefratboysatasportingevent,withadrunkensusceptibilitytoescalatingviolence.Theirmusicismarkedbyharshdissonanceswithfragmentsofperversepepbandmarcheswovenintotheorchestraltexture.Scott’stextalreadycontainedasuggestionofthisapproach:Blood!Blood!Giveusblood!Wewouldseetheatheistspay.Loosethebeasts

44

andlightthepyre!WewillworshipCaesar’sway,Andcelebratebytoothandfire.Bloodanddeathisourdesire!Bloodanddeathisourdemand!48

Obviously,thistextisgruesome,butitisalsosimple.Thecrowds’chantsarewrought

withsingle-syllableexclamations,asimplifiedandharshuseoflanguagetoconveytheir

emotionalstate.Thecrowdisunconcernedwithlogic,explanations,oranything

rational.TheytrulyembodyamobmentalityandreflectthecrowdthatcriedforJesus’

crucifixionandthereleaseofamurdererinhisplace.Theoratorioasawholemodels

thepassionofChrist.Redfordmatchedthisharshlanguagebywritingchordsthatwere

homophonic,dissonant,andloud.Inmostcaseshesimplifiesthecrowdsrhythms

becausethelanguageissimplified.Hemaintainsnaturalspeechrhythms,eveninthe

coarsestmoments(seeFigure3.14).

Redfordusesacombinationofextendedtertianchordstocreatethe“evil”

soundofthecrowd.Theseincludesplitmemberchords,incomplete9th,11thand13th

chords,diminished7thchords,andquartal/quintalchords.Theamalgamationofthese

sonorities,directedattimesbyvoice-leading,resultinahighlychromatic,dissonant,

andthicklytexturedsound.Redfordemploysstratification,anotheruseoftexture,to

furthercontrastgoodandevilcharacters.Severaltimesintheoratorio,thecrowdsings

inshort,whisperlikethreatsunderthesoaringmelodyofPolycarp.Thistechniqueis

particularlyeffectiveatcreatingtensionandsuspense.Redfordcombinesrhythminthe

formofthe“evil”motive,denseanddissonantharmonies,thicktextures,andwide-

rangingdynamicstocreatetheharshandrelentlessmobthatisunquestionablyevil.

48Redford,“TheScore:TasteandSee,“Image,83.

45


46

C.POLYCARP

Polycarpisamulti-dimensionalandfullydevelopedcharacter.RedfordandCairnstook

greatcareinapproachinghisroleinthepiece,intentionallyselectingwordsandmusic

thatwouldcommunicateandamplifyhiscomplexnature.Redfordwrites:

SomeofScott’smostpowerfullinesrevealPolycarp’sinteriorlifeashewrestleswithhisownthoughts.Isettheselineswithmusicthatisdeeplyintrospective,carefullynuancingthewordswithallthemelodic,harmonicandrhythmicresourcesIcouldmuster,coloringthemwithcarefulorchestration,sometimesemployingsmallerchamberensembleswithintheorchestra.49

AnanalysisofallofPolycarp’ssolomaterialrevealsafullrangeofstylisticfeatures.His

lengthiermonologuesarehighlymotivic,lyricalandarchshapedwithabalanceof

stepwisemotionandleaps.Manyofhisshorterpassagesarewroughtwithanguishor

confusion.Inthesemoments,Redfordassignsmelodiesthatarehighlychromatic,

rhythmicallyvaried,oftentimeswithexpansiveleapsandawiderange.Redfordbases

severalofPolycarp’smelodiesonmodalscales,particularlytheAeolianandPhrygian

modes,whichisinhomagetothechurch.Thetextureoftheaccompanimentofeach

solovariesdependingonthesituation.Attimes,Polycarpsingsunaccompanied.In

othercircumstances,hismelodyfloatsaboveharshclusterchordsorisintermingled

withawanderingharmonicpalette.Thecombinationofthesemusicalcharacteristics

demonstratesPolycarp’scomplexnatureandservesasacontrasttotheother

characters.WhereasthecrowdandtheProconsularemoreone-dimensional,

Polycarp’smusicisvariedinallaspects.Theoneaspectthatremainsconsistentisthe


47

useofmelodicmaterialthatmimicsnaturalspeechrhythmsandinflections.Beloware

severalexamplestodemonstratethemultifacetednatureofPolycarp’smaterial.


Figure3.15isoneofseveralofPolycarp’smelodiesthatarecenteredaroundE.This

particularexampleisoneofhismorelyricalsoloswithmelodicandrhythmicmotivic

unity.Figure3.16showstwopreviouslymentionedcharacteristics;oneisthecontrast

betweenPolycarp’sflowingmelodyandthedissonantcrowd’schordssinging“Giveus

blood,”andtheotheristhe“mercy,peaceandlove”motive.Figures3.17and3.18

showamorechromaticandrhythmicallydiversePolycarp.ThecontourinFigure3.17is

muchmoreangular,andinFigure3.18Redfordusesall12tonesofthechromaticscale

inanunaccompaniedsolo.Thisisaparticularlypoignantmomentintheworkwhere

Polycarpdetermines,becauseofhistrustinGod,thathewillnotneedtobetieddown

48


whilebeingburnedatthestake.HebelievesGodwillstrengthenhim.Redfordoften

paresdownthetextureatcriticaljuncturesinthework.

49


Unlikethechampionsofevilwhohaveabrashandunfiltered

characterization,RedfordandCairnsrevealPolycarp’scharactermoreslowlyand

deliberately.Heiscomplex,andhisextensiveemotionalexperiencesrevealhismanylayers.

50


CairnsrevealsaninterestingandlessobviouspointinhishistoricalstudyofPolycarp’swriting.Beingascholarofwords,CairnsbelieveswhatPolycarpdidnotsaywasjustasimportantinrevealingwhohewas.Hewrites:

Ilearnedagreatdealaboutthesaint’scharacterfromwhatmightseemtheabsenceofcharacter;theletterisvirtuallyapasticheofPaulineorJohannineexhortation,withhardlyawordofmodification,hardlyawordthatmightbehelpfulinrevealingPolycarp—orsoitseemed.ThemoreIreadthatletter,themoreIrealizedhowbeautifullythesaint’shumilityshowedthroughhisunwillingnesstospinthemessage.I’dsayitlikethis:

[Polycarp’s]personalityshowsthroughthoseimmediate,spokenmomentsrecordedbyMarkion,andhischaractershowsthroughhishumbleretreatintothelanguageofhisteachers.50

Contrarytoanyassumptionsthathisoldagewouldequalweakness,Cairnshighlights

Polycarp’sremarkablestrengthintheevolutionofstatementshechoosesforhimto

sing.50Cairns,“TheLibretto:WritingtheTrueIcon,”Image,77.

51

Cairnswrites:

Ibegantounderstandthattheunfailingcourage[Polycarp]exhibitedattheendofhislifewasnotastaticperfection,previouslyattained,noramiraculoustrumpingofpersonalitybyanomnipotentGodwithheavythumbs,butwasamaturitythatthebishopofSmyrnahadgrowninto.HisseriousquestioningofwhatGodwouldhavehimdobecame,forme,absolutelyessentialtothatgrowth,andIdeterminedtohonorthisgradualdevelopmentoverthecourseofsuccessivesoliloquies.”51

TocomplementtheweightofPolycarp’swords,Redfordusedmelodyastheprimary

avenueforrevealinghisgoodandcomplexnature.

D.ANGELS,CLOUDOFWITNESSES,JOHNTHEEVANGELIST,ANDGOD

Thissetofcharactersisthemostmysterious.Alloftheseuniquelyprovide

comfort,encouragement,andresolutiontoPolycarpinhismostdesperatetimes.The

Angels,CloudofWitnesses,andJohntheEvangelistappearinSceneIIafterPolycarphas

hadavisionofhisdeath.

Redfordassignstheangelstothesopranosandaltos,andindicatesthatthe

soundshouldbedallontano(fromfaraway)andsoft.Theyhaveahauntingmelody,

andtheirinitialstatementof“tasteandsee”isvague.AsPolycarpcontinuestofret

overhisvision,theCloudofWitnesses,sungbythetenorandbasses,joinwiththesame

notations.Theyprovidemorestabilitysustainingaperfectfifthattheendoftheir

phraseasopposedtotheangels’augmentedfifth.Polycarpisstilldistressed,sothese

otherworldlycharactersnowsinginpolyphonythecompletedstatement—“Tasteand

51Cairns,“TheLibretto:WritingtheTrueIcon,”Image,77.

52

Figures3.19and3.20JACRedford,TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene2mm.102-

103,106

See.TheLordisgood.”TheirinterjectionsgivePolycarphope.Asafinalsourceof

reassurance,JohntheEvangelistappearsandjoinstherefrain.Togethertheycreatea

full,sparselyaccompanied,harmonicallydense,unitedstatementfromheaven.Inhis

ownwords,Redforddescribesthispivotalmoment:

WiththearrivalofJohn,theyintonewordsadaptedfromthelettertothechurchatSmyrna,asfoundinthebookofRevelation.Insettingthesetextstomusic,IhadinmindapaintingthathangsintheMetropolitanMuseumofArtinNewYork:JoanofArc,by19th-centuryFrenchartist,JulesBastien-Lepage.Inthispainting,St.Joanisstandingintheforeground,lookingpastuswithapenetratinggaze,whilebehindher,threebeingsareintheprocessofappearing.Theyareinvariousstagesofvisibilityandseemtobemovingforwardtowardsusfromsomewhereinsideorbehindthepainting.It’sanextraordinaryvisualeffect.Inlikemanner,IwantedtosuggestthatthebeingsvisitingPolycarphavetotravel,asitwere,fromsomegreatdistance,perhapsfromanotherdimension,toreachhim.Iwantedtheaudiencetofeelthatthemusicwasslowlyarriving,journeyingtowardsthemgraduallyfromthebackofthestagetotheirseatsinthehall.Toaccomplishthiseffect,Ibeganverysoftlywithsparechoralandorchestraltextures,increasingthevolumeandcolorbitbybituntilablossomingoftheforcessignalstheAngels’fullpresenceinourspace/timecontinuum.TheirwordsareaninvitationforPolycarp,giventostrengthenhishopeandcouragesothathecanwalkthroughthedoorthatwillleadhimintoafullenjoymentandexpressionofthelifewhichGodhasdesigned.52


Taste and See.

Taste taste and See.

See.

taste and See.

53

Redfordfrequentlyexploresinhischoralmusicthisideaofanintangible

connectionbetweenthepresentandtheafterlife,ofapeekingbehindthecurtainof

heaven.Headdsarecurringplayfulinterludethatmightatfirstseemoutofplacewith

theetherealnatureofthesecharacters.Redfordexplainedthatthismusicsuggests“the

rhythmsofafestaldanceinagreathall,thatonemightoverhearthroughadoorleft

slightlyajar:strange,distant,reverberant,thehauntinghintofacelebrationjustbeyond

ourreach.”53Heachievesthischaracterthroughanassymetricalrhythmin5/4with

harmonicplaning,atechniqueheemployedearliertocommunicatethetime

dimensionsofMarcion’sletter.HesensitivelyilluminatesaChristiantruthinthisclimax:

whileChristianscanbeencouragedbyglimpsesofGod’sglorythroughanswered

prayersorthebeautyofnature,theywillneverfullyrealizeGod’sgoodnessuntileither

theirdeathorChrist’sreturn.

Therearesubtletransformationsinthemelodicmaterialofthe“tasteandsee”

sections.Thesechangesaredevelopmental.Redfordsaidhewantedtheideatobe

plantedandthenbloom.54Heinterchangesdiatonicandchromaticelements

whichcreateatonalcenterbutnotruefunctionalharmony.Thisaddstotheirelusive

character.

TheAngelsandCloudofWitnessesinterjectthewords“TasteandSee”atcritical

pointsintheoratorio.The“tasteandsee”ideabuildsthenpullsback,overallcontinuing

todevelopbutneverclimaxing.InSceneIIasitseemstobepeaking,Redfordsnatches

53JACRedford,emailmessagetoauthor,May10,2017.54Ibid.

54

awaytheclimaxandreplacesitwithastarkquintalchord.Hecreatesasignificant

crescendointhemusicthatisneverfullyrealizeduntilPolycarp’sdeath.Theconductor

needstocarefullymanagethisdevelopment.Theorchestra’sdynamicsplayacritical

roleinachievingthefinalapexwhichhappensattheendoftheoratorio.

Veryoften,theAngelsandCloudofWitnessessinginapolyphonictexture,

highlightingtheirinnumerability.ThisisanotherexampleofRedford’screativeuseof

texture.Incontrast,whenPolycarpprayshisfinalprayerbeforehisexecution,hesings

almostentirelyinunisonwiththesamegroup.Here,Redfordusesthisdivergent

texturetoimplytheunwaveringsupportandunityPolycarphaswiththisbodyof

believerswhomheisabouttojoin.TheunifyingofPolycarpandthesaintsshowsthe

inevitabilityofhisdeath.Redfordwrites:

TheProloguewasonlythefirstofmanyinstanceswhereIoptedtostresscommunityovertheindividual.PerhapsthemostarrestingisduringPolycarp’sprayer.Althoughanobviousopportunityforasolo,IfeltthatPolycarpshouldnotprayalone.Instead,heissurroundedandsupportedbythechoir,asangelsandthecommunionofsaints,acloudofwitnessesembracingandstrengtheninghiminhisfinalhour.55

Instudyingthispiece,thereaderwillfindremarkabledetailandpurposeinthe

compositionalchoicesRedfordmade.

GodisnotlistedasacharacterintheoratorionordidRedfordintentionally

createanyspecificmotiftorepresentHim.TheinclusionofGodinthisresearchis

basedonallusionsRedfordmakesaboutHispresence.Polycarpsingsthewords“columnoffireandpillarofcloud”attheconclusionofSceneII.ThesewordsareanOld


55

TestamentreferencetohowGodmadeHispresenceknowntoHispeople.Redford

interjectsthemelodicmaterialassociatedwiththesewordsseveraltimesthroughout

thepiece,andhecombinesthesewordsinthefinalscenewiththe“mercy,peaceand

love”motive.Redfordclearlystatedoneofhismainobjectivesoftheworkwasto

amplifythemercy,peaceandloveofGod.WhileGodisnotaconcretecharacter,

RedfordsubtlelyincludeselementsthatpointtoHisconstantpresence.Figure3.21is

oneexampleofthereferencetoGod’spresencecombinedwiththe“mercy,peaceand

love”motive.Godisnotconcretebutalwayspresent.


E.NICETES,QUINTUS,ANDGERMANICUS

Whilethesethreecharactersplayimportantrolesinthedevelopmentofthe

56

plot,theyareminorcharactersintermsoftheircollectivemusicalcontributions.Eachof

thesemenaregivenuniquemusicalcharacteristicsthatilluminatewhotheyare.

NicetesonlyappearsbrieflyinSceneIV.Heisthefatherofthehighsheriffand

speakswithPolycarpasheisbeingtransportedtohisaccusers.Redfordopensthe

scenewithplayful,rhythmicallyirregularmusic.Healsousesthismaterialduring

interludesbetweenNicetes’text.NicetesoffersPolycarpwhatheconsiderstobesound

advicetodenyChrist.Hischaracteristonal,centeredaroundB-flat,withprimarily

diatonicmelodiesandfrequentasymmetricalandmixedmeters.Heisanotherexample

ofoneofRedford’s“monochromatic”evilcharacters.Hismelodieshaveno

complexities,andhisirregularaccompanimentalertsthelistenerthatthischaoticallure

couldhavenorealaffectonthedevoutPolycarp.Figure3.22showstheplayful,

irregularmaterialthatsurroundsNicetes.


QuintusandGermanicusserveascontrasts,eachonemakingtheother

importantinthestory.BothappearonlybrieflyinSceneIundersimilarcircumstances.

StatiusQuadratusdemandsQuintusdenyChristwhilethejeeringcrowdhurlsthreats.

57

Quintusshrinksunderthepressure,deniesChrist,andworshipsanidol.Notably,the

rhythmofhisaccompanimentisidenticaltothatwhichundergirdedthejeeringcrowd.

Bothcontainthe“evil”rhythmicmotive.RedfordisnotinsinuatingthatQuintusisevil

butthathecouldnotovercomethepressure.Hissoloalsoremainsatthesametempo

asthecrowd’sstatement.HismelodybeginsinAminor,butashefalters,thetonal

centerbecomesincreasinglyobscure.Redforddemonstrateshisspiritualvacillation

throughmelodyandhissuccumbingtoevilthroughtherhythmiccontinuity.Figure3.23

showsaportionofQuintus’solomaterialundergirdedbythe“evil”rhythmicmotive.

GermanicusservesasadirectcontrasttoQuintus.ThecrowdandtheProconsul

approachhiminnearlythesamewayastheyapproachedQuintus.However,Redford

dramaticallychangesGermanicus’musictoreflecthisresponse.Heis


58

completelyunaffectedbythecrowdandtheProconsul.Redfordwriteshissolowithits

owntempoandauniqueorchestration.Theaccompanimentisflowingandethereal,

andhismelodyonceagaincontainsthe“mercy,peace,andlove”melodicmotiveas

showninFigure3.24.UnlikeQuintus,whoseresponseendsonaquestionandatritone,

Germanicus’statementsstrengthen.Theflowingaccompanimentstops,andhemake

hisfinalstatementboldlybeforeheismartyred.Redfordwriteshisfinallinesnearly

unaccompaniedwithlargeleapsandrhythmsthathighlighthisdeclamatorystatements.


59

CHAPTER4—PERFORMANCECONSIDERATIONS

Performingthisoratoriocanbeachallengingundertaking.Thereareseveral

factorsthatshouldbeconsideredbeforeprogrammingthepiece.Adirectorshould

haveaclearunderstandingofthechoir’sabilities,anadequatebudgetforandaccessto

anumberofinstrumentalistsandsoloists,andapropervenuefortherequiredforces.

Beyondtheselogisticalhurdles,theworkrequiresvocalstamina,artisticmaturity,and

well-developedconductingskills.Itisbestsuitedforanauditionedchoirofaminimum

of40singers.

Thechoralpartsliewithinappropriatetessituras,buttheconductorshouldbe

mindfulthatvocalfatiguecaneasilyoccurwithtoomuchrehearsalonmorechallenging

spots.Forexample,therangeand“angry”characterofthecrowdcanleadtofatigue

fromover-singing,butbecausethesepartsaresodissonant,theywillrequireconsistent

workforaccuracy.Thedirectormustbemindfultoencouragegoodsingingtechnique

withthegesturewhilebalancingtherehearsalwithlessvocallydemandingexcerpts.

Redfordliststheoratorioonhiswebsiteasa4outof5indifficulty,andfrom

experience,thisseemsaccurate.Astellarcollegechoircouldlearnandperformthe

workwithinasemester,butthisauthorrecommendslearningitoverthecourseoftwo

60

semesters.Therearemanyfacetsofthepiecetoabsorb,andthisextendedtimeframe

willhopefullypromotefluencyandpreventfeelingsofburn-out.

ThechoirneedsarelativelyhighlevelofvocalmaturitytocommittoRedford’s

varietyofcharacterizations.Additionally,therearenumeroustempochanges,meter

shifts,anddynamicmarkingsthatarecriticaltothecharacterofthepiece.Thedirector

needstohavethesedifficultiesmasteredbeforeteachingthemtothechoirtoprevent

unnecessaryconfusion.AparticularlychallengingsectionappearsinSceneVas

Polycarpismartyred.Redfordcomposedthissectionin7/4withanirregularostinato

bassthatcreatesasenseofchaos.Thereisnostrongsenseofmeterabovethe

ostinato,buttheclimaxpeaksata4/4fortissimomenomossobarwithtriplet

subdivisions.Itiscriticalthateveryonearrivesatthesametimeandisimmediately

acclimatedtothenewtempo.

Toachievetheexpressivegoalsofthepiece,theconductorneedstobesensitive

tothetextandproficientincommunicatingdesiredvocalnuances.Redfordcreates

naturalsyllabicstressinmostofhismelodicwriting.However,aheavy-handed

conductorcaneasilyeliminatethisbybeatingallpatternswithequalweight.The

directorshouldfocusonconductingthelineandencouragingmusicalphrasing.In

addition,vocalcolorshouldplayanactiveroleinhighlightingcharacterizations.Singers

haveavastpalateofexpressivevocalcolors,butthedirectorshouldencouragesingers’

imaginationstoclearlyarticulatethedesirednuances.Demonstrationsmaybe

necessaryattimes.Figure4.1showsapoignantmomentwhenPolycarpsingswiththe

61

AngelsandCloudofWitnesses.Thissectionisacappellaandrequiressensitivity.

NoticethenumerousinstructionaltempomarkingsRedfordgivestoaidincreating

naturalebbsandflowstothetext.

Figure4.1.JACRedford,TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp,Scene5,mm.244-249

Aswithmostpieces,balanceiscrucialtoaneffectiveperformance.Thedirector

needstolistenintentlyforchoralbalanceduringrehearsalsandespeciallyforbalanceof

62

instrumentswiththesoloistsandchoirastheperformancenears.Thechoralpartsare

oftendissonant,soitiscrucialthatthedirectorproperlyteachesandmaintains

accuracy,whileknowinghowtobalancecomplexchords.Figure4.2isanexampleof

possiblebalanceissues.JohntheEvangelistissingingwiththeCloudofWitnesses.


63

Theseparatecharactersneedbalancingaswellastheindividualchordsinordertohear

theharmonicmotion.Inparticular,measure134isaspotwherethedirectormust

aurallyanticipatetheresolutiontotheF-sharpmajorchord,knowingwhichdissonances

providetension,andhowtoproperlyresolvetheminordertoseamlesslyconnecttothe

nextphrase.

Anotherissueisthatofdynamicstaminaforthesingersandtheconductor.The

directorneedstobeawareofclimaxesinthepieceandbeabletopacethedynamicsto

createthesepeaks.Thisrequiresdisciplineandtremendousenergyfromthesingers.

Equallyimportantistheconductor’sroleinshowingthesebigpictureelementsthrough

gesture.

Mostsolorolesareshortandachievablebyanaveragetrainedsinger.Roleslike

Nicetes,Quintus,JohntheEvangelistandevenGermanicuscouldcomefromwithinthe

choir.Itisimportanttonotethateachsolorolecarriescertainchallenges,sothe

directorwouldneedtoauditionthesetoensuretheentiresoloisfeasible.Theroleof

PolycarpandStatiusQuadratusareextendedandchallenging,andtheauthor,aswellas

thecomposer,recommendshiringprofessionalsingersfortheseroles.Polycarp’srole

inparticularrequiresanextensivedynamicandvocalrangeand,ofcourse,excellent

dictionandexpressivity.

Bothfullorchestraandchamberorchestraarrangementsoftheoratorioare

available.TheycanbepurchasedonRedford’swebsite.56Theconductorshouldnote

56Jacredford.com

64

thatinthefullorchestrationthereisdivisiintheviolinparts,sothesuggestedminimum

ofstringplayersisnecessaryinordertoproperlyperformthepiece.Theorchestrations

areasfollows:

FULLORCHESTRATION

VOICES

Soloists:Marcion-BoySopranoorChildren’sChoirPolycarp-BaritoneStatiusQuadratus,theProconsul-BassChoir(SSAATTBB,includingthefollowingstep-outsoloists)Quintus-TenorGermanicus-TenorJohntheEvangelist-TenorNicetes,theSheriff’sfather-BassORCHESTRA2Flutes(2nddoublesPiccolo)2Oboes(2nddoublesEH)2Clarinets(2nddoublesContraBassClarinet)2Bassoons(2nddoublesContraBassoon)4FrenchHorns2TrumpetsinC2TenorTrombonesBassTromboneTuba4PercussionHarpPianoStrings(atleast6,6,4,4,2)

65

CHAMBERORCHESTRATIONVOICESSoloists:Marcion-BoySopranoorChildren’sChoirPolycarp-BaritoneStatiusQuadratus,theProconsul-BassChoir(SSAATTBB,includingthefollowingstep-outsoloists)Quintus-TenorGermanicus-TenorJohntheEvangelist-TenorNicetes,theSheriff’sfather-BassCHAMBERORCHESTRAFlute(doublesPicc)Oboe(noEH)Clarinet(doublesBassClar)Bassoon(noContra)HornTrumpetTrombonePercussionPianoViolinIViolinIIViolaCelloBass

Evenwiththechamberorchestra,theconductorneedstoconsiderthepropervenueto

comfortablyarrangethemusicians.Thepieceismoreeffectiveifsomedegreeof

66

stagingispossible.Whilethecomposerdoesnotdictatethisinthescore,athorough

understandingofthemusicrevealsthispoint.Thereshouldbespatialconsiderationsto

helptheaudiencevisualizePolycarpinteractingwiththeProconsul,thejeeringcrowd,

thenarratorMarcion,andsoon.

ArecordingofTheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarpcanbeacquiredbycontacting

thechoraldepartmentattheUniversityofSouthCarolina.Therewillbenumerous

challengesforaconductorwhoisnewtothepiece,soarecordingwillbequiteusefulin

aidingscorestudy.

67

SUMMARYANDCONCLUSIONS

Uponexploringthework,musicianswillfindRedfordinfusespurposeand

meaningintomostcompositionalchoices.Whatmayseemlikeasimplemelodyturns

outtobearepresentationofashallowlifewithoutGod,andamodesttwo-barrhythm

indicatesthepresenceofevil.Thereareendlessavenuestoexplorewithinthepiece

beyondtheelementsofmelody,harmony,rhythmandtexture.Theauthorhas

attemptedtohighlighttheseaspectsfortheirfoundationalimportanceintheareaof

characterization.

Thelengthandbreadthoftheoratorioprovidesextensiveopportunitiesfor

expressivitybythechoirandconductor.Theauthorhasattemptedtopointoutsome

possiblechallengesthatmayariseinrehearsalandperformancealthoughthesemaynot

materializeforallconductorsand/orchoirs.Acomprehensiveunderstandingofthe

storyandmusiciskeytoacommunicativeperformance.

Theoratorioexploresthespiritualrealmsofgoodandevilandbringstolife

eventsthathappenednearly1900yearsago.Redford’sabilitytocombinetheelements

ofmelody,harmony,textureandrhythmintoadramaticformmakeTheMartyrdomof

SaintPolycarpbothintriguingandaccessibletoperformersandaudiences.Inaddition

tothisauthor’sanalysis,researcherscouldexplorethevastorchestralpaletteRedford

utilizes,analyzethepoetrywithinthelibretto,ordelveintothehistoricalanddoctrinal

68

componentsmoredeeply.Thisworkprovidesresearchpossibilitiesforscholarsfrom

variedbackgrounds.

69

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aucoin,AmyLouise.“TheIlluminationofE.E.Cummings’PoetryinJ.A.C.Redford’s

loveistheeveryonlygod.”DMAdiss.,LouisianaStateUniversity,2010.Cairns,Scott.(2004-5,Winter).TheLibretto:WritingtheTrueIcon.Image.44,72-78.Canfield,DavidDeboor.(Jan./Feb.2017).JAC(andMaster)ofAllTrades:AnInterview

withJ.A.C.Redford.Fanfare.78-81(Vol.40,issue3)Dunne,Gregory.(2004-5,Winter).AConversationwithScottCairns.Image.44,53-65.Kirby,Peter.“IgnatiustoPolycarp.”St.IgnatiusofAntiochtoPolycarp(Lightfoot

Translation).http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/ignatius-polycarp-lightfoot.html.9May2016

______.“TheMartyrdomofPolycarp.”TheletteroftheSmyrnaeansortheMartyrdomofPolycarp(LightfootTranslation).1990.http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/martyrdompolycarp-lightfoot.html.9May2016.

______.“Polycarp.”TheepistleofPolycarp(LightfootTranslation).

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/polycarp-lightfoot.html.9May2016.

Kostka,Stefan.2012.MaterialsandTechniquesofPost-TonalMusic,4thed.Upper

SaddleRiver,NJ:Pearson.Redford,J.A.C.(2004-5,Winter).TheScore:TasteandSee.Image.44,79-85.______.WelcomeAllWonders:AComposer’sJourney.GrandRapids:BakerBooks,

1997.______.TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp.Scores.2003.______.TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp.CDrecording.Recorded2016.______.TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp.CDrecording.Recorded2004.

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______.TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp:ASacredOratorio.Unpublishedmanuscript

Rudd,BrendaLowe.“AConductor’sAnalysisofPoetryandMusicinJ.A.C.Redford’sAntiphons.”DMAdiss.LouisianaStateUniversity,2016.

Wyatt,LarryD.“Homing:TheWordsandMusicofJ.A.C.Redford.”ChoralJournalvol.57no.8:8-31

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APPENDIXA—DEGREERECITALPROGRAMSOFMELANIEC.BUCKNER

72


SchoolofMusic

presents

RehearsalRecitalProgram

MelanieBuckner,conductor

with

HannahWatson,pianoandUSCConcertChoir

rehearsing

TheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp

Tuesday,April12,2016

2:20p.m.

Room006

73

presents

MELANIE BUCKNER, conductor

in

DOCTORAL RECITAL

with

Yanni Chan, piano

Tuesday, October 11, 2016 6:00 PM • Johnson Hall

O Taste and See Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Lauren Clark, soprano

Cantique de Jean Racine Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

If Ye Love Me Thomas Tallis (c. 1510-1585)

Magnificat RV 610 Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Keri Lee Pierson, soprano Lauren Clark, soprano

Camille Lacey, alto Augusto Gil, tenor

Mrs. Buckner is a student of Dr. Larry Wyatt. This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for

the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting.

presents


in

DOCTORAL RECITAL

with

Yanni Chan, piano

Tuesday, October 11, 2016 6:00 PM • Johnson Hall

O Taste and See Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Lauren Clark, soprano

Cantique de Jean Racine Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

If Ye Love Me Thomas Tallis (c. 1510-1585)

Magnificat RV 610 Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Keri Lee Pierson, soprano Lauren Clark, soprano

Camille Lacey, alto Augusto Gil, tenor



74

presents


in

DOCTORAL RECITAL

with Matt Ganong, piano

William Douglas, organ Stan Pylant, violin

Graduate Vocal Ensemble

Monday, April 24, 2017 6:00 PM • Recital Hall

Rejoice in the Lord alway Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Lindsey Cope, Dwight Dockery, Chienyi Li, soloists

***

Now is the Month of Maying Thomas Morley (1558-1602)

La, la, la je ne l’ose dire Pierre Certon (c. 1510-1520--1572) Legend P.I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

***

Insanae et Vanae Curae F. J. Haydn (1732-1809)

*** Five Hebrew Love Songs Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

Keri Lee Pierson, soprano ***

presents


in

DOCTORAL RECITAL

with Matt Ganong, piano

William Douglas, organ Stan Pylant, violin

Graduate Vocal Ensemble

Monday, April 24, 2017 6:00 PM • Recital Hall

Rejoice in the Lord alway Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Lindsey Cope, Dwight Dockery, Chienyi Li, soloists

***

Now is the Month of Maying Thomas Morley (1558-1602)

La, la, la je ne l’ose dire Pierre Certon (c. 1510-1520--1572) Legend P.I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

***

Insanae et Vanae Curae F. J. Haydn (1732-1809)

*** Five Hebrew Love Songs Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

Keri Lee Pierson, soprano

75

From Zigeunerlieder Johannes Brahms He, Zigeuner, greife in die Saiten ein! (1833-1897) Hochgetürmte Rimaflut, wie bist du trüb

Wißt ihr, wann mein Kindchen am allerschönsten ist? Brauner Bursche führt zum Tanze

Kommt dir manchmal in den Sinn Horch, der Wind klagt in den Zweigen traurig sacht Rote Abendwolken ziehn am Firmament

Jimmy Gatch, Keri Lee Pierson, soloists

***

Arise, My Soul, Arise Dan Forrest (b. 1978)

Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem C.V. Stanford (1852-1924)



From Zigeunerlieder Johannes Brahms He, Zigeuner, greife in die Saiten ein! (1833-1897) Hochgetürmte Rimaflut, wie bist du trüb

Wißt ihr, wann mein Kindchen am allerschönsten ist? Brauner Bursche führt zum Tanze

Kommt dir manchmal in den Sinn Horch, der Wind klagt in den Zweigen traurig sacht Rote Abendwolken ziehn am Firmament

Jimmy Gatch, Keri Lee Pierson, soloists

***

Arise, My Soul, Arise Dan Forrest (b. 1978)

Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem C.V. Stanford (1852-1924)



76


SchoolofMusic

presents

MelanieBucknerin

DMALectureRecital

July14,20171p.m.

SchoolofMusic

77

Program

“AnExplorationofCharacterizationsinJACRedford’soratorioTheMartyrdomofSaintPolycarp”

IntroductiontotheComposer

AnalysisofMelody,Harmony,RhythmandTexture

PerformanceConsiderations

Conclusion

PresentedinpartialfulfillmentoftheRequirementsforthedegreeofDoctorofMusicalArtsinChoralConducting

An Exploration Of Characterizations In JAC Redford’s ...

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