Haydn

THE CREATION

The Creation – 3

Sunday 8th March 2020 College Chapel

A performance given by

the Maynooth University Choral Society

with The Irish Choral Sinfonia.

Soloists: Claudia Boyle (Soprano

Andrew Gavin (Tenor)

Simon Morgan (Bass)

Director: Dr John O’Keeffe

The Department of Music

presents

Haydn

THE CREATION

4 – Haydn

Charles Russell (president 1857-80)

was anxious to bring it into existence

and early in his presidency he

campaigned for its construction. J.J.

McCarthy was awarded the design of

the chapel and the foundation stone

was laid in 1875. McCarthy was a

great admirer of Pugin and shared

Pugin’s commitment to the Gothic

styles of the fourteenth and fifteenth

centuries. McCarthy finished the

work on Pugin’s Killarney cathedral

and also worked on the cathedrals at

Monaghan and Thurles. Interestingly,

Monaghan cathedral remained

incomplete at his death and the task

went to William Hague, who was the

architect employed by Maynooth and

the then president, Robert Browne

(1885-1894) to undertake the interior

decoration of the college chapel.

It is this interior Hague decoration as

well as the spacious McCarthy design

that helps make this the architectural

jewel we see today. This is greatly

assisted by the considerable work of

restoration and lighting design which

was undertaken prior to the college’s

bicentennial in 1995. McCarthy also

designed the Senior Infirmary (1861-

1862) now the Columba Centre.

Hague was responsible for the Aula

Maxima. Both buildings are very

Maynooth College Chapel: An Anniversary Appreciation

With the building of the Pugin-designed St.

Patrick’s and St. Mary’s (including the wing which

houses Pugin Hall, the Russell Library and St.

Mary’s Oratory), the college was left without a

chapel which could house the entire seminary

community.

The Creation – 5

close to the north side of the chapel,

to left and right of the path to the

North Campus.

One major and one minor

iconographic theme can be found

in the chapel. The primary theme

is Laus Deo, the praise of God. On

the chapel’s mosaic floor (Burke of

London) is the inscription, Laudate

pueri Dominum/Psallite Deo/Psallite

quoniam rex omnis terrae Deus/

Psallite sapienter (Young men praise

the Lord, Sing praise to God, Praise

Him For God is King of all the earth,

Praise him wisely). The theme of

praise is continued in the decorative

flora and fauna, which hearkens

to the Canticle of Daniel and the

praise of God by all creation. The

flora can be seen on the finials (the

decorative ends of the stalls), on the

front of the stalls and around the

coats of arms on the panels above the

stalls. The fauna can be seen on the

Strings – the line of carving above

the Stations of the Cross. A wide

variety of animals, birds and reptiles

can be found, including a monkey,

and ostrich and an Irish Setter. The

theme of praise continues onto the

ceiling. The heavenly procession of

saints and angels are enclosed in a

circle of script, which contain the

words of the three great canticles,

which would have been sung in

the stalls below by the seminarians

– Magnificat (the hymn of Mary),

Benedictus (the song of Zechariah)

and the great hymn of praise, Te

Deum. The angels carry instruments

of the Passion and the Irish saints

representing the missionary, monastic

and pastoral traditions, among whom

can be found St. Killian, Sr. Ciaran

and Pope Celestine who sent St.

Patrick to Ireland. Like the Stations

of the Cross, these panels were

painted on to canvas and then stuck

to the walls and ceiling. The gilding

was subsequently done by another

artist, Robert Mannix, about which

the academic council complained,

thinking it too excessive.

The minor theme, if it could be called

that is the iconography linked to the

preparation and education of students

for the priesthood. The angels at the

Corbels (the stone which sticks out

from the wall between the Strings

and which supports the ceiling) carry

objects associated with the minor

and major orders of the pre-Vatican

II progression to priesthood and

beyond – keys for Porter; candle

for Acolyte; dalmatic for Deacon;

mitre for Bishop. Some of the saints

that populate the ends of the stalls

above the finials are linked with the

6 – Haydn

education of seminarians – St. Charles

Borromeo, St. Augustine, St. John

Chrysostom.

The stalls are made from American

Oak, and I have it on good authority

that it is a very difficult wood to

carve, which makes the artistry of the

carvers all the more splendid. The

firm of Connolly of Dominick Street

were employed to complete this work

after a design by Hague, which is in

the college’s Russell Library. The stalls

are divided into blocks and there

are a total of 454 individual seats,

making it the largest choir stall chapel

in the world. The stalls face each

other for the public recitation of the

Divine Office. Psalms that are prayed

during the day – morning, evening

and night prayer – are sung verse by

verse back and forth.

Above the stalls are the panels

containing the fourteen stations of

the Cross, St. Peter and St. Paul over

the pulpit, and the four messianic

prophets, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah

and Ezekiel. These are the work of

Nathaniel Westlake (1833–1921)

and are reminiscent of the work of

the English pre-Raphaelite painters.

Westlake was also responsible for the

ceiling decoration, which is similar to

the work he undertook in St. Joseph’s

Catholic Church in Highgate.

The windows depict the life of Christ,

although a number of different

themes were suggested. Hague or

the college authorities must have

established this as the theme because

the windows were commissioned

and made as and when donors

were found. Three stained glass

companies were involved – Mayer

of Munich, Lavers and Westlake

of London and Cox Buckley of

London. Each window depicts an

event in the life of Christ, beginning

with the Immaculate Conception on

the right as one faces the sanctuary.

Each window has a pediment and

canopy (which is the indicator as to

which windows were designed at the

same time and by whom) and above

the canopy is a small roundel or

sexfoil with a story from the Hebrew

scriptures related to the story from

the life of Christ: Jesus with the

teachers in the Temple linked with

Daniel interpreting the Dreams of

Nebuchadnezzar; the Baptism in the

Jordan and Noah’s Ark; Jesus and

the widow of Nain coupled with

Elijah and the widow of Zarephath.

Each of the donors are named on

the window, including James and

The Creation – 7

Elizabeth Nelson, Cooldrinagh,

Leixlip who are buried in Glasnevin

close to the O’Connell monument.

In the apse the windows depict

the final events in the life of

Jesus, coupled with the depiction

of Pentecost. In the sexfoils are

images of the sacraments. The

central window is a portrayal of

the command of Jesus to “go out to

the whole world….” and above the

Trinity is show in a manner similar to

that of Albrecht Dürer’s work.

Above these windows, the apostles,

the prophets and the patriarchs and

below, depictions of the six principal

patrons of Ireland – St. Laurence

O’Toole protecting the people of

Dublin from the Normans; St. Brigid

and her companions in prayer; St.

Malachy greeting St. Bernard of

Clairvaux; St. Patrick preaching to

the king; St. Columbanus building at

Bobbio; and St. Colmcille heading to

Iona.

8 – Haydn

On behalf of the Music Department it is my great

pleasure to welcome you to this afternoon’s

performance of Haydn’s The Creation, which is

also part of the celebrations to mark the 225th

anniversary of Maynooth College.

Address of Welcome

Performance constitutes a

fundamental component within the

numerous activities of the Music

Department. Membership to one of

the Departmental Ensembles is part of

the experience that helps our students

to grow up as musicians, forging

friendships and memories that will

remain with them even after their

degree. The Choral Society reaches

out across Maynooth University,

St Patrick’s College and the local

community. We are incredibly proud

of their commitment to the weekly

rehearsals through the academic year.

Making music together is a way to

express our sense of humanity; it is

because of this and because of the

commitment from all parts involved

that we have the possibility to share

all together the joy of listening to

such a beautiful composition.

The concert would not be possible

without the support of several

people and institutions. I thank

the Presidents of both Maynooth

University and St Patrick’s College for

supporting today’s event.

The Creation – 9

I should also like to pay a special

tribute to Dr John O’Keeffe for his

enthusiasm and musicianship in

bringing together the energies of all

performers – the

members of the choir, the orchestra,

and the soloists.

A thank you also to the Music

and the President’s offices for the

organisation of this event.

I hope that you will enjoy listening to

the music of Haydn in the splendid

surrounding of the College Chapel.

Dr Antonio Cascelli

Head of Music Department

10 – Haydn

In 1790 Joseph Haydn, at 58 years of age,

accepted an offer from a London concert

promoter to make two extended visits to

the city between 1791 and 1795.

Programme Note The Creation

In London of the 1790s, oratorio was

the principal form in use by church

composers, and Handel, though dead

for almost forty years, still dominated

the genre through the influence of

his music. Haydn attended a series

of memorial concerts devoted to the

music of Handel in May 1791. He

was shaken by the overwhelming

power of the music and, at one point,

broke down completely, crying,

“He is the master of us all!”. As he

became further acquainted with the

music of Handel, his admiration and

respect deepened and his interest

in oratorio grew until, on his final

return to Vienna in 1795 and fired

by the inspiration of Handel, he was

anxious to try an oratorio of his own.

While in London, Haydn been given

an oratorio text which had been

prepared for Handel but never used

by him; a translation of it was now

produced by one Baron Van Swieten,

along with financial backing. Haydn

set to work towards the end of 1796,

and by April 1798 The Creation was

complete.

The Creation – 11

The text of The Creation is a mixture

of scriptural excerpts, quotations and

adaptations from Milton’s Paradise

Lost and original verse in the style

of Milton. Rejected supposedly by

Handel, translated and rearranged by

Van Swieten and later re-translated by

him into English, this much-abused

libretto became in Haydn’s hands

the vehicle for a magnificent flow

of inspiration and creativity. At 65

years of age, he was at the height of

his creative powers; somewhat later

in life, he was to comment, “Musical

ideas pursue me to the point of

torture, I cannot get rid of them; my

imagination plays upon me as if I

were a keyboard.” The entire work is

pervaded by the sense of an unceasing

flow of invention, a broad current

whose power sweeps the listener

along as Haydn’s vision of the newly-

created earth unfolds in freshness and

vitality.

Parts I and II are concerned with the

actual work of creation. The main

characters are the archangels Raphael

(bass), Uriel (tenor) and Gabriel

(soprano); day by day, they tell the

story of creation through a series of

arias and recitatives.

Each day of creation is then rounded

off by the chorus, who, for their

part, represent the heavenly choirs

of angels praising God and rejoicing

at the beauty of each new created

thing. Part II ends with the creation of

man; by part III the work is complete,

and Adam and Eve – represented by

the soprano and bass soloists – are

the focus of the universal prayer

of worship offered by the whole of

creation to God. Just once, there

comes into the bliss of the happy

couple an omen of darkness, as Uriel

warns that they “strive at more than

granted is”; but this momentary

shadow is swept away in the joy of

the final chorus.

The entire work is a marvellously

sustained flight of the imagination

and of religious feeling. From the

orchestral Representation of Chaos,

in which one glimpses the billowing

of an elemental nothingness,

through the large arias, profuse

in musical ideas and yet perfect in

their architecture, to the sometimes

extreme simplicity of the choruses

with their pure, unaffected joy, The

Creation moves on a dizzy plane of

inspiration.

12 – Haydn

For Haydn himself, the writing of

the work was a profoundly religious

experience and, as he related after

conducting the first performance,

One moment I was cold as ice all over, the next I was on fire; more than onceI was afraid I should have a stroke.

Haydn’s Creation, summing up as it

does the joy simply of being, stands

as the masterwork of an artist whose

own innate cheerfulness was

tempered by unhappy circumstances.

In religious practice, as in all things,

Haydn exercised moderation and

respectability: in The Creation,

however, he allowed the intensity of

his vision to take substance, to remain

so that succeeding generations might

be that much the richer.

Raymond O’Donnell

The Creation – 1313 – Haydn

Joeseph Haydn (1732-1809)

THE CREATION

14 – Haydn

No. 3 Air (Uriel)Now vanish before the holy beams

The gloomy dismal shades of

ancient night

The first of days appears.

Now Chaos ends and order fair

prevails. Affrighted flee hell’s spirits

black in throngs:

Down they sink in the deep of abyss

To endless night.

ChorusDespairing cursing rage attends their

rapid fall.

A new-created world springs up at

God’s command.

The Second Day

No. 4 Recitative (Raphael)And God made the firmament, and

divided the waters which were under the

firmament from the waters which were

above the firmament: and it was so.

Now furious storms tempestuous

rage, Like chaff, by the wind impelled

are the clouds.

By sudden fire the sky is inflamed,

And awful thunders are rolling on

high. Now from the floods in steams

ascend reviving showers of rain,

The dreary, wasteful hail, the light

and flaky snow.

The CreationPart One

The First Day

No. 1 Introduction(Representation of Chaos)

No. 2Recitative (Raphael)In the beginning God created the

heaven and the earth. And the earth was

without form, and void; and darkness

was upon the face of the deep.

ChorusAnd the spirit of God moved upon the

face of the waters. And God said, Let

there be light: and there was light.

And God saw the light, that it was good:

and God divided the light from the

darkness.

The Creation – 15

No. 8 Recitative (Gabriel)And God said, Let the earth bring

forth grass, the herb yielding seed,

and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after

his kind, whose seed is in itself upon

the earth: and it was so.

No. 9 Air (Gabriel)With verdure clad the fields appear

Delightful to the ravished sense; By

flowers sweet and gay Enhanced is

the charming sight.

Here fragrant herbs their odours

shed; Here shoots the healing plant.

With copious fruit the expanded

boughs are hung;

In leafy arches twine the shady

groves; O’er lofty hills majestic forests

wave.

No. 10 Recitative (Uriel)And the heavenly host proclaimed the

third day, praising God, and saying:

No. 11 ChorusAwake the harp, the lyre awake! And

let your joyful song resound. Rejoice

in the Lord, the mighty God; For he

both heaven and earth

Has clothed in stately dress.

No. 5 Solo (Gabriel)The marv’lous work beholds amazed

The glorious hierarchy of heav’n;

And to th’ethereal vaults resound

The praise of God, and of the

second day.

ChorusAnd to th’ethereal vaults resound

The praise of God, and of the

second day.

The Third Day

No. 6 Recitative (Raphael)And God said, Let the waters under

the heavens be gathered together

to one place, and let the dry land

appear: and it was so. And God

called the dry land

Earth; and the gathering of waters

called he Seas: and God saw that it

was good.

No. 7 Air (Raphael)Rolling in foaming billows, Uplifted

roars the boist’rous sea. Mountains

and rocks now emerge: Their tops

among the clouds ascend. Through

th’open plains, outstretching wide,

In serpent error rivers flow. Softly

purling, glides on

Through silent vales the limpid

brook.

16 – Haydn

No. 14 ChorusThe heavens are telling the glory

of God, The wonder of his works

displays the firmament

Trio (Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael)Today that is coming speaks it

the day, The night that is gone, to

following night.

ChorusThe heavens are telling the glory

of God, The wonder of his works

displays the firmament.

TrioIn all the land resounds the word,

Never unperceived, ever understood.

ChorusThe heavens are telling the glory

of God, The wonder of his works

displays the firmament.

INTERVAL

The Fourth Day

No. 12 Recitative (Uriel)And God said, Let there be lights in

the firmament of heaven to divide

the day from the night, and to give

the light upon the earth; and let them

be for signs, and for seasons, and for

days, and for years. He made the

stars also.

No. 13 (Uriel)In splendour bright is rising now the

sun,

And darts his rays; a joyful happy

spouse,

A giant proud and glad

To run his measured course.

With softer beams, and milder light,

Steps on the silver moon through

silent night.

The space immense of th’ azure sky

A countless host of radiant orbs

adorns. And the sons of God

announced the fourth day,

In song divine, proclaiming thus his

pow’r:

The Creation – 17

No. 17 Recitative (Raphael)And God created great whales, and

ev’ry living creature that moveth.

And God blessed them, saying,

Be fruitful all, and multiply!

Ye winged tribes, be multiplied, And

sing on every tree!

Multiply, ye finny tribes,

And fill each wat’ry deep;

Be fruitful, grow, and multiply, And in

your God and Lord rejoice.

No. 18 Recitative (Raphael)And the angels struck their immortal

harps, and the wonders of the fifth

day sung.

No. 19 TrioGabrielMost beautiful appear, with verdure

young adorned,

The gently sloping hills; the narrow,

sinuous veins

Distill, in crystal drops, the fountain

fresh and bright.

UrielIn lofty circles play, and hover in the

air, The cheerful host of birds; and as

they flying whirl

Their glitt’ring plumes are dyed as

rainbows by the sun.

The CreationPart Two

The Fifth Day

No. 15 Recitative (Gabriel)And God said, Let the waters bring

forth abundantly the moving creature

that hath life, and fowl that may fly

above the earth in the open firmament

of heaven.

No. 16 Air (Gabriel)On mighty pens uplifted soars

The eagle aloft, and cleaves the air,

In swiftest flight, to the blazing sun.

His welcome bids to morn the merry

lark,

And cooing calls the tender dove his

mate.

From ev’ry bush and grove resound

The nightingale’s delightful notes; No

grief affected yet her breast,

Nor to a mournful tale were tun’d

Her soft enchanting lays.

18 – Haydn

No. 22 Accompanied Recitative(Raphael)Straight opening her fertile womb, The

earth obey’d the word,

And teem’d creatures numberless, In

perfect forms, and fully grown. Cheerful,

roaring, stands the tawny lion. With

sudden leap the flexible tiger appears.

The nimble stag bears up his branching

head.

With flying mane, and fiery look,

impatient neighs the noble steed;

The cattle, in herds, already seek their

food

On fields and meadows green.

And o’er the ground, as plants, are

spread

The fleecy, meek, and bleating flocks.

Unnumber’d as the sands, in swarms

arose the hosts of insects.

In long dimension creeps, with

sinuous trace, the worm.

No. 23 Air (Raphael)Now Heav’n in fullest glory shines;

Earth smiled in all her rich attire;

The room of air with fowl is filled;

The water swelled by shoals of fish;

By heavy beasts the ground is trod.

But all the work was not complete;

There wanted yet that wondrous

being, That, grateful, should God’s

power admire,

With heart and voice his goodness

praise.

RaphaelSee flashing through the deep in

thronging swarms

The fish a thousand ways around.

Upheaved from the deep, th’immense

Leviathan

Sports on the foaming wave.

Gabriel, Uriel, RaphaelHow many are thy works, O God!

Who may their number tell? Who, O

God?

Who may their numbers tell?

No. 20 Trio and ChorusThe Lord is great, and great his

might, His glory lasts for ever and for

evermore.

The Sixth Day

No. 21 Recitative (Raphael)And God said, Let the earth bring

forth the living creature after his kind,

cattle, and creeping thing, and beast

of the earth, after his kind.

The Creation – 19

No. 27 ChorusAchieved is the glorious work;

The Lord beholds it, and is pleased. In

lofty strains let us rejoice,

Our song must be the praise of God!

No. 28 TrioGabriel and Uriel

On thee each living soul awaits;

From thee, O Lord, they seek their

food; Thou openest thy hand,

And fillest all with good.

RaphaelBut when thy face, O Lord, is hid,

With sudden terror they are struck;

Thou tak’st their breath away,

They vanish into dust.

Gabriel, Uriel, RaphaelThou sendest forth thy breath again,

And life with vigour fresh returns;

Revived earth unfolds

New strength and new delights.

No. 29 ChorusAchieved is the glorious work; Our

song let be the praise of God. Glory

to his Name for ever.

He sole on high exalted reigns.

Hallelujah!

No. 24 Recitative (Uriel)So God created Man in his own

image, in the image of God created

He him. Male and female created he

them. He breathed into his nostrils

the breath of life, and Man became a

living soul.

No. 25 Air (Uriel)In native worth and honour clad,

With beauty, courage, strength,

adorned,

Erect, with front serene, he stands

A man, the lord and king of nature

all. His large and arched brow

sublime

Of wisdom deep declares the seat!

And in his eyes with brightness shines

The soul, the breath and image of his

God.

With fondness leans upon his breast

The partner for him formed,

A woman, fair and graceful spouse.

Her softly-smiling virgin looks,

Of flowr’y spring the mirror,

Bespeak him love, and joy, and bliss.

No. 26 Recitative (Raphael)And God saw every thing that he

had made, and behold, it was very

good. And the heavenly choir, in song

divine, thus closed the sixth day.

20 – Haydn

AdamOf stars the fairest, pledge the day,

That crowns the smiling morn;

And thou bright sun, that cheer’st the

world

Thou eye and soul of all;

ChorusProclaim in your extended course

The glorious power and praise of

God.

EveAnd thou that rul’st the silent night

And all ye starry hosts,

Ev’rywhere spread wide his praise

In choral songs about.

AdamYe mighty elements, by his power

Your ceaseless changes make;

Ye dusky mists, and dewy streams,

Who rise and fall thro’ th’ air:

Eve, Adam and Chorus

Resound the praise of God our Lord.

Great is his name, and great his

might.

EveYe purling fountains, tune his praise;

And wave your tops, ye pines!

Ye plants, exhale, ye flowers, breathe

At him your balmy scent!

The CreationPart Three

No. 30 Recitative (Uriel)In rosy mantle appears

By music sweet awaked

The morning, young and fair. From

the heaven’s angelic choir Pure

harmony descends on ravish’d earth.

Behold the blissful pair,

Where hand in hand they go: their

glowing looks

Express the thanks that swell their

grateful hearts.

A louder praise of God their lips

Shall utter soon; then let our voices

ring, United with their song.

No. 31 Eve, AdamBy thee with bliss, O bounteous Lord,

Both heav’n and earth are stored.

This world so great, so wonderful.

Thy mighty hand has framed.

ChorusFor ever blessed be his pow’r! His

name be ever magnified!

The Creation – 21

EveO thou for whom I am, my help, my

shield,

My all, thy will is law to me:

So God our Lord ordains: and from

obedience

Grows my pride and happiness.

No. 33 DuetAdam

Graceful consort, at thy side

Softly fly the golden hours;

Ev’ry moment brings new rapture,

Ev’ry care is put to rest.

EveSpouse adored, at thy side Purest joys

o’erflow the heart; Life and all I am

is thine;

My reward thy love shall be.

BothThe dew-dropping morn, O how she

quickens all!

The coolness of even, O how she all

restores!

How grateful is of fruits the savour

sweet!

How pleasing is of fragrant bloom the

smell!

AdamYe that on mountains stately tread,

And ye that lowly creep;

Ye birds that sing at heaven’s gate,

And ye that swim the stream;

Eve, Adam and ChorusYe creatures all, extol the Lord! Him

celebrate, him magnify!

Eve, AdamYe valleys, hills, and shady woods,

Made vocal by our song,

From morn to eve you shall repeat

Our grateful hymns of praise.

ChorusHail! bounteous Lord! Almighty, hail!

Thy word called forth this wondrous

frame,

The heavens and earth thy power

adore; We praise thee now and

evermore.

No. 32 Recitative (Adam)Our duty we have now performed, in

offering up to God our thanks. Now

follow me, dear partner of my life.

Thy guide I’ll be; and every step pours

new delights into our breasts, shows

wonders everywhere. Then mayst

thou feel and know the high degree

of bliss the Lord allotted us, and with

devoted heart His bounty celebrate.

Come, follow me, thy guide I’ll be.

22 – Haydn

But, without thee, what is to me

The morning dew, the breath of even,

The sav’ry fruit, the fragrant bloom?

With thee is every joy enhanced,

With thee delight is ever new, With

thee is life incessant bliss, Thine, thine

it all shall be.

No. 34 Recitative (Uriel)O happy pair! and happy still might

be

If not misled by false conceit,

Ye strive at more than granted is;

And more desire to know, than know

ye should.

No. 35 ChorusSing the Lord, ye voices all,

Magnify his name thro’ all creation.

Celebrate his power and glory,

Let his name resound on high. Praise

the Lord.

Utter thanks.

Jehovah’s praise forever shall endure.

Amen.

The Creation – 2323 – Haydn

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

24 – Haydn

Claudia Boyle has secured her stellar

reputation on the world-wide stage as

one of the finest Irish opera singers of

her generation. Having just returned

from singing the title role in La Travi-

ata at London’s Coliseum and the role

of Adina at Oslo Opera House, she is

now looking forward to making her

main stage debut at The Royal Opera

House Covent Garden in 2020.

Claudia has won both the First Prize

and the Critics Award at The Maria

Calla Competition in Verona where

the Callas Estate presented her with

the miraculous medal once owned

and worn by the legendary singer.

This precious gift, which Maria Cal-

las brought to all of her performances

has encouraged and inspired Claudia

greatly in her career.

Claudia was chosen by esteemed

film director Mike Leigh to star in

his first ever venture for the operatic

stage as the leading heroine Mabel

in Gilbert & Sullivan’s (The Pirates

of Penzance) in London’s West End.

Claudia received particular critical

praise for her performances as Mabel

with the opera being broadcast live

in cinemas across Europe. “The real

discovery here is Claudia Boyle, who

brings tremendous presence to the

part of Mabel, and dispatches the

dizzy bel canto parodies in her arias

with impressive assurance.”

In recent seasons, important role

and house debuts have included

Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem

Serail) for Komische Oper Berlin,

Adina (L’elisir d’amore) at Semper-

oper Dresden under Matteo Beltrami,

Leila (The Pearl Fishers) conducted

by Roland Böer for English Nation-

al Opera, Tytania (A Midsummer

Night’s Dream) conducted by James

Conlon at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma,

and Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor)

with Danish National Opera under

Martin André. As a testament to her

linguistic strengths, Boyle made her

debut as Verdi’s Gilda (Rigoletto)

at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma under

Renato Palumbo to overwhelming

Claudia BoyleSoprano

The Creation – 25

audience and critical acclaim. She cre-

ated the role of May-Shan in Chris-

tian Jost’s opera Rote Laterne under

Alain Altinoglu for Opernhaus Zürich

and performed the role of Alice in

Barry’s Alice’s Adventures Under

Ground with the RTÉ Concert Or-

chestra conducted by Thomas Adès.

Claudia recently performed with

the New York Philharmonic at the

Metropolitan Opera’s Lincoln Centre,

singing the role of Cecily Cardew

in Barry’s The importance of Being

Earnest.

Her blossoming concert career has

taken her further afield to Tokyo,

Sao Paolo and Ankara among other

places, culminating in her perfor-

mance at the G20 summit last year.

She has appeared at the Salzburger

Festspiele in Cherubini’s Chant sur

la mort de Joseph Haydn under

Riccardo Muti, with NHK

Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s

Symphony No.8 under Paavo Järvi,

and in Henze’s Nachtstücke und

Arien with NDR Radiophilharmonie

Hannover under Eivind Gullberg

Jensen. Claudia joined Kent Nagano

and Ensemble Modern as Dede for

the premiere performances of a new

chamber version of Bernstein’s A Qui-

et Place at Konzerthaus Berlin,

subsequently joining Nagano and

l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal

for further performances and a CD

recording for DECCA.

26 – Haydn

Andrew completed his master’s in

music performance at the Royal

Irish Academy of Music in 2016,

achieving First Class Honours

under the tuition of Mary Brennan.

A graduate of the National

University of Ireland, Maynooth,

Andrew attained First Class

Honours in English Literatur. He

also holds an M. Phil in Children’s

Literature from Trinity College,

Dublin.

In 2016 Andrew was awarded

the PwC Wexford Festival Opera

Emerging Young Artist bursary

and is currently a member of

the Irish National Opera ABL

Aviation Studio. Operatic highlights

include Tamino and Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte, Arbace in

Idomeneo, Acis and Damon in

Acis and Galatea, Don Curzio in

Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, M. Vogelsang in Mozart’s Der

Schauspieldirektor, Telemachus

in Monteverdi’s The Return of

Ulysses, Ormindo in L’Ormindo, Andrés, Cochenille, Pitichinaccio and Franz in Offenbach’s The Tales

of Hoffmann, and the roles of Bob

Doran, Mr. Alleyne and O’Halleran

in the world premiere of Andrew

Synnott’s Dubliners.

Notable oratorio engagements

include the Evangelist in Bach’s

St. John Passion and Christmas

Oratorio, Rossini’s Stabat

Mater, Liszt’s Coronation Mass,

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9,

Handel’s Messiah, Mendelssohn’s

Symphony No. 2 (Lobegesang),

C.P.E. Bach’s Magnificat, Mozart’s

Requiem, Haydn’s The Creation,

Beethoven’s Mass in C and the

complete Mozart mass series of the

Dún Laoghaire Choral Society.

Andrew is delighted to perform

once again with the Maynooth

University Choral Society after

celebrating the 50th anniversary

of the society in 2019 with the

Andrew Gavin Tenor

The Creation – 27

world premiere of Martin O’Leary’s

Psalmus Invitatorius and Mozart’s

Requiem in 2019. Upcoming

engagements include the Evangelist in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion,

Pedrillo in Mozarts Die Entführung

aus dem Serail and Jupiter in

Händel’s Semele.

28 – Haydn

Simon MorganBass

Belcore in Cosi Fan Tutte, at the

National Concert Hall of Ireland;

Marcello in La Boheme with

Loughcrew Opera; Silvio in I

Pagliacci with Wonderland

Productions and with The

Everyman Palace Theatre (winner

of Best Opera Production at the

Irish Times Theatre Awards);

Aeneas in the Cork Opera House

production, and subsequent

touring production, of Dido

and Aeneas. For the Limerick

City of Culture celebrations,

Simon played the role of Noye in

Britten’s Noyes Fludde.

 

At Dublin’s Gate Theatre, Simon

played the role of Antony in their

acclaimed production of Stephen

Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (also a

winner of best Opera Production

at the Irish Times Theatre Awards).

Extended highlights with Opera in

The Open, Dublin, include Danilo

in The Merry Widow, title roles

in Werther and Candide, Orestes

in Iphegenie in Tauride, Guglielmo

in Cosi Fan Tutte, Marcello in La

Boheme, High Priest and Hercules

in Alceste, Melisso in Alcina,

Silvio and Tonio in I Pagliacci,

Scarpia in Tosca and the title

role in Eugene Onegin. He has

performed with Opera Ireland

in Boris Godonov, Aida, Lady

Macbeth of Mtsensk, The Flying

Dutchman, The Silver Tassie,

and Carmen, has recorded extracts

from Martinu’s Mirandolina for

Wexford Festival Opera.

 

Oratorio performances in

Ireland and the UK include

Schubert and Haydn Masses,

Bach’s B Minor Mass, Christmas

Oratorio, and a number of

cantatas,  Mozart’s Requiem,

Saint-Saens’ Oratorio De

Noel and the Chichester Psalms by

Bernstein.

 

The Creation – 29

A regular soloist with the RTE

Concert Orchestra, Simon’s first

solo album “I’ll Be Seeing You”

debuted at number one in the Irish

iTunes charts, and his latest project

“Thomas Moore Reimagined” was

album of the week on RTÉ Lyric

FM, reached number one in the

Irish Album Charts and had its

debut in the Abbey Theatre, Dublin

in 2019.

30 – Haydn

John O’Keeffe is Director of Sacred

Music at the National Seminary of

St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth,

where his duties include lecturing,

training of cantors, choir and

organists, and the preparation of

music for college liturgies. As

Maynooth University’s Director

of Choral Groups, he conducts

the University Choral Society

and oversees the activities of the

Maynooth University Chamber

Choir, Schola Gregoriana

Maynooth (a joint SPCM/MU

project) and the Maynooth

University female choir, ‘Altus’.

 

Prior to his appointment to

Maynooth, he was Choirmaster at St.

Mel’s Cathedral, Longford, having

already served as Organ Scholar of

Westminster Cathedral and Dublin’s

Pro-Cathedral. His organ teachers

have included Rev. Frank McNamara,

David Sanger, Ben Van Oosten and

Gerard Gillen. He holds Master’s

degrees in Organ (MU) and Chant

Performance (UL) and his doctoral

thesis The Masses of Seán and Peadar

Ó Riada: Explorations in Vernacular

Chant was recently published by

Cork University Press.

 

Active also as a liturgical music

composer (his Mass of Saint Mel was

commissioned in 2015 to mark the

restoration of Longford Cathedral)

and editor (the second volume of

his church music series, Feasts and

Seasons, has just been published),

he directs postgraduate and diploma

courses in liturgical music and chant

at both St. Patrick›s College and

Maynooth University. In 2018, he

was appointed Director of Music

for the Papal Mass, held in Dublin’s

Phoenix Park, to mark the visit of

Pope Francis to Ireland.

John O’Keeffe Director

The Creation – 31

Maynooth University Choral Society

Director:Dr John O’Keeffe

Assistant Director:James Murphy

Section Leaders: Soprano: James Murphy

Alto: Tsz Lun Tang

Tenor: Jeffrey Moore

Bass: James O’Malley

Accompanist:David Grealy

Founded by Father Noel Watson in

1969 and directed by Professor

Gerard Gillen from 1985 to 2007,

this choir has gained widespread

critical acclaim for its annual

performances of major choral works.

Composed of some 100 students and

staff of both universities on campus,

the choir has performed on French

Television (FR3) and on BBC and

RTE television.

In 1995, on the occasion of the

College’s bicentenary, the choir joined

forces with the National Symphony

Orchestra to perform John Buckley’s

Maynooth Te Deum at its premiere

in the National Concert Hall. Its

repertoire includes the Requiems

of Mozart, Brahms Dvorak and

Verdi, Mozart’s Great C minor Mass

(KV427), Haydn’s The Creation,

Bach’s St John Passion and Elgar’s

The Dream of Gerontius.

In 2019, to mark to mark its 50th

anniversary, the choir commissioned

and performed Psalmus Invitatorius,

a major new choral work by

composer, Martin O’Leary.

The première of the work was

recently broadcast on Lyric FM,

in addition to recordings specially

selected by Lyric from last December’s

50th anniversary Maynooth Carol

Services.

32 – Haydn

Maynooth University Choral List

SopranosMoira Bergin

Samar Abou-Jaoude

Cherise Boraski

Odharnait Bourke

Chloe Byrne

Eileen Clarke

Laura Commons

Amanda Fitzgerald

Orla Fitzgerald

Ann Guinea

Sofia Karagiorgis

Elizabeth Kelly

Rachel McLaughlin

Pauline Murphy

Cait Ni Chorcora

Lise O›Farrell

Susan O›Leary

Erin Reilly

Heather Sammon

Aisling Sammon

M. Galniela Serpi

Lacey Marie Smith

Tellez Danobeitia

Aitana

Tsz lun Tsang

Pat Watson

AltosAnne Begley

Sophie Brennan

Theresa Clarke

Aine Cody

Garance Convert

Brid Cotter

Mary Cronin

Mary Curran

Karla Doherty

Bernadette Duffy

Caitlin Duke

Timi Egbesakin

Maria Gilmartin

Roisin Gleeson

Aileen Harrington

Sophie Hayley

Emma Higgins

Orla Kearney

Gwynn Lanning

Rose Malone

Sharon McEvilly

Dervilla McKeith

Orla McStravick

Shauna Monaghan

Deirdre Moran

Patricia Mullen

Meabh Ni Lochlainn

The Creation – 33

Aoife Nic Thomais

Grace O›Shea

Lucy Parke

Orla Quinn

Gertie Ryan

Abigail Scott

Valerie Seymour

Brid Shiel

Sarah Tuite

Betty Wilson

TenorsCathal Aherne

Jim Doyle

Ian Fitzpatrick

Liam Hickey

Benoit Kufika

John Paul Luby

Eamonn McKeogh

Jeff Moore

Cathal Nolan

Eoghan Noonan

Roland Ntambang

Jose Nunes

Diarmuid O›Brien

Matthew Rice

Michael Small

Daire Turley

Ross Xanthopoulos

Basses Frank Bergin

Peadar Breslin

Dillon Corcoran

Simon Grogan

Alex Hallahan

Diarmuid Heneghan

Joe Kinahan

Joe Lane

Kevin Leavy

Paul Looney

Eoghan McGale

Adam Moriarty

Gearard O›Floinn

James O›Malley

Sean Quinn

Michael Small

Eoin Toolan

Daire Turley

Ken Whelan

34 – Haydn

Irish Choral Sinfonia

The Maynooth Sinfonia was formed

in April 2014 to complement Irish

choral performances. It comprises

some of Ireland’s finest freelance

musicians, many of whom perform

regularly with the RTE orchestras,

the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and the

Irish Baroque Orchestra. Its members

have collaborated with groups

such as the Carlow Choral Society,

Tallaght Choral society, Kilkenny

Choral Singers, the Berkshire

Choral Festival singers, and perform

regularly in their own right as

soloists or as part of specialized

ensembles all over the world.

It comprises some of Ireland’s

finest freelance musicians, many of

whom perform regularly with the

RTE orchestras, the Irish Chamber

Orchestra, and the Irish Baroque

Orchestra.

Its members have collaborated

with groups such as the Carlow

Choral Society, Tallaght Choral

society, Kilkenny Choral Singers, the

Berkshire Choral Festival singers, and

perform regularly in their own right

as soloists or as part of specialized

ensembles all over the world.

The Creation – 35

Acknowledgements

The support and co-operation

of Maynooth Campus Conference

& Accommodation is gratefully

acknowledged.

Maynooth Campus Conference

& Accommodation, Maynooth,

Co. Kildare,

Tel: 01 708 3533

Fax: 01 708 3534

www.maynoothcampus.com