Renowned anthropologist and historian of religion mircea eliade attempts to describe how religious people experience the sacred. Mark baker, conductor all saints cathedral, milwaukee 22 november 2015. Britten is celebrated for his ability to mix sacred and secular expertly in order to showcase the voice in all its multifaceted glory. Sacred and profane berlin rias chamber choir, marcus creed on allmusic 2001. The sacred indicates a break in profane existence, both in space and time. He also gives a fascinating explanation of primitive religions.
Britten chose his texts with great care and devotion. Benjamin britten 8 sacred and profane medieval lyrics. From elgars partsongs 1904 to one of brittens very last works, sacred and profane 1975, here are some of the most beautiful pieces in the english a capella repertoire, many of them rarely recorded. Britten was born in lowestoft in suffolk, the son of a dentist and a talented amateur musician. Benjamin brittens sacred and profane consists of eight settings for unaccompanied mixed voices of lyrics from rt davis collection of medieval english lyrics composed early in 1975 for peter pears and the wilbye consort of. The works span a period of some 45 years of brittens life, from the everpopular childhood a hymn to the virgin to the often fiendishly tricky sacred and profane based on that intriguing mix of eight medieval lyrics. The sacred distinguishes itself from the profane by what eliade terms a hierophany or manifestation of the sacred. In each of the genres represented here, britten created works which defined and shaped their genres going forward. Durkheim explicitly stated that the sacred profane dichotomy was not equivalent to goodevil. Both books present a strong case against the atheistic. Included on this gramophone awardwinning recording is the last choral work for professionals which britten was to complete sacred and profane a collection of eight. From the stone age to the eleusinian mysteries, was pretty dense. Britten makes constant demands on vocal artistry best displayed in the last work he ever wrote for unaccompanied voices, sacred and profane, composed in the winter of 19745.
List of compositions by benjamin britten wikipedia. In durkheims theory, the sacred represented the interests of the group, especially unity, which were embodied. This list of compositions includes all the published works by english composer benjamin britten with opus number. This recording is the perfect introduction to this repertoire.
The performances are relatively quick, but rather than detracting from the sense of reflection it just increases the impact, especially in the last movement, a death, which is as harrowing, unforgiving and profound as it could. Christs nativity sweet was the song preparations new price new pomp and carol of king cnut. The book opens while peter is camping in the mountains with rinas sons, and on the last day of their vacation, one of. Gloriana five flower songssacred and profane co 6038. The nature of religion is the most accessible of the several books by mircea eliade that ive read. The popular image of the religion of primitive peoples is pretty unflattering. In that pursuit i am indebted to historians, philosophers, psychologists, and theologians of the 20th century. Eight medieval lyrics for unaccompanied ssatb chorus. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for its ground breaking search for neglected musical gems.
Introduction 11 when the sacred manifests itself man becomes aware of the sacred because it itself, shows itself, as something wholly differ ent from the profane. Eight medieval lyrics for unaccompanied voices ssatb, op. Mircea eliades study of the history of religions builds on and strengthens rudolph ottos the idea of the holy, in which otto argues that religious experience is wholly different than natural experience. Sacred and profane was brittens last unaccompanied choral work dating from 1975 and is truly outstanding. His birthday, 22 november, is the feastday of saint cecilia, the patron saint of music, and he showed musical gifts very early in life. Britten and cornysh plus sacred and profane add up to the. The works span a period of some 45 years of brittens life, from the everpopular childhood a hymn to the virgin to the often fiendishly tricky sacred and profane based on that intriguing mix of eight medieval.
The sacred refers to those collective representations that are set apart from society, or that which transcends the humdrum of everyday life. The performances are relatively quick, but rather than detracting from the sense of reflection it just increases the impact, especially in the last movement, a death, which is as harrowing, unforgiving and profound as it could possibly be with some glorious solo work. A perfect example of the young brittens masterful vocal writing in a christmas choral suite destined to become a major repertoire work. Its this premise that both drives eliades exhaustive exploration of the. Premiered on 5 may 1941 at brander matthews hall, new york. Pick up the sacred book of tunare and brell in the library rotunda 01 degmar, the lost castle this is a ground spawn as indicated by on the map, after a mob will spawn and attack defeat the dead apostle you angered by touching the sacred book 01 degmar, the lost castle. Benjamin britten was a british composer, conductor, and pianist. For durkheim, religion is about the separation of the sacred from the profane. Sacred and profane, an album by benjamin britten, choir of clare college, cambridge, timothy brown on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. The works recorded here span most of brittens creative life, from a hymn to the virgin, a schoolboy work to sacred and profane, written in the year before his death. Benjamin brittens sacred and profane consists of eight settings for unaccompanied mixed voices of lyrics from rt.
The excellent recorded sound saps all the benefit from the airy spaces of the temple church in london without ever becoming swimmy. The sacred profaned eq resource the resource for your. The excellent recorded sound picks up all the benefit from the airy spaces of the temple church in london without ever becoming swimmy. Sacred time eliade introduces his section on sacred time by claiming that for religious man there were two types of time, sacred and profane, the former experienced. The sacred could be good or evil, and the profane could be either as well. The work was first performed by the wilbye consort of voices, for whom the work was composed, on 14 september 1975 at the maltings, snape in suffolk, england, directed by peter pears. The opening of the sixteens 2018 pilgrimage, pairing sacred and profane music by two english composers spanning over 400 years, william cornysh and benjamin britten.
Space becomes sacred when it has a meaning above and beyond itself, and time becomes sacred when it hearkens back to mans primordial beginnings, rooted. Benjamin britten sheet music books scores buy online. A highly original and scholarly work on spirituality by noted historian mircea eliade. Sacred and profane, an album by rias kammerchor, marcus creed on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. Libretto by montagu slater, after the poem the borough by george crabbe. In a book of great originality and scholarship, a noted historian of religion traces manifestations of the sacred from primitive to modern times, in terms of space, time, nature and the cosmos, and life itself.
Britten makes constant demands on vocal artistry, best displayed in the last work he ever wrote for unaccompanied voices, sacred and profane, composed in the winter of 197475. Reflections on mircea eliades the sacred and the profane. A perfect example of this is sacred and profane, where he gives us a fascinating mixture of the devotional and the rumbustiously secular. A hymn to the virgin was composed at the age of 16 and perfectly demonstrates the young composers melodic gift and sensitivity to text the rapturous climax on the word. Britten had a distinct affection for medieval lyrics like those he used in sacred and profane and a. The sacred and the profane is a classic work of scholarship that provides strong evidence in support of a christian worldview. Decker is coming to grips with his place as a jew in an attempt to cement a relationship with rina. Detail of painting c brian hogwood sacred and profane, op. Britten aged 61 1 st godricks hymn mid 12th century 2 i mon waxe wod.
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