CAIN AND ABEL. Ballet set to music by Andrzej Panufnik (1968) and choreographed by Sir Kenneth Macmillan (1969) and, more recently, by Emil Wesolowski (2012). Inspired by the story of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:1–16), the first murder is precipitated by Cain’s jealousy over his mother’s affection for Abel. The story was also set for the DeBasil Ballet Russe in 1946, choreographed by David Lichine to “Siegfried’s Rhine Journey” from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung and arranged by William McDermott. The first scene caused a sensation with the birth of Cain and Abel rolling onto the stage tangled up with two scantily dressed women representing good and evil.
CAIN AND ABEL. Electronic ballet by Henk Badings (1986), inspired by the story of Cain’s murder of Abel (Gen. 4), the music captures the violence, destruction, and madness of the scene with atmospheric sine-wave generators, multivibrators, noise generators, an electronic clavichord, a photoelectric siren, and other instrumental sounds processed through electrical filters, reverberation machines, tape recorders, and a ring modulator.
CAIN AND ABEL. Grand-chamber opera in five scenes for soloists, dancers, and 18-piece chamber orchestra by Tsippi Fleischer (op. 57, 2001) to a libretto in Hebrew by Yossefa Even-Shoshan, premiered at the Israeli music festival “Now Time” in 2002. In avant-garde style, it is scored for Cain (Bar), Abel (Bar), and the two lambs they offer to God (MezS), portrayed as women. God is named Tzafon (“North”) (cf. Jer. 1:14) as the God of Nature during the time of chaos before monotheism and after Abel’s murder (scene 4). The final scene depicts the separation of the heavens from the earth (Gen. 1:1): the heavenly home of Abel and his lamb (“Abel’s Soul Ascends to Heaven”) and the earthly domain of Cain, cursed for ever. Other works include the oratorio Cain e Abel by Bernardo Pasquini (1637–1710), the historia Cain by Giacomo Carissimi, and the cantata Cain and Abel by Darius Milhaud in the Genesis Suite (1945). See also ADAM RAISED A CAIN; CHAPTER FOUR; CHILDREN OF EDEN; WHEN CAIN KILLED ABEL IN A FIGHT.
CALL OF WISDOM, THE. Anthem for four voices by Will Todd with words by Michael Hampel, commissioned for Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and first performed in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Inspired by Prov. 8:1–21, a prayer is addressed to “Lord of Wisdom, Lord of Truth” and answered in the refrain “I am here, I am with you . . . those who love me know my love” (Prov. 8:17) with allusions to “wisdom is better than jewels” (Prov. 8:11) and “by me kings reign” (Prov. 8:15).
CALYPSO CAROL. Well-known Christmas carol with words and music by Canon Michael Perry (1964) composed while he was a student at Oak Hill Theological College. Based on the Nativity story and inspired by music from the West Indies, the first line opens, “See him lying on a bed of Straw.” It was sung by Cliff Richard and is included in various hymnbooks, including Youth Songbook 2 (1969). In 2005, it was voted in the top 10 of all-time favorite carols by British audiences of the popular BBC weekly program Hymns of Praise.
CANTATA FROM JOB. Cantata in four movements for baritone soloist, SATB chorus, and organ by Darius Milhaud (1965), commissioned in memory of Eugene and Nellie B. Warner to be sung in either English or Hebrew. The first movement is a choral setting of Elihu’s final speech (Job 37:1–13), opening with bare octaves in C major as he describes how his heart trembles before the power of God who governs not only the storms of nature but also the storms of life. In movement 2, God the Creator questions Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” (Job 38:4–7, 8–11), and movement 3 describes the enigmas of creation with music descending in stepwise movement to paint the descent to “the deep” (Job 38:16–21). The work ends with chorus and speaker telling Job about the limitations of human knowledge and that it is God’s prerogative alone to save humanity (Job 38:16–21).
CANTATA FROM PROVERBS. Cantata for three-part women’s chorus, with oboe, cello, and harp accompaniment, by Darius Milhaud (1953), dedicated to the United Temple Chorus. The libretto is based on three passages from the Book of Proverbs: “Who Crieth: Woe?” (Prov. 23:29–35), “The Woman Folly” (Prov. 9:13–18), and “A Woman of Valour” (Prov. 31:10–31).
CANTATA PASTORALE PER LA NASCITA DI NOSTRO SIGNORE. (“A Pastoral Cantata for the Birth of Our Lord”). Christmas cantata in seven movements for soprano, strings, and basso continuo by Alessandro Scarlatti (1695) to a text by Cardinal Antonio Ottoboni. After a two-part instrumental introduction, alternating recitatives and arias tell the Nativity story with allusions to Christ’s passion, ending with a delightful pastorale in which Mary invites the shepherds to join in the adoration of the Christ child (Toccò la prima sorte a voi (“The greatest fortune was yours”).
CANTATES FRANÇOISES SUR DES SUJETS TIREZ DE L’ECRITURE. (“French Cantatas on Subjects Drawn from Scripture”). Twelve cantatas composed by Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre, published in two volumes (Paris, 1708, 1711). Inspired by Old Testament subjects, the first volume contains six works for solo voice (S/T): “Esther,” “The Crossing of the Red Sea,” “Jacob and Rachel,” “Jonah,” “Susanna,” and “Judith.” The second volume contains four cantatas for solo voice (“Adam,” “The Temple Rebuilt,” “Joseph,” and “Samson”) and two for a vocal duo (“The Flood [SB] and “Jephthah” [SS]). Three cantatas feature expressive instrumental interludes: “Tempest” (Jonah 1), “Sound of War” (Exod. 15), and “Sleep” (Judg. 16:19). The last movement of each work contains a moral drawn from the biblical story.
CANTICUM CANTICORUM. (“The Song of Songs”). A cycle of 29 motets for five voices a cappella by Palestrina from his fourth book of motets (1584), dedicated to the composer’s patron and employer, Pope Gregory XI. Divided into four modally distinct groups (nos. 1–10, 11–18, 19–24, 25–29) and scored for SATTB (nos. 1–18, 29), SAATB (nos. 19–22, 27–28), and SSATB (nos. 23–26), the sensual biblical text, interpreted allegorically as an expression of Christ’s love for the Church or the Soul, is vividly illustrated with madrigalian effects, such as copious word painting and mood setting. Well-known examples include Vineam meam non custodivi (“Mine own Vineyard have I not kept well”) (Cant. 1:5–6), Si ignoras te, o pulchra inter mulieres (“If thou know not, O fair one among women”) (Cant. 1:7–8), and Pulchræ sunt genæ tuæ (“Thy cheeks are beautiful as doves”) (Cant. 1:9–11).
CANTICUM CANTICORUM SALOMONIS. (“Solomon’s Song of Songs”). Work for 16-voice mixed chorus and orchestra by Krzysztof Penderecki (1970–1973) commissioned by the Gulbenkian Foundation and premiered in Lisbon on 5 June 1973. Based on verses from the Song of Songs (1:1–2, 13, 15, 16; 2:4–9), it is regarded as one of the composer’s most sensuous and alluring vocal works, featuring the sound of erotic moaning, multivoice speech, and whispered phonemes interspersed with crashing percussion, pizzicato strings, and bells.
CANTIONES SACRAE. (“Sacred Songs”). The first major printed collection of music published in England in 1575 to celebrate the 17th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It comprises 17 motets by Tallis and 17 by Byrd. See also EMENDEMUS IN MELIUS; IN JEJUNIO ET FLETU.
CANTIQUE DES CANTIQUES, LE. (“The Song of Songs”). Work in seven movements for twelve-part a cappella chorus and solo voices by Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur, commissioned by French Radio (1952). Based on texts from the Song of Songs interpreted allegorically as a celebration of Christ’s marriage to the Church, the first movement is characterized by colorful vocal orchestration, wordless singing, and humming by male and female voices, scored in dialogue to suggest the conversation of the bride and bridegroom. The last movement, entitled “Épithalame” (“Wedding hymn”), is a setting of the antiphon Veni Sponsa Christi (“Come Bride of Christ”), sung as an ostinato combined with upper voices singing, Pose-moi comme un sceau sur ton coeur, comme un sceau sur ton bras. Car l’amour est fort comme la Mort (“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as Death”) (Cant. 8:6–7), ending with a succession of Alleluias.
CANZONETTA SPIRITUALE SOPRA ALLA NANNA. (“Little Spiritual Cradle Song”). Song for soprano solo and basso continuo by Tarquinio Merula (1594–1665). The hypnotic two-note figure in the accompaniment is suggestive of the Virgin Mary’s gentle rocking of the Baby Jesus as she envisages his passion and death on the cross (Lk. 2:35).
CAOINEADH NA DTRĺ MUIRE. (“Keening of the Three Marys”). Traditional Irish lament (sean nós) inspired by the three Marys—the mother of Jesus, his mother’s sister, and Mary Magdalene—who stood at the cross of Jesus (Jn. 19:25), it was sung in the past at funerals by keening women and every Friday of Lent. There are many versions of this song in Ireland, some bearing the title “Lament of the Passion” (Caoineadh na Páise) or “Lament of the Virgin” (Caoineadh na Maighdine). The refrain Ochón agus ochón ó! (“Alas and woe to me!”), sung by the Virgin, is typical of the vocables of lament used by keening women. It is performed by traditional folk singer Iarla Ó Lionáird on the DVD The Complete BBC Highland Sessions, a program that highlights the links between Scottish and Irish Gaelic traditions.
CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH, THE. Oratorio for SATB soloists, mixed chorus, and orchestra by William Crotch (1834), written for the installation of the Duke of Wellington as chancellor of the University of Oxford. Drawing on texts from Isaiah and Jeremiah, act 1 recalls the lamentations of the prophets in solos, duets, and choruses, and act 2 foretells the destruction of Babylon and the coming of the Messiah. Popular numbers included the soprano recitative “Israel is as scattered sheep” (Jer. 50:17) and the air “But he shall feed on Carmel” (Jer. 50:19).
CARO MEA VERE EST CIBUS. (“My Flesh Is Truly Food”). Motet for two sopranos and continuo by Antonio Caldara (1715) based on Jn. 6:55–56 and sung as a communion motet. Scored in counterpoint for much of the work, the voices unite in homophony on Et ego in illo (“and I in him”) to highlight Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. Other settings of this passage include those of Andrea Gabrieli and Giovanni Bassano.
CAVE, THE. Multimedia opera/theater work in three acts for vocal quartet (SSTBar), four woodwinds, percussionists, three keyboards, and five-piece string ensemble by Steve Reich (1990–1993) to a libretto by the composer’s wife, Beryl Korot, first performed in Vienna in 1993. The title refers to the Cave of Machpelah, the burial place of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen. 49:29–32) and the only place on earth where Jews and Muslims worship together. Lacking the narrative drama and staged action of an opera, much of the work is derived from recorded interviews with Israeli, Palestinian, and American interviewees in West Jerusalem/Hebron (act 1), East Jerusalem/Hebron (act 2), and New York/Austin (act 3), projected on a large screen and accompanied by Reich’s electroacoustic music and translating the speech melodies and rhythms into the instrumental. The work includes settings of Gen. 12, 18, 21, and 25 chanted in Hebrew (act 1), Surah 3 of the Qur’an chanted in Arabic, and the popular Al Khalil Commentary (act 2). Each act concludes with a sound recording of the ambient sounds found in the building that surrounds the ancient site of Machpelah in modern Hebron (Arabic Al Khalil).
CEREMONY OF CAROLS, A. Choral work for three-part treble chorus, solo voices, and harp by Benjamin Britten (op. 28, 1942). It comprises several anonymous medieval and Tudor poems inspired by the Nativity, along with the Gregorian chant Hodie Christus Natus Est, which is sung at the beginning (Procession) and end (Recession). The harp “Interlude” (no. 7) is a pastoral movement based on the chant and the first poem, “Wolcum Yole,” calls to mind the heavenly music played by choirs of angels on that holy night (Lk. 2:13–14).
CHANDOS ANTHEMS, THE. Eleven large-scale anthems based on Psalms for chorus, soloists, and orchestra by Handel written between 1717 and 1718, when he was composer in residence to James Brydges, first duke of Chandos. The first anthem in D major (HWV 246), a setting of the Jubilate (Ps. 100) scored for a small chorus, derives from the Utrecht Jubilate and is characterized by a jubilant fugal chorus at the beginning and the end; no. 2 in D minor (HWV 247) and no. 9 in E-flat major (HWV 254) are settings of verses from the Psalms in the New Metrical Version by Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady; no. 6a in E minor for three voices (STB) (HWV 251b) is based on Ps. 42 and includes the moving soprano aria “Tears are my daily food,” and the duet for soprano and tenor, “Why so full of grief, O my soul?”; no. 7 (HWV 252), in G major, based on Ps. 89, figures in Handel’s concerto grosso in G major (op. 3, no. 3); no. 8 (HWV 253), based on verses from Pss. 95, 96, 97, 99, and 103, is the longest of the anthems, and the soprano aria in no. 10 (HWV 255) appears in the oratorio Israel in Egypt (1739). The last of the anthems in B-flat major (HWV 251a) is a setting of Pss. 68:1 and 76:6 in 11 movements, concluding with unison voices and strings on “Blessed be God” before a joyful chorus of Alleluias.
CHAPTER FOUR. Song by Avenged Sevenfold taken from their album Waken the Fallen (2003). Performed throughout with clean, hard vocals, it is a dramatic retelling of the biblical story of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:8–16), beginning with Cain’s murderous intentions and a comment that one was born of light, “the other born black night,” and ending with Abel’s blood crying out from the soil, “Murder, liar, vengeance, deceit,” and the exile of Cain. The band’s name comes from Gen. 4:15. This song features as a sound track in the video games NASCAR Thunder 2004, Madden NFL 2004, and NHL 2004.
CHERRY TREE CAROL, THE. Multiple versions of this English ballad/carol exist, and a spoken version of the story is found also in the Coventry mystery play from the 15th century. Loosely based on the apocryphal Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, the lyrics contrast Joseph’s anger at Mary’s pregnancy (cf. Mt. 1:18–19) with Christ’s miraculous works in utero. The music, with its gentle, undulating melody; triple meter; and strophic form, imagines the Virgin’s lullaby to her unborn child. Highlighting Joseph’s old age, the song tells of his marriage to the Virgin Mary, “the Queen of Galilee,” and recounts the couple’s dialogue as they walk through a cherry orchard. Mary’s request for fruit is followed by Joseph’s angry response “Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee.” Then the Christ child intervenes and, alluding to Mary as the Second Eve, the most blessed among women (Lk. 1:42), instructs the trees to bow down and touch his mother’s hand. Other versions include additional verses telling of Joseph’s repentance, his dialogue with the unborn child, the angel’s revelation to Joseph, and a dialogue between Mary and the Christ child whose prophetic words foretell his death and resurrection. Popular renditions include versions by folk singers Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Shirley Collins, the Clancy Brothers, and various cathedral choirs from around the world.
CHICHESTER PSALMS. Choral setting of Hebrew Psalm texts by Leonard Bernstein, scored for a countertenor or boy soprano, mixed chorus, and orchestra (brass, percussion, two harps, and strings). Each of the three movements is inspired by a significant portion of one Psalm text and a fragment of another that is either complementary or contrasting. The musical setting highlights the mood of each text, in particular the contrast between violence and peace. It was commissioned for the annual Festival of Three Choirs in 1963 by the dean of Chichester, Walter Hussey, known as the “last great patron of art in the Church of England.” Movement 1 opens with the crash of a cymbal to sound paint the text of Ps. 108:2, the awaking of the psaltery, harp, and dawn. An exuberant setting of Ps. 100 (“Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord”) follows with an array of percussive instruments in 7/4 dance meter to reflect the Psalm’s triumphant mood. Movement 2 is a sublime setting of the first three verses of Ps. 23 sung by a high male voice to harp accompaniment, suggestive of King David, later joined by upper voices of the choir. The dream-like atmosphere of this section is broken with a loud interjection of male voices singing, allegro feroce, Ps. 2:1–4 (lama rag’shu goyim? [“Why do the nations rage?”]) to a musical adaptation of a passage from the prologue to West Side Story. This is followed by the choir and soloist singing the last two verses of Ps. 23:5–6 to the sublime melody set in counterpoint against the ferocious rhythmic melody of the male voices, with an instruction on the score to sing as if “blissfully unaware of threat.” The male voices gradually disappear, and the soloist continues, followed by the upper voices, to the accompaniment of the organ. As the last note is held, the rhythmical theme of Ps. 2 (lama rag’shu goyim) is heard again in the organ accompaniment as a reminder of the pervading violent threat in the world. Movement 3 carries on this theme with a dissonant orchestral prelude based on movement 1, after which the chorus enters singing Ps. 133 (Hinne ma tov) to a soothing melody in 10/4 meter reminiscent of the sublime melody in movement 2. The work concludes with a repetition of verse 1 sung a cappella to emphasize its message of peace.
CHILD OF OUR TIME, A. Oratorio in three parts by Michael Tippett (1939–1941) modeled on Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Passions. It was inspired by Kristallnacht, a violent Nazi pogrom organized in November 1938 against Jews in Central Europe. In a powerful sequence of arias and chorus, the composer tells in his own words a contemporary story of man’s inhumanity to man. He also introduced five spirituals—“Steal Away,” “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” “Go Down Moses,” “O, By and By,” and “Deep River”—songs of universal significance that call to mind oppression and hope, while “the moving waters that renew the earth,” along with references to the Promised Land and heaven in the spiritual Deep Water, conclude the work.
CHILDREN OF EDEN. Musical in two acts with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, based on a book by John Caird (1991) and inspired by the stories of Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel (Gen. 2–4) (act 1) and the story of Noah’s flood (Gen. 6–9) (act 2). It was premiered in the West End, London (1991), and later at the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey (1997). Popular numbers include “The Spark of Creation,” “Stranger to the Rain,” and the ballad sung as a duet by Japheth and his wife, Yonah, “In Whatever Time We Have.”
CHILDREN OF GOD. Choral work for soprano and mezzo-soprano soloists, two-part children’s choir, string quartet, and piano by Daniel Kellogg (2004). It is a celebration of biblical references to children (Mt. 18:3–4; Gen. 22:1–19; Judg. 11–12; 1 Sam. 1–3; Lk. 1; Isa. 11:6–10) interspersed with hymns and poetry by the Cuban American writer Jill Palaez Baumgaertner and concluding with a joyful Alleluia.
CHOIRBOOK FOR THE QUEEN. A two-volume collection of contemporary anthems dedicated to Queen Elizabeth in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee (2012). Inspired by Peter Maxwell Davies and Robert Ponsonby and developed by Ian Richie and Carol Butler, the 44 works include James Macmillan’s “Canticle of Zachariah” (Lk. 1:68–79), “These Three” (1 Cor. 13) by Rodney Bennett, “As the Father” (Jn. 15:9–10, 12–13) by Philip Moore, “My Beloved Spake” (Cant. 2:10–12; 5:16) by Julian Anderson, and settings of various Psalms by David Matthews (Ps. 23), Francis Pott (Ps. 61), Andrew Simpson (Ps. 98), and Robin Holloway (Ps. 121).
CHOSEN. Carol/anthem for SAATTB chorus and organ by James Macmillan (2003) with words by British poet Michael Symmons Roberts from Her Maker’s Maker. It is inspired by the story of the Annunciation (Lk. 1:26–38, 46–55) and tells, in first-person narration, of Mary’s shock at the angel’s announcement and Joseph’s distress and unanswered question, “Why was my beloved chosen?,” inspired by Mt. 1:18–21.
CHRIST LAG IN TODESBANDEN. (“Christ Lay in the Bonds of Death”). Chorale cantata for Easter Sunday in eight movements for SATB soloists, chorus, two violins, two violas, and continuo by J. S. Bach (BWV 4, ca. 1708). Based on Luther’s hymn (1524), an adaptation of the 12th-century hymn Christ ist erstanden (“Christ is Risen”) from the Easter sequence Victimae paschali laudes (“Praise to the paschal victim”), it is one of Bach’s earliest cantatas and therefore includes no recitatives or arias. Inspired by the Epistle and the Gospel readings for the day (1 Cor. 5:6–8; Mk. 16:1–8), the first movement opens with a 14-measure instrumental sinfonia, followed by seven movements comprising the seven stanzas of the chorale, each ending with a Hallelujah. The third stanza, Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn (“Jesus Christ, God’s Son”), refers to the “sting of death” (1 Cor. 15:55), and a dramatic pause follows Da bleibet nichts (“Thus nothing remains [of death’s sting”]), and a section marked “adagio” follows in which a circulatio, Bach’s characteristic sign for the cross, appears on “Tod,” highlighting Christ’s victory over death.
CHRISTE, DU LAMM GOTTES. (“Christ, the Lamb of God”). Chorale cantata for SATB chorus and strings by Mendelssohn (1827), dedicated to the composer’s sister, Fanny. Based on Martin Luther’s German translation of the Agnus Dei, the chorale tune is placed in the soprano line as a cantus firmus over imitative counterpoint in the other vocal parts.
CHRISTEN, ÄTZET DIESEN TAG. (“Christians, Engrave This Day”). Cantata in seven movements for soloists (SATB), chorus (SATB), and orchestra by J. S. Bach (BWV 63, 1714). The libretto is not explicitly biblical, and the work, scored for four trumpets, three oboes, bassoon, timpani, strings, and basso continuo, includes neither arias nor a chorale. Characterized throughout by lively dance rhythms depicting the joy brought about by Christ’s birth, it opens with a festive chorus in C major, scored in triple meter, and closes in the same jubilant manner with a double fugue, Höchster, schau in Gnaden (“Highest, behold with grace”).
CHRISTMAS CANTATA. Sinfonia sacra in three movements for chorus, brass ensemble, and optional organ by Daniel Rogers Pinkham (1957). Sung in Latin, it opens with a question to the shepherds, Quem vidistis pastores. Dicite (“Whom did you see, shepherds. Tell us.”), and their reply, Natum vidimus (“We saw him who was born”). A chant-like setting of the O Magnum Mysterium, sung by female voices, follows together with a song praising the virgin (Beata virgo) introduced by the men’s voices and then joined by the women with a crescendo leading up to the iteration of Christ’s name, which is sustained for five measures. It concludes with a joyful syncopated Gloria in Excelsis Deo and a series of celebratory Alleluias.
CHRISTMAS CONCERTO. Well-known concerto grosso, structured as a sonata da chiesa, in G minor by Arcangelo Corelli (op. 6/8, ca. 1690), commissioned by Pietro Ottoboni and published posthumously in 1714. Inscribed Fatto per la notte di Natale (“Composed for Christmas Night”), this regal-sounding work, scored in six movements for an ensemble of two concertino violins, cello, ripieno strings, and continuo, is a celebration of the birth of Christ the King. Its origins hark back to an Italian folk tradition where shepherds and local peasants reenacted the scene of the shepherd’s adoration of the Christ child during a Novena, a nine-day period of prayer preceding Christmas Day. Corelli follows this tradition by including the well-known pastoral Pastorale ad libitum in G major scored in compound quadruple time.
CHRISTMAS ORATORIO. (Weihnachts-Oratorium/Oratorium tempore Nativitatis Christi). A cycle of six cantata-like compositions for SSATTBB solo, SATB chorus, and orchestra by J. S. Bach (BWV 248), first performed over six days from Christmas to Epiphany 1734–1735. The music is based on three earlier “birthday cantatas” composed for various members of the Saxon royal family—Herkules auf dem Scheidewege (“Hercules at the Crossroads”) (BWV 213, 1733), Tönet ihr Pauken (“Resound ye drums”) (BWV 214, 1733), and Preise dein Glücke (“Praise your good fortune”) (BWV 215, 1734)—with a new text most likely written by Picander. The six pieces are Christ’s birth (Lk. 2:1–7), the angel’s announcement to the shepherds (Lk. 2:8–14), the adoration of the shepherds (Lk. 2:15–20), the circumcision and naming (Lk. 2:21), the journey of the Magi (Mt. 2:1, 3–6), and the adoration of the Magi (Mt. 2:7–12). The popular chorale tune Vom Himmel hoch (“From Heaven High”) by Martin Luther appears on three occasions, and Leo Hassler’s passion chorale tune Herzlich tut mich verlangen appears at the end of part 1 and most notably in an elaborate setting as the triumphant finale of the whole work.
CHRISTUS. (“Christ”). Incomplete oratorio for soloists, SATB chorus, and orchestra by Mendelssohn (op. 97, 1847), published posthumously and entitled Christus by the composer’s brother Paul, who identified 13 movements in the work. The libretto, inspired by the birth and passion of Christ, was written by the German diplomat and ambassador to Great Britain Baron Christian Karl Josias von Bunsen. Well-known pieces from the work include a trio (TBB) representing the Three Wise Men asking about the whereabouts of the new king, scored to a walking pizzicato bass line, and the answer they receive, sung by the chorus: “There Shall a Star from Jacob” (Num. 24:17). It concludes with Philipp Nicolai’s chorale Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (“As bright the star of morning gleams”), beginning a cappella and concluding with an instrumental.
CHRISTUS. (“Christ”). Oratorio in Latin for soloists, chorus, organ, and large orchestra, in three parts and 14 movements (tone poems), by Liszt (S. 3/R. 4778, 1862–1866), premiered in Weimar on 29 May 1873. An orchestral introduction, Rorate Caeli (Isa. 45:8), based on the plainchant melody, is followed by Angelus Domini for soprano, tenor, and a women’s chorus representing the choirs of angels announcing the Nativity to the shepherds, with atmospheric woodwind, English horn, and horn in E and the addition of strings and trumpets for the triumphant Gloria and Alleluia (Lk. 2:10–14). Movement 3 is a hymn, Stabat Mater speciosa, sung a cappella by the chorus (SSATTB) with intermittent organ accompaniment, describing Mary’s delight as she watches and plays with her infant son but also her sorrowful vision of his passion and death. Part 1 ends with “Pastoral Music at the Manger” for woodwind and strings and a march in compound duple time depicting the journey of the Three Wise Men (Mt. 2:9, 11). Part 2, Nach Epiphania (“After Epiphany”), opens with a setting of the Beatitudes (Mt. 5:3–10), each sung a cappella by the baritone and repeated by the chorus with intermittent organ accompaniment. The choir sings The Lord’s Prayer (Mt. 6:9–13), Tu es Petrus (“Thou art Peter”) (Mt. 16:18), and the “The Miracle” (Mt. 8:23–26), and part 2 ends with the “Entrance into Jerusalem” (Hosanna, Benedictus) (Mt. 21:9) for soloists and chorus. Finally, “Passion and Resurrection” begins with the baritone solo Tristis est anima mea (Mk. 14:34–36) and Stabat mater dolorosa and ends with the Easter hymn O filii et filiae, for women’s chorus, and Resurrexit, a jubilant movement for soloists, chorus, and full orchestra proclaiming Christ’s victory over death.
CHRISTUS AM ÖLBERGE. (“Christ on the Mount of Olives”). Oratorio in three parts for three soloists, chorus (SATTBB), and orchestra by Beethoven (op. 85, 1803–1804) to a libretto by Franz Xaver Huber. Beethoven’s only oratorio inspired by the story of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane and written after the completion of Heiligenstadt Testament (6 October 1802), the work most likely draws parallels between the despair felt by Beethoven over his impending deafness and Christ before his crucifixion. After an orchestral introduction marked “grave,” a poignant recitative, Jehova, du mein Vater (“God, Thou my Father”), in which the tenor sings a cappella for the first few measures, leads into the aria Meine Seele ist erschüttert (“My Soul within me trembles”) with intermittent accompaniment and an appeal to God to take the cup away (Mt. 26:38–39). Part 2 opens with a recitative followed by an aria sung by the Seraph (S) declaring the purpose of Christ’s death, combined with a chorus of angels, Preist des Erlösers Gute (“Praise the Redeemer’s goodness”), and tells of Jesus’ personal agony (Willkommen, Tod [“Welcome, death”]) and his arrest by the soldiers. Part 3, “Christ’s glorification,” comprises choruses of soldiers, disciples, and angels, ending with Christ’s declaration of victory over hell and a triumphant song of praise from the chorus of angels.
CHRISTUS FACTUS EST. (“Christ Became”). Motet by Bruckner for four-part a cappella choir, dedicated to Benedictine Father Otto Loidol (1884). Based on Phil. 2:8–9, it is his third setting of the Holy Week gradual for Maundy Thursday and is characterized by rich, complex harmonies, chromatic intensity, and a wide variety of dynamics.
CHURCH HYMNARY. Hymnbook recommended by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for use in churches. The first edition was published in 1898 to be used alongside the Scottish Metrical Psalter (1650), and contained 650 hymns. This was revised in 1927, accompanied by a valuable Handbook to the Church Hymnary (ed. J. Moffatt), and again in 1973, also with a Handbook (ed. J. Barkley) published in 1979. The fourth edition (CH4), published in 2007, is considerably larger and contains many works by contemporary writers and musicians, some with guitar accompaniment.
CINQ MEDITATIONS SUR L’APOCALYPSE. (“Five Meditations on the Apocalypse”). Organ composition in five movements by Jean Langlais composed in 1973 following a nearly fatal heart attack and a stay in hospital during which he read the entire Book of Revelation. Movement 1, entitled “He that has ears, let him hear,” is based on the concluding words of the angel’s messages to each of the seven churches (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22) and comprises a short theme in the Hypophrygian mode (the Gregorian fourth mode) played on the pedal organ seven times on a four-foot Clarion (trumpet) stop in slightly different rhythms. Movement 2, “He is, He was, He is to come” (Rev. 1:4), represents the eternity of Christ, “Alpha and Omega,” through a tied whole note, F, held down at the beginning, middle, and end, while the plainchant Vexilla Regis from the Good Friday Service, played loudly on the Trompette du Grand Orgue, points to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Movement 3 opens with a trumpet melody (Rev. 1:10) and then describes the horrific visions of the Apocalypse (Rev. 9:11), depicted musically through a theme consisting of discords on full organ. The angel standing with one foot on the earth and the other on the sea (Rev. 10:1–3) is represented by a short sequence on the pedal organ with very wide three-note chords. In movement 4 (“Even so, come, Lord Jesus”) (Rev. 22:20), the flight of the soul heavenward is represented by a melody soaring into the high range of the organ’s register, but the final movement (“The Fifth Trumpet”) returns to the terrors of hell with low, dark chords for the bottomless pit and rising melodies for the sprawling movements of the locusts (Rev. 9:1–11).
CLEMENCY. One-act chamber opera for five singers (STTBarBar) and string orchestra by James Macmillan to a libretto by Michael Symmons Roberts (2011). It is a contemporary reworking of the story of the visit of the three angels to Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 18) on their way to seek vengeance on Sodom and Gomorrah. They pronounce that Sarah will bear a child within a year, singing in close harmony with an otherworldly sound, and reveal their identity with fire and speaking in tongues. Sarah contemplates the news of her impending pregnancy in an ecstatic solo, and when the couple hear of the divine retribution, Abraham pleads for clemency but to no avail. The opera finishes quietly with Abraham rushing after the three visitors and Sarah contemplating her baby’s future amid the destruction of the Twin Towns.
COAT OF MANY COLOURS. Song by Dolly Parton (1969), the title track on the album Coat of Many Colours (1971). Described as one of her all-time favorites, the song tells how Parton’s mother stitched together a coat from rags as she told the story of Joseph’s coat from Gen. 37:3. After wearing the coat to school, Parton tells how she could not understand why the other children laughed at her. The coat now appears in the Chasing Rainbows Museum in the Dollywood theme park in Tennessee. It has been popularly covered by many artists, including Eva Cassidy on the posthumous album Somewhere (2008) and Shania Twain on the album Just Because I’m a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton (2003).
COELOS ASCENDIT HODIE. (“He Ascended into Heaven Today”). One of Stanford’s three Latin motets for a cappella double chorus (SSAATTBB) (op. 38, no. 2, 1905). Ascending melodic lines amid bursts of joyful Alleluias portray the Ascension of Christ as described in Lk. 24:50–52 and Acts 1:9–11.
COLLECTION OF HYMNS FOR THE USE OF THE PEOPLE CALLED METHODISTS. A collection of 525 hymns, mostly by Charles Wesley, first published with a preface by his brother John in 1779 and then in numerous later editions, notably the 1876 edition with a new supplement. Among all-time favorites included in the earliest editions were “Hark, the herald angels sing” and “Love divine, all loves excelling.” Major revisions were published under the title The Methodist Hymn-book in 1904 and 1933 and Singing the Faith: The New Methodist Hymn-Book in 2011. The United Methodist Hymnal (1989), following the merging of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren in 1968, used inclusive language and included Native American hymns, black spirituals, and Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday.”
COME, O THOU TRAVELLER UNKNOWN. Hymn by Charles Wesley based on the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel at Peniel (Gen. 32:22–32). Originally with 14 verses, it has been described as the greatest of Wesley’s hymns and “more a philosophical poem than a hymn.” Published with the title “Wrestling Jacob” in Hymns and Sacred Poems (1742), it is sung to a number of tunes, including two specially composed for it: “Peniel” (Gen. 32:30) by Wesley’s grandson S. S. Wesley (1810–1876) and “Jabbok” (Gen. 32:22) by Cyril V. Taylor (1907–1991).
CONCERT OF SACRED MUSIC LIVE FROM GRACE CATHEDRAL, A. Concert by American jazz legend, composer, bandleader, and pianist Duke Ellington, premiered in Grace Cathedral, San Francisco (1965), and subsequently recorded at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church on 26 December 1966. It includes the well-known song “In the Beginning, God,” sung by bass-baritone/narrator Brock Peters to the accompaniment of piano, punctuated with instrumental jazzy interludes depicting the void that existed in the beginning (Gen. 1:1–2) and concluding with vocalists chanting the names of the books of the Bible, one by one, to the accompaniment of saxophone and jazz orchestra. This song won a Grammy in 1967 as the best original jazz composition. Other biblical songs on the LP include a setting of The Lord’s Prayer sung by Esther Marrow and “David danced before the Lord with all his might” (2 Sam. 6:14), performed by tap dancer Bunny Briggs and accompanied by the jazz orchestra with singing by vocalists and soloist Brock Peters. The concert was followed by a Second Sacred Concert in 1968 and a Third in 1973.
CONFITEBOR TIBI DOMINE. (“I Will Give Thanks to You, O Lord”). Motet alla francese (“in the French style”) by Monteverdi (SV 267, 1641) scored either for five voices (SSATB) and continuo or for four viole da braccio and soprano. It is the last of three settings of Ps. 111 and is in C major in homophony, alternating between solo and tutti sections. Sanctum, in the phrase Sanctum et terribile nomen ejus (“Holy and awesome is his name”) (v. 9), is set in whole notes and the phrase et terribile in 16ths (semiquavers) to suggest fear and trembling. There are many other settings of the Psalm, including those by Vivaldi (ca. 1732), Pergolesi (1732), and Mozart in his Vesperae Solennes de Confessore (K. 339, 1780).
CONVERSION OF SAUL. Anthem for a cappella SSAATTBB chorus (2005) in Latin and English by Z. Randall Stroope. Inspired by Acts 9:1–18, the first section, describing Saul’s violent persecution of the Christians, is dominated by the Latin words Caedite, vexate (“murder, harass”) and ligate vinculis (“bind with chains”), sung to a fast tempo (molto agitato) in compound duple time, and features octave leaps, glissandos, and foot stomping. Unison altos and basses chant Christ’s words “Why do you persecute me, Saul?” (Acts 9:4) in sharp notation to signify pain. In the second section, lush harmonies in softer, flat tonalities and a slower tempo denote Christ’s command to Saul to turn “darkness to light” and “hatred to love.”
COULEURS DE LA CITÉ CÉLESTE. (“Colors of the Heavenly City”). Work for solo piano, brass, woodwind, and percussion by Messiaen (1963), inspired by five texts from the Book of Revelation (Rev. 4:3; 8:6; 9:1; 21:11, 19–20). The melodic and rhythmic material derives from plainsong Alleluias, Greek, and Hindu rhythms and birdsongs from different parts of the world.
COVENANT, THE. (The Rainbow). Sixth movement in the Genesis Suite, based on Gen. 9:1–17, scored for orchestra and narrator by Ernst Victorio (ca. 1943). The orchestrations from the existing sound recording are reconstructed by Patrick Russ.
COVENTRY CAROL. Christmas carol, first performed in Coventry in the 16th century as part of the English pageant play of the Shearmen and Tailors. Hauntingly beautiful, it is inspired by the story of the Massacre of the Holy Innocents by Herod (Mt. 2:13–18) and sung as a lullaby by the children’s mothers who attempt to quieten the cries of their children in a last effort to save them from slaughter, as indicated by the Tierce de Picardie (Picardy third) at the end.
CREATION, THE. (Die Schöpfung). Oratorio in three parts for SATB chorus, soloists (STBar), and orchestra by Haydn (Hob XX1/2, 1796–1798). The English text, based on Gen. 1 and 2, Pss. 19 and 54, and Milton’s Paradise Lost, is said by Haydn to have been written by “an Englishman by the name of Lidley.” After the overture in C minor depicting the chaos before the Creation, parts 1 and 2 describe the six days of creation, with part 3 celebrating Adam and Eve’s idyllic life in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. Each of the six days of creation is announced by one of the three soloists representing the three archangels, Raphael, Uriel, and Gabriel. The angels also sing as a trio, sometimes with the chorus, most notably at the end of part 1 (“The heavens are telling”) and in the fugal chorus at the end of part 2 (“Achieved is the glorious work”). Adam and Eve sing two duets, including a tender love duet in contra danse style (“Graceful consort! At thy side”), and the work concludes with the chorus and soloists singing together (“Sing the Lord, ye voices all”).
CREATION’S HYMN. (Die ehre Gottes aus der Natur). The fourth of six sacred songs (Sechs Geistliche Lieder, op. 48) by Beethoven to words by Christian Furchtegott Gellert (1715–1769). Possibly inspired by Ps. 8, this majestic hymn of praise celebrates the wonder of God’s creation. Translated into English by J. Troutbeck, it has been variously arranged for choir and ensemble and as an instrumental solo.
CREEPING DEATH. Song from the album Ride the Lightning (1984) by the heavy metal band Metallica. Inspired by the Cecil B. DeMille epic film The Ten Commandments (1956) and narrated in the first person by the Angel of Death, known as “Creeping Death,” it tells how he was given permission by the chosen one, Moses, to inflict death on the Pharaoh’s son. Specific references to Exod. 1–12 include Israel’s slavery for over 400 years (Exod. 12:40–41); the burning bush (Exod. 3:2); God’s command “Let my people go” (Exod. 5:1; 7:16, etc.); the plagues of blood, darkness, hail, and the death of the firstborn (Exod. 7–12); and the night of the Passover (Exod. 13). In live performances, audiences traditionally chant the Angel of Death’s words “Die by my hand.”
CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS. Hymn by Matthew Bridges (1851) with additional verses by Godfrey Thring, usually sung to the tune Diademata by George J. Elvey (1868). It celebrates Christ’s victory over sin and death in a series of biblical allusions (Rev. 19:12; Isa. 2:4; Ps. 46:9).
CROWN OF ROSES, THE. One of Tchaikovsky’s “Sixteen Songs for Children” (op. 54, 1883), known also by the title “Legend.” Hauntingly beautiful in E minor, its lilting meter in 2/4 time tells the story of Jesus’ boyhood in a garden tending roses whose thorns became the crown of thorns in his passion. The Russian lyric by Alekséy Pleshchéyev (1877) was translated into German by Hans Schmidt and into English by Geoffrey Dearmer, published in the Oxford Book of Carols (1928). Originally scored for high voice, it was subsequently transcribed by Tchaikovsky for voice and orchestra (1884) and later for mixed a cappella choir (1889).
CRUCIFIXION, THE: A MEDITATION ON THE SACRED PASSION OF THE HOLY REDEEMER. Oratorio for tenor and bass soloists, mixed chorus (SATB), and organ, including five hymns for chorus and congregation, by John Stainer (1887). It is dedicated to Stainer’s pupil and friend William Hodge. The libretto by Rev. J. Sparrow-Simpson is based on texts from the Gospel narrative of Christ’s passion, supplemented by meditative choruses and hymns written for the oratorio and representing Victorian Christianity. Christ’s words are sometimes sung by a bass and at other times by a male chorus, while the narrator’s are sung by a tenor. It includes many well-known numbers, such as “Processional to Calvary” (no. 3), an instrumental for organ, followed by “Fling Wide the Gates,” with “my God and my friend, to suffer, endure and die” in unison. The sublime quartet/chorus “God so loved the world” (Jn. 3:7–8), sung a cappella, is often performed as an anthem in its own right, and the hymn “Cross of Jesus” has become a standard in modern hymnbooks. The work is punctuated by settings of the Seven Last Words of Christ, and after Jesus’ final word, a solo tenor sings a cappella, “And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost” (Jn. 19:30). The chorus and congregation conclude with a final hymn, “For the love of Jesus,” and an Amen. An orchestrated version of the work by Barry Rose was commissioned by the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra for a performance on 31 March 2001, the centenary of Stainer’s death.
CRUCIFIXUS À 8. (“The Crucifixion for Eight Voices”). Motet in C minor for unaccompanied eight-part choir (SSAATTBB) and the most famous of Antonio Lotti’s settings of the Crucifixus (1717–1719), from the Credo in F of his Missa Sancti Christophori. A setting of the words of the Nicene Creed, derived from the New Testament (Mt. 27:22–26, 50; Mk. 15:22–47; 1 Cor. 15:3–4; Phil. 2:5–8), dissonances, suspensions, and plaintive intervallic leaps illustrate musically the pain felt by Christ during his crucifixion, while long, sustained notes toward the end reflect the somber mood surrounding Christ’s death and burial. A modulation to C major in the final measures points to his resurrection.
CURE OF SAUL, THE. Sacred ode in three parts by Samuel Arnold to a libretto by John Brown (1767). The music is lost, but the libretto tells the story of Saul’s affliction by the fiend of melancholy because of his disobedience to God’s command (1 Sam. 16:14–23). David, accompanied by a choir of shepherds, is sent to cure Saul with his music. Singing of the happiness of Adam and Eve in paradise before the Fall, the music has the opposite effect on Saul and evokes in him a resentment as to why others are happy when he is miserable.