Percussion solo with tape by Scott Lindroth
Recorded live in Katzin Concert Hall at Arizona State University, April 2013

Bell Plates

Commissioned by the Lorelei Ensemble, Of a rose synge we recasts the text of a fifteenth-century English carol, by the same name, in a contemporary light. Although lines and stanzas remain somewhat intact, the macaronic text (in both Middle English and Latin) is not always presented in its original order. I urge the listener to read the text and translation before, rather than alongside, the performance in hope that the labyrinthine setting will move through the listener more directly and more powerfully.

--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
TEXT
Of a rose synge we			
Misterium mirabile			

This rose is railed on a rys;		
He hath bought the prince of prys,	
And in this tyme soth hit ys,		
Viri sine semine.			

Of a rose synge we			
Misterium mirabile			

This rose is reed of colour bryght,	
Throw whom oure joye gan alyght,	
Uppon a Cristys masse nyght,		
Claro David germine.			

Of a rose synge we			
Misterium mirabile			

Of this rose was Cryst y-bore,		
To save mankynde that was forlore;	
And us alle from synnes sore,		
Prophetarum carmine.	
	
Of a rose synge we			
Misterium mirabile			

This rose, of flourys she is flour,		
She ne wole fade for no shour,		
To synful men she sent socour,		
Mira plenitudine.			

Of a rose synge we 			
Misterium mirabile			

This rose is so faire of hywe,		
In maide Mary that is so trywe,		
Y-borne was lorde of virtue,		
Salvator sine crimine.			

Of a rose synge we			
Misterium mirabile

--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------

LITERAL TRANSLATION
We sing of a rose
Miraculous mystery

This rose is staked upon a branch;
He bought the best of princes
And in this time it is true;
Without seed of man.

We sing of a rose
Miraculous mystery

This rose is a plant of bright color,
Through whom our joy began,
Upon a Christmas night,
Born of the house of David.

We sing of a rose
Miraculous mystery

Christ was born of this rose,
To save mankind that was forsaken;
And us all from painful sins,
After the prophet’s song.

We sing of a rose
Miraculous mystery

This rose, she is the flower of flowers,
She will not fade from any shower,
To sinful men she sent succor,
In wondrous plenty.

We sing of a rose
Miraculous mystery

This rose is so fair of hue,
In maid Mary who is so pure,
He was born the lord of virtue,
Savior without sin.

We sing of a rose
Miraculous mystery  

Of a rose synge we

Singer Pur
Mainzer Musiksommer, Seminarkirche
21 August 2016
Recorded live by Radio Südwestrundfunk 2

it is enough
it is after the end
it's done

it all came to nothing
the strong overcame the weak
as it was in the beginning, it was not in the end

it is enough
that was the last one
it's over
the last one
it's done
and you lost

close the door
shut off the world
without end

it all came to nothing
the strong overcame the weak
as it was...

no tears
no sighs
not the memory of an angel

it is not enough
 
you, the outcast
you, the forgotten
you, the sick at heart
you, on the sidelines
shut in, shut out
bitter, yet silent
you're going from noplace to nowhere

it is not enough

©2016 Joanne Metcalf

It Is Enough (live - SWR2 Radio)

A marvelous performance of "Cadences" by Scott Lindroth with a prelude drawn from Richard Powers' book "Orfeo," read by the author.  The musicians are Jesse Mills (vln), Laura Gilbert (fl), Ben Fingland (cl), Raman Ramakrishnan (vc), Jonathan Bagg (vla), and Rieko Aizawa (pno).   The performance took place in Baldwin Auditorium at Duke University on Sept. 25, 2016.

Much of the music is based on speech rhythms derived from the text in "Orfeo."  These are subjected to permutations and other variations to create new utterances as the piece unfolds. 

A video of the performance on September 25, 2016 with Richard Powers reading can be seen here:
https://youtu.be/M2hbTMTV7Q0

Cadences (2016)

A Commission from Radio France, this is a piece for two narrators and orchestra about New York City, more precisely NYC as seen by its writers. Texts by Gorki, Le Corbusier, Whitman, Fitzgerald, Lethem, Miller, Auster, etc.. This is the 2011 premiere by Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France with Alexandre Laiter and Donald Rubinstein, narrators; Gwennolé Rufet, conductor. 

WRITING THE CITY

This is part of the music I wrote back in 2000 for a PBS-TV documentary on the painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. 

Veranda Waltz

I am a composer, a Professor of Music at Duke University.  Performance materials for all pieces available for purchase.  See my Duke website for more examples of my music.

Cadences (2016)

Scott Lindroth

Related tracks