Four scenes recorded live in concert at Wellington Town Hall, New Zealand (International Festival of the Arts, 1992); sop Wendy Dixon, mezzo Margaret Medlyn, tenor Tony Benfell, bar Michael Leighton-Jones, bass David Griffiths; Wellington Opera Chorus, cond John Hopkins. (1) KYRIE (Archbishop Cyril preaches against the "witch" Hypatia; (2) Hypatia and Orestes sing of their doomed love; (3) Hypatia's Lament & Abduction Dance; (4) Cyril's followers murder Hypatia; Cyril orders a coverup; Cyril and followers sing Lux Aeterna, while Orestes and Hypatia's mourners sing of the approaching Dark Ages.

HYPATIA - Opera Scenes

HYPATIA - complete opera (midi)

1. I Told the Lord I wanted Two Names
2. Bound for Freedom
3. Ain't I a Woman
4. Forty Years a Slave
5. Rock This Nation (Like a Cradle)

Recorded at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana; 2018; Mark Woodring, recording engineer

featuring...
Valerie Francis, soprano 
Shane Anderson, piano  
Gustavo Miranda, percussion 
Michael Bartnik, clarinet 
Matthew Swihart, trumpet
Jason Ladd, tuba
Stanley Friedman, composer/conductor

SOJOURNER TRUTH Cantata published by AsherRoseMusic; distributed by Subito Music (www.subitomusic.com)

SOJOURNER TRUTH, a Cantata by Stanley Friedman

The Overture to my opera HYPATIA (revised 2021). This is a midi realization of the orchestral score. The original version (1991) was recorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, which I conducted.

HYPATIA - Overture

Midi of revised Hypatia Act I, Scene i: The Caesarium; Kyrie. Archbishop Cyril celebrates the recent expulsion of Alexandria's Jews and stirs his flock against Hypatia and scholars of the Great Library.

HYPATIA 21 - I, I revised

HYPATIA - Act I, Scene ii: Hesychius and the other students express concern for Hypatia's safety, in view of the Christians' animosity towards  her and the Museion, the Great Library of Alexandria. Hypatia flippantly dismisses their concerns, while reverentially praising the starry night and an important scientific scroll by Ptolemeus. Orestes arrives, pompously demanding a private audience. He, too, is worried about the sectarian violence. Abruptly, he proposes marriage, professing his love for Hypatia and his desire to present a united political front against the Archbishop Cyril.  Caught of-guard, Hypatia asks Orestes to visit her late in the night to receive her answer.

HYP21-I, ii ORCH

Theon expresses concern for his daughter Hypatia, who is studying the stars late in the night. He is unaware that she also is waiting for her lover, the Roman Prefect-Governor Orestes. Theon questions the wisdom of having raised Hypatia to be a scientist and philosopher and thus a target for religious fanatics. But she declares her devotion to an independent life of learning and truth-seeking.

HYPATIA - Act II, Scene i (Hypatia's Garden)

Hypatia's Garden, night (cont.) Orestes arrives, eagerly anticipating Hypatia's acceptance of his marriage proposal. But she refuses, citing the impossibility of Archbishop Cyril's tolerance for a pagan ceremony and the hypocrisy of her pretending to convert to Christianity. Hypatia and Orestes agree to remain clandestine lovers.

HYPATIA - Act II, Scene ii

A WORLD UNFINISHED is modeled after the orchestral tone poems of Richard Strauss. The single-movement, continuously evolving composition is divided into two equal parts, each of which is comprised of two main sections, in total referencing truncated, highly compressed symphonic movements.
PART 1: Introduction Scherzo
PART 2: Adagio Klezmer Rondo
While there is no specific “story” behind the music, there is an extra-musical philosophical theme: the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World). To Jews, humanity was given an incomplete, broken world; it is our obligation to do what we can to reduce suffering, hatred and despair.

A WORLD UNFINISHED

ACT IV, Scene iv: The Caesarium. Cyril and the Women return from administering Last Rites to Ammonius. Cyril is shocked and guilt-ridden by the sight of Hypatia's bloody corpse. But Peter calms the Archbishop, comparing Cyril's leadership to that of Caesar and Alexander, even Moses and Jesus. The Congregation approaches, singing Lux Aeterna. Cyril orders the removal of the body and a coverup of the murder. Theon, Orestes and the Students enter the Church, seeking Hypatia. Cyril denies any knowledge of her. But Theon discovers a charred fragment of the Ptolemeus scroll, and all realize Hypatia is dead. Her ghostly voice is heard far offstage.

HYPATIA - Act IV, Scene iv

AHAVAS OLOM - Tenor 2

Baron Hirsch Choir
Ahavas Olom
full choir

AHAVAS OLOM

Baron Hirsch Choir practice tracks
Ahavas Olom
soloist

AHAVAS  OLOM - Solo

Ahavas Olom
Baron Hirsch Choir practice tracks
Tenor 1

AHAVAS OLOM - Tenor 1

Ahavas Olom
Baron Hirsch Choir practice tracks
bass

AHAVAS OLOM - Bass

Bor'chu
Baron Hirsch Choir practice tracks
Full choir

BOR'CHU

Bor'chu - Tenor 1
Baron Hirsch Choir practice tracks

BO'CHU - Tenor 1

Half KADDISh - full choir
BH Choir practice

Half - KADDISH

Half - KADDISH - Tenor 1

Half - Kaddish - Tenor 2
CH Choir practice

Half - KADDISH - Tenor 2

HAPORES - Tenor 2

HASHEM, HASHEM

HASHEM, HASHEM - tenor 1

HASHEM, HASHEM - tenor 2

KOLNIDRE

TIVIEINU/HAVIENU

TIVIEINU/HAVIENU - Tenor 2

V'NISLACH - Tenor 2

V'NISLACH - Bass

1. The Rainforest

Own2Feet

2. Ardi Screws Up

3. The Savanna

4. CHEETAH!

5. The TRIAL

6. Bonobo Bar

7. Banishment

15. 13.8 BILLION - It Was So Beautiful

The Neanderthals try to educate Adam and Eve.

16. 13.8 BILLION - You Two Dummies

The Neanderthals chant their creation myth.

17. 13.8 BILLION - Nothing

Eve, Adam a nd the Neanderthals celebrate life.

18. 13.8 BILLION - We Are Alive

19. 13.8 BILLION - Bows

Adverse Possession

1. Our Better Angels

2. The Mystic Chords

3. This Favored Land

Laude/Rondo

setting of poem for soprano, muted trumpet, violin, cello, harp, percussion; also version for soprano, trumpet, piano; published by Editions BIM, Switzerland; recorded on Ode Records, New Zealand #1327

FRIEDMAN/SheWalks

SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY

Recorded at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana; 2018; Mark Woodring, recording engineer

featuring...
Valerie Francis, soprano 
Shane Anderson, piano  
Gustavo Miranda, percussion 
Michael Bartnik, clarinet 
Matthew Swihart, trumpet
Jason Ladd, tuba
Stanley Friedman, composer/conductor

SOJOURNER TRUTH Cantata published by AsherRoseMusic; distributed by Subito Music (www.subitomusic.com)

SOJOURNER TRUTH, Mv't 5: Rock This Nation

SOJOURNER TRUTH, Mv't 4: Forty Years a Slave

SOJOURNER TRUTH, Mv't 3: Ain't I a Woman

SOJOURNER TRUTH, Mv't 2: Bound for Freedom's Light

SOJOURNER TRUTH, Mv't. 1:  I Told the Lord I Wanted Two Names

Performed by The Sojourners: clarinetist Mike Bartnik, trumpeter Matt Swihart, tubist Jason Ladd, percussionist Gustavo Miranda, pianist Richard Jeric; conducted by Stanley Friedman. Recorded at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Lousiana. The music was inspired by the removal of Confederate statues from public parks in Memphis, TN.

MONUMENT by Stanley Friedman

Act I, Scene i: Archbishop Cyril stirs his congregation against Hypatia

03 HYPATIA  Kyrie

Act II, Scene iii: Hypatia and Roman Governor Orestes sing of their love

07 HYPATIA  Love Duet

Act III, Scenes iii, iv: Hypatia's Lament and Abduction

06 HYPATIA  Interlude, Lament, Abduction 1

ACT IV: Scenes v-vi: Hypatia is accused of witchcraft and is murdered; Cyril orders a cover-up; Hypatia's followers mourn while Cyirl's followers sing Lux Aeterna.

08 HYPATIA  Murder & Lux Aeterna

13.8 Billion is a Musical Comedy Triptych, with book and lyrics by Sam Stiffl and music by Stanley Friedman (midi). Written for 6 singing actors, each play riffs on the idea that, if we are fashioned in God's image, what does that say about God? In 1: CEO, the Almighty is presented as a Captain of Industry called on the carpet by the Executive Board for having unleashed the Big Bang. in 2: The Law, the Borscht Belt comedy duo and sibling rivals Moses and Aaron kvetch about the dietary laws and who God likes best. In 3: The Aftermyth, Adam and Eve, lost in the wilderness, are taken in by a tribe of Neanderthals, who share their rotten meat and even more rotten mythology.

Stanley Friedman

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