|
(Excerpt from Program Notes “Ancient Echoes” January 31st, 2016 - Dr Melanie Turgeon) Maskats’ composition is particularly intriguing and challenging. After an opening solo there is a wonderful ascending gesture by the choir to represent prayers rising upward like incense, and the lifting up of hands as an evening sacrifice. Thereafter, a bass soloist begins the second verse. The choir repeats the word “Ghospodi” (Lord) over and over again with extensive dissonance, rhythmic variety, and energy, while the bass soloist and later soprano soloist present the text. There is much apprehension and supplication in this second verse. Even though instruments are not used in Eastern Churches, Maskats interestingly has a drum enter during this verse. It is very subtle and distant sounding, and it perfectly augments the tremendous angst in this piece. The presence of the drum, and the fact that this composition is extremely ambitious, confirms that this is not functional sacred music. Maskats places rather unbelievable tessitura demands on the choir. The final chord of the piece, for example, has a span of more than 4 octaves between the basses and sopranos.
|
