Rites and Visions

Religious and musical rites across the ages inspire two contemporary works based on ancient texts and more modern rituals. For her Requiem, composed in 2019, Courtney Bryan draws upon burial traditions of different cultures, from the Anglican Church to the Tibetan Book of the Dead, New Orleans jazz funerals to neoshamanistic rituals. Text from the Bible and Catholic Mass are expressed by four soprano voices, while the instrumentation, for brass and percussion, echoes that of jazz funeral bands, famous in Bryan’s native New Orleans. The celebration of life found in that tradition, and in the composer’s signature blend of classical, gospel and jazz sounds, are employed to create a Requiem that reflects upon death within the cycle of life.  

John Zorn’s The Holy Visions, from 2012, takes inspiration from 12th-century mystic, writer, and composer Hildegard van Bingen. Structured in 11 stophes, based on Hildegard’s writings, it is sung a cappella by five female voices. Nods to medieval musical structure, through chants and polyphony, flow into Zorn’s own eclectic sounds, exploration of pitch and intervals, and touches of rhythmic minimalism. Zorn creates a dialogue with Hildegard across centuries, bringing the visionary’s words and ethereal music into a setting for today.