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24 March 2022 Comments Off on Luminosa Voices Première Alison Willis ‘Salve Deus, Rex Judaeorum’ Views: 463 CE News

Luminosa Voices Première Alison Willis ‘Salve Deus, Rex Judaeorum’

We are delighted with the news of the première of Alison Willis’ cantata Salve Deus, Rex Judaeorum by Luminosa on Saturday 2 April.

Alison Willis

Composer Alison Willis is a gifted pianist, organist, vocalist and musical director. However, it is her significant talent as the composer of their tenth anniversary commissioned cantata, Salve Deus, Rex Judaeorum, that Luminosa are particularly proud to be show-casing and celebrating in their spring concert, delayed for two years by Covid-19.

For inspiration, Ali frequently draws on historical sources and events and her work has been described as ‘intensely moving’, ‘beautiful yet pragmatic’ and yet economical in message. Inspiration for her work comes from her passion for the written word (she often starts with text) and bringing into the light voices which have been silenced in history, mainly but not exclusively, women’s.

This piece, written for choir, soprano solo, organ and optional bell was intended for performance alongside the Five Mystical Songs by Vaughan Williams, the texts for which were written by George Herbert (1593–1633). This sparked an exploration of works by female poets of the same era (whose voices are far less well known) and led to the chosen text.

Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum, was published in 1611 by Aemilia Lanyer, (or Emilia Lanier)
( 1569–1645). Lanyer was one of the first Englishwomen to publish a volume of original verse and identify herself as a professional poet at a time when there was still suspicion of women’s work in print. Some people think she may have been the Dark Lady referred to in Shakespeare’s Sonnets and Alison has found great inspiration in Lanyer’s beautiful imagery, including phrases such as ‘the sun grew dark and scorned to give them light, the moon and stares did hide themselves for shame’.

The long central poem (over two hundred stanzas), Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum, (Hail, God, King of the Jews) is a daring version of the story of Christ’s crucifixion from a female perspective. A powerful section of the poem is narrated by Pilate’s wife who, according to one small verse in the Bible (Matthew 27.19), tried to dissuade her husband from ordering Christ’s death. The soprano soloist, (by implication Pilate’s wife), acts as narrator and commentator as the Passion develops delivering an impassioned plea to her husband, ‘O noble Gov’nor, make thou yet pause, do not in innocent blood imbrue thy hands’.

Performed in five short movements Prologue, Gethsemane, The Trial, Journey to the Cross and Epilogue, with dramatic use of performance space, the musical score evokes emotion and power in equal measure. Each movement can also function as a standalone piece in the hope that the music may be used liturgically as well as in performance. As a singer and multi-instrumentalist Alison sings or plays every part where possible as she writes to make sure each is exciting and a pleasure to perform.

Alison is delighted that Luminosa are giving the first performance of Salve Deus, Rex Judaeorum and would like to thank them and their director Rebekah Abbott for their vision and commitment to the piece.

Saturday 2 April 2022
NEW WORKS – Anniversary Concert Programme:

(performance by Luminosa Voices, Chamber Voices, conductor: Rebekah Abbott)
7pm – Pre Concert Talk by Cecilia McDowall
7:30pm – Concert
Concert details & Tickets here

Composers Edition is proud to present Salve Deus, Rex Judaeorum which is available for perusal and purchase through our website.

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