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TRANSCRIPT
David Cameron
THE GIFT OF LIGHT
AN ADVENT CANTATA
for
S.A.T.B. SOLI,
CHORUS, AND PIANO
The Gift of Light
Composer’s note
The Gift of Light was commissioned by the Pro Arte Society of Kingston. The text is from three sources:
three of the traditional Advent antiphons (O Sapientia, O Radix Jesse, and O Oriens); the English scholar
and ecclesiastic Alcuin, or Albinus, who served at the court of Charlemagne; and from the first chapter
of the Gospel according to St. John. The translations from St. John are a composite, drawn mainly from
the Nen English Bible and the Authorised Version, with elements here and there from other
translations.
Those who know my short mass Missa Bicinia will recognize extensive allusions to its Kyrie. In part these
indicate that no better setting of these words occurred to me when I was writing this cantata, but they
have another purpose as well. When Shelagh Leach, Librarian of the Pro Arte Singers, first spoke to me
about this cantata, she said kind things about the Missa Bicinia. The use of material from that mass is
therefore meant as a compliment to Shelagh, who is a longtime and much valued friend and colleague.
Myths of light and darkness hold a deep place in the human soul. For the orthodox Christian they may
be transfigured by their association with the incarnation, but for all of us they still retain some of the
feeling of Tolkien’s work: the darkness is inhabited by horrors not quite unimaginable, and the
splendour of light excels the sun.
Music’s province is really not philosophy, but feeling; and these ancient writers, however serious their
final ends, valued dramatic imagery for its power to engage the feelings of the reader. They write of
eternal things not just piously or cerebrally, but with passion, and reverence, and a rolling grandeur of
language that can almost be tasted. I hope that the performance of this piece can capture some of their
vividness; and with it, the energy and fun of good storytelling.
David Cameron
Kingston, November 1986.
With this re-engraving and editing, The Gift of Light is presented once again. I have made very few
changes, merely some adjustment to phrase marks, and a very few alterations to expressive directions. It
may need to be said, as Brian Jackson remarked when he was preparing the first performance in 1986,
that despite its occasional post-Hindemithian dissonance, this is a romantic work. It should be sung and
played with a strong sense of vocal line and pianistic and choral drama.
I could not write this music in 2015; too many things have changed in how we listen and perform. But it
does, I think, present an authentic vision of these ancient texts, from the musician I was thirty years ago.
And in it I celebrate the memory of Shelagh Leach, whose kind words inspired it.
David Cameron, February 2015
Andante c. 100
Yield somewhat
5
a tempo
Ky ri
Tenor/Bass
e e
Ky ri e e
lei son,
Soprano/Alto
- -
- - - -
-
10
lei son,
Ky ri
Ky ri e
e e
cresc.
lei son.
lei son.
cresc.
- -
- -
- - - - -
- - - -
The Gift of LightDavid Cameron
Copyright © 2015 by CPDL
Chri ste e
Chri ste e
lei son,
lei son, Chri
15
Chri ste e
ste e le
lei son,
i son,
-
- - -
- - -
- - - -
- -
Chri ste e
Chri ste e
lei son, e
lei son, e
lei son.
lei son.
ten.
ten.
20
- - - - -
- - - - -
4The Gift of Light
25
rall.
Ky ri
e e
lei son, Ky ri e
Ky ri e e
(Gradually gaining energy)
(Gaining energy)
- - - - - - -
- - -
lei son, Ky ri e
lei son,
30
lei son,
Ky ri e lei son,
rit. e dim.ten.
ten.
ten.
Ky ri
Ky ri
e e
- - -- - - -
- - - - - - -
- -
-
e e
lei
lei
son,
35
son.
Ky
rie e
- - - - -
- - - -
-
5The Gift of Light
lei
son.
cresc.
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
40
-
O
O
O
O
Wis dom, com ing
Wis dom, com ing
Wis dom,
Wis dom,
3
forth from the mouth of the Most
3
forth from the mouth of the Most
com ing forth from the Most
com ing forth from the Most
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
High! Wis dom,
High! Wis dom,
High! Wis dom,
High! Wis dom,
3
- - -
- - -
- -
- --
-
6The Gift of Light
45
whose reach is
whose reach is
whose reach is
whose reach is
bound less,
bound less,
bound less, who
bound less, who
or ders
or ders
cresc.
all things
all things
-
- -
-
-
-
who
might i ly,
might i ly,
50
or ders
who
might i ly, might
might i ly,
all things
or ders
i ly
might i ly,
might i ly,
might i ly,
ten.
div.
- - - - - -
- - - -
- - - - -
- - -
- -
7The Gift of Light
rall.
rall.
might i ly,
might i ly
Might i ly
Might
p subito
a tempo
a tempo
55
and with
and
and with
i ly and with
sweet
sweet.
sweet
sweet
- - -
- -
-
- - -
- -
ness:
ness.
ness.
più mosso
più mosso
Come and
Come and
Come and
60
teach us the
teach us the
teach us the
way of
way of
Ky ri
way of
- -
8The Gift of Light
pru dence;
pru dence;
e e
pru dence;
lei
come and de
cresc.
cresc.
come and de
son,
liv ver
cresc.
65
come and de
li ver us,
us, de
cresc.
li ver
come and de
Ky ri
li
- - -
- - - -
- - -
- - - - - - -
- - -
us,
li ver, de
e e
ver
li ver
lei
us,
come and de
us,
son.
cresc.
70
li ver us,
Come and
come and
Ky ri
teach us the
Come and de
teach us the
- - - -
- - -
- - -
- -
9The Gift of Light
e,
way of
li ver us,
way of
dim.
Ky ri
pru dence;
Ky ri
pru dence;
e e
e e
75
lei
lei son.
come and de
son.
Come and de
li ver
cresc.
- - - - - -
-
- - - -
- - -
- -
li ver us,
us, come
come and de
come, come
Come and de
li ver
and de
de
80
li ver
us,
li ver
li ver
- -
- -
- - -
- -
10The Gift of Light
us, de
de
us,
us,
li
li
de
de
ver
ver
li ver
li ver
us, and
us.
us and
us.
- - - - -
- -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
85
tar ry not.
tar ry not.
rall.
rall.
rall. ten.
ten.
3
In the be gin ning
TENOR SOLO Quasi recitativo (c. 72 - )
was the Word,
espress.
-
-
- -
11The Gift of Light
cresc.
90
3
and the Word was
3
with God, and the Word
was
cresc. poco a poco
God.
dim.
(yield)
95
ALTO/MEZZO SOLO
through Him
all things were
made,
poco ten.rall.
100
with out Him
a tempo
-
12The Gift of Light
3
3
no thing was made that
has been made:
rall.
rall.
in
SOPRANO SOLO
a tempo
a tempo
-
Him was life, and
BASSES TUTTI
TENORS TUTTI
ALTOS TUTTI
105
3
the life was the light of
3
freely
freely
men: and the light
And the light
And the light shines on,
And the light shines on in the
TUTTI
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
a tempo
a tempo
13The Gift of Light
3
shines on in the dark ness,
shines in the dark ness,
shines in the dark ness,
dark ness,
div.
rall.
dim. e rall.
ten.
ten.
ten.
ten.
ten.
and the dark
and the
and the dark
and the
- - - -
-
- - - -
- - - -
ness has ne ver
dark ness has
ness has ne ver
dark ness has
dim.
110
mas tered it.
ne ver mas tered it.
mas tered it.
ne ver mas tered it.
Bright
Bright
Bright
BASSES div.(Bass I only)
(Bass II)
a tempo
a tempo
ness of the
ness of the
ness of the
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
-
-
-
14The Gift of Light
light e ter nal,
light e ter nal,
light, light e ter nal and
the light e ter nal, and
3
and Sun of right eous ness,
and Sun of right eous
Sun of right eous ness,
Sun of right eous ness,
Unis.
115
Come and en ligh ten
- - - -
- - - -
- - -
- - - - -
- -
- - - - -
Come and en ligh ten
them that sit in dark
that sit in dark ness,
Come
them that sit in
ness.
come and en
and en ligh ten them that
dark ness, come;
Come and en ligh ten
- -
- -
- - - - - - - - -
- -
-
-
15The Gift of Light
ligh ten them that sit in
sit in dark ness, in
come and en ligh ten tham that
them that sit, that sit in
120
dark ness, and in the
dark ness,
sit in dark ness, and in the
dark ness,
- - -
-
- -
-
-
sha dow of
and in the sha dow of
sha dow of
and in the sha dow of
rall.
rall.
death.
death.
death. There
death.
TENOR SOLO
was a man sent from
BASS SOLO
God whose name was
-
-
-
-
16The Gift of Light
125
John.
3
He was
3
but he was
3
not that light, but he was
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
sent to bear wit ness
sent, but he was sent
33
to the light,
to bear wit
3
-
-
to the
ness to the
3
SOPRANO SOLO
ALTO/MEZZO SOLO
130
the true light
the
light;
light,
3
which en ligh tens all of
3
true light which en
the
the true
3
us was e ven then
ligh tens us was e ven then,
true light was
3
light which en ligh tens us was
3
cresc.
- -
- - -
- - -
17The Gift of Light
3
com ing in to the
3
was com ing to the
3
e ven then com ing in to the
e ven then com ing in to the
world.
world.
world. He was in the
world. He was in the
TUTTI
TUTTI
TUTTI
TUTTI
135
He was in the world,
He was in the world,
world, and the world was
world, and the world was
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
- - -
- - -
-
- -
made by Him,
made by Him
and the world was made by
and the world was made by
Ky ri
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cres. poco a poco
Him, and the
Him, and the
e e lei son,
- - - -
18The Gift of Light
world knew Him not!
world knew Him not!
the world knew Him
the world knew Him
3
3 3
140
He
Ky ri e e
not! He
not!
meno
dim.
came un to his own,
lei son, un to his
came un to his own,
un to his
-
- - - - -
-
-
and his own re
own and his own re
his own
own, his own
ceiv'd Him not!
ceiv'd Him not! Ky ri
re ceived Him not!
re ceived Him not! Ky ri
e e lei son.
e e lei son.
-
- - - - -
-
- - - - -
19The Gift of Light
145
But to all who re ceived him gave he
ALTO/MEZZO SOLO
cresc.
power
power, power
power
power
3
3
TUTTI
TUTTI
TUTTI
TUTTI
3
to be come the child ren of
3
to be come the child ren of
3
to be come child ren of
3
to be come the child ren of
3
3
rall.
rall.
- - -
- -
- -
- -
God;
God;
God;
God; and the
The Word was made
Word wasa made
150
and the
flesh and dwelt
flesh and dwelt a
the Word was made
Word was made
a mong us, made
mong us, made
div.
-
-
20The Gift of Light
flesh, and dwelt a
flesh and dwelt a
flesh and dwelt a
flesh and dwelt a
mong us, and we be held His
mong us, His glo ry,
mong us, and we be held his glo ry,
mong us, and we be held his
glo ry,
and we be held his glo
glo ry,
glo ry, glo
div.
- -
- -
- - -
- - - -
-
-
-
155
ry,
Glo
ry,
cresc.
cresc.
Glor
Glo
cresc.
Glor
cresc.
3
ry as of the on ly
3 3
ry as of the on ly be
3 3
ry as of the on ly be
3
ry as of the on ly
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - -
21The Gift of Light
be got ten
got ten
got ten
be got ten
160
of the Fa ther,
of the Fa ther,
of the Fa ther,
of the Fa ther,
full of
full of grace,
full of
full of grace,
grace and truth.
grace and truth.
grace and truth.
grace and truth.
rall.
rall.
- - -
- -
- -
- - -
con moto
con moto
165
E
E
ter nal Fa ther of
E ter nal Fa ther of
ter nal Fa ther of
E ter nal Fa ther of
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
22The Gift of Light
light, shine
light, shine
light, shine
light, shine
3
33
thou in our hearts!
thou in our hearts!
thou in our hearts!
thou in our hearts!
170
E ter nal Good
E ter nal Good
E ter nal Good
E ter nal Good
ness,
ness,
ness, de
ness, de
175
de
de
liv er us, de
liv er us,
- - -
- - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - -
- - -
- - -
23The Gift of Light
liv er us from
liv er us from
liv er us from
us from
(background)
all that is
all that is
all that is
all that is
3
cresc.
ev il.
ev il.
ev il.
ev il.
Meno mosso (c. 76 - )
- -
- -
- -
-
180
cresc.
O
O
O
O
Wis dom, com ing
Wis dom, com ing
Wis dom,
Wis dom,
- -
- -
-
-
24The Gift of Light
3
forth from the mouth of the Most
3
forth from the mouth of the Most
com ing forth from the Most
com ing forth from the Most
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
cresc.
185
High! Wis dom,
High! Wis dom,
High! Wis dom,
High! Wis dom,
3
whose reach is
whose reach is
whose reach is
whose reach is
bound less,
bound less,
bound less,
bound less,
rall.
rall.
rall.
rall.
rall.
- -
- - -
- - -
- -
dis
dis
dis perse
dis perse
perse our fool ish dark ness,
perse our fool ish dark ness,
our fool ish dark ness,
our fool ish dark ness,
ten.
ten.
ten.
ten.
ten.
190
our fool ish
our fool ish
our fool ish dark ness.
dark ness.
our fool ish dark ness.
dark ness.
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
25The Gift of Light
Gently
Gently
3
E ter nal com
3
E ter nal com
3
E ter nal com pas
3
E ter nal com pas
pas sion, e ter nal,
3
pas sion, E ter nal com
dim. poco a poco . . . . .
dim. poco a poco . . . . .
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - -
- - - -
-
195
sion, do thou have
sion, do
do
pas sion,
dim. poco a poco . . . . .
dim. poco a poco . . . . .
mer cy
thou have
thou have
have
up on our
mer cy up on our
mer cy up on our
mer cy up on our
weak ness
weak ness
weak ness
weak ness
es.
es.
es.
es.
Tempo primo
Tempo primo
- - -
- - -
- - - -
- - -
- -
-
-
-
26The Gift of Light
200
Ky ri
Ky ri
Ky
Ky
e e
e e
-
- - -
- - -
-
ri
ri
lei
lei
205
e e
e e
son,
son,
lei son,
lei son,
cresc.
Chris te e
Chris
- - - - -
- - - -
- - -
- - - - - - -
27The Gift of Light
le i son,
Chris te e
te e le i
le i son,
son,
Chris te e
210
Chris te e
Chris te e
Chris te e
le, e
lei son.
lei son.
lei son.
lei son.
- - - - - - -
- - -
- - - -
- - - - -
- - -
Chris te e
Chris te e
Chris te e
Chris te e
le i son,
lei son,
lei son, Chis
lei son, Chris
dim.
Chris te e
Chris te e
te e le
te e le
dim.
dim.
dim.
dim. 215
lei son.
lei son.
i son.
i son.
rit.
rit.
rit.
rit.
rit.
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - -
28The Gift of Light
Ky ri
Ky ri
e e
e e
Ky ri
Ky ri
lei son,
lei son,
e e
e e
Ky ri
Ky ri
- - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - -
220
lei son,
lei son,
e e
e e
e
e
lei
lei
lei son,
lei son,
son,
son,
- - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - -
29The Gift of Light
Ky rie e
Ky rie e
Ky rie e le
Ky rie e le
225
lei
lei
i
i
son.
son.
son.
son.
possibilelaissez vibrer
- - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - -
30The Gift of Light