Judas – oratory

narrator. ten, bar, choir, organ, computer

2004

60-70:00 ca

Stefan Klaverdal

Lyrics by Stefan Klaverdal

 

Score exerpts and recordings:

The Needles Eye: pdf, mp3

Kyrie: pdf, mp3

Gethsemane-Credo: pdf, mp3

Agnus Dei: pdf, mp3

 

The whole score can be ordered from the publisher C-Y contemporary

 

 

Judas, the traitor (or martyr) is the subject for this drama. We follow Judas from when he becomes a disciple, to the point where he commits suicide in despair after betraying Jesus.

Judas may be one of the most human persons in the Bible, with his parallel commitment and doubt, his betrayal and regret, and at the same time the strangest person one can imagine. This piece is a free interpretation of the passion, as told in the Gospel of Matthew. The biblical text has been reworked to fit in a dramatic presentation. The drama is driven forward by the narrator and acted by the soloists and the choir, who is also commenting the action. The choir can be said to represent the inner life of Judas, his reactions, his feelings and beliefs, more or less the role the choir would play in a Greek drama.

The lyrics therefore also contain parts of the Latin mass, perhaps representing Judas' inner life.

 

First performance by Hägerstens motettkör and Kerstin Börjesson (cond.) april 8th 2004

The solists were: Narrator: Jarl Alfredius, Judas: Klas Hedlund, Jesus: Ulf Lundmark, Organ: Lars Andersson, Computer: Stefan Klaverdal

 

:pic_ju_05Jesus.jpeg   :pic_ju_01judas.jpeg   :pic_ju_06Judaskyssen.jpeg   :pic_ju_03Alfredius.jpeg

 

 

Technical requirements

To perform the part for computer the following equipment is needed (minimum):

Computer Apple G4 867 MHz, with 500MB RAM

MAX/MSP- if missing, MAX/MSP-play may be installed from the CD containing the patch

CD with Max-patch (the programming itself) - can be ordered from the composer

Soundcard with one input and two outputs

Mixer with four inputs and one auxiliary output

PA-system with two loudspeakers

Two microphones (pref. wireless headsets or sim.)

One compressor is strongly recommended

A reverb may be used also. In that case two aux-channels is needed in the mixer.

Wire everything according to the following (the reverb is optional):

Judas should be connected to the computer. It is advised to keep a finger on the singers' faders to compensate for unexpectedly loud signals.

The computer is controlled acc. to instructions in the patch. Everything in the part is pre- programmed, shortly it is only to click on a button and follow the score. The numbering in the score is equivalents to numbers in the patch.

 

 


SVENSKA

Judas – oratorium

Rec. Ten, bar, kör, orgel, dator

2004

60-70:00 ca

Stefan Klaverdal

 

 

Judas, fšrrŠdaren (eller martyren) Šr utgŒngspunkten i detta passionsdrama. Vi fŒr fšlja Judas frŒn infšrlivandet i lŠrjungaskaran, tills dess att han begŒr sjŠlvmord i stor fšrtvivlan šver sitt svek mot Jesus. Judas kan sŠgas vara en av de mest mŠnskliga personerna i Bibeln, med hans stŠndiga trofasthet och samtidiga tvivel, hans svek och Œnger, och samtidigt den mest mŠrkliga, svŒrbegripliga person man kan tŠnka sig.

Detta stycke Šr en fri tolkning av passionsberŠttelsen, sŒ som den berŠttas i Matteusevangeliet. Texten frŒn bibeln har arbetats om sŒ den passar in i ett dramatiskt sammanhang. Dramat drivs framŒt av recitatšren, ageras av solister och kšren. Kšren kan i mŒnga fall sŠgas representera Judas kŠnsloliv, hans reaktioner pŒ Jesus ord, och hans tro, dŒ den kommenterar skeendet hela tiden. Kšren har alltsŒ ungefŠr den roll den skulle fŒ i ett grekiskt drama. PŒ grund av detta innehŒller texten ocksŒ delar av mŠssordinariet, kanske som en tolkning av Judas kŠnsloliv.