Walpurgis
Commissioned
by the city of Malm
Soprano,
male choir, four percussionists, 4-channel pre-recorded media (tape) and
optional bonfire
Lyrics:
Stefan Klaverdal
2005
Co-composed
with Daniel Hjorth (50/50)
Choir Score as PDF
Pictures as PDF
About
the piece
At the
celebration of Valborg people in Sweden light bonfires and gather round to
celebrate the coming of spring and summer. This is always done at the spring
equinox.
It is a very
old custom but the form it holds today was evolved mainly during the 19th
century, when preferably male choirs sung merry tunes celebrating the coming of
spring.
The
custom is older than that, though. The bonfires probably started long before
the Vikings and probably had to do with a celebration of the dead.
The
piece Walpurgis evolves around a big bonfire, and at the time of first
performance it also contained a light performance.
Setting:
A choir
and a soprano soloist stand on a stage (or in one "corner" of a
circle)
Four
percussionists are positioned in four other corers of the same circle,
surrounding the bonfire in the middle.
At the
same spots as the percussionists four speakers are positioned, playing back the
pre-recorded electronics.
The choir
and percussionists perfom an exact notated score, but the soprano soloist is
supposed to improvise on the electronics.
First
performed April 30th 2005 in Pildammsparken, Malm
Soprano:
Maria Hjorth
Percussion:
Glenn Larsson, Andreas Eklf, Johan Westerberg, Per
Andreasson
Walpurgis
choir
Stefan
Klaverdal, cond.
Daniel
Hjorth, sound design