Download Ernani Aguiar - Indiana Choral Directors Association

BEYOND SALMO 150:
THE A CAPPELLA CHORAL MUSIC OF ERNANI AGUIAR
Presenter: Dr. Mariana Farah
Director of Choral Activities
Indiana University Southeast
6/10/2010
Ernani Aguiar (b. 1950)
I. Aguiar’s Contributions to the Brazilian Musical Scene
Ernani Aguiar (b.1950) has established himself as one of the most influential names on
the contemporary Brazilian musical scene. Although he is primarily known as a composer,
Aguiar’s achievements extend far beyond his own works. He continues to actively promote the
music of his native land through extensive research, performance, and recording of a great
variety of this literature. Aguiar is also engaged in improving the level of music education in
Brazil, remaining one of the most sought-after guest conductors, lecturers, and teachers across
the country. Among the international community, some of Aguiar’s compositions are beginning
to gradually gain visibility through recent performances and publications. Yet, the composer’s
name continues to be almost exclusively associated with his famous a cappella setting of Psalm
150, which has been performed by hundreds of choirs across Brazil and the United States. In
fact, the composer’s Catálogo de obras [Catalogue of Works] describes this work as likely being
the most frequently performed Brazilian choral composition in the U.S.
Aguiar studied violin under Paulina d’Ambrosio and Roberto Michelucci, composition
under Guerra Peixe, conducting under Carlos Alberto Pinto da Fonseca and Annibale Gianuario,
and chamber music under Santino Parpinelli and Franco Rossi. He continued his studies in
conducting in Italy under Franco Ferrara, Adone Zecchi, and Giuseppe Montanari.
The composer has taught at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and at
the Universidade do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO) since 1987. To this day, he remains on the faculty
at UFRJ where he teaches conducting and directs the university orchestra. As a researcher,
Aguiar has done extensive work on the discovering and editing of Brazilian music from the
colonial period. He has also garnered impressive success in Brazil and abroad with
performances, recordings and broadcasts of his own works.
In 1993, Aguiar was elected to the Brazilian Academy of Music, the country’s most
prestigious music society, where he occupies Chair No. 4. His numerous prizes include the
SHARP, APCA, and AÇORIANOS awards.
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II. Salmo 150: The Ideas Behind the Work
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sacred a cappella piece in Latin
short
scored for SATB choir
repetition of a short rhythmic pattern to unify the work
Example 1. Salmo 150, main motive
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addition of the neutral syllable “la”
extensive use of homorhythms
preference of homophonic texture
emphasis on parallel 5ths and octaves
syllabic treatment of text
primary use of stepwise motion
comfortable use of tessitura
Figure 1. Salmo 150- Vocal Tessitura
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III. The Sacred A Cappella Choral Works
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total: 39 pieces- 19 in Latin; 14 in Portuguese; 2 in Italian; 2 in Spanish; 1 in Hebrew, 1 in
English
the majority of his a cappella choral music is short-scale compositions
28 works are for mixed chorus, relying heavily on SATB voicing
Example 2. Missa Brevis II, Sanctus e Benedictus, mm. 37-45
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for SATB chorus
“large-scale” composition: approximately 8 minutes in duration
retains his fundamental musical language
adds clapping to a sacred piece in order to highlight the rhythmic treatment of the text
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Example 3. Três motetinos No.2, final movement, mm. 1-8
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extensive use of homorhythms
preference of homophonic texture
syllabic treatment of text
primary use of stepwise motion
comfortable use of tessitura
repetition of a short rhythmic pattern
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Example 4. Alleluia, mm.1-4
Example 5. Alleluia, mm.51-54
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for duas vozes iguais [two equal voices]
SATB version in 2003
repetition of rhythmic pattern
emphasis on parallel 5ths
addition of neutral syllable “ê-ô”
adds clapping and glissando to highlight the exultant nature of the Alleluia text.
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IV. The Secular A Cappella Choral Works
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total: 16 pieces- 14 in Portuguese; 1 with nonsense syllables; 1 in Latin and Portuguese
only four compositions last longer than three and a half minutes
10 works are for SATB
most pieces still display great use of homorhythms, homophonic texture, syllabic treatment
of text, preference for stepwise motion, and comfortable use of tessitura
Example 5. Sine nomine et sine sensu, mm. 44-58
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for três vozes iguais [three equal voices]
use of nonsense syllables
addition of unconventional devices such as glissandos, spoken glissandos, and grace notes,
reinforcing the experimental nature of the piece
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V. Choral Scores Available in the U.S.
* Alleluia
Ave Maria
Psalm 150
versions for SATB, TTBB, and SSA
Psalm 74
Sine nomine et sine sensu
* available through Colla Voce
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