ScottOpus Productions is pleased to introduce the following works of Kenneth R. Lindner Jr.:-
Coventry Christmas was written for the composer’s Brass Quintet in 1988 while living in Reno. This Quintet “played regularly on Christmas Eve in various churches and did shopping center jobs running up to Christmas as well.” Unfortunately the work was never performed by the Quintet and has not been given a premier performance at all – indeed, an omission that needs to be filled.
The work is subtitled “A Tribute to Renaissance England” and is in one movement that is divided into roughly three sections. The work features the Coventry Carol (words written in 1534 by Robert Croo) part of a Mediaeval Mystery Play (The Shearman and Tailors' Pageant, pub. 1591) depicting a secular version and image of the Nativity. The Carol's words detail the lead up to and aftermath of Herod's Soldiers slaying the babies of Jewish mothers. The work starts out with a haunting modal chant only slightly reminiscent of the original theme that first appeared in the Shearman and Tailors' Pageant. The composer indicates that this "modal chant is a newly composed theme used to set the stage" and represents "the still strong piety of the age". At measure 40 the expanded modal theme in section one is joined by a bell-like motif with one of the trumpet players changing from the B Flat Trumpet to the Piccolo Trumpet. The interaction of these melodies continue in 3/8 time with a more lively tempo seemingly representing “Herod’s Raging” that is indicated in verse two of the second version of the Carol. The composer, however indicates that his intention in this section of the composition was "to convey the changing optimistic spirit of the time, (emerging humanism), rather than [being] stictly ruled by the religious thought of the last centuries". The main melody emerges at measure 102, as a celebration of Christ’s birth and, at measure 134, is "intertwined" with the initial modal theme.
It is indeed a shame that this work has not yet been performed and the computer realization does not, in any way, do this work justice. However the addition of a bell-like sound in the computer rendition does provide another interesting dimension to this work and while not indicated in the score does conform to the practices of the Renaissance Period.
A downloaded pdf copy of the score is available from the ScottOpus website. Please follow the links below to start the download. Please note that all of Mr. Lindner's works are under copyright and are only available on an individual basis and are not to be used for commercial purposes without prior permission. If you are interested in performing this work or organizing for a performance of this work, or obtaining multiple copies of this work please email ScottOpus Productions at kerryscott@scottopus.org.
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A downloaded Mp3 copy of a computer realized performance of this work is available from the ScottOpus website. Please follow the links below to start the download. Please note that all of Mr. Lindner's works are under copyright and are only available on an individual basis and are not to be used for commercial purposes without prior permission. It should be noted that the computer realizations of Mr. Lindner's works listed on this website were created during the 1990's and therefore do not enjoy the quality of contemporary technology. For this reason they should be considered as approximate indications of what the work sounds like rather than a full performance. If you are interested in performing this work or organizing for a performance of this work, or obtaining multiple copies of this work please email ScottOpus Productions at kerryscott@scottopus.org.
Written, with permission of the composer, by Kerry R. Scott for ScottOpus Production