Path of Miracles

Path of Miracles, composed by Joby Talbot (b. Aug. 25, 1971), was written in 2005 following a commission from the vocal chamber group Tenebrae. Under the direction of Nigel Short, Tenebrae’s first performance was scheduled for July 7, 2005 in London, but was delayed because of the bombings that shook the city that day. The City of London Festival quickly rescheduled the event, and the world premiere took place on July 17, 2005, at St. Bartholomew-the-Great Church in London.

A pilgrimage in composition, Path of Miracles is a journey, as the four movement titles (Roncesvalles, Burgos, León and Santiago) are the four main posts along one of the most taxing pilgrimage routes in Roman Catholic tradition. Using selections from the medieval texts Codex Calixtinus, Miragres de Santiago, and Roman Catholic liturgy, Path of Miracles incorporates musical styles from the Taiwanese Bunun people to the pilgrim’s hymn Dum Pater Familias, and is sung in Greek, Latin, Spanish, Basque, French, English and German.Robert Dickinson is the librettist and the composition is scored a cappella for SSSSSAAAATTTTBBBB, published by Chester Novello.

Path of Miracles is dedicated to the memory of Talbot’s father, Vincent Talbot (1916-2005).

The opening movement, Roncesvalles, begins Path of Miracles at a geographically popular starting point for the pilgrimage. As the choir begins a mysterious glissando (termed Pasiputput, from the Bunun people), travel is ingrained in the stage direction, calling the tenors and basses from offstage to join the main choir. The aura is open and overwhelming as multiple languages and sound clusters of E major and E minor fill the air, finally climaxing with a fortissimo E minor chord featuring “bells,” played by crotales. Talbot uses ostinatos throughout the composition extensively, emulating the long walk endured by the pilgrims. Talbot also employs clashing tonalities, encapsulating the pain endured physically as well as the intense mental contemplation that a pilgrimage necessitates. While the basses drone pedal tones, a slow rhythmic transformation develops into a driving engine that, with gradually shorter and more syncopated rhythms, propels the music forward. In all, Rocesvalles replays the life and martyrdom of St. James and conveys to how his body came to rest in Santiago.

...
Wikipedia