BL!NDMAN Akenkaai 2, B-1000 Brussels +32 (0)2 201 59 47
 
 

line-up

eric sleichim > artistic direction, concept, transcriptions and arrangements

marnix de cat > repetitor

BL!NDMAN [sax]
koen maas > soprano saxophone
roeland vanhoorne > alto saxophone
piet rebel > tenor saxophone
raf minten > baritone saxophone

BL!NDMAN [vox]
griet de geyter > soprano
gunther vandeven > counter tenor
kevin skelton > tenor
hugo oliveira > bass

SECRET MASSES is a BL! NDMAN production commissioned by the Festival of Flanders Bruges (MAfestival 2008), in co-production with the Brigittines (Centre for Contemporary Art Movement and Voice of the City of Brussels) as part of the residence of BL! NDMAN [vox] in the Brigittines in 2008/2009.
Thanks to Peter Vanheyghen, Slagwerkgroep Den Haag, Gemma Jansen and Eric Decossaux.

BL!NDMAN is supported by the Arts Administration of the Ministry of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Community Commission of the Brussels-Capital Region. BL!NDMAN [sax] play Selmer Paris Saxophones.

SECRET MASSES

Eric Sleichim presents a unique program for saxophone quartet and voices based on the forbidden masses and gradualia of William Byrd (1543-1623)

When in 1534 the Act of Supremacy was issued by King Henry VIII, the English Church split from Rome and became an independent state-church. With the introduction of the Edwardian Book of Common Prayer, the state-church received an explicit Protestant character. William Byrd, a Catholic who was for a mere part of his life employed by the Court, would closely experience the effects of the political events. Ca. 1580 the persecution of Christians had severe consequences. Many important Catholics were being executed. These events did not withhold Byrd from composing several Catholic masses. This music was to be performed though in highly secrecy. Leaving from this clandestine atmosphere, BL!NDMAN presents you its Byrd-program.

audio

http://www.blindman.be/assets/sounds/Sleichim_Mass_4_TT.mp3Sleichim: Mass 4 Turntables (excerpt)
http://www.blindman.be/assets/sounds/Byrd_O_death.mp3Byrd: O Death

programme

  1. Eric Sleichim > Mass 4 Turntables (vinyl & sax) 10'00
  2. William Byrd > Mass for four Voices / Kyrie & Gloria (vocal) 7’00
  3. William Byrd > In Nomine à 4 N°2 (sax) 2'30
  4. William Byrd > O Death, rock me asleep (soprano & sax) 3'00
  5. György Ligeti > Nonsense madrigals / The Alphabet (vocal & sax) 3'30
  6. William Byrd > Fantasia n°1 à 4 (sax) 2’45
  7. William Byrd > Mass for four Voices / Credo (vocal) 7’22
  8. Mayke Nas > EnJeNoemtHetLiefde (video & vocal) 4'00
  9. William Byrd > Mass for four Voices / Sanctus & Agnus Dei (vocal) 6'50
  10. Matthew Wright > Contact Theatre (vinyl) 9'00
  11. William Byrd > In Nomine n°2 à 5 (sax & vocal) 3'30

songtexts

texts

  • William Byrd > Mass for four Voices / Kyrie
    Kyrie, eleison.
    Christe, eleison.
    Kyrie, eleison.
    ***
    Lord, have mercy.
    Christ, have mercy.
    Lord, have mercy.
  • William Byrd > Mass for four Voices / Gloria
    Gloria in excelsis Deo.
    Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
    Laudamus te. Benedicimus te.
    Adoramus te. Glorificamus te.
    Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam
    gloriam tuam.
    Domine Deus, Rex caelestis,
    Deus Pater omnipotens.
    Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe;
    Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.
    Qui tollis peccata mundi,
    miserere nobis.
    Qui tollis peccata mundi,
    suscipe deprecationem nostram.
    Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,
    miserere nobis.
    Quoniam tu solus Sanctus,
    tu solus Dominus,
    tu solus Altissimus, Iesu Christe.
    Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris.
    Amen.
    ***
    Glory to God in the highest.
    And on earth peace to men of goodwill.
    We praise you. We bless you.
    We adore you. We glorify you.
    We give thanks to you for
    your great glory.
    Lord God, Heavenly King,
    Almighty God the Father.
    O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
    Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
    You take away the sins of the world;
    Have mercy on us.
    You take away the sins of the world;
    Receive our prayer.
    You sit at the right hand of the Father;
    have mercy on us
    For you alone are Holy,
    you alone are the Lord,
    you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ.
    With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
    Amen.
  • William Byrd > O Death, rock me asleep
    O death, rock me asleep
    Bring me to quiet rest;
    Let pass my weary guiltless ghost
    Out of my careful breast.
    Toll on the passing bell.
    Ring out the dolefull knell,
    Let the sound my death tell.
    Death doth draw night.
    Sound my death dolefuly:
    for now I die.
    Farewell, my pleasures past:
    My plains alone.
    In prison strong, who can express:
    Alas dolours will not suffer strength
    My life for to prolong,
    Let my woe work his cruel hope
    That I must taste. This misery.
  • György Ligeti > Nonsense madrigals / The Alphabet
    a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z
  • William Byrd > Mass for four Voices / Credo
    Credo in unum Deum, Patrem
    Omnipotentem, factorem caeli et terrae,
    visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
    Et in unum Dominum Iesum Christum,
    Filium Dei unigenitum.
    Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
    Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine,
    Deum verum de Deo vero.
    Genitum, non factum, consubstantialem
    Patri: per quem omnia facta sunt.
    Qui propter nos homines et propter
    nostram salutem descendit de caelis.
    Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
    ex Maria Virgine:
    et homo factus est.
    Crucifixus etiam pro nobis:
    sub Pontio Pilato passus,
    et sepultus est.
    Et resurrexit tertia die,
    secundum Scripturas.
    Et adcendit in caelum:
    sedet ad dexteram Patis.
    Et iterum venturus est cum gloria,
    iudicare vivos et mortuos:
    cuius regni non erit finis.
    Et in Spiritum Sanctum,
    Dominum et vivificantem:
    qui ex Patre Filioque procedit.
    Qui cum Patre et Filio
    simul adoratur et conglorificatur:
    qui locutus est per Prophetas.
    Et unam sanctam catholicam et
    apostolicam Ecclesiam.
    Confiteor unum baptisima
    in remissionem peccatorum.
    Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum.
    Et vitam venturi saeculi.
    Amen.
    ***
    I believe in one God, the Father,
    the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
    of all that is seen and unseen.
    I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
    the only begotten Son of God.
    Eternally begotten of the Father.
    God from God, Light from Light,
    true God from true God.
    Begotten, not made; of one being with the
    Father; though him all things are made.
    For us men, and for our salvation,
    he cale down from heaven.
    By the power of the Holy Spirit
    he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary
    and was made man.
    For our sake he was crucified under
    Pontius Pilate, he sufferd death
    and was buried.
    On the third day he rose again
    in accordance with the Scriptures;
    he ascended into heaven,
    and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
    He shall come again in glory to judge
    the living and the dead,
    and his kingdom shall have no end.
    I believe in the Holy Spirit,
    the Lord, the giver of life,
    who proceeds from the Father and the Son;
    with the Father and the Son
    he is worshipped and glorified;
    he has spoken through the prophets.
    I believe in one holy, catholic and
    apostolic Church.
    I acknowledge one baptism for the
    forgiveness of sins,
    and I look for the resurrection of the dead.
    And the life of the world to come.
    Amen.
  • Mayke Nas > EnJeNoemtHetLiefde > gedicht "Cathechismus" van Ilja Leonard Pfeiffer
    wie wie wie wie wie wie wie …
    wie niet voelen wil zal horen
    zal zijn zeven oren tuiten op de maat van wellust
    lekkend van lekker
    in kleffe lendenen waar het plakt en druipt
    en je noemt het liefde
    --
    je noemt het voor de ander liefde
    zal druipende kinbak vetzwelgend
    boeren van bier
    lekkend van lekker
    en je noemt het liefde
    --
    liefde noem je het voor het goede
    zal van gretig graaien met grijpgrage handjes
    en verraden wie voor de goede zaak verraden moet worden
    en je noemt het liefde
    --
    liefde noem je het voor jezelf
    want wie zichzelf niet zal ook niemand
    zal als een geit licht blauw liggen
    tot het avonduur kriekt en achteloos verfluimen
    en je noemt het liefde
    --
    noemt het liefde voor eeuwig
    zal woedend ontkennen wat is en inslaan op al wat niet aanstaat
    timmerend op smoelwerk
    en je noemt het recht en liefde voor juist
    --
    zal groen als een hond misgunnen
    listige lagen grommend van afkeer en bijten
    en je noemt het voor jezelf de liefde
    --
    want wie zichzelf niet zal niemand
    zal trots als een purperen hengst hoog lopen
    onkrenkbaar
    en je noemt het voor jezelf de liefde
    --
    want wie zichzelf niet zal niemand
    zo viel de engel in de handen van mensen
    naar hem worden lippen gespitst door wie voelen wil
    want wie braaf als een rietje rilt op de maat van matige wind
    in een bang lagedrukgebied vol gehoorzame diertjes
    want wie pastelkleurig zondagschetst in een plooirok
    en tuitend de lipjes van oei stift
    want wie niet valt als een engel en zwelgt in zijn val
    zal om lief te hebben
    herscheppen niet
    en zingen niet
    en horen niet
    hoe het voelt om lief te hebben
    ***
    qui qui qui qui qui qui qui …
    qui n’écoute pas le sentira
    sifflera ses sept oreilles à la mesure de la volupté
    succulent de succulent
    dans les reins moites où cela colle et coule
    et vous appelez cela amour
    --
    vous appelez cela amour pour l’autre
    menton dégoulinant gras
    rots de bière
    succulent de succulent
    et vous appelez cela amour
    --
    vous appelez cela amour pour le bien
    avidement ravira petites mains ravissantes
    et trahir qui pour la bonne cause doit être trahis
    et vous appelez cela amour
    --
    vous appelez cela amour pour vous-même
    car qui ni pour soi pour personne
    sera affalé bleu clair comme une chèvre
    jusqu’au soir se lève et insouciant se crache
    et vous appelez cela amour
    --
    appelez cela amour pour l’éternité
    niera furieux
    et tapera ce qui déplaît
    martelant les gueules
    et vous appelez cela justice et amour pour le bon
    --
    enviera vert comme chien
    couche rusée grognant de dégoût et mord
    et vous appelez cela amour pour vous-même
    --
    car qui ni pour soi pour personne
    marchera haut fier comme un étalon pourpre
    inoffensable
    et vous appelez cela amour pour vous-même
    --
    car qui ni pour soi pour personne
    ainsi tomba l’ange aux mains de gens
    vers lui tendent les lèvres de qui veut subir
    car qui comme une paille tremble
    au gré d’un vent moyen
    au sein d’une dépression peuplée d’animaux dociles
    car qui peint dilettante pastel en jupe plissée
    les lèvres en coeur de ai de l’encre
    car qui ne tombe comme l’ange et rafle dans sa chute
    ne pourra pour aimer
    pas recréer
    pas chanter
    pas entendre
    ce que c’est d’aimer
  • William Byrd > Mass for four Voices / Sanctus
    Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
    Dominus Deus Sabaoth:
    Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua.
    Hosanna in excelsis.
    Benedictus qui venit in
    nomine Domini:
    Hosanna in excelsis.
    ***
    Holy, holy, holy
    Lord, God of power and might;
    Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
    Hosanna in the highest.
    Blessed is he who comes in
    the name of the Lord.
    Hosanna in the highest.
  • William Byrd > Mass for four Voices / Agnus Dei
    Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
    miserere nobis.
    Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
    miserere nobis.
    Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
    dona nobis pacem.
    ***
    Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world;
    have mercy on us.
    Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world;
    have mercy on us.
    Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world;
    grant us peace.
  • William Byrd > In Nomine n°2
    Gloria Tibi Trinitas,
    aequalis una Deitas,
    et ante omnia saecula,
    et nunc,
    et in perpetuum.

SECRET MASSES played among others on the following locations:

2010
MECHELEN / MALINES - cultureel centrum
2009
LUIK / LIEGE - Eglise Saint-Barthélémy
GENK - cc Genk
2008
BRUGGE / BRUGES - MAfestival - stadsschouwburg
BRUSSEL / BRUXELLES - flagey
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BL!NDMAN       contact info

Sainctelettesquare 18-19
B-1000 Bbrussels, Belgium
+32 2 201 59 47

office:
artistic direction:
management:   M +32 473 24 35 85
finance and production:   M +32 485 30 98 01
technique:   M +32 476 44 01 26

BL!NDMAN is supported by the Arts Administration of the Ministry of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Community Commission of the Brussels-Capital Region. BL!NDMAN [sax] play Selmer Paris Saxophones.