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Ars Musica Chicago

January 4, 2005
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As this issue was going to press, word was received of the
death of Dr. Enrique Alberto Arias on December 1. An obituary will appear in
the February issue.

Catholicism, Controversy, and Culture in 19th-Century

On Saturday, May 1, National Louis University in conjunction
with DePaul University and Ars Musica Chicago presented a single-day
symposium/concert entitled “Catholicism, Controversy, and Culture in
19th-Century France.” This event explored the issues and controversies
linking French religion and politics during the later Romantic period.

Georges Ucko, a representative of the French Cultural
Services, welcomed the audience. Father Edward Udovic, executive vice-president of DePaul University, then presented a paper in which he explored the role held by the powerful Vincentian community during the tumultuous 19th century.
Historically confessors to the king since the time of Louis XIII, the
Vincentian community aligned itself with the most powerful factions in the
French government. Dr. Simone Zurawski presented a paper that explored the
relationship of the Vincentian community to the plastic arts. Dr. Elinor Olin
of National-Louis University presented a paper on the oratorio’s place in
French musical life during the Romantic period. Oratorios were often presented
in theaters rather than churches and usually reflected favorite French
historical and political themes. At the conclusion of the symposium, Dr.
Enrique Alberto Arias gave a brief overview of Fernand de Beaufranchet
(1845-1927), an interesting gentleman-composer who was the focus of the
symposium.

A concert then followed in which excerpts from
Beaufranchet’s oratorios St. Louis (1899) and Vincent de Paul (1874) were
performed by Andrew Schultze, Enrique Alberto Arias, and other artists
associated with Ars Musica Chicago. These excerpts showed Beaufranchet to be a
composer well-trained in the sacred music style of the time and capable of
elegant and melodious music. The concert was followed by a wine and cheese
reception sponsored by the office of the Cultural Attaché of Consulate
General of France in Chicago.

The study of such a composer as Beaufranchet (although he is
now obscure) offers insights into the religious vocal compositions and organ
works of such masters as Gounod, Massenet, and Widor, all of whom thrived in
the same musical circles and espoused similar musical ideals. After the
Franco-Prussian War of 1870, French composers were aware of the nationalistic
implications of their teachings (as in the case of Vincent d’Indy) and
the role their music should play in the restoration of pride and confidence.

Vicomte Fernande de Beaufranchet (1845-1927) studied
sight singing and piano with César Franck. However, his principal
composition studies were with Victor-Frédéric Verrimst, a
well-known musical figure in Paris in the later 19th century and a professor at
the Paris Conservatory. Beaufranchet had connections with Jules Massenet and
Léo Delibes, whose dedication of his celebrated ballet Coppélia
(1870) was to Beaufranchet. The Beaufranchet family had a distinguished history
and was important during the Napoleonic era. Fernand de Beaufranchet traced his
family back to Louis IX of France (1214-70), who was the subject of his
oratorio St. Louis (1899). Beaufranchet wrote in the style of the late Romantic
period in France and was particularly influenced by Charles Gounod.

Beaufranchet’s major compositions include:

Messe Solennelle (1872)

Les Sept Paroles du Christ (1872)

Vincent De Paul (1874)

St. Louis (1899)

Les Noces d’Attila (1905)

With the exception of the last work, the manuscripts for
these compositions are found in Special Collections of Richardson Library,
DePaul University. A copy of Les Sept Paroles du Christ can also be found at
the Newberry Library in Chicago. In addition to the compositions listed above,
Beaufranchet composed many religious works, songs, as well as piano
compositions. For further information, contact <[email protected]>.

Gregorian chant workshop

Ars Musica Chicago in conjunction with the Vincentian
Endowment Fund, DePaul University, presented its annual Gregorian chant workshop
at St. Vincent de Paul Church, Chicago, July 22-24. The theme of this
year’s workshop was “Chants of the Spanish Tradition.” On
Thursday, July 22, Dr. Jeffrey Wasson of DePaul University’s School of
Music presented an overview of various non-Gregorian chant traditions. Dr.
Wasson’s presentation made clear that such chant bodies as Beneventan,
Gallican, and Old Roman are as important as the central Gregorian corpus,
although these other chants were more local and related to specific rites. Dr.
Enrique Alberto Arias then presented an overview of the chants of the Spanish
tradition in which he noted that Mozarabic chant (Mozarabic referring to
Christians living in Spain during the Moorish occupation) was really an oral
tradition; thus we are left with little knowledge as to how these chants
actually sounded. Later chants also are specific to Spain, such as the chants
for the Office of St. James (the patron of Spain) found in the Sanctoral de
Visperas, a Spanish convent manuscript of 1653 held by De Paul University’s
Richardson Library.

These opening lectures were followed by the workshop portion
under the guidance of Dr. Robert Finster. Participants sang chants from Spain, including the Spanish Tantum Ergo. A section of the workshop was devoted to Gregorian sequences as well as to Franciscan chants from a 1773 source at the Newberry Library. Emphasis was placed on the autonomy and importance of the
Franciscan chants, many of which were created after the Middle Ages. A
concluding portion of this performance workshop explored how Spanish
polyphonists of the 16th century included chants in their sacred works.

The highlight of this event was the concert presented by Ars
Musica Chicago on Sunday, July 25, at St. Vincent de Paul Church. This concert
overviewed Spanish sacred repertory from the 12th through the 18th centuries.
Selections from the Llibre Vermell (14th century) and the Codex Calixtinus
(12th century) were included as were several Cantigas de Santa María
(13th century). Excerpts from a monodic Mass to St. Francis from the Newberry
1773 manuscript just mentioned revealed a charming composition apparently
intended for congregational use. An exciting climax of this concert was the
Ensalada Obra de Octavo Tono Alto for organ by Sebastían Aguilera de
Heredia (1561-1627). The many contrasting sections highlighted various
registrations, including the trumpet stop (a Spanish trait). Dr. Robert Finster
performed the work with verve and style.