Composition for mixed choir in the dome of Floda kyrka, an 11th century church in Katrineholm. Performed by Katrineholms kammarkör the 31th of May, 2017. Composition for ladies choir in the dome of Sofia Kyrka Performed by Cantores Sofiae 19th of May 2018. Supervisor: Karin Rehnqvist
WHEEL OF TIME / TIDEVARV
A nine parts suite inspired by traditional folk music from Scotland, Ireland and Dalarna in Sweden. Being human, living in a constant flow of darkness and light here on Earth, is being a part of a cycle, a wheel of time. For mixed choir and soloists.
By Maria Misgeld 2017
- THE ISLAND OF SORROWS / SORGEÖ
- HATH THIS DAY / HAVER DENNA DAG
- BREATHLESS / ANDLÖST
- BLESSINGS FOR A NEWBORN / VÄLSIGNELSE AV EN NYFÖDD
- THE DOVE ON THE BRANCH / DUFVAN PÅ QUIST
- THE SPACE / RUMMET
- WHEEL OF TIME / TIDEVARV
- READY FOR STORM / REDO FÖR STORM
- OH, THOU WHO CANST IN MAN BELEIVE / ACK DU SOM KAN PÅ MÄNNISKAN TRO
SINGING STYLE & SCENERY
Kulning – Herding call is an ancient singing style, traditionally used by women at the summer pastures to call the cattle and as a way of communicating with each other from a far distance. Herd calling are high pitched, melodic and strongly directed loops of music and calling that can be heard from several kilometers away. I use herd calling as a vocal expression in my compositions. Kulning is about liberating your voice and letting go and it demands space. That is why these songs should be sung in a room with high acoustics and long reverberation – like in a church or a dome. The singers should occupy the room with their voices and the soloists are to be placed at a good distance from the choir and the audience in order to feel free and to liberate their voices entirely.
My wish is that all the singers strive after a singing style that is close to the traditional way of singing. A speaking inspired song style, with a nasal and direct tone, where the voiced consonants n,m,l and ng have a fundamental function. Mainly without vibrato, but use vibrato to color and deepen the dramatic expression. The ornamentations are integrated in the language, and the narrative expressions.
Thanks to Katrineholm’s Chamber Choir and conductor Ingrid Falk for valuable input and great patience during the phase of composing and rehearsing. Thanks to Mathilda Sundin, Hanna Edh, Line Arstad Djurberg, Åsa Kruckenberg, Björn Gardner, Carina Wennberg, Jenny Andersson, Nathalie Holm, Karl Einar Olsson, André Hasselgren, and Olof Misgeld for letting me try out my music for you. Thanks to Leif Ottosson och Erik Ronström for the support at Scorecloud. Thanks to Gunilla Jonsson, Karin Ericsson Back and Eva Rune who have proofread my score and script. Thanks to Mia Edsö who helped me with the English translations. Thanks to John Pååg for the initial inspiration, from The Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm Karin Rehnqvist for guidance and for sharing your substantial craftsmanship and Susanne Rosenberg for supervising and supporting my entire master project, of which this suite is a part. Last, but not least, thanks to my musical sources of inspiration.
This suite is a gift to you all! // Maria Misgeld
First performance in Floda Kyrka by Katrineholm’s Chamber Choir under the direction of Ingrid Falk, May 31, 2017