Newsletter - Past Articles
Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata (Sinfonia Sacra)
by Christine Montano-Saad, MDC member
November, 2006. Half Notes Newsletter
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Christmas Cantata, composed for the New England Conservatory Chorus and Lorna C. DeVaron, who conducted its premiere on December 1, 1957, utilizes traditional Nativity texts. Subtitled Sinfonia Sacra, it is inspired by the Baroque polychoral works of Giovanni Gabrielli and Heinrich Schutz, as well as Pinkham’s interest in and passion for early music. MDC director Pascaretti states, “Daniel Pinkham is successful in blending the rhythmic vitality and polychoral style into a cohesive unit that is fresh and very successful in describing the text through his music.” Listen carefully to the first movement and you will also hear another inspiration in the irregular rhythms of Stravinsky’s style. This movement is a dialogue between the angelic chorus asking shepherds, “Whom did you see?” with shepherds answering in a lilting, majestic response, “We saw Him who was born.” In contrast, movement two juxtaposes vocal with brass choir in a Dorian chant-like melody “imbued with wonder and mystery of the Incarnation”, according to Mr. Pascaretti.
“Even if you don’t understand the [Latin] text, Pinkham is very successful in describing the text through his music.” The final movement is joyous and celebratory, with Pinkham’s use of lively dance rhythms, chorus, brass and organ to the work’s conclusion.
