Commission Competition | Q & A
The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir sat down for a chat with Daniel J. Knaggs, winner of the 2010 Christmas Carol Commission Competition.
“Quem Pastores Laudavere,” written by Daniel J. Knaggs, was selected as the winner of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir’s annual Christmas Carol Commission Competition. Now in its second year, the competition attracts new choral works from young, emerging composers from the United States and Europe. Submissions were received throughout the summer of 2010 and the winning composition was selected in October. The world premiere performance will be given as part of the Symphonic Choir’s Festival of Carols concerts on Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5 and the composer will be present.
Click here for tickets to the performances.
How would you describe your composition, “Quem Pastores Laudavere” to our audience?
Daniel: I would describe “Quem Pastores Laudavere” as a celebratory piece that portrays joy and excitement but it also contains moments of awe and reverence at the incarnation of Christ: where God is born as a little baby! I am also inclined to see this composition as a small offering that I make in unison with voices proclaiming this same thing throughout the past two millenia: Christus natus est!
The process of writing music appears to be a combination of artistry, patience and inspiration. How did this piece come into being?
Daniel: I would have to attribute this piece mostly to inspiration. I think composers sometimes begin writing a piece, and then, after a while we have to really push ourselves to finish it – even if we aren't feeling particularly inspired. After all, there are deadlines and commitments to honor. But “Quem Pastores Laudavere” was one of those more gratifying experiences. One phrase came right after another and I heard pretty clearly what I needed to write. I had a wealth of rich imagery to draw from (visual and sonic imagery, one might say) from angels singing, to the most pure and beautiful Baby being adored by strangers and parents alike, of light dispelling darkness, and on and on. I think the text is really striking and it really spoke to me, making this piece's genesis more effortless than that of some other pieces I have composed very dutifully.
When you’re not writing music, what do you enjoy doing?
Daniel: When I'm not writing music, I'm am a full-time high school Spanish teacher, which I do enjoy. But I also enjoy running, pick up soccer, and spending time and laughing with my family and friends. I enjoy traveling, especially when it requires languages other than English and I like listening to many types of music, live or recorded. Oh... and I really enjoy singing in the shower... just ask my poor neighbors!
Give us a little musical guidance! For what should our audience be listening as the piece is performed?
Daniel: It's hard to think of what one might listen for – sometimes it's best to just let a piece "wash over you" and experience it, even if you can't describe it with words afterward. But I can say that I intended the listener to hear and even experience joy and excitement in this piece. I have included bell-like figures in repeated "Glorias" sung by different parts of the choir as one way to paint a picture of joyous celebration.
Listeners should also be able to perceive a sense of profound reverence and awe in this piece. In moments like these, the tempo slows down quite a bit, and the voices become more gentle and subdued, especially in the realization: "Christ is born... born today... of a virgin!" So there is plenty of contrast and plenty of text painting as with the passage that exhorts us to sing with "sweet melody..." it's as if the piece takes a brief detour to do just that... singing with a wandering melody. But I'm sure each individual listener will bring their own insight and sensibilities to this piece, just as they do to all music.
Finally, I can't understate how special and invaluable it is to hear this piece (or any piece) performed live by human voices. The sound and overtones can never be captured perfectly by recordings, so I would encourage the audience to listen, throughout the entire concert, to the extraordinary subtleties and nuances produced so incredibly by human voices.
