Path of Miracles, composed by Joby Talbot (b. Aug. 25, 1971), was written in 2005 following a commission from the vocal chamber group Tenebrae. Under the direction of Nigel Short, Tenebrae’s first performance was scheduled for July 7, 2005 in London, but was delayed because of the bombings that shook the city that day. The City of London Festival quickly rescheduled the event, and the world premiere took place on July 17, 2005, at St. Bartholomew-the-Great Church in London.
Contents
Synopsis
A pilgrimage in composition, Path of Miracles is a journey, as the four movement titles (Roncesvalles, Burgos, León and Santiago) are the four main posts along one of the most taxing pilgrimage routes in Roman Catholic tradition. Using selections from the medieval texts Codex Calixtinus, Miragres de Santiago, and Roman Catholic liturgy, Path of Miracles incorporates musical styles from the Taiwanese Bunun people to the pilgrim’s hymn Dum Pater Familias, and is sung in Greek, Latin, Spanish, Basque, French, English and German. Robert Dickinson is the librettist and the composition is scored a cappella for SSSSSAAAATTTTBBBB, published by Chester Novello.
Path of Miracles is dedicated to the memory of Talbot’s father, Vincent Talbot (1916-2005).
Roncesvalles
The opening movement, Roncesvalles, begins Path of Miracles at a geographically popular starting point for the pilgrimage. As the choir begins a mysterious glissando (termed Pasiputput, from the Bunun people), travel is ingrained in the stage direction, calling the tenors and basses from offstage to join the main choir. The aura is open and overwhelming as multiple languages and sound clusters of E major and E minor fill the air, finally climaxing with a fortissimo E minor chord featuring “bells,” played by crotales. Talbot uses ostinatos throughout the composition extensively, emulating the long walk endured by the pilgrims. Talbot also employs clashing tonalities, encapsulating the pain endured physically as well as the intense mental contemplation that a pilgrimage necessitates. While the basses drone pedal tones, a slow rhythmic transformation develops into a driving engine that, with gradually shorter and more syncopated rhythms, propels the music forward. In all, Rocesvalles replays the life and martyrdom of St. James and conveys to how his body came to rest in Santiago.
Burgos
Burgos, is epitomized with the final lines: Ora pro nobis, Jacobe/A finibus terrae ad te clamavi (Pray for us, O Jacob/From the end of the earth I cry to you). A direct quote from Psalm 61, Burgos is a prayer. Reflecting on disease, death and other tests of faith, this movement is written for the penitent as the reality of the pilgrimage sets in. Beginning in a homophonic choral setting, as the movement progresses the voices gain independence, become polyphonic, and encapsulate the impressive church and bells at Burgos.
León
Voices of the angelic choir herald León, the last post remaining before Santiago, a stark contrast to the pleading prayers evoked in Burgos. Ostinatos, like previous movements, are the backdrop Talbot uses to set his melodies, like a psalm-tone in Gregorian chant. The harmonies are more consonant, and even the texts reflect a hopeful and aspiring love: Beate, qui habitant in domo tua, Domine; In saecula saeculorum laudabant te (Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee [Psalm 84:4]). Diatonic and step-wise in motion, the simplicity of melody is a chant, a song of wonder, for the graces of God’s gifts.
Santiago
Reminiscent of the melody from Roncesvalles, the opening chant for Santiago is a lone voice recalling the scenery and difficulties of the journey thus far. A soloist speaks, in English, of the landscape and road to Santiago, while the supporting choir begins the rhythmic drive first encountered in Roncesvalles. Talbot employs Debussy-like planing harmonies, creating tonal ambiguity while the bass melody is employed as the driving rhythmic engine that propels the movement into the joyous following section (e.g. Figure 4, m.1 G major chord with A added, leading to a dominant 7th E minor chord, m. 2 G MM7 to a F-sharp minor/major 7th, then sequence repeats). The spirit and joy of the end to the physically and spiritually tumultuous journey, Dickinson uses the liturgical language of Latin to phrase his comments on the saint’s life, the choir singing a prayer to St. James:
At the sight of the end ahead, the pilgrim’s hymn is heard again. The choir sings a jubilant aspiration to heaven while slowly walking offstage, symbolizing a turning away to reflection, worship and prayer.
Performances
The choral groups Tenebrae, The Crossing Conspirare, and Peregrine Vocal Ensemble have performed Path of Miracles publicly in concert. The Virginia Choral performed the work in 2014 in Norfolk, Virginia. Voces Boreales of Montreal as well as Pro Coro Canada of Edmonton, both under the direction of Michael Zaugg, also have performed this piece in various Canadian venues. There are two recordings of the composition, one by Tenebrae with Nigel Short conducting, produced by Gabriel Crouch, and distributed by Signum Classics and the other by Conspirare with Craig Hella Johnson conducting. There is a recording of the third movement, "León", by Tenebrae on Signum Classics (via YouTube). A full recording of Path of Miracles may be heard via Naxos Music Library.