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Dormi Jesu (Sleep Jesus)
Finalist for the Ithaca Choral Composition Competition
Voicing: SATB a cappella (non divisi)Text: Anonymous
Language: Latin
Duration: 4:45 min.
Premiere: July, 2001; Paris, France; Mark Shapiro, conductor
Published by: G. Schirmer: Dale Warland Choral Series, Cat No. 50486936
Score Sample: PREVIEW THE SCORE (pdf)
REVIEWS (Click to view/hide)
Dormi, Jesu (Abbie Betinis) - pub. G. Schirmer:
Abbie's compositional voice is fresh yet accessible. This particular piece is a masterful blend of line and colorful verticalities that never crosses the line into sappiness. The publisher likens the style as a cross between Bruckner and Messiaen, but it is worth noting that Betinis uses harmony, melodic impetus and texture in her own way. A beautiful piece for anytime of year, but especially for the holidays.
Drew Collins, conductor. Reprinted from "Choral Director."
Abbie's compositional voice is fresh yet accessible. This particular piece is a masterful blend of line and colorful verticalities that never crosses the line into sappiness. The publisher likens the style as a cross between Bruckner and Messiaen, but it is worth noting that Betinis uses harmony, melodic impetus and texture in her own way. A beautiful piece for anytime of year, but especially for the holidays.
Drew Collins, conductor. Reprinted from "Choral Director."
LISTEN:
Dormi Jesu: mp3, 4:42, 4.4 MB
Performed by Ensemble of the North. Patrick McDonough, conductor.
WATCHPort Washington High School Concert Choir (2010-11), Port Washington, Wisconsin.
PROGRAM NOTE:
Dormi, Jesu was written in July of 2001, just after visiting some glorious European cathedrals with the St. Olaf Choir. The piece was inspired by Anton Bruckner’s “Os Justi” and Olivier Messiaen’s “O Sacrum Convivium,” both on the choir’s European tour program that summer. Dormi, Jesu was premiered under the direction of Mark Shapiro at l’Eglise Saint Severin in Paris, France just a few days after its completion, and was a finalist for the Ithaca Choral Composition Competition in fall of 2004, where it was given its US premiere by the West Genessee High School Chorale. The piece is dedicated to Dr. Anton Armstrong and the members of the St. Olaf Choir 2000-2001, with great admiration.
TEXTS:
This text and translation are in the public domain, and may be reprinted from this website for use in concert programs and for promotional use as related to this musical work.
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Dormi Jesu Dormi, Jesu. Mater ridet Quae tam dulcem somnum videt. Dormi, Jesu, blandule. Si non dormis, mater plorat. Inter fila cantans orat, Blande, veni, somnule. Anonymous |
Sleep Jesus Sleep, Jesus. Thy mother smiles when she sees such gentle slumber. Sleep Jesus, gently. If you do not sleep, your mother cries. And, singing, prays as she weaves: "Come, gentle sleep." Translation by Abbie Betinis (and dictionary) |
Performed by:
Bel Voce - Harrisburg, PA (Teresa Bowers, conductor)
Biggar Singers - Biggar, SCOTLAND
Choir of St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church - St. Paul, MN (James Frazier, conductor)
Choir of King's Chapel - Boston, MA (Heinrich Christensen, conductor)
Church of St Andrew, Adult Choir - Newtonville, MA (Amelia LeClair, cond.)
Ensemble of the North - Minneapolis, MN (Patrick McDonough, conductor)
Magnum Chorum - Minneapolis, MN (Ralph Johnson, conductor)
Oriana Consort - Cambridge, MA (Walter Chapin, director)
Paris Singing Adventure - Paris, France (Mark Shapiro, conductor)
Philadelphia Singers (David Hayes, conductor)
Port Washington High School Chorus - Port Washington, WI
Rocky Mountain Chamber Singers - Loveland, CO (Ann Bunyan, conductor)
Rudsambee Company of Singers - Edinburgh, SCOTLAND
Schola Nocturna - Newton, MA (Amelia LeClair, cond.)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Concert Choir - Lincoln, NE (Sean Burton, conductor)
Valborgkoor - The Netherlands (Árpád Schermann, conductor)
Vox Humana - Zonta, Austria (Wolfgang Ziegler, conductor)
West Genessee High School Chorale - West Genessee, NY (Anthony Alvaro, conductor)
(Have you performed this work? Contact me to add your ensemble.)Biggar Singers - Biggar, SCOTLAND
Choir of St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church - St. Paul, MN (James Frazier, conductor)
Choir of King's Chapel - Boston, MA (Heinrich Christensen, conductor)
Church of St Andrew, Adult Choir - Newtonville, MA (Amelia LeClair, cond.)
Ensemble of the North - Minneapolis, MN (Patrick McDonough, conductor)
Magnum Chorum - Minneapolis, MN (Ralph Johnson, conductor)
Oriana Consort - Cambridge, MA (Walter Chapin, director)
Paris Singing Adventure - Paris, France (Mark Shapiro, conductor)
Philadelphia Singers (David Hayes, conductor)
Port Washington High School Chorus - Port Washington, WI
Rocky Mountain Chamber Singers - Loveland, CO (Ann Bunyan, conductor)
Rudsambee Company of Singers - Edinburgh, SCOTLAND
Schola Nocturna - Newton, MA (Amelia LeClair, cond.)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Concert Choir - Lincoln, NE (Sean Burton, conductor)
Valborgkoor - The Netherlands (Árpád Schermann, conductor)
Vox Humana - Zonta, Austria (Wolfgang Ziegler, conductor)
West Genessee High School Chorale - West Genessee, NY (Anthony Alvaro, conductor)