The Chamber of Prayer: Oratorio Without Words

ABSTRACT

The Chamber of Prayer: Oratorio Without Words is a piece in eight movements with additional opening and closing movements (prologue and epilogue). It is written for choir (soprano/alto/contralto/bass), string ensemble (violins I/II, viola, cello, and double bass), and two percussionists. Its duration is approximately forty minutes.

Traditionally, an oratorio employs texts to convey a dramatic narrative and is based on scripture; thus, the word-music relationship plays a central role in this genre. However, this experimental piece deconstructs the traditional oratorio structure to explore whether the music alone can deliver the substantive content that is usually provided by the text. Toward this aim, The Chamber of Prayer reframes liturgical hymns in a contemporary manner, while evoking Gregorian Chant and using church modes and psalm and antiphon structures from the Office. Instead of words, the singers use an artificial language consisting of sounds, thereby re-positioning the text-music relationship of the traditional oratorio so that the music itself delivers the narrative. This composition follows a liturgical structure based on the canonical hours: I. Matins; II. Lauds; III. Prime; IV. Terce; V. Sext; VI. None; VII. Vespers; and VIII. Compline. The piece can be performed whole, or each movement can be performed separately as a liturgy for each prayer hour’s specific time. In addition to the artificial language, each movement and includes descriptive musical elements, such as the stylized sounds of the dawning or darkening sky, falling rain, emerging beams of light, streaming sun, or footsteps in snow. By using musical language that includes an artificial language rather than text to drive the oratorio’s narrative, I intend to create a sacred space, a chamber of prayer, where both performers and audiences can engage in a common spiritual experience beyond text and creed.