James Patten

About the composer
James Patten was born in Sheffield, England, in 1936. After studying composition in England and Germany he became Professor of Composition at Trinity College of Music and worked for the BBC Radio in London. His compositions range from Orchestral, Chamber and Choral music to include Light music, mostly written for educational purposes.
More information can be found at his website at http://www.jamespatten/.co.uk and you can listen to his Stabat Mater at http://mp3.com/jamespatten/

 About the Stabat Mater

Date 1995
Performers Mixed choir and trebles with string orchestra
Length 20.37 minutes
Particulars The Stabat Mater is easy to listen to, as it is in a tonal idiom. The conductor of the first performance, Richard Stangroom, described it as follows: "... the overall construction and integration of the subtle orchestral texture with the simpler choral writing is very impressive, but, above all, it is the integrity and expressive power of the music which remains in the memory"
Textual variations The text of the "Vatican"-version is used, but after the 19th stanza an "Amen" is added, and after the 20th stanza "Alleluia". The Stabat Mater is extended with some additional texts. The piece starts with part of the Gradual from the Mass for the Seven Sorrows of the B.V.M., a text that is also used by the Brazilian composer Joćo de Deus de Castro Lobo in his Stabat Mater:

I. Dolorosa et lacrimabilis es, Virgo Maria, stans iuxta Crucem Domini Jesu Filii tui Redemptoris
(Sad and to be pitied art thou, O Virgin Mary, standing by the Cross of the Redeemer, the Lord Jesus  thy Son).

After the 8th stanza the text of the Ave verum has been added.:
II. Ave verum corpus, natum de Maria Virgine. Vere passum, immolutum in cruce pro homine. Cuius latus perforatum unda fluxit sanquine. Esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine.
(All hail, true body, of the blessed Virgin born, Which in anguish to redeem us did suffer upon the cross; From whose side, when pearced by a spear, there came forth both water and blood. Be to us at our last hour the source of consolation.

The work is concluded by the Offertorium of the same Mass:
III.  Recordare Virgo Mater Dei, dum steteris in conspectu Domini, ut loquaris pro nobis bona: et ut avertat indignationem suam a nobis
(Be mindful, O Virgin Mother of God, when standing in the sight  of the Lord, to speak good things for us: that He may turn away His anger from us).

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CD information

CD James Patten Volume IV: Organ & Choral Works
About this CD This is not a CD by a commercial company, but received from Mr.Patten himself. Three other CD's have been dedicated to his Orchestral Music, his Chamber Music and his Light Music.
Orchestra City of London Chamber Players
Choir Banstead Musical Society (mixed choir) + John Fisher Choir (trebles)
Conductor Richard Stangroom
Other works James Patten, 5 Short Organ Preludes
Added Unknown PAT 01

E-mail: stabatmater@dds.nl

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