The electronics in "De Tinieblas" serve a triple role: densifying the choir, speaking the Hebrew alphabet letters melismatically, and creating a sonic backdrop that accompanies the piece.
Performer Biography
The SWR Vokalensemble, the radio choir of SWR, is an international top ensemble known for its vocal competence and stylistic flexibility, with over 250 works written for them.
Composition History
The premiere of "De Tinieblas" was repeatedly postponed for two years due to the ongoing waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Performer Biography
Yuval Weinberg, the conductor, has been the artistic director of the SWR Vokalensemble since 2020 and has won numerous international conducting prizes.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Instead of the traditional Lamentations of Jeremiah, Stefano Gervasoni set a contemporary poem cycle by José Ángel Valente, titled "Tres lecciones de tinieblas," for his composition.
Composition History
Composer Stefano Gervasoni conceived "De Tinieblas" in 2016 as a modern take on the French Baroque tradition of "Leçons de Ténèbres" for choir and electronics.
Composition History
Stefano Gervasoni composed "De Tinieblas" between late 2019 and April 2020, during the global lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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