Lisa Scola Prosek's Libera Me For Chorus, Soloists and String Orchestra was commissioned by the American Composers Forum as a Community Engagement Grant. The purpose of the commission was to bring together two of San Francisco's musical ensembles, The Schola Cantorum San Francisco, and the San francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra, for a single concert of new music. Libera Me was written specifically for these two ensembles, with solos that showcase the singers of the Schola Cantorum.The text is from the Catholic Mass.

In 1982 I received a set of post cards with poetry by women poets. I started setting them to music, but only finished one, She Was Beautiful and Wicked by Nina Cassian, who is a Romanian refugee living in New York. The piece was premiered by the San Francisco Civic Chorale, of which I was then a member. When it was announced recently that the SFCCO would be colaborating with Scola Cantorum to do a choral concert, I selected one of the other poems from the set, I’m Terribly Soft, by Sarah Kirsch, which became the third number of tonight’s piece. For the middle number I created a text using random fragments from Writing Is an Aid to Memory by Lyn Hejinian, who teaches at U.C. Berkeley. These three poems are set in contrasting musical styles ­ stridently romantic, intellectual but with feeling, and lushly romantic. - Jan Pusina

Canticle of the Sun by Alexis Alrich is based up the poem by St. Francis of Assisi in praise of the creator and creation. St. Francis was born in 1181, the son of a wealthy merchant, and after a riotous youth he underwent a conversion and renounced money and possessions. The sun, moon, fire, earth and even death are personified as “brother sun,” “sister moon,” “mother earth,” and so on, and described in colorful detail. I was attracted by this vibrant imagery and by the lyrical language which is partway between classical Latin and modern Italian.

Canticle of the Sun Altissimu, omnipotente, bonsignore, tue sono le laude la gloria et l'honore et omne benedictione. Ad te solo, Altissimo, se konfano et nullu homo enne dignu te mentovare. Laudato si, mi signore, cum tucte le tue creature, spetialmente messer lo frate sole, loquale iorni et allumini noi per lui. Et ellu e bellu e radiante cum grande splendore : de te, Altissimo, porta significatione. Laudato si, mi signore, per sora luna ele stelle: in celu lai formate clarite et pretiose et belle. Laudate si, mi signore, per frate vento, et per aere et nubilo et sereno et omne tempo per loquale a le tue creature dai sustentamento. Laudato si, mi signore, per sor aqua, laquale e multo utile et humile et pretiosa et casta. Laudato si, mi signore, per frate focu, per loquale ennalumini la nocte: et ellu e bello et iocundo et robustoso et forte. Laudato si, mi signore, per sora nostra matre terra, laquale ne sustenta et governa, et produce diverse fructi con coloriti flori et herba. Laudato si, mi signore, per quelli ke perdonano per lo tuo amore et sostengo infirmitate et tribulatione. Beate quelli kel susterranno in pace, ka da te, Altissimo, sirano incoronati. Laudato si, mi signore, per sora nostra morte corporale, da laquale nullu homo vivente po skappare. Guai acqueli ke morrano ne le peccata mortali! Beati quelli ke trovarane le tue santissime voluntati, ka la morte secunda nol fara' male. Laudate et benedicite, mi signore, et rengratiate et servite lo cum grande humilitate. --St. Francis of Assisi

Canticle of the Sun Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honor And all blessing. To vou alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy To pronounce your name. All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made, And first my lord Brother Sun, Who brings the day; and light you give to us through him. How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars; In the heavens you have made them, bright And precious and fair. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, And fair and stormy, all the weather's moods, By which you cherish all that you have made. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water, So useful, lowly, precious, and pure. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire, Through whom you brighten up the night. How beautiful he is, how gay! Full of power and strength. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother, Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces Various fruits and colored flowers and herbs. All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon For love of you; through those who endure Sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, By you, Most High, they will be crowned. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death, From whose embrace no mortal can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those She finds doing your will! The second death can do no harm to them. Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks, And serve him with great humility. --St. Francis of Assisi

Sempervirens was written in my studio overlooking Sam MacDonald Park in La Honda. The studio offers a panoramic view of a majestic forest of California redwood trees, Sequoia sempervirens. Sempervirens literally means “always green.” The text was inspired by Mary Oliver’s poem,”Wild Geese.”

Sempervirens

Sempervirens, ancient tree, great tree,
you don’t have to be heard.
You do not have to wonder if your song
will be heard in a hundred years, remembered,
You only have to let your long and sturdy branches
sway with the wind without resisting.
Tell me of your past and I will tell of mine.
Sempervirens, your life flows on, always living.
The dove and the white owl of the night
find shelter in your shadows,
over your mountains and your valleys,
soar the redtail and the eagle.
I wonder if human voices
will be singing high again?
No matter what I say, no matter what I do,
your beauty plants itself inside my memory;
soothes me in a pure, sweet voice.
Now and forever, my song remains whole
in your always living heart.

Missa Beati Notkeri Balbuli Sancti Galli Monachi by Dr. Erling Wold