The story of Christ's final days on Earth, from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, through the Last Supper, to Gethsemane, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, has been told many times, put probably never more eloquently than in the King James version of the Bible.
Some of the most beloved words and phrases we know come from those passages, says Lex de Azevedo, who has written an oratorio, "Hosanna," celebrating those words.
"'Hosanna' is the only work that I know of that sets that entire period to music, using just the scriptural texts from King James." The text has been edited down, but every word that appears in the oratorio comes directly from scripture, he says. "A lot of those words are too sacred to be made into songs; they only work in the context of the entire story."
"Hosanna" will be performed this weekend at St. Paul's Episcopal church, with George Dyer singing the words of Christ, Greg Pearson as Peter, Melinda Lockwood as Mary Magdalen, and Jenny Oaks Baker performing a violin allegro. The work will also feature two choirs: the Millennium Choir in front, and the Salt Lake Community College Chamber Singers as an antiphonal choir at the back of the church.
"Hosanna" debuted in Jerusalem in 2000. It was first performed in Salt Lake City later that year, and has been performed here a couple of times since. De Azevedo would like to make it an annual Easter tradition. "It's the ultimate Easter event," he says.
"There are two great stories in the world: the birth of Christ and the end of his life." And as powerful and revered as the birth story is, he says, "if you think about it, the end is even greater. It is the culmination, the end of the great, the atonement, the everything."
It was a challenge to set to music, he says. Sometimes he would labor over a certain text or phrase. "Sometimes things would come all at once. But when it came together, text and music, I would just feel a burning."
It is also emotionally draining to perform — for both the audience and the performers. "After you go through the trial and the crucifixion, it's so intense. That's why I added the "Allegro for Violin;" to give everyone a chance to breathe."
The allegro is one of his favorite pieces he's ever written, he says, which, indeed, is saying something, given his long career as a composer, working in everything from film and orchestral to sacred and choral music. "It's also a difficult piece, but Jenny does it beautifully. Sometimes, you don't need the words. The music celebrates the emotional range of the life of Christ from the depths of violence to the sublime joy of eternal life. Nothing can parallel emotions like music can."
Baker shares his passion for the piece. "I absolutely adore this music," she said in a telephone chat from her home in Virginia. "I could almost say it's my favorite thing to perform. I'd move mountains to get to do it."
That's one reason that after she comes out here for the performances, the choir and soloists will do four performances in the Washington, D.C., area. "I just knew we had to do it here. I dream of the whole world experiencing it."
The whole work, she said, "is a profound, spiritual experience. It touches me, moves me. And yet it is so accessible. The melodies are just beautiful."
Dyer echoes those sentiments. "There's such a passion, such an emotional feeling to the melodies. I compare it in some ways to a Puccini opera. Puccini is known for capturing that same deep emotion."
And there are such beautiful, intimate moments in this work, he says. "The lessons Jesus taught at this time were not for the world. They were for his closest associates. Some of his most profound and beautiful messages were given at the Last Supper, and then at Gethsemane. Even at the Crucifixion, which was a spectacle for the world, the comments were very personal: to his mother, to his father. That's what is so amazing about singing this piece. To sing those words with melodies that are so fitting, it's an amazing experience."
And the ending is so uplifting, says Dyer. "It's an unbelievable experience, musically, vocally. The joy of the Resurrection, of overcoming everything. For me, it's one of the most amazing things I've ever sung."
Pearson agrees. He, too, has been part of "Hosanna" since the beginning. "The debut in Jerusalem was probably the greatest religious experience I ever went through. To be there, to physically touch Golgotha, Gethsemane, the olive trees, and then to go in that night and sing about it was such a great experience."
And yet, the power of the music is such that the feeling is just as great here, he says. "It's a phenomenal piece."
As Baker says, "'Hosanna,' makes those beautiful words come to life. Now, whenever I read that story, I hear this music in my head."
If you go ...
What: Hosanna, an Easter oratorio
Where: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 261 S. 900 East
When: Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m.
How much: Reserved seating, $25 suggested donation; general admission, $15 suggested donation
E-mail: carma@desnews.com