But Love Is Stronger (2024) by Lukáš Janata

Performed on May 19th, 2024 as part of Cantori New York's spring concert series at Church of the Holy Apostles, 296 Ninth Ave, NYC.

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BUT LOVE IS STRONGER

00:00 Part I
12:21 Part II
24:23 Part III
31:27 Part IV
40:24 Part V
56:20 Applause

Lyrics at: https://cantorinewyork.com/s/But-Love...

At its core, "But Love Is Stronger" is a testament to the indomitable power of love to transcend even the darkest of circumstances, offering solace, healing, and the promise of renewal. Through its poignant and stark setting, which weaves together the poetry of Lord Byron, Emily Brontë, Christina Rossetti, and e.e. cummings, the cantata speaks to the universal yearning for connection and the transformational power of love to illuminate the path forward.

Using a rich tapestry of allusions and metaphors, it does not follow a linear story but paints vivid scenes and evolving mental states, capturing the complexities of starting anew amidst the weight of the past. From the depths of sorrow to the hopeful dawn of new beginnings, the performer and the listener navigate a chiaroscuro of optimism and darker reminiscence, reflecting the nuanced emotions inherent in the transformative journey.

Lord Byron’s evocative poem “Darkness” plunges the reader starkly into the so-called “Year Without Summer”—the aftermath of the catastrophic eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815. However, right from the beginning, Emily Brontë’s “The Two Children” disrupts Byron’s narrative, injecting innocence into the bleak landscape.

As the narrative unfolds, the choir laments the plight of the child thrust into this harsh reality, encountering a guardian angel who extends a tender offering of solace and protection.

Here the story takes an unexpected turn, as it transitions from a traditional linear character development into a deeper, more metaphoric exploration of the human experience.

In Christina Rossetti’s “De Profundis,” the depths of despair are echoed, yet within the despair lies the seed of resilience. It is in this emotional landscape that e.e. cummings’ introspective verses emerge, guiding the narrative towards an exploration of transformation through the redemptive force of love. Through cummings’ poetry, the journey of the human spirit unfolds, from seeking solace in love’s embrace to discovering inner strength and resilience, offering a beacon of hope amidst the darkness.

—Notes by Lukáš Janata

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Featuring (in chronological order):

Benjamin Haile, narrator
Michael Phillips, narrator

Additional narration by Ben Keiper

Sami Merdinian, violin I
Yukiko Kuhara, violin II
Chieh-Fan Yiu, viola
Julia Lee, cello
Patrick Duff, bass
Ben Fingland, clarinet & bass clarinet
Stella Perlic, percussion

Wei En Chan, countertenor

Helen Delphia, alto
Blake Hurlburt, tenor

Maggie Dobbins, soprano
Ben Keiper, tenor
Richard Berg, bass

Audio: Swan Studios NYC / Richard Berg
Video: Jacob McCoy / Richard Berg

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Lukáš Janata, a Czech San Francisco-based artist and composer, explores empathy in various forms, serving as a composer, educator, performer, and organizer. His recent endeavors include board directorship at The Resonance Project, a nonprofit focused on the use of music as a means of conflict resolution through neuroscience. He co-organized a Ukraine benefit Concert of Compassion in San Francisco, uniting national American and Ukrainian artists on one stage. Lukáš co-curated SUMU in Helsinki, supported by the EU Commission and the international empathy-provoking new music festival ECHOES in Prague. He instructs at The Walden School and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Lukáš’ 2024 achievements include: residencies at the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, and ISCM’s VICC (Sweden); the Susan and Ford Schumann Fellowship for the 2024 Aspen Music Festival; and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s DeGaetano Composition Fellowship. His compositions have been commissioned by renowned ensembles, including the San Francisco Symphony, Cantori New York, Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, Friction Quartet, 2LOW, Bluvenduo, and Punkt Prague, among others.

Lukáš has received several awards such as the Highsmith Award (2022), Southwest American Prize (2019), Kühn Choir of Prague Composition Award (2022), and International Composition Competition Riga (2014). His composition mentors include John Corigliano, David Conte, and Otomar Kvěch.

https://www.lukasjanata.cz/

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Cantori New York is an acclaimed chamber chorus specializing in new & neglected music.
https://cantorinewyork.com

Mark Shapiro, Artistic Director

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.

This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.