Star of the Sea

Haney, Star of the Sea
The title refers to Josquin’s Latin mass Ave Maris Stella, portions of which are heard tonight. Haney takes the opening melodic incipit from the mass and scores it for solo cello. The broad sweep of the falling line is soon brought into striking contrast with a chordal accompaniment that sounds distinctly modern. This curious juxtaposition—between a modal melody and harmonies derived from 20th-century techniques of interval cycles and polychords—becomes the governing affect of Haney’s work. There is a dialectical satisfaction to be had: the Renaissance melody refracts its more contemporary, harmonic surroundings, while harmonic novelties also become grounded in tradition through their interaction with an ancient melody.

(c) Jason Stell