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Mair, Dick le

Dick Le Mair

About the composer

Dick Le Mair is a Dutch composer and percussionist. He was born in The Hague in 1955. He grew up in a musical family and as such became involved with music at an early stage in his life. His father was church organist. Le Mair studied drums and percussion at the Rotterdam Conservatory with Fred Krens (drums), Willem Heesen (classical percussion), Jim Gordon (marimba), David Friedman (vibraphone jazz improvisation), Jan Laurens Hartong (Latin percussion), Albert Schaap and Ruud Bos (composition/arrangements). He composes music for choir, harmony and fanfare band, orchestra, ensembles, piano, theatre and film. Le Mair was initiator of many musical projects like Benedicat, a composition for the commemoration of Johannes Cele (1350-1417, Principle of the Latin school in Zwolle, Netherlands), Requiem for refugees, Impressions of a pilgrimage,  a musical impression of his own pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella and Via Crucis, based on the fourteen stations of the cross.

About the Stabat Mater

Date: 2014
Performers:

Mixed choir, piano, wind instruments, bass, marimba, percussion

Length: 45 minutes
Particulars:

I love to listen to this work. It is simple but it sounds incredible intense.Mair has chosen to use the Stabat Mater stanza at the fourth station, Jesus meets his mother, and not, as usual, at the twelfth station (Jesus died on the cross and his mother Mary is standing near the cross).
Do I hear 'some Bach' in this part? It reminds me of Bachs Cantate 106, Actus Tragicus.

Textual variations:

Le Mair's composition, Via Crucis, is based on the fourteen Stations of the Cross. Part 4 has the complete text of the first stanza of the Stabat Mater poem. The text in brackets is sung on the CD:
1st Station: Jesus is condemned to death (Innocens)
2nd Station: Jesus carries His cross(Crucifige)
3rd Station: Jesus falls the first time (Jesus Cadit)
4th Station: Jesus meets his mother (Stabat Mater)
5th Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross (instrumental)
6th Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus (Crucifige)
7th Station: Jesus falls the second time (Jesus Cadit)
8th Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem (Ubi Caritas)
9th Station: Jesus falls a third time (Jesus Cadit)
10th Station: Jesus clothes are taken away (Jesu Christe Miserere Nobis)
11th Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross (Asperges Me)
12th Station: Jesus dies on the cross (Consumatum Est)
13th Station: The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross (Jesu Christe Misere Nobis)
14th Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb (instrumental)

Colour bar:

No colourbar as only the first stanza is sung.

Information about the recording

CD1: 0CD 3400 Via Crucis Dick le Mair
More info:

Recorded 2014, published by Dick Le Mair Music. Dick Le Mair was so kind to send the CD to me. Thank you very much!

Orchestra: Ensemble: Frans de Berg, keyboards; Jaap Mulder: clarinet, soprano saxopohone and flugelhorn; Wouter van Iterson, double bass and frettless bass guitar, Dick Le Mair, marimba and percussion
Choir: Aron de Lijster, Ralph van Manen, Suzanne van der Velde, Miranda de Vlieger
Conductor: Dick Le Mair
Code: 2019 MAIR-01 279

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