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TRANSCRIPT
Adam Lay yBounden
Sebastian ADAMS
Commissioned by RTÉ lyric fm
Adam Lay yBounden Adam Lay yBounden is a text written in England around 1400. Mediaeval thinkers believed that Adam (and other notable Old Testament figures) were stuck in limbo until the crucifixion of Christ, and this idea is the subject of the text, which is ‘macaronic’, meaning it combines different languages1. I got to know these words from a beautiful setting of them by Boris Ord which I used to sing as a choirboy in St Bartholomew’s Church in Dublin. The strange text is tense and explosive, and the idea that the whole story hinged on a stolen apple drew me in as a small child, and I looked forward to singing it every advent – I think I was by far my favourite carol. When I was commissioned to write a carol by RTÉ lyric fm, the text jumped at me as I began working on a frosty winter evening. My setting is dedicated to Malcolm Wisener, who was my choirmaster and without whom I could never have become a composer. Synopsis: Adam lay bound in limbo for so long that 4000 winters passed without his noticing. And his imprisonment was simply because of the apple that he took from Eve, according to the ancient books. But if Adam hadn’t eaten the apple, then Mary never would have become Queen of Heaven, because Christ would not have been born man and died for our sins. Because of this, the time when the apple was eaten is blessed, and we must praise God. The poem closes with the words ‘Deo Gratias’, which is a very common Latin refrain meaning ‘Thanks be to God’. Interestingly, many composers throughout the ages have signed their music with this phrase and the date it was finished, as a way to devote their work to God. Line by line explanation of text: Adam lay ybounden, Bounden in a bond; Four thousand winter, Thought he not too long. And all was for an apple, An apple that he took. As clerkes finden, Written in their book. Ne had the apple taken been, The apple taken been, Ne had never our ladie, Abeen heav'ne queen. Blessed be the time That apple taken was, Therefore we moun singen. Deo gratias!
1the text has also been modernised from Middle English into something more easily readable
Adam lay bound, Bound in a bond Four thousand winters Didn’t seem a long time to him. And all because of an apple, An apple that he took. As clerks find written, written in their book Had not the apple been taken, the apple been taken, Then Never would our Lady have become heaven’s Queen. Blessed be the time That apple taken was, Therefore we must sing: Deo gratias! (Thanks be to God)
Pronuciation of non-standard words: lay ybounden = lay ee-bounden (lay and bounden as normal, very quick ee)
clerkés = cler - kez
finden = fin-den (as in German, fin as a fish’s fin, den as a fox’s den)
Ne = Nay (rhymes with hay)
Ladie = lady
Abeen heav'ne queen = a-been heav-eh-knee (heav as in heaven) queen
Blessed = bless-ed
moun = (moun as in mound)
singen. = sing-en
Deo gratias! = Day-oh grah-tsee-ahs (In my setting, this word is left unfinished)
Performance Notes: A good performance of my setting of Adam Lay yBounden will be flexible in tempo, as much or as little as wished by the performers. The length of commas between phrases is also flexible, whatever makes musical sense to the performers. The semiquaver tied to a crotchet in the first phrase can be seen simply as a very short fermata (pause), and does not need to be counted accurately. The passages with staccato repeated notes (first appearing bar 6) should be performed so that they are dramaticically contrasting with the music around them. The Maestoso tempo can be particularly free, whatever is most beautiful. Careful attention should be paid to the expression marks (such as traquillo, misterioso, risoluto), as these quick changes of feeling are what will make a performance beautiful. The solo Deo Graci which closes the piece should sound like an unfinishing echo of the opening.
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SATB - B minor version
SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
A
p molto legato e misterioso
dam- lay y bound- en,- Boun den- in a bond;
Poco Lento (q = c. 60)
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Four thou sand- win ter- Thought he not too long, And all for an ap ple,-
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p
ten- in their book.
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Adam Lay yBounden
S. Adams
(24 - 30 Nov 15)
To Malcolm Wisener
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SATB - D minor version
SOPRANO
ALTO
TENOR
BASS
A
p molto legato e misterioso
dam- lay y bound- en,- Boun den- in a bond;
Poco Lento (q = c. 60)
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Four thou sand- win ter- Thought he not too long, And all for an ap ple,-
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S. Adams
(24 - 30 Nov 15)
To Malcolm Wisener
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Two part version
Soprano
Alto
Optional
Keyboard
Accomp.
A
p molto legato e misterioso
dam- lay y bound- en,- Boun den- in a bond; Four thou sand- win ter-
Poco Lento (q = c. 60)
A
p molto legato e misterioso
dam- lay y bound- en,- Boun den- in a bond; Four thou sand- win ter-
p molto legato e misterioso
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S.
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Pno.
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To Malcolm Wisener
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Pno.
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Maestoso
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Maestoso
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Pno.
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Tempo Primo
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