Composer Ron Dukenski
The Connecticut Choral Society (CCS), named as one of the top five choral groups in the state, will be joined by the CHIME IN hand bell choir and accompanied by harp, piano, organ and timpani as it presents its Candlelight and Carols concerts today, Saturday, Dec. 20, at 4 p.m.at First Congregational Church at 40 DeForest St. in Watertown and Sunday, Dec. 21, at 4 p.m. at First Congregational Church at 164 Deer Hill Ave. in Danbury. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for youth under 18 and can be purchased at the door.
The program will feature the opening musical number from the movie “Frozen,” the world premiere of “Prayers from the Manger” (written by composer-in-residence Ron Dukenski), and both traditional and contemporary holiday and seasonal songs. The audience is invited to join in singing selected carols.
“Prayers from the Manger” is a choral work is based on the animal poems by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold in her book “Prayers from the Ark,” written in post-war France and translated into English by Rumor Godden.
“This is a very meaningful composition with a special personal history,” Dukenski said. Two years ago, a fellow CCS singer, Janice Lewyn, gave him deGazstold’s book in hopes he’d be inspired to write a musical setting of the text. Dukenski said, “I thought it would be really interesting to set to music the four poems written in the first-person voice of the animals present at the incarnation of Christ — each prayer expressing so wonderfully the character and personality of each animal.”
As Dukenski began to work with the text, his thinking evolved to having the animal prayers spoken by individual members of the choir, with the ensemble voices and organ as accompaniment. The four solo animal poems will be recited by CCS bass Joe Connelly (The Ox), alto Nancy Tebbe (The Donkey), soprano Janice Lewyn (The Lamb) and tenor Bob McWilliam (The Camel).
Dukenski wrote a hymn-like setting for five brief “bridging” poems that link together the animal poems. He said, “Each of the bridging poems, sung in an eight-part a cappella arrangement, foreshadows the major theme of each animal’s prayer.” Ron’s final poem, an epilogue, speaks to the overall theme of the work — eternal love. This sentiment is made more poignant by Ron’s dedication of the piece to his late wife, The Reverend Carolyn Perry Dukenski, who passed away in March. It reads: “To God’s Glory, and to Carolyn — With Eternal Love.”
This is the fourth year Dukenski has written a holiday concert piece for the Connecticut Choral Society. He has sung bass with the ensemble for the past 13 years.
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