Revised Abstract

Abstract for

PERFORMANCE PRACTICE ISSUES FOR THE
SYMPHONIC CHOIR IN BÉLA BARTÓK’S
CANTATA PROFANA (1930)

by
Emily Kausalik

In 1996 Robert Shaw led the Atlanta Symphonic Orchestra and Choir in a performance of Béla Bartók's Cantata Profana. Leading up to the performance Shaw reflected in a letter to the choir members that of the works scheduled for the program, Cantata Profana had proven to be the most challenging to learn and rehearse. Within this letter from October 24th, 1996, Shaw wrote about three main factors that directly affected the rehearsal and performance-readiness of the work. Two of these issues involved the genetics of the modern symphonic choir: how the typical modern symphonic choir is made up of amateur/volunteer members, and the nature of the learning process with a vocal group of this nature. The third, however, involved issues of a more analytical nature – the harmonic, metric, and melodic languages, and how these characteristics make the piece difficult to learn and rehearse.

Shaw's comments on this third point are limited; he highlights the need for vocal athleticism and superior musicianship but does not delve deeper into these analytical issues. Using his statements as a springboard for further study, one can find a few interesting problems that arise for a performance by a symphonic choir. A few of these critical performance practice issues in Cantata Profana will be discussed in this article.