The Fourth Wise Man
Randall Davidson
About this work:
The story of the fourth Wiseman who arrives late to the Nativity but saves the life of an infant; who arrives late to the Last Supper but receives the wine and bread and then is the first to enter Heaven. The story is presented in six scenes as a church parable or in concert settings. Each of the five soloists (2 tenors, baritone, bass, mezzo) appear as two characters; three angels are sung by a treble of young or female voices; the chorus comments on and participates in the plot.
The Fourth Wise Man has been heralded by the Minneapolis Star Tribune as one of "the finest commissions in VocalEssence's (founded as the Plymouth Music Series) history...The 'Epiphanies' and 'Beatitudes' movements are as lovely as anything being written today."
Year composed: 1995
Duration: 01:10:40
Ensemble type: Chorus, with or without Solo Voices:Unknown
Instrumentation: 1 Oboe,1 Oboe soloist(s), 1 Trumpet,1 Trumpet soloist(s), 1 Percussion (General), 1 Organ, 3 Violin,1 Violin soloist(s), 2 Viola,1 Viola soloist(s), 1 Cello,1 Cello soloist(s), 1 Double bass, 1 Harp,1 Harp soloist(s), ,1 Mezzo-Soprano soloist(s), ,2 Tenor soloist(s), ,1 Baritone soloist(s), ,1 Bass soloist(s), 3 High Voice,3 High Voice soloist(s), 4 S, 4 A, 4 T, 4 B