Passion of Joan of Arc thematizes feminine power in the face of patriarchal oppression and persecution ; individual power vs . institutional authority ; and personal beliefs versus doctrine . The fi lm is intense , with a focus on Joan of Arc ’ s experience : her courage , her doubts , and her renewed resolve in the face of mounting pressure are all presented in often extreme , close-up detail . The authorities scan like living portrait paintings — wrinkled , grey , and imperious . The fi lm is , at times , uncomfortable to watch , with its passionate foreground hyperrealism set against a background deliberately skewed to be expressionistic and off-putting . The added fact that Voices of Light was performed in the The Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College created a setting conducive to viewing the fi lm in the present .
John Sinclair has made a regular habit of presenting works by living composers out of personal interest and a sense of obligation to the historical role that conductors often play as facilitators of new masterpieces . “ I ’ ve always felt that an organization like the Bach Festival should also do new pieces . Bach ’ s music was also once new . Bach would feel the same way .” Sinclair loves “ the challenge of being the fi rst interpreter , along with the potential to affect performance practice . I get to participate in the spirit of creative composition .”
Einhorn ’ s music indeed afforded Sinclair an opportunity to participate creatively . For example , the opening chant melody is unassigned by the composer in terms of who sings it . Einhorn chose to leave that to the discretion of whomever is performing the work . Sinclair chose to treat it as a candle-lit processional sung by college women from Rollins , as a subtle thematic tie-in that primes us to make the connection between the fi lm ’ s depiction of the oppression of women and the continued persistence of the issue in contemporary society .
There are also unusual challenges for the conductor . The fi lm is a fi xed entity that will not change in terms of its timing . In Hollywood , a fi lm score is typically the fi nal audio element added to a fi lm , after the dialogue , foley , and additional effects are fi nalized . When a fi lm score is recorded , there is a tempo-based click track that the conductor can follow over headphones so that the timing of the music lands precisely with the intended hit-points . To aid this process , SMPTE ( Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers ) time-code is stamped onto contemporary fi lms to aid with synchronization of all audio elements . Sinclair didn ’ t have the benefi t of SMPTE time-code or a click track . It was no easy task , but he feels that it enhanced his appreciation of the fi lm because he had to identify for himself where he thought the
Orlando Arts & Culture , v . 2.1
hit-points should be , choosing things like “ left foot hits tile ,” or “ kind monk nods .” It meant behaving as though he was an accompanist to the fi lm , manually speeding up or slowing down his massive ensemble to adjust for the demands of both the music and the fi lm in real time .
The success of Voices of Light is representative of a trend . Other recent , well-received Bach Festival Society concerts have also featured contemporary works . Paul Moravec ’ s Music , Awake ! was commissioned by the Bach Festival Society to celebrate John Sinclair ’ s 25 years as Music Director in 2015 . In 2014 , an evening was devoted to the music of Morten Lauridsen , including his O Magnum Mysterium and Lux Aeterna . The Lauridsen concert also represented another collaboration with The Enzian , who screened a documentary fi lm about the composer called Shining Night . These events have typically included appearances by the composers themselves for panel discussions and other events and classes that benefi t audiences and students .
Especially exciting is John Sinclair ’ s renewed commitment , starting in 2017 , to presenting not just contemporary works , but new works by composers living right here in Central Florida . Sinclair states that “ the success that we had with the Lauridsen concert helped pique the interest of the local audience . It helped break down stereotypes about new art . This is going to allow an ongoing fl ow of this , on a bigger scale . Maybe it can lead to a whole evening of new , local work .”
In the 2017-18 season we will hear Dan Crozier ’ s new double clarinet concerto , and starting in 2018-19 , with the cooperation of the Central Florida Composers Forum , at least one new choral work by a local composer will be presented annually .
Commitments like this to nurturing local artists at the grassroots level make Orlando an increasingly exciting and promising cultural scene .
Voices of Light was made possible by Gladdening Light , an organization whose mission “ isw to explore transcendent elements of art through hosted conferences , exhibits & public performance , cloistered retreat , and pilgrimage .” photos by Jason Fronczek
You can see more at : The Bach Festival Society - BachFestivalFlorida . org
The Enzian Theater - Enzian . org Gladdening Light - GladdeningLight . org Richard Einhorn - RichardEinhorn . com
56