Responding to Xenophobia through sacred music: A self-reflexive discussion and analysis of a chamber eucharist

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article is a self-reflexive analysis of a composition entitled A Chamber Eucharist by Andrew-John Bethke. The composition is a six movement setting of the ordinary texts for the Eucharist (commonly called the Mass) in seven languages: Afrikaans, English, Latin, San, Sesotho, Setswana and Xhosa. It is scored for SATB choir, string quartet, oboe/recorder and percussion. The work was written for the Grahamstown community in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in October 2015 as a response to the xenophobic violence which flared up in the preceding months. The first performance was given in November 2015. The author provides a brief contextual discussion about xenophobic attacks in South Africa, before analysing the overall structure of the work and then the theological underpinning, musical influences and compositional techniques of each movement. The composer tries to demonstrate through musical hybridity that different musical cultures from African can co-exist and complement each other. The result is a liturgical work which embodies numerous African musical styles, multilingualism and multiculturalism.

OPSOMMING Hierdie artikel is ‘n self-refleksiewe ontleding van ‘n komposisie met die titel A Chamber Eucharist (’n Kamer-Nagmaaldiens) deur Andrew-John Bethke. Die komposisie bestaan uit ses bewegings in ‘n toonsetting van die normale tekste van die Nagmaaldiens (wat gewoonlik bekend staan as die Mis) in 28 sewe tale: Afrikaans, Engels, Latyn, San, Sesotho, Setswana en Xhosa. Dit is georkestreer vir SATB-koor, strykkwartet, hobo/blokfluit en slaginstrumente. Die werk is in Oktober 2015 vir die gemeenskap van Grahamstad in die Oostelike Provinsie van Suid-Afrika gekomponeer, in antwoord op die xenofobiese geweld wat in die vorige maande daar opgevlam het. Die eerste uitvoering vind in November 2015 plaas. Die skrywer verskaf eerstens ‘n beknopte kontekstuele bespreking van xenofobiese aanvalle in Suid-Afrika. Dan volg’n ontleding van die algehele struktuur van die werk en laastens die teologiese onderbou, musikale invloede en komposisionele tegniek van elke beweging. Deur midddel van musikale hibridisering probeer die komponis bewys dat uiteenlopende Afrika-musiekkulture saam kan bestaan en mekaar aanvul. Die eindproduk is ‘n liturgiese werk waarin talle Afrika-musiekstyle, veeltaligheid en multikulturalisme beliggaam word.