“But have you ever heard the story of the Other Wise Man, who also saw the star in its rising, and set out to follow it, yet did not arrive with his brethren in the presence of the young child…? Of the great desire of this fourth pilgrim, and how it was denied, yet accomplished in the denial; of his many wanderings and the probations of his soul; of the long way of his seeking, and the strange way of his finding, the One whom he sought – I would tell the tale as I have heard fragments of it in the Hall of Dreams, in the palace of the Heart of Man.”
So begins “The Story of the Other Wise Man,” set down by Henry Van Dyke, an English clergyman, in 1895. His book was the inspiration for this cantata, which sets to music an ancient legend about the spiritual journey of a fourth Wise Man who went in search of a great teacher about to be born in Judea two thousand years ago. Our version of Artaban is told by combining spoken narrative with vocal music. It is an extraordinary blending of the styles of several composers interwoven with a narrative reflecting universal themes of the human search for truth, dignity and hope. Musica Plenti has created a form particularly well suited for the retelling of timeless stories of courage and dignity in the face of oppression and violence. It has much in common with the classic oratorios (such as Elijah and Messiah) in its blend of opera, theater and story-telling. It can elicit the widest possible reactions appropriate for the holiday season in which religious traditions overlap and intertwine even as they go their separate paths (like an oasis on the ancient trade routes, a likely meeting place for the Wise Men).
The tale of the Fourth Wise Man has its roots in Judeo-Christian traditions, but, rather than using the story to advance the goals of any particular religion, Artaban emphasizes our common humanity. It reminds us that hope and liberation are quintessential human qualities that are integral to our core. The great tales that we bequeath to each generation ultimately may be grounded in religion or long forgotten deities, but we alone are responsible to each other in the name of common humanity for the actions we take, or fail to take, in serving our fellow man. Artaban’s life-long quest for a purpose that is greater than himself is echoed in our own personal searches for meaning and identity, especially in these days of remembrance and liberation.
The commissioning of this work reflects Musica Plenti’s strong commitment to encourage the writing of compositions by exceptional composers for chamber ensembles. This project was made possible in part through funding provided by the State of Connecticut under its Project Arts Grant program, the Stamford Cultural Development Corporation and the Greenwich Arts Council as well as corporate support from the Pfizer Foundation. |
