from a concert of Canons Ancient and Modern, April 29, 2018
St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Lexington KY
Richard S. Dirksen, Director
400 Canons
The two sets of Canons on Psalm 101 and Proverbs were composed in two summers of 1954 and 1955 for the cathedral choir of men to sing in their annual end-of-August Evensong and concert (no boys in the summer). They had sung Haydn's "Canons for the Ten Holy Commands" in 1953 with such joy and success that the men ordered Dirksen to write new ones. There are performance charts for each canon that are "maps" of how to create variations of length and complexity in their working out.
The Twelve Proverbial Canons are presented in full below. The rest will follow in due season.
Twelve Proverbial Canons
A Gracious Woman
from a concert of Canons Ancient and Modern, April 29, 2018
St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Lexington KY
Richard S. Dirksen, Director
The Rich Man’s Wealth
The Essex Chamber Singers, 5/19/89
Christ Church of Hamilton / Wenham, Mass.
Mark Dirksen, Director
A Wise Son
from a concert of Canons Ancient and Modern, April 29, 2018
St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Lexington KY
Richard S. Dirksen, Director
Wine is a Mocker
The Essex Chamber Singers, 5/19/89
Christ Church of Hamilton / Wenham, Mass.
Mark Dirksen, Director
Pride Goeth Before Destruction
The Essex Chamber Singers, 5/19/89
Christ Church of Hamilton / Wenham, Mass.
Mark Dirksen, Director
The Wicked Flee
from a concert of Canons Ancient and Modern, April 29, 2018
St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Lexington KY
Richard S. Dirksen, Director
A Soft Answer
The Essex Chamber Singers, 5/19/89
Christ Church of Hamilton / Wenham, Mass.
Mark Dirksen, Director
The Mouth of the Just
from a concert of Canons Ancient and Modern, April 29, 2018
St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Lexington KY
Richard S. Dirksen, Director
A Froward Man Soweth Strife
from a concert of Canons Ancient and Modern, April 29, 2018
St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Lexington KY
Richard S. Dirksen, Director
Whoso Curseth His Father
from a concert of Canons Ancient and Modern, April 29, 2018
St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Lexington KY
Richard S. Dirksen, Director
A Whip for the Horse
The Essex Chamber Singers, 5/19/89
Christ Church of Hamilton / Wenham, Mass.
Mark Dirksen, Director
Chasten Thy Son
from a concert of Canons Ancient and Modern, April 29, 2018
St. Michael the Archangel Episcopal Church, Lexington KY
Richard S. Dirksen, Director
The Land Is Bright
Score & audio.