PROGRAM NOTE
AD SCIENDAM . . . was commissioned in celebration of the University of Chicago’s 500th convocation, with generous funding by Don Michael Randel and Carol Randel. With the intent of providing a grand statement in praise of the pursuit of knowledge, my texts were selected from the first chapter of the book of Proverbs, where wisdom, understanding, and learning are highlighted as a means to justice, judgment, and equity. I used the original Hebrew texts, freely combining and interweaving them with Latin and English in multiple translations
A chorus and organ version of AD SCIENDAM . . . is also available.
—Shulamit Ran
Text of AD SCIENDAM . . .
English: To know wisdom; receive instruction of wisdom; to understand; to receive words of prudence, and instruction of words; let the wise know the one who understands, and increase in learning; justice, judgment, and equity. [excerpted from multiple translations]
Hebrew: Imrey bina; la’da’at chochma u’musar; tzedek u’mishpat u’meisharim.
Latin: Ad sciendam, sapientiam ad disciplinam; prudentiae, iustitiam prudentiae; ad intelligenda verba; et suscipiendam eruditsionem; iustitiam, equitatum. [Adapted from Proverbs 1:2–5]
Crescat scientia; vita excolatur.
(“Let knowledge grow from more to more; and so be human life enriched.”)
—motto of the University of Chicago
INFORMATION
Commissioned in celebration of the University of Chicago’s 500th convocation
Premiere:
October 9, 2009
Rockefeller Chapel,
the University of Chicago
Members of the University Choirs
James Kallembach, conductor
Thomas Weisflog, organ
Duration: c. 4’30 (SATB version)