"Carpe Diem" by Alfred Momotenko in world premiere by Mo. Joris Derder & Kamerkoor Koriolis (BE)

Описание: In front of you is the companion piece to Arvo Pärt's "Memento Mori" (1994) in which the idea is to complement Pärt via the antithesis, i.e. to augment the strictly evocative theme "Memento Mori" by the opposite theme "Carpe Diem".

For this, I have chosen Quintus Horatius Flaccus' (65 BC - 8 BC) original poem "Carpe Diem" (23 BC), also as the title of the piece and I put it in a clear form.

Ultimately, Horace refers to the same human impermanence in this poem, but the overall tone of this choral work is much lighter and more optimistic than its companion; this is what our listeners need both in the uncertain times of today, but also in the context of all of life as well.

In general, the "Seize the Day"-theme in poetry (or art, as the case may be) remains a very long-standing rhetorical device because it is a sentiment with a very elastic meaning, suggesting both possibility and futility.

What I find special about this poem is the neutral, evocative argument, supplemented with extra-filled meanings, such as a call to moderation, to use one's life for the betterment rather than simply to "propagate pleasure".

After all, Horace himself "seized his day" to create wonderful poetry like this...

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"Carpe diem", written by Quintus Horatius Flaccus in 23 BC

Tu ne quaesieris (scire nefas) quem mihi, quem tibi finem di dederint, Leuconoe,
Nec Babylonios temptaris numeros. Ut melius quicquid erit pati!

Seu pluris hiemes seu tribuit Iuppiter ultimam,
Quae nunc oppositis debilitat pumicibus mare Tyrrhenum.
Sapias, vina liques et spatio brevi spem longam reseces.

Dum loquimur, fugerit aetas:
Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.

Literal English translation:

You, do not seek (it is a crime to know) the end which the gods have given to me and to you, Leuconoe, nor attempt the Babylonian numbers. How it is better to endure whatever will be!

Whether Jupiter allotted many winters or a final one, which now weakens the Tyrrhenian sea with placed against stones: be wise, may you strain wine and may you restrain long hope for a brief while.

While we speak, envious time will have fled:
seize the day, to the least extent possible trusting in the next one.


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Many thanks to Mo. Joris Derder and Kamerkoor Koriolis for a heartening collaboration:
https://jorisderder.com/
https://www.koriolis.be

Additional gratitude to Concinnitas Foundation for the valued support:
https://www.concinnitas.org

Credits:
Video & audio recording by Recorda Belgium and Philip Willems
https://www.recorda.be

Mastering & post production by Fred Momotenko Muziek

In the video appearing artworks of:
William Gosse, Miranda van den Broek, Auguste van Hoey, Bea Cnudde and Gert de Corte.

(c) 2024 by Kamerkoor Koriolis & Alfred Momotenko-Levitsky
https://www.alfredmomotenko.com