Masaccio - original song composed and performed by Julia Vilar

Opus 1, nº 1 (popular name: Masaccio). Original song, text and arrangement by Julia Vilar. Language: Portuguese.

Performed in 3 October, 2021. Soprano: Julia Vilar. Conductor: Silvia Luisada. Chamber orchestra: OFISA Women (a project of the orchestra OFISA).

This is an original song, fully composed, written (including text/lyrics) and arranged by myself, Julia Vilar. I wrote the song some years ago, back when I was still a composition student, originally for voice and piano (later I arranged it for the chamber formation of the OFISA Women). Both song and text (written in Portuguese, my native language) are inspired by the the Renaissance fresco called “The Holy Trinity”, by the Italian painter Tommaso Giovanni di Simone (who became known as Masaccio), a very important artist in all history of Arts. This particular fresco in located in the church of Santa Maria Novella, in Florence. My composition is, therefore, a tribute to the painter and his legacy, among other things.
Below the representation of the Trinity with the Virgin Mary and Saint John, there is the painting of a tomb, with a human skeleton and a saying written right above that can be translated as: “What are you, once I was; what am I, you will come to be”. The painting and this message got me constantly meditating on the human condition and the anguish of existence. So the essential message I “heard” through this arts masterwork and tried to represent musically, with all the levels and depth painted, was about the circle of life and, far deeper and more importantly, what makes our existence meaningful. This is, the human anguish and our search for transcending our very condition, for I believe all of us seek, one way or another, to find Eternity in the ephemeral moments in time, to give a sense of purpose to life and meaning to death.