Transformations
Now available to pre-order
VDB and bass-baritone Andrew O’Connor perform glorious sacred and secular works from 17th century Germany and Venice, alongside new Australian works from Alice Chance and Brooke Shelley.
This album will be released on the VDB label in September 2026 and will be available on all major streaming platforms and CD format.
Pre-orders are incredibly helpful to us, as it gives us a guide as to how many copies to produce!
Transformations is a conversation across centuries—between the devotional music of 17th-century Germany and two newly commissioned works that reimagine this rich heritage. At its heart lies a selection of baritone works by Heinrich Schütz, Franz Tunder, Nicolaus Bruhns, and Dieterich Buxtehude, composers who wrote with striking honesty about faith, readiness and human fragility.
To sit alongside them, we invited two extraordinary Australian composers to write contemporary responses. Brooke Shelley's Et Versa Est Victoria picks up where Schütz's aching Fili mi, Absalon—a father's lament for his son—leaves off, continuing the story into the next verse before drifting into entirely new musical territory, a transformation in miniature. Alice Chance's Au Nord takes its cue from Mein Herz ist bereit (My Heart Is Ready), turning over the tension between preparedness and life's unexpected turns, and the courage it takes to keep chasing what's hard to reach.
Spanning repertoire from the 17th century to today, the program traces a broader emotional arc too—moving from introspective gravity toward something brighter and more hopeful, a meditation on how we inherit and reimagine the voices of the past.
DIETERICH BUXTEHUDE (C.1637-1707)
1. Mein Herz Ist Bereit
HEINRICH SCHÜTZ (1585-1672)
2. Fili Mi, Absalon SWV 269
BROOKE SHELLEY (B.1975)
3. Et Versa Est Victoria
FRANZ TUNDER (1614-1667)
4. O Jesu Dulcissime
JOHANN SCHOP (C.1590-1667)
5. Pavan à 5 in D minor
NICOLAUS BRUHNS (1665-1697)
6. De Profundis Clamavi
N. BRUHNS
7. Der Herr Hat Seinen Stuhl
MATTHIAS WECKMANN (C.1616-1674)
8. Sonata Quinta à 4
ALICE CHANCE (B.1994)
9. Au Nord
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)
10. Jesus Soll Mein Alles Sein from Singet Dem Herrn Ein Neues Lied BWV 190
ANDREW O’CONNOR BASS-BARITONE
ERIC PETERSON TENOR [Track 10]
VAN DIEMEN’S BAND
JULIA FREDERSDORFF BAROQUE VIOLIN, PICCOLO VIOLIN
SIMONE SLATTERY BAROQUE VIOLIN
KARINA SCHMITZ BAROQUE VIOLIN, VIOLA
KATIE YAP BAROQUE VIOLA
LAURA VAUGHAN VIOLA DA GAMBA, VIOLONE
MATTHEW MANCHESTER CORNETTO [Track 8]
NIGEL CROCKER TENOR SACKBUT
BRETT PAGE BASS SACKBUT
DONALD NICOLSON HARPSICHORD
THOMAS WILSON ORGAN
MERIEL OWEN TRIPLE HARP
SIM WALTERS DULCIAN, BAROQUE BASSOON
MEIN HERZ IST BEREIT
Mein Herz ist bereit, Gott, dass ich singe und lobe,
Wache auf, meine Ehre, wache auf, Psalter und Harfe.
Frühe will ich aufwachen.
Herr, ich will dir danken unter den Völkern,
ich will dir lobsingen unter Leuten;
denn deine Güte ist so weit der Himmel ist,
und deine Warheit so weit die Wolken gehen.
Erhebe dich, Gott, über den Himmel und Ehre über alle Welt.
My heart is ready, God, that I sing and praise,
Wake up, my honor, wake up, psaltery and harp.
I want to wake up early.
Lord, I want to thank you among the nations
I will sing your praises among people;
because your goodness is as far as heaven is,
and your truth as far as the clouds go.
Exalt yourself, O God, above heaven and glory above all the world.
FILI MI, ABSALON
Fili mi, Absalon!
Quis mihi tribuat
ut ego moriar pro te.
Fili mi, Absalon!
My son, Absalom!
Who would grant
that I should die in your place?
My son, Absalom!
ET VERSA EST VICTORIA
Et versa est victoria
in luctum in die illa omni populo:
audivit enim populus in die illa dici:
Dolet rex super filio suo.
And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people:
for the people heard say that day:
The king grieveth for his son.
O JESU DULCISSIME
O Jesu dulcissime, creator generis humani.
Quod per sacramentum tuum voluisti habitare in nobis.
Conserva cor meum et corpus meum et non confundar in aeternum.
Alleluia
O sweetest Jesus, creator of the human race.
Which through your sacrament you wish to dwell in us.
Protect my heart and body, let me never be confounded.
Alleluia
DE PROFUNDIS CLAMAVI
De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine;
Domine, exaudi vocem meam.
Fiant aures tuae intendentes in vocem deprecationis meae.
Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine, Domine, quis sustinebit?
Quia apud te propitiatio est; et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine.
Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus:
speravit anima mea in Domino.
A custodia matutina usque ad noctem, speret Israël in Domino.
Quia apud Dominum misericordia, et copiosa apud eum redemptio.
Et ipse redimet Israël ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus.
Out of the deep have I called unto thee,
O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.
O let thine ears consider well: the voice of my complaint.
If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss: O Lord, who may abide it?
For there is mercy with thee: therefore shalt thou be feared.
I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him: in his word is my trust.
My soul fleeth unto the Lord:
before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch.
O Israel, trust in the Lord,
for with the Lord there is mercy: and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel: from all his sins.
DER HERR HAT SEINEN STUHL
Der Herr hat seinen Stuhl im Himmel bereitet,
und sein Reich herrscht über alles.
Lobet den Herrn, ihr seine Engel, ihr starken Helden, die ihr seinen Befehl ausrichtet,
daß man höre die Stimme seines Wortes.
Lobet den Herrn, alle seine Heerscharen,
seine Diener, die ihr seinen Willen tut!
Lobet den Herrn, alle seine Werke, an allen Orten seiner Herrschaft!
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele!
Alleluia
The Lord has made ready his high seat in the heavens; his kingdom is ruling over all.
Give praise to the Lord, you his angels,
who are great in strength,
doing his orders, and waiting for his voice.
Give praise to the Lord, all you his armies; and you his servants who do his pleasure!
Give praise to the Lord, all his works, in all places under his rule!
give praise to the Lord, O my soul!
Alleluia
AU NORD
Le chemin qui mène au nord
Promet de me combler
Il s’ouvre sur la verdure
Et la lumière diffusée
Le regard fixé tout droit
Permet d’imaginer
Qu’ici se trouve tout ce dont
J’ai le droit de rêver
Et pourtant, en me tournant
Je voie des lueurs bleus, des étincelles
Au delà des branches, les flots qui dansent
Une mosaïque vivante, qui m’appelle
Vers l’autre nord
Celui d’une rose des vents encore naissante
Mon propre nord
Celui de la seule boussole qui a du sens
Ces flots me transformeraient
Mon cœur a beau être prêt
Le chemin m’emmène
Ailleurs
Je m’écarte en le visant
Il suffit de quelques pas
Des grands portails, des serpents sifflants
Me font rebrousser chemin
Et pourtant, en me tournant
Je voie des lueurs bleus, des étincelles
Au delà des branches, les flots qui dansent
Une mosaïque vivante, qui m’appelle
Vers l’autre nord
Celui d’une rose des vents encore naissante
Mon propre nord
Celui de la seule boussole qui a du sens
Ces flots me transformeraient
Mon cœur a beau être prêt
Le chemin m’emmène
Ailleurs
The northbound path
Promises fulfilment
It opens onto greenery
And diffused light
With my eyes fixed straight ahead
It’s easy to imagine
That this place provides everything
I’m allowed to dream of
And yet, when I turn
I see blue glimmers and sparkles
Beyond the branches, dancing tides
A living mosaic which calls me
Towards the other north
The one of a compass rose which is still blossoming
My own north
Belonging to the only compass which makes sense
These tides would transform me
Even though my heart is ready
The path leads me
Elsewhere
I divert, heading towards it
It only takes a few steps
Before big gates and hissing snakes
Force me to retrace my path
And yet, when I turn
I see blue glimmers and sparkles
Beyond the branches, dancing tides
A living mosaic which calls me
Towards the other north
The one of a compass rose which is still blossoming
My own north
Belonging to the only compass which makes sense
These tides would transform me
Even though my heart is ready
The path leads me
Elsewhere
JESUS SOLL MEIN ALLES SEIN
Mein Jesus soll mein alles sein!
Mein Purpur ist sein teures Blut,
Er selbst mein allerhöchstes Gut,
Und seines Geistes Liebesglut
Mein allersüsster Freudenwein.
My Jesus shall be my everything.
His precious blood is my [imperishable] purple,
He himself my very highest good,
And his spirit’s fervor of love
My very sweetest wine of joy.
JULIA FREDERSDORFF ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
HANS KIPFER PRODUCER
DIRK LORENZEN OPERATIONS MANAGER
KATIE YAP ARTISTIC COORDINATOR
Recorded at St Canice Church, Sandy Bay 16-20 February 2026
VDB would like to thank Christopher Lawrence, Martin Penicka and the community of St Canice / Southern Cross Care for their generous help with this recording.
Transformations was supported by many generous donors - we thank you all!
Ian Dixon & Reg Holloway, Nick & Caroline Minogue, John O'Connor, Harley Russell, Alan Morgan, Andrea Wild, Andrew Coles, Ann & Brian McGuiness, Ann Stark, Barb Dunford, Barbara Manovel, Beverley Hitchens, Carmen Burnet, Carol Nichols, Chris & John Sandow, Christine Coates, Christine Trumble, Clare Roberts, David Day, David Lloyd, Denise Chapman, Dominic Moawad, Drew Thomas, Edwina Brown, Estelle Ross, Fiona Campbell, Glen Seidel, Greg Drury, Helen Simmons, Ian Roberts, In memory of Jim McGoldrick, Irene and Kevin McGuire, Jane Edwards, Jane Kunstler, Janina Jankowski, Jennifer Ettershank, Jennifer Kerr, John Biggs, John Upcher, Judy Quinn, Julian Cornish, Kathleen Kovacs, Kathleen McMahon, Katie Yap, Kay Jamieson, Kerrie Bond, Kerry Thomas, Kirsty McCahon, L Forbes, Mairi Nicolson, Margie Landrigan, Marie Keane, Mark Mulroney, Michael Kregor, Penny Gibson, Penny McDonald, Peronelle Windeyer, Peter & Jane Ironside, Phil Crawford, Rachel Boersma, Robert Johnston, Robert Morris-Nunn and Julie Payne, Rod Griffin, Roger Cunningham (Woof!), Roger Port, Sally Attrill, Sandra Penicka, Scott Clear, Shae Fleming, Suzanne Blythin, Suzanne Bullock, Tony Marshall, Wendy Cobcroft, Anonymous x 19
Commissioned works by Alice Chance and Brooke Shelley were supported by Create NSW / NSW Government. Alice Chance's work was developed with the kind assistance of the Peggy Glanville-Hicks Trust and All That We Are.