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August 19, 2018 – 25th Anniversary Concert First Presbyterian Church San Anselmo, CA |
PREMIERE
Allan Robert Petker: A Song of Joys
Allan Robert Petker: A Song of Joys
♦ Bruckner: (Kyrie) Mass in E-Minor
♦ Dello Joio: A Jubilant Song
♦ Dole: Bless us, Lord, with Your Peace
♦ Handel: Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened
♦ Haydn: Insanae et Vanae Curae
♦ Dello Joio: A Jubilant Song
♦ Dole: Bless us, Lord, with Your Peace
♦ Handel: Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened
♦ Haydn: Insanae et Vanae Curae
♦ Mealor: (Virgo Virginum) Stabat Mater
♦ Memley: Ave Maria
♦ Padworski: The Cloud
♦ Runestad: Let My Love be Heard
♦ Spirituals: Gibbs & Hogan
♦ Memley: Ave Maria
♦ Padworski: The Cloud
♦ Runestad: Let My Love be Heard
♦ Spirituals: Gibbs & Hogan
Photos from the Concert, by Will Toft
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— Chorale Members — |
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— Program Notes — |
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A Jubilant Song (Norman Dello Joio, 1913-2008)
Poem by Walt Whitman, 1819 – 1892, from “A Song of Joys”
Soloist: Naomi Peterkin
O! Listen to a jubilant song. The joy of our spirit is uncaged, it darts like lightning! My soul it darts like lightning! Listen to a jubilant song, For we sing to the joy of life, and youth, and the joy of a glad light-beaming day. O! Our spirit sings a jubilant song that is to life full of music, a life full of concord, of music, a life full of harmony. We sing prophetic joys of lofty ideals. We sing a universal love awaking in the hearts of men. O! to have life, a poem of new joys, to shout! to dance, exult, and leap. O! to realize space and flying clouds, the sun and moon, O! to be rulers of life, O! to be rulers of destiny, and of life.
Norman Dello Joio was an American composer of Italian descent, and from a long line of musicians. A graduate of Julliard, he studied for many years with Paul Hindemith. In his distinguished career he also was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music, and an Emmy. He served for years as Professor and then Dean at Boston University.
Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened (G. F. Handel, 1685-1759)
Let thy hand be strengthened and thy right hand be exalted. Let justice
and judgment be the preparation of thy seat! Let mercy and truth go
before thy face. Let justice, judgment, mercy, and truth go before thy face. Allelujah.
The Yin to his exact contemporary J.S. Bach’s Yang, Johann Frideric Handel was a German composer, hired to the court of the Hanover elector (a kind of prince), who sent him to Italy to study in 1707-10. Upon his return, Handel visited London and decided to settle there, to the great displeasure of his prince, who then, by an improbable turn of events, became England’s King George I (he was 51st in line for the throne, but the first non-Catholic). Fortunately, the King appreciated Handel and gave him money and eventually the citizenship. Handel is mostly known for his vocal works (operas, oratorios, anthems) though he saw himself primarily as an instrumental music composer.
“Kyrie” from Mass in E minor (Anton Bruckner, 1824-1896)
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy
Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer, a contemporary of Brahms — the two great men regarded each other with suspicion. Bruckner’s musical language was heavily influenced by Wagner, advanced harmonically and formally, and very thick. Trained as an organist and church musician, his music reflects his profound religiosity. His style is heavily polyphonic and tends to be dark, though often ironic. This haunting “Kyrie” was originally scored for a mixed choir with a chamber group of brass instruments.
Insanae et vanae curae (Joseph Haydn, 1732-1809)
Insanae et vanae curae invadunt mentes nostras, saepe furore replent corda, privata spe, quid prodest, o mortalis conari pro mundanis, si coelos negligas, sunt fausta tibi cuncta, si Deus est pro te.
Vain and raging cares invade our minds, often madness fills our hearts, deprived of hope, what do you gain, O mortal, by craving worldly things, if you neglect the heavens? If God is in your favor, all things will be good for you.
Joseph Haydn was the last great composer to work his entire career for one aristocratic patron (the Hungarian Prince Eszterházy). He used to say that because he was isolated he was forced to become original. He is mostly credited with developing and bringing to maturity the genres of the symphony (of which he composed over 100) and the intimate string quartet. He did compose, however, in all genres including many operas and much vocal music.
Bless Us, Lord, With Your Peace (Sanford Dole, 1955-)
Psalm 67, adapted from the Hebrew by Stephen Mitchell
Bless us, Lord, with your peace; make your light shine within us, so that your presence may be known, and your love appear to all people. Let all earth’s nations honor you and all people shout out your praise: Christian, Muslim and Jew, idol-worshipper, agnostic, Buddhist, Taoist, scientist, brown-skinned, yellow and white. Let wisdom speak in their hearts and justice light up their eyes. Let all of them feel your presence and sing out in the fullness of joy.
Sanford Dole is one of San Francisco Bay Area’s musical treasures. During his rich career he has held posts with some of the most respected groups in the area including Chanticleer, Grace Cathedral Choir, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. He currently conducts the Saint Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church Choir, the Bay Choral Guild, and North Star Vocal Artists. With degrees in composition and conducting (SF Conservatory), we are indeed fortunate that he serves as one of our associate conductors and we are blessed to enjoy his voice in the chorale.
The Cloud (Kevin Padworski, 1987-)
Poem by Sara Teasdale, 1884-1933
Glockenspiel: Andrea Fox
I am a cloud in the heaven’s height, the stars are lit for my delight, tireless and changeful, swift and free, I cast my shadow on hill and sea — But why do the pines on the mountain’s crest call to me always, “Rest, rest”? I throw my mantle over the moon and I blind the sun on his throne at noon, nothing can tame me, nothing can bind, I am a child of the heartless wind — But why do the pines on the mountain’s crest whispering always, “Rest, rest”?
Currently pursuing his DMA in Choral Conducting at the University of Colorado-Boulder, Kevin Padworksi works with the Colorado Children’s Chorale and is the Artistic Director of The Colorado Chorale. With degrees in saxophone and organ, his diversity only assists his emerging compositional career. He is producing a considerable portfolio and we expect to see and hear more from him in the coming years.
Let My Love Be Heard (Jake Runestad, 1986-)
Poem by Alfred Noyes, 1880-1958
Angels, where you soar up to God’s own light, take my own lost bird on your hearts tonight, and as grief once more mounts to heaven and sings, let my love be heard whispering in your wings.
Jake Runestad is an award-winning and frequently-performed composer of “highly imaginative” (Baltimore Sun) and “stirring and uplifting” (Miami Herald) musical works. He has been commissioned by some of the leading ensembles and organizations such as Washington National Opera, the Netherlands Radio Choir, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Seraphic Fire, Craig Hella Johnson and Conspirare, and many more.
“Virgo virginum praeclara” from Stabat Mater
(Paul Mealor, 1975-)
Virgo virginum praeclara, mihi jam non sis amara, fac me tecum plangere. Fac ut portem Christi mortem, passionis fac consortem, et plagas recolere. Fac me plagis vulnerari, fac me cruce inebriari et cruore filii. Flammis ne urar succensus. per te, Virgo, sim defensus in die judicii. Christe [cum sit hinc exire] stabat mater dolorosa [juxta crucem].
O Virgin, chosen one of virgins, do not be bitter with me then; let me weep with you. Let me bear Christ’s death, let me share in his passion and commemorate his wounds. Let me be wounded with his wounds, be intoxicated by the cross and the blood of your son. Lest I burn in flames, set on fire, O Virgin, may I be defended by you on the day of judgment. O Christ, [when it is time to pass away from here] the sorrowful mother stood [beside the cross].
Welsh composer Paul Mealor started his compositional studies as a boy with William Mathias, completing his degree at the University of York with further studies in Copenhagen. His classical choral works, described as “beautifully spatial and evocative of landscape” have been featured in many programs on the BBC and topped both the classical and pop charts in the UK. Audiences around the world heard his stunning motet “Ubi Caritas” during the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. “Stabat Mater” was performed at his sold-out “all-Mealor” Carnegie Hall debut in 2016.
Ave Maria (Kevin A. Memley, 1971-)
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus [fructus ventris tuis]. Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in ora mortis nostrae.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed [is the fruit of your womb]. Holy Mary, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.
California-born Kevin Memley is an accomplished pianist and composer with more than 65 published choral works and three film scores to date. He has taught music in the Fresno public schools and accompanied the San Joaquin Chorale for more than 20 years. Although he had composed many choral works, it was in 2009 that his “Ave Maria” became his first published work; its ethereal beauty has made it an international favorite for high school, university and professional chorales.
A Song of Joys (Allan Robert Petker, 1955-)
Poem by Walt Whitman, 1819 – 1892, from “A Song of Joys”
O to make the most jubilant song! Full of music – full of manhood, womanhood, infancy! O to make music. O to make the most juliblant song! Full of common employments – full of grain and trees. O to make the most jubilant song! Sing on. O for the voices of animals – O for the swiftness and balance of fish! O for the dropping of raindrops in a song! O for the sunshine and motion of waves in a song! O the joy of that vast elemental sympathy which only the human soul is capable of generating and emitting in steady and limitless floods.
This piece was commissioned by the members and friends of Consort Chorale in honor of the chorale’s 25th, silver, Jubilee Anniversary.
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Consort Chorale consists of selected choral singers from the San Francisco Bay Area who are dedicated to the choral art form. Every summer, for the past twenty-five years, the group has auditioned in May, then gathered for almost-weekly rehearsals and an intensive week of nightly rehearsals, culminating in a crowd-pleasing concert. The unique “intensive” format comes with certain limitations, but provides an opportunity for singers to share in their love of choral music through the ages. We are indebted to our associate conductors, David Irvine and Sanford Dole, whose assistance in preparation is immeasurable. Consort Chorale has toured Russia, the Baltic, Eastern Europe, Argentina, and performed at Carnegie Hall. Future tours in the works include Portugal and South Africa.
Allan Robert Petker, founder-director of Consort Chorale, is an internationally known choral conductor, clinician and prolific composer with many published works. He is the Vice President of Publications for the Fred Bock Music Companies (which recently acquired Hinshaw Music), and President of Pavane Publishing. He is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Santa Clarita Master Chorale and the Los Cancioneros Master Chorale in the Los Angeles area. For the past 29 years he has served as clinician and later Dean for two music conferences at Lake Tahoe.
Special thanks to the First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo; Bob Friestad, Consort’s unflappable Dean; The Madison Company Realtors for their assistance with our publicity; Jon Curtis for managing our web site; Barbara McElroy and RuthE Wells for rehearsal accompaniment assistance; Alexandra Amati, Boris De Denko, Andrea Fox, Amanda Hahn, Maggie Huffman, and Martin Hillyer for program assistance; Kimberly Ayers Petker, RuthE Wells, Clark Smith, Tim Proctor, and Terry Scott, Reception; Cyrus Music Foundation, Grass Valley for the Glockenspiel; Will Toft (willtoft.com) photographer; Cinematiks LLC, Videography; Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for rehearsal space, and Stephen McKersie for his invaluable assistance.
Please join us for a reception on the patio immediately following the concert. Our 2019 concert will be August 18. Mark your calendars now! For further information please see our web site: www.ConsortChorale.org
Part 1: Interview with Lily O’Brien
Part 2: Questions from the audience