2014

Magnificat (Baldassare Galuppi 1706 – 1785)
Soloists: Soprano – Beth Carter, Alto – Michele Baroody, Tenor – Michael Petersen

Magnificat anima mea Dominum. Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae. Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent
omnes generationes. Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est, et sanctum nomen
ejus.

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from
henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath
done to me great things; and holy is His name.

Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in
brachio suo; dispersit superbos mente cordis suae.

And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. He hath
shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination
of their hearts.

Deposuit potentes de sede et exultavit humiles. Esurientes implevit bonis; Et
divites dimisit inanes.

He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath fi lled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty
away.

Suscepit Israel, puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae.
He hath helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy.
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros: Abraham et semini ejus in secula. Gloria
Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.

As He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to His seed forever. Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.

Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in secula seculorum. Amen.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Baldassare Galuppi studied under Antonio Lotti in Venice. He spent time in London in 1741-47 composing operas that remained popular for some time (Handel’s Messiah was premiered there in 1742). He returned to Venice and continued his composing career until 1766 when Catherine II invited him to St. Petersburg. He returned to Venice in 1768.

Deus in adjutorium meum… (Benjamin Britten, 1913 – 1976)
Words from Psalm 70

Deus in adjutorium meum intende. Domine ad adjuvandum me festina.
God, come to my assistance. O make haste to help me.

Confundantur et revereantur, qui quaerunt animam meam.
Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul.

Avertantur retrorsum, et erubescant, qui volunt mihi mala.
Let them be turned backward and put to confusion, that wish me evil.

Avertantur statim erubescentes, qui dicunt mihi: Euge.
Let them, for their reward, be soon brought to shame, those that cry over me.

Exsultent et laetentur in te omnes qui quaerunt te, et dicant semper:
But let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee.

Magnificetur Dominus: qui diligunt salutare tuum.
The Lord be praised.

Ego vero egenus et pauper sum: Deus adjuva me.
As for me, I am poor and in misery: haste thee unto me, O God.

Adjutor meus et liberator meus es tu: Domine ne moreris.
Thou art my helper and redeemer: O Lord, make no long tarrying
.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et
semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Benjamin Britten was a major force in classical music in England in the last century. Infusing classical forms with contemporary harmonies, he birthed a new sound for his time. The text above is translated by sections so you can appreciate the word painting he created in this exquisite motet.

O Magnum Mysterium (Richard Burchard, 1960-)

O magnum mysterium, et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent
Dominum natum, jacentem in praesepio! Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt
portare Dominum Christum. Alleluia.

O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the newborn
Lord, lying in a manger! Blessed Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ
the Lord. Alleluia!

Richard Burchard is an American composer most noted for his Salzburg Mass, “Miserere Mei,” and “When David Heard.” He is the head of the music department at Bellarmine University in Kentucky and was recently Commissioned to compose a tribute anthem to Morten Lauridsen by the ACDA Western Division.

Moonlight and Rain (Kevin A. Memley, 1971-)
Words by Kevin A. Memley

The moonlight gleams to earth and my love draws near to you. The rain falls
gently down and my soul is poured in you. Let the very air I breathe be the
blanket of your skin and the music in my depths be the song in your heart. For I
am moonlight and I am rain. And my love will travel to the end of ends

Kevin A. Memley is a refreshing and versatile composer whose works have only recently appeared on the choral music scene. Today his music can be heard around the world. Consort Chorale was fortunate to perform two of his extended works, “Magnificat” and “Gloria in
Excelsis,” two years ago with the composer featured as the guest accompanist. In 2015 we will again sing with Kevin as both works will be premiered with full orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal (Paul Mealor, 1975-)
Poem by Alfred Tennyson, 1809-1892

Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white; nor waves the cypress in the
palace walk; nor winks the gold fin in the porphyry font: The firefly wakens:
waken thou with me. Now droops the milkwhite peacock like a ghost, and like a
ghost she glimmers on to me. Now lies the earth all Danaë to the stars, and all
thy heart lies open unto me. Now folds the lily all her sweetness up, and slips
into the bosom of the lake: so fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip Into my
bosom and be lost in me.

Paul Mealor is a Welsh composer of primarily choral music.He came
to wider notice when his motet Ubi Caritas et Amor was performed at
the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011. He
later composed the song Wherever You Are, which became the 2011
Christmas number one in the UK Singles Chart.

Ihr Musici, frisch auf! (Hans Leo Hassler, 1564 – 1612)

Ihr Musici, frisch auf und laßt doch hören, Die lieblich Kunst tut euch
zusammenkehren! Ein jeder faß sein Stimm alsbald, Tenor und Baß, Diskant
und Alt. Singt allerseits, zur rechten und zur linken. Denn wer nicht singt, der
soll auch nicht mit trinken.

You musicians refresh yourselves and let us hear you sing once more; the
lovely art brings you together! Each one take your part now: tenor and bass,
descant and alto. Sing all around, to the right and to the left. Because anyone
who doesn’t sing shall also not join in drinking.

Hans Leo Hassler was a German composer and organist of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras, elder brother of composer Jakob Hassler. He was born in Nuremberg and died in Frankfurt am Main

Too Much I Once Lamented ( Thomas Tomkins, 1572 – 1656)
Words by William Barnes

Too much I once lamented, while love my heart tormented, fa la la la.
Alas, and ay me, sat I wringing. Now chanting go, and singing, fa la la la.

Thomas Tomkins was a Welsh born composer of the late Tudor and early Stuart period. The piece performed today bears the inscription: To my ancient, and much reverenced Master, William Byrd. In 1621, Tompkins became a Gentleman Ordinary and organist under his friend and senior organist, Orlando Gibbons.

In Paradisum ( Ēriks Ešenvalds, 1977-)

In paradisum deducant Angeli: in tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres, et
perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem. Chorus Angelorum te suscipiat,
et cum Lazaro quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem.

May the angels lead you into paradise; May the Martyrs welcome you upon
your arrival, and lead you into the holy city of Jerusalem. May a choir of angels
welcome you, and, with poor Lazarus of old, may you have eternal rest.

A Latvian composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and choral works that have been performed in the Americas, Asia and Europe, Mr. Ešenvalds studied at a theological seminary in Latvia from 1995–97. He then studied at the Jāzepa Vītola Latvijas Mūzikas akadēmija – Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in Rīga, where he graduated in 2002. He later had postgraduate studies in composition there with Selga Mence from 2002–04. He served as music minister at the Baptist church Vīlandes in Rīga and sang as a member of the state choir Latvija in Rīga. He served as Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge from 2011–13. He taught at High School No. 31 in Rīga from 1998–2002. His music is captivating, mysterious and wonderfully original.

If You Visit Me (Kevin A. Memley, 1971-)
Poem by Hovannes Toumanian ( 1869 – 1923),
Translated by Daniel Janoyan

If one day, my dear friend, if one day you visit me at my grave, and you fi nd
fresh fl owers newly planted ‘round my grave, don’t ever take them to be regular
flowers under your feet. Those are my songs that have never been sung, carried
away in my heart with me. Those were verses of love, which I had no chance to
recite before I died.

This piece is dedicated to the 100th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, April 24, 2015.

Hard Times, Come Again No More (Stephen Foster, 1826 – 1864)
Arranged by Gerald Custer, 1953 –

Let us pause in life’s pleasures and count its many tears, while we all sup
sorrow with the poor; there’s a song that will linger forever in our ears; oh hard
times come again no more.

Chorus: Tis the song, the sigh of the weary singing, hard times, hard times,
come again no more. Many days you have lingered around my cabin door; oh
hard times come again no more.

While we seek mirth and beauty, and music light and gay, there are frail forms
fainting at the door; though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say,
oh hard times come again no more. Chorus

Dr. Gerald Custer teaches music theory and composition at Wayne State University (Detroit), leads a multiple-choir program at the First Presbyterian of Farmington in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and serves as artistic director and conductor of the Seaway Chorale and Orchestra.

Hush! Somebody’s Callin’ My Name
(Arranged by Brazeal W. Dennard,1929-2010)

Hush, hush, somebody’s callin’ my name. Oh my Lord, oh my Lord, what shall I do?
Sounds like Jesus, somebody’s callin’ my name. Oh my Lord, oh my Lord, what shall I do?
I’m so glad that trouble don’t last always. Oh my Lord, oh my Lord, what shall I do?
I’m so glad I got ‘ligion in time. Oh my Lord, oh my Lord, what shall I do?
Soon one mornin’ death come creepin’ in my room. Oh my Lord, oh my Lord, what shall I do?

Brazeal Dennard was an African-American singer, educator, choral director, and musical arranger. He has been a significant contributor in the preservation and revitalization of the spiritual musical form. His efforts helped moved the African-American spiritual beyond the
confines of the church, exposing not only the beauty of this music, but also its historical importance to a wider audience.

Notes on the text from Dr. Rosephanye Powell: “Hush” is to tell those weeping for us during
sickness or dying to stop weeping because there is joy in dying. The verse “soon one morning,
death come creeping in my room” was something the slave longed for and welcomed because
it meant freedom from slavery. There is a verse that says “sounds like Jesus” and that refers
to the fact that they are truly saved and Jesus is calling them home. Relative to slavery in a
sociological context, “hush” was an indication to keep quiet and listen because a conductor in
the Underground Railroad was in the area and whatever their signal was (whistling, barking,
knocking, tapping on the window) was indicative to the slave’s name being called. Or a list
of slaves wishing to escape, including the cabin location could have been provided to the
conductor who actually whispered the escapee’s name in close proximity. In this context, the
verse “sounds like Jesus” is a way of letting those in the slave community know that a conductor
or liberator was in the area.

Four Choral Critters (Christine Donkin, 1976-)
Words by Ogden Nash (1902-1971)

Behold the duck. It does not cluck. A cluck it lacks. It quacks.
It is specially fond of a puddle or pond.
When it dines or sups, it bottoms ups.

The panther is like a leopard, except it hasn’t been peppered.
Should you behold a panther crouch, prepare to say “ouch.”
Better yet, if called by a panther, don’t anther.

Whales have calves, cats have kittens, bears have cubs, bats have bittens,
swans have cygnets, seals have puppies, but guppies just have little guppies.

The one-L lama, he’s a priest; the two-L llama, he’s a beast.
And I would bet a silk pajama there isn’t any three-L lllama.

Christine Donkin was born into a musically active family in northwest Alberta. Her writing reflects a delightful diversity of styles from classical to folk and jazz. Her music is now being performed across the continent and abroad.

Great God Almighty! (Arranged by Stacey V. Gibbs, 1965-)
African-American Spiritual

God, great God almighty. Ridin’ in a hurrry, ridin’ like he angry, bull whip in one
hand, cowhide in the other. Singin’ great God almighty. Captain went to yellin’.
Did you hear the captain shout, “Take off your shirt now ‘cause I’m gonna kill
you!”? No! Hear the captain comin’, ridin’, won’t be no more, runnin’ an hidin’. O
hear my cry, O Lord, please hear my plea, O Lord. Bully went to pleadin’, have
mercy. Please don’t you kill me, captain, don’t you kill me! No, stop! I’m fightin’
till my death. I’m gonna keep on a-runnin’ till my very last breath. Shoutin’ great
God almighty, God.

Stacey Gibbs is a relatively new name on the scene of choral music. A true amateur musician who makes a living outside of music, his arrangements of spirituals have quickly captured the attention of choral directors of professional, university and community choirs the world over.

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-one 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 the artistic rehearsal contributions of David Irvine, Ruth E. Wells, and Sanford Dole, whose assistance in preparation is immeasurable. Consort Chorale has toured Eastern Europe three times, and has just returned from performing in Russia, Estonia and Sweden.

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, and President of Pavane Publishing. He is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Santa Clarita Master Chorale and the Director of Music at the First Presbyterian Church in San Pedro. For the past 15 years he has served as 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; Marty Friesen for managing the web site and ticketing (with help from Jim O’Brien and Terry + Nancy Scott); Martin Hillyer for program assistance; Kimberly Ayers Petker, Allan McAllister, Mary Carol Winkler, Terry Scott and Maggy Huffman, reception; Kevin A. Memley, recording engineer; Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for rehearsal space and Stephen McKersie for his invaluable assistance.