New England Chorus Highlights: 2014 Spring Season

Submitted by Editor-In-Chief on Sun, 01/19/2014 - 12:36

The Choral Arts New England chorus directory currently lists 383 active choral organizations in the six New England states. Such an active choral community makes for a lot of great music! Here, I have tried to provide an overview of what is being performed this season. By necessity such a listing is limited and subjective, but hopefully it will be useful. Full listings—and the most current ones—listed by date and location, can be found on our New England Choral Calendar.

—Peter Pusifer, Choral Arts New England

 

Premieres and choral commissions (by composer)

  • Antonin Dvořák: Šelma Sedlák (The Cunning Peasant), U.S. premiere. Calliope (MA), 2/8/14.
  • John Harbison: Supper at Emmaus. Cantata Singers (MA), 5/9/14.
  • Jin Hi Kim: Child of War; John Rutter: Requiem. The Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut (CT), 4/6/14.
  • Julia Okrushka: New work for orchestra, chorus, and solo violin. New World Chorale (MA), 3/8/14.
  • Jake Runestad: A project “combining three art forms—photos, poems and music—into one celebration for Greater New Haven.” Also, Benjamin Britten: Rejoice in the Lamb; and works by Gwyneth Walker, Moses Hogan, Gerald Finzi and Frank Ticheli. Greater New Haven Community Chorus (CT), 5/31/14.
  • Delmar Dustin Small: As it began to dawn, “An oratorio about the awe and mystery of the Resurrection.” Down East Singers (ME), 5/26/14.
  • James Russell Smith: Chamber Chorus 2014 commissioned work. Arlington-Belmont Chorale (MA), 5/9/14.
  • Gwyneth Walker: To Love This Earth. Chorale Connecticut (CT), 5/3/14.

“Great” or especially interesting works

Old Favorites

Special programs (a few of many)—Chronological.

  • Carl Czerny: Te Deum (New England premiere). With Franz Schubert: Mass No. 3 in B-flat and Magnificat; Benjamin Britten: Festival Te Deum; Randall Thompson: Alleluia; William Byrd: Ave Verum Corpus. Featuring Teresa Wakim, soprano; Eileen Ruby, alto; W. David-Marc Finley, tenor; Rene de la Garza, bass; and the Mystic River Orchestra. Mystic River Chorale (CT); 1/19/14, 3 pm.
  • Un petrarchino cantato. A musical valentine: 16th-century madrigals setting the poetry of Petrarch, by Arcadelt, Willaert, Rore, Wert, Marenzio & others. Blue Heron (MA), 2/15/14.
  • Farmer’s Night. A mix of old and new, serious and light, in the Vermont House Chamber. Counterpoint (VT), 2/19/14.
  • Great Music of the Russian Orthodox Tradition. An “Eclectic All-Night Vigil” featuring the 15 traditional sacred texts identified with Vespers, set by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Alexander Gretchaninoff, Victor Kalinnikov, Alexander Kastalsky, and others. Conducted by Richard Coffey and presented with the guidance of noted Russian music specialist, editor, and publisher Vladimir Morosan. CONCORA (CT), 2/22/14.
  • Ronald Perera: Why I Wake Early: Setting of eight poems by Mary Oliver; other American music. New England Classical Singers (MA), 3/8/14.
  • Shakespeare in Concert. Scenes from Shakespeare’s plays with songs by composers from the Bard’s time to our own. The Oratorio Chorale (ME), 3/8–9/14.
  • Aaron Copland: A Lincoln Portrait; Halsey Stevens: The Ballad of William Sycamore; Charles Ives: The Circus Band; David Conte: Elegy for Matthew. Metropolitan Chorale of Brookline (MA), 3/15/14; 3/16/14.
  • J.S. Bach: “Jesu, meine Freude”; Gustav Holst: St. Paul’s Suite; Anton Bruckner: Requiem in D Minor. Soloists are the winners of the Rhode Island Civic Chorale & Orchestra’s 6th Annual Collegiate Vocal Competition. Rhode Island Civic Chorale (RI), 3/15/14.
  • Choral elaboration and improvised organ accompaniment to the Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 French silent film La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc. Seraphim Singers (MA), 3/29/14; 4/5/14.
  • Gioacchino Rossini: Stabat Mater; Giacomo Puccini: Gloria (from Messa di Gloria); “O Mio Babbino Caro” (from Gianni Schicchi); Humming Chorus (from Madama Butterfly); Act I Finale from Tosca. Connecticut Master Chorale (CT), 4/6/14.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams: "In Windsor Forest" (from the opera Sir John in Love); Gustav Holst: Five Partsongs, Op. 12; Ken Neufeld: Three Songs of Innocence; Edward Elgar: Four Partsongs, Op. 53. Cantemus Chamber Chorus (MA), 4/26/14; 4/27/14.
  • William Billings: Chester; I Am the Rose of Sharon; Joseph P. Webster: In the Sweet By and By; Aaron Copland: The Promise of Living; Samuel Barber: Reincarnations; Morten Lauridsen: Sa Nuit d’ete; Soneto de la Noche; Sure on This Shining Night; Ola Gjeilo: Dark Night of the Soul; The Ground; David Dickau: If Music Be the Food of Love; Daniel McDavitt: The Promised Land; Alice Parker/Robert Shaw (arr.): Saints Bound for Heaven. The Providence Singers (RI), 4/26/14; 4/27/14.
  • Illuminations: A performance/installation piece inviting audiences to immerse themselves in the world of a 1554 Belgian convent with chant from a recently discovered antiphonal, period costumes, period food, and reproductions of illuminated manuscripts. Cappella Clausura (MA), 5/3/14.
  • Vincent Persichetti: Four cummings Choruses; Peter Mennin: Four Settings of Chinese Poems by Kiang Kang-Hu; Norman Dello Joio: Leisure; Claudio Monteverdi: O Mirtillo, Mirtillo anima mia; Ohimè se tanto amate; Giovanni Gabrieli: Jubilate Deo; Gaetano Donizetti: La Campana; Giuseppe Verdi: Ave Maria; Gioachinno Rossini: La passeggiata. Master Singers (MA), 5/10/14.
  • W.A. Mozart: Vesperae solennes de confessore; A. Vivaldi: Magnificat; G.B. Martini: Domine ad adjuvandum me festina; vespers music from the Baroque and Classical eras. Concord Chorus (MA), 5/17/14.
  • Igor Stravinsky: Mass; Four Russian Peasant Songs; Claude Debussy: Trois Chansons; Arnold Schönberg: No. 6 from Pieces for Male Chorus. Orpheus Singers (MA), 5/17/14.
  • Songs of the Sea by Edvard Grieg, Amy Cheneey Beach, Eric Whitacre, Peter Schickele, and others. Saengerfest Men’s Chorus with the Boston City Singers (MA), 5/31/14.

Location:

Category:

Effective Date: 
Sunday, January 19, 2014 to Saturday, June 21, 2014