2015–2016 Choral Highlights

Submitted by Editor-In-Chief on Thu, 12/03/2015 - 23:10

This article is a more extensive (and corrected) version of that in the November 2015 print newsletter

Choral music continues to flourish in New England. Nearly 500 performances are listed on the Choral Arts New England events calendar between September 2015 and June 2016. Here are just a few season highlights. See the online calendar for the complete and up-to-date set.

Premieres and choral commissions (by composer)

This fall, New England choruses have already premiered works by Richard J. Clark, Mohammed Fairouz, and Jon Laukvik.

Major or especially interesting works

Special programs (a few of many)—Chronological.

  • Aaron Copland: In the Beginning; David Foster: The Prayer; Randall Thompson: Alleluia; Aaron Copland: “Zion’s Walls”; Duke Ellington: “Take the A Train”; Carl Strommen: “All About the Blues”; Rodgers/Hammerstein, Warnick: Selections from Oklahoma; arr. Mark Hayes: An American Trilogy; Ed Lojesky (arr.): Selections from Into the Woods. Lexington Pops Chorus [MA]: 12/15/15, 12/16/15.
  • We are such things as dreams are made on. Samuel Barber: Sure on this Shining Night, G.F. Handel: “May no rash intruder disturb”, from Solomon; Antonio Estevez: “Mata Del Anima Sola” from Earthsongs; Ralph Vaughan Williams: Three Shakespeare Songs; Peter Schickele: “dominic has” from Three Choruses from E.E. Cummings. Vermont Youth Orchestra Association Chorus & Concert Chorale [VT]: 12/8/15
  • William Byrd: Mass for Four Voices; Johannes Brahms: Marienlieder (Songs of Mary). Amare Cantare [NH]: 12/12/15.
  • La Guitarra. Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Romancero Gitano, Op. 152; Chris DeBlasio: God Is Our Righteousness; Jeffrey Van: A Procession Winding Around me (Chorus and classical guitar in the Four Civil War Poems of Walt Whitman). Connecticut Chamber Choir [CT]: 1/10/16.
  • ReSoundings: sit inside the chant. Music from the 9th to the 20th centuries by Hildegard von Bingen, Kassia, Arvo Pärt, Erna Woll, Raffaella Aleotti, Sulpitia Cesis, Francisco Guerrero, Tomás Luis de Victoria, the Florentine Laudario, and more. Cappella Clausura [MA]: 1/16/16, 2/1/16.
  • Hugo Distler: Totentanz; Ildebrando Pizzetti: Requiem; Edwin Fissinger: Lux aeterna. Seraphim Singers [MA]: 1/24/16, 1/30/16.
  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa Sine Nomine; Thomas Tallis: Lamentations of Jeremiah; other Renaissance music by Byrd, Victoria, Viadana, and Lotti. CONCORA [CT]: 1/31/16.
  • The British Are Coming! Ralph Vaughan Williams: O Clap Your Hands; Lord, Thou Hast Been; Charles Hubert Hastings Parry: I Was Glad; Blest Pair of Sirens; Gerald Raphael Finzi: Magnificat; Welcome Sweet and Sacred; John Milford Rutter: This Is the Day; Paul Mealor: Ubi Caritas; Karl Jenkins: Nunc Dimittis; The Shepherd. Providence Singers [RI]: 3/5/16, 3/6/16.
  • To Sing as Angels from Above. Vocal survey of works by women composers from 12th-century Hildegard von Bingen to 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw. Oratorio Chorale [ME]: 4/2-3/16.
  • Cantores y ministrile: Music in Seville in the Golden Age. Blue Heron [MA], with Dark Horse Consort: 4/2/16.
  • J.S. Bach: Singet dem Herrn BWV 225; H. Schütz: Deutsches Magnificat SWV 494; H.L. Hassler: Pater Noster; J. Brahms: Fest und Gedenksprüche, Op. 109; F. Mendelssohn: Sechs Sprüche, Op. 79; R. Schumann: Vier doppelchörige Gesänge, Op. 141. Boston Cecila [MA]: 4/9/15.
  • Leonard Bernstein: Chichester Psalms; Constant Lambert: Rio Grande; Joan Tower: Second Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman; selected Spirituals. Worcester Chorus [MA] with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra: 4/29/16.
  • Edward Elgar (arr. Donald Fraser): Sea Pictures, Op. 37 (chamber choir & strings, American premiere of arrangement); Stephen Paulus: The Day Is Done (on a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow). Connecticut Chamber Choir [CT]: 5/1/16.
  • P.D.Q. Bach: The Seasonings, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi: Pseudo Yolk and El Hambo, Charles-Valentin Alkan: Funeral March on the Death of a Parrot; Rossini: Duet for Two Cats; music by Pârt, Pinkham, Banchieri, and others. Musica Sacra [MA]; 5/14/16.
  • Music for chorus and orchestra by composers who were Tanglewood Composition fellows, including Lukas Foss: Psalms; Michael Gandolfi: Winter Light; David del Tredici: Acrostic Song; Thomas Oboe Lee: Mechthild von Magdeburg; and early choral works by Elliot Carter. Also, Kenneth Lampl: Jerusalem; and a premiere of a new work for chorus and strings. Cantilena Chamber Choir [MA]: 5/15/16.
  • Modern works by Gwyneth Walker, William Hawley, Ricky Ian Gordon, Michael Conley, Philip Jameson, Paul Moravec and Robert Convery, and others, several set to poems from the Harlem Renaissance. CONCORA [CT]: 5/22/16.
  • Randall Thompson: Testament of Freedom (on the writings of Thomas Jefferson); Last Words of David; Eric Whitacre: Five Hebrew Love Songs; Gwyneth Walker: And Joyful Be; David Conte: Dance. Cambridge Community Chorus [MA]: 5/30/16.

Category:

Effective Date: 
Thursday, December 3, 2015 to Saturday, December 3, 2016