Monday, January 29, 2018

About the Music: None Other Lamb, River in Judea, Crucifixus,

NONE OTHER LAMB
Poem by Christina Rossetti
Musical setting by Craig Courtney

A link to 320 of Rossetti's poems - have a look around!

https://www.poemhunter.com/christina-georgina-rossetti/poems/

About the poet - she had an /amazing!!!/ life!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_Rossetti

I will say that my favorite CR work is "Goblin Market" - read it aloud, expressively!
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44996/goblin-market

The poem was set to music by Craig Courtney - composer of "How Great Our Joy" and many other fine pieces <3
https://www.lorenz.com/more-information/meet-our-composers/composers?itemId=Composer:697

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RIVER IN JUDEA (TTBB) - by Linda Marcus & Jack Feldman, arr. John Leavitt
This is one of Fr. Sundborg's favorite TTBB pieces - he asks for it by name!!

From Shawnee's website - (the publisher)

River in Judea

Series: Shawnee Press
Publisher: Shawnee Press
SAB
Composers: Linda Marcus, Jack Feldman
Arranger: John Leavitt

An all-star writing team created this beautiful gospel-style song based on a secular text spun from the river-is-life metaphor. River in Judea is suitable for virtually any performance. Perfect for graduation.

About Jack Feldman:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Feldman_(songwriter)

About Linda Marcus:
https://www.lorenz.com/more-information/meet-our-composers/composers?itemId=Composer:133

About John Leavitt, who arranged this piece for TTBB chorus:

https://www.halleonard.com/biographyDisplay.do?id=116

"River-as-life" metaphor - - - Uncle GOOGLE had way TMI for me - here are a couple of places -

The metaphor, specifically: http://blog.locustfork.net/2012/11/the-ultimate-metaphor-life-is-like-a-river/

A bunch of river = life poems: https://www.poetrysoup.com/poems/about/river_metaphor_poems

And, if you are a member of Cantemus - - there's this Emerson poem set by Nancy Cobb...!!!!

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CRUCIFIXUS - by Antonio Lotti
About the text - -
The text is a phrase in the Credo, which is part of the Ordinary of the Mass.
What's a "Credo" - ? Have a look here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credo

Texts for the Ordinary (unchanging) part of the Mass, in both English and (YES!!!!) Latin.

http://www.kitbraz.com/tchr/hist/med/mass_ordinary_text.html

About Antonio Lotti:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Lotti

I saw something interesting (taken from the Wikipedia article) -
"Lotti is thought to have influenced Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Jan Dismas Zelenka, all of whom had copies of Lotti's mass, the Missa Sapientiae.

...so I looked around a bit further, and found this! Here's a link to another article about Lotti, which goes further into the "Bach Connection":

http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Lotti-Antonio.htm

And, an image! I don't know about you, but I like to know what people LOOK LIKE!

http://classictong.com/files/image/artist/383/300

Thursday, January 18, 2018

A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION about Next Week's Guest - Dr. Ben Bernstein!!!

Hello everyone,
We will be honored with a working visit from renowned performance psychologist, composer and coach, Dr. Ben Bernstein.

Ben Bernstein's website - take some time to look around, it is a fascinating place!!
http://www.drbperformancecoach.com/

Specific info about Dr. Ben!

http://www.drbperformancecoach.com/about.html

Here is a vimeo link to Ben's one-act opera, "The Man in the Mirror," which was performed right here a few years ago - starring Ross Hauck!!!

https://vimeo.com/11636981

Here's a wonderful link to more of Ben Bernstein's work - plenty of links to check out! Read about "Singers Gym" while you're at it :-)

https://www.hatchfund.org/user/singersgym

THE SCHEDULE

Ben will be here on Wednesday and Thursday, January 24 and 25.

He will be working with our various choral permutations and with individual singers in a masterclass setting.

I'll ask Doc to publicize the time of the masterclass session - it's always wonderful to perform for an audience, and there's this thing called

VICARIOUS.

LEARNING.

Stay tuned!

In musical solidarity,

Lee

About the Music: Poulenc (2 pieces TTBB), Terminus, Mr. Toad's Song

Hello everyone,
Our ongoing survey of Winter and Spring quarter repertoire continues!
First up: "Seigneur" and "Tout puissant" (4 Prayers of St. Francis of Asissi, set by Francis Poulenc - Chamber T/B)

About the music and the text:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quatre_petites_pri%C3%A8res_de_saint_Fran%C3%A7ois_d%27Assise
About Francis Poulenc:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Poulenc

Translations of all four poems:

https://www.reverbnation.com/thescholacantorumofstpetertheapostle/song/17829297-four-little-prayers-st-francis/lyrics

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"Terminus" - text by R.W. Emerson, music by Nancy Hill Cobb
You may know Emerson's famous essay on "Self-Reliance" - if you don't know it, DROP EVERYTHING FOLLOW THIS LINK AND READ IT RIGHT NOW! Forget the self-help aisle - go to the source, get the real deal - FREE :-)

Emerson, "Self-Reliance":
https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/emerson/essays/selfreliance.html
About Ralph Waldo Emerson:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson

Emerson is meme'd a lot - why not dip into his essays and read some of his wonderful poetry - find out what he /actually said/...!!!

Text of "Terminus" - Nancy Hill Cobb set only a portion of it - here is the entire poem: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52349/terminus

Here is a VERY interesting analysis of the poem, with some revealing contextual information! - http://worldlitshah1emerson.weebly.com/emersons-poetry.html

About Nancy Hill Cobb, the composer: http://sbmp.com/ComposerPage.php?ComposerNum=177

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"Mr. Toad's Song" - text from "The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame; setting by Lee Peterson

Y'all, TWITW is one of my favorite books of all time. I re-read it at least half a dozen times each year. It is a magical masterpiece! If you don't know it - hie you to Half Price Books and buy a copy /right now/.
Now - read the notes on your musical score for the background and text of this piece. And, think about Mr. Toad - he turns up in the most interesting places! He's practically an archetype. I'll leave it at that :-) :-)
About Mr. Grahame and the book:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_in_the_Willows

What inspired Mr. Grahame to write this wonderful book? -

http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson/whats-on/online/witw/letters

If you prefer to read the book online, it's right here at Project Gutenberg, free for the asking! - http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27805

A note about my setting: I love strutting, pompous, verbose, self-centered, manic but essentially good-natured Toady.
I was musically influenced by the magnificent Cab Calloway!
Get into the mood with these clips - -
Here's "Minnie the Moocher":

And a famous CC upbeat tune, "Jumpin' Jive"

Have fun with Mr. Toad - and yes, there is a video of me doing THE MOTIONS.
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In musical solidarity,
Lee

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

For Cantemus: More info about Gospel Music! More about Precious Lord including T A Dorsey talking about it.

Here's follow-up to the gospel info passed on in today's Cantemus section Wed Jan 17

Here's a good article about the genre, for starters

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_music

My arrangement of PLTMH is more "Southern" gospel style - I touched on this in Cantemus today - here's musicological information!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_gospel

Here's a paragraph from the Southern gospel music article:

Several secular artists have expressed their love for and influence of the genre by recording southern gospel albums or performing gospel songs in concert. Among them are Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Dailey & Vincent, Charlie Daniels, Bob Dylan, Larry Gatlin, Roscoe Holcomb, Alan Jackson, Kentucky Thunder, Jerry Lee Lewis, Loretta Lynn, The Louvin Brothers, Reba Mcentire, Willie Nelson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Leann Rimes, Ricky Skaggs, The Statler Brothers, Marty Stuart, Randy Travis, Carrie Underwood, and Hank Williams.

There's enough info above to keep you very, very busy at YouTube!!! Try taking one gospel song and listening to different renditions. "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" - for example...!

Mahalia Jackson - "Precious Lord" - long-meter style

Aretha Jackson - very long meter version.

EVERYBODY YOU MUST LISTEN TO THIS CLIP!!!! - it is Thomas A. Dorsey speaking about his song, "Precious Lord Take my Hand."

About the music: I Have Had Singing, Agnus Dei, Thank You for the Music, Total Praise

Hello everyone!
Here are some links to reference text, context and composers:

"I Have Had Singing" TTBB - setting by Ron Jeffers

Ron Jeffers 1943 – 2017 wasone of the founders of Earthsongs publishing company.

Wrote I H H S as a gift to choirs. The sheet music is available free over internet, not for sale anywhere!

Earthsongs on FB: https://www.facebook.com/earthsongschoralmusic/

Fascinating book which references the text: lotta garble but I think you can extract the pertinent information - Begin at p114 “Singing at work and the dialectic of grounded happiness”

- https://books.google.com/books?id=GX8YAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=fred+mitchell+i+have+had+singing&source=bl&ots=xdSwIZkoeF&sig=INjBHPfel_SZWw955MCrRT1WYsQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgicqjgeDYAhVR_WMKHXfqDYM4ChDoAQgoMAA#v=onepage&q=fred%20mitchell%20i%20have%20had%20singing&f=false

Here's a review of the book where the text was first published

https://hogglestock.com/2010/04/08/book-review-voices-of-akenfield-by-ronald-blythe/

And, if you're in a hurry - here's a bit of info about the text, taken from program notes here http://stevensametz.com/composer/works/info/i-have-had-singing/

I Have Had Singing paraphrases lines taken from Ronald Blythe’s Akenfield, Portrait of an English Village. In the 1960’s, Blythe traveled to the north of England interviewing farmers, plowmen, blacksmiths — people whose stories dated back to the early 20th century. One subject, given the name Fred Mitchell in the book, was an 80-year old horseman who told his story of working a bleak, unfertile land in a life filled with little joy. In the midst of his story, he stopped and said, “But there was always singing; the boys in the field, the chapels were full of singing. I have had pleasure enough; I have had singing.”

Thank you for the music

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thank_You_for_the_Music

About ABBA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABBA

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Here is a wonderful article about Richard Smallwood that references “Total Praise”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/the-richard-smallwood-you-know-4-doves-10-stellars-8-grammy-noms/2015/07/22/553d5cfc-0a28-11e5-9e39-0db921c47b93_story.html?utm_term=.887c2241c1b8

Agnus Dei text and musics

In the liturgy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnus_Dei_(liturgy)

Music:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnus_Dei_(music)

LISTEN TO SOME OF THE PIECES REFERENCED IN THIS ARTICLE!!!

About Franz Schubert

https://www.biography.com/people/franz-schubert-9475558 - shortish article

BUT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Schubert is much, much, much better. It is a super long article but I recommend this one if you really want to ‘get to know’ Mr. Schubert.

Franz (was) moved around a bit after he died

http://www.visitingvienna.com/footsteps/schuberts-grave/

About the Zentralfriedhof – AMAZING PLACE. I have been there. I cannot tell you how awe-struck I was, to actually touch BEETHOVEN'S GRAVE. Somehow, despite years upon years of loving labor on various compositions, he truly became a Real Person (TM) to me when I went to the cemetery. He's near Schubert and Brahms (who has a most interesting gravestone indeed - one that I'm sure would have greatly amused him!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Central_Cemetery

Thursday, January 11, 2018

About the music: Hear My Prayer, O Lord / Stabat Mater

Hear my prayer, O Lord

About Purcell's setting:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hear_my_prayer,_O_Lord_(Purcell)

Source text:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+143&version=KJV

About Henry Purcell:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Purcell

http://www.52composers.com/purcell.html shorter and not as dry as Wikipedia article

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Pergolesi - "Stabat mater"

About the composer:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Battista_Pergolesi

http://www.52composers.com/pergolesi.html

biographical info with pictures – not as ‘dry’ as the Wikipedia article!

About the text:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stabat_Mater

About Pergolesi's setting, specifically - interesting!:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stabat_Mater_(Pergolesi)

Background of Pergolesi’s “Stabat mater”

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

About The Music: "Precious Lord," "Grace," "None Other Lamb:

About "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" - the story
originally known as "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_My_Hand,_Precious_Lord

SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE RECORDED THIS SONG!
Go to YouTube and type "Precious Lord Take My Hand" into the search bar -
!! - Use the "Performances" section in that Wikipedia article as the go-to list.

About Thomas A. Dorsey:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_A._Dorsey

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Bella Voce's "Grace" is a setting of "Amazing Grace" - read the entire article for information about the text and about John Newton - a truly moving and inspiring story!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Grace

The tune that most of us know ("Amazing Grace") is /major pentatonic/ - exactly like the tune for "How Can I Keep From Singing"

The tune that Mr. Mark Hayes set is /somewhat/ ! pentatonic

Mark Hayes' website:

http://www.markhayes.com/

Biographical information - he's a pianist - I KNEW IT!!!!

http://www.markhayes.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=9

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"None Other Lamb" - text by Christina Rossetti (Yes, "In the Bleak Midwinter" Rossetti!!)

About Christina Rossetti:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_Rossetti

About Craig Courtney ("How Great Our Joy" - Cantemus folk will already know him!)