Evening of Readings and Carols
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WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE OF RIDER UNIVERSITY The 2019–2020 Season AN EVENING OF ReaDINGS AND CarOLS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2019 PRINCETON UNIVERSITY CHAPEL Westminster Firsts A Classical Legacy 1920 1978 2005 Westminster Choir was established by John Finley Westminster Choir established its own recording label, Westminster Symphonic Choir performed Ravel’s William son at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in copyrighted “Westminster Choir,” and released its first Daphnis et Chloé (complete) for the first time with the Dayton, Ohio. recording: Six Motets of Johann Sebastian Bach, with guest New York Philharmonic, conducted by Lorin Maazel. 1926 conductor Wilhelm Ehmann. 2006 The Westminster Choir School was founded. 1980 Westminster Symphonic Choir participated in the New 1928 Westminster Choir was the first choir to be featured on the York Philharmonic’s first performance of Mozart’s Mass “ Live from Lincoln Center” telecast series over National in C Major, K. 317 “Coronation,” conducted by Lorin Westminster Choir and the Cincinnati Symphony made Public Television. The Choir performed Verdi’s Requiem Maazel. • Joe Miller appointed director of choral the nation’s first coast-to-coast radio broadcast, aired over with the New York Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta. activities and conductor of the Westminster Choir and the Station WLW. 1982 Westminster Symphonic Choir. 1929 Westminster Choir was part of the 10,000th performance 2007 Westminster Choir College was established and moved to of the New York Philharmonic. Rider University established Westminster College of the Ithaca College. 1988 Arts. • Westminster Williamson Voices presented the 1932 North American premiere of James Whitbourn’s Annelies: Westminster Choir sang Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms Westminster Choir College moved to Princeton, N.J. The Anne Frank Oratorio. • Westminster Symphonic with the New York Philharmonic under the composer’s Choir opened the Carnegie Hall season performing 1934 direction in a performance at Carnegie Hall celebrating Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Lucerne Festival As the first official American guests of the Soviet the 45th anniversary of Bernstein’s conducting debut with Orchestra, conducted by David Robertson. Union, with whom the United States had just resumed the orchestra. 2009 diplomatic relations, Westminster Choir made the first 1990 broadcast from Russia to the United States. Westminster Choir and Joe Miller released their first Westminster Symphonic Choir sang in the Leonard recording, Flower of Beauty. 1938 Bernstein memorial concert at the invitation of the Westminster Choir, with conductor and founder Dr. John Bernstein family. 2010 Finley Williamson, presented the first U.S. performance of 1991 Westminster Williamson Voices premiered James Joseph Haydn’s Passion (The Seven Last Words). The perfor- Whitbourn’s Requiem Canticorum, and the Westminster Symphonic Choir performed at Carnegie mance also featured a volunteer orchestra of Princetonians, Westminster Choir premiered Jaakko Mäntyjärvi’s Hall’s 100th Anniversary Celebration. including Albert Einstein in the violin section. • The To a Locomotive in Winter. 1992 Choir sang at the dedication of the New York World’s Fair. 2012 Westminster Choir College merged with Rider 1939 Westminster Symphonic Choir performed with Gustavo University. • Westminster Symphonic Choir performed Westminster Choir sang for the first time with the New Dudamel and the Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra in “A Tribute to Riccardo Muti” with The Philadelphia York Philharmonic. Since then, it has set a record for the for the first time. Orchestra and Maestro Muti, a performance televised number of joint performances—more than 500—by a nationally on the Arts & Entertainment Cable Network. 2014 single choir and orchestra. 1993 The Westminster Williamson Voices’ and James Jordan’s 1957 recording of James Whitbourn’s Annelies, the first major Conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, Westminster Sym- Westminster Choir completed a five-month, globe- choral setting of The Diary of Anne Frank, was nominated phonic Choir participated in The Philadelphia Orches- circling tour under the auspices of the U.S. State for a GRAMMY Award for Best Choral Performance. • tra’s first performance of Britten’s War Requiem. Department’s Cultural Exchange Program. The Choir Westminster Symphonic Choir performed the New York performed in 22 countries, traveled 40,000 miles and 1996 premiere of Christopher Rouse’s Requiem with the New appeared before 227,000 people. Westminster Choir, conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, York Philharmonic conducted by Alan Gilbert. 1964 traveled on a concert tour of Korea and Taiwan and per- 2015 formed in the Colmar Music Festival in Colmar, France. Westminster Choir sang on the Telstar World-Wide Westminster Symphonic Choir performed Leonard Telecast in the spring for the opening ceremonies of the 2001 Bernstein’s Mass: A Theater Piece for Singers, Players New York World’s Fair. This reportedly was the largest Westminster Choir and the New York Philharmonic, and Dancers for the first time with The Philadelphia audience ever to see a television show at that time. conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, performed the world Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. 1971 premiere of Stephen Paulus’ Voices of Light, commissioned 2016 by Rider University to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Westminster Choir performed at the John F. Kennedy Westminster Kantorei performed in England and the founding of Westminster Choir College. Center for the Performing Arts during the inaugural week France. • Westminster Williamson Voices performed of concerts with the Piedmont Chamber Orchestra under 2002 Arvo Pärt’s Kanon Pokanjanen at The Metropolitan the direction of Nicholas Harsanyi. The work performed To commemorate the events of September 11, 2001, Museum of Art’s Temple of Dendur. was The Dawn of Glory by Christian Latrobe. Westminster Choir was featured in the PRI national radio 2017 broadcast of “In the Shadow of the Towers.” They were 1972 Lumina, Westminster Kantorei’s first recording on joined by President George W. Bush and former New Westminster Choir began its first summer as the chorus- the Westminster Choir College label, was released. • York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. • Westminster Sym- in-residence for the Festival dei Due Mondi (Festival of Westminster Choir represented the United States at the phonic Choir’s performance of Verdi’s Requiem with the Two Worlds) in Spoleto, Italy, at the invitation of Gian World Symposium on Choral Music in Barcelona. New Jersey Symphony was broadcast nationally by PBS. Carlo Menotti. 2018 2004 1977 Westminster Choir College was inducted into the Westminster Choir premiered Arise My Love by Stephen Westminster Choir became the first chorus-in-residence American Classical Music Hall of Fame. • Westminster Paulus, a gift from the composer to celebrate Joseph at the Spoleto Festival U.S.A. in Charleston, S.C., at the Choir performed at the International Students Choral Flummerfelt’s extraordinary career. • Westminster’s invitation of Gian Carlo Menotti. Festival in Beijing, China. artistic director, Joseph Flummerfelt, was named Musical America’s 2004 Conductor of the Year, the first choral conductor to be so honored. Christmas Tapestry James Jordan Joe Miller Steven Pilkington Kathleen Ebling Shaw Tom T. Shelton Jr. Westminster Alumni Choir Westminster Chapel Choir Westminster Concert Bell Choir Westminster Symphonic Choir Guest Artists Ken Cowan, organ Teresa Hui ’04, reader Joseph F. Whall, reader Solid Brass Please note the unauthorized use of any recording device, either audio or video, and the taking of photographs, either with or without flash, is strictly prohibited by law. Out of courtesy to the performers and everyone in the audience, please refrain from using cell phones and electronic devices. † We invite all who are willing and able to stand and join in singing The audience is asked to withhold all applause until after the recessional. -3- PRELUDE Refrain: Wassail Song Ralph Vaughan Williams Rejoice! Rejoice! Solid Brass (1872–1958) Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. arr. Douglas D. Haislip Men: Piae Cantiones arr. Michael J. Glasgow O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free Gaudete Thine own from Satan’s tyranny; Westminster Concert Bell Choir From depths of hell thy people save, And give them victory o’er the grave: Judas Maccabeus G. F. Händel Refrain Hallelujah, Amen (1685–1759) Solid Brass arr. Douglas D. Haislip Women: O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer Good Christian Friends, Rejoice IN DULCI JUBILO Our spirits by thine advent here; Westminster Concert Bell Choir with ANTIOCH Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, arr. Goeller/Strepka And death’s dark shadows put to flight: Refrain Variations on a Noël Marcel Dupré Ken Cowan, organ (1886–1971) All: O come thou Key of David, come, OPENING And open wide our heav’nly home; READING: The Grace of Christmas John W. Brigham Make safe the way that leads on high, Joseph F. Whall And close the path to misery: Senior Vice President, PNC Financial Services Group Refrain I Wonder as I Wander John Jacob Niles O come, O come, thou Lord of Might, Westminster Chapel Choir (1892–1980) Who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height, Summer Rae Kuhns, soloist arr. Steven Pilkington In ancient times did give the law In cloud and majesty and awe: Missa Carolae * James Whitbourn Refrain Introit and Kyrie (b. 1963) Westminster Alumni Choir PART II Westminster Symphonic Choir READING: Christmas Tapestry Patricia Polacco