Great Sacred Music Sunday, January 31, 2021
Thomas Weelkes: Give the King Thy judgements Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, Stephen Darlington
Andrew Carter: Psalm 6 Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral, London, John Scott Andrew Lucas, organ
Dan Locklair: Pater Noster Sospiri, Christopher Watson
English composer Thomas Weelkes (1575-1623) composed about 50 anthems, notwithstanding his reputation as a drunkard and blasphemer. English composer and arranger Andrew Carter (1939-) has had his music performed at King's College and St. Paul's Cathedral, London, to name but a few of the venues. Dan Locklair is Composer-in-Residence and Professor of Music at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
John Rutter: I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Cambridge Singers; City of London Sinfonia, John Rutter
Pavel Chesnokov: Why Hast Thou Rejected Me Chamber Choir "Lege Artis", Boris Abalyan
Franz Liszt: Consolation No. 4 (Quasi adagio) Robert Parkins, organ 1932 Aeolian organ in Duke University Chapel, Durham, North Carolina
John Rutter’s “I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes” dates from 1974 and is scored for SATB chorus and organ or orchestra. Pavel Chesnokov (1877-1944) wrote over 400 sacred choral works before the Russian Revolution curtailed his writing. Dr. Robert Parkins has been the University Organist of Duke University since 1985.
Commentary: Larry Abernathy
Benjamin Britten: Jubilate in C Holst Singers, Stephen Layton
Gabriel Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine, Op.11 English Voices; London Festival Orchestra, Ross Pople
Imant Raminsh: Ave verum corpus Choir of St. John's, Elora, Noel Edison
English composer Benjamin Britten wrote his Jubilate in C in 1961 for St. George’s Chapel, Windsor at the request of the Duke of Edinburgh. Faure composed his Cantique de Jean Racine in 1864-65 at age 19. Latvian-born composer Imant Raminsh (1943-) emigrated to Canada in 1948. He is active as a composer and a violinist.
Anonymous: Ave corpus vere natum Huelgas Ensemble, Paul van Nevel
Eugene Gigout: Grand choeur dialogue David Arcus, organ 1932 Aeolian Organ in the Chapel of Duke University, Durham, NC
Paul van Nevel founded Huelgas in 1971. Huelgas refers to a Codex of the same name.
J.S. Bach: Cantata 144, "Nimm, was dein ist, und gehe hin" Holland Boys' Choir; Netherlands Bach Collegium, Pieter Jan Leusink Ruth Holton, soprano; Sytse Buwalde, alto Knut Schoch, tenor; Bas Ramselaar, bass
J.C.F. Bach: The Infancy of Jesus Rheinische Kantorei; Das Kleine Konzert, Hermann Max Barbara Schlick, soprano; Hilke Helling, alto Hein Meens, tenor; Harry van der Kamp, bass
Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732-1795) was the fifth son of Johann Sebastian Bach. His oratorio Die Kindheit Jesu (Wf XIV/2) was first performed on February 11, 1773 and subsequently revised in 1784/85.
John Cook: Fanfare David Halls, organ 1876 Willis organ in Salisbury Cathedral
English organist John Cook (1918-1984) held several church music posts in North America, including St. Paul's Cathedral, London, Ontario, and the Church of the Advent, Boston.
Joseph-Hector Fiocco: Missa Solemnis in D Capella Brugensis; Collegium Instrumentale Brugense, Patrick Peire Greta de Reyghere, soprano; Hilde Coppe, soprano Jean Nirouet, countertenor; Jan Van Elsacker, tenor Jan Van der Crabben, bass; Werner Van Mechelen, bass; Dirk Snellings, bass
If Handel and J.S. Bach are the well-known High Street, then one might think of the obscure Flemish composer Jean-Joseph Fiocco (1686-1746) as a side street on the Baroque map. His music is expertly crafted and flows beautifully, but is outshone by the masterworks of his great contemporaries.
Johann Pachelbel: Aria with Variations in F Gustav Leonhardt, organ
Dutch organist and early music specialist Gustav Leonhardt (1928-2012) profoundly influenced performance practice on period instruments.
Robert White: Lamentations (5vv) Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips
English Tudor-era composer Robert White (c. 1538 – 1574) was a chorister at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was highly-regarded for his music of which little has survived.
John Rutter: Gloria Choir of King's College, Cambridge; Choir of Gonville and Caius College; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Stephen Cleobury
John Rutter's Gloria was commissioned by Mel Olsen of First United Methodist Church, Omaha, Nebraska, in 1974.