Westminster Choir Joe Miller, conductor 2016 Concert Tour A Tapestry • Voices Westminster Choir College and its community have been likened to a tapestry—a fabric with a rich texture and design. Our tapestry is woven from individual threads that are permanently connected to one another, telling a story that is far greater than the sum of its individual strands. Every individual touched by Westminster— through the work of our students and our alumni, through our performances—becomes a part of the Westminster tapestry. The Tapestry of Voices project seeks to represent the threads added to Westminster’s fabric through the Westminster Choir’s 2016 tour performances. Titled “Angel Band,” the tour concert program is centered on a theme of shared experience and community. Each performance creates a new community—composed of the choir and the audience. For those few hours we share an experience, a connection, a moment in time. We may enter the concert hall as strangers, and we may never see each other again, but for those few hours we have created a community and added new threads to the Westminster tapestry. The Project Before each performance, members of the audience are invited to reflect on their lives at that point in time and to select one word that best represents them as they join the concert community. After writing their word on a piece of paper they are photographed. Following each concert, the photographs are collected, printed, and placed in a communal vessel during key moments in the succeeding concerts, representing the community created by the audience and choir at each tour concert. When the choir returns to Princeton, all of the photographs will be used to create an art installation that will appear with the choir on the stage at its Homecoming Concert. The photographs will also be the centerpiece of a video weaving together images and music to represent the many people and communities connected through Westminster—the choir and the college—a Tapestry of Voices. Angel Band Westminster Choir Joe Miller, conductor Conductor’s Note “O come, come angel band, come and around me stand; Oh bear me away on your snowy wings to my eternal home” is a strain that I can remember from my childhood in East Tennessee. Wrapping ourselves in beautiful song is something that we all seek, and the songs that we sing as a community form our collective conscience. Think about the times that you have felt immense pride in hearing the national anthem when an Olympic athlete wins the gold medal, the sense of comfort that many take in the hymn Abide with Me, or the need to dance and smile when we hear Pharrell Williams’ Happy. The gospel song Angel Band will become the thread of this concert that reminds us that we are all bound together and that we can build a unique bond by experiencing this concert together. Along with Angel Band serving as a central musical theme, or cantus firmus, is the setting of Francis Poulenc’s Mass in G Major. The Mass is a central organizing feature of the church. It represents a shared experience in our journey of life. Poulenc’s Mass in G Major is a stark juxtaposition with the music of the old gospel tune. Poulenc says that his Mass has “a realistic side.” His vision of the world through this work is a kaleidoscope rather than a clear singular perspective. From the opening of the Kyrie, which utilizes a Byzantine-like stark sound, Poulenc takes us on a journey through fierce harmonies that are rarely what we expect and epic battles of range and texture; however, the power of the work is found in the moments of pure simplicity that bring the listener back to a place of home. Even when the music has led us to far away places, it seems to always come back to a sense of peace. This program is broken into five scenes. Each scene infuses a movement of the Mass with the pervading Angel Band theme. In the first section, Kyrie, we ask for mercy and seek a way to belong. The second section, Gloria, celebrates life, and in the third section, Sanctus, we care for things that Please note: are holy and beautiful. After intermission we continue with the fourth section, Benedictus, which The unauthorized use of focuses on the blessings of home and family, and finally in the fifth section, Agnus Dei, we ask each any recording device, other for forgiveness. This journey of life begins and ends with us searching for mercy and hope. either audio or video, and The words of Angel Band remind us to remember that a life surrounded by the love of others is the the taking of p hotographs, either key to life’s meaning. As in Poulenc’s Mass in G Major, our journeys bring us enlightenment, and with or without flash, is strictly prohibited. they will hopefully lead is to a life of peace and mutual understanding. Out of courtesy to the performers My interest in putting this program together was inspired by my passion for building community. and e veryone in the audience, Singing together is the best way to bring people together. Perhaps we should start a choir at the please refrain from using cell Capitol building in Washington D.C.? phones and electronic devices during the performance. Joe Miller 1 Please hold applause until intermission. I–Kyrie Miserere Mei, Deus Miserere mei, Deus, Have mercy upon me, O God, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam; after thy great goodness: William Byrd et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, according to the multitude of thy mercies, (1543–1623) dele iniquitatem meam. do away mine offences. Anthem, Op. 96 Within thy grace, O father mild From now until times forever Eskil Hemberg I leave you myself and what I have (1938–2004) Take father all in your keeping Tiffany Ho, soprano My life, my body, my spirit (The road, you shall follow it) Emily Skilling, alto Belong to you father dear (The fun, you shall forget it) Garret Kheshtinejad, tenor Protect and keep what belongs to thee Jeff Vanderlee, bass That nothing evil injures me (The cup, you shall empty it) Today I am pleased in my heart (The pain, you shall conceal it) You are my only consolation and happiness (the truth, you shall be told it) In all my need and great emptiness You are my help I know that (The end, you shall endure it) It is my faith, O father mild Help me that I will always stay by you From your child never turn away That I may inherit heaven. Messe en Sol Majeur Kyrie eleison Lord have mercy 1. Kyrie Christe eleison Christ have mercy Kyrie eleison Lord have mercy Francis Poulenc (1899–1963) 2 II–Gloria Messe en Sol Majeur Gloria in excelsis Deo. Glory be to God in the highest. 2. Gloria Et in terra pax And on earth peace hominibus bonæ voluntatis. to men of good will. Poulenc Laudamus te; benedicimus te; We praise Thee; we bless Thee; adoramus te; glorificamus te. We worship Thee; we glorify Thee. Gratias agimus tibi We give thanks to Thee propter magnam gloriam tuam. for Thy great glory. Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, O Lord God, Heavenly King, Deus Pater omnipotens. God the Father Almighty. Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Lord God, Lamb of God, Filius Patris. Son of the Father. Qui tollis peccata mundi, Thou that takest away the sins of the world, miserere nobis. have mercy upon us. Qui tollis peccata mundi, Thou that takest away the sins of the world, suscipe deprecationem nostram. receive our prayer. Qui sedes ad dextram Patris, Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father, O miserere nobis. have mercy upon us. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, For thou only art holy, tu solus Dominus, thou only art the Lord, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe. thou only art the most high, Jesus Christ. Cum Sancto Spiritu Together with the Holy Ghost in gloria Dei Patris. in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Amen. Canticum Novum Cantate Domino canticum novum: Sing to the Lord a new song: Cantate Domino omnis terra. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Ivo Antognini Cantate Domino, Sing to the Lord, (b. 1963) et benedicte nomini ejus: and bless his name: annuntiate de die in diem salutare ejus. show forth his salvation from day to day. Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit Ev’ry time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray Ev’ry time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray. William Dawson (1899–1990) Upon the mountain my Lord spoke Out of His mouth came fire and smoke Andrew Stack, baritone Looked all around me, it looked so fine Jordan Carroll, baritone Till I asked my Lord if all was mine. Ev’ry time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray Ev’ry time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray. Jordan river, is chilly an’ cold It chills the body but not the soul There ain’t but one train, upon this track It runs to heaven, an’ right back. 3 III–Sanctus Trois Chansons de Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder God, what a vision she is Charles d’Orleans Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder God, what a vision she is; la gracieuse bonne et belle; one imbued with grace, true and beautiful! Claude Debussy pour les grans biens que sont en elle For all the virtues that are hers (1862-1918) chascun est prest de la loüer.