American Voices Saint Thomas Choir of Men & Boys Fifth Avenue, New York 7 John Scott conductor 18 RES10 Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) American Voices Chichester Psalms American Choral Music 1. Psalm 108, verse 2; Psalm 100, entire [3:42] 2. Psalm 23, entire; Psalm 2, verses 1-4 [5:54] 3. Psalm 131, entire; Psalm 133, verse 1 [8:20] Randall Thompson (1899-1984) Meg Bragle mezzo-soprano ⁵ 4. Alleluia [5:08] Frederick Teardo organ Anna Reinersman harp Aaron Copland (1900-1990) Maya Gunji percussion 5. In The Beginning [17:02] Saint Thomas Choir of Men & Boys, Nico Muhly (b. 1981) Fifth Avenue, New York Bright Mass with Canons 6. Kyrie [4:07] [4:13] John Scott conductor 7. Gloria 8. Sanctus and Benedictus [2:35] 9. Agnus Dei [3:18] Samuel Barber (1910-1981) 10. Agnus Dei [7:49] Daniel Castellanos (b. 1995) 11. Eternal Light [2:36] About Saint Thomas Choir of Men & Boys and John Scott: Ned Rorem (b. 1923) 12. Sing My Soul [2:17] ‘[...] an intensely dramatic reading [...] Scott and his 13. O God, My Heart is Ready [3:39] magnificent choir capture the fervent writing in all its rich variety’ The Observer arr. Gerre Hancock (1934-2012) 14. Deep River [3:38] ‘[Scott] and his New York forces achieve some memorable results, not least the clarity of their sound’ Choir & Organ Total playing time [74:18] American Voices: American Choral Music Psalm 100 (‘O be joyful in the Lord’) is set of the Berkshire Music Centre in 1940. American music to which no European in an agitated and dance like seven-four Expecting a piece that would be a joyful master of composition could sign his name A man of phenomenal and wide-ranging rhythm that contrasts fittingly with the choral fanfare, the Centre received instead and get away with it.’ It seems extraordinary musical gifts, Leonard Bernstein was one of opening of the second movement, a lyrical this masterpiece of introspection. Alleluia that such problems were to be addressed in the great figures of twentieth-century setting of Psalm 23 for boys’ choir and soloist. reflects Thompson’s concern over the 1920s in France, by a Frenchwoman, American music. Following study at Harvard circumstances in Europe, particularly the fall Nadia Boulanger. It was to this lady that University he entered the Curtis Institute The treble solo is affectingly accompanied by of France. His textual inspiration came from several generations of American composers in 1941 where a friend commented, ‘Lenny the harp but when this attractive melody is Job 1:21: ‘The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh were drawn; among them Aaron Copland, is doomed to success.’ It was a true prophecy taken up by the boys’ choir it is interrupted away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.’ The Virgil Thompson, Roy Harris, Walter Piston in that Bernstein’s multi-faceted career by fierce outbursts from the men’s choir: story of the Alleluia is a particularly unusual and Elliott Carter. An avowed disciple of inevitably restricted the number of ‘Why do the nations rage together?’ (Psalm one. There are several theories as to why he Stravinsky, Mlle. Boulanger imposed a compositions he was able to pen. We are 2). Although the boys resume their pastoral began composing the piece barely a week severely disciplined method of study on her fortunate, therefore, that the Very Reverend melody and the disturbance moves into the before its scheduled first performance: the pupils tempered with encouragement Walter Hussey, Dean of Chichester background, the disquiet remains in evidence official story is that he was ‘preoccupied with always to develop their own musical styles. Cathedral, invited Bernstein to compose until the end of the movement. The third another commission,’ though the popular That she was able to accomplish this a work for the 1965 Chichester Festival. movement begins with an organ prelude lore is that he quite simply forgot about it! establishes her as one of the greatest Hussey was also responsible for of striking dissonance and intensity. The Thompson wrote the work in just four days, musical pedagogues in the history of music. commissioning Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb mood of this music gradually yields to one and delivered it to the conductor, G. Wallace ‘It was brave of me to accept a commission as well as works of art and music by William of yearning and comfort as the choir sings Woodworth, barely forty-five minutes before for a choral work to be premiered at a Walton, Gerald Finzi, John Piper, Graham Psalm 131 (‘Lord, I am not high-minded’). the first performance. Woodworth’s first Symposium on Music Criticism at Harvard Sutherland, Marc Chagall and Henry Moore. The work ends reflectively with a unison impression: ‘Well, text at least is one thing in May 1947, never having composed ‘I think many of us would be very delighted ‘Amen’ as the organ quietly recalls the first we won’t have to worry about.’ The work anything of length for chorus.’ Thus spoke if there was a hint of West Side Story about phrase of the chorale. retains a freshness and spontaneity, and is Aaron Copland about the genesis of his the music,’ wrote Walter Hussey to Bernstein one of those few works which one never single-movement motet for mezzo-soprano in his letter requesting that commission. Randall Thompson is one of the most tires of hearing, or performing. It is still ‘story-teller’ and unaccompanied chorus, Bernstein did not disappoint; his Chichester widely performed twentieth-century performed at the opening concert of In the Beginning. Copland decided to tell Psalms contain some material originally American choral composers. He once said: Tanglewood’s annual summer events. the ancient tale of creation in a ‘gentle intended for West Side Story and are full of ‘A composer’s first responsibility is, and narrative style’ using the biblical phrase the jazzy Broadway rhythms that always will be, to write music that will reach Even though, before the turn of the century, ‘And the evening and the morning were characterise his music. The text of Chichester and move the hearts of his listeners in his Charles Ives had produced choral music of the ___ day’ as a chanted refrain, its tonal Psalms is in Hebrew and the work opens own day.’ Alleluia, probably the best known singular originality, it was still pertinent of centre rising with every appearance, to with a powerful introit that appears again and loved of all Randall Thompson Gilbert Chase, in his book America’s Music conclude each section of the work. It was at the end of the first and last movements. compositions, was written for the opening to state: ‘What we really needed was some only when he arrived at the third day of creation that the composer ‘saw that it was in a choir (particularly the glacially slow the American Academy’s Prix de Rome. ventures extend far beyond this specialised good’ and felt that his approach would be ones in John Taverner’s A Hymn to the Among his early works, it was the slow field. Rorem has composed an array of successful. He went on to portray the Mother of God, or the manic imitation in movement of his string quartet of 1936 works for all instruments, including three varying moods and events of the creation Weelkes’s Alleluia, I Heard a Voice). In writing that was to bring Barber international fame. symphonies. O God, my heart is ready was days by using different rhythmic patterns, Bright Mass with Canons, I tried to tap into The composer’s adaptation of it for string composed for the Saint Thomas Choir in tempi, textures, and tonal centres. A my remembered excitement as a chorister. orchestra under the title Adagio for Strings 1992 to mark the twentieth anniversary of cadenza-like passage for the singer and 3) Throughout the Mass, the organ acts as a led to its first performance under the The Reverend John Andrew, DD, as Rector. a final coda force all the voices to the top sort of antagonist to the choir, adding baton of Toscanini and its acceptance by It is an exuberant setting of words which of their range, bringing the work to a insect-like decorations, or aggressive, a wide public. Barber made this choral features angular wide-ranging vocal textures climax to depict the text – ‘And man became decentering bass notes; sometimes it arrangement of the piece in 1967, setting offset by a virtuoso organ part. The text, a living soul’ – in musical terms. The work’s continues twitching after the choir has it to the text of Agnus Dei – a perfect and from Psalm 108, is the motto of Saint premiere was conducted by Robert Shaw. finished. In the ‘Sanctus’, these roles reverse, heartfelt match of words and music. Thomas Choir School. In complete and the organ calms down while the trebles contrast, Sing my soul is an exquisite Nico Muhly was born in Vermont in 1981. and altos ecstatically improvise on the Daniel Castellanos was born in Hoboken, NJ miniature – tender, fervent and restrained. A graduate of Columbia University and the word ‘Sanctus’; at the ‘Benedictus’, at the in 1995. He entered the Saint Thomas Choir Juilliard School with undergraduate sign of the cross, the choir gently School in September 2004 and graduated The term ‘spiritual’ may be derived from degrees in English and Music Composition, undulates while the organ pokes and in May 2009, continuing his education at the King James Bible’s translation of Muhly studied under John Corigliano and twitters: an organic benediction.