I post these playlists weekly with the hope that you might find them useful as you plan your programs. All of my playlists are on Spotify for you to enjoy at your convenience.
GSM – April 15, 2018 https://spoti.fi/2IZvzVC
Don’t forget that we have more choral and organ music programmed
on Sunday evenings beginning at 10 p.m. eastern.
Rob Kennedy
WCPE The Classical Station
Web: TheClassicalStation.org
Facebook: www.facebook/theclassicalstation
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Charles Gounod: Repentance
Orchestra of the Toulouse Capitole, Michel Plasson
Roberto Alagna, tenor
William Henry Monk: At the name of Jesus
Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer
Rupert Gough, organ
Healey Willan: Hymn: Anthem on “Ye watchers and ye holy ones”
Elora Festival Singers, Noel Edison
Matthew Larkin, organ
Written in 1893 after his grandson had died, “Repentir” expresses Charles Gounod’s feelings of sadness at the youngster’s passing. We know the song as “O Divine Redeemer.” English poet Caroline M. Noel wrote the Processional for Ascension Day we know as “At the Name of Jesus” in 1870. English-born composer and organist Healey Willan (1880-1968) emigrated to Canada in 1913 and was well-known for his work with the choir of St. Mary Magdalene Church in Toronto. Dr. Willan wrote over 800 compositions most of which were sacred choral and organ music.
Francis Jackson: Sing a new song to the Lord
Choir of York Minster, Philip Moore
John Scott Whitely, organ
George Frideric Handel: Let the Bright Seraphim ~ Samson
Orchestra of St. Luke’s, John Nelson
Kathleen Battle, soprano; Wynton Marsalis, trumpet
Dr. Francis Jackson succeeded Sir Edward Bairstow as Organist of York Minster in 1946 and remained in that august position until his retirement in 1982. Handel composed his oratorio “Samson” after “Messiah.” Its first performance was in February 1743.
Henry Ley: The strife is o’er, the battle done
Samuel Sebastian Wesley: The Church’s one foundation
Choir of Liverpool Cathedral, David Poulter
Ian Tracey, organ
Francis Pott translated the 17th century Latin text for “The strife is o’er” in 1861. The tune “Aurelia” was written by Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876), son of Samuel Wesley (1766-1837), who was also a composer. Both hymns can be found on Liverpool Cathedral Choir’s album entitled “Great Hymns From Liverpool Cathedral” released in February 2018 on the Priory label – PRCD1180.
William Byrd: Vide Dominum quoniam tribulor
The Cardinall’s Musick, Andrew Carwood
Jean-Baptiste Lully: Laudate pueri Dominum
Le Concert Spirituel, Herve Niquet
Vide Dominum quoniam tribulor (“Look upon me when I am in trouble”) by English Tudor composer William Byrd was written for use at Lady Mass in Advent. It is scored for five voices. French musician Herve Niquet performed with Les Arts Florissants under William Christie before founding his own group, Le Concert Spirituel in 1987. The Latin title of this anthem translates as “Praise the Lord, ye Servants.”
Amy Beach: Prelude on an Old Folk Tune
Christa Rakich, organ
1932 Kilgen organ in St. Justin’s Church, Hartford, Connecticut
According to Adrienne Fried Block, “the Prelude on an Old Folk Tune (The Fair Hills of Eire, 0) (1942), is a setting of the Irish melody she had used for the piano piece The Fair Hills of Eire, 0!, op. 91. She recomposed it, giving it a second distinctly un-folklike—often highly chromatic—harmonization.” This was Mrs. Beach’s last published work and only piece written for solo organ.
J.S. Bach: Cantata 104, “Du hirte Israel, hore”
Holland Boys’ Choir; Netherlands Bach Collegium, Pieter Jan Leusink
Marjon Strijk, soprano; Sytse Buwalde, alto
Knut Schoch, tenor; Bas Ramselaar, bass
The German translates as “Hear, thou Shepherd of Israel”. This cantata
was written for the Second Sunday of Easter. Compare the opening movement of this cantata with “He watching over Israel” from Mendelssohn’s Elijah to hear the influence the great German master had on a young Mendelssohn.
Frank Martin: Mass for two unaccompanied choirs
Gloriae Dei Cantores, Elizabeth C. Patterson
Swiss composer Frank Martin (1890-1974) was largely self-taught. His 1922
Mass for Double Choir is unaccompanied. It is widely considered one of the
finest 20th-century choral works.
Johann Pachelbel: Chorale Partita: “Christus, der ist mein Leben”
Marilyn Mason, organ
Fisk Organ, Opus 87
The organ is “The Marilyn Mason Organ” at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, designed in honor of the performer. From the Fisk website: “The casework most closely resembles that of Silbermann’s 1721 instrument in the Georgenkirche in Rötha, in the former East Germany.”
W.A. Mozart: Great Mass in C minor, K. 427
Les Arts Florissants, William Christie
Patricia Petibon, soprano I; Lynne Dawson, soprano II
Joseph Cornwell, tenor; Alan Ewing, bass
This mass was the last mass setting which Mozart composed. It dates from 1782-83 and is largely incomplete. Modern performances have used reconstructions of the missing movements and/or editions which complete what music has come down to us.
Pablo Bruna: Tiento de los tiples (sexto tono)
Jose Suarez, organ
Performed on the organ in the convent of San Geronimo in Tlacochahuaya, Mexico
After the Spanish conquered the Aztecs in the 16th century, they imposed the Roman Catholic religion on the natives. This process included the building of churches replete with pipe organs. At first, some instruments were brought over from Spain. Eventually local craftsman learned how to build instruments, of which this early 18th-century organ is an example.
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