cj - october 2007

"South Africa is ailextrodinary destinationforChoralmUs]c,~l1q'th~ team at ClassicatMove'T1ents helped us createanunforg~tt?J:J!etrifJ. The musical collaborations and the extra musicalexperienc~swere

superb; The great beauty ofthecountry,thewi/cllife/{hehlgh.. standards of hotels, meals and venues and the w?rrnthOf.thep.eop!e.

were better than we could havewishedfor/' .' . . ... '.: " .' .. . .......................•............•...... '.' ......... : ..•.......•...•. '.:

- Jeffrey Douma,Musical. Directo~YaleAlurnnic:hOrLJSf.. ..••.....•... Assistant Professor of Choral Music, Yale School of Music:

9 Eight Choral Works by Heitor Villa-Lobos

by Elisa Dekaney

19 The Carols of Harold Darke: More Than In the Bleak Mid-Winter by Richard Waters

31 The Conductor's Voice:Writing Within the Choral Art Part Three of a Three-Part Series

by Patrick K. Freer

47 Repertoire & Standards Articles

How to Deliver the Three Ms: the Music, the Message, the Ministry

by Ah'lee Robinson

R&S Committees: A Tapestry of Individuals Engaging the Membership

by Kevin Fenton

cLwvu 59 Hallelujah!

A Tribute in Honor of Donald Paul Hustad

63 Book Reviews by Stephen Town

7 1 Compact Disc Reviews by Lawrence Schenbeck

77 Choral Reviews by Lyn Schenbeck

Cover art by Efrain Guerrero. graphic artist, Austin. Texas. Inside art by Amy Thomas. Musical examples byTunesmith Music <www.Tunesmithmusic.com>.

October 2.007

Vol. 48 • no 4

2 From the Interim Executive Director 3 From the President 5 From the Editor 6 Meet the National Headquarters Staff 7 Letters to the Editor

54 Career Moves 80 Advertisers Index

The Choral Journal is the official publication of The American Choral DirectorsAssociation (ACDA). ACDA is a nonprofit professional organization of choral directors from schools, colleges, and universities: community. church. and professional choral ensembles: and industry and institutional organizations. Choral Journal circulation: 19.000.

Annual dues (includes subscription to the Choral Journa0: Active $85, Industry $135, Institutional $1 I D. Retired $45, and Student $35. One-year membership begins on date of dues acceptance. Library annual sUbscription rates: U.s. $45: Canada $50: Foreign Surface $53: Foreign Air $85. Single Copy $3: Back Issues $4.

Permission is granted to all ACDA members to reproduce articles from the Choral Journal for noncommercial, educational purposes only. Nonmembers wishing to reproduce articles may request permission' by writing to ACDAThe Choral Journal is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. © 2007 by the American Choral Directors Association, 545 Couch Drive, Oklahoma City. Oklahoma 731 02.Telephone: 405/232-8161 . All rights reserved.

The Choral Journal (US ISSN 0009-5028) is issued monthly. Printed in the United States of America. Periodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City. Oklahoma, and additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Choral Journal, P.o, Box 2720. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73101-2720.

xec teri

tive irector am writing this first column after having been in the role of Interim Executive

~bI-lr"e(i[E:J~0f,AGDA~f0~0r;)ly=six~weeks;=It-:----- -has been an incredible time of learning

and sharing with the National Headquarters staff and more recently with the Executive Committee and the National Board. Though I have been a member of ACDA for 30 years and have participated in Leadership Conferences and National Board meetings, this is a new

Jerry Warren and challenging situation. I am grateful for the support of and affirmation from the Executive Committee in giving me this opportunity.

ACDA is in a unique position as we begin a search for only the third Executive Director in our history. We have enjoyed a consistency of leadership that few organizations have experienced. In this time of transition, as we prepare for the new Director; we have opportunity to look carefully at our organization and begin the process of change. It is inevitable that we will be different in the future as the result of new leadership and the changes that are occurring in our world. It is an exciting time, as well as a challenging one, as we envision our role in the promotion and advocacy of the choral art in the days ahead. We need to dream and dare to make the dreams come true.

Even as many of our leaders are in the midst of final preparations for the seven divisional conventions that are rapidly approaching, we are also in planning for the 2009 ACDA National Convention in Oklahoma City. As a new and temporary citizen of the city, I have come to enjoy it quickly in my tenure here. The Arts District, in which our ACDA National Headquarters is located, is a vital and lovely area. Our Headquarters building is directly across the street from the Civic Center Music Hall, which will be one of the performance venues for our convention. I encourage you to visit the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau site at <http://www.okccvb.org/> to discover more about "our" city. In the days ahead, you will hear more and more of the exciting plans for this convention. I hope to see you here.

In this and the December issues of the Choral Journal, you will find short articles about the National Headquarters staff. In my short time here, I have found our staff to be absolutely wonderful. They are all capable and dedicated, and continually go beyond their basic responsibilities to do whatever is necessary for the working of the office. They are a pleasure to work with as professionals and as delightful

~l2eol2le. Some of them will be at ~our Divisi()n conv~er1!i(:m to assist with registra- _ tion, and all will be present at the 2009 national convention here. I urge you to greet them at the conventions.

In our near future, while I am in this role, please calion me if I can be of assistance

to you in your vital part of leading and spreading our love of the choral art.

National Officers

President Hilary Apfelstadt

The Ohio State University 614/292-9926 (voice)

<[email protected]>

Vice-president Michele Holt

Providence College 40 I /822-1 030 (voice)

<[email protected]>

President-elect . jerry McCoy

University of North Texa!; 940/369-8389 (voice)

-=:=~=----'--.- --'<mtcc)Y@mi:isic~DntedU>'''-~""-''--:'7----

Treasurer julie Morgan

Arkansas Tech University 479/968-0332 (voice)

<[email protected]>

Executive Director jerry L. Warren

405/232-8161 (voice); 405/232-8162 (fax) <[email protected]>

Central Division President Pearl Shangkuan Calvin College

616/526-6519 (voice) <[email protected]>

Eastern Division President Brent Miller


North Central Division President JoAnn Miller

North Dakota State University 70 I /231-7822 (voice)

<[email protected]>

Northwestern Division President Scott Peterson

Yakima Valley College 509/574-4836 (voice); 509/574-6860 (fax)

<[email protected]>

Southern Division President David Castleberry Marshall University

304/696-3 I 27(voice) <[email protected]>

Southwestern Division President jeff Sandquist

Rolla High School 573/458-0144 x I (voice); 573/341-5985 (fax)

<[email protected]>

Western Division President Dean Semple


Industry Associate Representative Alec Harris

GIA Publications Inc. 708/496-3800 (voice); 708/496-3828 (fax)

Chair, Past Presidents' Council Mitzi Groom

Western Kentucky University 2701745-3751 (voice); 27017_4~~6855 (fiiJ<) .

-<mitzi.groom@Wl<u.edi.J> -------

National Past Presidents

Archie Jones t Elwood Keister t Warner Imig t J. Clark Rhodes t Harold A. Decker t Theron Kirk t Chal"les C. Hirt t Morris D. Hayes t Russell Mathis Walter S. Collins t H. Royce Saltzman

Colleen Kirk t Maurice T. Casey Hugh Sandel"s t David o.Thorsen Diana J. Leland William B. Hatcher John B. Haberlen Lynn Whitten James A. Moore Milburn Price David Stutzenberger

Hilary Apfelstadt

• resl ent Greetings,

Ithough this is the October issue, I am actually writing this column in late August.The Choral Journal is on a sixweeks-ahead schedule for publication,

so while it would be ideal fOI" you to be reading about what the Executive Committee and National Board accomplished at OUI" annual meeting in Septembel~ that is impossible.You will, howevel~ be able to check on our Web site for that information and also I-ead about it in the Novembel-President's column.

There are several major items on the September meeting agenda, among them the question of how we will handle the mattel" of chaperone expectations with our honor choirs. Because of liability issues, we adopted a rather strict policy prior to the LA convention in 2.005, whereby we required an adult chaperone to stay in evel-Y honor choir singel"'s hotel room. This proved to be a hardship in some cases, and we have been petitioned by a number of state leaders to reconsider this issue. In fact, the Executive Committee did so priol" to the 2.007 national convention in Miami.We implemented a policy consistent with that of MENC that requires a ratio of one adult chaperone for each 15-2.0 secondal-y school students.We asked that chaperones stay in the same hotel as the singel-s, and be I"esponsible for their attendance at all reheal"sals.

There are many good reasons for making this temporal-y policy a permanent one. It is simply not feasible foi" many pal-ents to accompany their students to honor choir events. Not only is there monetary cost, but also there is time lost from wol"l<: for some people, that is not an option. On the other hand, there are l"isks that need to be considered. Indeed, what if something does happen to put a student at l"isk while participating in an ACDA honor choir event? How do we handle this responsibility? In this litigious society, we must be sensitive to both sides of the issue. Some hotels do not want to house youth groups unless they are closely supervised. Rest assured that YOUI- elected officers will consider this issue with gl"eat cal-e and concern. We know that the future of honor choirs, especially at the state level, is highly dependent upon the outcome of our decision. Because many people feel ACDA's influence most strongly at the local level, it is imperative that we not jeopardize the potentially positive perception of OUI" ol-ganization.

Very often, perception is reality. Just today (August 2.1), a teacher who attended an in-service wOI-kshop with me, obsel-ved that she has colleagues who do not belong to ACDA because they perceive we are too "stuffy" and cater primarily to university conductors. Despite the fact that we have instituted a Choral Journal column fOI" elementary teachers and one for junior high school and middle school teachel"s, and that we sponSOI" many activities for young singel-s, at least one group of chol-al musicians believes we are not meeting theil" needs. Those non-members lose out on the many benefits that ACDA membel"ship provides, and that is I-egl-ettable.

I responded to this teacher's infol-mation by telling her about the I"ecent formation of the National Collegiate Conductors' Organization (NCCO), founded,

(Continued on page 4)

National R&S Chairs

National Chair Nancy Cox

580/482-2364 (voice); 580/482-1990 (fax) <[email protected]>

Soychoirs Thomas Sibley

Raleigh Soychoir 919/881-9259 (voice)

<[email protected]>

Children's Choirs . Robyn Lana Cincinnati Children's Choir

'513/556-0338 (voice); 513/556-9988 (fax) ;, <[email protected]>,

College and University Choirs John Paul Johnson

University of Kansas 785/864-9699(voice); 785/864-5866 (fax)

<[email protected]>

Community Choirs W. Robert Johnson

30 I /654~3380 (voice) <[email protected]>

Ethnic and. MultiCultural Perspectives

,Appointment Pending

Junior High/Middle School Tom Shelton

Kernersville Middle School 336/996-5566

'<[email protected]>

Male Choirs Frank Albinder ;

2021986-5867 (voice) <[email protected]>

Music in Worship . Paul A Aitken' .

Boise First United Methodist Church 208/343-7511 (voice); 208/343-0000 (fax)

<[email protected]>

Senior High Choirs Amy Johnston Blosser

Bexley High School 614/539-5262 (voice)

. <[email protected]>

.Show Choirs Ken Thomas

334/821-0583 (voiCe» <[email protected]>

Two-Year Colleges Larry L. Stukenholtz

St. Louis Community College-Meramec 314/984-7638 (voice)

<[email protected]>

.. VocalJazz 'Kirk Marcy

Edmonds Community College 425/640-1651 (voice); 425/640-1 083 (fax)

<[email protected]>

Women's Choirs Debra Spurgeon

University of Mississippi 6621513-6635 (voice)

<[email protected]>

Youth and Student Activities Jeffrey Carter

Ball State University 765/285-3599 (voice); 765/285-5401 (fax)

<[email protected]>

FrtJIrU if: President (continued from page 3)

at least in part, to meet the needs of university choral conductors who want to focus on the concerns of college conductors. I am a member of NCCO, and attended its inaugural conference in San Antonio last November; it was an enlightening event, and I look forward to the next one in the fall of2008, to take place il! CincinnatiIhe ironyof the situation is obvious-one group feels ACDA is too elitist; another seems to believe that ACDA could afford to cater more to the needs of university choral conductors. It is indeed a challenge to try to satisfy everyone's professional interests.

Like many of you, I belong to MENC, ACDA, and now, NCCo. Some of you also belong to the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Each organization is unique; each provides something of great value to us as choral musicians. What concerns me, as a longtime ACDA member, is that there are choral conductors who do not regard us as a necessary part of their professional landscape. What can we, as members, do to change their perceptions and encourage those colleagues to join forces with us? What will they gain in exchange for their membership fees? A subscription to the Choral Journal; access to ACDA-sponsored events at the state, divisional, and national levels; exposure to various activities we sponsor such as choral festivals, honor choirs, and workshops; and most important, connection with colleagues who share their commitment to the choral art-all these are among the benefits of ACDA membership.

What is our responsibility as members to bring our colleagues into the fold? It is considerable. Each of us needs to recruit. If we have colleagues whom we know would benefit from and contribute to ACDA, we need to encourage them strongly to become a part of our organization. The Northwest Division has recently begun a new initiative to provide one-year memberships for new teachers. What a wonderful way to introduce young colleagues to ACDA. With a year's membership paid, there is incentive to continue the membership at the end of the year, assuming the conductor has reason to believe in its value. We can help this happen by representing ACDNs interests and modeling its values to these new members.

The point isn't simply having more numbers for numbers' sake; rather, it is about building a stronger cadre of professional choral conductor/educators who can advocate articulately and passionately for our art form. Another teacher spoke to me at today's workshop about feeling devalued by his school district because administrators do not support the arts to the same degree that they do many other subject areas.That is a familiar refrain. As a strong organization, large both in numbers and presence, ACDA can work to make a difference.What we do as choral conductors is vital to the spiritual and artistic well being of all the singers we influence, and the stronger we are as an organization, the more we can make that point in society. I

~--challengeeacll of us to set a persona:lgoctl~drbtlngifrg-a.t~I~Cfst~ar\t~~°p-erstm·--into ACDNs community before year's end.

Editorial Board

Editor Carroll Gonzo

University of StThomas 651/962-5832 (voice); 651/962-5876 (fax)

<[email protected]>

Managing Editor Ron Granger

ACDA National Office 405/232-8161 (voice); 405/232-8162 (fax)

<[email protected]>

Editorial Associate David Stocker

~c_~=d81 /29J_~8 L94_(voice)~ <[email protected]>

Patricia Abbott Assn. of Canadian Choral Conductors


Richard J. Bloesch 319/351-3497 (voice)

<[email protected]>

J. Michele Edwards St. Paul, MN 551 16


Sharon A. Hansen University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee


Janeal Krehbiel Lawrence Children's Choir


Edward Lundergan SUNY-New Paltz

845/257-2715 <[email protected]>

Donald Oglesby University of Miami

305/284-4162 (voice) <DOglesbY@miamLedu>

Robert Provencio Cal. State University-Bakersfield


Lawrence Schenbeck Spelman College


Lyn Schenbeck Coweta County Schools 770/683-6837 (voice)

<[email protected]>

Timothy W. Sharp Rhodes College 901/843-3781

<[email protected]>

Ann R. Small Stetson University

386/822-8976 <[email protected]>

~-Magen-Solomon--- -~ University of Southern California

2131740-3225 <[email protected]>

Stephen Town Northwest Missouri State University

660/562-1795 (voice) < info.nwmissourLedu/-stown/homepage.htm>

h(}-/tU tf: Editor

Carroll Gonzo

In This Issue

lisa Macedo Dekaney writes about "Eight Choral Works by Heitor VillaLobos." She begins with

a brief biography of the composer; and then focuses on the eight choral works. We learn that most of VillaLobos's choral music was composed between the years 1931 and 1945.

She follows with a discussion of each work. The reader is provided with a Portuguese pronunciation guide, which should prove quite useful to conductors wishing to perform one or all of the compositions presented in this article.

The composer Harold Darke may be a name that does not immediately spring to mind for many of our readers, but his composition In the Bleak Mid-Winter no doubt has been sung by many in church and in concert. Richard Waters presents a succinct and robust biography of Darke's life, which includes Darke's work as an organist, conductor; teacher; and composer. After setting the compositional stage on which Darke fashioned his life's work, Waters proceeds to present and analyze seven Carols, including, of course,ln the Bleak Mid-Winter. Waters points out that Darke did not achieve the level of recognition obtained by many of his prominent countrymen. Many of his choral works, however; remain in print today, and are available for performance.

The third and final article in a three-part series by Patrick Freer is titled "The Conductor's Voice: Working within the Choral Art." Following the same format of articles I and 2, Freer builds his narrative around quotes from well-known choral conductors weighing in on the concept of working in the choral art. The conductors quoted include individuals conducting all types of ensembles, including children's choirs, university ensembles, and professional choirs. The focus of Freer's narrative is on leadership, pedagogy, and craft.The author concludes with a section dubbed, "Wishes for the Profession.This discussion ends with "hopes and concerns" by the conductors for you, the reader. The concerns include the preparation of future conductors, knowledge of repertoires, furthering the choral art, and the evolution of one's podium temperament over a lifetime of conducting.

.Affiliated Organizations

Indiana· Choral Directors Association . Presiden~- Mary Rinck-Evers

7746 NorthMichigan Road Fairland, Indiana 46126

. . TreasUl'ei- -Paula J. Alles 1471 Altmeyer Rd Jasper, IN 47546

Iowa Choral Directors Association

PI~esident- Matt E. Huth .. 655 SE University Waukee, IA 50263

Setretaryrrreasurer - Joleen Nelson Woods ·209 Oak Ridge Dr

Mount Vernon, IA 52314

American· Choral Directors Association Of Minnesot<l

President ~ Judy Sagen 6200 I 40th Street W

AppleValley, MN 55124

Financial Chair - Charles Hellie . 306,North Elm

Sauk Centre, MN 5637B

Montana Choral Directors Association

President- Janet Fox 702 NTerry Avenue Hardin, MT 59034

li-easurer - Scott Corey 425 Grand Ave

Billings, MT 5910 I

Nebraska Choral Directors Association President - Rhonda Fuelberth lOB Westbrook Music Building

Lincoln, NE 6B5BB

Treasurer -.Tamara Loftis 25153 Co Rd 2B

Arlington, NE 6B002

Ohio Choral Directors Association

President -. Gayle Walker· 573 Peach Street

WeSterVille; OH 430B2

Treasurer - Kent Va~dock B 192 County Road D

Delta,OH 43515

Texas Choral Directors Association

President - Robert Horton ·61 0 I Research Forest The Woodlands,TX 773B I

Treasurer -To Be Filled

. Wisconsin Ch~ral Directors Association President - James Kinchen, Jr.

p.o, Box BI471 Racine;W15340B

Treasurer - Jim Aagaard UW-Richland.

1200 Highway 14 West Richland Center, WI 535B I

Editor's note: This is the first part of a two-part introduction to the ACDA National Headquarters office staff. The rest of the staff will be featured in the December issue.

Marvin Meyer is the ACDA accountant. His duty is to maintain the accounting and I-eporting functions foI- the ACDA National Headquar-tel-s and the ACDA Endowment. He is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Texas and Oklahoma. Marvin has worked at the ACDA National Headquarters since May 2007.

Marvin is a native of Beeville.Texas, a small town in the southern part of the state. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Secondal-y Education, and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi with a degree in Spanish.

Olga Funderburk has been the seCl-etary at the ACDA National Headquartel-s since 2000. She was born in Moscow, Russia and graduated from the University of Foreign Languages with a bachelol-'s degree

6

The National Headquarters Office Staff

in teaching Russian/English. While in Moscow, she worked fOl"

New Times magazine as a technical editol- and at DxB Genel-al Trading and The Amel"ican Grain Co., Inc as an interpl-etel~

She immigl-ated to the United States in 1995. In this country, she has worked for Personnel and Management Consultants as a Bookkeeped Interpretel~ She became a naturalized citizen in 2000, the same year she joined ACDA as a seCl-etary.

Olga is single. Her husband passed away in 2005. She has a daughter; Anastassia, who is a gl-aduate of Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, where she studied to be a graphic artist.

Mark W. Smith is the ACDA Division Accountant. His pl-imary duties include assisting the divisions and state chapters with their accounting and working with the national accountant to integl-ate the division and state activity into the national accounts.

Mark gl-aduated with a degl-ee in accounting fi-om East Central Univel-sity in Ada, Oklahoma. He is a Cel-tified Public Accountant.

Steven Brooks

Mark is married and has three cats. He and his wife do not throw birthday pal-ties fOI- the cats, even though the cats are a little spoiled.

Patsy Jilge has been the administrative assistant at the ACDA National Headquarters since November 2006.

Her duties include general administl-ative functions for the Executive Director; which includes coordinating his travel schedule and meetings and coordination for all ACDA committee meetings held in Oklahoma City, including hotel and flight arrangements.

Patsy was born in Lockney, Texas, a town in the Texas panhandle. She moved to Oklahoma City in 1983. Prior to coming to work for ACDA, Patsy managed surgical and psychiatric clinics in Norman, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City for 23 years. Patsy and her husband,Tommy, live in Southwest Oklahoma City. She has three grown children and three grandchildren.

Steven Brooks is the ACDA Associate Director and Legal Counsel. His responsibilities include working with the Executive DiI-ectol- on conven-

Choral Journal • October 2007

tion issues, such as site selection, contract negotiations, and legal issues. He also works with the Executive Director on matters regarding the day-to-day operations of the organization and the National Headquarters. Steven has been with ACDA since November of 2003.

Steven graduated from the University of Oklahoma with both a Bachelors of Business Administration and a Law Degree. He also graduated from the University of South Carolina with an International Masters of Business Administration. He is licensed to practice law in Oklahoma and the District of Columbia.

A native of Lawton, Oklahoma, Steven studied piano, violin, and clarinet while growing up, and played in the University of Oklahoma Symphony Orchest,-a while pursuing his unde'-graduate studies.

Christina Prucha is the archivist at ACDA. She has an MLS and an MA in French Pedagogy from the University of Arizona. She has worked in the archives fo,- just over a year now. Her duties include organizing and maintaining ACDA's archival collections and answering your ,-eference questions.

When she is not at ACDA, she can be found with he,- husband, daughte,~ and dog at their house in Oklahoma City. She enjoys getting to work in her yard and playing with her family.


itor

Dear Editor:

The August issue of the Choral Journal included my in

terview with Susan Medley. More than an

interview, it was a kind of choral history as

I lived it in the second half of the twentieth

century with various jobs and through the

greats: Robert Shaw, Margaret Hillis, and

Robert Page, colleagues and friends. I'd

like to thank editor Carroll Gonzo and Ms.

Medley for their editorial work and suggest

each of us claim our place in a living choral

history as we move from the twentieth to the twenty-first

century.

Vance George

San Francisco, California

~~ertoire ~ ... ~ (1.~ ... tandards c O~M ITT E E

The National Ethnic & Multicultural Perspectives R&S Chair is being vacated. If you are interested in applying for this

position please send a resume and short "Statement of Intent" to:

Nancy Cox, National R&S Chair <[email protected]>

Applicant submission deadline date: October 20, 2007.

7

eitor Villa-Lobos (ei'tor vila'lobos) is one of the world's most prolific composers with an output between six and seven hundred works. He is considered by many to be the greatest Brazilian composer

of all times, and some of his choral works are among his finest compositions. This article provides a discussion of eight of his choral works composed between 1921 and 1958, and scored for different combinations of voices and instruments. The range of these works will give the reader a glimpse at his many styles.

HeitorVilla-Lobos was born March 5, 1887, and died November 17,1959, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He lived through a period of drastic political changes in his native country and in the world. At the time of his birth, Brazil was under the command of Dom Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil. During adulthood, he witnessed the two World Wars and when he died, Brazil had been a Republic for 70 years. All these political transformations influenced VillaLobos's musical life and led him to reorganize the music curriculum of Brazilian public schools in 1931, and to work with the Brazilian president Getulio Vargas. This music curriculum served Vargas's political agendum and might be the ,-eason why the music education program was withdrawn from Brazilian public schools afterVilla-Lobos's death.

Unlike most composers of his time,villa-Lobos had little formal education. His first musical training was taking violoncello lessons at the age of six from his father Raul, an amateur musician and writer who worked at the Biblioteca Nacional [National Library] in Rio de Janeiro.' These studies came to an end with Raul's death when Heitor was only eleven years of age. He continued his studies nine years later with Francisco Braga, a Massenet pupil, and then with Henrique Oswald. Both composers had been trained in the Western European music tradition.

Another influence in Villa-Lobos's musical career was Alberto Nepomuceno, a musician who studied in Rome, Berlin, and Paris. Braga, Oswald, and Nepomuceno were all respected figures in Brazilian music history because of their compositional output and their service to Brazilian music institutions. In 1922, at the age of thirty-five, Villa-Lob os was granted a fellowship to travel to France. On his first trip to Paris, he met Les Six (Auric, Durey, Honegger, Milhaud, Poulenc, andTailieferre),varese, and Stravinsky, who have all greatly affected his music, though indirectly.2 For example,Villa-Lobos's compositions from the 1920s such as the Choros and Amazonas were highly influenced by Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps.3

But before absorbing European music in his own compositions, Villa-Lobos had been interested in Brazilian folklore and in all types of Brazilian music. Around 19 15, he sold most of his father's library collection to travel to several Brazilian states4

Elisa Macedo Dekaney is assistant professor of music education at the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the areas of choral music, research in music, and world and Brazilian music.

<[email protected]>


seeking to understand the influence of native Brazilians, Africans, and Portuguese on folk music. As early as 1905,Villa-Lobos was transcribing themes that he encountered while visiting several Brazilian states and collecting "useful raw material to be modeled and re-created."s Searching for his own musical identity by absorbing folk material,Vilia-Lobos once said: "I am folklore; my melodies are just as authentic as those which originate from the souls of the people." 6 Understanding the impact of Brazilian folk music upon Villa-Lobos is a necessary requisite for appreciating his choral works, because a great number of them are derived from folk melodies.

Choral Works Most oNilla-Lobos's choral music was written between 1931

and 1945 when he was Director of Music Education? During that period, he focused on arranging and composing music for two to six voices; these pieces were widely used in Brazilian public schools choral programs to teach music fundamentals, choral singing, and citizenship.There are 200 works in this category, all of them created for pedagogical purposes.8

The other choral works in his catalog have been criticized for being impractical to perform today due to their unconventional instrumentation and sparing use of the choir.9 It appears that he was not concerned about the conventional choice of instruments or with traditional musical forms; rather, he explored unorthodox instrumental combinations and newly created forms such as the Choro.' 0 It was precisely his ability to combine such instruments that made his music unique.

The eight choral works, presented here chronologically. were written for SSA,TIBB, and SATB accompanied by various instrumental ensembles.While some of these works have entered the choral repertoire, others remain unknown to choral conductors in Brazil and elsewhere.

Quatour (1921; 8 minutes) Premiered in Rio de Janeiro in 1921, Quatour or Quarteto Sim

b61ico (Symbolic Quartet) is a chamber work scored for flute, E' alto saxophone, celesta, harp, and female chorus. Although the work was written before Villa-Lobos's first trip to Paris in 1923, it exhibits French influence. I I Lisa Peppercorn, one of his first biographers, writes that "The unusual combination of instruments and voices used in the Quatour points without doubt to Debussy's Sonata for flute, viola and harp, as well as to "Sirenes" from Nocturnes for Orchestra and chorus. 12

Quatour is divided into three movements. In Allegro con moto, the only purely instrumental movement, Villa-Lobos introduces a flute playing the theme that permeates the other two movements. The Andantino and the Allegro decisivo movements are scored for instruments and female voices. To unify the piece, Villa-Lobos repeated a number of themes throughout the movements. 13 In the Andantino, he experiments first with a particular way of treating the voice.These experiments recur in a series of song arrangements dated after 1931. Using nonsense syllables,

9

the voices evoke an ethereal atmosphere through melodic or rhythmic combinations. This exquisite work definitely deserves to be performed, even though it has been rarely programmed, perhaps due to the difficulty of the women's chorus part and the instrumentation. 14

that, to deny Stl-avinsky's influence on his own compositions,Vilia-Lobos altered the composition dates of certain works. It was important for the composer that his piec-

Noneto (1923; 14 minutes)

Noneto, titled Impressoo R6pida de Todo

compositions. He and most of his biographers date it 1923, but recently, Guerios, a Brazilian anthropologist, has contended that this date is most likely later and for an interesting reason. Before departing on his first trip to Paris in 1923, Villa-Lobos prepared a catalog of all the works he had composed until that time, but Noneto, Uiropuru, and Amazonas (in which he uses elements of Stravinsky's metric division) are not on the Iist. IS It appears

es were received in Europe as something unique and new, free of foreign influences. According to Guerios, Villa-Lobos prob-

The inaugural cruise includes:

Joint concert with professional orchestra in St. Petersburg/Tallinn conducted by Harold Rosen

1st Tour: May 24-June 1 Faure's Requiem-Original version

2nd Tour: July 12-20 Handel's Messiah - Easter Portion

Your own concert opportunities in selected ports

Onboard accommodations with meals

Stops at the most beautiful Baltic capitals: Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen and Tallinn!

• A project 6f Friendsl;1ip; .'

Ambassadors. Found/itlon, tilc.

Sightseeing tours in selected cities by licensed ~id~;-'-- . ~N15~~~"-c.:,*~_~ Comprehensive travel insurance and full tax deduction ~

as allowed by law for each participant. ~!§ ~SSA.\)O

10

ably composed the piece shortly after his first visit to Europe in 1923. 16 Nonetheless, Behague, an authority in Brazilian music, maintains that the piece was premiered

in Paris on May 30, 1924 at one of Vi II aLobos's first concerts in Europe. 17

Villa-Lobos's most accomplished chamber music work, Noneto, has been described as "an aural impression in miniature of the whole of Brazil-a rapid geographical panorama in music." 18 It features deal- evocations of Brazilian popular music and this style became significant in a number of wol"l<s that followed it as well. Villa-Lobos's style changed significantly in 1922 after the important Semana de Arte Moderna (Week of Modern Art) in which Brazilian composers, visual artists, and writers exhibited art work that broke with the European influence and searched for a national identity. He was seeking to achieve the goals for which he and his Brazilian generation had been laboring all those years-a national identity, a style of

.,j Music Manager r Software S.OTM Cr()~s=platfo!J!I. ... Mac ()t:... window_s_I_~

Get information and demos at

www.musicmanager.com Toll Free (800) 282-9220

also available jor church musicians ...

WorshipManagerlM


music with pronounced Brazilian chal-actel~ Villa-Lobos achieved this by employing a numbel- of pelTussion instl-uments, used in both populal- and folk music of BI-azil. The typical Brazilian pelTussion instl-uments in Noneto are the pu(ta (a small fdction dl-um also named cu(ca, native to BI-azil and frequently used today in percussion repel-toil-e), big and small reco-reco (scl-apers), wood and metal chocalho (shakel-s, I-attles), two cocos (coconuts) of different sizes (which can be I-eplaced by two small wood blocks), a whistle, and finally, a china plate (sCI-aped along its edge with a knife).

Noneto is scored fOI- pel-cussion, mixed . chol-us and eight instl-uments (flute, oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, bassoon, harp, piano, and celesta).Typical of wod<s of that period, it consists of one single movement. It is remad<able foI- its effects, colol-s, and free rhythmic treatment.Although a chambel- work, Villa-Lobos gives the wod< an orchestral chal-actel-through "unique coloidiscovel-ies, with the crucial assistance of

Chol-al Joumal • Octobel- 2007

the pelTussion and the voices, at times strongly reminiscent of subsequent lal-ge choral symphonic WOd<S."19 Amedndian music is evoked by the chol-us, which sings onomatopoeic chants imitating the Indian language through words such as zizombongo and dongo-zongo-rongo-tongo. VillaLobos also employs choml humming that will reappeal- in the Bochionos Brosileiros No.5 fifteen years latel~ in 1938.20

Choros No.3 (1925; 4 minutes) Choro (fi-om the verb "chol-ar" which

means "to weep") is a type of urban music that ol-iginated around I 880 in the suburbs, streets, and squares of Rio de Janeim. They were composed and played by choroes, groups of musicians who gathel-ed I-egulady foI- the simple pleasure of playing together. Because of its melancholic charactel~ this music was soon nicknamed chora. The odginal chora instrumentation was a tdo: flute (I-esponsible for the melody), cavaquinho (a small guital- similar to a

ukulele that played the chords), and guital(which provided the bass). Circa 1900, other instruments, such as the mandolin, clal-inet, saxophone, and trombone, were added to the tdo. Musically, this genl-e was chal-acterized by sudden modulations that were created foI-the purpose offeatudng the polyphonic and improvisational abilities of its players.

This ul-ban music style heavily influenced Villa-Lobos and led him to latelredefine chora as "a new form of musical composition in which val-ious facets of our indigenous and populal- music are synthesized through rhythm; and any typical popularized melody that appears occasionally from time to time."21 Under the name "choras," Villa-Lobos grouped the music with national flavol- that he stal-ted composing after his tdp to Europe.

Choras No.3, Pico-Pou [Woodpecker] is scored fOI- a wind septet (clal-inet, saxophone, bassoon, three homs, and trombone) and men's chorus (TTBB).The wind instrumentation includes several of

II

Pas trop vite (.1 = 96) III mf . " T1 '1/.

No - za - nj

" mf > >

T2 ~

~ No - za - nj I ~ I I, I,

n!l 0 - re - ku - a, ku - a - ua

B1 :

r:o

6" > -----------L~J ------- ~ . > > -------

T1 ~

'if n!1 o-re-ku - a, ku - a ku - a o - re - ku - a, ku - a p

" > > T2 ~ ~

~ I

No - za - nj lo_re_ku ~ kU - la y y I I

na - a, 0 - re - ku--mf

B1 :

No - za - nj na 0 - re - ku-

Figure 1. Heitor Villa-Lob os, ChorDS No.3, "Pica-Pau," mm. 1-10.

the instruments played by the chorDes (saxophone, clarinet, and trombone) and they provide harmonic and melodic support to the vocal lines. The text consists of onomatopoeic sounds and percussive syllables found in the language of the Parecis Indians. The melody used in this work, credited to the Parecis Indians, was collected in 1908 by Roquette-Pinto, a Brazilian anthropologist who pioneered research on Brazilian Indians (Figure I).

Villa-Lobos was the first Brazilian com-

© 1978 by Editions Max Eschig

poser to have listened to these indigenous songs and to have employed them in his compositions,22 In Choras No.3, Villa-Lobos alternates repetitive rhythmic figllres with long melodic phrases; he structured the piece so that all the voices experience, at one time or another; these rhythmic and melodic patterns. The uniqueness of Choras No.3 lies in the composer's ability to synthesize the Amerindian environment, the urban character of the choras, and Western European music in one work.23

Attend Canada's Largest Music Festival MUSICnST CANADA - Ottawa, May 13-18, 2008

Choros No. 10 (1926; 12 minutes)

Composed in 1926, Chora No. 10 titled Rasga 0 Corac;.oo [Break the Heart], is one of Villa-Lob os's most interesting large-scale works for chorus and orchestra because its structure is remarkably balanced and the musical ideas are distinctly stated and developed. Behague believes this work to be "one of the best examples oNilia-Lobos's mature nationalist style, and it is also one of the most celebrated of his orchestral pieces."24 The scoring of Choras No. lOis similar to that of a Romantic orchestra: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in A, sax, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 3 horns, 2 trumpets in A, trombone, piano, harp, and strings) with the exception of the percussion section (timpani, 2 bass drums, tomtom, tambourine, gong, and side drum) to which are added Brazilian instruments such as large and sli)all reso:-r::e.cos C?crap-

VOCAL & INSTRUMENTAL Young musicians between the ages of 12 & 20 perform in

over 400 ensembles and attend concerts, clinics and workshops.

---- ers) , wood and metal chocalhos (shakers), two pu(tas, and caxambu,25

An intense non-stop week of music and memories!

Customized Tour Planning for Groups ContactTasha Van Rybroecl( (Exeter office) or at [email protected]

12

Villa-Lobos uses the Parecis melody Nozahi-Na 26 and the popular choro melody "Yara" as melodic material. After portraying a number of birds using wind


instruments in the opening of the work, are based upon the lette,"s of the Portuthe Parecis melody is introduced and at guese explore," Pem Vaz de Caminha to the end of the work it is layered on top of D. Manuel, King of Portugal, in which he "Yara:>27 Consisting of three parts, Vi II a- describes the successful episodes of the Lobos intmduces the melodic themes in journey to the "discovery" of Brazil. The the first part and expands their orchestral work is divided into two main parts. The potential in the second part. In the last first part describes the events prior to part the work assumes an entirely new arrival on Brazilian soil (First Suite: Introcharacter when the chorus finally joins the orchestra.The large orchestral forces, repetitive rhythmic figures, and the combination of Amerindian melodies, urban atmosphere, and rain forest sounds make this a vibrant, powerful, and spectacular work worthy of perfo,"mance.28

Missa sao Sebastiao (1937; 32 minutes)

San Sebastian is the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro (River of January), which was discovered on January 20, 1502 and founded as a city on March I, 1565. It was then officially named San Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro because it is the day on which Catholics celebrate the saint's death. The Missa Soo Sebastioo [Mass in Honor of San Sebastian], written and premiered in 1937, is scored for three voices unaccompanied. The composer's options are: women's voices, boys' voices, or men's voices, with each possibly doubled at the octave. Its movements can easily be performed separately. Each movement is titled to describe the qualities of the saint. For instance, the Kyrie is titled Sebastian! The virtuous, the Gloria, Sebastian! The Roman Soldier; the Credo; Sebastian! Defender of the Church, and so forth.

The three-part polyphony. the clarity in which the text is conveyed, and the independence of the melodic lines in this Mass resemble Renaissance choral music. In contrast to the dense style of his Choros works, the unaccompanied Missa Soo Sebastioo is a lively piece with overflowing polyrhythms and dissonant chords.29

Descobrimento Do Brasil (1937; 27 minutes)

The Descobrimento do Brasil [Discovery of Brazil] was commissioned in 1937 by the Brazilian Cacao Institute of Bahia to serve as sound track for a film directed by Humberto Maum. The Four Suites


duction and Happiness and Second Suite: Moorish Impressions, Sentimental Adagio, and Rattle Snake). The second part describes the events from disembarkation until the return to Portugal (Third Suite: Iberian Impression, Party in the Jungle, and Ualaloce, and Fourth Suite: Procession of the Cross and First Mass in Brazil).3o

The Fourth Suite, the only one scored for cho,"us and orchest,"a, is the most famous and the most CI"eative pari: of the work and can be perfo,"med as an independent work. It is divided into two movements: Procissoo da Cruz [Procession of the Cross/] and Primeira Missa no Brasil ([First Mass in Brazil], scored for double chorus

- SSM and TTBB). In these two movements, Villa-Lobos made abundant use of Portuguese melodies, Spanish rhythms, Moorish ornamentation, and obviously, numerous Brazilian themes, including Indian melodies and languages, resulting in a historical survey of Brazilian music.31 For the celebl"ation of the Mass, which is the

13

Vagaroso e mistico (d = 60) p

" - ~ ~

-----0

T

W I I r Nan ---

p e_----------e_----------~e_---------e_---------e_---------e_

Bar. :

Oh! Ah! (+) (+) p

Bass :

Oh! (+) (+)

----~-.-.--- ---,-- -- "-=-

Figure 2. Reitor Villa-Lobos, Bachianas Brasilieras, "No.9," Prelude, mm. 1-7.

~ .,

climax of the work,Villa-Lobos combined low pitches of a Gregorian I<YI-ie (male voices) with short Amel"indian motifs on onomatopoeic syllables ariiculated by the women's voices musically reflecting the melding of Poriuguese and indigenous Brazilian cultures.32

Bachianas Brasileiras No.9 (1945; 10 minutes)

Bochionos Brosileiros al-e a sel"ies of nine suites that Villa-Lobos wmte inspired by

14


the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Bochionos Brosileiros No.9, composed in the United States in 1945, was dedicated to Aaron Copland and takes the form of a Prelude and Fugue. The work can be pelformed by an "ol-chestl-a of voices" or by a string ol-chestra. In the choral version Villa-Lobos used no text; each voice vocalizes on specific and changing monosyllables that CI-eate a certain color and timbml effect without any specific meaning. The Bochionos Brosileiros No. 9 for SSATBB begins with a slow PI-elude in

which the composer introduces the motive (Figure 2). The fugue is also scored for SSATBB with divisi at the end (SSSATTBB) and it is mostly in I 1/8. In this movement, the motive takes on a much faster charactel- (Figure 3) and is developed until it is presented in a chorale form; it ends on a unison "C" spread across four octaves.33

Bendita $abedoria (1958; II minutes)

Choral music had become relatively unimpol-tant for Villa-Lobos after the completion of Bochionos Brosileiros No. 9 in 1945. Thirteen years later Carleton Sprague Smith suggested that Villa-Lobos compose Bendito Sobedorio [Blessed Wisdom]. Written in 1958 and dedicated to

ACDA Quick Tip

-IIeft u~ iee; (Jur lrIelrlber~Ait daraba~e vurrenr by ~ublrlilring

-r(JtM~e=lrI(jjl=t2JJiY'e~~. ~~

ancllrlai(ing- aclclre~~ vAange~ r(Jclay.

Choral Joumal • October 2007

T

Bar.

Bass

l'fl Contraltos mf

" OJ - .......

" P

l! ~ L L

:

P :

> ....... ..... I>cf ...... > --1II '* '* ~T

, -.-, , , , , , , ,

: =-.l : =-.J , , , , , , -Figure 3. Reitor Villa-Lobos, Bachianas Brasilieras, "No.9," Fugue, mm. 13-14.


New York University, Bendito Sobedorio is a set of six unaccompanied chot-ales based on selected biblical texts of Proverbs and Psalms in Latin and scored for SSAATIBB. Villa-Lobos, focusing pt"imarily on the text, composed a work of exceptional significance because each wot-d is meticulously set into music. One of the most striking movements is No. 5 Beatus Homo (Figure 4) where the decot-ated and crafted vocal lines allow clear communication of the Biblical text. While the wide range, divisi, and dissonant chords might present

Andante

" mf> s

OJ B.c.

" 11!f

"'-A

OJ

some challenges, this piece is exciting and rewarding.34

Portuguese Pronunciation Guide

Although most of the works surveyed here employ syllables without specific meaning or significance, Portuguese is certainly Villa-Lobos's reference for pronunciation.Therefore, the "texts" imitating the sound of native Brazilian languages should follow Portuguese pronunciation t-ules. As a Romance language, Portuguese, in its

> >

lift P - -- '-

Be - a - tus ho - mo in - ve - nit sa - pi - en tiam et_

" mf lift -,P - r--.

T - I

Be - a - tus ho - mo in - ve - nit sa - pi - en tiam

Oh! __ _

written form, is quite similat-to Spanish, but its sounds are sometimes quite different. The following few basic rules should enable any choral director to perform songs written in Portuguese.

• Vowels are similar to the pure Italian and Latin vowels: [aJ, [eJ, [£J, [iJ, ["J, [oJ, [u]. Sometimes, at the end of a word the vowel [oJ sounds more like a [u J as in cuidodo [leu i 'da du].

• C sounds like [kJ when followed by [aJ,

~

"------' qui __

-------qui __

---l.,.;.......J

.. .. .. af - fluit pm-

af - flu it pm-

Oh!

Figure 4. Reitor Villa-Lobos, Bendita Sabedoria, 5th Movement, "Beatus Romo," Fugue, mm. 1-4. © 1958 by Editions Max Eschig

Choral Journal • October 2007 15

16

~~ Churdl Music~ ......

Festival,. Ii'

ANNOUNCING THE

The 2009 International Church Music Festival Featuring the esteemed artistic staff of Sir David Willcocks,

Paul Leddington Wright and the piano-duo, Nielson & Young.

Join hundreds of singers and friends from around the world to experience Classic Sacred Choral music in the Eternal City of Rome.

[oJ, and [u J and sounds like [s J when followed by [eJ and [i].

• Consonants B, D, F, L, P, 1; V. and Z are the same as in Italian.

• J is pronounced like in French "joli." For instance, the word jato Get) sounds like ['30 tuJ and G has the same soft sound when preceding [cJ and [iJ as in gente ['3ej tSi J and ginga ['31 ga J and hard as in"good"when fQ]lOWs:9 by [aJ, [oJ, and [uJ as in gula [(gu laJ and gosto ['gos tuJ.

• H is silent in Portuguese

• M and N as final consonants are not closed as in English, but they are nasalized like in the French word maison. The word sem will sound [s'ej]

• R in the middle of a word is flipped and not rolled [rJ as in the word barco ['bar kuJ but in the beginning of a word, it sounds like [hJ as in rosa ['ho zaJ.

S is the same as in English, except when it is between two vowels it is pronounced as a [s]. For instance, the word casa will sound ['ka zaJ not ['ka saJ as in Spanish. SS is pronounced [s J as in the word passe ['pa suJ.

• Accents over vowels modifY the sound. A gives the [a J a nasal sound (Sao Sebastiao [s'lhvJ Ese 'bas ti awJ. e is open (Tatuape [ ta tu a 'PeJ).

• NH and LH are interesting combination of consonants. NH sound very much like the Spanish "fi" orthe Italian "ng" as in the words ninho ['ni fiu J. LH sounds like "gli" in Italian. For instance, the word filho sounds [,ft AU J

A CT TO.;;c~=:--;;-;c-;-;-----------I---~I-RIS Qr:llgT-Sldr:VI51V~I:S-Gr1IV~'1-stilr:tlng-poiRtfor the (re)discovery of choral works by

Visit www.festcorps.com to learn about choral groups from more than a dozen Heitor Villa-Lobos in the year that we

countries who will participate in this Silver Anniversary Celebration. Or call Elwyn Raymer at (615) 377-9132. would have celebrated his I 20th birthday.

Significant choral works such as the ora-

~~fEST CORDS, Inc. torio Vidapuro and the Magnificat-Alleluia, among others, deserve in-depth investigation. The Collections of Music Guia


Pratico (A Practical Guide), written for the use in the Music Education program at the Brazilian public schools, also deserve special attention. They were published in Brazil by lrmaos Vitale and represent a highly relevant music education tool for the improvement and development of meaningful choral singing. To obtain further information about pieces published in Brazil, the Museu Villa-Lobos is a helpful resource http://www.museuvillalobos. org.br. Also, some of Villa-Lobos's sacred choral works in Latin have been edited by Wilbur Skeels and are published in the United States by Cantus Quercus Press. It is hoped this paper will inspire choral conductors of all levels to learn, explore, and perform Villa-Lobos's many wonderful choral works.

NOTES

Vasco Mariz, Hist6ria da Musica no Brasil (History of Music in Brazil) (Rio de janeiro, Brazil: Civiliza~ao Brasileira, 1994), 137-138.

2 Carleton Sprague Smith, "Heitor Villa-Lobos," in Compositores de America/Composers of America: Datos Biogra(Jcos y Catalogos de Sus Obras/ Biographical Data and Catalogs of their Works (Washington, D.C.: Union Panamericana, 1960)," 4.

3 Paulo Renato Guerios, Heitor Villa-Lobos (Rio de janeiro, Brazil: FGV Editora, 2003), 167.

4 Simon Wright, Villa-Lobos (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993),3.

5 David Applebly, The Music of Brazil (Austin: University ofTexas Press, 1983), I 18.

6 Gerard Behague, Music in Latin America: An

Introduction (New jersey: Prentice Hall, 1979),184.

7 Carleton Sprague Smith, 3. 8 Vasco Mariz, 195. 9 John Mcintyre, "Twentieth-Century Latin

America Choral Music: An Introductory Survey," ChoralJoumal 10,33:27-36 (1993), 29.

10 During Villa-Lobos's time, the word Choro was spelled "Chom." Cun"ently, the word in Portuguese no longer has the accent. Behague, Appleby, Guerios, and Max Eschig use the updated Portuguese spelling "Choro." I decided to do the same in this article.

II Lisa M. Peppercorn, Villa-Lobos the Music: An Analysis of His Style (London, England: Kahn & Averill, 1991), 40.

12 Lisa M. Peppercorn, Villa-Lobos: Collected Studies (Cambridge, Great Britain: Scholar Press, I 992),x.

13 Lisa M. Peppercorn, Villa-Lobos the Music, 41. 14 Published by Max Eschig M.E. 2736 (vocal

score). 15 Paulo Renato Guerios, 138-139. 16 Ibid. 17 Gerard Behague, Heitor Villa-Lobos: The Search

for Brazil's Musical Soul (Texas: Institute of Latin American Studies, 1994),69.

18 Burle Marx, Notes on Brazilian Music, liner notes for A Festival of Brazilian Music: Compositions of Heitor Villa-Lobos, RCA Victor 17980-A DM-773-5, 19--, sound disc 78rpm.

19 Gel"ard Behague, 70-7 I. 20 Published by Max Eschig M.E.7578 (vocal

score). 21 Paulo Renato Guerios, 142. 22 Ibid., 143. 23 Published by Max Eschig M.E. 2316. Recorded

Bibliography

in 1991 by the Sine Nomine Singers with the Quintet of the Americas (Newport Classic NPD 85518). For a more complete list of all recordings, please refer to Appleby's Villa-Lobos: A Bio-Bibliography and Behague's Heitor Villa-Lobos: The Search for Brazil's Musical Soul.

24 Gehard Behague, 87. 25 Caxambu orTambu is a large drum of African

origin similar to a Conga drum. 26 Vasco Mariz, 163. 27 Paulo Renato Guerios, 144. 28 Published by Max Eschig ME 2453 and

recorded recently by the New Wodd Symphony under the direction of Michel Tilson Thomas and the BBC Singers (BMG Classics 09026-68538-2)

29 It is published by Associated Music Publishers Inc. The Corydon Singers have released one' of the most recent recordings (Hyperion, CDA 66638).

30 David P. Appleby, 85-86. 31 Adhemar Nobrega, Linel" notes for Villa-Lobos:

Concurso intemacional de Reg~ncia - 1975, Tapecar Grava~5es SA, MEc/DAc/AVL-014, 1975, sound disc.

32 Published by Max Eschig ME 2471. Recorded by the French Radio Orchestra and Chorus and conducted byVilia-Lobos (EM I France CDZF 7 67229 2).

33 Published by Max Eschig ME 8555.There are several recordings of the string orchestra version.

34 Published by Max Eschig ME 6996. The Corydon Singers have released one of the most recent recordings (Hyperion, CDA 66638).

Appleby, David P. Heitor Villa-Lobos:A Life (1887-1959). Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, 2002

. HeitorVilla-Lobos: A Bio-Bibliography. New York: Greenwood Press, 1988.

Behague, Gerard. Heitor Villa-Lobos: The Search for Brazil's Musical Soul. Texas, Institute of Latin American Studies, 1994.

Guerios, Paulo Renato. Heitor Villa-Lob os: 0 Caminho Sinuoso da Predestinac;oo (Heitor Villa-Lobos: The Sinuous Path of Predestination). Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Fundac;ao Getulio Val-gas Editora, 2003.

Peppercorn, Lisa M. Villa-Lobos The Music: An Analysis of His Style. li-anslated by Stefan de Haan. London, England: Kahn & Averill, 1991.


TBE CAROLS ,or ··.III1~~ . '. .•. .:, .. ' .··,,·.ccCO •.. :: .•••• :'., •. :.:.: .. :

More Than In the .' lbaA,.'",

by Richard Waters

~ ~ arold Darke (1888-1976) composed his best known \""i' ••... y piece, the carol In the Bleak Mid-Winter; nearly one . .. hundi-ed years ago. Despite the fact that he composed

more than forty pieces fOI- choir; Darl<e is most often identified by this single work, which is still sung by countless choil-s amund the world every Decembel: Darke's most substantial output came in the foI-m of carols, anthems, and service music. These pieces I-emain largely unknown to choral directors outside of England, and would be welcome additions to the I-epertory of many church, collegiate, and community choil-s. Darl<e's carols are of particulal- intel-est because they al-e his most accessible pieces, and all but one I-emain in pl-int.

Biography Hamid Darke-composel~ organist, conductol~ and teachel-

was bom on October 29, 1888, in London. He was the youngest of five children bom to Samuel and AI-undel Darl<e. All of them were musical, although Harold was the only one to pursue music as a careel:

In 1903, at the age of foul-teen, Darl<e won an organ scholal-ship to the Royal College of Music.There he had the oppor-tunity to study organ with Walter Pan-att, who taught many of England's cathedral, pal-ish, and concert ol-ganists, including Henl-yWalfol-d Davies, Herbert Howells,ThomasTertius Noble, Boris Ol-d, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. I In 1908, Darke was awarded a twoyeal- composition scholarship, which allowed him to study with Charles Villiel-s Stanford. Darke was a highly successful student, as evidenced by the numemus awards that he won during his time at the Royal College of Music, including the Arthur Sullivan PI-ize, the Dove Prize, and the Tagol-e Gold Medal, which is awal-ded to the best student of the year. He graduated in 19 10 with degrees in organ and composition.

In 1916, after sel-ving as ol-ganist of St. James' Chul-ch, Paddington, for five years, Darke received what would become the most important appointment of his career: organist and director of music at St. Michael's Church, Comhill. It was a position that he would hold for fifty yeal-s. During his extraordinary tenul-e, he transformed st. Michael's into a center of musical activity in London? Soon after his arrival, Dal-ke instituted a sedes of weekly lunchtime organ l-ecitals.These I-ecitals al-e still an important part of the music ministl-y at St. Michael's today.

Darl<e I-eceived his Doctor of Music degree in composition fj-om Oxford University in 1919. He was subsequently appointed to the staff of the Royal College of Music, yet another post that he held for half a century. His teaching duties at the College included ol-gan, composition, harmony, and counterpoint. The

Richard Waters, DMA, is assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. He holds degrees in music education and choral conducting from James Madison UniverSity, The Hartt School, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. <[email protected]>

Chol-al Joumal • Octobel- 2007

same year he also founded the St. Michael's Singel-s, a choil-of appmximately eighty singers. One of the stated objectives of the choir was to perform Bach's St.John Passion annually during Holy Week.The choir also fi-equently pelformed new music by many of England's leading composers.3

Dad<e was appointed in 1941 as interim ol-ganist and choirmaster at I<ing's College, Cambddge, while Bods Ord served in Wodd Wal-II.The Darke family moved to Cambridge in March 1941, in time for Hamid to conduct services foI- Holy Week. While at King's College, Darke still managed to keep up with most of his duties in London. Although he had a deputy who handled the Sunday services at St. Michael's, Dad<e traveled to London by train in order to continue his lunchtime organ I-ecitals on Mondays, and to teach at the Royal College of Music on Wednesdays. On July 26, 1943, he gave his 1,00Oth Monday lunchtime ol-gan I-ecital at St. Michael's.

The end ofWodd War II in 1945 brought an end to Darke's tenul-e at King's College. He stayed thmugh Decembel- to help with the tl-ansition as both Bods Ord and organ scholar David Willcocks retumed fj-om the wal: Darke's final service was a Choral Evensong on Chl-istmas Day; the music included his own Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in F. For his sel-vice to the university, Darke was elected as a Fellow of I<ing's College and was gl-anted the honorary degree of Master of Arts.4

Darke's activities did not slow down in the latel- years of his career. He continued his work at St. Michael's and the Royal College of Music, and was active as a composer; recitalist, and adjudicatol: He celebrated his seventy-fifth bir-thday in 1963 by presenting an organ recital at Royal Festival Hall. In June 1966, he retired fj-om st. Michael's Church after fifty yeal-s of dedicated service. In recognition of his lasting contdbution to the musical landscape of the nation, Queen Elizabeth II awarded Darke the Commandel- of the Ordel- of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Yeal-s Honours List. In Octobel- 1968, he played another recital at Royal Festival Hall to celebrate his eightieth birthday.s

In 1969, Darke retired fj-om the Royal College of Music after an astonishing fifty-yea 1- tenure. He gave yet another recital in 1973 at Royal Festival Hall, this time in celebration of his eightyfifth birthday.6 He presented his final organ recital at Durham Cathedral in 1976, only a few weeks before his death? Harold Darke died in Cambridge on November 28, 1976, at the age of eighty-eight.

Compositions Hamid Dad<e lived in an era that experienced an historic

musical revival in England.The rebirth of English church music was spawned by a stmnger emphasis on education, highel- standards of composition, and a renewed interest in music of the past. Darke's efforts as an organist, conductol~ teacher; and composer made an endul-ing impl-ession on the musical landscape of his native countl-Y.

Darke wmte music foI- a variety of genres. Despite his distinction as one of the finest organists of the twentieth century, Darke composed only fifteen pieces for the organ, including the fl-equently pelformed A Meditation on BrotherJames'sAir.8 Other compositions include eleven piano wod<s, thl-ee pieces for strings,

19

In the Bleak Mid-Winter

Love Come Down at Christmas

Cradle Hymn

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carmen

When Christ Was Born of Mary Free

* Not Published

five violin sonatas and romances, six miniatures for oboe and piano, six orchestral works, sixteen songs, and seven part-songs. Most of these compositions date from the 1900s through the 19 lOs, from the eady stage of his compositional careel~ and many of them remain unpublished.

By far the most recognized and popular genl"e of Darke's works is his chol"al music. He wrote more music for choir than for any other medium; the overwhelming

1909 anthem

1911 hymn

1912 anthem

-T9TT .. antll-em-

1914 anthem

1915 hymn

1916 hymn

majority of these compositions are sacred works, including seven carols, sixteen anthems, fourteen sel"vice music settings, eight extended or multi-sectional wol"l<.S for choir and instl"umental accompaniment, and nine hymns.

Carols Darke composed his first carol in 1909,

at the age of twenty-one. He would go on

'Hrl1tess·zon.Clt Development Workshop LOJJZa~tctors of Choirs at All Levels

17~~~~~A:le:x:andrJ.a, Virginia

20

July 28 - August 1, 2008

Reserve Conductor Positions Now

www.ChoralConductorsRetreat.com [email protected] • (808) 595-0233

SATB, ST soli, organ

SATB unaccompanied

Unison voices, piano

SATB, S solo, organ

SATB unaccompanied

SATB, S solo, organ

to write six more carols in the next seven years. An old family friend, Margaret Agnes Calkin, contributed to the cost of Harold's education following the death of his father in 1902 at the age of fifty-six. Darke composed the carols, which all bear the inscription "To MAC" as Christmas presents to Calkin as an expression of thanl<.S for her generosity.9

Two distinct types of carols emerge upon examination of their formal structure: those that are strophic hymns and those that are through-composed anthems. Table I shows a complete listing of these wod<.S.

Two of the three hymn-like carols contain a refrain at the end of each stanza.The anthem-like settings may be distinguished from their hymn counterparts by their independent accompaniments, which Darke frequently varied from stanza to stanza. However; the four anthem-carols bear some resemblance to the hymn-carols by maintaining the same melody throughout each stanza.

Three of the carols draw their texts from one of England's most important female poets, Cht"istitJei RossettL IO Many-_ of Rossetti's poems are deeply religious, reflecting her strong devotion to the Angli-can Church. She is the only literary source whom Darke used more than twice in any of his sacred choral music.

Darke's carol settings are more reserved than his anthems or service music.


The melodies are memorable and easily-sung, the vocal parts -- -- '-

contain very little divisi, and the 7711

harmonic language remains simple and straight-forward. The tonal center of each caml is clearly defined and I-arely changes, unlike much of his other choral music. Two factors help explain this conservative tonal appmach. First, the camls are all early works, when Dad<e was still developing his own style as a composer (his more adventumus harmonic writing would come later in his cal-eer). Second, as outlined in the The New Oxford Book of Carols, camls are genel-ally contemplative and simple in spirit. I I Darke was certainly aware of the long history of the English carol, and added to the genre in a way that reflected that tradition.

Six of the seven camls were published soon after their completion, and remain in print to this day, either as separate octavos 01- as part of a collection or anthology. They al-e organized below based on theil- classification as either a hymn/caml or an anthem/carol.

Hymn/Carols Love Came Down at Christmas ( 19 I I)

is the shortest cam I that Darke composed. There are eight measures of music; when all three stanzas are sung the caml is only twenty-four measures in dUI-ation. It is scored for unaccompanied SATB choir; with text by Christina Rossetti.

This succinct carol, set in A~ major; consists of four two-bar phrases. Each phrase includes a set of quartel- note triplets. (Figure I) Darke very rarely used triplets with such frequency in his choral music. It was an interesting choice, since it was not one that was required by the text-the words could just as easily be accommodated with the use of quarter notes. The use of triplets, however; pmvides rhythmic variety and a gentle, undulating pulse. The text and brevity of Love Came Down at Christmas

Chol-al Journal • October 2007

7'. l...A.c -("L1t 1o..r.d t..",- ~A..::... • t.!<~'L.-,

-!l. J(

-= --

CCin/L :

- ~ r, r ,//:1- r."" :...... /, ,,:..,,,,, L-

'<- - k/- f .t..-t'

-::J - M cvutLL v D CJVI--:Y

"" -

'. -

!fr. .. J .. '2.

---

The cover page of When Christ Was Born of Mary Free with the inscription "To MAC."

Used with the permission of the Royal College of Music

make it suitable for use as an intmit for a Christmas Eve sel-vice.

A Christmas Carmen (1915) is a festive setting of John Greenleaf Whittier's poem scored for unaccompanied SATB choir. There are two stanzas, each of which is fol-

lowed by a refrain; the texture is homophonic and the music for the two stanzas is identical.The entil-e composition lasts sixty-six measures: each stanza is twenty measures long, and the refrain is thirteen measures.

Two stylistic features stand out in A Christmas Carmen. First, the tonal center of the carol is A Mixolydian. This is the only carol in which Darke used a mode.There are several instances in which Darke used Ci to imply the Dorian ~ode, thus creating modal mixture. The second unusual feature of A Christmas Carmen is the use of changing meter. While this technique is common in Darke's other choral music, it is not a characteristic that is often found in tl-aditional camls. A Christmas Carmen is the only one of Darke's carols that does not remain in the original meter for its entire duration. Darke

set the first eight measures of each stanza in 4/4 time, and the remaining twenty-five measures of the stanza and refrain in 3/4 time. This change in meter efficiently accommodates the text

and, combined with dynamic markings that never go below mezzo forte, creates a driving enel-gy which appmpriately reflects the spirit and mood of Whittier's poem.

When Christ Was Bam of Mary Free (1916) was Darke's final contribution to

21

Love came down_ 5 ,--3----,

'~IV r' p z-sd r Love was bom_

the carol genre. He scored the carol for soprano soloist and SATB choir with organ accompaniment.This fifteen-measure strophic setting consists of four stanzas, each of which is followed by a refrain.The text is believed to be from the fifteenth century, although the identity of the author is unknown.

Several discrepancies exist between

Part Predominant l~ecordin.gs

ART STUDY RECORDINGS COlllplete choral productiolls

with each voice part highlighted by professiollal singers!

Our library features works such as: Rutter's Requiem, Gloria & Magnificat Faure Requiem Alozart Requiem Vivaldi Gloria Handel's Messiah J\;!ass in G by Schubert Coronation l\;fass by Jv!ozart

.......... and many morc- including titlcs for SATB, elementary, SSM and TTBB choir

"PPR's study recordings are excellent ..... it's a wonderylll done by a company that cares

useful Lnuce C. Bristol, Chair of Choml Affairs, N'ebrnsku {\lEA

View our catalog online:

www.partpredominant.com e-mail: [email protected] TOLL FREE: 800-290-SING

local: 253-851-0290 fax: 253-851-0289 2617 39th St NW Gio Harbor WA 98335

J at

at Christ - mas, Love all love - ly, Love di - vine,

r-- 3---,

I J J I F r ---=--F r r I r' p A II

Christ - mas, Star and an gels gave the sign.

'V,""""'V mm. 1-8.

the manuscript and the printed score of When Christ Was Born of Mary Free. FOI' example, the first nine meaSUI"es feature a soprano soloist, simply marked "solo" in the manuscript. In meaSUI"e 10, when the full sopl"ano section enters, Darke clearly marked "Tutti" above theil" line in the manuscript. The p,"inted Novello edition, including the 1996 re-engl'aving, marks the beginning line for"Soprano."The printed edition confuses Darke's intent, as the other voice parts are also listed in the singulal'form (Alto,Tenor; and Bass). There is no Tutti indication in measure 10 of the Novello edition to indicate a change from soloist to full choir.

In addition, while the manuscript does

not specify which keyboard instrument should be used to accompany the choir; the Novello edition marks it fOI" ol"gan. The wdting style found in the keyboard does seem to imply that Darke had the organ in mind when composing the accompaniment. Certain measures would be problematic on the piano, where the left hand would need to simultaneously play two pitches that are a twelfth apart. Such passages may be easily executed on the organ, where the lowest note is played on the pedal and the left hand plays the remaining pitches.

Darke utilized imitative entrances in the refrain of When Christ Was Born of Mary Free. Each voice part begins one beat

Chol'al Journal • October 2007

aftel- the othel~ beginning with the basses and followed by the altos, sop,-anos, and tenors. The musical material is similal- foIthe first few beats, and then featul-es mOI-e independent writing. The organ doubles all of the vocal parts thmughout the refrain. The last few measures feature a divided soprano part, as well as a I-are three-part divisi in the bass section.

Anthem/Carols

In the Bleak MidWinter (1909) is by falDad<e's best known and most beloved work. Thel-e are at least foriy I-ecol-dings cun-ently available on compact disc and many mOI-e on oldelcassettes and albums. The caml is still a favorite at King's College, Cambridge, where Dad<e sel-ved as intel-im organist and choil-master dUI-ing Wodd Wal- II. It was first included in the Festival of Nine Lessons and Camls at I<ing's College in December 1945, with Dal-ke conducting and BOI-is Oi-d (who had just I-etumed fi-om service in Wodd Wal- II) at the 01-gan. '2

In the Bleak Mid-Winter was one of Dad<e's eadiest compositions, and was the first of seven camls dedicated to Margaret Agnes Calkin. It was ol"iginally published by Stainer and Bell in 191 I. Dad<e scored the caml for soprano and tenor soloists, SATB choil~ and ol-gan. For his setting, Dad<e used foUl- of Chl"istina Rossetti's five stanzas. The caml is in G majol~ and is fifty-eight measul-es long. Nineteen of these measures (stanzas one and thl-ee) are I-epeated.

Stanzas one and th,-ee of In the Bleak Mid-Winter call fOI- soprano and tenor soloists, I-espectively, accompanied by the organ. A two-measul-e organ intmduction precedes each of these stanzas.The I-ange of the melody spans only an octave plus a majol- second. Darke's skill foI- writing a memorable, easily sung melody has con-

Choral Joumal • Octobel- 2007

1. "'.J <it"" j.;..w "-Vl • Jva~ - x .... ", .. ,,(,,:, Iy II GAR.oL.

The manuscript to Love Came Down at Christmas. Used with the permission of the Royal College of Music

to 21 , but by measUl-e 22 the harmonic structure found in the lower th,-ee voice pal-ts is vil-tually identical to that found in the organ part in stanzas one and th,-ee. The fourth stanza begins with the sop,-anos and altos, with the left hand of the ol-gan pmviding the suppol-ting hal-mony.'3 Darke slightly altel-ed the melody in these foulmeaSUI-es, although the basic contour I-emains the same. Measures 41 to 50 al-e identical to measul-es 24 to 33, with vel-y slight rhythmic altel-ation in some of the lowel- voices to accom-modate the different text. Dad<e elongated the final phl-ase of stanza foul- and repeated a POI-tion of the text. Figure 2

tl-ibuted to the continued popularity of this caml thmugh the yeal-s.

Stanza two features the full choir singing unaccompanied.The music briefly begins in the relative key of E minol- in measul-es 20

compal-es the end of stanzas two and foul~ The carol concludes with the same serene organ music that appears in the introduction, ending with a plagal cadence.

A comparison with Gustav Holst's fa-

Music at Augustana

A distiQ9uishe,d history of vocaLandch'pral music in th~liberal ;~rts tradition "

/- :'.'; , '':'' >., ~\

schiolarship~ for talented musici\3nsof any major ! ' , ",I ; ,I ! .... '(

Carl B: Nels6n Music Education $chol\3rsh:ip Program i"" ;,') I "\', I

Dir~ctor of C,horal Activities Jo:n HUffyj I' .i "

Ch?ralFacuLty Sonja Hurty, Mic~aelZeMek i' . , '. ~-" .-.~~.' ,"'.- " -- . . .

j ·,1 I'i ",:' ,"'j ;

Department of Music i Auguk,tana, C, olle, g: e J

Rockilstand,llU~:ois 1.800i798~8100ext. 7233 www.:august~na.:edu

1· _. 1

"

1

A4gu~~ana College !' , -' ']

23

35 " II

, S A

t!J I, /·1 I ...JJ

I r F Je ' - - - - -

/: - - sus Christ.

J~. /J J. , T : B - I ~

::::ll

Je - - - - - - - sus Christ.

51" II f J 11I/j1 :: P.P S A

t!J 1'-.......1./1 >"--- ..-"'1 I, c.--- I r '" give __ my heart, give my heart.

~~ > 11I/j1= P.P

J :4~ J~' J '"' T : B

I I > ---- T 7' give __ my heart, give my heart.

Figure 2. Harold Darke, In the Bleak Mid-Winter, mm. 35-37 and mm. 51-55. © 1911 by Stainer and Bell. Used by permisison.

miliar setting, composed three years earlier for the first edition of The English Hymnal, reveals an assortment of similarities and differences. The melodic contour of the first two measures of each tune is remarkably similar. Holst's melody is mostly stepwise, with no leap greater than a perfect fourth. By contrast, Darke's tune features several mOI'e leaps, including foul'ths, fifths,

24

and two sixths. Rhythmically, the two settings are nearly identical until the last line, where Darke chose an expanded ending. (Figure 3)

Overall, Holst's setting is more repetitive, both melodically and harmonically, than Darke's version. Lines 2 and 4 are identical, as are the first two measures of lines I, 2, and 4. In Darke's setting, the

first two measures of lines I and 3 are nearly the same, as is the first measure of lines 2 and 4; however; no phrase or line is identical. Both renderings are of strong merit and have stood the test of time, as demonstrated by their inclusion in The New Oxford Book of Carols in 1992.

Cradle Hymn (1912) is a setting of the first two verses of the familiaLte£AwayjD~3.0l\l1aDg@r;."I,:I , Darke's setting is forty-eight measures long and features piano accompaniment. It is the only carol that Darke did not score for SATB choir. The manuscript marks the vocal line simply as "Voice." This carol would work equally well as a solo or as a piece for unison choir.

The gentle melody of Cradle Hymn is exactly the same in both stanzas, with the exception of one additional pitch at the very end of the second stanza. Even in such a short composition, Darke's writing features detailed dynamic

contrast throughout. The carol consists of a four-measure introduction, two seventeen-measure stanzas (with a fourmeasure interlude), and an eight-measure codetta. The thirty-four measures of vocal writing contain seven different dynamic markings, as well as several crescendi and decrescendi.

Darke contrasted the two stanzas of Cradle Hymn by varying the manner in which the piano accompaniment provides the harmonic support. In the introduction and first stanza, the accompaniment is more peaceful, anchored in the left hand by quarter; half, and dotted half notes. In the interlude and subsequent second stanza, Darke created a sense of forward motion by featuring a steady display of eighth notes in the left hand. Here, Darke showed that he was comfortable writing for either the piano or the organ, and understood the differences and possibilities~oHhe-twoinstruments;-even-atsuch-~"

an early stage of his compositional career. The accompaniment style used in the first stanza returns for the conclusion of the second stanza and remains through the codetta, which features a subtle hemiola (a common feature in much of Darke's


,~ i J. ~ F J I J J £ I J J\ J J I J £

5 In the bleak mid - win - ter Fros - tywind made moan,

,~ J. P F J IJ j I J J J. J\I J £

9 Earth stood hard as ir - on, Wa ter like a stone:

,~ ~

I A ~~ J J I r· iP r F r r IF' J £ "----"

13 Snow had fal - len, snow on snow, Snow_ on_ snow,

,~ J. ~ F J I J J 14zEzLJ J\ I j i II

In the bleak mid - win - ter, Long a - go.

Figure 3a. Gustav Holst, In the Bleak Mid-Winter, Melody, mm. 1-16. © Public domain

3

'ti i r· ~

I J A J\ r r I J J\ J J u

Earth

r· Show

15 ,tiJ In

In the bleak mid - win - ter

)5 r J I stood hard as ir - on,

L ::j

J\ r -had fal - len, snow on snow,

J

Fros - ty wind made

r J f" }I Wa - ter like a

Snow_ on

moan,

j j

stone:

u snow,

the bleak mid - win ter,_ Long __ _ a - go.

Figure 3b. Harold Darke, In the Bleak Mid-Winter, Melody, mm. 3-19. ©1911 by Stainer and Bell. Used by permission.

II

Conventions Have Something for You!

. rk with Choral Colleagues


Soprano Solo

~~ J 5

~ a 4rl t I J J J IJ J ) I J. \

A J r· J\ I II -=--==="'

But what have I, a lit tle child, To guide me home from_ far,

Sopranos

31

~~ J I J J J J I J J r· p I J r t?r f f I J J II === must be like these good Wise Men, With heav' n - ward heart and_ look: __

Figure 4. Harold Darke, A Christmas Carol, mrn. 5-8 and mrn. 31-34. ©1920 by Stainer and Bell. Used by permission.

music). A Christmas Carol ls (1914) is Darke's

longest carol, spanning eighty-six measures. This carol is scored for soprano solo, SATB choir, and organ accompaniment. Darke set five of the nine stanzas from Christina Rossetti's poem.

Darke utilized a variety of vocal forces in A Christmas Carol. He scored each stanza for a different combination of voices. A soprano soloist begins the carol, the men sing stanza two, while the full choir sings stanza three. The soprano soloist returns for the fourth stanza, while the choir joins the soloist for the final stanza. In the stanzas that are sung by the choir, Darke created further variety by using unison writing for the first four to six measures before dividing the choir into parts. Forthe second stanza, Darke featured two- and three-part writing for men's voices. The third stanza contains the most diversity. After singing in unison for five measures, the choir divides into four parts for the next phrase of text. This is followed by a short phrase for sopranos and altos, and

WORLD CHOIR GAMES

concludes with imitative entrances for all voices.

Darke used the same melody in four of the five stanzas. One notable alteration

The organ plays a supportive role in A Christmas Carol, as opposed to the independent character it often displays in Darke's other choral music. There are

./!t1;,.:;~~tJfJr;:~-(Q)[fD@·.~·.·rmUdJgu@f!®@ ..•.... )j@(Q]~5{~m~~'~&fD~.; .. ';' 1 ....... ; ••••. ,,;::;>;p=·~·0tDfR2@W{j[(j@ifD @(tUrtDriJD@'!&J@@]§t!JMJO@JsWO##rfP"j',

,ti~~~il@. ~mJ ~~ .. ~~~5,j ;f/@~/(Q)@@'-@JkffD@W!l ~ilWD(f@[{~ilg)qrMJfR>@cm(Q)@ &l~: ";'; ~rmX~rm[lj]~rfnflfli]UdJ~il(f;o . . .,' . .....; ... ~.::}'?:;

occurs in the second phrase. Although the basic contour of the melody is unchanged, the pitches used in subsequent stanzas are higher than those found in the first stanza (Figure 4). In the fourth stanza, the soprano soloist has an entirely different melody, providing contrast from the preceding stanzas.

·\.;,,,_e,_\;'"'' ,'"1-',', :;.

no organ interludes between the stanzas; instead, Dal-ke concluded each stanza on either a dominant or diminished chord, only to be resolved at the beginning of the subsequent stanza. (Figure 5)

The final stanza begins with the original melody, featuring further variations and modifications. The only substantial

INTERKULTUR· WORLD CHOIR GAMES, Am Weingarten 3·0-35415 Pohlheim SINGING TOGETHER BRINGS NATIONS TOGETHER Tel.: +49 (0) 64 03 - 95 65 25 . Fax: +49 (0) 64 03 - 95 65 29 . [email protected]

26 Choral Journal • October 2007

T B

9

" U

Soprano Solo mf -

I

stars_ sing

,.....,

to - geth - er,

'~ :

---- ~ And sing - ing An - - - gels are? __

tlllis. mp

The

" ~I ,/JI I 1 ~

T B

u ~f 1 ___ 1 ____ - -r [...J I I I

h ."., :

14 . -f9-:

Wise Men left their coun - try

" u_ v .. ... :t: ... ~

1TIIfJ -I I 1 1----1

: v .~

---------------------

I I

f

111-

To

----::

a

r;J' ~<i ~ ~

J' J 1 '----jr' - =

I I" -I 1

: = fL 111- .. 111-

jour - ney morn by_ mom, __ With

,r---

- .. .y ... :t:

1 I 1 Ii ,r---

~ .~

---------------------Figure 5. Harold Darke, A Christmas Carol, mm. 9-17.

© 1920 by Stainer and Bell. Used by permission.

I-epetition of text is found in the last phrase ("All 'Glol-y, glol-y' given to Thee through all the heavenly height"), which is restated for the final twenty-three measul-es of the carol. Dal-ke introduces new musical material as the music builds, leading to the only fortissimo moment of the piece. At this moment, the soprano soloist returns; it is the only time that the soloist and choir sing in the same stanza. The organ accompaniment then assists in the gradual decrescendo to the pianissimo conciusion.The choir sings the final F majol- chord: unaccompanied, hushed, with seven-part divisi.

Assessing Darke Nearly one hundred yeal-s after the

composition of In the Bleak Mid-Winter; Harold Darke is still fondly I-emembered by those who knew him for his impact

Chol-al Journal • October 2007

Houghton College a higher purpose i1l1lli11d

Integrating the Christian faith with professional music-making

and fine scholarship.

Graduate Programs in Music Numerous assistantships, up to full-tuition with stipend

Outstanding faculty Intentionally small classes'

Two degrees and five curricula

Brandon Johnson, Director of Choral Activities Jean Reigles, Director of Camerata Singers & Women's Choir

800.777.2556 or 585.567.9400 Houghton, New York

E-mail: [email protected]

www.houghton.edulgreatbatch MEMBER Cn1Uldl fllr a!ti~ll~n

Cnll,'!:,:" l.o Unl~enlill"

27

Performance Tours, Bands-/ Choirs,

Orchestras

'

ARTS BUREAU FOR THE U§i4Ca· CONTINENTS • EXrERlENCETHEMUSIC UnDl

At1s Bureau for the Continents is a patmer

the Musica Mundi selies

• Performances arranged in Great Britain, Ireland, Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand 8: Asia

• Experienced tour managers • Sightseeing and fun or include any music festival

Such as: Music and Choral Festivals, Vienna February 2S-29, May 22-23, June 27-30, July 3-6, 5-S, 12-15, 200S • June 26-29, July 11-14, 2009

Salzburg Music Festivals, Austria May 22-23,July 3-6, 10-14, 200S • July 2-5, 9-13, 2009

Cork International Music Festival April30-May 4, 200S • Aptil29-May 3, 2009 April2S-May 2,2010

Niagara International Music Festival (ChOirs, bands & orchestras) July 9-13, 200S • July 7-10,2009 2008 Conductor Stephen Hatfield 2009 Conductor Francisco Nunez

ABC Toronto International Choral Festival March 27-30, 200S Conductor: Stephen Hatfield

International Youth Festival, Bavaria July 17-24, 200S

Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod, Wales July S-13, 200S, July 7-12, 2009

Aberdeen International Youth Festival, Scotland July 30-August 9, 200S • July 31-August 10, 2009

Concorso Corale Internazionale Riva del Garda, Italy March 16-20, 200S

World Choir Games, Graz, Austria July 9-19, 200S

International Choir Festival of Sacred Music, Rottenburg, Germany July 17-20, 200S

Venezia in Musica, Choir Competition, Italy October 1-5, 200S • April 29-May 3, 2009

Malta International Choir Competition October 30- November 3, 200S October 29-November 2, 2009

International Franz-Schubert Choir Competition, Austria November .. 200S· November 1

Contact lois Harper, BA, M.Ed, ARCT

Arts Bureau for the Continents 815 Taylor Creek Dr., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1 C 1T1

TF: 800-267-8526 • Tel: 613-234-3360 Fax: 613-236-2636 • E-mail: [email protected] www.abc.ca

28

on English church music. He displayed a commitment to high musical standards as a composer and a pelformer; a dedication to the performance of new music by his friends and colleagues, a fondness for the music of the past (particularly the music of J. S. Bach), and a devotion to his unending work as a teacher and mentor. All these endeavors helped to advance the cause of English music during its renaissance in the twentieth century.

concern for the future of English church music, particularly of his anxiety that there would be a return to lower musical standards through the acceptance of "trivial" and "vulgar" music. He urged the younger generation to strive to live up to the great tradition they had inherited:

There is no short cut to success in music. We find budding musicians who are graceful stick-waggers, but unless they possess the ability to hear an inner part, unless they can read a score, unless they cail

visualize sounds, and unless, above all, they have the power of holding their players and singers, of molding them to their will, and of imparting something of themselves to them and to their hearers, then all else is of no avail. 16

Darke's choral compositions have not achieved the level of recognition obtained by the music of his more prominent

Stanford, I

relatively small output (a result of his busy schedules at both St. Michael's Church and the Royal College of Music) and conservative compositional style are two factors that may explain why much of his music has not escaped the boundaries of his native country. Many of his choral works remain in print today, including the recent reissue of three carols by Stainer and Bell. Several anthems formerly out of print have also been reissued in the last few years. Hopefully, even more of them will soon become available, so that a new genera-


tion of conductors, singel's, congregations, and audiences may experience this body of repertoire.

NOTES

I "Sir Walter Pan'att's Pupils," Royal College of Music Magazine 20 (1924): 46-8.

2 H. C. Co lies, "Hamid (Edwin) Darke," Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th ed., ed. Eric Blom (London: Macmillan, 1954): 2:598.

3 Gwilym Beechy. "Hamid Darke's Church Music," The Musical Times 129 (August 1988): 427.

4 Richard Barnes, "The Darke Ages," Kings College Choir Association (1997-8): 25.

5 Michael Darke, e-mail, October 20, 2003. The author is most grateful to the composer's only surviving son, Michael, for his assistance in pmviding scores, manuscript copies, and biographical information.

6 Stanley Webb, "Dad<e, Harold (Edwin)," The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan, 200 1),7:23.

7 Mark Venning, e-mail to authol~ August 20, 2004.

8 Nearly all of Dad<e's organ works were recorded in 1991 by Jonathan Rennert, the cun'ent organist and choirmastel- at St. Michael's.

9 Michael Dad<e, e-mail to author, November 8, 2003.

10 In the Bleak Mid-Winter, Love Come Down at

Christmas, and A Christmas Carol. II Hugh Keyte and Andrew Parmtt, eds., The New

Oxford Book of Carols (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994), xii.

12 Jean Bums, e-mail to author, August 23, 2004. 13 Some directors choose to perform this section

unaccompanied by having the men sing IIhum" or "100."

14 Darke composed another piece by the same title in December 1955 fonhe christening of his granddaughtel~ Valerie Ann Darke. This unpublished composition is scol-ed for unaccompanied SATB choil~ with text by Isaac Watts ("Hush! my dear, lie still and slumber ... ").

15 A Christmas Carol is listed in some sources as The Shepherds hod on Angel, a reference to the first line of the text.

I 6 Donald Bmok, Composers' Gallery: Biographical Sketches of Contemporary Composers (London: Barrie and Jenkins, 1946; I-eprint, Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, 1970), 54 (page citation is to the reprint edition).

Veljo Tormis On American Shores

Sung in English

Portland State Chamber Choir Directed by Bruce Browne CLR921 CD Timing 64:53

Veljo Tormis is considered the preeminent composer of Baltic Choral music. In 2003 Estonian Composer Veljo Tormis heard the Portland State Chamber Choir while they were on tour in his country. Tormis was so taken with the brilliant artistry and expressive power of the ensemble he requested that Bruce Browne and his singers do a recording of his music sung in English. Tormis personally guided the preparation of the music for this CD.

It is with great pride that the Grammy Nominated Label Clarion Records again steps forward with another first.

www.clarionrecords.com - (800) 367-9059


50% tuition waivers are available for accomplished singers who

desire to major in one of 40 undergraduate or 11 graduate

degrees at H PU.

Call (808) 544-1127 or email: [email protected]

for more information.

www.hpu.edu/choral

29

IT his is the thil"d in a series of three articles exploring intel"views of chol"al conductol"s. The list of interviews was compiled by David DeVenney' and extended through the June 2006 issue of the Choral Journal. The

first article focused on how chol"al conductors describe components of' 'flow expel"iences" in terms specific to choral music.The second article centered on descriptions of singel" experience, the conductor experience, and how these influence the process of moving through rehearsal to performance. Conductors are identified within the text or in parentheses following the quotations.

This article contains many quotations from choral conductors about their work. The interviews from which these quotations al"e

excerpted involved conductors of all types of ensembles ranging from children's choil"s to university ensembles and professional choirs. Several common topics arose from the analysis of these

interviews, specifically issues of leadership, pedagogy, and craft. These topics and related sUbtopics fOI"m the structure of this article, with a final section containing some of the advice these conductors offel"ed fOI" the profession.

Leadership and Pedagogy Howard Swan emphasized that a choral conductor "must be

a leadel": not a dictatol~ not an autocrat, but a leader. One must accept the fact that when one stands in front of the chorus, one is a leader. As a result of this, one has responsibilities:'2 Leadership

requil"es the I"ecognition that

Thel-e are some amazing things that are possible with limited resources, and there al-e also some amazing things that are never made possible, even with unlimited resources. In other words, you cannot always rationalize defective or unimaginative music-making just because you say, 'well we're not professionals' or 'we don't have a budget' or 'we don't have enough rehearsal:This goes for music at every point from creative conception to its ultimate deliverance through a pelforming body to a listening audience-fellow human beings who are sitting out there and who could possibly be a chorus themselves. And the music director is the key to all of this. A musical pelforming organization must have a focal point and must have a pilot, and the pilot is the musical director who sets up goals, who is aware of them, and who is aware of what is over the horizon.

-Morton Gould3

Patrick K. Freer is head of the music education division in the

School of Music at Georgia State University. He is the author of

the DVD series "Success for Adolescent Singers: Unlocking the

Potential in Middle School Choirs:' <[email protected]>


Dale Warland offered the condition, "there must also be a mutual I"espect between singers and the conductor. Unity and spirit are very important for the success of a choral ensemble, and this unity and spirit, to a large extent, are established by the leadership ofthe conductol"."4 If, as RogerWagnel" stated, "a great conductor is one who knows what he or she wants and knows how to get it,"S the choral conductol" needs to know the skills

involved in the pedagogies of music and singing. Robert Shaw proposed that conducting and teaching could

be synonymous, adding "as long as the conductol" does not make it difficult for ensemble to take place, as long as he keeps a sort of vitality and a joy in the air for the group to use, and as long as he knows whel"e the piece is going, he is making a significant and essential contribution."6 Theodore Morrison cautioned, though, "almost any smart conductor with a good heart and some adren

aline can convincingly delivel" the places in the music the audience will remembel~ but it takes talent to make the cl"afty connections. If you don't convince there, if the connections are awkward, the audience will forget everything you do."7 Robert Page noted that achievement levels of choirs may be held back by POOl" teaching skills: "So many conductol-s settle for mediocrity. They palm off bad sound for sociological reasons for making music."s

Alice Parkel" observed,

When I am in a situation where I hear three or four choruses in quick succession, it is always fascinating to hear how different each group sounds. And if it is the kind of situation where there are three or four different choruses being led by the same person, or rehearsed by different people, how much each chorus changes with a different director: Whoever is leading is getting basically what they are asking fOI: Whether or not they are satisfied is beside the point, at this moment. They get what they ask for and each one of us asks for something different.9

Planning for Rehearsals When conductol"S design reheal"sals to achieve their objectives,

they might plan so that "the initial rehearsals al"e stl"uctured to

operate like patterns of falling dominos. I want the first rehearsal (domino) to facilitate the accomplishment of all succeeding rehearsals" (Dennis Shrock).'O Speaking about her choir members,

Margaret Hillis said, "My biggest problem is to make them bettel~ and I sit down and think about that a great deal. If you tl"y to make them better in a phony kind of way, or by drill and that sort of thing, it becomes dry and sterile:'11 Jean Ashworth Bartle concurred, "I try to make all reheal"sals interesting and musical. The long term goal is to develop artistry and artists. We're not training seals when we deal with children. We're tl-aining musicians and developing artistl"Y."12

Planning fOI" rehearsals is essential as "you can be detrimental to the growth of your program/student if you have reheal"sals but are not prepared for them. The more rehearsals you have the more the choir director has to be challenging" (Stan McGill).'3 When asked about standards of choral excellence, Doreen Rao noted, "for me, 'standards' means conducting my rehearsals

31

with a wholehearted awareness of my singers and with the integrity of careful musical preparation and undel-standing. When we conduct our ,-ehearsals and concerts thoughtfully, and when performers and audiences are moved by the musical experience, we might say that we have reached a standard of excellence.''i4

"keep the chorus alive by giving meaning to rehearsals-it's also easier for a chorus to change a going concept than to approach the final rehearsal without any."16

Warm-ups as Pedagogical Tools

of basic skills: "In striving for excellence in a limited amount of time you should concentrate on fundamentals. These will build your program by building on each other, and they will make your later work more efficient. Careful work on fundamentals will build good habits."19 Oren Brown concurred, "I constantly have to

The specific order of I-ehearsal activities intrigued Weston Noble:

Many conductors begin the teaching refer to the basics, to wake up their minds of repertoire and skills in the first mo- for a particular function, and to remi.nd ments of the warm-up session and carry them of such fundamentals as breathing

_-_-_--I odeed,.L.car:moJ~os_eL$JLes.s~he. ~it-f0rward-fr0moFeheaFsal=tEHehear-saIFG;;-ar-1 __ and posture."20_ . ____ ~~_.~~ __ ._~~~~ importance of psychology in Druba said, Occasionally a well-intentioned con-rehearsing a choir. Since working ductor will construct warm-ups that are

with voices entails far more You must assume ... whatever unhelpful, as when "I've seen colleagues of subjectivity than working with technique they are going to have mine warm-up a choir in the traditional instruments, psychology, in my ... you have to build. I don't try to way. They simply let basses and altos strain opinion, should play a great part. accomplish everything at once, but and struggle as they continue to go higher· including the first selection to have in the back of my mind the and higher" (Richard Westenberg).21 An-be ~"ehe~rs.ed each day, .where to progress of sound over the course other instance calling for carefully planned begin Within that selection (most of the semestel~17 warm-ups is when of the time I do not start at the beginning), what characteristics that piece should possess if it is to be successful as an opener; the placing of the more challenging repertoire within the rehearsal plan, warm-up procedures, and keeping the attention of the student to the maximum degree possible ... Every time I fail to observe psychological ramifications of rehearsal procedure, I reduce the optimum effectiveness ofthe time spent. IS

Helen I(emp added,

I use warm-ups at the beginnings of rehearsals, but always with a purpose. Instead of abstract melodic scales or patterns, I'll use snatches of music from our repertoire. Musical phrases are much better for the children; they are more interesting, more accessible, and they help you relate warm-ups to the music. 18

Robert Shaw observed that careful planning allows conductors the opportunity to

Helen Kemp also spoke of structuring her warm-ups around the development

There is excessive vibrato, there [often] has not been sufficient training in the upper part of the voice ... Individuals in amateur choirs who have not sung during the summer have more vibrato in the fall. They have not used and exercised the upper part of the voice! I think a lot of vibrato is an excessive pressure, especially from the lower part of the voice carried too high. Exercise is needed to lighten the upper part of the voice and carry it down low. It's like a sigh. We sigh from the top down

32

Marian Sawa's magnum opus (1999)

A new oratorio!

VIA CRUCIS For Soprano & Baritone soli, SATB choir, and Concert Band. 60 minutes duration.

1937-2005

For full details visit cantusquercus.com/polscat.htm. QCantus cmuercus llress

-Oren Brown22

Richard Westen berg added,

When amateur choirs have been performing, say, Bach cantatas or passions, I frequently use chorales as warm-ups; I have them sing without text on certain vowels.This way they concentrate not only on notes, but also the alignment of the vowels, intonation, etc.23

Goal Selection Conductor focus needs to be placed

upon both the musical and psychological needs of the singers before them:


If you get on the podium and assume that people are going to be bored, they're going to be bored. If you assume they're going to be involved, they're going to be involved. If you assume that they can do something, they can. If you assume that they can't, they never will.

-Margaret Hillis24

When discussing the goals that conductors might set for choruses with relatively

inexperienced singers, Alice Parker offered,

It depends on your point of view. Is the aim to provide a community event that uses everybody to the best of their abilities? Then you can have wonderful success with it, I think. If your aim is to present an excellent program of difficult music, then you are going to have trouble. So there are all kinds of goals in choral music.25


Matching the conductor's goals with the needs of the ensemble is essential be

cause

Inspiring one's singers is wonderful, _ but if the singers do not have

an in-depth understanding or comprehension of the music they perform and do not know why they are singing in a certain manner, we have failed.

-Joseph Huszti 26

In other words, conductors "are remiss if they only teach what they've been taught to teach, rather than teaching what needs to be taught" (Fred Waring),2?

Accordingly, Jo-Michael Scheibe advised,

I am a firm believer in introducing a composition at or near the eventual tempo if at all possible and with as little support from

the keyboard as possible. I do not, however, believe in allowing the choir to struggle and not achieve initial success in the introduction of a new composition, and at times in more difficult compositions, have used the keyboard for harmonic support-because failure does little to win your choir-and success builds the ensemble's trust in you as a conductor.2B

Music Reading of Amateurs Alice Parker commented that when

working with amateurs who may not feel confident about reading music,

Working by ear is a wonderful way of bringing out people's native musical ability-you also can make music right then and there in that room. It makes laboriously learning a three-minute church anthem with

33

an amateur group that doesn't read well just seem like an exercise in frustration. You are always trying to get the accuracy of the page before you can get any musical value.29

She added,

If people are reading and if that is difficult for them, then very often they are not controlling their voices as well as if they were singing

-~s-o-mething they knew. And SQ, the

problem voices sound worse then they really are. Once they know the music they sound better.30

Robert Porco emphasized, however,

For the most part, the volunteer people are better than they give themselves credit for. I do a lot of rehearsing unaccompanied-even reading. See, there's this sense that they'l"e volunteers-amateurs-and that begins to rub off on them, on their estimation of what they can do. Most of the time, they can do far greater things in terms of reading. So, I just challenge them.31

No matter the reading level of the choir

membel"s, Jo-Michael Scheibe advocates establishing early success in first readings of a composition:

When the choir leaves the rehearsal they should feel that they have achieved something. This may be only the final bar or two, but success is paramount in the positive learning curve. Introduction of a new composition is critical to the success or failure of that composition in concert.32

Movement and Gesture Many conductors ask choir members

to incorporate movement and gesture during the rehearsal process, sometimes to facilitate the learning process, and at other times to reduce vocal tension. Harold Decker commented,

Rhythm is the first thing you respond to as a child. As civilization grows, you learn to use yOUI" mind as well as your body. I think moving is important, particularly in rehearsals, to loosen up and keep the body from getting tense. Movement, without feeling for the phrase, is what Joe Flummerfelt called 'mindless rhythm: Music has to have

Music Surrounds Us.

34

The Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis.

music memphiS edlJ

THE UNIVERSITY OF

MEMPHIS,.

everything: rhythm, melody, and a mental concept.33

Nancy Telfel" noted that

Thel"e are two different kinds of gestures: ones conductors make and ones singers do.They work very similarly; both are vel"y powerful. Singers' bodies can work with the voice to help the voice improve. When they do certain movements witll1fle60ay,otl'ier parts onn~e~~

body unconsciously react in certain ways.34

On the other hand,

Any tension in the conductor's body is reflected in the tone quality of the singers. Ideally, the conductor's gestures should be very liberating to the singel~ When the conductor visually expresses the flow of the music, the singers' tone quality responds to the conductor's gesture without any verbal incentive.

-Nancy Telfer35

Robert Porco commented,

In my view, there are too many young conductors who have beautiful technique and that's it. I'm not criticizing them, but I don't think that is what music is all about."36 Rather, the relationship between gesture and sound means that "I can change tone during a performance by how I look and how I conduct" (Howard Swan).37 Paul Salamunovich recalled, "I once read that you shouldn't use all yOUI" gestures in rehearsal-you should save some for the

ACDA Quick Tip

'?t:.--n~'-;'OIA B

P(Jn 'tlrlit5t5 (Jut

by (Bavintt Bady/


pelformance. I disagl-ee. In ol-del- to get a point across, I would hang from the chandeliers by my toes in rehearsal. But when I get on the podium, I simply try to look like the music-no more, no less."38

Conductor as Voice Teacher

When working with choirs,

Good voices, of course, help in accomplishing the demands or requirements of scores, but good voices can't take the place of score study and the conductor's responsibility fOI- learning all he or she can about voices and instruments, etc. All music starts from score study.

-Margaret Hillis39

Donald Neuen recommended that conductors learn to

Understand and solidly teach voice-teach people (of any age!) to sing, really sing! I know we must care for and protect the younger voices especially, but I feel that there are far more choirs who sing in an anemic, meaningless manner than those who may be over-singing. There is a very specific sound heard in truly great singing. Any choir is capable of achieving that sound without forcing, straining or sounding oldel~ The conductor simply has to know what that sound is, how to teach it, how to inspire the singers to desire it, and then never accept less!40

Choral conductors rely heavily on the use of theiJ- own voices when modeling technique and phrasing for choirs. Paul Salamunovich cautioned,

I am always concerned that one of tomorrow's successful choral conductors not be left at home for the sake of a voice, and that singers not be allowed to fall in love with their voices before they fall in love with the music for which the voice was intended. Many of the most successful choral conductors are or were just average singers. They can express beauty, however. They may


not be great singers, but they can be tremendous teachers.41

Helen Kemp agreed that the conductol-'s own singing voice

[I]s really very important. but I think the repertoire and teaching techniques are more important. The director of a children's choir doesn't have to have a great solo voice, but he or she has to have an understanding of the child voice.42

But, continued development of their own vocal skills will pel-mit conductors to "know and love the voice [and] know and love the singel- with all the eccentricities involved" (Robert Page).43

Conducting as Craft

The function of chol-al conductol-s as musical leadel-s implies that "students will

DCI DIHINGUIUltD .

(ONCnn INTi~N+lTION.Ql

NiW YO~~

Iris Derke General Director

be an exact mirror of us; if we do not exude enel-gy we are nevel- going to get it ... You can exude enel-gy with the way you move from the piano to the stand or the way you carry your body. I think it's a matter of looking like you care" (Sally Herman).44 The choir's pel-ception of a conductor's musical leadership can be greatly influenced by how that conductOI- attends to othel~ often non-musical, responsibilities.

Spontaneity and ResponSiveness

Howard Swan believed

A great choral person must learn how to plan for and feel like the people with whom he or she is working. Not all would agree with this premise. We both know great musicians who have not possessed this last attribute. It's not so necessary for the instrumentalist. But one must never forget that we

"The Art of Pel lor mance-The P()1,ver of Education"

Jonathan Griffith Artistic Director

877 .MYDCINY or 646.216.8419 250 West 57th Street, Suite 1400

New York, NY 10107 E-Mail Inquiries: [email protected] Visit www.DCINY.org for continual updates.

35

deal with voices-voices that in one respect are related to the way in which a personality shows itself and hopefully will grow. It is very difficult for some to do this, to put themselves in the other person's place.45

Norman Luboff reflected that such empa

thy is rooted in communication of

chorus/orchestra in rehearsal; the conductor/chorus/orchestra with the audience. Should this chain break down at any point, the whole idea and intent of the composer; to communicate with the audience, is lost. I won't hesitate to do anything which will help keep that chain of communication intact.46

A conductors needs to be aware of

[T]he individuals in his chorus at all times. How do they seem to be feeling physically, mentally, emotionally? Are they tired? Are they nervous? Are they uptight about something?Their eyes will tell. Their frowns will tell. The pursing of the lips, the use of the tongue are signs which can tell a sensitive person a

great deal about the feelings of the chorus.

-Howard Swan47

When listing the skills involved in empathy, Colleen Kirk outlined that conductors

[M]ust be thomughly grounded in musicianship sensitivities and understandings, care abbut the

to cues which reveal the interests and gmwth of choir members, and be sensitive to time and to comfortable rehearsal and concert pacing.4B

Empathy with singers may be reflected in the choices conductors make about the design and pacing of both rehearsals and concerts. Margaret Hillis commented, "in any rehearsal there are certain basic procedures that I have, but I. always vary them according to what the music needs."49

Brock McElheran referred to the

[T]ype of conductor who never lets down, but drives the group for two hours, demanding the ultimate at all times. I don't agree with that. I think it's very hard to reproduce intense emotion for any length of time. I

High School Choirs! High School Singers!

36

Rehearse and Perform Mozart's Requiem with

Dr. Anton Armstrong with a Professional Orchestra and Soloists

. on theyark-Iike camyus of Berry college in Rome, Georgia

prefer the conductor who works quietly and low-key and then says. 'Now, let's do it!' Like a skyrocket, finally put the match to it and let 'er rip! The utmost. intensity is turned on then, instead of trying to sustain it over a long period.50

Howard Swan engaged in an action research project where he compared the effects of a five-minute break with a

break in the middle of the

The result [was what] one would expect: the group that had the fiveminute break did the best in every respect, adding that when the break was fifteen minutes in length,

The group lost interest and abandoned the rhythm of the rehearsal, so to speak.

One had to bring them back and start all over again, build rehearsal goals anew. I think we make this mistake today in our rehearsals.51

To maintain interest, convey enthusiasm and refine the musical skills of choristers, Michael Palmer found that he would use "whatever meanS are at my disposal to come up with the right imagery for them to create the kind of sound that I'm looking for or the kind of approach to a passage."52

Ultimately, the conductor needs to transfer responsibility for musical performance to the choir. For Robert Porco,

tempo highlighted this issue:

It is the choir or the ensemble that keeps the tempo, not the conductor. I think most ensemble people haven't thought of this. The conductor may start things, end things, and shape things, but as you're going along, the sense should be that the chorus is performing and actively executing the tempo.53 - .. --.---.. - -------~--~.- -_._---

Allen Chapman agreed, saying

I dare to try to allow the music to happen .. .There are times when the choir is not as accurate as it might be, but we try to get to the heart of the music. I think all of us hear too


many safe, predictable, and merely accurate pelformances. I try to make music live.54

The route to rehearsals and perfol"mances where the conductor and choil" are fully engaged is centered upon

A certain instinctive communication which immediately brings a kind of respect .... [A] conductor must have a tremendous love for people because he or she has to work with them. One has to love them a lot because they're terribly hard to love sometimes. They make some miserable mistakes. They've got to know that the conductor loves them even when correcting them.

-Allen Lannom55

Elements of Text and Blend The conductors in these interviews

were recognized for their leadership and rehearsal skills, but they became respected for the musical results they achieved with their choirs. They offered specific advice

about pelformance practice and choral technique, and the topics of text and blend are sampled here.

Paul Salamunovich related,

From the moment a choir starts to learn notes, I want them to start understanding the meaning of the words which inspired the composel~ Then I want them to telegraph their message through the music. I tell the chorus they are vocal actors, that I want to see that meaning in their faces and hear it in their tone.56

Concurrent with understanding the literary meaning is the task of articulating the text. Weston Noble noted, "consonants

receive my primary attention, especially as the year unfolds. I believe that rhythm is the basic underpinning of everything. If consonants do not have the correct 'rhythm: the effectiveness of the beauty of the vowel is diminished."57 Harold Decker

added, "If you can get your choir to get over the consonant and get directly to the vowel and then keep the integrity of that

vowel until you get to the next one, you


will have something that will sound like an ensemble instead of like forty singers."58

Relating diction to blend, Eph Ehly's position

[I]s to accept blend, not to force it. One can have blend when one has unity of vowel sounds, unity of amplitude, and a well-positioned or focused tonal placement. All of these things contribute to blend, but I'm not going to change a person's voice in order to conform to a peculiar quality I have in mind.59

Care for the voice of the individual singer concerned a number of conductors, including Weston Noble:

We choral directors who work with the younger voice have to be unusually careful.The voice is at such a formative stage.To ask it to modify before the technique is established can be destructive. Howard Swan

stressed that the individual singer must never be sacrificed for blend. This is a strong dictum-one not always easy to observe.60

To that end, Margaret Hillis I"elated,

Many years ago I threw out the word 'blend: I prefer the term 'unison' and/or 'matched vibratos' and/or 'matched vowels.' Blend is too often spelled 'bland' and suggests that music is made for choruses rather than the truth of the matter; which is that choruses are made for music.61

Howard Swan stated, "I cannot go too far with blend, because I feel that if I do,

something very important of an individual nature is destroyed or at least is hurt very badly."62 Don V Moses agreed,

I actually never use the word 'blend.' I suggest to the singers that if they

37

sing the same vowel and the same pitch at the same time, we will have the sort of sound that I'm looking fOI~ I would rather not ask singers to sound like one another, because they've been working all of their lives not to sound like other singers.63

Responsibility to the Composer

Colleen I<irk related,

Excellence in choral music is complicated. It involves the vocal sound itself. A successful conductor must recognize and elicit a sound that is beautiful, well produced, and appropriate for the work being performed. A successful conductor hears simultaneously what the composer had in mind and what is actually being produced by the singers. Excellence in choral music requires the ability to interpret musical ideas of composers representing various countries, styles, and periods. It involves communicating through music and speech. It necessitates interpreting and managing artistic expression.64

Hamid Decker cautioned,

Some conductors get so involved in getting the music the way that they want to hear it that they forget how to reach an audience with it ... Conductors must also add something of themselves to a pelformance. Howevel~ this must be proportionate, because if the conductor adds all of himself or herself and forgets the composer,

phony.65

Margal-et Hillis held that the preparation of conductors was key to understanding the composer's intent, saying "you have to get as near as you possibly can to what the composer had in his eal~ That's the whole point of all score study."66

Hillis echoed a fi"equent comment of the conductors in these interviews when she acknowledged, "a conductor's first duty is

to his composel~ and his composer's welfare. Aftel- that comes the chorus and the orchestra, and long, long after these comes the conductor."67

ACDA Conventions Have Something for You!

38

Attend Live Choral Performances by Oustanding Choirs

Wishes for the Profession

Advice to Beginning Conductors

I<enneth Jennings advised young con

ductors,

Fil"st of all, I think that you've got to do your own study. It's wondelful to find out how Robert Shaw does a particular work, or how Eric Ericson

with his great choirs from Sweden. One can learn a great deal in this way. But mainly one's learning has to come from within. It's not something that can be stuck on from the outside. You have to learn how to deal the best way you can with the very impelfect human instl"ument housed completely within real human beings.There are no props or mechanical aids. It's this 'humanness' that reaches into people's hearts and deepest needs. Choral music is able to do that. So my main advice is to dig deeply yourself and become the best musician you can. It's a study of history, of literature, of performance practice, and your own continuous personal explol"ation of the music. You have to know what's going on in the music if you're going to make it come alive. And then you need to develop the ability to use all of that to teach it, to draw it out of the people you have in front of you. That's the I"eal excitement of the choral art.68

"Become the best musician yoo can,"

Joseph Flummelfelt encouraged. He con

tinued,

Excellent aural skills and a deeply rooted sense of rhythm are obviously essential. Continually try to enrich your humanity through reading, reflection, and

Gladde Music Publications ~ The Choral Music of Bradley Nelson ~

Sparkling choir! Vigorous piano! "GLADDE THINGS"

www.GladdeMusic.comigladde.htm ~ Optional Brass, Timpani, Perclission ~


'f ,

experiencing the other arts. In preparing a score, always ask 'why?' Why did the composer set the text in this way, with this melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic gestul"e? Allow your imagination to perceive the interconnectedness and the relatedness ofthings.69

Allen Chapman offered "some encapsulated bits of advice and wisdom: wod< hard .,. use only quality litel"ature ... genuinely love young people ... sing more-talk less-avoid the piano!"70 Stan McGill added, "I would tell the young teacher to be prepal-ed to face this challenge him 01-

herself. It's scal-y, because so much of youlsuccess is based upon repertoire. Nothing is more impol-tant, not budgets, talent, Or stl-uctUl-es.' '7 I Margal-et Hawkins advised,

"people who want to be choral directors outside of an academic setting have a lot to learn in terms of simple things-like what sells tickets and what doesn't: '72 Two other succinct sentences of advice: "Stop living in youl- own little wodd of music"

(Paul Salamunovich),73 and "Study hard as hell!" (Robert Shaw)?4

Hopes and Concerns These conductors had a number of

wishes for the pmfession, frequently informed by al-eas of deep concern. FOIinstance, a fi"equent concern about the academic and musical prepal-ation of future conductol-s was shared by Donald V Moses: "One of the pmblems with standards in chol-al music during the past fifty years is that thel-e al-e many people who entel-the choral pmfession without in-depth tl"aining and without chol-al repertoire standards."7s Helen I<emp agreed, "I'm always amazed that people know so little repertoire. It is important to give young .childl-en music that is appmpl-iate fo!" them-quality music that encoul-ages interest and good vocal habits."76

Continuing the emphasis on knowledge of I-epertoil-e, Hamid Deckel- noted,

Today we are emphasizing multicultural and contemporary music, often to the exclusion of our great heritage of choral music passed down to us through history. We shortchange our singers if they do not come in contact with many of these masterpieces when we select our choral reperioire."77

I<enneth Jennings elabomted,

We are heading towards a 'pophit-stardom' mentality; a 'here today, gone today' existence, one of 'high calorie low nourishment,' without artistically establishing the tastes and values of our people. We need to be cautious in selecting what we attribute as having value and significance. Popular is not always synonymous with good. Quantity does not signifY quality. We have to decide what is acceptable as good American choral music, and how we want it to look and sound in

Preparing tomorrow's leaders in choral music

The University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance is located in the heart of Kansas City, a city thriving with opportunities in music, dance and the arts. The Conservatory offers degree programs through the doctoral level taught by exceptional, experienced faculty. Full and partial scholarships and out-of-state fee waivers are available.

EXCEPTIONAL TALENT, EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE


Audition dates Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007

Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008

Monday, Feb. 18, 2008

Friday, March 7, 2008 (last date for Conservatory scholarship consideration)

Saturday, March 22,2008

www.umkc.edu/conservatory

Conservatory.Admissions . University of Missouri-Kansas City 816-235-2900 [email protected]

Relay Missouri: 1-800-735-2966 [Tl) or 1-800-735-2466 (voice) UMKC is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

39

~or more intormation, vioit <www,acdaonltne,ortj/conventiono>,

42

fifty years. We have the privilege of studying hundreds of years of music, and we have seen what has survived and still works when given a chance. We must decide how best to use the resources entrusted to us. More of immediate concern, we need to look at what Americans are contributing to the world of choral music.7B

Chades BI'uffy cautioned that conductors not allow choirs "to become vocal dl'ill teams, wOI'shipping perfect pl'ecision, interested only in an impeccably 'correct' peliol'mance at the cost of emotional impact and communication."79 Several conductors spoke to the need forthe pmfession to engage in furthering the choral art at all levels, not just at the univel'sity 01'

professional level. Allen Chapman added, "I think we have lost sight of the vast ma-

SMOKY MOUNTAIN

MUSIC FESTIVAL 2008 2 or 3 nights in

GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE April 18-19 April 25-26 May 2-3 May 9-10

Competition in: Concert Choir' Chamber Choir' Men and Women's Chorus

Madrigal Choir • Jazz Choir • Show Choir Festival Director: Dr. W J Julian

Director of Bands Emeritus, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Toll-free: (800) 553-1032 (865) 947-1853 Fax: (865) 938-4081 (865) 693-5470

E-mail: [email protected] Visit us online at www.SMMFestival.com

for detailed infonnation book and registration form

TOTAL COST: $146 per person (quad occupancy, 2 nights' package) $171 per person (quad occupancy, 3 nights' package)

One complimentary package for director. Additional packages available.

In our 26th year, the experienced, permanent staff insures a smooth-running weekend in the heart of the beautifitl Smoky Mountains. Thefestival includes either a two or three-night package with accommodations in a first class Gatlinburg motel (all with pools); adjudication by nationally lowwnjudges; trophies to winning groups; and plaques to all participating groups.

Adjudicators for the 2008 Smoley Mountain Music Festival will include:

Dr. Charles Ball (University of Tennessee @ Knoxville) Dr. Angela Batey (University of Tennessee @Knoxville) George Bitzas (University of Tennessee @ Knoxville) Dr. Duncan Couch (Stetson University) Dr. Eph Ehly (University of Missouri @ Kansas City)

jority of our students ... We need to stari looking at the 'everyman' in the school system."80

Othel' conductors noted how they had changed during the course of their careel's. Donald Neuen reflected that he was initially "too demanding, too intense, vel'ging on anger,too black and white, lacking in flexibility and understanding."81 For many conductors, these types of temperaments were more common during their

concems as:

How often do genuinely encouraging words issue from our lips or fj-om our pens? I'd like to recommend that we all determine to be more encouraging and genuinely supportive of our professional colleagues who are perspiring, sometimes agonizing, sometimes near rapture on that podium trying with all their powers to realize the musical score and to bring those notes out of the silent pages and convert them into living sound.

-Lara HoggardB2

Conclusions

The words of these conductors are profound and inspiring. It is this author's hope that these excerpted quotations encoul'age conductors to read the interviews in full, drawing repeatedly upon the knowledge that they contain. In so doing, they will fulfill the wish expressed eloquently by Lara Hoggard,

But of one fact I am certain: we must continue trying to find ourselves, to know ourselves, and to understand that we have been given a place in time and eternity. We have been blest abundantly with precious gifts not available to all human beings. Why us? I want never to forget

--Ur.KeJfueth riilton (LOUISIana -Sfiite-universilyr

Dr. Craig Jessop (Monnon Tabernacle Choir)

--- ------h-ow-firrite;-slmple, an-d-littlel-a:m;-yet-----

Dr. Weston Noble (Luther College) Dr. Michael Schwartzkopf (Indiana University) Dr. Kirby Shaw (Southern Oregon University) Dr. Eric Thorson (Carson-Newman College)

Festival Mailing Address: 601 Westborough Rd., Knoxville. TN 37909

it has been given to me to probe mystedes and to experience beauty. We musicians have good cause to ponder just how wondrously large our souls and our outreaches could have been had we managed to cooperate in their nurture.B3


NOTES

I. David P. DeVenney, "Research Report: Da

Capo Interviews with Amel-ican Choral

Conductors," Choral Journal 46, no. 2

(August 2005): 49-51. 2. Carole Glenn, ed., In Quest of Answers: Inte/~views

with American Choral Conductors (Chapel

Hill, NC: Hinshaw Music, 1991): I 19. 3. Mark Gresham, Choral Conversations: Selected

Interviews from Chorus! Magazine (San

Cad os, CA: Thomas House Publications,

1997): 126. 4. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 47. 5. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 120. 6. Antonio M. Molina, "Choral and Orchestl-a

Conducting: An Intel-view with Robert

Shaw," Choral Journal 18, no. 7 (1978): 30. 7. Jerry Blackstone, "Podium and Pen-Choral

Conductor as Composer: An Interview

with Theodore Morrison," Choral Journal 37, no. 10 (1995): 25.

B. William Bartels, "Pmblems of Chol-al

I

Gig Bag ',as bottle ',o'der, detacl,able strap and ample room for folders, scores, and even street clotl,es 0" sllOes.

PocketTol1esTA' pitol,pipe is small enougl, for a keyol,ain, and features volume contl·o!'

Interpretation and Technique (Part 3)," Choral Journal 13, no. 3 (1972): 19.

9. Gresham. Choral Conversations. I O. 10. Jason Paulk, "Perspectives on Sight-Reading

Choral Repertoire," Choral Journal 45, no.

3 (2004): 34. II. Janel Jo Dennen, "Margaret Hillis and the

Chicago Symphony Chorus," Choral Journal 32, no. I (1982): 19.

12. Dennis Shrock, "An Interview with Jean

Ashworth Bartle: Director of the Toronto

Children's Chorus," Choral Journal 31, no. 2

(1990): 23. 13. Dennis Shrock, "An Interview with Stan McGill

and Allen Chapman: Elements of Successful

High School Choral Progl-ams," Choral Journal 29, no. 5 (1989): 9.

1'1. Linda Ferreira and Barbal-a Tagg, "Voices and

Visions: An Interview with Eight American

Choral Conductors," Choral Journal 38, no.

8 (1998): 10. 15. Dennis Shrock, "An Interview with Weston

Noble," Choral Journal 32, no. 5 (1991): 10.

16. Gordon Myers, "Interview with Robert Shaw,"

American Choral Review IV, no. 3 (1962): 9. 17. William Bartels, "Problems of Choral

Interpl-etation and Technique (Part 2)," Choral Journal 13, no. 2 (1972): 22.

lB. Barbara Tagg and Dennis Shrock, "An Interview

with Helen Kemp: Childrens' Choil-s," Choral Journal 30, no. 4 (1989): I I.

19. Tagg and Shrock. "Helen Kemp." I I.

20. Brown Bradley, "An Intel-view with Oren

Brown and Richard Westenberg," American Organist 19 Uanuary 1985): 66,

21. BI-adley. "Oren Brown and Richard Westen

berg." 66. 22. Bradley. "Oren Brown and Richard Westen

berg." 66, 23. Bradley. "Oren Brown and Richard Westen-

berg," 65. 2'1. Dennen. "Margaret Hillis." 19. 25. Gresham. Choral Conversations. 9.

26. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 83. 27. Gene Griel~"An Interview with Fred Waring;'

Choral Journal 19, no. I (1979): 32.

I __ I

Musio folders include Cltoralex™ Compact (above) wltl'ol, opens to appl'Oximately

17 inol,es (43 om) wide in conoert (11) oonfiguration, and original Black Foldm"

-'(,;~~

XtraFlex single LED ligl,t and twin-ltead DUET oombine brillianoe witl, ultra-low power usage.

YOU sing a lot better when you can see your score - hence our

two smart solutions above. Both use ultra-efficient LED

bulbs that last a lifetime and run up to 50 hours on one set of


AAA batteries. Visit www.musicfoldel·.com to order tbese and

other accessories, including our tiny, powerful Pocl~etTonesTM pitchpipe and best-selling music folders. It's a site for sore eyes.

Made by Small World, Toll-free (Canada and USA):

1 877-246-7253' Tel. and fax: +1-604-733-3995

43

2B. Paulk. "Perspectives on Sight-Reading." 30. Artistry:An Interview with Donald Neuen," 65. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 235. 29. Gresham. Choral Conversations. 5. Choral Journal 45, no. 10 (2005): 35. 66. Shrock. "Margaret Hillis." I I.

30. Gresham. Choral Conversations. 6. 41. Shrock. "Paul Salamunovich." 17. 67. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. I 10.

31. Jonathan Talberg, "An Interview with Robert 42 Tagg and Shrock. "Helen Kemp." 6. 68. BI-adley Ellingboe and Dennis Schrock, "An

Porco," Choral Journal 41 , no. 5 (2000): 40. 43. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 126. Interview with Kenneth Jennings: On the

32 Paulk. "Perspectives on Sight-Reading." 34. 44. Dennis Shrock, "An Interview with Sally Occasion of His Retirement as Music

31 Thomas Wine, "Reflections About the Choral Herman and Michael Nuss: Elements of Director of the Saint Olaf Choir," Choral Profession in the Twenty-First Century: Successful Junior High School Choirs," Journal 30, no. 10 (1990): 12. An Interview with Harold Decker," Choral Choral Journal 30, no. 9 (1990): 15. 69. Pearl Shangkuan, "An Interview with Joseph

Journal 42, no. 2 (200 I): 27. 45. Gordon Paine, "Reflections on a Career: A Flummelfelt," Choral Journal 44, no. 10

34. Janna Brendel, "Vocal Development in the Conversation with Howard Swan," Choral (2004): 13. Choral Rehearsal:An Interview with Nancy Journal 27, no. 8 (1987): 12. 70. Shrock. "Stan McGill and Allen Chapman:' 13.

~---C1iT.e:J;If,i::::e:rr,"'-;C;=;:h::o::ra::t/Jt:~';-;ur=n::aT/3')(B)·,::n~o.-2"(TiI7i97V97'f,)~:2~9~··.~·---jj4'?:6.7G""e~n~e---rG~r7'ie~I~:"Ti'A'n~ln-'t--e--rv:"'ie--w-=:..ow--.7it;-h'NM·~o~rm~·~an~71~Shro-cIC"Sta:n-MtGill-an-d-AII'eh~Cha:pma:h:"--· - -

35. Brendel. "Nancy Telfer." 30. Luboff," Choral Journal 17 (May 1977): 28. 12-13. 36. Talberg. "Robert Porco." 39. 47. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 46. 72 Gresham. Choral Conversations. 169.

37. William Bartels, "Problems of Choral 4B. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 112. 73. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 126.

Interpretation and Technique (Part I)," 49. Dennen. "Margaret Hillis." 19. 74. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 127. Choral Journal 13, no. I (1972): 21. 50. Harriet Simons, "An Interview with Brock 75. Ferreira and Tagg. "Voices and Visions." 9.

3B. Den n is Shrock, "An I nterview with McElheran," Choral Journal 39, no. I (1998): 76. Tagg and Shrock. "Helen Kemp." 6.

Paul Salamunovich: On Aspects of 33. 77. Wine."Harold Decker." 27.

Communication," Choral Journal 31, no. 3 51. Paine. "Howard Swan." 9. 7B. Linda Ferreira and Barbara Tagg, "Fourteen

(1990): 18. 52 Gresham. Choral Conversations. 149. Conductors Speak About American Choral

39. Dennis Shrock, "An Interview with Margaret 53. Talberg. "Robert Porco:' 39. Music," Choral Journal 43, no. 8 (2003):

Hillis: On Score Study:' Choral Journal 31, 54. Shrock. "Stan McGill and Allen Chapman." 12. 21-22. no. 7 ( 1991): 12. 55. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. I 12. 79. Ferreira and Tagg. "Fourteen Conductors." 15.

40. Alan Raines, "Celebrating Fifty Years of Choral 56. Shrock. "Paul Salamunovich." 12-13. BO. Shrock. "Stan McGill and Allen Chapman." 7.

Choral Conducting at the

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Sharon A. Hansen, D.M.A.

Director.of Graduate Choral Studies

MM in Performance: Choral Conducting Two-year residency with assistantship and competitive tuition package

MM in Music Education: Choral Conducting Emphasis Summer & evening program for working music professionals·

• concentrated score study

For further information:

Dr. Timothy Noonan, Graduate Advisor

414.229.2286 tpnoonan!auwm.edu

44

UNIVERSITY"fWISCONSIN

UVlMILWAUKEE ~

57. Shrock. "Weston Noble." I I. BI. Raines. "Donald Neuen." 35.

5B. Wine. "Harold Decker." 27. B2. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 188.

59. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 52. B1 Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 139-140.

60. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 33.

61. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 53. 62 Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 59.

63. Glenn. In Quest of Answers. 56.

64. Ferreira and Tagg. "Voices and Visions." 9.

When you need music, there's one place to call:

-·-~~Soutfierru

i=::M=tJ=£i=G.;1 tI:::O-M_1L.iL.bol_V:=! YOUR COMPlE1E SOURCE FOR PRINTED MUSIC

Southern Music Cornpany 1248 Austin Highway, Suite 212 • San Antonio, Texas 78209

P.O. Box 329 • San Antonio, Texas 78292 Phone: (210)226-8167 • Fax: (210) 223-4537 • Order Line: 1·800·284·5443

Email: [email protected] Website: www.southernmusic.com


Call for Proposals for Interest Sessions

2009 ACDA National Convention

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

March 4-7,2009

Name ______________________________ _ Address ______________________________ _

Work phone ( _______ -,-____ _ Home phone ( ___ ), _______ _

E-Mail address _____________________________ _ ACDA Membership # _______ _

Session Title: __________________________________________________________________ _

Session Description: Please include a brief typed session description.

Check Subject Area:

___ boychoir

high school choir

___ ethnic and multicultural perspectives

___ two-year college choir

___ community choirs

___ performance practice

___ conductor preparation'

Type of Session: clinic

___ children's choir

___ women's choir

___ music and worship

___ music education

___ college/univ. choir

___ jazz choir

___ rehearsal technique

___ show choir

___ jr high/middle school choir

___ male choir

___ technology

___ vocal pedagogy

___ composition

___ composer (please specify)

___ conducting technique

___ other (specify)

__ panel __ clinic with demonstration group*

__ other (specify) _____________ _

* If you are requesting to use a specific demonstration choir, that group must submit a performance audition tape to the National Office for consideration.

Equipment: With the exception of one regular microphone, all requests for additional audio visual equipment will be evaluated by the convention steering committee on an as requested basis. AV equipment is limited. ACDA cannot assume costs

for AV equipment for all proposals. List other needs below (risers, piano, music stands, etc. )

Please include a brief biographical paragraph (not vita). Applications without this will not be considered.

Eligibility: Presenters must be current members of ACDA. It is understood that ACDA will not assume financial responsibility for travel, food, lodging for presenters or interest session participants. This application implies that the above-mentioned presenter is prepared to travel and perform at the convention if accepted.

Send application to: ACDA, Attention: Interest Session Proposals, Po. Box 2720, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 7310 I

Deadline:Applications must be postmarked by March 2,2008.

New music. Newformat. New sight-singing materials. [~_~_:~-~~~-~~~:~.-~-_ [jNTE~b;~_

Experiencing Choral Music is a four-level series designed to build music literacy and promote vocal development for all shldents and voice catagories in Grades 6-12.

Glencoe

The series is a multi-textbook program supported with print materials and audio

1 recordings that enable g encoe.com students to develop music

1-800-334-7344 skills and conceptual .~_ .. _____ ... ~. ____ ~ ______ ~ __ un_d_erstanding, while __

providing teachers with a flexible, integrated program.

Building Brighter Futures

Boychoirs

How We Deliver the Three Ms: the Music. the Message. the Ministry

by

Ah'Lee Robinson, Southwestern Division

R&S Chair fOI- Boychoil-s

usic fOI- boychoirs not only tl-anscends but it is powelful. Our message is often crystal clear; and our ministl-y,

though subliminal, is how we make the difference in the lives we touch. While we look at the boys we serve, develop, and mentor in OUI- choirs, we immediately begin to think about their future. Countless numbel-s of mature minds will advance to responsible men some day, howevel~ many of them will drift aimlessly into the future because there is no vision. This author is reminded of a biblical passage that reads, "Without a vision the people perish." Do you have a vision, with youl- young chol-isters? AI-e you a visionary?

It becomes our ultimate responsibility as we stand before our choristers to showcase, epitomize, and provide a clear vision fOI- them. OUI- music should not only be selected for competition, style, and appearance, but moreover; it should be chosen so that young choristers can relate and with dignity appreciate the hard work that they deliver. As artistic directors foi-the boychoirs, we have seen many boys I-eturn to the choil- as talented musicians


that enjoy the music that they once presented. Many retained the discipline, and share with the current choristers, their pride in being a member of the boychoil~ Then there are the few, but proud, who return to see if the choil- is still what it used to be.

In our musical delivel-y, the message becomes unmistakable; if it becomes convoluted in the least, the chorister will not convey it as prescribed by the choral directOI~Amazingly,the audience will not receive the message eithel~ For many of the listeners, the message speaks directly to the intent of the presentel~ In order for the chorister to appreciate the song and embrace the message, they must be educated at the onset of teaching the desil-ed piece. This would be a good place for "ministry." When we speak of ministl-y, we al-e saying in OUI- simplest foi-m of leadership that we should provide a level of sincel-ity. Many of us see oUI-selves as "servant-Ieadel-s,"

March 13-15,2008 Dr. Janet Galvan Artistic director and clinician

skilled to lead, train, and develop the talent that comes before us. Leading by example becomes the focal point, and the subliminal message of ministry takes the forefi-ont of character building for the young chorister. Style, delivel-y, and attitude are cl-ucial components of the leader; not to mention professionalism. We must do what we say and say what we mean.

Taking a firm position with the choir sets the pace fOI- the chorister to achieve. You will appreciate the outcome and they will be thankful for your drive with them, maybe not now, but in the future.

It is the hope of this author that we make a mal-ked diffel-ence in the lives of the choristers before whom we stand each week.Though many of them are destined to hold their musical experience vel-y deal~ others will gravitate to the discipline provided.Then, finally, the least of them will remember the relationships that they have built. Ultimately, the music, the message,

March 27-29.2008 Dr. Kevin Fenton Artistic director and clinician

Year-round performance tours and exchange concerts

Website: www.hawaiimusicfestivals.com E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 1-800-366-7486

47

and the ministry all playa significant role as a "gathering of the fragments" to make boys responsible, professional, ethical, and on point for life's challenges. After all, it is the music that transcends. We must give more than music to our eager and antici-

pating choristers. Develop a relationship with others that have like challenges and triumphs so that you are able to achieve a level of appreciation in your choral life, and above all, sing as if each day is made for a new song. "Keep your boys focused and on

48

CHORAL ENSEMBLES

Yale Camerata Yale Glee Club Yale Schola Cantorum Battell Chapel Choir Marquand Chapel Choir Yale Repertory Chorus Yale Recital Chorus

RECENT VISITING ARTISTS

Dave Brubeck Stephen Layton James MacMillan Sir Neville Marriner Taril( O'Regan Stefan Parkman Kr~ysztof Penderecki Helmuth Rilling Sir David Willcocks The Academy Chamber Choir

ofUppsala _ Clare College Choir, Cambridge Ensemble Europeen William

Byrd, Paris I Fagiolini Tuks Camerata, University of

Pretoria

2006-2008 MAJOR REPERTOIRE

IS Bach Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat, and Cantata No. 63

Beethoven Ninth Symphony Bresnick Three Choral SOllgs all

Poems of Amichai Britten War Requiem, Sacred

alldProfalle Buxtehude Membra Jesu Ilostri Charpentier Le Relliement de

St Pierre Du Mont Magllificat pour Deux

Choellrs Durufle Requiem Gibbons Cries of London Gubaidulina SOllllellgesallg MacMillan Mairi Mendelssohn Elijah Monteverdi Vespro della Beata

--Vergine.1610-O'Regan The Ecstasies Above Panetti A GllSt inside the God Stravinsky Les Noces Stucky Three New Motets

RECENT STUDENT RECITAL REPERTOIRE

JS Bach Komm, Jesu, kOll1m Barher Prayers of Kierkegaard Beethoven Mass in C Bernstein Chichester Psalms David Deutsche Messe Finzi Requiem da Camera Howells Take Him Earth for

Cherishillg Ives The Ullallswered Qllestioll Kreek Psalms of David Lasso LamentatiollS MacMillan Cantos Sagrados Purcell Dido and Aelleas Rheinberger Calltus Missae Shostalwvich Chamber

Symphony Stravinsky L'Histoire dll Soldat Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms

- - Vaughan Williams,Rive,Mystical-Songs

Office of Admissions Yale Institute of Sacred Music, 409 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511 teI203.432.9753 fax 2°3.432.9680

point and hold them accountable."

Submitted by: Thomas E. Sibley, National R&S Chair for Boychoirs

College & University Choirs

R&S Committees: A Tapestry of Individuals Engaging the Membership

ach time I return from a national convention of ACDA. I have new stories to share with students and colleagues. From

my first convention in 1985, I tell of hearing the Nordic Choir from Luther College and walking down the street with John Rutter. The Louisville convention brings to mind the Estonian Men's Choir singing with power I had not experienced before, and the San Diego convention will always be tied to David Fanshaw's African Sanctus.

In the coming months, I will tell of the national convention in Miami, and the narrative will weave stories of my interactions with chairs of the ACDA Repertoire & Standards Committees whose lives and work combine to make an impressive tapestry. These interactions took place during the R&S Training Session that preceded the convention, and in between interest sessions and concerts.

GIA Publications, Inc. 7404 S. Mason Ave. Chicago, IL 60638 800-442-1358

Music for fax 708-496-3828 the C.hurch www.giamusic.com


I was inspired by the pmfound passion displayed by fkst- and second-year music educators as they shared stol"ies of theil' successes and invigorating commitment to teaching musicianship skills to their students. I was touched by stories of R&S Chairs who displayed their respect fOI' the choral pmfession by encoul'd.ging, supporting, and mentoring these new teachers.

I was filled with optimism as R&S members talked about their work in theil' own schools, churches, and communities. Some shal'ed how they were exposing large and small populations to gl'eat choral works such as Mendelssohn's Elijah and simple unaccompanied folk songs that al'e wmught with poignant meaning. Others told how they had developed a commission project to support the work of choral composers and to elevate the quality of music available to the gmwing number of SSAA choil's in the United States. Others told how they had worked to encoul'aging vetel'an conductors to mentol' beginning conductors at the local level. Tremendous passion and commitment to excellence continue to be prevalent thmughout the membership.

I was moved as I heard Ci'aig Arnold, Ann Howal'd Jones, and Andre Thomas talk about how they continue to feed theil' passion forthe chol'al art, and I was excited to see the energy surmunding theil' round table: lI'aining Chol'al Conductors in the Twenty-First Century: Nurtul"ing Ci'eative Vision and Commitment to Quality.

I became emotionally engaged as I obsel'ved conductol's inspire their choil's

Finest fabrics including permanent , press and wash & wear. Superior : quality. Free color catalog and

fabric swatches on request.

GUARANTEED SATISFACTION Call Toll Free: 1-800-826-8612

HEGENCY _it!'iI~ICI·1W¢18·-www.rcgown.com

" P.O. Box 8988-CJ ;Jacksonville, Fl 32211

Choral Journal • Octobel' 2007

to sing for the ACDA membership with inCl'edible discipline and expression, and I wondered how many of the pieces performed had been recommended by R&S chairs thmugh wOI'd of mouth and reading sessions.

I was struck by the genemsity of individuals who wel'e willing to donate theil' time and talent as conductors or pianists to help the membership make informed litel'ature decisions as they attended I'eading sessions, and by the sacrificial efforts of the countless behind-the-scenes pel'sons who gave up theil' convention experience to insure that pelformers and participants in the honor choil's would have optimal expel'iences.

When Robert Shaw addressed the ACDA membership fOI' the last time in 1997, he said "It is a good thing for Amel'ican chol'al directors to gathel' togethel' frequently enough to share what's new,

what do you hear; how can I help," and this sentiment is at the foundation of the R&S committees. It is difficult to think of ACDA 'orthe choral profession without recognizing the wol"l< of the numemus individuals who sel"ve as state, divisional, and national R&S chairs. Theil' contl"ibutions continue to make a significant impact on the pmfession in direct ways, and I feel fortunate to have been associated with the College R&S committee during this past decade.

Submitted by: Kevin Fenton, Former National R&S Chail" fOI" Colleges & Universities

Concert Tours with Real

Cultural Exchange "What a phenomenal tour it was! ...

You took care of us very well. The students, staff and I are very

excited about the tour." Mark Bartel, Director

Friends University Singing Quakers (pictured left at the Cologne Cathedral)

Conceit Toms for Choirs, Bands, & Orchestras since 1972 Great Performance Venues with Great Audiences

Nonprofit, Tax-Exemptions Mfiliation with UN & US Missions Worldwide

Deep Cultural Exchanges & Home Stays Available

"Thank y~u so much for all you achieved in creating this memorable tour for the Prescott Master Chorale to 1.800.526.2908

Scandinavia. Our concert audiences were very enthusiastic. . The cost of this tour was very reasonable for what we received." ~.:.: ...£[email protected]

James L Klein, Director ~, www.faf.org Prescott Master Chorale

49

The criteria for recommending a choil"'s acceptance to appear at an ACDA national convention will be the quality of musical pelfol"mance as demonstrated on tape/CD.

and CDs

Only tapes/CDs prepal"ed in compliance with specifications listed on the application form and accompanied by requested program infoi"mation will be considered.The tape/CD should contain only complete pieces. If a longer work is exerted, several minutes should be devoted to in on the tape/CD, and the repertoire should be essentially the same kind as that proposed for the convention performance.

Audition Procedures

All tapes/CDs to. be considered for pelformance at the national convention should be submitted to the ACDA national office in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and postmarked no later than May 2nd of the year preceding the national convention.

After all the tapes/CDs have been received at the national office, they will be placed in categories corresponding to the areas of Repertoire & Standal"ds committees.

The national office will apportion the tapes/CDs to preliminary audition committees on the basis of the number of tapes/ CDs received in the first category.There is no quota of tapes/CDs to be selected; the selections should represent the finest entries in each R&S area.Tapes/CDs will be organized into the following five groups for review:

• College & University and Two-Year College Choirs

• High School Choirs

• Community,Women, and Male Choirs

• Childl"en, Boychoir; and jr. High/Middle School Choirs

• Vocal jazz, Show, Multicultural, and Church Choirs

Audition committees, chosen by the convention chair for the preliminary auditions, will review the audition tapes/CDs at the national office.Tapes/CDs will be organized and presented by a person outside the committee making it a "blind" audition process. Audition committees that review more than one R&S al"ea will be made up of a I"epresentative from each R&S al"ea being auditioned. Audition committees will be selected from the following:

a. Division presidents

b. National chair(s) of the R&S area being auditioned

c. Division chairs of the R&S area being auditioned

d. Outstanding choral directors in the R&S area being auditioned

e. Chol"al dil"ectol"s of groups who performed at previous national conventions

in the R&S area being auditioned

The National R&S Chail" and Convention Program Chair will be membel"s of the National Audition Committees. ~--- -- -~ ~--~

No person submitting a tape/CD for the forthcoming convention will be members of the National Audition Committees.

All tapes/CDs auditioned will be rated on a 1- 10 scale, with ten being the highest I"ating. It is I"ecommended that all tapes/ CDs with an avemge rating of eight 01" higher be submitted to the Convention Chair with choirs recommended for performance in rank order. The ACDA National Convention Chair and Program Chair will make the final decisions on performing groups after cal"efully considel"ing the most effective program that can be created from the choices presented.The ACDA

National Convention Chair will notify all choirs of their audition results no latel" than june 30th.

~-¥

Oklahoma*Cilj ~ Application for Choral Performance

2009 ACDA National Convention Oklahoma City. Oklahoma

March 4-7,2009

I. General Information

Name of Ensemble _____________________ _ Numbel- of Singers ____ _

Voicing SSA(A) __ TTB(B) __ SATB Other Age Level __ _

Choir R&S Classification _________________ (select the most appropriate)

(Boychoir:treble choirs; Boychoir: SATB voicing; Children's: Elementary school through sixth grade; Children's: Community choirs elementary through eighteen; College/University, Community, Ethnic/Multicultural, JazziShowchoir;Junior High/Middle Level, High School, Male Choir; Music in Worship,Two-Year College;Women's Choir)

Name of director _______________________________ _

Director's home address ____________________________ _

City ______________ -'-__ _ State ___ _ Zip code _____ _

Director's home phone ( __ _ Summer telephone (. ___ . _______ _

DiI-ector's cell phone ( ___ . _______ _ E-mail address _______________ _

ACDA Member # ___ _ Expiration date __ / __ / __

Name of Institution _____________ _ Institution telephone \ ____ / ________ _

Institution address _______________________________ _

City ________________ _ State ____ _ Zip code _____ _

Would you be willing to perform at an interest session of asked? Yes No

Would you be willing to perform for the Student Conducting Competition if asked? Yes No

Church Choirs ONLY;

Would you be willing to perform for the Music in Worship event if asked? Yes No

Eligibility; Conductors must be current members of ACDA and must have been employed in the same position since fall of 2005. No choral ensemble or conductor may appear on successive national conventions. It is understood that ACDA will not assume financial responsibility for travel, food, or lodging for performance groups. This application implies that the above-mentioned group is prepared to travel and perform at the convention if accepted.

Signature of Director __________________________ _

Signature of Admin i strato 1- ________________________ _

(principal, department chair; ministel; etc.)

II. Proposed Program Performance

The total program time may not exceed 25 minutes and includes time entering, exiting, and applause.The use of photocopies or duplicated music at ACDA conventions is prohibited. Accompaniment tapes/CDs may not be used on the audition recordings or on ACDA convention programs. ACDA encourages conductors to program a variety of style periods unless proposing a concert by a single composer or genre. Only one manuscript (unpublished) piece may be included.

Title

III. Audition Recording Specifications

Composer Performance Time (in minutes and seconds)

A. Each of the three recorded selections for this performance application should be prepared on CD (preferred) or superior quality stereo cassette tape. No accompaniment tape/CDs may be used. Recordings must be clearly labeled with ensemble and conductor's name.

B. The total length of the audition recording should be 10 to 15 minutes and should include three selections (all by ensemble listed on the application), one each from 2005-2006,2006-2007,2007-2008. The first selection must be from 2005-2006, the second from 2006-2007, and the third from the current year 2007-2008. Do not include extra selections or infromation not ,-equested on this form.

C. Show Choir applicants should include both an audio recording and a videotape (1/2" VHS) or DVD.

D. Selections recorded on the audition recording:

Selection # I (from '05-'06)

Selection #2 (from '06-'07)

Title _________ ..,--______ _

Recorded in: Live Concert Performance

The recording's sound reproduction is

Title

Composer ______________ _

Recording Studio

edited

Rehearsal

unedited

Composer ____________________ _

Recorded in: Live Concert Perform::;::;;an~c::';;e~---~-~~~:fu;-;~:;-;-;::j~~~~-~R;;;h,:;;;:::d~~---

Selection #3 (from '07-'08)

The recording's sound reproduction is

Title

Recorded in: Live Concert Performance The recording's sound reproduction is

edited unedited

Composer ___________________ _

Recording Studio __

edited Rehearsal unedited

IV. Programs

Applicants must submit one program (or photocopy) for each year represented on the recording.

V. Non-Refundable Application Fee

In addition to the required recording and programs, applicants must submit a non-refundable application fee of $25, by check or money order made payable to ACDA in U.s. Dollars.

Mail this completed form with recording, programs, and $25 application fee to

ACDA National Headquarters

Attn.:Audition Committee

p.o. Box 2720

Oklahoma City, OK 7310 I

The package must be postmarked no later than May 2,2008. Material will not be returned.

by May 2, 2008

by June 22, 2008

by June 30, 2008

Schedule of Dates

Audition recordings, application forms, and programs mailed to ACDA.

Applications postmarked after May 2,2008 will be ineligible.

National auditions completed.

Applicants notified of audition results.

Final Recommendation by National Audition Committee for 2009 National Convention

Invite? Yes No __ _

Hold for waiting list _______ _

Type of Session:

Concert Performance

Interest Session

Conducting Competition __

Signed _________________ _

(Signature of National Audition Committee Chair)

Date ___ 1 1 __ -

Director of Music The Church ofthe Red Rock in Sedona,

Arizona, is seeking a director of music to work fifteen to twenty hours a week. Degree and experience required. The start date forthe position is January 1,2008. For more information on this position, turn to the display ad on page 63.

Director of Choral Activities

Belmont University, a thriving private liberal arts university of 4,500 students, seeks an outstanding candidate to:

• conduct three major choral ensembles.

• administer a large, highly visible and diverse choral program which includes 15 ensembles, and

• teach undergraduate and graduate conducting

The School of Music has an enrollment of over 550 music students and offers nine majors leading to a BM degree and five majors leading to an MM degree.

Caree

Belmont's School of Music is a significant contributor to the vibrant cultural life of Nashville, Tennessee, a mid-size city of extraordinary music resources. More information about this position can be found in the display ad on page 59.

Minister of Music Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church of

Jacksonville, Florida, a progressive church of approximately 700 resident members, affiliated with the cooperative Baptist Fellowship, is seeking an experienced individual for the position of Minister of Music. This position requires an undergraduate degree in choral music, with a graduate level degree from an accredited seminary preferred. Other qualifications include the proven ability to lead a traditional sanctuary choir with both musical excellence and spiritual inspiration. Experience and familiarity with a liturgical style of worship and a broad range of musical styles are also important attributes for this position.The music minister is a worship leader who directs our sanctuary, senior adult, youth, and handbell choirs, and recruits and trains

leaders for our graded choirs. More information about this position can be found in the display ad on page 77.

Chair of Music Department Union University, a liberal arts-based

university located in JacksonTennessee, with an enrollment of 3,200 students is conducting a search for someone to chair their music department. The department of music is a fully-accredited institutional member of NASM with eleven full-time faculty members. It has appoximately 75 music majors and minors, and offers Bachelors of Music and Bachelors of Arts degrees. The successful candidate will also be a director of choral activities or a faculty member.in the area of theory and composition. He/She must be a professing Christian who is an active member of a local church, ethusicastically supports Union university's identity, mission and core values, and articulates a Chiristian workview in their work and life. More information about this position can be found in their display ad on page 67.

The November issue of the Choral Journal will contain a tribute to Dr. Gene Brooks.

54 Choral Journal • October 2007

" " ~,. J1-. ,"" ,':"'-

:-~--. -!,;- . (, .... -. ;" y .. -. - ...... ... --.-.

.i#~.' . ~.-..

Position Vacancy Announcement

POSITION: Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)

REQUIREMENTS: Evidence of successful music administration experience; passion for and commitment to the choral art; interpersonal, managerial, and assessment skills to include staff evaluation, development, strategic planning, grant writing, and fiscal responsibility; advanced degree either in music or in arts administration with an emphasis in music; command of appropriate technological skills.

DUTIES: With the Executive Committee and National Board, provide administrative leadership and artistic vision; oversee fiscal operations of the organization; develop private and corporate philanthropic partnerships; provide leadership for a twelve-person office staff; coordinate business negotiations for national and division conventions; represent ACDA with national and international choral and other music associations; work in a non-profit arts setting with a national volunteer leadership of elected/appointed officers, including members of the Choral Journal board. The Executive Director serves at the pleasure of the National Executive Committee.

ACDA is a professional organization of 19,000 members that includes choral directors in public/private P-1 8 schools/universities, churches, and communities. ACDA is comprised of seven geographic divisions with division conventions and national conventions occurring in alternate years. The National Headquarters is located in the arts district of downtown Oklahoma City, OK, in an elegant, contemporary building completed in 2004. ACDA has only had two Executive Directors in its history, .which has contributed to its musical and financial stability. 2009 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of ACDA. For more information about ACDA and supporting organizational policy documents, visit <www.acdaonline. org> .

APPLICATION: Send resume, three letters of reference, contact information for four additional references, and transcript of highest degree earned to Dr. Jerry Warren. If possible, materials should be transmitted electronically to <www. acdaonline.org>. If it is necessary to send reference materials by hard copy, they should be mailed to Dr. Jerry Warren; American Choral Directors Association; P. O. Box 2720; Oklahoma City, OK 73101.

Salary will be commensurate with experience. Screening of candidates will begin November 15, 2007, and continue until the position is filled. The successful candidate could begin March 1, 2008, or earlier, if available.

,'.J.' j"; J' _ j "-11""""",1""",

I ,.. .. ./' • I

b:i;;"';;';j;;;fli,( ..

ii- --:- '. f"~ •• -., 1'---'" ~.-.~ ..... -..

~ ,f:--"'; "1 ... ,.':1-"

~ ... ~~: ',[--··,.d:!;,1dIIf

t"! I'~

:.. I 11';7 _ ..

( H':' TI: '" "-__ ,1 .. /t .• ""-II

A Tribute in Honor of Donald Paul Hustad

~.... n Ecclesiasticus 44: 1-2 we read,

'.,'.,,',c,', "Let us now praise those of fame, i and OUI' forbeal's that begat us. ',' God has wrought great glory by

them through God's great powel' from the beginning."

Approaching his ninetieth year, Donald P. Hustad is the reigning "Dean" of evangelical church music in the United States, and those of us that have been and remain the fortunate beneficiaries of his teaching, mentoring, writing, publishing, cl'eativity, collegiality, and friendship will soon have an opportunity and a moment to expl'ess our appreciation to him fOI' his lifetime of teaching, scholal'ship, and sel'vice.

On March 8, 2008, as a part of the ACDA Southern Division Convention held in Louisville, Kentucky, papers fj'om a Festschrift in honor of Don Hustad will be read in a Satul'day afternoon session of the convention, and in the evening, a musical tribute will be presented in Hustad's honol~ These events will be open to all Convention attendees as well as to any and all foi'mer students, colleagues, fj'iends, and admil'el's of this I'enowned teacher and scholal~

A Festschrift is a collection of essays written by former doctol'al students, colleagues, and professional peers, compiled as a book in honol' of an individual. The Festschrift (in honol' of Don Hustad) includes contl'ibutions byTom Bolton,William Clemmons, Cad P. Daw, JI~, Rhonda Fun~ C. Michael Hawn, Christopher Idle,

Chol'al Journal • October 2007

Debol'ah Loftis, Hugh T. McElrath, David W. Music, Bert Polman, Milbum Pl'ice, J. Michael Raley, Paul A. Richal'dson, Ray Robinson, Cad Schalk,Tim Sharp, George Shomey, Mel RWilhoit, Paul Westermeyer, and Bl'ian WI'en. The topics of the Festschl'ift embrace val'ious al'eas of sacred music scholarship. The afternoon concurI-ent paper sessions will present simultaneous readings by authors fj-om the above list. The Hustad Festschl'ift is co-edited by former Hustad doctoral students Paul A. Richardson and Tim Sharp. The book will be published by Pendl-agon Press in theilFestschrift Series <www.pendragonpress. com/sel'ies.php#9>.A significant contl'ibution to this collection is an extensive biogl-aphy of Hustad along with a complete catalog of his works, written and compiled by Rhonda Fun~

Of the more than twenty essays in the Festschrift, the following will be of particular interest to choral and church musicians. William Clemmons has wl-itten on the topic "Phrase Structure in Selected Wesley Hymns"; Bert Pol man has wl'itten on "SaCl'ed and Seculal- Issues Periaining to Performances of the 'Magnificat"'; Milburn Pl'ice's topic is "Heari and Mind or Heart vs. Mind; Cad Schalk's essay is titled "Proclamation and Praise: Music and the Church's Song";Tim Shal'p's contl'ibution is "Johannes Hel-bst: Norih Carolina's Chol-al Connection to the Second Bedin Song School"; and Paul Westermeyel- has written on "The Church's Music in Church

Related Colleges." Many more essays address issues including church music history, hymnody, and pelfol-mance and worship practice.

In the evening, a musical tribute to Don Hustad will be presented as a part of the Louisville ACDA Convention schedule. In a special tribute to his choral legacy, two of the institutions where Hustad established his chol'al career will be I-epl-esented by pelfol-mances from two of his fOI'melensembles, The Moody Chol'ale from Chicago's Moody Bible Institute, and the Oi-atorio Chol-us from Louisville's The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Director of Choral Activities Belmont University, a thriving private liberal arts university of 4500 students, seeks an outstanding candidate to

• conduct three major choral ensembles, • administer a large, highly visible and diverse choral program which includes 15 ensembles, and • teach undergraduate and graduate conducting.

The School of Music has an enrollment of over 550 music students and offers nine majors leading to the B.M. degree as well as five majors leading to the M.M. degree. Belmont's School of Music is a significant contributor to the vibrant cultural life of Nashville, Tennessee, a mid-size city of extraordinary music resources.

For a detailed job description and information regarding the application procedure, see www.belmont.edu/hr/Employmentiindex.html

IJ~NT 59

The evening tribute includes choral com- are former Hustad doctoral students Irwin at Louisville's Christ Church Cathedral positions by Hustad, movements of choral Ray and William Bradley Roberts, Follow- (Episcopal),421 South Second Street.The masterworks representing Hustad's con- ing the evening's musical tribute there will reading of the Festschrift papers will take ducting legacy, and new hymns contributed be a reception honoring Don and Ruth place in three concurrent sessions, from to the event by Timothy Dudley-Smith, Hustad, 5:00-6:30 PM, and the musical tribute Austin Lovelace, Michael Saward, Ronald All Hustad tribute events will take place will take place from 7:30-8:30 PM in A. Turner; and Carl P. Daw, Jr. Program on March 8, 2008, within the schedule of the Cathedral sanctuary, followed by the direEteFs-feF-the-eveRiRg-musi<;;al-tr:ibut@--tl:1eACDA Soutl:1er:n Division-Convention~(~P-1Lon, All events an~ offered free and -=-c=-__

60

• MM, DMA in Choral Conducting

• Recent/upcoming ensemble appearances

• Women's Chamber Ensemble, ACDA Central Division Convention, 2008

• University Chorale, ACDA National Convention, 2007

• Men's Glee Club, Intercollegiate Men's Choruses, Inc, National Conference, 2006

• UniverSity Chorale, ACDA Central Division Convention, 2006

• UniverSity Chorale, Handel "Messiah" (2007, 2005, 2003, 2002) and Mozart "Requiem" (2003) with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra

• UniverSity Chorale, College Music Society National Meeting, 2002

• Men's Glee Club, ACDA National Convention, 2001

For information on programs and auditions, contact:

David Ray!, Director of Choral Programs Michigan State University College of Music East Lansing, M148824-1043 (517) 353-9122 • musgrad@msu,edu

as a bonus to those attending the ACDA Southern Division Convention,The public is invited to attend all the Hustad tribute events, and no reservation is required,

Southern Division President David Castleberry wrote"" ,the tribute event for Dr. Don Hustad will acknowledge the years of service and contributions to choral music by one whose influence reaches many of our members, This event, held in his home city in this, his ninetieth year; could not come at a more opportune time or be more fitting,"

Hustad's published scholarship includes the books Jubilate! Church Music in the Evangelical Tradition, Jubilate II: Church Music in Worship and Renewal, True Worship: Recovering the Wonder & Majesty, the hymnal The Worshiping Church (the seventh hymnal Hustad edited for Hope Publishing Company), and a long list of choral, organ, and hymn publications,

Hustad earned his M,Mus and D,Mus degrees from Northwestern University, He also earned diplomas as an Associate of the American Guild of Organists (AAGO) and as a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO), London, From 1961 to 1967, he was ol-ganist for the Billy Graham Crusade, He is Senior Professor of Church Music at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky,

For questions related to any aspect of the Don Hustad tribute events planned for Saturday, March 8, 2008, in Louisville, please direct inquiries to Tim Sharp «sharp@rhodes,edu>; 90 I /843-3781), William Bradley Roberts (-Cbill. [email protected]», or Irwin Ray (iray@oglethorpe,edu),


/' ~ .j J ,. . !

Inspired Performance Tours Others promise custom-created performance tours. Encore delivers. "The concerts just kept getting better as we went along. Our last performance was in Busseto, the birthplace of composer Giuseppe Verdi. It was a real treat for the kids to get to play his music, in his town, in a theater that was built for him while he was still alive. Encore did a great job publicizing our concerts so we always played to packed houses."

- Keith Rector, Encore Tours Group Leader, Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra, Kentucky

"The venues challenged students to rise to a level beyond their expectations. For our final concert we were on a bill with the Edinburgh Philharmonic - truly a 'wow' experience!"

Marge Campbell, Encore Tours Group Leader, Director, Chester County Voices Abroad, Pennsylvania

A OIVl5!ON or. ACIS' to u rS 1.'

encore Call us today at 1-877-460-3801, or visit us at www.encoretours.com.

Choral Journal • Odobel" 2007 61

CHORAL MUSIC

Gradllate Conducting Prograf!l MM&DMA ./ : // '" +' ; ,/; /'H

.-._- ' ,'- .. ,".. ~ ... -, ~ ... ,' .... ,~ .

• Two full ternlS conducting the UCLA Chal11ber Singers each year • Full tenll conducting the UCLA SYl11phony Orchestra each year • Special courses in Advanced Artistic Musical Conducting and

Choral Techniques and Methods - designed for graduate nlajors • Sing with the UCLA Chorale, Chal11ber Singers and the Angeles

Chorale varied repertoire: a cappella to nlajor works with orchestra • Weeldy "fa nl ily" l11eetings - graduate students with Dr. Neuen • Priorities (choral and orchestral):

I. Producing a professional, iIllpacting sound 2. Developing passionate, nlusical conducting 3. Score study and analysis

• Practical, no "busy-work" approach and 10 to 12 hours weeldy with Dr. Neuen

• Full teaching assistantships and other paid assistantships

Donald Neuen's choral textbook Contact graduate advisor

~aRGll"'a ~MGKerrQI.I-- -~-j==

[email protected]

Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius Anthony Meredith and Paul Han"is Norwich, NOlfolk: Thames/Elkin Publication, 2004. 529pp. @$60.00. ISBN: 0"903413-54-X (Cloth) Distribution by William Elkin Music Sel"vices; Station Road Industrial Estate; Salhouse, Norwich, NOlfolk NR 13 6NS <[email protected]>

n Apl"il 1996, while teaching ovel"seas in England, I attended an allAmold concert at the Bal"bican, given by Richal"d Hickox and the

London Symphony Oi-chestra, one of the two hundl"ed and eighty concerts in the United Kingdom that yeal" celebl"ating the seventy-fifth birthday of the composer. I knew nothing about Amold except that he was the composer of film music, especially "The Bddge on the River I<wai" fOI" which he won an Oscal~ and I wanted to heal" what all of the fuss was about. The concert included the Tom O'Shanter OVel"ture, the English Dances, the Fantasy on a Theme of John Field, the Sound Barrier Rhapsody, and the Fifth Symphony. I enjoyed it immensely and the audience loved it.The music moved from the exhilal"ation of the first work, through the shifting moods of the second and the pianist's gentle phrasing-cum-savage battle in the third, to the harmonic sleights of the fOUI"th and the soul-baring, emotionally profound finale of the last. At the conclusion of the concert, Sil" Malcolm was taken to the stage where he acknowledged the exuberant applause in a I"athel" childlike fashion; to be fi"ank, I am not certain he undel"stood where he was ol"the significance of the event, for his actions I"evealed, quite obviously, that he was not in his right mind. What had hap-

Choral Joumal • October 2007

pened to him? SUI"ely his peculial" behaviol" did not stem fi"om old age but, I"ather, fi"om some pathological disorder.

Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius by Anthony Meredith and Paul Han"is answel"S this and many other questions without equivocation, colTecting the inaccurate information found in many articles and reviews, and going beyond what one usually encounters in refel"ence works. Furthel"more, it is a book of erudition that reads like a novel, telling the fascinating, sad, yet repulsive life-stol"y of the composer who died in 2006. Amold's devil-may-care attitude made him a legendal"y figure. He was a lal"gel"-than-life charactel~ strongly left-wing and anti-establishment, and a trumpetel"-turnedeclectic composer who wrote wildly-popular wol"l<s in an essentially conservative harmonic language, ranging from nine symphonies to almost 120 film scores. The I atte I" made him wealthy, incredibly so by any standard of measurement, e.g. in the I 950s, he eamed around I 0,000 pounds-about 250,000 to 300,000 pounds or $500,000 to $600,000 in today's figul"es-on each film (p. I 65)! Because of his easy compositional virtuosity and expel"iments with populal" idioms, he was not taken seriously by music CI"itics (he was deprecated and, eventually, ignored altogether) though he remained a favodte of concert-goel"s. Amold was profligate with his riches, e.g., he blew his eamings on alcohol and women, clothing and cars, to name a few. As the authors document, his outrageous life-style was the effect of a lifelong mental illness and the alcoholism that stemmed from it.This led to

debauchel"y of all kinds (these incidents are descdbed and documented), the bl"eak-up of his two mardages, the disinhedtance of his children, and the intellectual dete" dOl"ation that I witnessed at the Barbican concert. And, it became worse.

All of this and much more is recounted in the nineteen chaptel"s of the book, as follows: "Myth and Reality: A Celebration in 1996" (chapter I), "An Ol"iginal Education: Northampton, 1921-38" (chaptel" 2), "Master of the Revels: The Royal College of Music, 1938-41" (chaptel" 3), "The Ti"umpet Virtuoso: Sheila and the LPG, 1941-44" (chapter 4), "Pdvate Amold: In War and Peace, 1944-48" (chapter 5), "Enfant Terdble: St Mal"garet's, Twickenham, 1948-52" (chaptel" 6), ''The Midas Touch: Richmond, 1953-56" (chapter 7), "The Hoffnung Yeal"s: Comedy, Ti"agedy and an Oscal~ 1956-59" (chaptel" 8), "A Symphony for the BBC: ... and Othel" Mid-life Cdses, 1959-60" (chapter 9),

Director of Music The Church of the Red Rock in Sedona, Arizona is seeking a Director of Music

(15"20 hours/week).

Please check their Web site for information at

<www.churchoftheredrocks.com>

Degree/experience required. Salary negotiable.

Start date January 1,2008. For more information

please contact Carol at <[email protected]>

or at (928) 284-3628.

63

1-800-922-3976 www

64

"The People's Champion: In the Age misunderstood composer;" is indicative of Piotr Zak, 1961 63" (chapter 10), of Arnold's reception in the music world, "Dances and Lifeboats: The Cornish whereas the ordering of the subtitle, life Rhapsody. 1964-67" (chapter I I), "Bard before music, underscores the approach of the Gorsedd: The Later Cornish Years, taken by the authors in their book. Their 1968-72" (chapter 12), "The Dubliner: purpose is to correct the misunderstandCamelot in Monkstown, 1972 -75" (chap- ings through an extensive discussion ofthe

-.L3),~lrisb:rribulatioos:J~lool<stowo_aod __ comp.ose(sJife,_aod_tbougtLtbe_musicis __ Dun Laoghaire, 1975-77" (chapter 14), considered,Arnold's life is emphasized. As "Madness: The Belsize Park Nightmare, the authors write in the first chapter; 1977 -79" (chapter 15), "The Lost Years: Northampton, 1979-84" (chapter 15), "Norfolk and the Ninth: Bunwell and Wymondham, 1984-86" (chapter 16), "Sir Malcolm:Wymondham and Attleborough, 1986-96" (chapter 17), and "Continuation: Ten Scenes in the Life of an Octogenarian" (chapter 19).These are preceded by a "Foreword by David Mellor" and a' 'Preface and Acknowledgments" and succeeded by a "Chronological List of Works" and an "Index." Unfortunately. a bibliography is not included but the footnotes are extensive which helps to overcome this deficiency. A list of illustrations would have been welcome to find quickly the many fine photographs and two facsimiles of Arnold manuscripts: a page of sketches for the third movement of the Eighth Symphony (p. 383) and a page of the first draft of the Ninth Symphony (p.455).

The subtitle of Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius, "The life and music of Britain's most

Professionally Tailored Gowns of Lasting

.. Beauty

FREE catalog & fabric samples

1.800.847.7977 0 Iyricrobes.com

Malcolm's will not be a comfortable story. Headstrong and selfdestructiv.e" he. Tlot . only .hasgiv.en millions enormous pleasure with his music but also, paradoxically. has wreaked considerable havoc on his impetuous journey through life. That he is touched with genius is clear. But it is a rogue genius, ungovernable, and sometimes leading him to strange shores and climes ....

The greater Malcolm's reputation grows as one of Britain's leading twentieth-century musical figures, so too the need to extricate reality from the entangling myth of his personal life. A most moving story of triumph and tragedy will emerge, for the reality is even more remarkable than the myth (p.5).

To tell his story. the authors enlisted the aid of Arnold's caregiver and companion of many years, Anthony Day, and Arnold's relatives-Katherine, Malcolm's daughter; his son, Robert; Robert's brother; Edward; Malcolm's niece, Penny; her mother; Ruth (her poetry and diaries, interwoven in the narrative, are an attractive feature); her sister; Jenny; and Malcolm's nephew, Robin; Sheila, Malcolm's first wife; as well as, Sir Malcolm himself Their participation gives the book a great deal of credibility and makes it eminently invaluable . - -Th-e-great -bull<:-ofAmold's-ootpot-was instrumental and he composed very little vocal music. For that reason, the book has limited appeal to the aficionado of choral music, the choral musician, and the choral conductor: Having written that, several of the vocal works are discussed bdefly: the


John Clore Cantata for SATB cho,-us and piano duet, Op. 52; the Song of Praise for unison voices and piano, Op. 55; the Song of Freedom for SA chorus and brass band, Op. I 09; and The Return of Odysseus, a Cantata for SATB chorus and orchestra, Op.119.

Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius closes with a chapter titled "Continuation: Ten Scenes in the Life of an Octogenarian." In each of these-"I: A Birthday Concert (Malcolm continues to be feted)," "II: Disputes Continue (Alongside the music)," "III: A Holiday Broadcast (Malcolm continues to meet the media)," "IV: Malcolm's New Biography (Anthony continues to give guidance)," "V: Malcolm in Hospital (Puzzling Katherine)," "VI: Malcolm's Music Interests A New Generation (His biographers meet a young admirer)," "VII: The Family Continue Their Independent Lives (Robert and Edward in middle age), "VIII:

. Malcolm's 82nd Birthday (In a Wymondham nursing home),""IX:Anthony Continues As Malcolm's Attorney (A battle in the Courts)," "X: Finale (On the telephone)" -we witness the progressive disintegration of a person's mind and the reaction of those who see it. I found these vignettes disturbing and sad, though other readers may respond to them differently, and illustrative of the authorial gifts of Meredith and Harris to create an evocative portrait of Malcolm Arnold. In my opinion, the book is essential reading for the student of twentieth-century English music and is recommended.

Stephen Town Book Reviews Editor


Singing with Your Whole Self: The Feldenkrais Method and Voice Samuel H. Nelson and Elizabeth Blades-Zeller Lanham, MA' Scarecrow Press, 2002. I 84pp. $36.95. ISBN: 0-81 08-4049-9 (softcover). <www.scarecrowpress.comICatalog/MultiBook.shtml>

II n the world of movement stud

. ies and voice, there exist several schools of thought, among them the Alexander Technique, body

mapping (Barbara Conable et aI., <www. bodymap.org», and the Feldenkrais method. The Feldenkrais method, invented by Moshe Feldenkrais in the first half of the twentieth century after devastating injury to his knees, is a system of movement where the person develops kinesthetic and sensory awareness of movement. The method has been around for a long time, and I have used it with my voice students in some instances, but this is the first use of Feldenkrais specifically codified for singing. The work describes itself as "a handbook,

not a scholarly tome" (p. vii). Nelson, a Feldenkrais practitioner; and

Blades-Zeller; a voice pedagogue, do not delineate between the solo and choral voice. A sensitive teacher can observe vocal problems manifest themselves in lock- i

ing muscles or excess tension somewhere in the body. The traditional way of solving such problems is with a "manual" solution. However; the body's nerve responses may not be receptive to overt commands. "The Feldenkrais method uses the body's neurological language to b,-eak down those subtle barriers, resulting in an almost magical adjustment that truly frees the singer and the voice" (p. I).

Nelson and Blades-Zeller use the traditional Feldenkrais approach and terminology: Awareness Through Movement (ATM). Control of the vocal functionthrough the body is presented as traditional active control, or as the method's more allowing or passive control. Exercises

A

CAPITAL UN*ER~~y

Conservatory of Music

Master of Music in Music Education with KodaIy Emphasis • Choral TracIe • Options for study at the KodaIy Institute in Hungary

Taught by internationally and nationally renowned American-Hungarian master teachers Jeanne Woblgamuth, Lilla Gabor and Lenke Igo, these summers-only programs have been especially designed for secondary choral music teachers. Applications are being accepted for the 2008 summer sessions:

• Session I, June 24-July 11 • Session II, July 14-Aug. 1

For more information, contact Sandra Mathias (614) 236-6267 or e-mail [email protected] •

. More information about Capital's graduate music programs, as well as a downloadable application, is available at music.capital.edu.

---'---CAPITAL UNIVERSITY The Educntion You Want.

The AUcnlion You Deserve.

65

are given throughout; again, this is a hand- devoted to student use of the book, class look up and down. Notice how far book. Some of the Awal-eness Through voice and ensemble rehearsal use, and you can go.Then look up. Stay in this Movement modules include taming tongue teacher (private studio) use (pp. 157ft). position and open your mouth. You tension, balance in standing, the connection Blades-Zeller reports of successful use will feel your head go back a little of feet through to head, strengthening the by a university choral ensemble of these further. Close your mouth while adductor muscles, the role of the pelvis, modules while on tour. keeping your head in this new posi-

shoulder releasE!, [eleasjDg .the ~n~cJ<, el:=e;;:._s~_;-I..:.:w~as:;;~;;;;as;:;k;;;;e_;;;;d~!9;;;~_~re;;;v~ie:;:;\/~I/"~~th~i;;.s;:.b;::oo=I~(~aft;:e;:cr~m~\lL~~t,ion, if you can do so without strain. relating to jaw, and softening the mouth. university choir had ended its semester, but ~Repeannissequence~slowly3 moPe-" -" -~ Thel-e are many more areas. The authors before giving a session on "Working with times. If your head does not shift have left no vocal stone unturned, it seems, the AgingVoice" at the Region VI American position on the repetitions, that is all in theit- discussion of vocal problems. Par- Guild of Organists convention (Lincoln, right. Do not force any movement! ticularly enlightening for this authol- were NE, June 2007). I I-ead the book while on Bring your had back to neutral and the chapters on Intentionality and Effort, the plane and decided to incorporate the pause fOI- a minute. BI-eathing, Head and Neck, and The Eyes ATM module Releasing the Neck, p. 130, (including the use of glasses!). into my session, abbreviated perthe book

The exercises have been used in both for class and ensemble use. We sang a studio and ensemble situations. Frequently, verse of a familiar hymn in unison and then a suggestion is made fOI- adapting a longer I had them do the module: solo module into a shorter chol-al warm-up, and separate sections of the book are • Sit on a flat chair. Move YOUI- head to

66

• Look down. Stay in this position, and open and close your mouth. You will likely feel your head drop slightly when your mouth closes. Stay in this new position as you open your mouth again. Repeat this sequence slowly 2 more times. Then return your head to neutral and pause a minute.

The group of 45-50 singers, a majority over the age of 50, sang the verse again, and was more than pleasantly surprised when they realized an improvement in quality and ease of singing in such a short time. I know that I will try more of these modules in warm-up and rehearsal when I reconvene my choirs in the fall.

Donald Callen Freed Alpine,Texas

IFCM is organizing the celebration of the

International Day of Choral Singing

An event created with the strong belief that choral singing makes us better persons, thus it helps for making this a better world.

the proclamation that was written for this purpose. For more information visit <www.ifcm.net>.

Please let them know if you celebrated the day with pictures or videos so they can have a record of what happened.


Choral Masterworks from Bach to Britten: Reflections of a Conductor Summer, Robel't J. Lanham, Mal"yland: The Scal"ecmw PI"eSS, Inc., 2007. 203 pp. $45.00. ISBN-13: 978-0-81 08-5903-6; ISBN-I 0: 0-81 08-5903-3. The Rowman. & Littlefield Publishing Gmup, Inc.; 450 I FOI"bes Bouleval'd, Suite 200; Lanham, Mal'yland 20706 1-800-462-6420 <www.scal.ecmwpl.ess.com>

obel"t Summel"s extensive expel'ience includes thil"tythree years as a faculty membel' at the Univel'sity of South

Flodda, decades as founding conductol' of the Mastel' Chol"ale of Tampa Bay, and a plethol"a of intemational conducting engagements. Summer earned his gl"aduate degl'ees at Indiana Univel"sity, a student of Mal'gal"et Hal"shaw, Fiol"a Contino, and Julius Helfol"d. Infol"med by scholal'ship of the highest ol'del~ Choral Masterworks trom Bach to Britten: Reflections of a Conductor is wdtten fi"om the pel"spective of a seasoned pl'actitionel~

At fkst glance, one immediately notices the book's bl'evity. Aftel' all, the authol"

addl'esses vadous facets of sixteen majol" wol"l<s in slightly mOl'e than 200 pages (including appendices). Howevel~ aftel' I"eading the text, one discovel's evel"y wOl'd in this book is cl'afted with intention and integdty. Furihel~ Summel' writes in an accessible style void of excessive academic jal"gon, successfully distilling a wealth of infol"mation fmm divel'se soul'ces. His citations include (but al"e not limited to) composeI' biographies, Cambl"idge Music Handbooks, Howal"d Smithel"'s mammoth foul'-volume A History of the Oratorio, texts by Helmuth Rilling and Chl'istoph Wolff, lectul"es by Julius Helfol'd, I'eheal'sals with Robel"t Shaw, convel"sations and colTespondence with Sil' David Willcocks, Donald Neuen, and Robel't Page, plus the authol"s considel"able pmfessional experience, the sum of which I"esults in an authoritative text.

In fifteen concise chaptel"s, Summel" explol"es Bach's B Minor Mass, Handel's Messiah, Mozal't's Requiem and Vesperae solennes de confessore, Haydn's The Creation, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Schuberi's Mass in G, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Bmhms's Ein deutsches Requiem, Vel"di's

Villa-Lobos Choral Octavo Series Up-to-date critical editions: don't settle for less!

CQ9712 Ave Maria (1938), SATB with divisi CQ9808 Praesepe (The Manger), Mezzo solo, and SATB CQ9906 Pater Noster, SATB CQ9909 Tantum Ergo, SA TB CQ2000 Ave Verum & Pan is Angelicus, SATB CQ2003 Preces Sem Palavras (Prayers without words), TTBBB CQ2015 0 Salutaris Hostia (1915 & 1916 versions), ATTB/SATB CQ2020 Ave Maria (1945), SSATBB

All a cappella. Edited by Wilbur Skeels.

Cantus Quercus Press : <www.cantusquercus.com> Fax 805.494.4250 / Tel 805.497.0400

Chol"al Joumal • Octobel" 2007

UNION UNIVERSITY

Department of Music announces a search for

Chair of the Music Department

The successful candidate will also be

Director of Choral Activities or

a faculty member in the area of Theory and Composition.

Tenure-track Appointment beginning Fall 2008

Review of applications will begin October 22, 2007

Union University is a liberal arts-based university located in Jackson, TN with an enrollment of over 3,200 students.

The Department of Music is a fullyaccredited institutional member of NASM with 11 full-time faculty members, has approximately 75 music majors and minors, and offers both the Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts degrees.

The successful candidate must be a professing Christian who is an active member of a local church, enthusiastically supports Union University's Identity, Mission and Core Values, and articulates a Christian worldview in their work and life.

For access to a position description and a faculty application, visit our website at: www.uu.edu/humanresources.

Send the completed application, resume, and cover letter to: John Carbonell, Director of Human Resources, Union University, 1050 Union University Drive, Jackson, TN 38305, or by fax to 731-661-5177, or via E-mail to: [email protected].

67

Manzoni Requiem, Mahler's Symphony No. B, Faure's Requiem, Durufle's Requiem, Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, and Brit-

occurs at the conclusion of Summer's chapter on Verdi's Manzoni Requiem:

more strongly than any other work (p. 98).

ten's War Requiem. While each chapter's If comparing different Requiem All five of the appendices focus on content is distinct, a broad spectrum of settings, the Mozart Requiem has matters of text. The first three appendices historical perspective and musical analysis a certain universality about it deal with text organization in Handel's ·eetlpled~witA=disEl:JssieA=ef=text-A'1l:JsiE!-'-· ~~··=witf;dts=balaoGed~desigo,_cleaI:'::GutL.~' ~-,MessiQhr~@nd@lss@~n:s~t;;Iij'@f:Jr-an€l~BaEbl!s---

relationships or performance practice musical forms and its conservative St. Matthew Passion. The final two ap-considerations yields a comprehensive harmonies. At the other extreme pend ices are English translations of Mass approach to the repertoire. Summer also is the Berlioz Requiem with its Ordinary and Requiem Mass texts. incorporates delightful anecdotes and a extravagant use of huge forces, Forthis reader,two aspects ofthe book humorous memento from his experiences multiple musical colors and could be enhanced. First, in the chapter working with Robert Shaw. its sudden changes of musical devoted to Mozart's Requiem, there is

The chapters on Bach's B Minor Moss, expression. Verdi, in his Requiem, no discussion of the different performing Beethoven's Missa So/emnis, Mozart's Ves- bears his soul in an outpouring editions currently available (completions perae solennes de confessore, and Verdi's of emotion. And perhaps by Robert Levin, Richard Maunder and Manzoni Requiem in particular demon- because this is so personal, its H. C. Robbins Landon come to mind). strate the author's ability to synthesize the high emotional level draws the Since Summer did outline several edi-fundamental essence of these large forms performer and listener close to tions of Handel's Messiah, including their in an eloquent fashion. One such example the community of mourners unique strengths and weaknesses, I was

68

by Paul Brandvik

Author of

GMadrigaJ CJJinner Scripts Tlze Compleet

Madrigal Dilllter BooTee

This year make the RENAISSANCE COME ALIVE

At your University, High School, Middle School or Church

TWENTY-EIGHT DIFFERENT SCRIPTS

EACH SCRIPT INCLUDES:

ALL DIALOGUE: Greetings, Toasts, Festivities, Concert,

and Farewell

HUMOROUS RENAISSANCE SKIT (MASQUE)

REPERTOIRE SUGGESTIONS Ceremonial Music and Concert

For more information including synopses and cast lists for each script, sample pages

and order forms please visit us at:

www.madrigaldinner.com

~ knight-shtick press

Box 814 Bemidji, MN 56619·0814

. 218/586-2270 [email protected]

A Division of EXTREMELY LTD.

disappointed he did not offer his insights on this topic with reference to Mozart's Requiem. Secondly, the chapter by chapter organization is inconsistent. While Chapter 8, "Felix Mendelssohn: Suggestions for Abridged Versions of Elij'ah" and Chapter I 5, "Benjamin Britten: Relationships of the Latin Requiem Mass to Wilfred Owen's Poetry in the Britten War Requiem" are helpful segments, they seem out-of-place as chapters unto themselves and seem more appropriate as appendices. Neither chapter includes extended "Historical Perspective" or"Musical Analysis" sections, a format the author generally adheres to throughout the rest of his book.

In short, Robert Summer's Choral Masterworks (rom Bach to Britten: Re~ections of a Conductor is not a musicological treatise concerned with historical minutiae; rather, it is a practical resource written from the vantage point of a performing musician. I strongly recommend this text for the libraries of individual choral conductors

Sean Burton Sioux City, Iowa


Experience our graduate programs in

Choral Pedagogy & Voice Pedagogy

Summer Master's Program In Choral Pedagogy • Complete the degree largely in 3 summers, with 3-week and i-week summer terms • One required course. Select others according to individual interests & career goals • Both thesis and non-thesis degree options

Ph.D. In Choral Pedagogy, Ph.D. In Voice Pedagogy • Competitive Graduate Assistantships for full time study

Vocology laboratory • State of the art resources for research-based approaches to real world singing contexts

Handel:Tobit Junge Kantorei Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra Joachim Carlos Martini, conductor Naxos 8.570 I 13-14 (2007; 156' 22", 2 discs)

~:';; n the past couple of decades, we ; have become accustomed to en

f': sembles spitting out recol-dings of ..•.. Handel omtorios as frequently as

we send e-mails. In this recol-ding of the Handelian assemblage Tobit, Joachim Carlos Martini with the Junge Kantorei and the Frankfurt Baroque Orchestm take us away from the bettel--known Handel and allow us a glimpse into a world that is rarely sampled today: that of the pasticcio.

Although Handel's ol-atorios have been extensively studied, especially by such noted scholars as Winton Dean, I the pasticcio tends to fall by the wayside. Tobit !.NDEL

was actually compiled r~·_,

by John ChristophelSmith "the youngel-" (often confused with his fathel~ who was Handel's principal copyist and assistant from 1719 to 1759). The elder Smith's collection of Handel manuscl"ipts, which had passed to him after Handel's death, later passed to his son after his own death in 1763. By that time, the pasticcio, a form in which excerpts fj-om other works are brought together to produce a more or less cohesive whole, had enjoyed a concrete commercial purpose for nearly a century. Though used primadly fOI- showcasing a composer's abilities in opera, the pasticcio was also an excellent vehicle for producing "new" oratorios.

In Tobit, Smith used arias, chol-uses, small


ensemble pieces, and instl-umental sections fj-om several of Handel's oratorios and even some operas. Smith's main sources of matel"ial are ail-s and chol-uses from Athalia, with other extl-acts fj-om Deborah, Theodora, and Esther: Most of the I-ecitatives wel-e written by Smith himself. with an occasional ventul-e into Esther Ol~ the Occasional Oratorio. In putting together this recording (which he engineered and edited himself), Martini has also made additions of his own, mostly symphonies and ritornelli from othel- Handel works. In some cases, such as Sarah's air "Paid be my Adol-ation," which is odginally "Rendi'l sereno" fj-om Sosarme, librettist Thomas Morell (1703-84) I-eplaced the odginal texts with new ones frtting the story.

The perfol-mance itself provides an excellent presentation of a now-extinct form. Maybe if conductodeditodproducelMartini had not worn so many hats, the quality of the recording would be even higher. If you can get past the all-too-audible page turns and sitting down/standing up of the soloists, all will be well. The

vanguard

chorus effectively conveys the chambel-choir feel and balance pelfect fOI- Handel, though it sounds distant at times (due to inadequate I-ecording, not weak voices). Standout choral numbel-s include "Healus, 0 Baal," "All POW'I- in Heav'n above," "Impartial heav'n," and "0 Baal, MonalTh of the Skies." In the first ofthese, the chorus delightfully introduces a fugal theme ovela low stl-ing drone that effectively conveys the image of pdests and people coming before their heathen god.

The soloists are excellent in evel-y role. In particular; sopl-ano Linda Pedllo shines as Sarah, bl"inging to the chal-actelboth the innocence of her youth and the desperation of her plight. Bass Stephan Macleod bl-illiantly I-eflects the paternal anxiety faced by Raguel as his daughtel-'s suitors fall pl-ey to a demon. Tenol- Knut Schoch effectively conveys Tobit's staunch faith amid personal turmoil.

This recording is ideal for choral directors intel-ested in resealThing Smith's pasticci or perfol-ming Handel ol-atol"ios with full ensemble.The Frankfurt Baroque

• rem'lereS Choral Composition Contest - Two $1,000 Prizes

Entry Deadline: AprilJ8, 2008 UJUJUJ. vangliardvoices. org

Sponsored by tI1angllal'd voic~s G. Kevin Dewey, Artistic Director

For information and application: 313-317-6566 or

p remieres@vanguardvoices. 0 rg

71

Orchestra's execution is superb, both in technique and style. Since related numbers from wholly different works are presented side-by-side, it provides an excellent lesson in fluidity of performance within a work. Overall, not a performance on the level of Gardiner or Hogwood, but certainly worth the attention.

Vicente Chavarria Miami, Florida

The Feast of St. Edward, King and Confessor at Westminster Abbey Choir of Westminster Abbey James O'Donnell, conductor Robert Quinney, organ Hyperion CDA 67586 (2006; 75' 57")

n the mid-I 950s the Argo Record Company issued several LPs representative of services conducted in King's College, Cambridge; the

orders of service for Mattins, Evensong, and the Nine Lessons and Carols were faithfully followed, and nothing, sung or said,

was omitted, save the occasional cough. prayers or readings). Now we can enjoy a The BBC had been broadcasting a weekly uniquelyWestminsterfeast,the celebration Choral Evensong from various cathedral of the Abbey's founder; Saint Edward the and college chapels since 1926, but the Confessor; last of England's Saxon kings Argo records now offered a ready and (1005-1066). No representatives from repeatable access to the "King's sound" the belfry this time, and still no spoken whenever the needle hit the groove. Many elements, but nonetheless a full reflection -EnglishTecord-labels-followed-Argo's-lead-, -Gf-tne-musiG-w€ mignt-n€ar:..at-the.Abbey-and numerous recordings were made on October 13, Edward's feast-day. As of church services throughout the land. with the Trinity Sunday recording, choir Gradually, however; the spoken prayers and organist are put and biblical "lessons" that had punctuated through their paces for the early King's recordings were replaced the services of Mattins, by more music. Instead, LPs were issued Evensong, and the Holy of favorite hymns, favorite carols, favorite Eucharist, and they asanthems, favorite organ voluntaries, and sert most persuasively ultimately, the "best of your favorites." their position as one

The advent of the CD has done little of England's finest musical establishments. to stem this reduction of musico-liturgical The sound in the Abbey is well-captured context, of understanding how, where, and by Hyperion's engineers, down to the diswhy a piece fitted in worship. We should tant but constant rumble of the great city applaud, then, the efforts of Hyperion Re- outside the Abbey's precincts.This is pretty cords and Westminster Abbey in reviving much how you would hearthe music if you a holistic approach to recording cathedral were sitting in the Quire. choirs. First, in 2005, came Trinity Sunday The musical range on this disc is exat Westminster Abbey (CDA 67557), traordinary, from the opening plainchant which even included the inviting peal of Laudes Regiae to the concluding Te Deum the Abbey's bells (though still no spoken by Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968)-

who, by the way, was the first WOman to give an organ recital in the Abbey. Within

Our expertise guarantees careful attention to travel and performance details, cllstoql~e~ itineraries, well-received concerts, and a.E1emorable tour for the entire group.

this musical perimeter lie a morning service (in C) by C. V. Stanford, and evening canticles by the Abbey's most famous musician, Henry Purcell. The latter's anthem, "0 God, Thou Art My God," is also sung, ending with an extended "Hallelujah" that was later adapted as a hymn tune and fittingly named "Westminster Abbey." Brief or incidental music to the services include some Tudor "Preces & Responses" by William Smith (ca. 1550-1600), a homophonic setting-the first in English-by Robert Stone (1516-1613) of the Lord's Prayer; and two psalms sung to chants by Crotch and William Morley (d. 1721). All are -perfbrmec:l without flJss·or-exaggeration, as one would expect. The only "foreign" choral work is Os Justi, a saint's day motet by Bruckner. The choir foregoes the chant that customarily concludes the piece, and eschews any attempt to pronounce Latin as Bruckner would have done; however; the glorious rendition diminishes any such

72

W I II E TRAVEL & TOURS

m;C~t/ffI£lAwe TOlfR -DIVISION

For More Information: (616) 957- 8113, 800469- 4883 Email: [email protected], Web: www.wittetravel.com

Witte Travel & Tours, 3250 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512


concerns. Two works more recent than Demes

sieux's portentous organ voluntary, and written expressly for Westminster Abbey, are among this CD's highlights. The King and the Robin was premiered at the 2005 Feast of St. Edward and is a collaboration between Britain's Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion, and the distinguished church musician Philip Moore. Moore's experience-as organist and choirmaster atYork Minster-of a splendid choir, a grand organ and a resonant acoustic pays off with this new work, though it is quite lengthy. It provides a stark contrast with the Missa Brevis of Jonathan Harvey (b. 1939), a work of concentrated intensity and originality, commissioned in 1995 by Martin Neary, a champion of Harvey's music and O'Donnell's predecessor. Readers of this journal may be familiar with Harvey's much earlier I Love The Lord and Come, Holy Ghost; this Mass setting employs their aleatoric features as well as some Sprechstimme. Harvey's vocal lines are well-written, and there is much here to admire, but it is not forthe faint-hearted! It provides an interesting counterpoint to Francis Grier's Missa Trinitatis Sanctae, written for the Abbey in 199 I and heard on the previously mentioned Trinity Sunday recording. Both Mass settings demand virtuosic singing but

Choral Parts from Pocket Coach

Pocket Coach choral practice CDs allow choral singers to prepare their

parts on their own so you can get the most out of your rehearsals.

• Handel Messiah (e\ • Vivaldi Gloria

~o ~o • Bach Magnificat ~ • Beethoven Mass in C

• Mozart Coronation Mass

Choral • Art Songs • Opera Diction • Accompaniments ~ Pocket Coach Publications www.PocketCoach.com


sound remarkably different in their use of harmony and expression; Hal-vey's in particular makes a virtue of the Abbey's long echo.

Yet for a thorough understanding of the building's acoustic we must chiefly applaud the work of James O'Donnell. He

has trained a superb ensemble of men and boys, and his readings of repertoire both known and unfamiliar are exemplary. Dynamics are scrupulously observed, and everywhere sensitivity and phrasing are to the fore. He is impeccably assisted by Robert Quinney, one of Britain's most

73

gifted organists, whose talents are quaintly are uncharacteristically sensitive to dec- rubato that lend the earlier recording its understated in his job title of "Sub-Organ- lamation and rhetoric, while maintaining emotional immediacy. By contrast, the new ist" In the late I 990s, clergy and musicians the group's customal-y purity of blend version is boldly architectural in concepat Westminster Abbey were in turmoil; and balance. Seasoned devotees of the tion: lucid, solid, unsentimental. these Hyperion recordings suggest that ensemble will welcome this album, as will The recording features two separate a much happier state of affairs now pel-- those approaching these works for the renderings of Allegri's Miserere. The first vades St. Edward's ancient precincts. They first time. follows the standard version, which has _are..essentiaLrecol:diQgsJQGotb.ose~\Nb.o_IQ\.L.e_ .. --:;rl:le=legen(LoLtba.Misso_eoPQa.MQ6-=.C::Qm€LdQw[do~usjCb...\Nt:itte~forr:l:Lafte~ the English choral tradition. celli-that Palestrina's adoption of a text- centuries of elaboration by singers ofthe

Philip Barnes St. Louis, Missouri

Gregorio Allegri: Miserere; Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli et al. The Tallis Scholars Peter Phillips, conductor Gimell CDGIM 041 (2007; 76' 05")

n this recording of music written for the SiStine Chapel, the Tallis Sdlolars showCase new recordings of the most popular pieces in their

centered style saved liturgical polyphony papal choir, and includes the famous high from being banned at the hands of zealous C in the solo treble. The second features reformers-is open to speculation. But the additional elaborations by soprano Debo-innovative nature of rah Roberts, which have been reproduced Palestrina's text set- in the liner. Both make use of an unusual ting, specifically in the version of the chant verses, gloriously sung heavily texted move- by cantor Andrew Carwood to the tonus ments of the Gloria peregrinus rather than to the customary and Credo, is made second psalm tone. Although the perfor-exquisitely clear in mances sufferfrom some of the difficulties this recording, which of intonation for which this piece is notori-matches clarity of diction with sensitive ous, they offer a refreshing look at a classic declamation. In overall style, the perf or- of the choral repertory. And perhaps it is mallce offers up beguiling c6ntrastst6the only natural that after performing the work group's 1980 recording (GIMSE 40 I, reis- 300 times in concert, the singers would sued at budget price in celebration of the feel an impulse to ornament, as singers in album's 25th anniversary). Perfol-med with the papal chapel have done for centuries.

repertory:Allegri's Miserere and the Misso Popoe Marcelli of Palestrina, as well as his remarkable Stabat Mater and Tu es Petrus. a much smaller ensemble, the new recordWe hear a new side to the Tallis Scholars ing adopts faster tempi, and is less inclined in this recol-ding, with performances that to those slight relaxations and moments of

I<ristin Kane San Francisco, California

74

Johann Michael Haydn: Requiem in Bf Major MH 838 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Short Sacred Works Kammerchor SaarbrOcken Kammerphilharmonie Mannheim Georg GrOn, conductor Carus 83.353; (SACD; 2006; 62' 46") <www.carus-verlag.com>

ichly rewarding" is an apt description of this recording of Michael Haydn's second Requiem Mass and four short

sacred compositions by Mozart. The CD ~-rlP(~"'r\-i,prlhd-\1I1;~c;Oh()nrlrpril-wii-h-th e"M 18 EM -~

Classical Award 2007 in the category of "First recordings."2

Conductor Georg GrOn's mastery of both choral and orchestml elements brings together a performance of clarity, balance, and dynamic expressionThe rhythmic energy gives the performance considerable


vel"ve. Gri.in is professol" of chol"al conducting at the Musikhochschule Mannheim and is active as a guest conductol~ adjudicatol" and lectul"el~

On a commission fj"om Empress Made Therese, Haydn began this Requiem in 1805, but due to his illness the unfinished wod< compdsed only the opening movements Requiem and Kyrie and a pOI"tion of the sequence Dies iroe. At his own Requiem Mass in August, I 806, other movements from Haydn's Schl"attenbach Requiem of 1771 were included. Completion of the Requiem was undertaken in 1839 by P. Gunther Kroneckel" (1803-47), choirmastel" of the Benedictine monastel"y of KremsmOnstel"; it is this completion that is used fOI" the present, premiel"e recording.

The formal layout was influenced by Haydn's eadier Requiem and by expected conventions of solo and choir settings.The


KYI"ie double fugue employed forthe "Cum sanctis tuis" at the conclusion bl"ings the work to an unexpectedly rousing finish. The Requiem evidences the quality which Franz Josef Haydn recognized when he reportedly said his brothel"'s Masses were bette I" than his own.

"God is OUI" refuge," the only English text Mozart set, is somewhat deceptively difficult to sing, and is notable writing for a nine-year-old. The evel"gl"een Ave verum corpus, I(V 6 I 8, gets a freshly conceived penormance on this disc that once again confil"ms that it is arguably Mozart's most beautiful choral work. It is pelformed 0110

breve with a relaxed tempo in which the voices and stdngs float seamlessly from beginning to finish.

The important and interesting music of Michael Haydn is now becoming more widely known, and this recol"ding desel"ves

a prominent place in serious music collections.

James L. Queen San Angelo,Texas

NOTES

I See Dean's landmark study; Handel's Dramatic Oratorios and Masques (Oxford: Clarendon, 1990); also David Ross Hurley; Handel's Muse: Patterns of Creation in His Oratorios and Musical Dramas, 1743"1751 (Oxford: OUR 200 I)

2 MID EM, for March§ international de I'edition musicale, is the world's largest music industry tl"ade fair market, held annually in Cannes.

CUSTOMIZED STUDENT GROUP TRAVEL IS OUR SPECIALTY

kaleidoscope A 0 V f H I U R f r is a full-service " ' , specializing in student group travel for performing experts in the development of festival middle and high school bands, choirs ari(i\oJrchestJras.

75

Travel Specialists for Music and Performing Groups

San Francisco Girls Chorus at Pacific Music Festival, Sapporo, Japan

Future Conductors 2009 • Joan Gregoryk 2010 • Janet Galvan

Pra.9lAe (hildrerl's MlAsi< festiva.I,,,

Francisco J. Nunez, Guest Conductor Austria & Czech Republic • July 10-21, 2008

Capacity Audiences

Yale Alumni Chorus audience at Teatro, Municipal, Rio de Janeriro, Brazil

Prestigious Venues

Choral Arts Society of Washington at Royal Albert Hall, Proms Festival, UK

Fantastic Destinations

So Come to Him Graham Elliot SATB Enco,-e Publications £1.75 <www.encorepublications.com>

his setting of I Pete,- 2:4-5 by Graham Elliot was written in 1983 for the ,-ededication of Chelmsford Cathedral, where

the composer served as Master of the Music for eighteen years. (He now serves as music director at Washington D.Cs historic Rock Creek Parish.)

This brief, unaccompanied anthem features a largely homophonic texture and a brief soprano solo. In the treble parts, there are a few measures of threepart divisi and one measure of four-part divisi. The work consists of two sections, corresponding to the text. The first urges listeners to come to Christ "our living stone", the second urges the listeners to allow themselves to " ... be built as living stones." The piece begins and ends with the same exhortation "So come to him," set to the same rhythm but using different harmonies.

While this work is certainly demanding, as music for church choirs, the composer makes each part logical through the use of stepwise motion, common tones between chords, and sensible leaps. Each part has a comfortable tessituro.These relatively singable lines combine to produce unexpected harmonic progressions, which makes the A section. of this anthem sound harder than it is.The B section will require careful rehearsal for good intonation.Throughout,


the use of fourths and seconds creates tension, leading to major and minor triads at key points, approached in slightly unexpected ways.

Directors of experienced church choirs and collegiate ensembles should be grateful that this piece was finally published this year: In addition to church dedications, it could be programmed whenever one wishes to emphasize the t,-ansformative effect of Christian discipleship.

Frank Martignetti New Haven, Connecticut

Christus Felix Mendelssohn ed. Walter Rodby SATB, Narrator; I<eyboard Colla Voce # 15-96610 $7.50

he late Walter Rodby discovered the manuscript of an uncompleted o,-atorio begun by Felix Mendelssohn in the

Uniwesytet Jogiellonsko, Biblioteko, I<rakow, Poland. This work, based upon the life of Jesus Christ, was an eight-year project for Rodby. The music that Mendelssohn completed includes an Advent Chorus and several recitatives and choruses relating to the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. This edition consists of an Introduction, Prelude with narration, and six choruses with recitatives interspersed. The conclusion is a moving chorale based upon the text, "0 Sacred Head Sore Wounded."

Performance time is approximately 25 minutes. The recitatives require a

Minister of Music Position-Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church

Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida, A progressive church of approximately 700 resident members, affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, is seeking an experienced individual for the position of Minister of Music. This position requires an undergraduate degree in choral music, with a graduate level degree from an accredited seminary preferred. Other qualifications include the proven ability to lead a traditional sanctuary choir with both musical excellence & spiritual inspiration. Experience & familiarity with a liturgical style of worship & a broad range of musical styles are also important attributes for this position. The Music Minister is a worship leader who directs our sanctuary, senior adult, youth, & handbell choirs, & recruits & trains leaders for our graded choirs. Music, as much as any single element, defines the worship and reveals the heart of HAB. If you feel called to serve in this position, please send resumes or inquires to Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church, Attn: Music Minister Search Committee, 4001 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32207. Email: [email protected]. (Please also visi\our website at: www.habchurch.com.)

77

rather accomplished soloist. The choral Pacific Song t the 2007 ACDA National parts are easily accessible by an average (Chants from the Kingdom of Tonga) Convention in Miami, Florida, to advanced choral group. The keyboard David Fanshawe Rollo Dilworth conducted accompaniments, while challenging, are SATB (Double Choir) or the Multicultural Honor Choir performed most effectively by alternating SATB (Single choir) in a premiere performance of Pacific Song. the keyboard parts between organ and Flute/Piccolo, Piano (opt), Double Bass, This three movement choral work is based

_piaoo_-".tbe __ orgao_foLJbJ;_ Introduction, __ Tape_~CD_),3_pe[cussion_pacts .. ~~_~=upon ancient Tongan chants and is p-art of Prelude, and Recitatives and the piano Hal Leonard #08747009, a larger work called Pacific Odyssey. Com-for the choir accompaniments. Rodby has Vocal Score (Double Choir) $ 5.95 poser David Fanshawe describes the work provided performance suggestions and Hal Leonard #087470 II, as a "Salutation to the past, a respect for Colla Voce has published a clear, easy to Instrumental Score, Parts, and CD the preservation of culture, and a plea for I-ead octavo choral score. This is a sure (Double Choir) $65.00 the Peace the Tongan way." winner for the church or community choir Hal Leonard #087470 I 0, The first movement, Hula Hula, opens director looking for a Lenten season or Vocal Score (Single Choir) $5.50 with a flute solo, which substitutes for the Passion cantata. Hal Leonard #08747226, fangufangu, a traditional nose flute. The

Robert A. Guenzlel-Aurora, Illinois

78

Instrumental Scol-e, Parts, and CD choral writing is largely homophonic in (Single Choir) $65.00 texture with call-and-response phrases. <www.halleonard.com> As the phrases build, they soon subside to

the recorded sound of the Pacific Ocean


Moana. A recorded chant follows sung by the late renownedTongan composer, poet, choreographel~ and historian, the Honol"able Ve'ehala.

In the second movement titled Muli Tu Pe, a recording of the Mu'a people begins with the folk song and then a Tongan accelerando ensues. 'Otuhaka, is the final movement and is based upon a traditional noble dance where women or girls of rank are seated by rows and perfol"m specific arm movements. Suggested chol"eography is well notated in both the vocal and instrumental scores. The high quality digital recording blends seamlessly with the live pelfol"mance. Dilworth suggests that monitor speakers are essential for the instrumentalists and choil~ to synchronize tempo and pitch.

The soprano voicing of cl to c3 may be a range considel"ation.The alto and tenOI" parts contain average vocal ranges. The bass voice part indicates pitches of grand E and grand C. Although the instl"umental double bass part is optional, its inclusion provides the required dynamic pl"esence and helps to SUPPOI"t the fundamental pitch in the bass voice part.

Often with a multicultural choral work, the amount of detail in the supporting documentation can determine for the choral director whether it is feasible to perfol"m and teach. Pacific Song has two publication options available. The singlechoir version has a vocal score fOI" singel"s and a full-scol"e package that includes the CD and instrumental parts. The double choir version has the same options. Although the double-choil" version offers a unique sound experience, the pelformance is not diminished by the single choir version. Hence, this work can be pel"-

ACDAQuick Tip

vi':?iI L.WWw.()vJ()&n(ine_&pg7

Choral Journal • Octo bel" 2007

formed by high school, community, or college choil"s.The vocal instrumental scores provide ample background infol"mation: such as a glossal"y ofTongan terms; a glossary of chol"eography actions; a concert set-up diagl"am for choil~ instl"uments; and CD, and technical notes descdbing how the modern instruments should I"eplicate various ethnic instl"uments.The scores are easy to I"ead.

In the vocal score, thel"e is a piano reduction fOI" I"ehearsal purposes and the instl"umental pack contains a separate piano pari. Please note that the pl"ime sources fOI" pitch al"e the flute, doubling on piccolo, CD recol"ding, double bass, and timpani. Furiher supporting documentation includes the CD, which is an impol"tant teaching aid as well as pelformance tool.

Fanshawe began his I"esearch and recol"ded elements of this wol"l< in 1978. Sounds such as the Pacific Ocean Moana, conch shells, and cylinder bells were I"ecol"ded at original Tongan locations. The CD also includes a discussion of the Tongan countl"y and culture and a Tongan language, song text, and choreogl"aphy guide.

ANNOUNCING THE INAUGURAL

The clapping demonstl"ation is pal"ticulal"ly helpful to hear the different timbres of the three types of claps: cup clap, stl"ike clap, and flat clap.

A performance CD or DVD of the 2007 ACDA Multicultul"al Honor Choir pelformance is available fi"om ViaMedia Productions Inc. Web site: <http://www. ztotal.com/viamedialindex.html>.

Pacific Song is a wol"l< of musicological significance. The rehearsal and pelf 01"

mance of this piece provide numerous OPpol"tunities fOI" discussion of culture and music. The instl"uction aids provided ensure a successful learning and teaching experience. The blend of digital media with the live perfol"mance adds cultUl"al authenticity to the overall sound palette. David Fanshawe's Pacific Song is a model fOI" how to make multicultul"al music accessible to everyone.

Adam Jonathan Con Statesboro, Georgia

Tucson Boychoir Festival In assoCiation withth~ Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus

l:iernarldo Malvar~Ruiz Dr. Julian Festival Conductors

June16~21, 2008 Tucson, Arizona

- COME HAVE A ROOTIN' TOOTIN'TIME!~ Pridngwill allow family members to come and e~oythe many resort activities in Tucson a la carte while the choir rehearses!

• Each choir performs alone inan evening concert! .. . . . . • All choirs join together for a final concert conducted by Fernando Malvar-Ruiz and Dr. Julian Ackerley! • Sightseeing and features: . .. ., .'

» Tucson's famous Arizona-SonoraJiDesert Museum » Old Tucson Studios - where the real West meets the reel Ui'st ...' .' .. » Dude Ranch BBQ with a mechanical bull, quick-draw contest, swimming 'and much more! » The Gaslight Theatre - Dinner and a show at dlis acclaimed home of old-fashioned melodrama; . » Resort hotel accommodations. All . .' and most included.

79

WHEREAS, the human spirit is elevated to a broader understanding of itself through study and performance in the aesthetic arts, and

WHEREAS, serious cutbacks in funding and support have steadily eroded state institutions and their programs throughout our country,

g~I::r=RE£Q·bV~b)~tRat~all~Gitiz:@ns-QUi:1@-UniteGLStates-activel¥~\lGiG=e ~~ their affirmative and collective support for necessary funding at the local, state, and national levels of education and government, to ensure the survival of arts programs for this and future generations.

Articles submitted for publication in the Choral Journal should meet established specifications. Although the length of articles varies considerably, submissions generally consist of ten to twenty typed, double- . spaced pages: Referenced material should be indicated by superscript and end notes. Any artwork and a one- to two-sentence professional identification of the author should also be included. Complete writer's guidelines can be found on the ACDA Web site at <www.acdaonline. org/cj/writersguidelines>. Articles submitted via e-mail attachment should be sent to <[email protected]>.

Book and Music Publishers and Compact Disc Distributors

Send books, octavos, and discs for review to:

Choral Journal p.o. Box 2720, Okla. City, Oklahoma 73 I 0 I Telephone: 405/232-8161

Book Reviewers

ACDA members wishing to review books about choral music should contact:

Stephen Town Telephone: 660/562-1795, <[email protected]>

Compact Disc Reviewers

ACDA members wishing to ..choraLR~\.dew""e""r-"s,= ... ~ .. =. ~~~~~~.r:ey.LeYlLCompact~discs~sbnuld~.=.= ... ~ .... = .. ~. = .. ~~ ACDA members wishing to contact: review choral music should contact:

Lyn Schenbeck Telephone 770/683-6837, E-mail <[email protected]>

Lawrence Schenbeck Telephone: 404/270-5482 E-mail <[email protected]>

ACFEA Tour Consultants 33 ACIS Performance Tours 61 Ambassador Tours 74 Arts Bureau for the Continents 28 Augustana College 23 Belmont University School of Music 59

Bridgewater College 73

Br!tish-European Specialty Tours 36,79 Cantus Quercus 32,67 Capital University 65

Chor LeonLMen's ChoiL .. ..68 Choral Conductors Retreat 20 Clarion Records 29

Classical Movements IFC,76

Concept Tours 24 Distinguished Concerts International 35 Ellison Travel and Tours 12 EMI Classics II Friendship Ambassadors 10,49

GIA Publications, Inc. 48 Gladde Music Publications 38 Glencoe 46 Hawaii Music Festivals 47

Hawaii Pacific University 29 Hendricks Ave. Baptist Church 77 Heritage Festivals 69 Houghton College 27 Interculture Association 21 Interkulture Foundation 26 Kaleidoscope Adventures 75 Knight-Shtick Press 68 Lawrence University BC

Lyric Choir Gowns 64 Michigan State University 60 Music Contact International IBC Music Manager Software 10 Nancy Wertsch 65 Oberlin Conservatory of Music 78 Part Predominant Recordings 22 Pocket Coach Publications 73 Regency Cap & Gown Company 49 Small World musicfolder.com, Inc 43 Smoky Mountain Music Festival 42 Southern Methodist University 13 Southern Music Company 44 St. Olaf College 58 Stage Accents 28 The Church of the Red Rock 63 The Hartt School of Music 37 Tour Resource Consultants 22 Travelink, Inc. 16

UCLA 62 Union University 67

.. University.of Kansas .. . .. 70 ..

University of Memphis 34 University of Missouri-Kansas City 39

University of Southern California 66 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 44 Valdosta State 14 Vanguard Voices 71 Witte Travel & Tours 72 World Projects 64 Yale Univ. Institute of Sacred Music 48

Music Contact International

~NUALFESTIVALS &CHORAL EXCHANGES

Germany Happy Birthday Handel International Choral Festival, Halle USA New York City Choral Exchange, New York City, NY

March Holland Cantate Amsterdam Germany Cantate Bavaria, Munich

April

Italy Days of International Choir Music in Verona

Italy Cantate Adriatica, San Marino

USA Vermont International Choral Festival, Stowe, VT Sweden Cantate Smaland, Vaxj6 Italy International Choral Festival in Tuscany Austria International Music Festival, Salzburg Czech Republic Cantate Budweis

Spain Cantate Barcelona

Puerto Rico Discover Puerto Rico Choral Festival, Ponce Lt.Tr'lr", West Africa Choral and Performing Arts Festival, Ghana

IMRillUalIll'Il'IIlf!lalIr & December Weekends of Thanksgiving & Advent

Austria Advent Sing in Vienna Czech Republic Advent Choral Festival, Prague

CALL Now FOR 2008: 800-624-0166' , www.Music-Con1:a.c1:.com.··

/ J ' ~

American Choral Directors Association p.o. Box 2720 Oklahoma City. Oklahoma 731 0 1-2720 <www.acdaonline.org>

******flUTO**3-DIGIT 352 39152 fleDfI! 08/2008

.NICHOLAUSB .CUMI'IINS 130714TH flUE· S BIRt1IH~HAM Al3S:::05-5314

S109E

111111111111111111.1 11 111111.1111.111111.11.1111111111111.111111.11.11

NEA

~ AMERICAN MASllllU'1ECES

Lawrence University Appleton, Wisconsin

Rick Bjella, director of choral studies Phillip A. Swan, associate director of choral studies

Registration deadline: November 2007 Fax: 920-993-6284 920-832-6620 • [email protected] 920-993-6282 • [email protected]

cj - october 2007

Documents