Welcome to the New Year!

Dear Symphony Chorus Singers:

I hope you have had a peaceful and rejuvenating holiday season and offer my best wishes for a happy, healthy, and musical New Year!

I have some good news: within a few days the Arts Council of New Orleans will be announcing that Symphony Chorus of New Orleans will be a recipient of the 2009 Community Arts Award (along with David Cuthbert, Luther Gray, Deacon John Moore, Auselkis Ozols, and WWOZ Radio). If you would like to join in the celebrations, mark your calendar - you will be able to purchase tickets at a later date for an Evening Reception from 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Wednesday, May 6th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Windsor Court Hotel and for the Awards Luncheon on Thursday, May 7th from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM at the Audubon Tea Room. In any case, pat yourself on the back for this award which recognizes the thousands of hours of effort by singers and board members of the chorus in musical performance and civic engagement. This award is sure to help us attract potential donors, audience members, and new singers.

Speaking of new singers, I will be holding auditions during early January (and again in March), so if you know someone who might like to join us, please have them call Betsy Miller to schedule an appointment with me.

Here is the schedule for our upcoming SOUL Concert:

January 6 NO REHEARSAL (auditions for new singers)
January 13 7:00 - 9:30 PM Regular Tuesday Rehearsal at Loyola
January 20 7:00 - 9:30 PM Regular Tuesday Rehearsal at Loyola
January 27 7:00 - 9:30 PM Regular Tuesday Rehearsal at Loyola
February 3 7:00 - 9:30 PM Regular Tuesday Rehearsal at Loyola
February 10 7:00 - 9:30 PM Regular Tuesday Rehearsal at Loyola
February 17 7:00 - 9:30 PM Regular Tuesday Rehearsal at Loyola
February 24 NO REHEARSAL (Mardi Gras)
March 3 7:00 - 9:30 PM Regular Tuesday Rehearsal at Loyola
March 10 7:00 - 10:00 PM Tuesday Rehearsal with SOUL Quartet at Loyola
March 12 7:00 - 10:00 PM "DRESS" Rehearsal with SOUL Quartet at Most Holy Name of Jesus Church
March 13 7:00 PM call for 7:30 PM CONCERT with SOUL Quartet at Most Holy Name of Jesus Church
March 20 NO REHEARSAL (auditions for new singers)
March 27 7:00 - 9:30 PM Regular Tuesday Rehearsals resume at Loyola

Please visit http://soulands.org/default.aspx to get acquainted with this year's quartet and see their itinerary and repertoire in progress. Our concert repertoire is nearly complete and most of our music is here. You will be able to purchase the packet of music at our first rehearsal for $12.00. Please bring cash (correct change, if possible) or check and arrive a few minutes early so we don't lose our valuable rehearsal time to commerce and record keeping.

The American portion of our program will consist of:
A Jubilant Song - This vibrant 1945 setting of a Walt Whitman text by composer Norman Dello Joio (1913 - 2008) is one of the finest pieces of twentieth century American choral music. A good performance by the Uuniversity of Illinois Concert Choir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAKfLmVHKW4 There are several other performances available at YouTube. Notice the choirs who look up (some even sing by memory!).

I've Been in the Storm So Long - traditional spiritual arranged by Jeffery Ames in 2006 in response to Hurricane Katrina. Streaming audio of a fine performance from the publisher's website: http://www.waltonmusic.com/Sound9/IveBeenIn/

Worthy to Be Praised - Gospel anthem for chorus and piano by Byron J. Smith. Lots of performances on YouTube. A pretty good one (piece starts about 1:30): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJVYmdkKfqM

The Multi-Cultural portion of our program (so far) is

LATVIA: Dziedot dzimu dziedot augu (arr. Kalnins) SATB div.

Audio performance with scrolling text:
http://www.opentoeverycitizen.net/lv/songs_lv/dziedot_dzimu_dziedot_augu/

To learn more about Latvian history and culture:
http://www.latvians.com/en/index.php

CHILE: TBA

KOREA Arirang (arr. Chen Yi) SATB div.

Streaming audio performance from the publisher's website:
http://www.carlfischer.com/mp3/1-09%20Arirang.mp

To learn more about Korean history and culture:
http://www.arirangeducation.com/main/

KENYA Sigalagala (arr. S. Otieno) SATB div. perc.
(This is a piece from the Luo tribe - the people that Barack Obama's father came from)

To listen to a music clip from the publisher's website:
http://www.earthsongschoralmusic.com/catitem.php?seqnum=100236#

Ululation audtions TBA!

HALLELUJAH: The list of this year's Messiah Choruses

And the glory of the Lord
O thou that tellest good tidings
For unto us a child is born
Glory to God
His yoke is easy
Behold the lamb of God
Surely He hath borne our griefs
And with His stripes
All we like sheep
He trusted in God
Let us break their bonds asunder
Hallelujah
Since by man came death
Worthy is the Lamb
Amen

G&S and Reluctant Dragon

At our rehearsal on Tuesday, September 23rd we will also begin to determine who is interested in singing in our repeat performance of choruses from Gilbert & Sullivan operettas and John Rutter's Reluctant Dragon for the Trinity Artist Series at 5 pm on Sunday, November 9th.

Everyone who sang this past June for the Thursdays at Twilight concert in City Park is welcome to return, and we are certain to have a few openings for newbies, too!

Video of our performance of the Rutter is available at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=961xdT5YDJw

Look for parts two and three in the related videos list to the right...

Welcome!

Welcome to SYMPHONYCHORUS.Blogspot.com – blogging our way through the new choral season! This is a work in progress and, I’m sure, will develop and grow as I learn how to use this medium to communicate with you all. I also need to establish a regular schedule for my posts. Note that there are several ways to subscribe to be notified when I have posted new material, or when others have commented.

 

Here is the list of choruses we are doing in the Bach:

(Please get two large paper clips and seal shut Cantatas II and IV. You are also encouraged to use smaller paperclips - or some other system of your choice – to close up the arias in between our choruses and chorales.

 

Bach Weihnachtsoratorium (Christmas Oratorio)

Cantatas I, III, V, VI

 

First Part

1. Coro: Jauchzet [7'40"] (DaCapo)

5. Choral: Wie soll Ich dich [1'03"]

7. Choral: Er ist auf Erden (sop) [2'57"]

9. Choral: Ach, mein herzliebes [1'13"]

 

Third Part

24. Coro: Herrscher des Himmels [1'53"]

26. Coro: Lasset uns nun gehen [0'39"]

28. Choral: Dies hat er alles [0'43"]

33. Choral: Ich will dich mit Fleiß [0'49"]

35. Choral: Seid froh [0'44"]

24. Coro da capo: Herrscher des Himmels [1'53"]

 

Fifth Part

43. Coro: Ehre sei dir [5'56"]

45. Coro: Wo ist der neugeborne [1'40"]

46. Choral: Dein Glanz [0'45"]

53. Choral: Zwar ist solche [0'47"]

 

Sixth Part

54. Coro: Herr, wenn die stolzen [4'58"]

59. Choral: Ich steh an deine Krippe [1'02"]

64. Choral: Nun seid ihr [3'26"]

 

10 Choral: 15 minutes

7 (6) Coro: 25 minutes

 

I do not yet have Ms. Miller’s cuts for Messiah. I will post them once available.

 

In our first two rehearsals we have looked at

Chorus No. 1 (Jauchzet) mm. 1-137

You should know pitches and rhythms (including performance of the trills) and be comfortable with text and pronunciation.

 

Chorale No. 5 (Wie soll ich) We have not yet added text text, but you should be able to perform your part independently or in small groups on the syllable “loo”

 

Chorale No. 9 (Ach, mein) see No. 5 – syllable “da”

 

Chorus No. 26 (Lasset) we read this and learned pitches on “da”

 

Chorus No. 45 (Wo) see No. 1, above

 

Chorale No. 64 (Nun seif) see No. 9 and No. 5

 

We also read several Messiah choruses.

 

On Tuesday, September 23 we will read choruses in Messiah that we have not yet sung and attempt the following in the Bach (not necessarily in this order):

 

Chorus No. 1 (Jauchzet) mm. 1-137

reivew pitches and rhythms (including performance of the trills) review pronunciation.

ADD the “B” section: mm. 138-201

 

Chorale No. 5 (Wie soll ich) reivew pitches; add text

 

Chorale No. 9 (Ach, mein) review pitches; add text

 

Chorus No. 26 (Lasset) reivew pitches; add text

 

Chorus No. 45 (Wo) reivew; polish

 

Chorale No. 64 (Nun seid) review pitches; add text

 

 

If you are looking to purchase a recording of the Bach, I recommend the John Elliot Gardiner performance on DG:

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Christmas-Oratorio-Gardiner/dp/B0000057D5

If you have additional recordings to recommend, please do so by leaving a comment!

 

If you would like to listen to a performance of three of the cantatas on the web, check out the Collegiate Choral:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17525876

(note the related link to a full online performance of Handel’s Messiah, too)

The Bach is a rather relentlessly un-musical affair, led by Robert Bass. The Handel is Philadelphia Singers Chorale prepared by David Hayes and conducted quite nicely by Richard Hickox.

 

Note all the neat related material on all these NPR pages:

RELATED NPR STORIES

Jan. 4, 2006
The Eternal Genius of Handel

Dec. 17, 2002
Facts About Handel's 'Messiah'

Apr. 13, 2001
Handel's Messiah

Feb. 23, 2000
Handel