Choral

Spirituals of William L. Dawson: The St. Olaf Choir

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Through his numerous a cappella choral arrangements, African-American composer William Levi Dawson (1899-1990)  helped to preserve and promote the rich tradition of spirituals. When Dawson was awarded an honorary doctor of music degree from Ithaca College, president James J. Whalen honored this legacy eloquently, stating, You, William Dawson, have spent a lifetime immersed in the folk music of your peoples…You have committed your life to bringing this music of the heart, this …

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Verdi’s Requiem at 150

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Today marks the 150th anniversary of the first performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem. The premiere, led by the composer, took place on May 22, 1874 at the Church of San Marco in Milan, and was followed by subsequent performances at La Scala and in Paris. Powerfully dramatic, Verdi’s Requiem is liturgy through the lens of opera. Scored for four vocal soloists (soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, and bass), double chorus, and orchestra, it is …

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Mozart’s “Ave Verum Corpus”: Sublime Simplicity

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Austrian pianist Artur Schnabel insisted that Mozart’s Ave verum corpus, K. 618 is “too simple for children, and too difficult for adults.” Indeed, this simple choral, unfolding over 46 measures, imparts a cosmic “rightness.” It says all that needs to be said. The score is inscribed with a single interpretive marking—sotto voce, which implies a hushed, reverent tone. This motet was composed in the final six months of Mozart’s life, concurrently with The …

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Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 9 (Version for Choir): Valentina Peleggi and the São Paulo Symphony Choir

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In a 1945 letter to the Bach Society of São Paulo, composer Heitor Villa-Lobos wrote, The music of Bach is without question the most sacred gift to the world of art…Since Bach expressed his thoughts of God and the universe through his musical creations originating from his own country, he gave the most spiritual expression of human solidarity, we should also understand, love and cultivate the music that is born and lives, …

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Handel’s Sonata in D Major, HWV 371: Music Ripe for Reuse

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After 300 years, the music of Handel continues to draw us in with richly expressive melodies and a vivid sense of drama. Both are apparent in the Sonata in D Major, HWV 371 for violin and basso continuo. In the opening of the first movement (Affettuoso), the violin line appears to outline an ascending D major triad, only to arrive on an E, one pitch too far. The next phrase extends even …

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Vivaldi’s Stabat Mater: Music of Sorrow and Solitude

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Antonio Vivaldi’s Stabat Mater, RV. 621 was first performed during Holy Week in 1712 at Santa Maria della Pace in the Northern Italian city of Brescia. The text, a 13th century poem which has been attributed to numerous authors, is a sorrowful meditation on Mary’s suffering during the crucifixion of Christ. Scored for solo alto (originally castrato) and orchestra, Vivaldi’s Stabat Mater sets only the first ten of the poem’s twenty stanzas. Its …

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Brahms’ Two Motets, Op. 74: Sacred Music for A Cappella Choir

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In the Old Testament Book of Job, God allows Satan to strip the righteous Job of his family and wealth as a test of his faith. Job cries out in anguish (“Why has light been given to the weary of soul?”), and reflects on existential questions of worldly evil and divine grace. This is the subject of the first of Johannes Brahms’ Two Motets, Op. 74, Warum ist das Licht gegeben den …

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