Joy to the World

Guild’s opening concert goes beyond Baroque

For its 2001–2002 season opener, the Guild Chorus is living up to its reputation of exciting programing by presenting a December concert of rarely-performed, luscious 20th C. works for Advent and Christmas.

Entitled “Joy to the World,” the program features a variety of compositions including arrangements for mixed chorus, women’s choir, men’s voices; to be sung a cappella, accompanied by solo harp, and with instrumental ensemble.

The program opens with Daniel Pinkham’s (b. 1923) Advent Cantata. In 1991 Pinkham wrote the Advent Cantata for mixed chorus accompanied by woodwind quintet and harp. Its chromaticism and dissonance are brilliantly suitable to the yearning inherent in the texts from the seven antiphons appointed for the week preceding Christmas. (These seven hymns are known as the “O” antiphons, since each begins with “O.”)

After a rehearsal a chorister commented: “One of the O’s, sapientia—wisdom, had this marvelously dissonant path (isn’t that always how it is when you look for wisdom—so confusing, so dense, so unclear) and then opened up into a wonderful major chord at the end... good word painting!”

From Advent to Christmas

The concert’s Christmas observance feature work is Ottorino Respighi’s (1879–1936) Lauda per la Nativitš del Signore (Laud to the Nativity). Respighi is most famous for his strikingly colorful Roman Trilogy suites (Pines, Fountains, and Festivals of Rome). The Lauda, written in 1930, uses an early devotional text of Jacopone da Todi (1237–1306). Vocal soloists portray the Angel, the Virgin Mary, and a Shepherd; while the chorus sings the parts of angels and shepherds. The instrumental ensemble of woodwinds create a rustic and pastoral mood that bursts into rapturous celebration at the joyful proclamation “Gloria in excelsis Deo” (Glory to God on high).

Spotlight on men, women’s voices

The men of the Guild Chorus will perform Francis Poulenc’s (1899–1963) Quatre petites priúres de Saint François d’Assise (Four little prayers of St. Francis of Assisi). Poulenc was a member of a group known as Les Six, followers of Erik Satie, whose works were characteristically straightforward and free of concert hall pretensions. Poulenc composed the Prayers in 1948, after his return to the Catholic faith following the tragic death of a colleague. Written for the monastary choir where his own great-nephew was a monk, these four miniature gems exhibit intimate spiritual humility with uncomplicated lyricism but also with unforced technical finesse.

The Guild Chorus women take the stage with Benjamin Britten’s (1913–1976) Ceremony of Carols. Originally composed by Britten for women’s voices, the Ceremony consists of nine carols based on old English poems, proceeded by and ending in plainsong Processional and Recessional, with interlude for harp. Throughout the work, the harp plays a major role in setting the dramatic moods for the carols—providing deep ground bass for “There is No Rose,” rocking accompaniment to “Balulalow,” sounding the angels’ trumps in “This Little Babe,” shivering with the bitter cold in “Freezing Winter Night,” and rippling with joy in “Spring Carol.”

Also on the program is Director Sanford Dole’s arrangement of the plainchant “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.” Mr. Dole wrote this piece for the Grace Cathedral Choir, who premiered it at their annual Christmas concert in 1995. In this setting, Dole employs a different compositional device (organum, close harmony, canon, etc.) in each of the six verses. The work culminates in a grand contrapuntal flowering over the tune heard in augmentation.

Baroque Choral Guild is thrilled to be performing with three exciting emerging artists—soprano Jennifer Ashworth, mezzo Heidi Waterman, mezzo, and tenor Daniel Hutchings. Also featured on the program will be harpist Randall Pratt, who has played with the San Francisco Ballet and Symphony, and has just recently returned to the Bay Area.

Programming for growth

Much of the Guild’s twenty-third season explores repertoire that is far from the chorus’s comfortable and familiar Baroque experience. In keeping with the organization’s educational mission, music director Sanford Dole is stretching his singers’ artistic abilities by asking them to learn and master diverse musical forms and harmonies. Guild singers and audiences members are gaining knowledge and appreciation of musicology, music history, and performance practice. Most of all, singers and audiences alike will experience the gratification of performing or hearing new works of exquisite beauty.

“Joy to the World” will be held on Saturday and Sunday, December 8 and 9, in Palo Alto and in Berkeley. Details on this concert and the entire season appear in the box on page 4. Ticket order form is on page 3.

Volume 10, Issue 2

Baroque Choral Guild, 953 Industrial Ave. Ste 118, Palo Alto CA 94303, 650.424.1410