November 1, 20122


Fra Angelico, All Saints (detail), National Gallery, London, 15th c.


"But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever--forever and ever [NRSV, Daniel 7:18]."

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Feast of All Saints
November 1, 2012
 
Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar.
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Vaughan Williams in 1919, by William Rothenstein


The most popular hymn for today’s celebration is For all the Saints.  (the original opening words were “For all thy saints.”)

"For All the Saints" was written in 1864 as a processional hymn by the Anglican Bishop of Wakefield, William Walsham How.  It was sung to the hymn tune Sarum [listen] composed by Joseph Barnby.

The English Hymnal in 1906 contained a new setting by Ralph Vaughan Williams which he called Sine Nomine.  It has been described as "one of the finest hymn tunes of [the 20th] century."

Vaughan Williams wrote two harmonizations¬–one for unison stanzas and one for choral stanzas. The tune's title means "without name" and follows the Renaissance tradition of naming certain compositions "Sine Nomine" if they were not settings for pre-existing tunes.

Charles Villiers Stanford, Engelberg [listen] is another hymn tune to which For all the Saints is occasionally sung.

[text]


Performance of For all the saints, music by Vaughan Williams, by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. [YouTube]

Performance of For all the saints, music by Vaughan Williams, by the Choir of York Minster. [YouTube]


Performance of Variations on For all the saints, arr. by Denis Bédard, by Diane Bish in the Augustinian Church (Augustinerkirche) in Vienna. [YouTube]


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Drawing of Igor Stravinsky by Picasso, 1920

Hommage to Stravinsky

The Cathedral Choirs Fundraiser, Friday, November 2, at 7:30 pm, Christ Church Cathedral, will celebrate the work of Igor Stravinsky.


Berceuse and Finale of L'Oiseau de feu, performed by Patrick Wedd, organ.

Duo Concertant, performed by Andrew Beer, violin; and Janelle Fung, piano.

Mass, performed by The Cathedral Choirs and wind ensemble.

Entrance includes wine and cheese reception: $25; Seniors: $20; students: $10.

Tickets are available at the concert and at:
The Word, 469 rue Milton 
Cathedral office, 1444 avenue Union
Information : 514-843-6577



Prepare for the concert by listening online to:

The entire L'Oiseau de feu, transcribed for organ, is made available for free online listening by the Naxos Music Library, performance by Pierre Pincemaille at the Danion-Gonzalez organ of the Maison Radio-France, Paris. [BNQ] [BM] (info)

Duo Concertant, performed by Carl Seemann, piano; and Wolfgang Schneiderhan, violin [musicMe] 

Mass, performed by The Saint Anthony Singers  and The English Chamber Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis conducting. [musicMe]
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Concert
Sunday November 18, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Hodie (This Day

 





Jonathan Dove:
   Run, shepherds, run!
 
R. Vaughan Williams:
   Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
 
Marie-Claude Saindon:
   Méditation de la Vierge
 
R. Vaughan Williams:
    Hodie (This Day), a Christmas cantata

Musica Orbium, Patrick Wedd, Artistic Director
 
Orchestra I Medici di McGill, Iwan Edwards, 
Artistic Director
 
Concerto Della Donna, Iwan Edwards, 
Artistic Director

Stéphanie Manias, Soprano
Eric Thériault
, Tenor
Dion Mazerolle
, Baritone

Tickets:
Regular:$30
Seniors, students, and unemployed: $20
Église Notre Dame de Lourdes
4949, rue de Verdun, Verdun
Metro Verdun



Our first concert is a collaboration between three ensembles: the women’s choir Concerto Della Donna, the orchestra I Medici di McGill, and, of course, Musica Orbium. Each one will present a work of their choice in the first half and, in the second, will be joining forces for Ralph Vaughan Williams’ powerful Christmas cantata, Hodie (This Day)

Vaughan Williams wrote his last major choral-orchestral composition at an advanced age; the piece nevertheless displays an uncommon measure of inventive force. Hodie combines the spirit of a great Christmas cantata with elements drawn from popular music. The sixteen movements are based on biblical texts interwoven with poetry, for a total duration of one hour. The cantata is scored for chorus, organ, and orchestra, and will feature soprano Stéphanie Manias, tenor Eric Thériault and baritone Dion Mazerolle.

Click to go to the Musica Orbium website to order tickets.

To prepare click to go to online performances by prominent ensembles.

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McGill University Noon-Hour Organ Recital Series
The Wolff organ of Redpath Hall - Admission Free


Fridays from November 2 to March 20 at 12:30 pm


Friday, November 2: Thomas Pousont

Friday, November 9: Yves Préfontaine

Friday, November 16:  Julia Doktor

Friday, November 23: William Porter

Friday, November 30: Hans-Ola Ericsson

Friday, December 7: John Grew


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Bach Cantatas for the 22nd Sunday after Trinity:




Follower of Rembrandt, The Unmerciful Servant, Wallace Collection, London, c.1660


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknech / I, wretched man; I, slave of sin Cantata 55, with performances by Leonhardt, Leusink, Linde, Richter, and Jeffrey Thomas.


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Was soll ich aus dir machen, Ephraim? / What am I to make of you, Ephraim?, Cantata 89, with performances by Leonhardt, Leusink and Suzuki.

 Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit / Make yourself ready, my spirit, Cantata 115, with performances by Coin, Harnoncourt, Leusink, Richter and Rilling.