May 31, 2009

Anthony van Dyck, Pentecost, State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, c.1620

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
Pentecost

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar.


The Introit for Choral Eucharist on Pentecost Sunday will be Thomas Tallis, If ye love me. Click to read about Thomas Tallis and a listening choice of 15 versions.


The organ voluntaries for Evensong on Pentecost Sunday will be the versets from Nicolas de Grigny, Veni Creator Spiritus.

Read a brief biography of Nicolas de Grigny in
Wikipedia. [BNQ] [NML] [CML] (info)

Click to go to Nicolas de Grigny, Veni Creator Spiritus, performed by Olivier Vernet on the 1625 Astruc / 1748 Scherrer / 1992 Aubertin organ of l' Église abbatiale in Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye (Isère), alternating verses with plain chant by the Ensemble Jacques Moderne, Jean-Yves Hameline conducting.

Listen to de Grigny, organ versets from Veni Creator played by W. Randolph Bourne on the
1974 Brunzema-Casavant organ in Maternity of Mary Church, St. Paul, Minnesota, as part of an hour-long program from Minnesota PBS entitled The Brothers Casavant - Casavant 125th Year Anniversary. Click here, then click on "Listen to Program," then, to go directly to the de Grigny piece, hold button and slide to 57:40 (57 minutes and 40 seconds).

Click to go to James Pressler's virtual performance of de Grigny, Premier Livre d'orgue (First Organ Book) which includes Veni Creator. The entire work can be streamed or individual movements played by clicking on the "notes."

Performance of Nicolas de Grigny, Premier Livre d'orgue (including the versets of Veni Creator Spiritus) by
John Grew on the 1981 Wolff organ of Redpath Hall, McGill University) [NML] (info).


Donald Hunt, assistant organist of Christ Church Cathedral, will give an organ recital as part of the series Les Saints-Anges en musique / Les Concerts Lachine on the 1920/2002 Casavant organ of the Church of Saints-Anges-Gardiens, 1400 boulevard St-Joseph, Lachine, on Sunday, May 31, at 3:00 pm. Admission free/voluntary offering.

Programme:
Nicolas de Grigny, Récit de tierce en taille (Domine Deus, Rex caelestis) from the Gloria of Messe IV; Charles-Marie Widor, Allegro vivace and Adagio from the Symphony No. 5; and Healey Willan, Passacaglia and Fugue No.2.

Click to hear Nicolas de Grigny, Récit de tierce en taille (Domine Deus, Rex caelestis) from the Gloria of Messe IV, performed by André Isoir on the 1787 Cliquot organ of the Cathédrale St-Pierre, Poitiers.

Complete performance of Nicholas de Grigny, Messe IV, by André Isoir on the
1787 Cliquot organ of the Cathédrale St-Pierre, Poitiers. To listen to a continuous performance, it is necessary to login or register (free) with Imeem.com (info) Click here.

Click to hear Nicolas de Grigny, Récit de tierce en taille (Domine Deus, Rex caelestis) from the Gloria of Messe IV, performed by Pierre Bardon on the 1772 Isnard/1954 Chéron organ of the Basilica of St-Maximin in Provence.

To listen to Nicolas de Grigny, Récit de tierce en taille (Domine Deus, Rex caelestis) from the Gloria of Messe IV, performed by
Olivier Latry on the 2003 Pasi organ at the Cathedral of St. Cecilia, Omaha, Nebraska, click here, then click on Part II.

Click on underlined movements to hear Charles-Maire Widor, Symphony No. 5, performed by Jane Parker-Smith on the 1987 Van de Heuvel organ of the Church of St-Eustache, Paris: Allegro vivace; Allegro cantabile; Andantino quasi allegretto; Adagio; Toccata (allegro).

Performance of Charles-Marie Widor, Symphony No. 5, by John Grew on the 1915/1999 Casavant organ of the Church of Très-St-Nom-de-Jésus, Montreal. [NML] (info)

Performance of Healey Willan, Passacaglia and Fugue No. 2, by Patrick Wedd on the 1915/1996 Casavant organ of the Church of St-Jean-Baptiste, Montreal. [NML] (info)


Click to hear a variety of Music for Pentecost including Masses by Palestrina and Victoria, and organ music by Buxtehude, Bach, Messiaen and others, as well as a two-hour programme of Pentecost music from Pipedreams.


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Cantata 34, performed by Alto: Nathalie Stutzmann; Counter-tenor: Derek Lee Ragin; Tenor: Christoph Genz; Bass: Panajotis Iconomou; Monteverdi Choir / English Baroque Soloists; John Eliot Gardiner conducting.

May 24, 2009

Luca della Robbia, The Ascension, Duomo, Florence, 1446

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
The Seventh Sunday of Easter (Ascension Sunday
)


Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar.


Click to listen to a selection of music for the Feast of the Ascension:
Patrick Gowers, Viri Galilaei;
Gerald Finzi, God is gone up;
Olivier Messiaen, The Ascension (symphonic and organ versions);
Charles Tournemire, Dimanche dans l'octave de l'ascension;
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Missa Viri Galilaei;
Tómas Luis de Victoria, Missa Ascendens Christus in altum.


Donald Hunt, assistant organist of Christ Church Cathedral, will give an organ recital as part of the series Les Saints-Anges en musique / Les Concerts Lachine on the 1920/2002 Casavant organ of the Church of Saints-Anges-Gardiens, 1400 boulevard St-Joseph, Lachine, on Sunday, May 31, at 3:00 pm. Admission free/voluntary offering.

Programme:
Nicolas de Grigny, Récit de tierce en taille (Domine Deus, Rex caelestis) from the Gloria of Messe IV; Charles-Marie Widor, Allegro vivace and Adagio from the Symphony No. 5; and Healey Willan, Passacaglia and Fugue No.2.

Click to hear Nicolas de Grigny, Récit de tierce en taille (Domine Deus, Rex caelestis) from the Gloria of Messe IV, performed by André Isoir on the 1787 Cliquot organ of the Cathédrale St-Pierre, Poitiers.

Complete performance of Nicholas de Grigny, Messe IV, by André Isoir on the
1787 Cliquot organ of the Cathédrale St-Pierre, Poitiers. To listen to a continuous performance, it is necessary to login or register (free) with Imeem.com (info) Click here.

Click to hear Nicolas de Grigny, Récit de tierce en taille (Domine Deus, Rex caelestis) from the Gloria of Messe IV, performed by Pierre Bardon on the 1772 Isnard/1954 Chéron organ of the Basilica of St-Maximin in Provence.

To listen to Nicolas de Grigny, Récit de tierce en taille (Domine Deus, Rex caelestis) from the Gloria of Messe IV, performed by
Olivier Latry on the 2003 Pasi organ at the Cathedral of St. Cecilia, Omaha, Nebraska, click here, then click on Part II.

Click on underlined movements to hear Charles-Maire Widor, Symphony No. 5, performed by Jane Parker-Smith on the 1987 Van de Heuvel organ of the Church of St-Eustache, Paris: Allegro vivace; Allegro cantabile; Andantino quasi allegretto; Adagio; Toccata (allegro).

Performance of Charles-Marie Widor, Symphony No. 5, by John Grew on the 1915/1999 Casavant organ of the Church of Très-St-Nom-de-Jésus, Montreal. [NML] (info)

Performance of Healey Willan, Passacaglia and Fugue No. 2, by Patrick Wedd on the 1915/1996 Casavant organ of the Church of St-Jean-Baptiste, Montreal. [NML] (info)



At their spring concert, Musica Orbium sang Zoltán Kodály, Missa brevis. To listen to Zoltán Kodály, Missa brevis, performed by the Pacific Chorale, conducted by Jon Alexander with Mary Preston playing the 2009 C.B. Fisk Opus 130 organ of the Segerstom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, CA., click here, then click on "0920 Hour 1," then hold button and slide to 16:36 (16 minutes and 36 seconds). (For introductory remarks by Jon Alexander, go to 15:12.)


The following performance of Cantata 37 is available for online listening to those with access to Naxos Music Library and the Classical Music Library, such as cardholders of the Bibliothèque nationale (Montreal). Check with your librarian. [NML] [CML] (info)


May 17, 2009

Anonymous, St. Peter, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, 13th c.

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
The Sixth Sunday of Easter

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar.



The postlude at Evensong this coming Sunday, May 17, will be Flötenstück by Martin Haselböck. Click to read about Martin Haselböck and listen to some of his organ playing.




2009 Commemoration: 200th Anniversary of the Death of Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)



Click to read about Joseph Haydn, Missa Cellensis, Hob. XXII/5, and listen to several versions.







On Tuesday, May 12, The Choir of Trinity Church Wall Street with the Rebel Baroque Orchestra, Eric Milnes conducting, performed a concert of Baroque Latin American sacred music. Click for the 32-paged programme with text and translations. Click for a bio of Eric Milnes. Click for the performance on video.



Click to listen to Cantata 158 performed by boy soprano: Christoph Wegmann (Soloist of the Tölzer Knabenchor); bass: Max van Egmond; Tölzer Knabenchor (Chorus Master: Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden) & Collegium Vocale Gent (Chorus Master: Philippe Herreweghe) / Leonhardt-Consort; Gustav Leonhardt conducting.



May 10, 2009


Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
The Fifth Sunday of Easter


Click to go immediately to:

1) The
Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar.

Evensong this coming Sunday, May 10, will feature music composed by Patrick Wedd (two anthems: The Throne of God [text] and A Song to the Lamb [text], as well the psalm tone) and Donald Hunt (Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis).

2009 Commemoration: The 250 aniversary of the death of George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Cannons, home of the 1st Duke of Chandos

Click read about George Frideric Handel, his residence at Cannons, home of James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, and the Chandos Anthems.

Click to go to George Frideric Handel, O Sing Unto The Lord (Chandos Anthem 4, HWV 249b), performed by Helen Boatwright, soprano; Charles Bressler, tenor; The Collegium Musicum of Rutgers University; Alfred Mann conducting.


Simon Cummings, the young British Composer, has posted a performance of Olivier Messiaen, Les Trois Petites Liturgies, on his blog to commemorate Messiaen's birthday on April 27: Performance by Fredrik Burstedt, violin; Christine Ott, ondes martenot; Martin Virin, celesta; Martin Sturfalt, piano; String Orchestra of the Royal College of Music, Stockholm; Women's Voices of the Katarina Chamber Chorus; Fable Percussion Quartet: Pontus Langendorf, Tomas Lindberg, Mikael Nilsson, Ulf Stromqvist; Hans Vainikainen conducting (Click here).

Click to go to the two previously posted performances (Bath Festival and L'Ensemble instrumental de Grenoble) as well as to read about this third performance and to download it.

Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Cantata 134, performed by alto: René Jacobs; tenor: Marius van Altena; Knabenchor Hannover (Chorus Master-Heinz Hennig) & Collegium Vocale Gent (Chorus Master-Philippe Herreweghe) / Leonhardt-Consort; Gustav Leonhardt conducting.

May 3, 2009

Eric Gill, The Good Shepherd, Tate Collection, London, 1926.

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes
The Fourth Sunday of Easter


Click to go immediately to:



3) The Concert Calendar.


Thomas Tomkins' My Shepherd is the Living Lord is the Communion motet for this coming Sunday, May 3. Click to read about Thomas Tomkins and listen to one, or possibly two, versions of the motet.



Worcester Cathedral where Tomkins served as organist.



Matthew Camidge (1774-1844) was organist of York Minster. Two movements of his concerto No. 2 are the organ voluntaries for Choral Eucharist this coming Sunday, May 3. To listen to another of his concerti, No. 6 in c, performed by Colin Wright on the 1769 Snetzler/1995 Wood organ of Beverley Minster, a Yorkshire church not far from York Minster, click here, then click on "807 Part II."
Beverley Minster Organ


Musica Orbium under the direction of Patrick Wedd is sponsoring a fundraising sing-along (lecteur à vue) of Antonio Vivaldi, Gloria in D, RV 589, at Christ Church Cathedral, on Saturday, May 2, at 6:30 pm. Admission $10. Scores available to borrow.

YouTube provides the opportunity to practice beforehand with a moving score. Click here
to check it out as well as listen to two performances, one, the recent recording on Analekta by Montreal's own Ensemble Caprice, directed by Matthias Maute, with Shannon Mercer, Josée LaLonde, Sophie Larivière, Monika Mauche, and Amanda Keesmaat.


2009 Commemoration: 200th anniversay of the birth of Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47)

Click to go Felix Mendelssohn, Psalm 115, Op. 31, performed by Eiddwen Harrhy, soprano; Hervé Lamy, tenor; Peter Kooy, bass; La Chapelle royale; Collegium vocale; Ensemble orchestral de Paris; Philippe Herreweghe conducting.

And for those with access to the Naxos Music Library (e.g., card-holders of the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec): A performance of Felix Mendelssohn, Psalm 115, op. 31, Michaela Krämer, soprano; Dirk Lüdemann, tenor; Bernhard Hüsgen, bass; Dortmund University Chamber Choir; Florilegium Musicum; Willi Gundlach conducting. [
NML] (info)


Click to go to Johann Sebastian Bach, Cantata 4, Christ Lag in Todesbanden / Christ lay in the bonds of death, performed by Soprano: Judith Nelson; Alto: Daniel Taylor; Tenor: Benjamin Butterfield; Bass: Kurt-Owen Richards; American Bach Soloists (no choir); Jeffrey Thomas conducting; Recorded at St. Stephen's Church, Belvedere, CA, USA.
Ugolino di Nerio, The Resurrection, National Gallery, London, c.1324-25