Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes: April 6, 2014

Illustrator of Petrus Comestor's Bible Historiale, Valley of Dried Bones, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague, 1372

Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel [Ezechiel 37:12].

Christ Church Cathedral Choir Notes

Fifth Sunday in Lent

Click to go immediately to:

1) The Music Programme Homepage

2) The Music Calendar for Choral Eucharist, Eucharistie chantée and Evensong

3) The Concert Calendar

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There is a distinctly Canadian connection to Musica Orbium’s uncoming concert, Sunday, April 6, 2014, at l’Eglise St-Pierre Apotre,1201, rue de la Visitation, Montreal, 7:30 pm. (Métro Beaudry)

In 1964, one year after his assassination, a memorial concert in honour of the slain president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. Herbert Howells, the undoubted doyen of English liturgical composition, had been commissioned to write a memorial anthem, Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing¸ and the renowned choir of men and boys of St George’s Anglican Cathedral of Kingston, Ontario, was invited to give the premiere performance. Musica Orbium will celebrate the 50th anniversary of this profound and moving piece, rich in choral textures.

Also to be performed is Howell’s reflective Requiem which he wrote in mourning for the death of his 9-year-old son Michael.

Add to this already rich fare, three celebrated motets by Charles Villiers Stanford as well as the vivid and colourful Mass in G Minor by the venerable Ralph Vaughan Williams, whose music had so influenced the young Howells.

Join Musica Orbium for a profound evening of virtuoso a cappella choral music, virtually never heard in Montreal. Click to buy tickets online.

By way of preparation, listen to free online performances:

Herbert Howells, Requiem, performance of The Hong Kong Bach Chamber Choir, Nicholas Cleobury conducting, [YouTube]

Herbert Howells, Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing, performance of The King’s College Choir, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury conducting. [musicMe] For text, click here, then scroll down and, under “details,” click on “English.” For programme notes, click here, and read lefthand column.

Charles Villiers Stanford, Justorum animae, performance of the St. John’s College Choir, Cambridge, Christopher Robinson conducting [Grooveshark] [text]

Charles Villiers Stanford, Beati quorum via, performance of The Sixteen, Harry Christophers conducting [musicMe] [text]

Charles Villiers Stanford, Coelos ascendit hodie, performance of the St. John’s College Choir, Cambridge, Christopher Robinson conducting [Grooveshark] [text]

Ralph Vaughan Williams, Mass in g minor, performance of the Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford, Stephen Darlington conducting [YouTube]

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Four of the organ voluntaries for this coming sunday are the work of Paul Hindemith.

Paul Hindemith aged 28

Click to read about Paul Hindemith and his compositions for the organ.

Paul Hindemith, Kammermusik nr. 7 op 46, 2 , concerto for organ and chamber orchestra

1) Nicht zu schnell 2) Sehr langsam und ganz ruhig 3) (Nicht bezeichnet),

performance by Albert de Klerk, organ, and the Concerto Amsterdam [YouTube]

Paul Hindemith, Sonata per organo n.1 (1937)

performance by Peter Hurford on the 1978 Rieger organ of Ratzeberg Cathedral [musicMe] or[YouTube: Part I: Mäßig schnell - Lebhaft; Part II: Sehr langsam - Phantasie, frei - Ruhig bewegt]

performance by Elisabeth Ullmann at the Flentrop organ, Brucknerhaus, Linz, Austria [musicMe]

Paul Hindemith, Sonata per organo n.2 (1937)

performance by Peter Hurford on the 1978 Rieger organ of Ratzeberg Cathedral: I. Lebhaft; II. Ruhig bewegt; III. Fuge. Mäßig bewegt, heiter [YouTube] or [MusicMe]

performance by Elisabeth Ullmann at the Flentrop organ, Brucknerhaus, Linz, Austria [musicMe]

Paul Hindemith, Sonata per organo n.3 "über alter Volkslieder" (1940)

performance by Peter Hurford on the 1978 Rieger organ of Ratzeberg Cathedral: I. "Ach Gott, wem soll ich's klagen" - Langsam; II. "Wach auf, mein Hort;"

III. "So wünsch ich dir" [YouTube] or [musicMe]

performance by Elisabeth Ullmann at the Flentrop organ, Brucknerhaus, Linz, Austria [musicMe]

Paul Hindemith, Concerto for organ and orchestra (1962)

performance by Martin Haselböck, organ, and the Vienna Symphony directed by Raphael Frühbeck de Burgos [YouTube: Part I: I. Crescendo - Moderato Maestoso; II. Allegro assai;Part II: III. Canzonetta in triads and two Ritornelli - Moderato; Part III: IV. Fantasy on "Veni Creator Spiritus"

Performance by Anton Heiler, organ; and the ORF Symphonieorchester, Milan Horvat conducting [musicMe]

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