TrulyGrace

Heinz Chapel Choir Winter Concert 2008

After the first part of the afternoon at work, Joe, Tina, Don, and I enjoyed the Heinz Chapel Choir's faculty concert: Music for the 2008 Holiday Season late this afternoon. The music was predominantly choral music from around the world, mostly European, and directed by John Goldsmith.

The program consisted of:

Prelude--Vivace, Grave, Pastorale (Corelli) by the Hilal String Quartet, four siblings who are middle-school-aged talented players.

Choral (from the loft)
O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Medieval Chant, arr. Goldsmith)
Bogoroditse Djevo (Estonian, Part)
Ave Maria (Latvian, Dubra) solo: Chad Slyman
The Shepard's Carol (English, Chilcott)

Choir and Audience
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Organ Interlude (Steven Anisko)
Desseins Eternals (La Nativite du Seigneur) (Messiaen)

Choir (from the side aisles, lit by lantern light)
Jesus, the Light of the World (American folk hymn, arr. G.D. Elderkin)
Hymn to Mary (Icelandic, Sigurbjornsson) Solo: Alyssa Thatcher
O Filii et Filiae (German, Leising/Quaid & Leninger
Carol of the Bells (Ukrainian, Leontovich/ Wilhousky)

Choir and Audience
Silent Night

Choir (from the altar)
Jesus Christ, The Apple Tree (English, Poston) Solo: Jane Henkels
The Gift to Be Simple (trad. Shaker tune, arr. Chilcott)
Fum, fum, fum (Spanish, arr. Mechem)
Oy, v Yerusalem (Russian, sung in Ukrainian, Yatsynevich)
Ocho Kandelikas (Yugoslavian, arr. J. Jacobsen) Instruments: Nicholas Fleury & Leigh Anne Miguelez
Christmas Time Is Here (V. Guaraldi/Snyder/Goldsmith)
Santa Claus is Coming to Town (LTVC)
Mary Had a Baby (Spritual, arr. C. Courtney) Solo: Sarah Ivins

Choir and Audience
Joy to the World

Organ Postlude
Toccata in F (Buxtehude)



The program was thoroughly enjoyable, and this morning I was pleased to indicate to Evan, my current student from the Bass I section, that I was attending this evening's concert with my friends after he emailed me a reminder of the concert tonight.

The German/Latin "Sons and Daughters" piece was familiar, but set for echoing with this year's large choir. Alyssa Thatcher's voice was particularly beautiful and haunting in the "Hymn to Mary." The traditional Shaker tune ("Lord of the Dance") was lovely. "Ocho Kandelikas" had Ms. Miguelez handing off her French horn and scatting the horn parts, particularly interesting and humoresque. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" found Mr. Goldsmith wagging his finger at audience members at appropriate times in the piece.

~~~

Dinner was hearty at Joe and Tina's place, with mixed green salad with tomatoes; lentil, sausage, and tomato soup with whole wheat bagels; vanilla ice cream with raspberry and chocolate; and decaf coffee. Dinner conversation spanned various topics political and liturgical, but ended with a short, requested lecture by Don of the inner workings of a pipe organ. I asked if my statement this summer to Miranda and Benny that "[Ken] is like the conductor of an orchestra who is playing all the instruments at the same time that he's conducting" rang true. Don indicated that was so. We all enjoyed the discussion, and bid farewell to each other announcing that the Heinz Choir Concert is a great, annual introduction to the holiday season.

Labels: Choir, Christmas, Pittsburgh, seasons, singing, St. Paul Cathedral, student, work

posted by Grace @ 11/25/2008 09:28:00 PM