I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes - Howard Boatwright
Psalm 117 - Brian Israel
Suite Gothique - Leon Boellmann
Bob Chilcott (b.1955) is an active composer and conductor
Chilcott began his involvement in choral music as a chorister at King’s
College, Cambridge. He later went on to be named Choral Scholar and then to
sing with and compose for the King’s Singers. Chilcott left the King’s Singers
in 1997 to pursue a career as a full time composer. Among his compositions are
several commissioned works including The
Angry Planet which was commissioned for the BBC Proms and was premiered on
August 5, 2012. Since 2002 Chilcott has served as Principal Guest Conductor of
the BBC Singers and continues to remain active as a clinician throughout the
world.
The Requiem was
commissioned by the Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas in honor
of Cynthia Cole Finley and The Oxford Bach Choir. The UK premiere took place at
the Sheldonian Theatre on March 13, 2010. The US premiere followed on March 21.
Although the Requiem is a
commissioned work it bears the dedication “In
loving memory of Samantha Verschueren (1985-2009),” the composer’s niece
who died while the composer was writing the piece. The composition combines the
traditional text of the Latin Mass for the Dead with sentences from the funeral
service in the Book of Common Prayer.
Noticeably absent from the composition is the Dies Irae section making for a more contemplative and reflective
work that provides comfort and peace for both performer and listener.
Chilcott taps into the human side of the Latin texts for an
intimate work that honors those who have died and consoles those of us that
have been left behind. The work in seven movements opens with a quiet Introit and Kyrie reminiscent of the
Durufle and Faure Requiems. It then moves from a fiery Offertorio to a simple and beautiful Pie Jesu featuring the soprano soloist. The dance like Sanctus is a sharp contrast to the quiet
tenor solo of the Agnus Dei. The only
movement of the piece in English, Thou Knowest,
Lord paints a beautiful picture with a text from The Book of Common Prayer which opens with a fervent cry and then
moves into a quiet plea. The work closes just as it opened with a simple and
peaceful Lux Aeterna which closes
with a final appeal for “rest eternal.”
The prelude and postlude by Leon Boëllmann (1862-1897) are
taken from his Op. 25 Suite Gothique.
Boëllmann was educated at L'École Niedermeyer where he studied piano, organ,
composition, and counterpoint. After graduating he was hired as substitute organist
at St. Vincent-de-Paul. After six years he was named organist titulare, a position he held until his death. The Suite Gothique is perhaps his most well-known
composition. The work opens with a Chorale
played on full organ followed by a Menuet
Gothique. The prelude for this week is the third movement, Prière à Notre-Dame, a beautiful soft
movement played on the string and flute stops of the organ. The final movement
and this week’s postlude is the fiery Toccata.
The piece opens with running sixteenth notes in the right hand accented by
chords on the beat in the left hand. The theme is then introduced in the pedal.
This theme sounds like something out of an old black and white horror film
(perfect for the Sunday following Halloween) the movement begins to build and
concludes with four crashing chords played on full organ.
Howard Boatwright (1918-1999) was well known as a violinist,
composer and professor. Born in Newport News, Virginia, he played a New York
debut recital on violin and the age of 24 and subsequently joined the faculty
of the University of Texas and then went to Yale University to study composition
with Paul Hindemith. After receiving his master’s degree at Yale, he taught at
Yale for many years and was also a conductor of the Yale Symphony,
concertmaster of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, and first violinist of the
Yale String Quartet. In 1964 he became Dean of the Syracuse University School
of Music and remained there until he retired from teaching in 1988. He is well
remembered as the author of several books on music theory. Howard and his wife,
the well-known soprano Helen Boatwright, were long-time members of St. David’s
Church.
As with much of Boatwright's choral music, this is likely a
product of his time in New Haven. The piece is for SSATB choir a cappella. The
piece opens with imitative entrances on the text "I will lift up mine
eyes" before coming together on "unto the hills." Another
imitative phrase leads us into the B section. This section features the men in
unison on the melody with the ladies floating above in three part harmony. For
me this is reminiscent of Mendelssohn's setting of this text in Elijah for a
ladies trio. It is possible that Boatwright had this in the back of his mind
but who can say. The imitation comes back and the piece closes with a quiet but
initially unsettling Amen. The piece is very specific in its musical direction
and the demands on the singers. It is a beautiful piece that I have grown to
love.
Brian Israel (1951-1986) was a faculty member as the
Syracuse University School of Music from 1975-1986 and a noted composer of
symphonies, chamber, choral and solo works. Born in the Bronx, New York, he
received his MFA and DMA from Cornell University. His final work, Symphony No.
6 for soprano, baritone, and orchestra was premiered three days before his
death. St. David’s member Donna Miller was the soprano soloist from this
premiere. Brian had many friends at St. David’s; his works were often performed
by Donna Miller and James Shults. Today’s work was commissioned by St. David’s
Church and first performed at the Church the Sunday following his death and
again at his Memorial Service. Brian was married to Christine Day, a priest in the
Episcopal Diocese of Central New York. His ashes are interred in St. David’s
Memorial Garden.
Notes on Howard Boatwright and Brian Israel provided by
James Shults.
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