Full Review - Drury University

Contents
10
20
00
32
Articles
by Jill Burleson
20 ACDA International Archives for Choral Music:
Past, Present, and Future
by Marvin Latimer and Christina Prucha
32 An Interview with Robert Page
by Scott Hochstetler
Columns
Choral R&S in the Two-Year College: Part 1 ACDA and R&S in 1968
by Paul Laprade
Vocal Transformation of the Secondary School Singer: the Choral Director as Vocal Coach
by Christine C. Bass
Celebrating the Music of G.F. Handel with Middle School/Junior High Choirs
by Marbeth Yoder-White and Tom Shelton
65 Learning Choral History from the ACDA Archives ACDA Archives: Up and Running!
81 Choral Reviews edited by Lyn Schenbeck
8
From the Editor
67
Career Moves
72
In Memoriam
74
Knowing Your ACDA Web site
88
Index of Articles for Volume 49
96
Advertisers’ Index
Advertisers Index
Annual dues (includes subscription to the Choral
Journal): Active $85, Industry $135, Institutional $110,
Retired $45, and Student $35. One-year membership begins on date of dues acceptance. Library
annual subscription rates: U.S. $45; Canada $50;
Foreign Surface $53; Foreign Air $85. Single Copy
$3; Back Issues $4.
55 Repertoire & Standards Articles
75 Compact Disc Reviews edited by Lawrence Schenbeck
From the Executive Director
From the President
The Choral Journal is the official publication of The
American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).
ACDA is a nonprofit professional organization of
choral directors from schools, colleges, and universities; community, church, and professional choral
ensembles; and industry and institutional organizations. Choral Journal circulation: 19,000.
42 Dona Nobis Pacem:Vaughan Williams’s Federalist Manifesto
by Jonathan Krinke and Ryan Sullivan
2
6
128
by Mark Munson
69 Student Times Investing in our Future: A Student-Centered Convention
42
Inside
10 Villa-Lobos's Música Sacra
by Christina Prucha
June/July 2009
Vol. 49 • no 12
Permission is granted to all ACDA members to
reproduce articles from the Choral Journal for
noncommercial, educational purposes only. Nonmembers wishing to reproduce articles may request
permission by writing to ACDA.The Choral Journal
is supported in part by a grant from the National
Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. © 2007
by the American Choral Directors
Association,
545 Couch Drive, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102.
Telephone: 405/232-8161. All rights reserved.
The Choral Journal (US ISSN 0009-5028) is issued
monthly. Printed in the United States of America. Periodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,
and additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to Choral Journal, P.O. Box 2720,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73101-2720.
Cover art by Efrain Guerrero, graphic artist, Austin, Texas.
Inside art by Tammy Brummell.
Musical examples by Tunesmith Music <www.Tunesmithmusic.com>.
National Officers
President
Hilary Apfelstadt
The Ohio State University
614/292-9926 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Vice-president
Michele Holt
Providence College
401/822-1030 (voice)
<[email protected]>
President-elect
Jerry McCoy
University of North Texas
940/369-8389 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Treasurer
Julie Morgan
Arkansas Tech University
479/968-0332 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Executive Director
Tim Sharp
405/232-8161 (voice); 405/232-8162 (fax)
<[email protected]>
Central Division President
Pearl Shangkuan
Calvin College
616/526-6519 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Eastern Division President
Lynn Drafall
Pennsylvania State University
814/863-4219 (voice)
<[email protected]>
North Central Division President
Kevin Meidl
920/8324170 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Northwestern Division President
Richard Nance
Pacific Lutheran University
253/535-7613 (voice)
<[email protected]@msn.com>
Southern Division President
David Castleberry
Marshall University
304/696-3127(voice)
<[email protected]>
Southwestern Division President
Galen Darrough
University of Northern Colorado
970/351-2290 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Western Division President
Dean Semple
559/539-7927 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Industry Associate Representative
Alec Harris
GIA Publications Inc.
708/496-3800 (voice); 708/496-3828 (fax)
Chair, Past Presidents’ Council
Mitzi Groom
Western Kentucky University
270/745-3751 (voice); 270/745-6855 (fax)
<[email protected]>
National Past Presidents
Archie Jones †
Elwood Keister †
Warner Imig †
J. Clark Rhodes †
Harold A. Decker †
Theron Kirk †
Charles C. Hirt †
Morris D. Hayes †
Russell Mathis
Walter S. Collins †
H. Royce Saltzman
Colleen Kirk †
Maurice T. Casey
Hugh Sanders †
David O. Thorsen
Diana J. Leland
William B. Hatcher
John B. Haberlen
Lynn Whitten †
James A. Moore
Milburn Price
David Stutzenberger
From the
Executive Director
Although membership in the American Choral
Directors Association is a fundamental tool of the
trade and professional necessity for the choral director, teacher, researcher, and industry affiliate, we
know we coexist with other outstanding professional associations. In fact, many of our members
are members of at least one additional related
organization listed below.
For example, I display, with pride, my affiliation
with the National Association of Teachers of Singing,
Tim Sharp
and I conduct a civic choral society that has been a
member of Chorus America since 1991. Many of us
have participated enthusiastically with Music Educators National Conference
sponsored all-state chorus events, and those of us that work in faith-based
settings are very likely to be active in the American Guild of Organists or in
our denomination’s sacred music association.
It is within the mission of the American Choral Directors Association to be
actively supportive and collaborative with these organizations, and over the
course of the last few months, I have worked to solidify our relationship with
these organizations, and will continue to do so. It is too early in this process
to be able to make major collaborative announcements, but you should know
that dialogue has begun, and will continue, as we discover new ways ACDA
can bring the benefits and synergy of collaboration to our membership, and
to contribute to the strength of our affiliated associations and choral music
education and performance.
Music Educators National Conference
ACDA has not yet established a relationship on the national level with
MENC, but many of our state chapters are working together with state
MENC chapters on shared goals and events. For years, ACDA members have
served as conductors for various state MENC all-state choirs and MENC
events, and continue to do so on a regular basis. It has been my joy to serve
in this capacity, and ACDA celebrates the excitement and invigoration MENC
brings to choral performance through this and other state choral activities.
Many of our members share affiliation in both organizations, and new avenues
of collaboration between the two associations is a natural fit.
Music Teachers National Association
ACDA and MTNA have a long history of collaboration, since ACDA actually began at an MTNA national conference in 1959. At our recent fiftieth
Anniversary national conference, MTNA acknowledged this relationship with
the following words from MTNA Executive Director Gary Ingle:
Dear Tim and ACDA Colleagues:
[I] want to celebrate with you these 50 years. Since 1959, the mis-
sions of ACDA and MTNA have been intertwined.
And I am confident we will continue to work with
and for each other through decades to come. And
in doing so, we will more effectively foster and
promote the development of musical culture, especially choral singing and music study, throughout the
United States and beyond.
International Federation for Choral Music
ACDA is a founding member of IFCM, and continues
this strong relationship. As ACDA’s Executive Director, I
represent ACDA to IFCM, and IFCM to ACDA by sitting
on the Leadership Board. In addition, other ACDA leaders serve in IFCM leadership positions. IFCM’s President
Lupwishi attended our national conference in Oklahoma
City, and has pursued a strong relationship with ACDA
leadership. ACDA supported IFCM with complementary
workshops and exhibit space at our national conference,
and is an avid support of the World Choral Symposium
sponsored by IFCM. ACDA further supports IFCM’s Musica
initiative, contributing annually to this international choral
music data base, with plans for further advancement of this
important research tool. New collaborations decided at the
recent IFCM Leadership Board Meeting in Namur, Belgium,
include the forthcoming listing of IFCM events in the Choral
Journal to be written by Diana Leland, Bruce Becker, and
Philip Brunelle, the investigation of ACDA future support
of the World Youth Forum, and ACDA’s possible assistance
with IFCM programs such as Conductors Without Borders.
Other programs ACDA will continue to support, include
Songbridge, World Youth Choir, the World Day of Choral
Singing, the International Choral Bulletin, and African Children Sing, and the World Choral Symposium.
Americans for the Arts
The American Choral Directors Association is a national
co-sponsor for Americans for the Arts.This relationship has
already resulted in the offering of membership (free) to
members of ACDA in the Arts Action Fund. As our agency
in Washington, D.C., for arts advocacy, Americans for the
Arts offers tools and programs to advance arts advocacy
in the United States. The benefit of ACDA’s collaboration
has been evident in tools published in Choral Journal, recent
legislation that we rallied to support that boosted funding
for the National Endowment for the Arts, and ACDA’s
participation in Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.
Through the work of Americans for the Arts, ACDA is
able to move into action for our adopted Arts Advocacy
Resolution, and I am able to talk directly to decision and
policy makers in Washington. ACDA benefits from the
ongoing support and connection with Arts Action Fund
Executive Director’s Log
May 1 5 - Chorister’s Guild
1 6 Executive Board
Atlanta, Ga
May 1 7- ACDA Executive Committee
2 0 Oklahoma City, OK
May 2 3 - Technology Retreat
2 6 Seaside, Florida
May 31Jun 3
ACDA
2011 National Conference
Steering Committee
Chicago, IL
Jun 1013
Chorus America Conference
Philadelphia, PA
Jun 2527
ACDA National
Leadership Board
Oklahoma City, OK
Jun 27
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Performance
Norman, OK
Jul
712
Choral Festival
Wernigerode, Germany
Jul
1415
Nebraska ACDA
Summer Conference
Crete, NE
continued on next page
From the Executive
Director
cont.
American Guild of Organists
Discussions have begun at our division level toward
AGO and ACDA collaboration related to interest sessions
at each other’s conferences. Some of our members are acNational Association of Teachers of Singing
tive both in AGO and ACDA, and it is apparent that interest
ACDA’s relationship with NATS includes a reciprocal sessions at our conferences could benefit by the offering
agreement for ad placement in our respective journals, of educational sessions that overlap common interests and
an exchange agreement for national leadership represen- skills.
tation at national conferences, and a reciprocal journal
subscription agreement. ACDA members benefit from
Chorus America
the pedagogical resources offered to the readers of Choral
Journal through Sharon Hansen’s regular Choral Journal
ACDA is pleased to announce that our Eastern Division
articles, “On the Voice.” Sharon bridges the world of the ACDA Conference in Philadelphia on February 10–13,
choral director and the singing teacher by utilizing the best 2010, includes a collaborative presentation with Chorus
of writers and researchers from the NATS community in America. This collaboration allows both organizations to
her regular column. This was in full evidence in the Choral work together for the benefit of our membership. In this
Journal focus issue recently edited by Sharon and devoted collaboration, participating choirs will have the opportuto vocal pedagogy. And again, here are words from NATS nity to hear other choirs, take part in a vocal workshop
Executive Director Allen Henderson delivered at our Na- with clinician Kimberly Steinhauer, and also participate
tional Conference in Oklahoma City:
in roundtable discussions. This celebration of community
has been designed as a one-day event in order to make
NATS and ACDA share a common focus: excelit possible for community choir members to participate.
lence in singing. We also share members who serve
Choirs and choir members also have the option of staying
in dual roles as choral and voice professionals in a
in Philadelphia for the Saturday night reception and concert
wide range of settings. With new executive leaderwith “Singing City.” Additional areas of ACDA collaboration
ship in both our organizations and the continued
with Chorus America include the trading of ad space in the
strength of our elected leadership we look forward
publications of both organizations, the trading of exhibit
to a future of strengthening our collective efforts
space at conferences, and the hope of future conference
to serve our professions and most significantly our
collaborations.
singers.
director Theresa Cameron, and Americans for the Arts
CEO Robert Lynch.
ChoralNet
The American Choral Directors Association is a financial
supporter of ChoralNet, and we regularly link articles and
information between our two Web sites. ACDA is proud
to be listed as one of the published sponsors of ChoralNet,
and we have recently sought new ways to collaborate with
our online initiatives. ChoralNet held meetings this year at
the ACDA national conference in Oklahoma City as they
continue to develop their Web redesign, and both entities
share several key personnel in the development of our
technological benefits to members and users. While both
ACDA and ChoralNet offer some overlapping Web site
information, we are aware of areas where there is no need
to duplicate services. ACDA applauds ChoralNet’s openness and equal access for all users.
4
Interkultur
Interkultur has been active for a long time in Europe and
Asia, known particularly for the offering of festivals such
as the World Choir Games. These festival events engage
hundreds of choirs annually, worldwide, in days of adjudication and performance. ACDA hosted the meeting of the
Honorary Advisory Council of Interkultur at the recent
National Conference in Oklahoma City, and is participating in ongoing conversations about festival opportunities
with ACDA partnership in the United States and North
America.
Church Music Publishers Association
ACDA recently had the opportunity to support the
conference work of the Church Music Publishers AssociaChoral Journal • June/July 2009
tion and is pleased to offer institutional membership to
these industry partners. I am particularly pleased with this
relationship as developed by CMPA President Steven Bock.
Choristers Guild
Throughout my choral career, I have been the beneficiary of the publications and tools that have come from
the work of Choristers Guild. I venture to say that many of
our choral libraries have a healthy representation from this
wonderful organization dedicated to children’s choirs. We
share members who are active in both organizations and
passionately dedicated to making good music with children.
I have met with the Executive Board of Chorister’s Guild
as we together investigate how ACDA can further the
mission of engaging children in a choral experience, and it
will be my pleasure to continue to work with CG on this
common goal.
••••••••••••
Our relationship with these associations and organizations is in its infancy in most situations, although it is my goal
to see collaborations continue to grow and mature. Every
organization has its own mission and goals, but whenever
and wherever that mission and those goals overlap the
purpose of the American Choral Directors Association,
we want to use our resources to intensify that relationship,
create opportunities and benefits for our members, and
advance artistic initiatives.
This should not be restricted to the national ACDA level,
however. ACDA’s state and division chapters can reach out
to other groups in order to share resources and intensify
the power of overlapping goals. It should be acknowledged
that revenue streams will always be of concern and a matter to be protected, but the willingness to navigate those
inevitable issues can be the beginning to breakthroughs in
synergy for cooperating groups.
Perhaps we have all tried it alone long enough to get
where we are today, and the growth that we all desire could
be the result of a new level of cooperation and collaboration. The American Choral Directors Association moves
forward with arms reaching out.
Tim Sharp
Jul
1617
Conducting Conference
Louisville, KY
Jul
1920
ACDA Technology
Comittee Meeting
Seattle, WA
Jul
2223
Washington ACDA
Summer Conference
Seattle, WA
Jul
2425
Church Music Georgia
Atlanta, Ga
Jul
2931
Tex as Choral Directors
Association (TCDA)
San Antonio, TX
Aug 45
Minnesota ACDA
Summer Conference
Moorhead, MN
Witloof Bay pop/jazz choral a cappella from Belgium
Brilliant Journey by the Taipei Male Choir
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
Arts with the Brain in Mind by Eric Jensen
Barack, Inc. by Rick Faulk
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
5
National R&S Chairs
National Chair
Nancy Cox
580/482-2364 (voice); 580/482-1990 (fax)
<[email protected]>
Boychoirs
Julian Ackerley
Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus
520/296-6277 (voice); 520/296-6751 (fax)
<[email protected]>
Children’s Choirs
Robyn Lana
Cincinnati Children’s Choir
513/556-0338 (voice); 513/556-9988 (fax)
<[email protected]>
College and University Choirs
William McConnell
St. Andrews Presbyterian College
910/277-5263 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Community Choirs
W. Robert Johnson
301/654-3380 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Ethnic and Multicultural Perspectives
Sharon Davis Gratto
University of Dayton
973/229-3946 (voice); 937/229-3916 (fax)
<[email protected]>
Junior High/Middle School
Tom Shelton
First Presbyterian Church—Greensboro
336/478-4713
<[email protected]>
Male Choirs
Frank Albinder
202/986-5867 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Music in Worship
Paul A. Aitken
Boise First United Methodist Church
208/343-7511 (voice); 208/343-0000 (fax)
<[email protected]>
Senior High Choirs
Amy Johnston Blosser
Bexley High School
614/539-5262 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Show Choirs
Ken Thomas
Enterprise-Ozark Community College
334/347-2623 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Two-Year Colleges
Paul Laprade
Rock Valley College
815/921-3347 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Vocal Jazz
Kirk Marcy
Edmonds Community College
425/640-1651 (voice); 425/640-1083 (fax)
<[email protected]>
Women’s Choirs
Debra Spurgeon
University of Mississippi
662/513-6635 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Youth and Student Activities
Jeffrey Carter
Webster University
765/760-3812 (voice)
<[email protected]>
From the President
Greetings, choral colleagues,
As the time to write this last column approached, I facetiously thought of simply saying in some manner the following: “thank you;
good luck to my successor; the end,” the latter
even in several languages. Isn’t that the typical
tri-part exit speech? Final speeches frequently
contain acknowledgements of gratitude, good
Hilary Apfelstadt
wishes for the future, and a statement of closure. So as not to disappoint you, here it is (and
a bit more).
Thanks to our membership for reading these columns. A number of you
have indicated that you peruse these and in some cases, have used them for
discussion purposes with classes, for example. For that I am grateful because
it means they served their purpose of making readers think. All leaders
have some kind of agenda that is apparent in their writing and speaking.
My agenda was (and is) multifaceted. Originally, I thought it would be to
broaden ACDA’s activities and outreach beyond the conference model. It
would take more than the two years of my term, but the impetus could be
accomplished during that time. Three weeks into my presidency, however,
Gene Brooks died, thrusting me into a new agenda: helping steer ACDA
into new territory with another Executive Director. With the counsel of
my colleagues on the Executive Committee and some of our past presidents, we hired Jerry Warren as Interim Executive Director and began a
search for a permanent replacement. It was an intense and busy time. Jerry
accomplished a great deal in terms of stabilizing our staff and moving us
forward in what could have been a time of inertia; thanks to him, that did
not happen. He functioned as the Executive Director, and that was exactly
what we needed at the time.
The search committee interviewed candidates and invited Tim Sharp to
become our permanent Executive Director on a four-year contract. In his
first season, he has overseen the national conference in Oklahoma City; he
has made essential connections at local, regional, national, and international
levels; he has re-energized the staff and the membership. We have a new
Web site; we have new initiatives galore; we have an exciting future ahead.
Thanks to Tim Sharp for his visionary and energetic leadership.
Thanks to all these colleagues in leadership: Jerry Warren,Tim Sharp and
the Executive Committee colleagues—Mitzi Groom, Michele Holt, Jerry McCoy, Julie Morgan, and Jo Michael Scheibe.These leaders make immeasurable
contributions to this organization and are a constant source of inspiration.
Even as membership rotates on the Executive Committee with people’s
terms ending and beginning, the constancy of fervor for ACDA continues.
Thanks to the officers on the National Board who are devoted to the
betterment of ACDA and volunteer their time to produce events and ideas
that benefit the membership. At every level of the organization, we are
blessed by people who give their time selflessly. In the last two years, it has
been my good fortune to visit a number of states, participating in summer
conferences and other events; at each of these, the local leaders and their
passion for choral music have impressed me. Thanks to each of you
at the division and state levels, for taking time to work for ACDA.
Thanks to the staff at the national office, each one who makes a
distinct contribution to the success of our daily operations. They are
supportive, energetic and dedicated individuals.They have been very
helpful to me personally and have facilitated my role as president.
As my agenda evolved, it was clear to me how important each of
these people in ACDA was to our time of transition. Now we are
somewhat stabilized and, on July 1, Jerry McCoy will assume the office of national president. He is a passionate musician whose fervor
will lead us forward into the future. He is particularly interested in
international initiatives, and I know that he will pursue his presidential
agenda with great focus.
My sense is that ACDA is on the cusp of maturity as an organization.
Fifty years of existence entitles us to maturity, of course; a fifty-year
old person is surely considered mature! A fifty-year-old organization is also mature, especially one with such a rich history, but we
are now poised to make our mark in yet more compelling ways. By
collaborating with like organizations, for example, we will develop an
even stronger voice for advocacy.Through our publications, our Web
site, our events and projects, but mostly through our membership,
we represent the importance of choral music in the world.These are
truly exciting times for us as an organization. It is essential that we
work with our choral colleagues to raise the profile and impact of
ACDA throughout the world.
While it may be the end of my column-writing career, and the end
of my presidency, it is definitely not the end of my passion for choral
music, for choral education, or for ACDA’s role in promoting both.
In the next four years, as a member of the Executive Committee, I
will continue to both serve and also to benefit from this organization. As an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, I
joined the student chapter because one of my professors mandated
it. He wanted us to read the Choral Journal and to begin to grasp the
importance of professional memberships. As a graduate student at
the University of Illinois, I attended a national conference in St. Louis
in 1975, because Harold Decker, then Director of Choral Activities,
informed the conducting students that we must attend. ACDA is the
home of my best choral colleagues, the root of enormous learning that
affects me in my daily work, and a professional lifeline. It has nurtured
choirs under my direction; it has inspired my students; it has provided
food for thought for teaching and for self-reflection. Thanks, ACDA,
for what you have given me. It is a privilege to serve, and a great personal and professional honor to have been national president. Finally,
thanks to my supportive husband, Mike, a non-musician who reads
these columns every month as soon the Choral Journal arrives in the
mail, and patiently supports every minute of ACDA time.
(The End)
Hilary Apfelstadt
Affiliated
Organizations
Indiana
Choral Directors Association
President - Mary Rinck-Evers
7746 North Michigan Road
Fairland, Indiana 46126
Treasurer - Paula J. Alles
1471 Altmeyer Rd
Jasper, IN 47546
Iowa
Choral Directors Association
President - Matt E. Huth
655 SE University
Waukee, IA 50263
Secretary/Treasurer - Joleen Nelson Woods
209 Oak Ridge Dr
Mount Vernon, IA 52314
American Choral Directors
Association Of Minnesota
President - Judy Sagen
6200 140th Street W
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Financial Chair - Charles Hellie
306 North Elm
Sauk Centre, MN 56378
Montana
Choral Directors Association
President - Janet Fox
702 N Terry Avenue
Hardin, MT 59034
Treasurer - Scott Corey
425 Grand Ave
Billings, MT 59101
Nebraska
Choral Directors Association
President - Rhonda Fuelberth
108 Westbrook Music Building
Lincoln, NE 68588
Treasurer - Tamara Loftis
25153 Co Rd 28
Arlington, NE 68002
Ohio
Choral Directors Association
President - Gayle Walker
573 Peach Street
Westerville, OH 43082
Treasurer - Kent Vandock
8192 County Road D
Delta, OH 43515
Texas
Choral Directors Association
President - Robert Horton
25518 Glen Loch Drive
Spring, Texas 77380
Treasurer - Janwin Overstreet-Goode
1406 Frontier Lane
Friendswood, TX 77546
Wisconsin
Choral Directors Association
President - James Kinchen, Jr.
P. O. Box 81471
Racine, WI 53408
Treasurer - Jim Aagaard
UW—Richland
1200 Highway 14 West
Richland Center, WI 53581
Editorial Board
Editor
Carroll Gonzo
University of St.Thomas
651/962-5832 (voice); 651/962-5876 (fax)
<[email protected]>
Managing Editor
Ron Granger
ACDA National Office
405/232-8161 (voice); 405/232-8162 (fax)
<[email protected]>
Editorial Associate
David Stocker
281/291-8194 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Patricia Abbott
Assn. of Canadian Choral Conductors
514/351-4865 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Terry Barham
Emporia State University
620/341-5436 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Richard J. Bloesch
319/351-3497 (voice)
<[email protected]>
John Dickson
Mercer University
478/301-5639
<[email protected]>
J. Michele Edwards
651/699-1077 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Lynne Gackle
University of South Florida
813/909-1099 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Sharon A. Hansen
University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee
414/229-4595 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Edward Lundergan
SUNY-New Paltz
845/257-2715
<[email protected]>
Donald Oglesby
University of Miami
305/284-4162 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Lawrence Schenbeck
Spelman College
404/270-5482 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Lyn Schenbeck
Coweta County Schools
770/683-6837 (voice)
<[email protected]>
Ann R. Small
Stetson University
386/822-8976
<[email protected]>
Magen Solomon
University of Southern California
213/740-3225
<[email protected]>
Stephen Town
Northwest Missouri State University
660/562-1795 (voice)
<[email protected]>
From the Editor
In This Issue
The Choral Journal editorial board held its annual
meeting at the ACDA National Convention in Oklahoma City. Rather than review the past two years of
the board’s work, the meeting focused on the future of
the Choral Journal in the twenty-first century.The board
was not bound by a prescribed agenda, but was encouraged to think creatively with the view that the Journal
can always be improved, ergo, better. In that context, a
lively discussion ensued, lasting nearly six hours.
Carroll Gonzo
By mutual consent, it was decided to look at each
column to determine whether it was still relevant, was
its content and mission still beneficial, and what could be changed. In this issue, the
“Book and CD Reviews” columns are discussed. Regarding the “Book Reviews” column
it was decided to:
• Consider special education needs, e.g., sight-impaired ACDA members;
• Explain in the forward of the column the criteria for reviewing a book; and
• In addition to the current reviewers, encourage other members to be reviewers,
especially our younger colleagues.
CD Reviews Column
• Consider changing the title of the column to “Recorded Sound,“ thereby allowing
other forms of recorded music to be reviewed;
• When available, the editor would provide Web site links containing more information
about the CD under review;
• Include Web site links to hear the reviewed CD;
• When possible, mention other CDs that contain the same performances;
• Explain, in the forward of the column, the criteria for reviewing a CD; and
• In addition to the current reviewers, encourage other ACDA members to be reviewers, especially our younger colleagues.
• • • • • • • •
Looking Ahead to 2010
The Research and Publications Committee Organizational History Sub-committee
will institute a quarterly Choral Journal column (January 2010) devoted to bringing to
light various under-researched documents and artifacts housed in the ACDA International Archives for Choral Music.The purpose of the column will be to give an overview
of what is available in the archives, perhaps by section or collection. The intention is,
to place focus first on the archival collection and, as a result, on historical topics those
materials might support.
It would not be the goal of the column to research particular topics, but to present overviews of data. The sub-committee would likely include scans of documents,
photographs, musical scores, and other artwork to enhance the published appearance
of the column.
Carroll Gonzo
February 27, 2009
Dr. Timothy Sharp, Executive Director
American Choral Directors Association
545 Couch Drive
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-2207
Dear Tim and ACDA Colleagues:
The prolific writer of several important musical treatises, Homer Ulrich, is best known to all of us who are devoted to
the choral art for his important 1973 book, A Survey of Choral Music. What is lesser known is that three years later, in 1976,
he completed A Centennial History of Music Teachers National Association. A devoted member of MTNA, Ulrich wrote the
extensive account of the first hundred years of MTNA as a token of appreciation to the many members, past and present,
who contributed to the success of the association during that first century.
In his description of the 1959 MTNA National Conference, he wrote: “The MTNA meeting of the eighty-third year took
place in Kansas City on February 24 to 28, 1959, under President [Duane] Haskell…. The number of musical events, thirtyseven, showed an increase over other years, and a greater emphasis on ensemble performance. Three orchestras, eight choirs,
ten chamber-music groups, fourteen recitalists…. and two opera groups were programmed… a glance at the program reveals
that choral singing (emphasis mine) and twentieth-century music were strongly represented at the 1959 convention.” (p. 79)
What he failed to mention specifically but alluded to in his conference summary was the event we are celebrating this
year in Oklahoma City. For, at that MTNA conference in 1959, thirty five choral conductors from all across the United States
convened in Kansas City to create the American Choral Directors Association. And the rest, as they say, is history…and a
grand history at that.
I am indebted to my mentor, doctoral advisor, and friend, ACDA Past-President Milburn Price for bringing the MTNAACDA connection to light. During his presidency, he called to pass on this information, which had been somewhat forgotten
over the intervening years, but that he had rediscovered while researching the history of ACDA. Of course, as a choral
conductor by training and member (well…former member) of ACDA, I was delighted to know that our two organizations
have this common connection.
On behalf of MTNA National President Gail Berenson, the Board of Directors, and our 23,000 members, I want to exth
press our congratulations to ACDA on this, its 50 anniversary. In honor of this occasion, MTNA presents this Certificate
of Recognition, commemorating the distinguished history of ACDA and its significant service to music and the choral art
throughout the world.
Although I am unable to be here personally to make the presentation, I want to celebrate with you these 50 years. Since
1959, the missions of ACDA and MTNA have been intertwined. And I am confident we will continue to work with and for
each other through decades to come. And in doing so, we will more effectively foster and promote the development of
musical culture, especially choral singing and music study, throughout the United States and beyond.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gary L. Ingle
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
Jill Burleson
Heitor Villa-Lobos
ll
b (1887–1959)
is reggarded by many as the
composer of highest distinction
in twentieth-century Brazilian
music. His musical compositions,
representing virtually every musical
genre, reflect his concerted effort
toward developing a nationalistic
Brazilian style. Although his
majo
or sacred ch
horal works succh
as Benditaa Sabedoria, Missa São
Sebastiaõ, and Magnificat Alleluia
are programmed occasionally,
the smaller sacrred
d ch
horal pieces
found in his Música Sacra, Vol. 11
collection remain less well known.
As we commemorate th
he fiftieth
h
anniversary of Villa-Lobos’s deatth,
it is ap
ppropriate for those of us in
the field of choral music to probe
a bit deeper into thee composer’s
contributio
ons in the area of
choral music, illuminating our
understanding of his unique role in
illuminaating the “Soul of Brazil”2
to the world during the early part of
the twentieth century.
Villa-Lobos’s Música Sacra
Background
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1887, VillaLobos lived at a time when Brazil had
recently experienced the abolition of
slavery and the advent of a republic, with
Rio serving both as the governmental
seat and a major cultural center. His
father, Raul Villa-Lobos, was the primary
influence in Heitor’s early musical training, giving him instruction on the cello.
Although European (particularly French)
musical influences were prevalent in Rio
during this period and certainly served
as a musical influence on the composer,
Villa-Lobos was attracted to the popular
urban music of Rio known as the choro.3
As a youth, he became an experienced
guitar player with the chorões, which
would eventually prove to be a strong
influence on his compositional style. It
was also during these early years that
he was introduced by his aunt to the
music of J. S. Bach, spurring a fascination
that would influence the future compositional enterprises, Bachianas Brasileiras.
12
With the exception of a short period of harmonic study at the National
Institute of Music (which he found too
constraining) and his own personal
study of Vincent Indy’s Cours de composition musicale, the young Villa-Lobos
essentially rejected formal European
training in musical composition. Proud
of his largely self-taught background, and
known for his tendency to exaggerate,
he is quoted as having said, “I learned
music from a bird in the jungles of Brazil, not from academies.”4 Eventually, his
non-traditional musical style would find
its place in the art-music idiom as the
embodiment of Brazilian Music on an
international level.
Ethnic Influences in Brazilian Music
Because of its vastness and geographical variance, Brazilian culture is complex
and extremely varied, with a diversity
and richness resulting from hundreds of
years of history—one of conquest, oppression, and slavery. Similarly, the eclectic style of Villa-Lobos also is complex
and varied, deep and rich, influenced not
only by the Brazilian culture in which he
lived, but also by the musical experiences
he encountered throughout his lifetime.
Brazil’s Amerindian heritage contributes to Brazil’s deep-rooted mystic beliefs, which are evident to some extent
even today. For centuries, dance music,
ritual ceremonies, and curing and hunting songs permeated the music of this
indigenous culture, resulting in melodies
with simple repeated, chant-like motives, conjunct and descending melodic
motion, pentatonic and tetratonic modalities, parallel intervals of fourths, and
triplet divisions of fixed rhythm patterns.
The arrival of European Portuguese
settlers in the sixteenth century brought
a lyric, melancholic melodic style of
singing called the modinha, often accompanied with a mandolin-type instrument. The modinha, with its typically
descending melodic line and ternary
formal structure, would become quite
predominant in the music of Brazil,
receiving an urban revival during the
eighteenth century. As a result, the folk
and urban music of Brazil has an intense
lyricism tied to its Portuguese heritage
that often makes for beautiful, highly
expressive melodies. Syncopated Iberian
dance rhythms were also present in
Portuguese music and became a part
of the Brazilian musical mix.5
Another significant influence on Brazilian music was the West African slave
trade that occurred in Brazil during the
sixteenth through nineteenth centuries,
which brought an infusion of African
rhythms into the music of Brazil. This
was particularly exhibited in the worship
practices of the Macumba6 religion, in
which drum sequences were ceremonially performed to summon the gods. As
this religion became acculturated into
Brazilian society, Brazilian music took on
African polyrhythmic effects.
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Over time, as people from the Indian,
Portuguese, and African cultures have
intermarried, a cultural syncretism has
developed in Brazil, with various layers
of ethnic traditions existing side-by-side.
This co-existence of traditions is widely
reflected in the music of Brazil, a virtual
melting pot of musical ideas, and they
can be witnessed in the eclectic, yet
individual, musical style of Villa-Lobos.
Compositional Stages
Although the eclectic variety of
Villa-Lobos’s compositional style makes
delineation of concrete compositional
periods difficult, it is possible to define
four chronological periods:
• Early adulthood up through the Week
of Modern Art (through 1922);
• The period following the Week of
Modern Art, (1922–30);
• The Estado Novo period (1930– 45);
and
• The final years (1946 –59).7
In early adulthood, Villa-Lobos traveled to various Brazilian states on
extensive visits, each of which lasted
several years. Although there is debate
whether the purpose of these trips
was specifically ethnomusicological in
nature,8 it is clear that during these
travels, the composer observed and
collected music from various Brazilian
cultures, which he began to assimilate
into his own musical compositions. It
was also during this period that he was
introduced to Darius Milhaud and Artur
Rubinstein who would encourage his
future travels to Paris.
Villa-Lobos’s par ticipation in the
Week of Modern Art in 1922 was one of
the turning points in his career as a composer. As an outgrowth of the emerging
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
dissatisfaction with European cultural
domination, the Modernist Movement
began to evolve within the arts communities in Rio de Janeiro and Saõ Paulo,
spearheaded by poet, intellectual, and
ethnomusicologist, Mário de Andrade
(1893–1945). As a result of this movement, many artists, including Villa-Lobos,
began questioning their European artistic ties, seeking instead their own Brazilian identity. This movement within the
arts community resulted in The Week
of Modern Art, a festival that highlighted
the work of contemporary Brazilian artists, poets, writers, and composers. The
music of Villa-Lobos was featured at this
event. While his compositions sparked
excessive controversy, he nevertheless
rose to national attention as “the truly
Brazilian composer.”9
The period following the Week of
Modern Art, ranging from 1922 to 1930,
proved to be the most productive
period in the composer’s career and
reflected his nationalist agenda in the
creation of more than one hundred
thirty compositions. It was during this
period that Villa-Lobos embarked on his
first trip to Paris, funded by the Brazilian government, to present his music to
European audiences. The works were
ultimately viewed by Europeans as being a reflection of the “soul of Brazil,”
bringing him to a level of preeminence
unequaled by any other Latin American
composer of the time. During this and
subsequent Parisian visits, Villa-Lobos
continued to maintain that the purpose
of his travels was not to learn European
compositional technique, but rather to
expose the Europeans to his Brazilian
music.
The period of 1930– 45 reflects VillaLobos’s involvement with the Estado
Novo [New State] in Brazil, under the
regime of Getúlio Vargas. Convinced
that the state of music education in
Brazil was in desperate need of reform,
Villa-Lobos initiated a massive campaign
in Saõ Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in an
attempt to instruct children in musical
knowledge and literacy, based on Brazilian folk songs. Vargas’s administration
offered support to this program and
created a position for him as director of
SEMA— Superindendência de Educação
Musical e Artistica [Superintendency of
Musical and Artistic Education] to cultivate and develop the study of music
in schools and municipalities. Through
this program, orpheonic singing 10
was implemented in schools in major
metropolitan areas of Brazil, with the
added development of intense musical
teacher-training programs. Spectacular
choral performances with thousands
of Brazilian children singing at concert
halls and stadiums in Brazil proved to
be advantageous to the musical culture
of the state and to Brazilian patriotism
and nationalism. This nationalistic thrust
in Brazilian music education was solidified in 1932, when instruction in canto
orfeônico was made mandatory by law.
The influences of orpheonic singing
remained, even after the fall of Estado
Novo in subsequent military dictatorships, up until the presidential elections
of 1985.11
It was also during this Estado Novo
period that the composer embarked on
a series of nine compositions, Bachianas
Brasileiras, created for varying combinations of instruments and voices as a fusion of Brazilian popular and folk music
with the contrapuntal style of Bach.VillaLobos considered Bach’s music to have
a universality that can be found globally
in the folk music of many cultures. According to Béhague:
T h e B a c h i a n a s B ra s i l i e i ra s
are inspired by the musical
atmosphere, considered (by the
author) as a universal folkloric
source, rich and profound, with all
popular sound materials from all
countries, intermediary between
13
Villa-Lobos’s Música Sacra
all peoples. For Villa Lobos, the
music of Bach comes from the
infinite to infiltrate itself in the
earth as folk music.12
During his final years from 1946–59,
Villa-Lobos’s compositions reached international acclaim in the United States,
Europe, and throughout South America.
Despite his battle with bladder cancer,
he wrote numerous commissioned
pieces during this period and he continued to travel extensively, particularly
to the United States, to conduct major
symphonic works (including his own
compositions).
The Musical Language
of Villa-Lobos
Throughout the four chronological
periods outlined previously, there was
seemingly one overriding factor influencing Villa-Lobos’s musical endeavors:
a personal quest for creating a Brazilian
musical style. He stated:
Yes, I’m Brazilian—very Brazilian.
In my music, I let the rivers and
seas of this great Brazil sing. I
don’t put a gag on the tropical
exuberance of our forests and
our skies, which I intuitively
transpose to everything I write.13
As a result of this quest to “find
the Brazilian Soul,” Villa-Lobos’s array
of compositions represents a striking
variety of musical styles and genres.
The combination of Villa-Lobos’s largely
self-taught background, European musical influences, and Brazilian ethnic and
urban influences produced music that
was uniquely different from that of his
contemporaries. Within his compositions, one can find an assortment of
the French impressionistic harmonies,
chant melodies, mixed meter, and
various rhythmic and melodic modes.
14
Urban traits are found alongside ethnic
influences. Consequently, it is difficult to
ascribe to him a singular musical style;
rather, one instead finds within his music
an eclecticism that would become not
only representative of a Brazilian musical identity, but would, in fact, mirror the
cultural eclecticism of Brazilian society
as well.
Villa-Lobos’s Choral Music
Although Villa-Lobos is primarily
recognized as an instrumental composer,
he composed nearly 100 choral pieces
and was active in writing choral compositions over the course of his lifetime.
Villa-Lobos considered the human voice
to be the instrument of choice in the
musical education of the masses of Brazilian children and, as a result, treatises
on music pedagogy and choral/vocal
compositions were a significant part
of his instructive thrust under Vargas.
There is variety of style and purpose in
his choral music throughout his oeuvre,
and it can be divided into four broad
categories:
• Instrumental/orchestral pieces that
include chorus;
• Educational choral music from the
composer’s years as head of SEMA
(these include folk secular pieces
with pedagogical and patriotic
purpose);
• Large-scale choral works (both accompanied and unaccompanied,
primarily sacred);
• Small motet-style pieces (sacred
unaccompanied) such as those
collected within the Música Sacra,
many of which overlap as educational choral music.
All four categories certainly repre-
sent Villa-Lobos’s contributions to choral
music; however, categories three and
four contain some of his finest contributions. The larger-scale secular choral
works include: Nonet (1923), Choros No.
10 (1926), and the Bachianas Brasilleirs
No. 9 (1945). The larger-scale sacred
choral pieces include: Vidapura (also
known as Oratoria,—date uncertain)
and Segunda Missa (1918); Missa São
Sebastião (1937); Magnificat Alleluia
(1958,—commissioned by Pope Pius
XII); and Bendita Sabedoria (1958—
written in Paris, dedicated to New York
University). Smaller sacred choral pieces
are found within the Música Sacra collection (the focus of this study) in addition
to five additional settings of Ave Maria
(1909, 1912, 1914, 1933, 1933), Motet
(1932), Pater Noster (1952), three settings of O Salutaris (1905, 1915, 1916),
Tantum Ergo (1918), set for both unaccompanied chorus and chorus and
orchestra, and a free-standing Kyrie
movement (1934).14
During the second and third periods of the Villa-Lobos’s compositional
activity, he wrote comparatively few
sacred choral compositions; however, a
significant work, the Missa São Sebastião,
was composed during this period. This
unaccompanied Latin mass exhibits
much polyphonic writing and, though in
a much less distinct way than in his instrumental music, includes many eclectic
traits such as the polyrhythms, mixed
modes, and harmonic dissonance. Created during the composer’s association
with Vargas, this mass is one of many
works speculated to have been written
to inspire allegiance to the controlling
government.15 Each mass movement
contains a subtitle depicting a respected
virtue of the great St. Sebastian, patron
saint of Rio de Janeiro. The work was
broadcast via radio throughout Brazil
in an effort to solidify support for the
Vargas regime. It was performed by
the Orfeão de Professiores (a choir
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
comprised of the teachers involved in
Villa-Lobos’s Orpheonic Music Education efforts) and was conducted by the
composer.The three-part (SSA) scoring
of this work, and other choral compositions of this era, was influenced by the
overwhelming number of female teachers in the orpheonic program.
Música Sacra
Música Sacra is a collection of twentythree sacred choral pieces written
during the years 1905–52, representing
the composer’s entire compositional
career. Published by Vincente Vitale
in 1951–52,16 the anthology contains
motet-style pieces with texts in either
Latin or Portuguese. Fourteen of the
twenty-three pieces are unaccompanied and voiced for coro mixto a 4 vozes
[mixed chorus of 4 voices-SATB], with
the remainder of the pieces ranging
from 2-voice to 6-voice choral settings.
The collection also includes several vocal
solo settings with organ or simple string
accompaniment, two SSA settings, and
one TTBB setting.
Relatively little is known about the
purpose of individual pieces within this
now out-of-print publication, yet the
1952 publication date of the collection
seems to be consistent with indications
by biographers of the composer’s inter-
est in sacred music toward the end of
his lifetime.17 Individual pieces within
the Vitale collection bear a 1951 or
1952 copyright date, with Villa-Lobos
designated as copyright holder (today
the copyright is held by the Villa-Lobos
family). A bound copy of the collection is
housed in the Museu Villa-Lobos, located
in Rio de Janeiro, along with copies of
original manuscripts and publications
of a number of individual pieces from
the collection, some of which are in the
composer’s pen, while others appear to
be hand-written performance scores,
without scribal attribution.
According to David Appleby, Música
Sacra originally was intended as part of
Hugh Ballou – US Representative, E-Mail: [email protected]
Villa-Lobos’s Música Sacra
a larger six-volume orpheonic collection
titled Guia Prática, which the composer
outlined but never completed, with the
following structure:
With the exception of the Ave Maria
(1948), which was composed in New
York City, all the pieces in the Música
Sacra were written in Rio, either early
in the composer’s career (predating
the 1922 Week of Modern Art) or in the
last decade of his life. For most of the
individual pieces in the collection, there
is no indication of a specific occasion for
which they were composed, although
one manuscript makes reference to “the
maestro at the Teatro Municipal,” implying possible concert usage. Several of
the pieces within the collection contain
a dedication to an individual, the majority of which are dedicated to Mindinha
(Arminda Neves d’Almeida), the composer’s common-law second wife.19 It
is plausible that individual pieces may
have been written for concert use, but
that the collection itself may have been
published as a whole for educational or
archival purposes. More recently, Wilbur
Skeels has significantly contributed to
the body of research on the Música
Sacra by editing and publishing several
pieces from the collection under his
own publishing company, Cantus QuerVolume One (in two parts): Musical
cus Press.20 His groundbreaking work
Entertainment
has served to initiate accessibility to
Volume Two: Civic—Musical Songs
individual pieces from within the collecVolume Three: Artistic Entertainment
tion. Table 1 is a list of octavos included
Volume Four: Folk Music
in his publications.
Volume Five: For free choice of students
The most significant recording of seVolume Six: Artistic—Musical
lected pieces from Música Sacra is availIn actuality, this project resulted in
able from Hyperion Press, performed
the following publications:
by the Corydon Singers, under the direction of Matthew Best. This recording
Guia Prática—one volume of chilcontains four- to six-voice mixed-chorus
dren’s songs
selections from the collection, along with
Canto Orfeonico—two volumes of
Missa São Sebastião, Bendita Sabedoria,
marches and civic songs
and Magnificat Alleluia.21According to
Solfeggios— two volumes of notediscographies by Béhague and Appleby, a
reading exercises
recording is extant of the 1967 concert
Música Sacra, Vol. 1— one volume
by the Escola Coral do Theatro Municiof sacred choral works18
pal, Minas Geras,22 and a recording of
the Ave Maria (1918) and
Pater Noster by the University of Texas Chamber
Table 1
Singers,23 both archived
List of Octavos from Música Sacra published by Cantus Quercus Press
at the Museu Villa-Lobos.
In the Vitale edition, he
engraver for each piece
Title
is listed at the bottom of
Voicing
each page as “Mario,” but
research did not reveal
SATB
Ava Maria (1938)
more specific information as to who Mario was,
SAATB with mezzo-soprano soloist
Praesepe (The Manger)
who actually edited the
pieces, or how much inSATB
Pater Noster (The Lord’s Prayer)
put Villa-Lobos had in the
editing process. Wright
SATB
Tantum Ergo
suggests that these pieces
may have initially been
SATB
Ave Verum and Panis Angelicus
engraved by students
pursuing a course in enTTBarBarB
Preces Sem Palavras (Prayers Without Words)
graving and publication
as part of Villa-Lobos’s
SATB and ATTB versions
O Salutaris Hostia
teacher-training program,
for SEMA use.24 AccordSSATTB
Ave Maria (1945)
ing to Skeels, Villa-Lobos
seemingly had very little
16
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
active participation in the editing and
publication of his music, being content
to put the music on the page without
editing.25
A large portion of the collection consists of Marian texts, with nine settings
of Ave Maria, both in Latin and in Portuguese, composed early in his career
and then again toward the end of his
career. According to Villa-Lobos’s own
numbering indicated on manuscripts, he
composed at least twenty-three settings
of Ave Maria, although many of them
remain undocumented. According to
the catalogue published by the Museu
Villa-Lobos, Sua obras, a total of thirteen
Ave Maria settings are documented,
composed between 1908–18, then
once again in 1938 and 1949, representing a twenty-year gap. A curiosity in the
composer’s own numbering of the Ave
Maria settings reveals that his designated
Ave Maria no. 17 was written four years
after his designated Ave Maria no. 19.26
In addition to the settings of Ave
Maria contained in the Música Sacra,
three settings of the Lord’s Prayer are
contained in the collection, one in Latin
(Pater Noster) and two in the vernacular
Portuguese (Padre Nosso). Other liturgical settings in the collection include: Ave
Verum, Cor Dulce, Cor Amabile, Tantum
Ergo, O Salutaris, O Cor Jesu, and Sub
Tuum. The four non-liturgical sacred
pieces in the collection include: O Canto
de Natal (based on a Portuguese poem
by Manuel Bendeira), Hino a Santo
Agostinho (a setting of a letter written
by St. Augustine), Praesepe (a Latin text
explaining the birth of Christ to Indians,
from Beata Virgene by Jesuit Padre Jose
de Anchieta), and Preces sem Palavras
(Prayer without Words, a text that
includes the use of various expressive
Brazilian syllables such as Nun!, An!, Eh!,
Um!, and Vuffs!).
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
The Musical Language
of Música Sacra
At first glance, many of the individual
pieces within Villa-Lobos’s Música Sacra
bear a striking visual resemblance to
Renaissance motets. In typical motet
fashion, the unaccompanied pieces are
generally very sectionalized, often by
the interjection of homophonic writing
to offset the pervasive imitative texture,
correlating with the various sections of
the text. The text is typically set rhythmically with correct syllabic stress, and
the majority of textual content within
the collection parallels texts commonly
found within Renaissance motets. However, upon closer examination, one
can find Villa-Lobos’s unique musical
imprint within this seemingly conservative liturgical fabric. The overall diatonic
harmonic structure is frequently offset
by unexpected expressive elements,
found in descending chromatic melodic
lines (Figure 1<www.acda.org/publications/choral_journal>) and in chains
of suspensions, created by a series of
descending 6/4 chords (Figure 2 <www.
acda.org/publications/choral_journal>).
Periods of tonal ambiguity appear in
several pieces, through the implementation of contrary chromatic movement.
(Figures 3 and 4 <www.acda.org/publications/choral_journal>).
The opening of Panis Angelicus shows
the composer’s use of staggered descending entrances in the lower three
voices that create diminished 7th chords.
Against a simple descending melodic line
in the soprano, this creates a sense of
tonal ambiguity (Figure 5 <www.acda.
org/publications/choral_journal>).
Ethnically inspired elements permeate many of the pieces. Amerindian modality (Figure 6 <www.acda.
org/publications/choral_journal>), call
and response, macumba rhythms,
with the mixture of duple and triple
rhythm patterns (Figure 7 <www.acda.
org/publications/choral_journal>), and
modinha-style descending melodic lines
(Figure 8 <www.acda.org/publications/
choral_journal>) all are evident.VillaLobos frequently implements numerous
dramatic pauses, fermati, and dynamic
contrasts in these pieces as well (Figure
9 <www.acda.org/publications/choral_journal>).
There are frequent occurrences of
the lower three voices being set without
text, along with the Italian term bocca
chiusa27 (indicated in score with B.C.)
or the Portuguese term boca fechata
(indicated in score with B.F.) (Figures
10 and 11 <www.acda.org/publications/
choral_journal>) and are often found in
Latin American music. Other textless
settings in the collection include the use
of the syllables “um!” or “an!” which are
typically set in the lower voices, against
a texted soprano line.These lower lines
form a “guitar-like accompaniment” to
the upper voice and often move in
parallel harmonic motion (harmonic
planing), a compositional trait that stems
from the composer’s urban choros
roots.28
An identifying trait found at the end
of many of these pieces is the distinctive musical setting of the word “Amen.”
These “Amen” settings range from
relatively simple to imitatively complex,
and many include an unexpected harmonic progression at the final cadence,
frequently resting on an added- 6th tonic
chord.They are often set in a quick-tempo triple meter, and appear almost as an
afterthought at the end of each piece,
as if articulating a final emphatic expression of Brazilian enthusiasm (Figures12,
13, and 14 <www.acda.org/publications/
choral_journal>).
The Significance of
Música Sacra
The Música Sacra collection demonstrates a variety of musical language,
contained within the conservative motet
17
Villa-Lobos’s Música Sacra
genre, reflecting the plurality of the composer’s society and influences. Henry
Cowell summarized this eclecticism in
his comments on the musical style of
Villa-Lobos’s Missa São Sebastião, which
aptly applies to the Música Sacra as well:
[The Mass] throughout contains
a moving quality, perhaps because
it retains the high spirituality
of Renaissance vocal music
while employing the emotional
power of drama, discord, and
chromaticism of Villa-Lobos.29
While his colorful instrumental
compositions overtly reflect the di-
verse ethnicity of the Brazilian cultural
melting pot, his sacred choral music, as
represented in the Música Sacra, initially
appears to be quite the opposite, written in a more introspective style with
sections reflecting Roman Catholic polyphony, music in the style of Palestrina
or Victoria. Yet, this liturgical polyphonic
style fittingly shows the Catholic (Jesuit)
influence that permeated religious practice of the Brazilian culture for centuries,
and is an integral piece of Villa-Lobos’s
quest for “the Brazilian Soul.” Within the
conservative sacred choral compositional style of the Música Sacra, there exists a refined, stylized representation of
Brazilian eclecticism, alongside elements
of musical spontaneity, Brazilian multicultural ethnicity, nationalism, European
impressionism, Renaissance imitation,
and twentieth-century harmonic dissonance, as seen in many of his other
compositions.These combine to offer us
a glimpse of this composer’s identity, as
unique and multifaceted as the time and
place that he sought to reflect—Brazil.
NOTES
1
This collection was published under the
full title Música Sacra, Vol. 1. There were
no subsequent volumes published, yet
the Vol. 1 in the title would suggest
that perhaps there were plans to
publish more than one volume. This
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Choral Journal • June/July 2009
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
will be discussed later in the article. The
collection will be referred to simply as
Música Sacra for the remainder of this
article.
Gerard Béhague, Heitor Villa-Lobos: The
Search for Brazil’s Musical Soul (Austin,
TX: Institute of Latin American Studies,
University of Texas at Austin, 1994).
The choro was an instrumental adaptation
of popular European dance tunes played
by groups of street musicians known as
chorões. These groups were comprised
of a guitar, a cavaquinho [a mandolintype instrument], and a flute.
Vanett Lawler, “A Decennial Tribute to VillaLobos,” Music Educators Journal, 56:3
(1969): 77.
Suzel Ana Reily, “Introduction: Brazilian
Musics, Brazilian Identities,” British Journal
of Ethnomusicology, 9:2 (2000): 106.
An Afro-Brazilian religion initially resulting
from the blending of African and
Amerindian cultures. Continued religious
syncretism has led to the assimilation of
Roman Catholic traits within this religion
as well.
These are similar to the time periods
suggested by Simon Wright, who aligns
chronological events of the composer’s
life with compositional stages. Lisa
Peppercorn instead focuses on fifteenyear blocks of the composer’s life,
not specifically on compositional style
periods. See Wright, Simon. Villa-Lobos.
Oxford: Oxford University Press,
1992.; Peppercorn, Lisa. “The Fifteen
Year Periods in Villa-Lobos’s Life.” IberoAmerikanisches Archiv 5, no.2 (1979):
179–97.
Lisa Peppercorn, “Villa-Lobos’s Brazilian
Excursions,” The Musical Times (Mar.
1972): 263–65.
Gerard Béhague, Heitor Villa-Lobos: The
Search for Brazil’s Musical Soul (Austin,
TX: Institute of Latin American Studies,
University of Texas at Austin, 1994), 20.
Orpheonic singing (canto orfeônico)
is a term derived from the French
orphéon of the nineteenth century.
Villa-Lobos used it to designate largegroup a cappella choral-singing at civic
events in Brazil. One event reportedly
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
consisted of twelve-thousand workers,
soldiers, students, and teachers singing
as a chorus. See Béhague, Villa-Lobos: The
Search for Brazil’s Musical Soul, 22.
Reily, 106.
Béhague, Villa-Lobos: The Search for Brazil’s
Musical Soul, 105.
Museu Villa-Lobos, “A Little of Villa-Lobos’s
Music,” available from <http://www.
museuvillalobos.org.br/mvl77.htm>;
Internet. Accessed April 3, 2007.
Museu Villa-Lobos, Villa-Lobos, sua obra:
Programa de Ação Cultural, 1972 (Rio
de Janeiro: MEC, DAC, 1974), 205–12.
This is a detailed catalogue of VillaLobos’s instrumental and vocal works,
organized by title, genre, and date of
composition.
Eero Tarasti, Heitor Villa-Lobos: The Life and
Works, 1887–1959 (Jefferson, NC:
McFarland, 1995), 154–56.
The Vincente Vitale Publishing Company,
a subsidiary of Irmãos Vitale (Vitale
Brothers) Publishing Company, was
established in 1923 in Saõ Paulo, with a
division branch in Rio.
Simon Wright, Villa-Lobos, (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1992), 140–41.
David Appleby, Heitor Villa-Lobos: A Biobibliography (New York: Greenwood
Press, 1988), 128–29.
Arminda Neves d’Almeida, referred to as
Mindinha, was Villa-Lobos’s devoted lifepartner for the last twenty years of his
life, although they never actually married.
His first marriage to Lucília Guimarães
ended in a separation, though there
was not an official divorce. After his
death, Mindinha was instrumental in
establishing the Museu Villa-Lobos in Rio
de Janeiro.
Cantus Quercus Press Web site is: <http://
cantusquercus.com>.
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Matthew Best, conductor,
Sacred Choral Music. Corydon Singers
and Orchestra, Hyperion CDA 66638,
1993.
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Carlos Alberto Pinto da
Fonesca, conductor, Festival Villa-Lobos
by the Coral Ars Nova da Universidade
Federal de Minas Gerais, 1967. This
was a posthumous performance at the
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro on
November 20, 1967.
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Morris J. Beachy,
conductor, I Concurso Internacional
de Coro Misto, University of Texas
Chamber Singer s, 1967. This is
a recording from a conference
performance by the U.T. Chamber
Singers.
Simon Wright, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Matthew
Best, conductor, Sacred Choral Music,
liner notes, Cor ydon Singers and
Orchestra, Conductor, Hyperion CDA
66638, 1993.
Wilbur Skeels, e-mail communication to the
author, April 3, 2007.
Béhague notes discrepancies in the
catalogue numbers that Villa-Lobos
assigned to his music, many of which
do not correspond with the actual
compositional dates of the works. These
discrepancies, according to Béhague,
support speculation among scholars that
the composer frequently would alter the
dates of his works, leading to the general
notion that the composer exaggerated
numerous issues regarding his life and
career. Among these discrepancies is a
controversy over whether the folk-tunes
in Villa-Lobos’s music are authentically
derived from the Brazilian population,
or whether they are his assimilation of
these styles into originally composed
material. While the resolution of this
controversy is outside the scope of this
study, further discussion on this topic
can be found in Gerard Béhague, Heitor
Villa-Lobos: The Search for Brazil’s Musical
Soul, 5–11.
To sing with closed mouth or hum.
This trait is also seen in the earlier example,
Cor Dulce, Cor Amabile, Fig. 2.
Henry Cowell, “Villa-Lobos: Mass of San
Sebastian, for Three Voices, a cappella”
[sic], Musical Quarterly 34 (April 1953):
340– 42.
19
Editor’s note: The authors wish to thank Marion Donaldson, retired ACDA Archivist, who kindly provided
assistance by granting an interview and offering valuable feedback concerning the accuracy of this article.
Marvin E. Latimer Jr., PhD
MarvinChristina
E. Latimer
Jr., PhD
Prucha
Christina Prucha
Marvin E. Latimer Jr, PhD, is assistant professor of choral
music education at the University of Alabama.
<[email protected]>
220
0
Christina Prucaha is the archivist at ACDA’s
National Headquarters in Oklahoma City.
<[email protected]>
Choral
Ch
C
ho
orral
al JJournal
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al • JJune/July
unne/
e/Ju
/JJuullyy 2009
2000
09
The ACDA International Archives for Choral
Music, though still in transition, is once again
an integral component of ACDA operations.
According to Archivist Christina Prucha,
“The Archives’ contents, previously stored
at several sites, guard the remarkable story
of our first fifty years, often related in the
words of choral music’s most distinguished
choral artists and scholars.”1 Because setting
a research and publication agendum will
constitute a major part of ACDA’s twentyfirst century vision, and because a key
element of that plan of action will be to make
resources available in the various ways that
people need, the Archives ultimately will be
a vital part of ACDA’s contribution to choral
scholarship worldwide.2 Therefore, this
article seeks to create a new awareness of the
ACDA Archives and to provide impetus for
its utilization as a data source for research
purposely focused on ACDA’s broader
relationship to the choral art.
C
Choral
hho
oral
raal JJo
Journal
ourrna
nal • JJune/July
unee//Ju
un
Jullyy 2009
2000
0099
2211
Past
The genesis of the Archives occurred
in the summer of 1974 when Royce
Saltzman proposed an idea for a Choral
Archives of ACDA to Russell Mathis,
newly elected ACDA National President
(1974– 77).The purpose was to provide
a “repository where documents, manuscripts, scores, tapes, and theses would
be housed and catalogued.”3 It was to
be centrally located, and would require
a person working “almost full time” to
collect, manage, and record “all material
related to the choral art.”4 Saltzman,
concerned that ACDA had “already
lost too many good years,” warned, “we
simply cannot afford to let conventions
pass, choral scholars and conductors
die, and choirs disband without having
a record in words, music, pictures, and
manuscripts.”5
Although Mathis generally was supportive of the idea, he also expressed
some skepticism regarding its potential
for implementation. He wrote, “You
give fine directions on the ‘what’ of the
project, it is the ‘how’ and the ‘where’
that are of immediate concern.”6 Mathis
pointed to several matters that would
need to be settled before a decision in
support of the initiative could be made.
Funding sources featured prominently in
his remarks, as did questions about what
documents to collect. For example, he
contended, “Popularity of composers
may fluctuate as frequently as the tides.
Today’s derelict may become tomorrow’s darling.”7
Such issues notwithstanding, it was
the “where” of the matter that appeared to be Mathis’s primary reason
for hesitation. The ACDA national office,
then located in Tampa, Florida did not
possess adequate space to commit to
the project. Also, Mathis recognized, as
did ACDA leadership generally, that Executive Secretary Wayne Hugoboom’s
approaching retirement, due to health
22
I have discovered that a great
deal of archival material was
sent to Wayne [Hugoboom]
in Tampa and that the senders
assumed it was automatically
transferred to Lawton. I realize
the difficulties … but I hope with
your connections … and all our
patience that someday a number
of things, which rightfully belong
to ACDA, will find their way into
the Archives.11
Illustration 1
Walter Collins
Photograph Courtesy of
ACDA International Archives for
Choral Music, Oklahoma City, OK.
challenges, would precipitate a move to
another site. According to Mathis, the
geographic area for the national office
likely would “depend on the location of
the new Executive Secretary.”8
In 1976, Gene Brooks, then ACDA
Treasurer, proposed that the national
office relocate to Lawton, Oklahoma.
Brooks had secured a one hundred
thousand dollar grant from the McMahon Foundation, with whom he had previous connections, to fund “office space,
space for board meetings, and possibly a
place for the Archives of ACDA.”9 The
Executive Board approved Brooks’s proposal. Contracts were awarded, and with
an additional one hundred thousand
dollar grant from the McMahon Foundation, the structure was completed in the
summer of 1977.10
Yet, the Lawton building did not at
first include a space for the archives,
which placed numerous documents
stored in Tampa in a precarious state.
Walter Collins (Illustration 1), who had
unofficially accepted the role of ACDA
Archivist, wrote,
In March 1982, Collins and Saltzman
began to investigate a possible remedy—an addition of an archive wing to
the new national office. Within a year,
they had drafted a proposal with a provision for Brooks to request additional
funds from the McMahon Foundation.12
Concerned about the timing of such an
appeal, Brooks argued it would be wise
to wait a year before initiating a request.13 His intuition proved correct. After nearly two years of negotiations, the
project went forward with an additional
one hundred thousand dollars from the
McMahon Foundation. The addition (Illustration 2), completed in March 1986,
added 2,753 square feet to the original
building, 2,208 of which were specifically
dedicated to the archives.14
The ACDA “International”
Archives of Choral Music
The following summer, the attention
of ACDA leadership turned to issues
related to the Archives’ scope. A newly
appointed Archives Committee, which
included Walter Collins, Conan Castle,
Wesley Coffman, Harold Decker, and
Charles Hirt, began to consider matters
that generally grouped into two categories: the Archives’ name and its collection
policy.15 Although both issues had been
subjects of previous informal discussions,
they were by no means settled.
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Illustration 2
Floor Plan of Lawton Addition, Courtesy of ACDA International Archives for Choral Music, Oklahoma City, OK.
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
23
As early as 1983, Collins had proposed naming the collection the International Archives for Choral Music.16
His rationale was apparent in comments
made prior to completion of the Lawton
addition. Collins noted,
As the Archivist, I have a long-time
dream now of adding on to the
headquarters building … what
I have been informally calling …
the International Archive [sic]
for Choral Music, which would
include anything to do with
choral music. A complete library
of books and scores of choral
music! Anything published should
be deposited and filed here.
Any book on choral music that
someone needs to do research
should be there. We ought to be
collecting the marked scores of
our great performers. We ought
to be collecting the recordings of
performances of choral music of
all kinds, not only commercially
produced ones, but the thousands
of private recordings that are
made every year.17
After several years of striving to
convene the Archives Committee and
numerous miscommunications between
members, Collins presented a collection
policy at the 1989 ACDA National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. His suggested protocol was similar to the Music
Library Collection Development Policy
at the University of Colorado, where he
served as a professor. It also appeared
consistent with the goals implied by his
earlier comments and by his decision to
include “International” in the Archives’
name. In short, Collins’s proposed collection policy encompassed the gamut
of choral music resources worldwide.18
But, that sort of breadth troubled
Harold Decker, as did the ambitious
scope implied by the name. He wrote,
“I’m a bit concerned about the overall
title ‘International Archives for Choral
Music!’ Isn’t that a bit all-inclusive? I
thought this would be an ACDA project.
Why not ACDA Archives Collection?”19
He preferred limiting the project to
“books and music relating to choral
music of the Western Hemisphere.”20 In
favor of a more selective collection protocol, Decker opined, “A great deal of
published music is of very little worth.”21
Collins wrote, however, “It is still legitimate history, whether it is good or bad
… a complete archive of choral music
exists nowhere on the globe … there
is clearly a need for one somewhere.”22
Though the diversity of the current collection suggests that Collins’s
viewpoint prevailed, archived correspondence reveals that the two
never saw eye to eye on such matters.
Indeed, some time later, after Decker
complained about being uninformed
of certain decisions, Collins wrote to a
third party, “Just between you and me,
I think I subconsciously avoid involving
him too much because I disagree with
a number of his ideas about what the
Archives should be.”23
Nevertheless, perhaps agreeing to
disagree, Collins, Decker, and other
Archives Committee members worked
diligently to secure approval of a Collection Policy and a name.The Executive
Committee approved both items in the
summer of 1991. The newly adopted
ACDA International Archives for Choral
Music Collection Policy, which numbered
six double spaced pages, featured comprehensive guidelines for acquisition and
concise descriptions of those resources
to be collected.24 Its purpose statement
read as follows:
The general purpose of this
archive is to make available
material suppor ting the aims,
needs, and functions of ACDA
and its membership. It will serve
primarily members of ACDA
but will also be available to
academic institutions, scholars,
business organizations, and, on a
limited basis, non-members. The
principal objectives are, in order
24
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
of importance: to collect material
that will preserve the history of
ACDA and its subdivisions, to
collect material that will support
perfor mance , research, and
advanced study in choral music,
and to collect material that will
preserve the history of choral
music activities, especially in
North America and the Western
Hemisphere.25
Marion Donaldson,
ACDA Archivist
Archived ACDA Executive Committee minutes reveal that the first official
discussion about the need to hire an
ACDA Archivist took place on September 13, 1990. The result was a request
that the Archives Committee draft a
plan of action to include a time frame,
needs assessment, and job description.26
Collins submitted that document, in the
form of a letter, on June 20, 1991. It argued, “Implementation of the Archives
should take place immediately, since
important materials that should be in
the collection are slipping by daily.”27 It
also recommended that ACDA “start
immediately with a full-time [Archivist],”
insisting there was “already a tremendous amount of back-log material to be
integrated into the collection.”28
But the Executive Committee was
either unwilling or unable to grant the
full request, instead choosing to allocate
ten thousand dollars for a part-time
Archivist and one thousand dollars for
“materials to be used in developing the
archives at the national office.”29 William Hatcher, ACDA National President
(1991 – 93), asked Collins to collaborate
with Brooks to hire the Archivist. In a letter to the Archives Committee, Collins
wrote, “Since it is a part-time position,
it is highly likely that the search will
take place locally in Lawton. For future
purposes, I shall try to establish—on
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Illustration 3
Marion Donaldson
Photograph Courtesy of
Marion Donaldson, Tampa, Florida.
the basis of our recommended fulltime salary of twenty five thousand
dollars—that this be considered a 40%
appointment.”30
Brooks asked Marion Donaldson
(Illustration 3), then Director of the
Lawton Public Library (who had been
acting as a consultant in the search), if
she would consider the position. She
was hesitant, given ACDA’s obvious
needs and her current full-time position. Donaldson was intrigued, however,
by the challenge of creating a new collection, and accepted the position with
the understanding that she would only
be required to work twenty hours per
week.31
Though Donaldson was not a musician, Collins considered her an “excellent
professional librarian,” and thought she
would “pick up enough of the essentials
on the peculiarities of music collections
to give [the Archives] a very healthy
start.”32 In their first meeting, Collins
and Donaldson agreed she would assume the title of ACDA Archivist, and
Collins would remain Archives Committee Chair. They decided the immediate
priorities should be purchasing music
reference materials (to help Donaldson
understand specific issues related to
music archives), collecting documents
associated with ACDA’s history, and
initiating a campaign to collect materials
from distinguished choral musicians and
past officers born before 1930.33
In her first weeks as Archivist, Donaldson, “thoroughly fascinated by the
size of the choral organization and its
widespread prominence,” began the task
of learning about ACDA.34 She visited
music libraries in Oklahoma and Texas,
and contacted others by telephone.
At the same time she began to classify
documents and formulate a collection
strategy. She wrote,“As well as collecting
and preserving the complete records of
ACDA … [my] goal will be to make the
ACDA Archives an outstanding research
center on choral music.”35 Donaldson
later discovered that a significant portion of her time, perhaps as much as
half, would necessarily be devoted to answering reference questions for ACDA
members and researchers at large.36
Documenting ACDA’s History
Donaldson’s objectives, similar to
Collins’s often-stated goals, influenced
several projects that spanned her tenure.
Her first responsibilities were sorting
the many contributions already received.
She wrote, “There are thousands of
scores, books, phonograph records, audio tapes, video tapes, periodicals, ACDA
records, and publications … the scores
alone fill many shelves.”37 By 1994, she
had organized and shelved all of these
materials, though she had not yet begun
to describe them.38
In her annual report, Donaldson
disclosed that various organizational
documents were incomplete, adding
that she had difficulty motivating past
officers to provide them.39 In an effort
to fill the gaps, she published an Archives
Brochure and wrote the first of several
Choral Journal Archives Reports in March
25
1995.40 She asked Presidents (national,
division, and state) to send their papers,
and Convention Chairs to preserve and
forward all convention programs.
Donaldson also attended all ACDA
National Conventions, where she
hosted an Archives booth, regularly
sending follow-up letters to new contacts. She wrote, “Through this holding
of [materials], members will be able to
locate those illusive and valuable bits of
information that are an important part
of ACDA’s legacy…. Editors and members are asked to assist with this urgent
need.”41 The current collection suggests
her efforts to gather such resources
were astonishingly successful given the
challenges.
Building a Computerized
Choral Research Center
In 1994, Donaldson announced,
“Two exciting projects will be undertaken in the coming year—the Composer/
Conductor Project and the computerization of the archival holdings.”42 As
early as 1992, Decker had suggested
to the Archives Committee that they
should begin to solicit scores and personal papers from specific composers
and conductors.43 Collins, who heartily
supported Decker’s idea, drafted the
initial letter, which included the following
statement:
The new ACDA International
Archives for Choral Music … is
starting to reach the … stated
goal of becoming a major
collection of significant materials
that will preser ve the histor y
of choral music…. We would
like to invite you to place in the
Archives your papers, scores,
and other materials that should
be maintained safely [and] in
perpetuity.44
26
The Archives Committee initiated
the project in the summer and fall of
1994 by contacting fifteen distinguished
choral musicians.45 By the following
summer, the committee’s contact list
had grown to fifty-two names.46 Decker,
who in 1995 was designated the Project
Chair on Contributions, championed the
Composer/Conductor Project until his
death in 2003.47 As a result, numerous
choral music luminaries donated their
personal libraries. Still, the project’s
impact remains unclear because those
materials have not been sorted or described: partly due to an often-discussed
lack of Archives staff and computer
equipment.
That a computer cataloging system
was an early priority was evident in one
of Donaldson’s first official documents.
She wrote, “Most exciting, perhaps, will
be the computerization of the Archives.
In the future, it will be possible for
members and others to dial in and view
the on-line catalog of the Archives.”48 A
year later she stated,“The most essential
and important project for the Archives
is the computerization of its many collections.”49 And in 1996, she proposed
entering the “thousands of scores, books,
and other materials into an electronic
database, which [could] be accessed
through the Internet.”50
Such comments were regular inclusions in Donaldson’s reports. For
unknown reasons, however, a computer cataloging system was never put
in place. When asked about this matter,
Donaldson said she recalled seeing several Archives Committee requests for
computer equipment, but she did not
remember the Executive Committee
ever taking action on those requests.51
The ACDA International Archives
for Choral Music Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
In 1999, the Executive Committee
began to discuss plans to relocate the
ACDA national office to Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma.52 The inadequate size of the
Lawton building, its limited potential
for expansion, and its distance from an
airport constituted major reasons for
the decision to move.53 Just as he had
overseen the Lawton construction project, Brooks orchestrated the building of
the new facility, which was dedicated in
August 2004.54 Most of the ACDA staff
occupied the building immediately, but
Donaldson stayed in Lawton until her
retirement in November of 2005. The
Archives remained much longer.
During the time the Archives remained physically separate from ACDA’s
National Headquarters, the Executive
Committee chose to employ a full-time
Archivist as Donaldson’s replacement.
Christina Prucha, a recent graduate of
the Arizona Library Science program,
was hired in August 2006, and initially
was directed to cull non-essential materials from the collection and create a
preservation program for its holdings.
After nearly two years engaged in such
work while traveling between Lawton
and Oklahoma City, she supervised the
moving of the Archives to Oklahoma
City during the spring and summer of
2008.
Present
The Archives collection can generally
be separated into two areas of focus:
documents and artifacts associated with
organizational history, and resources
to support choral music research. According to Prucha, the collection, in
its current state, reflects the inclusive
scope of the original wide-ranging collection policy—articulated by Collins
and apparently supported by most of
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
the Archives Committee. That policy,
though inadvertently, no doubt set in
motion the compilation of many more
items than the limited Archives staff
could process. Executive Director Tim
Sharp argued, “Apparently, there was
never a concerted effort to separate
the wheat from the chaff.”55 Because of
that circumstance, Prucha discussed the
current holdings in terms of resources
of historical significance that will be
retained and in some cases augmented;
and materials that will eventually be
removed from the collection.
Organizational History
The Organizational History holdings
are divided into three collections: State,
Division, and National. The State Col-
lection amounts to approximately twenty linear feet of newsletters, fliers from
summer workshops, financial reports,
and correspondence.56 The Division
Collection represents approximately
fifty linear feet. It contains newsletters,
convention programs, a few recordings, financial records, reading session
scores, convention reports, and correspondence. The division convention
programs are mostly complete and date
from the early 1970s, when divisions
began to hold independent conventions.
Both the State Collection and Division
Collections are in need of additional
materials, especially newsletters, officer
correspondence, and annual reports.
The National Collection, over one
hundred linear feet, is divided into the
National Convention Collection and
the National Organization Collection.
The National Convention Collection,
about 40 linear feet, contains convention programs that date from the 1960s,
convention concer t programs that
date from the early 1990s, convention
recordings that date from 1973, and
Honor Choir materials dating from the
first National Convention Honor Choir
in 1983. Prucha reported that she intends to continue to collect National
Convention choir programs with an eye
toward building a convention repertoire
database.
The National Organization Collection, approximately sixty linear feet,
holds financial reports, membership
records and statistics (separated by
state and division), Reper toire and
Standards Committee reports, Student
Illustration 4
Floor Plan of Current Archives Space, Courtesy of ACDA International Archives for Choral Music, Oklahoma City, OK.
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
27
ACDA newsletters and reports, photos,
Leadership Conference agendas and
documents, and various past officers’
papers. Prucha reported that the financial section requires considerable culling
and reorganization.The protocol will be
to retain supporting documentation—
receipts, funds requests, and drafts—for
seven years, while any end product
document (i.e., ledgers, budgets, and
audit results) will become part of the
permanent collection.
The papers included in the National
Organization Collection eventually will
be separated into series, referenced by
specific events, National Presidents, and
Executive Secretaries. It contains some
of the most valuable organizational
documents, including correspondence
between the ACDA founders, minutes
from the first organizational meetings,
and hundreds of historic photographs.
For example, the Hugoboom papers
alone, recently recovered in unstable
condition from a room in Gene Brooks’s
horse barn, include approximately ten
linear feet of documents dating from
ACDA’s first twenty years. These highly
valued papers were sorted and stabilized in acid free boxes in June 2008 and
are now waiting to be described.
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Choral Research
The Choral Research Collection
consists of hundreds of linear feet of
published journals, monographs, books,
recordings, scores, and papers, arranged
into the ACDA Research Collection and
Private Collections.The ACDA Research
Collection contains the largest assembly
of materials to be sorted, culled, and
described—books, periodicals, recordings, and choral scores. The Book Collection is small, less than five hundred
volumes, and is primarily the result of
donations from a number of personal
libraries. Development and expansion
of the book collection will be ongoing,
but selective, focusing on collecting the
best examples of work in the choral
arts. The ACDA Archives will not be a
lending library and, therefore, users will
not be allowed to check out any of the
books, but these books will be available
for use within the facility.
The periodical collection includes a
complete set of Choral Journals. It also
contains newsletters and journals from
numerous other music organizations. At
one time, collection of such publications
constituted a major Archives initiative,
but that focus has since been discontinued. Prucha has completed preliminary
sorting of these materials and plans
to retain only those few journals that
evidence specific historical value. In addition to journals, sizeable quantities of
recordings and single-copy octavos have
been donated from diverse publishers
and private individuals. Prucha and Sharp
maintain that most of these items are of
little historical value to ACDA and will
eventually be culled from the collection.
Finally, the Private Collections, the
result of years of focused work by
Donaldson and the Archives Committee
generally, and the Composer/Conductor
Project specifically, hold major contributions from Gene Brooks, Walter Collins,
Harold Decker, Walter Ehret, Charles
Hirt, Wayne Hugoboom, Colleen Kirk,
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Russell Mathis, and Royce Saltzman.
Some of these donations are quite
large; few have been sorted, and none
have been described. Ehret’s collection, for example, includes seventy-five
linear feet of scores, many of them his
own compositions and arrangements.
Several Private Collections—Brooks,
Decker, and Kirk—have supplied data for
biographical investigations, while others
have provided Prucha answers to countless reference questions.57
Future
An investigation is currently underway to utilize the Archives to quantify
extant ACDA organizational research
and future research topics that could
be supported by the Archives collection. Tim Sharp contends, “The ACDA
research agendum, as articulated by
the Research and Publications Committee, will likely influence the Archives’
future.”58 He also suggests, with appropriate collection policies in place, that
Prucha can better focus on making the
most valuable resources more readily
available to researchers. To facilitate this
undertaking, Prucha will continue to
collaborate with the current Archives
Committee, Millburn Price (chair), Sonya Garfinkle, Russell Mathis, and Jim
Moore, to carefully follow the approved
comprehensive destruction and retention policy.
The Archives are currently not accepting additional contributions; however, that circumstance will soon change.
ACDA members who have studied
with significant choral musicians will be
asked to donate letters, signed scores,
programs, and other artifacts. ACDA
leaders will be encouraged to contribute
their official correspondence (including
e-mail), organizational papers, and documents from ACDA-related choral activities. Prucha hopes to persuade division
and state leaders to provide Presidents’
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
reports, repertoire and standards reports, officer lists, convention materials,
and the names of state and division
award winners.59 She specifically will ask
editors to continue to submit five copies
of state and divisional newsletters.
As referenced earlier, Donaldson
argued that limited staffing to organize
and preserve the growing Archives
collections constituted her greatest
challenge. Indeed, she insisted that such
considerations likely would determine
the Archives’ future utility.60 To recruit
funding to address such needs, Prucha
has already applied for start up grants
through the National Archives and the
National Endowment for the Humanities. Awards will fund an Archives consultant to help create a preservation
plan for ACDA’s documents, assist in
additional funding source recruitment,
and offer suggestions toward creating a
future Archives staffing plan. Additionally,
Prucha intends to seek more detailed
preservation grants specifically for digitization and curatorial supplies.
Future work schedules first will focus
on the organization and stabilization of
documents, and will include such tasks
as disposing of duplicate items, removing staples, and sleeving rare photos and
papers. Second, a Web-based finding
aid will be created to provide a means
whereby specific sources can be made
available online. Finally, Prucha intends to
digitize recordings of convention performances dating from 1973, which exist in
several different formats.
Prucha believes that the original goal
for the Archives—to create a stateof-the-art facility available to all choral
music researchers—is within reach. To
achieve that goal, she plans to commit
to policies that will expand ACDA’s
historical collections by implementing a
retention policy that limits the Archives’
growth to usable materials, carefully
preserving those materials that come
into the Archives’ possession, and making
those holdings known through online
finding aids. ACDA member volunteers
and choral music researchers will be
invaluable in this process. In Prucha’s
words, “The Archives is the property of
ACDA members—it is our common
history. But it is also a significant part of
the history of the choral art as a whole,
and it is here for all to use.”
NOTES
1
In addition to providing data and part of the
narrative for this article, Prucha granted
several interviews during the initial
stages of the project.
2
Tim Sharp, ACDA for the Twenty-First Century,
American Choral Directors Association,
accessed September 3, 2008, <http://
www.acdaonline.org>.
3
Royce Saltzman, “American Choral Directors Association, Proposal for a Choral
Archives of ACDA,” June 1974, ACDA
International Archives for Choral Music,
Oklahoma City, OK (ACDA Archives).
4
Ibid.
5
Ibid.
6
Russell Mathis, letter to H. Royce Saltzman,
July 17, 1974, ACDA Archives.
7
Ibid.
8
Ibid.
9
Proposal for a Choral Archives of ACDA, no
date, ACDA Archives.
10
Craig Zamer, “Gene Brooks and His
Contributions to the American Choral
Directors Association” (PhD diss., Florida
State University, 2007), 47.
11
Walter Collins, letter to Gene Brooks,
January 2, 1980, ACDA Archives.
12
ACDA Executive Committee Minutes,
March 19 – 20, 1982, ACDA Archives.
13
ACDA Executive Committee Minutes, June
3 – 5, 1983, ACDA Archives.
14
ACDA Executive Minutes, March 6 – 7 and
September 5 – 6, 1985, ACDA Archives.
15
Hugh Sanders, letter to Walter Collins,
Conan Castle, Wesley Coffman, Harold
Decker, and Charles Hirt, March 5, 1987,
ACDA Archives.
29
16
ACDA Executive Committee Minutes, June
3 – 5, 1983, ACDA Archives.
17
David Arlen Bauer, “The Influence of the
ACDA upon Choral Music in the
Decade of the Seventies” (EdD diss.,
Arizona State University, 1985), 352.
18
International Archives for Choral Music:
Collection Policy, no date, ACDA
Archives.
19
Harold Decker, letter to Walter Collins,
March 30, 1989, ACDA Archives.
20
Ibid.
21
Ibid.
22
Walter Collins, letter to Marion Donaldson,
March 4, 1994, ACDA Archives.
23
Walter Collins, letter to Marion Donaldson,
September 27, 1993, ACDA Archives.
24
The complete collection policy can be
viewed on the Archives page of the
ACDA web site at <http://acda.org/
archive>.
25
International Archives for Choral Music:
Collection Policy, no date, ACDA
Archives.
26
ACDA Executive Committee Minutes,
September 13, 1990, ACDA Archives.
27
Walter Collins, letter to the ACDA
Executive Committee, June 20, 1991,
ACDA Archives.
28
Ibid.
29
Walter Collins, letter to the ACDA Archives
Committee, November 20, 1991, ACDA
Archives.
30
Ibid.
31
Marion Donaldson, telephone interview by
author, notes, September 1, 2008.
32
Walter Collins, letter to the ACDA Archives
Committee, August 21, 1992, ACDA
Archives.
33
Ibid.
34
Marion Donaldson, “American Choral
Directors Association: The Archive,” no
date, ACDA Archives.
35
Ibid.
36
Donaldson, interview by author, September
1, 2008.
37
Marion Donaldson, “American Choral
Directors Association: The Archive,” no
30
date, ACDA Archives.
The standard definition of archival
“description” is, “The process of
establishing intellectual control over
holdings through the preparation of
finding aids.” For further discussion see,
Lewis J. Bellardo, A Glossary for Archivists,
Manuscript Curators, and Records
Managers (Chicago: Society of American
Archivists, 1992).
39
Marion Donaldson, “ACDA International
Archives for Choral Music: Annual
Report,” 1994, ACDA Archives.
40
“ACDA International Archives for Choral
Music,” Choral Journal 35 (March 1995):
57–58. Subsequent columns appeared in
March, August, October, and December
1995; and February and April 1996.
Topics included contents, newsletters,
awards, the Composer/Conductor
Project, music at conventions, and
periodicals.
41
Ibid., 58.
42
Ibid., 58; “ACDA Archives Report,” Choral
Journal 36 (August 1995): 52.
43
Marion Donaldson, letter to Walter Collins,
September 27, 1993, ACDA Archives.
44
Walter Collins, letter to Marion Donaldson,
March 30, 1993, ACDA Archives.
45
Walter Collins, letter to ACDA Archives
Committee, March 26, 1994, ACDA
Archives.
46
Contacts Being Made by the ACDA Archives
Committee, summer 1995, ACDA
Archives.
47
Walter Collins, letter to the ACDA Archives
Committee, May 18,1994, ACDA
International Archives for Choral Music,
Oklahoma City, OK; ACDA Archives
Committee, Meeting Agenda, March 11,
1995, ACDA Archives.
48
Marion Donaldson, “American Choral
Directors Association: The Archive,” no
date, ACDA Archives.
49
Marion Donaldson, “ACDA International
Archives: Annual Report,” 1995, ACDA
Archives.
50
Marion Donaldson, “ACDA International
38
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
Archives: Annual Report,” 1996, ACDA
Archives.
Donaldson, interview by author, September
1, 2008.
ACDA Executive Committee Minutes, June
17, 1999, ACDA Archives.
Zamer, “Gene Brooks and His Contributions,” 77 – 81.
ACDA National Board Minutes, August 3,
2004, ACDA Archives.
Tim Sharp, personal communication to
researcher, September 3, 2008.
A linear foot is a measurement of shelf
space needed to store documents. It
measures twelve inches of length for
documents stored on edge, or twelve
inches of height for documents stored
horizontally.The number of leaves within
a linear foot will vary with the thickness
of the material. For further discussion
see, Bellardo, A Glossary for Archivists,
Manuscript Curators, and Records
Managers.
Deborah Lynn Chandler, “Colleen Jean Kirk
(1918– 2004): Her Life, Career and Her
Influence on American Choral Music
Education” (PhD diss., Florida State
University, 2004); Marvin E. Latimer
Jr., “Harold A. Decker (1914 – 2003):
American Choral Music Educator”
(PhD diss., University of Kansas, 2007);
Craig Zamer, “Gene Brooks and His
Contributions to the American Choral
Directors Association” (PhD diss., Florida
State University, 2007).
Tim Sharp, personal communication to
author, September 3, 2008.
Financial data are welcome, however, the
Archives destruction policy specifies that
financial documents, excepting summary
reports and ledgers, will be archived for
a maximum of seven years.
Donaldson, interview by author, September
1, 2008.
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
By Mark Munson
Mark Munson is on the faculty at Bowling Green State University in Bowling
Green, Ohio, and is immediate past president of the Ohio Choral Directors
Association. From 1981 through 1986 he was a member of the Mendelssohn
Choir of Pittsburgh, directed by Robert Page. <[email protected]>
An Interview with Robert Page
R
obert Page (b. 1927) has
been the director of choirs
associated with three of our
nation’s great orchestras: the
Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia and
Temple University Choirs (1956–75),
the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
(1971–89), and the Mendelssohn Choir
of Pittsburgh (1979–2006). The founder and music director of the Clevelandbased Robert Page Singers (1982– 98),
he is the recipient of two Grammy
Awards, eight additional Grammy nominations, the Grand Prix du Disque, and
the Prix Mondial de Montreux.
His extensive list of conducting
credits includes engagements with numerous orchestras and vocal artists in
this country and abroad. In addition to
his long-term associations with Eugene
Ormandy and Lorin Maazel, he has
prepared choirs for many other prominent conductors, and he has a lengthy
and impressive discography. Page has
been on the faculties of Eastern New
Mexico University, Temple University,
and Carnegie-Mellon University, where
he is currently Paul Mellon University
34
Professor of Music and director of choral/opera studies. Mark Munson visited
with Bob Page on August 5, 2008, to ask
him about his career and his thoughts
and reflections about choral music.
Munson What was the nature of your
early musical training and first experiences as a conductor and teacher?
Page I am the eighth of ten children.
My parents thought that music was
extremely important in one’s life: my
mother, from the standpoint of society,
and, my father, from a religious point
of view. I was raised in the Church of
Christ, a fundamentalist church, where
all of the music was unaccompanied and
congregational. There I learned to read
music through the shaped note hymnals,
and beginning in high school, conducted
singing schools connected with revival
meetings. My father was a song leader in
the church and used a tuning fork to set
pitch and lead the hymns. On the other
hand, Mother said that anyone who was
going to be a productive citizen of society needed to know music, so she taught
.
all ten of us how to play the piano to the
extent that she could play—teaching us
up to the third grade John M. Williams/
Shaylor Turner book. Then we were to
choose which instrument we would
study through high school. I continued
with the with piano, and studied in late
elementary school and into high school
with a blind teacher.
Since we were quite poor, my parents
bartered for my piano lessons. When I
got old enough, I paid for my lessons by
dictating the piano music to my teacher
who would transcribe it on a Braille
typewriter. I did not know it at that time,
but I was learning the vertical and horizontal structure of music. My teacher
kicked me out of her studio when I was
a junior in high school, because, when
she went to answer the telephone in the
middle of one of my lessons, I broke into
playing boogie-woogie. She stormed
back into the room saying, “we do not
do that here,” and I was sent out the
door. All of this was in Abilene, Texas.
The Abilene High School faculty
included an incredible choral teacher,
Ouida Clemmons Blankenship. In her
choral ensembles were at least 200 of
the 1200 students in the school. I was
active in the music and drama programs,
but my main courses of study were
journalism and Spanish, because my
goal was to be a bilingual reporter. I
never dreamed of making music a career.
While I was a high school sophomore, I
heard the North Texas State University
choir conducted by Wilfred Bain. I had
never heard anything like that in my life.
I can still see that choir and hear how
they performed (even some of the
repertoire!) I said to myself, “I’m going
to work sometime, somehow where
that man teaches and conducts.” But my
parents would not let me go to North
Texas State, although I was allowed to
go for a summer program.
I attended Abilene Christian College
(now university), majoring in journalism
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
and Spanish, but the teacher there who
left the most indelible mark on me was
my English and creative writing teacher,
Rhetta Scott Garrett. She instilled in me
a love of literature and poetry, which I
retain to this day. I edited the college
newspaper and was in every play that
came along. In 1945, after two years of
college, I was 18 and had to go into the
service at the tail end of World War II. I
was a chaplain’s assistant in the United
States Navy in San Diego, where every
Sunday I played organ for the Mormons
and the Catholics, and conducted a
Protestant choir. On Saturday nights,
I took care of the sing-a-longs at the
company movie theater. While still in
the navy in San Diego, I performed my
first professional singing. At age 19, I
sang leading roles with the San Diego
Light Opera Company in H.M.S. Pinafore,
The Mikado, The Merry Widow, and The
Barber of Seville. After I took my military
discharge, I returned to Abilene Christian and completed my degree—this
time in music. I knew then that I could
not dismiss music from my personal
and professional life. After graduation
from college, I was hired as the second
choral director at Odessa High School
in Odessa, Texas.
While at Odessa High School, three
of us young, ambitious teachers (the
female physical education teacher, the
drama teacher, and I) had great dreams,
and we put them into action. We
started the Permian Playhouse, which to
this day is one of the few extant equity
houses in Texas. The band director and
I started the Midland-Odessa Symphony,
which is still thriving. At one point, I took
some of my high school singers to an
all-state festival conducted by John Finley
Williamson, founder of the Westminster
Choir College. Well, that changed my
life: how that man could absolutely
mesmerize those students! And, the
sound he got from them! So, I brought
Williamson and the Westminster Choir
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
to Odessa High School for a festival:
major life change number one!
During the summers at Odessa, I
would shuttle my wife and kids with me
off to Bloomington, Indiana, to work on
my masters degree at Indiana University.
Wilfred Bain had moved there from
Texas and was building what would
eventually be the largest and one of
the most influential schools of music in
the world.
George Kreiger was my choral
mentor there, and I studied voice with
Myron Taylor, and was in music theatre
productions directed by Larry Carra
and conducted by Ernst Hoffman. At
the same time, my wife was studying
with the legendary Anna Kaskas. What
times we had!
Leaving Odessa High School, I joined
the faculty of Odessa Junior College for
one year and then was invited to be a
member of the music faculty at Eastern New Mexico University, at age 24.
While I was there, the director of the
Albuquerque Symphony, Hans Lange,
asked me to prepare my university choir
to sing Messiah with performances in
Albuquerque and Santa Fe. I, of course,
accepted the invitation with jubilation.
It was the first choral/orchestral collaboration for Eastern New Mexico
University (ENMU). As fate would have
it, the conductor became ill, and I was
asked at the last minute to conduct the
performances. I had never conducted
an orchestra in my life. Well, that did it.
That was the carrot: major life change
number two! The next year, Maestro
Lange invited me to prepare excerpts
of Bach’s Mass in B Minor, but this time,
he remained healthy and did the conducting.
While at ENMU, I became eligible for
a leave of absence for further study, so
I applied for a Danforth Teacher Study
Grant. The program was in its first
year of existence. The premise of the
program was that if you were a person
of faith, it made yyou a more effective
h college level.
el. I was one
teacher at the
oungest in
of 50 selected, and the youngest
the group. The grant would pay for my
doctoral work at any school I wanted
to attend, and would pay the salary that
I was making at the institution where I
was teaching.
I chose to enroll at New York University because the dean of the school at
that time was Paul van Bodegraven, the
renowned band conductor. I had been
so impressed by him when he conducted at one of our ENMU summer high
school band/choral festivals. So, my wife,
two children, and I moved to New York.
There I sang with Margaret Hillis and her
American Concert Choir, was in classes
at NYU with Vincent Jones, probably the
greatest teacher I have ever had, and
studied voice with Harold Luckstone
and Edgar Scofield.
The NYU faculty believed in me
enough that they obtained for me an
interview for the Director of Choral
Activities position at Temple University.
I was offered the job. And at age 28 I
prepared my first choir for Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra:
major life change number three! I taught
and conducted at Temple University for
19 years, from 1956 through 1975.
Eugene Ormandy was a second father to me. He was mentor, friend, and
advocate. One day in early 1971, he
called and said that I would be receiving
a call from Michael Maxwell, the General
Manager of the Cleveland Orchestra.
He said that Maxwell would offer me
the job of Director of Choirs of the
Cleveland Orchestra and that I was
to say, “yes.” That is exactly what happened. So, then began my commute to
Cleveland to work with that incredible
ensemble. I commuted from Philadelphia
for the first four years until I moved to
Pittsburgh, then commuted from there.
I never really lived in Cleveland, but had
an apartment there and commuted
35
An Interview with Robert Page
from 1971 until 1998.
Carnegie-Mellon University (CMU)
invited me to head the Department of
Music in 1975, a position I held for five
years. I had had a taste of administration while at Temple by managing and
directing the Temple University Music
Festival, often referred to as the Ambler
Music Festival.
On the scope of Aspen and Tanglewood, the Ambler Festival had a resident
orchestra, regular concerts, and a most
important teaching element. I hired all
the faculty and auditioned every student.
It was a challenging and exhilarating experience to have on my faculty musical
giants such as Guiomar Novaes, Eleanor Steber, Anna Kaskas, Todd Duncan,
Martin Rich, James Lucas, Otto Werner
Mueller and, for the first time in the
United States, Helmuth Rilling.
During my first five years at CMU,
Larry Carra, head of the drama department (with whom I had worked at Indiana University), and I started the music
theatre program that is, today, one of the
strongest in the country. I also began the
graduate conducting program and had
a full-fledged graduate opera program,
performing four productions a year. I left
the CMU faculty in 1980, but returned
in 1988 at the invitation and insistence
of a dynamic music leader, Marilyn Taft
Thomas.
The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh
asked me to be their music director and
conductor in 1979, and there began a
close association with the Pittsburgh
Symphony, a relationship I treasure.
Munson I have heard you tell how
important it has been for you to work
in educational institutions and in the
professional world. Please elaborate on
this point.
Page Well, you can tell by my life that
I’ve been a “mugwump.” A “mugwump”
36
is a bird that sits on a fence with its
“mug” on one side and its “wump” on
the other. So I have always been that
way, with my “mug” in academia and my
“wump” in the professional world.
In the arts, I feel strongly that one
cannot exist without the other. I don’t
like to use the term “music education,”
because a music teacher is a musician
who has chosen to teach. To me, that is
the “real McCoy.” The professional who
chooses to perform as the primary thing
in his life is to be admired, because he
loves the performing art so much that
he is giving his life to it (a.k.a. the true
“amateur,” the lover). By the same token,
some of us have, as Francis Thompson
would call it, “the hound of heaven
yapping at our tail” saying “you’ve got
to teach.” I think that some of the real
disappointments are that some of the
great people that we know chose not
to teach, but then you have Hindemith,
Persichetti, Milhaud, and others who
were impressive teachers and inspiring,
creative persons.
Munson What do you look for when
you audition candidates for your masters
program in conducting at CarnegieMellon University?
Page I look for somebody whose vision is not limited to academia. There
are many schools that have wonderful
programs for teaching, but are rather
indifferent to the “real world.” My work
with people outside the education arena
has been rewarding in a different sense.
Folks are out of school for many more
years than in school. So what do we
do with these people once we graduate them? Are we just going to ignore
them, or are we going to help create an
environment where they can continue
to grow in the art? I like to work with
students who desire not only to teach,
but also to work in the professional
.
field as well. My graduate students from
Temple and CMU are quite successful in
achieving these goals.
Munson What are the most important things that you want your graduate
students to take away from CarnegieMellon?
Page I want them to take away tools
with which they can solve the problems
that they are going to face. Whether it
is notation, musical, or people skills—all
of that, and, to me, they must take away
a bevy of experiences upon which they
can base their musical decisions. At
CMU, the graduate students have to
conduct not only the choir, but also
the choir and orchestra, the orchestra
alone, a music theater production, and/
or an opera.
Munson You have prepared the
symphony choruses of Philadelphia,
Cleveland, and Pittsburgh for many
conductors who work primarily with
orchestras. Have any of those conductors had an especially positive influence
on your work?
Page From Ormandy I learned texture,
even though I didn’t know that I was
learning texture. I could see and hear
what he would do not only with the orchestra, but also with the choir—taking
what I had prepared and molding it to
his concept of sound. I remember when
I was with the Cleveland Orchestra,
Ormandy was invited to guest conduct
the Mahler Second Symphony. Ormandy
literally changed the sound of the Cleveland Orchestra within one rehearsal.
He did not stand on the podium saying,
“I’m going to change the sound,” but his
persona, his presence, the gesture—they
changed the sound. And that is what we
as choral people can do: we can change
the sound of the group. But you have got
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
to have it in your brain first—the sound
that you want to hear.
From Lorin Maazel, I learned clarity:
clarity, articulation, and detail. I think that
he is probably the greatest musician
I have ever known. What a blessing it
was for me to work with him for twelve
years in Cleveland and eight in Pittsburgh. He left an indelible impression
upon me. I was amazed at the detail that
Lorin was able to do with the gesture. It
still boggles my mind. And, he knew and
savored every syllable of the text!
The other person who was important in my life was Margaret Hillis.
Maggie was not the most interesting
conductor, but she was detail oriented.
The more I work and the more I work
with my students, the more I am convinced that it is the details that make
it, not overview. Too often we choral
people just want to sort of sit there and
wallow in the choral sound, and let the
orchestra fare for itself. Too bad.
Another person who impressed me
was Michael Gielen. He never had a big
career in the states, but the two times I
worked with him were amazing times. I
rank him almost in the class with Lorin
so far as being able to see more of what
is in the music.
On the contemporary scene (here
in Pittsburgh), I loved working with
David Robertson. We did a Berio piece
with him, and I was so impressed by his
rehearsal pace and thorough knowledge
of the score. And, Ingo Metzmacher, also
of the younger generation. In the pops
world, the best is Marvin Hamlisch. I’ve
worked with Marvin for about 15 years
and he is an amazing musician. Not only
is he swift in on-the-spot editing, but
also he knows the music, the style, and
the nuance.
Munson Were there times that it was
difficult to turn one of the choirs over
to an orchestral conductor?
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Page Absolutely! You have to swallow Munson That response leads right to
your ego, a lot. I remember Roger Wagner and Dick Westenburg both saying,
“Page, you’re crazy! Why do you prepare
a chorus and give it to somebody else?”
I would say, “I learn a lot by doing that.”
I learn what I do well, and I learn what I
don’t do well, and that helps me later on.
But, many times more than I would care
to say (and I will mention no names), I
have had to use what I would call my
DWWR technique: “Do What Was Rehearsed.” That was when I had trained
the choir to be conductor-proof so that
NO conductor could “screw them up!”
At times during a rehearsal, I would just
shout from the audience, not so subtly,
“Chorus—DWWR!”
Munson Are there other musicians,
perhaps choral musicians, singers, or
instrumentalists who have influenced
your music-making?
Page Roger Wagner. I was so lucky to
have been an early member of Chorus
America. When it was founded, it was
called the Association of Professional
Vocal Ensembles (APVE). This organization was important, because its purpose
was to advocate for the professionally
trained choral singer. This activity was
in the late 1960s and early 1970s when
there was a big push toward the professionalizing of our art to elevate it from
the stigma of amateur/volunteerism.
There were Michael Korn, Roger
Wagner, Gregg Smith, Dick Westenburg
and Margaret Hillis—zealots for the
professional choir, the professional singer.
I was lucky enough to be with that group
of people who were great influences on
me and in starting my professional choir
in Cleveland. I hate to see the thrust, the
excitement, and the visceral energy that
went into professionalizing our art dissipated, as it appears to be now.
my next question. I know that compensating trained singers for their work
has been important to you. Why is this
important, and how have you been able
to accomplish this goal?
Page Well, let me ask you that. You are
a teacher in a university. Why do you
train your singers like you do if there’s
not going to be an arena out there for
them to use the art? All these people
are being trained as vocalists, and unless
one is a gifted musical theater or opera
person, what do they do? They end up
singing for nothing!
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37
An Interview with Robert Page
It upsets me when choirs from other
countries that are subsidized by their
governments are brought here and worshipped.They have singers who are paid
living salaries to sing full time. We do not
have that except in a miniscule number.
In fact, we have many people who are
against it, who vehemently fight the notion of paying singers. I did a workshop
and concert with The Soldiers Chorus
of the United States Army—one of the
greatest weeks that I have ever had,
working with those professional singers
who work forty hours a week singing!
They are a Rolls Royce! It is just incredible how much can be done and how
beautifully they sing.
If you look at my discography, you
will notice that I worked with Ormandy
recording Christmas albums with the
orchestra. The first one was with the
Temple University choirs, but then six
years later, RCA wanted to record the
great Arthur Harris Christmas arrangements, but with a professional choir. So
Ormandy got me on board, and I assembled a choir of forty of the best singers
in Philadelphia, and we learned twenty
to thirty arrangements, on our own, and
went into the studio and recorded them.
Members of the orchestra kept saying,
“that’s the kind of choir we need—we
deserve one at that level.” And that’s
what Maggie did in Chicago and what
Roger did in L.A.
Shaw’s great contribution was made
through the Robert Shaw Chorale,
which was an all-professional group.
Norman Luboff, Robert de Cormier
and William Schumann all had professional singers.
the overall detriment of the ensemble.
They would bring something else. They
would bring a collegiality, an attitude of
friendship and commitment that would
permeate the overall atmosphere. I think
you need all of these in a large ensemble.
The bad thing is when the bottom third
begins to dominate—then the musical
product suffers.
a difference between solo singing and
choral singing?
ensemble?
Munson How do you address the
Munson Do you think that there is issues of balance and blend in a choral
Page I think that there is a difference
in good singing and bad singing, period!
In working with the Mendelssohn Choir
of Pittsburgh, although nobody knew
this, I mentally divided the choir into
three sections. The first third would be
what I called professional. That is, they
would have good vocal proficiency and
excellent musical skills. The second
third would be people with either good
vocal proficiency or good musical skills.
They could perform almost as well as
the first third, but it would take a little
longer. The last third would be people
who had modest vocal proficiency
and modest musical skills, but not to
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38
.
Page I don’t like to use the term “blend.”
It is really a culinary term.You can never
make two voices sound the same. But,
if you have a decent ear, you can place
voices so they complement each other,
and that is what I strive to do. Bad singing
has nothing to do with blend. You have
got to take care of what is causing the
bad singing. I think many times choral
conductors opt for “coming down” to
the lowest musical common denominator rather than seeking the highest
musical common denominator.
I have a group at Carnegie-Mellon
that I call my “keep me humble group,”
which is made up mostly of non-singing
majors—pianists, bagpipe players, guitarists, computer specialists, mechanical engineers, and what have you—who have
a desire to sing, or who are required to
take the course.With the ethnic populations that we have represented, just to
get an “ah” vowel takes an act of God
and Congress sometimes, because they
have so many concepts of sound based
upon their spoken language. But, one
has to work at it through the sounds
that the people are capable of hearing
and making. Now, it may sound kind of
odd, but I teach English diction, and the
most difficult thing is to get them to sing
decent English rather than the English
that they speak.
Munson What type of choral warmChoral Journal • June/July 2009
ups do you use?
Page It depends on the group. My
philosophy is body, ear, and voice in
warming up. With my professional choir,
I never used a vocal warm-up. Dancers
would never go to a rehearsal without
warming up, and they do not have a
director telling them how to do it. They
know what has to be done and the
necessity of doing it. Conversely, with a
large group, if I am rehearsing a Missa
Solemnis or a Beethoven Ninth that has
extreme ranges, I will devise a warm-up
that is going to make the center of the
voice higher than it ordinarily is. Again,
if I am doing a Mahler Second or the
Rachmaninoff Vespers, I will devise a vocalese that will help the basses get into
the lowest range so that we will be able
to hear those notes. Normally, I will deal
with the ear more than anything else.
Munson Do you have suggestions for
directors of symphony choirs that may
help in projecting the choral sound
when there is a great deal of orchestration in a piece?
Page Yes. Do not depend on volume,
that is number one. You have to rely
upon focus of the sound. That, again, requires a certain knowledge of the voice.
Many times, amplitude is used incorrectly. It is just like working with brass in
an orchestra.There’s a difference in loud
and focused, and the more centered you
can make the sound, the better chance
you will have to project. Many times, a
singer with a smaller voice which is more
focused will carry over a large orchestra
better than somebody who is trying to
compete with amplitude.
The three big orchestra choruses
that I have conducted—Philadelphia,
Cleveland, and Pittsburgh—each had
different orchestras to cut through.With
Ormandy, it was like swimming against
the tide. There was that luscious string
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
sound that you would just get bogged
down in. So our sound had to “cut.”
In Cleveland, the hall was so bright
that if we were too bright it didn’t work,
so we had to modify to a darker sound.
With Pittsburgh it varied over the years,
because the sound that I inherited with
the orchestra was not the sound that
it is now. And, you have to work with
the maestros, too. They want different
sounds. I don’t want my choir to sound
Italian, if we are singing German songs.
Now that, again, has to do with the
concept of the vowels and the way the
vowel is made and projected.
Munson What differences are involved
in preparing a symphony chorus and a
vocal chamber ensemble?
Page With a symphonic group, you are
dealing with a larger picture and you
have to pick and choose your details.
You can do more with a smaller group, if
the smaller group is carefully auditioned.
With a symphonic group, one is dealing
with projection of sound, which is going
to be more composite than transparent.
So, attacks and releases must be more
obvious. Final consonants have to be
much more in evidence, because they
have to cut through so much orchestral
sound. Dynamics are essentially more
arbitrary. With a smaller group it is
possible to get much more subtleness,
particularly in the handling of diction.
of the ensemble.
I conducted the first Cleveland
orchestra performance of the revised
Tender Land of Copland with the Murray Sidlin orchestration, employing the
original instrumentation of Appalachian
Spring.
We performed several premieres
and commissions such as “…among the
voices…” by Bernard Rands for chorus
and harp.We also performed a lot of my
arrangements of popular and Broadway
music, and a bevy of ethnic music—Serbian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, and
so on—in the native languages.
The Robert Page Singers was my
love and my life from 1982 until 1998.
The disappointment was that Cleveland
was not ready for a professional choir.
In my dual role as conductor of the
Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and this
professional ensemble, I don’t think that
there was a division in peoples’ minds
about the two existences.
Munson How has the professional
choir scene changed in your lifetime?
Munson How many members were
Page Oh, it just kills me. When I was
younger, people outside of the choral
world knew the Robert Shaw Chorale
and the Roger Wagner Chorale. The
Voices of Walter Schumann had a radio
program. Fred Waring—I’ll tell you he is
the most underrated person—what he
did for choral music was incredible. His
tone syllables, which was taking Vaccai
and putting it in English, were just beyond belief. We need that.
Page I think the most I ever had was
Munson How do you approach a score that you have already conducted
versus one that you have not?
there in the Robert Page Singers and
what was the repertoire of that ensemble?
32, but on tour we would normally have
twenty-four. The repertoire was basically
chamber music repertoire. The biggest
piece that we performed was Messiah—
at least 22 complete performances, using
12 different soloists who were members
Page I am doing it right now. I have conducted [Monteverdi’s] L’Incoronazione
de Poppea twice before, but the last
time I conducted it was ten years ago,
and I am finding that I am starting all
39
An Interview with Robert Page
over, marking a completely new score,
because I looked at my other one and I
thought, “you fool, how could you have
done that?”
I think that it is important that every
conductor make him or herself learn
new music every year. By the same
token, the most difficult thing to do is
to get an orchestra to play Beethoven’s
Fifth Symphony as though the ink is still
wet. But, I think of the audience. I do
not want to deprive them of the excitement of hearing it for the first time,
even though I have performed it a dozen
times before. People ask me about Messiah. I have conducted it probably sixty
or seventy times, but it is still new to me.
I find it exciting beyond belief. I never get
tired of admiring the genius of Handel.
Loesser of The Most Happy Fella, which
was done on Broadway several years
ago.
Another was performing the Utrenja
of Penderecki with Ormandy. That
changed my life completely. After that,
Ormandy asked me to conduct, as my
debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra,
the St. Luke Passion of Penderecki. I loved
my association with Penderecki—it was
very rewarding. At Penderecki’s request,
I went to the Chicago Lyric Opera and
prepared the chorus for Paradise Lost,
which we performed there, and then at
La Scala in Milan.
Munson What new trends in choral
music have you noticed in recent years?
Page In much of the choral music that
Munson What accomplishments in is being composed now by some of the
your career have been the most satisfying to you?
.
Page The future of choral music is going
to depend on where you are and who
is performing it, because more than
orchestras, the success of a choir most
of the time depends on the personality
of the conductor. Now that is a terrible
thing to say, but how did most of the
chamber choirs begin? They are founded
on the personality or the charisma of
the conductor, not because of the artistic product.
The ownership of the organization
is the most difficult thing about the
survival of an independent choir. The
501(c)(3) attitude leaves a lot to be
desired, because by law, the decisionmaking has to be done by a non-paid
group of people who most of the time
do not know what they are doing. That
was one of the reasons the APVE was
founded—to help professional singers.
How do we help the professional singers? By helping the ensemble that hires
them. By making it solvent. By making
it an important fixture; and that’s basic.
If the infrastructure is not healthy, you
cannot hire singers. Why is it that we
have such a horrible attitude toward
hiring singers when we automatically
say that we are going to have to hire an
orchestra? I think that musical apartheid
system is unacceptable.
most successful composers, such as Eric
Whitacre, Libby Larson, Edie Hill, maybe
even Morten Lauridsen, I sense that the
Page That is a tough question. I think words may have to be stressed more
from a personal standpoint, conducting than in some of the earlier choral works.
a performance of the Mozart Mass in For instance, in some of the works of
C Minor with the Mendelssohn Club Vaughan Williams or Benjamin Britten,
of Philadelphia, where my daughter, the words are important, but there
Carolann, was soprano one, and my is a musical atmosphere that elevates
wife was soprano two, and you could the sound rather than the worship of
not tell which would be singing the high a word and the necessity of the word.
notes because they sounded so much I think that is part of our society—we
the same.
are a word-oriented society. I just read Munson Are there things that you
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40
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
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is about an attitude towards life. It is
not about seeing the right notes in the
right place. That is a vehicle, and a way
to get to a larger goal. I admire people
such as Helmut Rilling, who still brings a
freshness to what he teaches. It is not
always the same with him, and I really
like that about his work. You can spot
the conductors who really love music
and the ones who just walk through it.
Many times I will go to conventions
and I am bored stiff because I am not
touched. The music does not reach out
and grab me. It is too correct and stilted,
and then we wonder why students are
not on fire about it. If you are not passionate about making music, nobody
else is going to be.
Munson So what should we do?
Page Well, we make our own garden
grow, wherever we are, and what has
been dealt us. I find so many people discouraged or becoming cynical because
their singers are not where they want
them to be. You have to accept them
where they are and go from that point
on, rather than complaining about what
they do not know, otherwise you are not
going to do any good.
I think that ACDA needs to work
harder in emphasizing the choral art as
an art, an inspiration, a human necessity,
more than simply entertainment.
I was one of the first members of
the National Endowment for the Arts
(NEA), even before there was a choral
division. Margaret Hillis and I would sit
there being considered a “project”—
choral music was a “project,” not a division. What was great about the NEA at
that time is that we did on-site visits. We
did not send in tapes. When you hear
a concert in person, you literally inhale
the vibrancy, and you really get a sense
of what is going on. I will never forget
going to Charlotte, North Carolina, and
hearing the Oratorio Singers conducted
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
by Mary Nell Saunders. I could not help
but be excited about what they were
performing. It may not have sounded
perfect on a tape, but that is it: it’s MORE
than a perfect tape.
Munson What advice do you have for
aspiring young conductors?
Page Learn the music.
Munson Any advice for us middle-
aged types?
Page Learn the music.The details, Mark,
I just cannot say enough about them.The
details are going to reveal more about
you than anything else.They are going to
reveal your priority system and reflect
what you focus on in your rehearsal.
What level of performance do you
accept? I tell my conductors “you will
be known more for your compromises
than your accomplishments.” Nobody is
perfect, so every one of us has to make
compromises. That is an awareness you
must possess.
Munson So, will you continue to work
at Carnegie-Mellon and guest conduct?
Page Yes, Absolutely!
Munson Thank you for your time today. It has been great to hear you share
your ideas and talk about your fascinating and inspiring career.
Page I have been exceedingly blessed
to have worked with three of the greatest orchestras in the world and at three
major universities. It is indeed special. My
students make me rich.
41
:
Scott Hochstetler
The 1930s were a time of turmoil in Europe,
and people sought a myriad of ways to ensure
peace. Along with pacifism, a specific breed of
internationalism began that would provide, in the
minds of its pioneers, a practical solution to war
prevention. Federalism called for European countries
to centralize their militaries in the hopes of deterring
rogue nations. In 1936, amidst the raging Spanish
Civil War, Hitler’s rise, and Mussolini’s aggression
toward Abyssinia, British composer Ralph Vaughan
Williams (1872–1958) chose not to write a patriotic
call to arms, but rather a federalist manifesto, Dona
Nobis Pacem. It combined liturgical text, biblical
scripture, passionate oratory by John Bright and the
vivid war poetry of Walt Whitman, calling for peace
through world federalism.
A Short History of Federalism
in Great Britain
Following the failure of the League of
Nations to control Japanese, Italian, and
especially Nazi aggression, people began
to lean towards federalism as a way to
avert a second world war. British historian Martin Ceadel explains federalism:
The federalists’ central proposition
was that the League had been let
down by its member states…the
only way to ensure the success of
collective security was to create
a federation that would prevent
states having any say in their
foreign and defence policies by
deciding these centrally.1
A federalist might argue, for example,
that if Europe had been federalized prior
to World War II, Hitler and Mussolini
would never have attempted to fight
a unified Europe because, in doing so,
they would assuredly have committed
military suicide. The League of Nations,
while internationalist, was not a federalist organization because its members
could unilaterally use military force
instead of giving up foreign policy to a
central authority.
In autumn of 1938, three young men,
Patrick Ransome, Charles Kimber and
Derek Rawnsley, founded Federal Union,
a “people’s movement to draw together
popular support for the idea of federation of the European democracies.”2 By
January 1939, the group’s first manifesto
Scott Hochstetler is assistant
professor of music at Goshen
College (IN), where he teaches
applied voice and conducting and
directs Chorale and Men’s Chorus.
<[email protected]>
44
was printed bearing the title Federal
Union.3 By June 1940, it had 12,000
members and 225 branches throughout
England.4
The supporters of Federal Union
included many prominent persons from
various disciplines and professions. Its
roster boasted the celebrities Commander Stephen King-Hall and Lionel
Robbins, the novelists Elizabeth Bowen
and Ernest Raymond, and the musician
Adrian Boult.5 Even though the movement influenced England’s decision to
create union with France in June 1940,
it was soon discarded once England
became fully embroiled in World War II.
Ralph Vaughan Williams and
Federalism
While atheism, socialism, nationalism and humanitarianism were all belief
systems to which Vaughan Williams
subscribed, all combined and led to his
philosophy of federalism. However, the
main catalyst for his federalist beliefs was
his experience with war. The Boer War,
World War I, and the march toward
World War II turned him, along with
countless other Britons, towards war
prevention.
In 1902, at the end of the Boer War,
Jack Fisher, the brother of Vaughan Williams’s first wife Adeline, returned from
the war with shell shock and soon after
died from his deteriorated condition.
This mortified Adeline’s family so much
that they had trouble talking about this
period for many years.6 Despite remembering Jack and the many other casualties of the Boer War and despite his
relatively advanced age, Ralph enlisted
in World War I along with many of his
younger friends, including the English
composer George Butterworth. He
joined the Special Constabulary, soon
became a sergeant, but then transferred
to the Royal Army Medical Corps.
Because of flat feet, he was assigned
as a wagon orderly, although with no
wagons at the beginning of his assignment, he had to march with the rest of
his company.7
Eventually Vaughan Williams’s unit
was employed to France at Ecoivres,
extremely close to the trenches but
sheltered by Mont St. Eloi. His job consisted of making night runs to collect
the sick and wounded. He wrote to his
dear friend and composition colleague
Gustav Holst:
I should v. much like to have news
of you—I wish I cd. write you
an interesting letter—but one is
hardly allowed to say anything.
However I am ver y well and
enjoy my work—all parades and
such things cease. I am ‘waggon
orderly’ and go up the line every
night to bring back wounded and
sick in a motor ambulance—all
this takes place at night except an
occasional day journey for urgent
cases.8
Although his comrade Harry Steggles
wrote that “the trenches held no terrors for him,9 he was affected by the
atrocities he witnessed. Ursula Vaughan
Williams, Ralph’s second wife and main
biographer, wrote that, “working in the
ambulance gave Ralph vivid awareness
of how men died.”10 Especially difficult
for him was the death of his friend
George Butterworth. Writing again to
Holst:
I sometimes dread coming back
to normal life with so many
gaps—especially of cour se
George Butterworth—he has left
most of his MS to me—and now
I hear that Ellis is killed—out of
those 7 who joined up together
in August, 1914 only 3 are left.
I sometimes think now that it
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
is wrong to have made friends
with people much younger than
oneself…11
Despite the horrors he witnessed,
Vaughan Williams felt a need to endure
life as a soldier12 perhaps to be in touch
with what many English men were experiencing. Ursula wrote:
Ralph had hated the war but
he had taken part in what he
believed had to be done. He
knew that he could have stayed in
England: he knew also that had he
done so he would not have been
able to write: he would have been
burdened with a sense of evading
his responsibility as a man, his duty
as a citizen.13
Though difficult to pinpoint exactly
when Vaughan William’s response to war
moved from mere aversion to an embrace of federalism, we can definitively
point to the Mary Flexner Lectures at
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania in October and
November 1932 as exhibiting federalist
thought. In a lecture titled “Some Conclusions,” Vaughan Williams said:
If the civilized world is not to
come to an end we must become
more and more ‘members one of
another’. But as our body politic
becomes more unified so do the
duties of the individual members
of that body become more, not
less, defined and differentiated.
Our best way of ser ving the
common cause will be to be
more ourselves. When the United
States of the World becomes, as
I hope it will, an established fact,
those will serve that universal
State best who bring into the
common fund something that
they and they only can bring.14
Union, Vaughan Williams showed his interest in a letter to his future wife Ursula
dated October 7, 1939:
Yes—do go in hot and strong
for ‘Federal Union’. I daresay we
shan’t get it all, but we might get
oWb[_dij_jkj[e\iWYh[Zcki_YWdZoWb[iY^eebe\cki_Y
Wh[fb[Wi[ZjeWddekdY[j^[Wffe_djc[dje\
DXjXXb`Jlqlb`
for the term 2009–2011
as
Visiting Professor of
Choral Conducting
and
Conductor of
Yale Schola Cantorum
joining Marguerite L. Brooks
in the program of choral
conducting, and replacing
Simon Carrington, retiring
in June 2009.
Soon after the founding of Federal
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
45
some, e.g., Universal Currency. I’m
going to a meeting in Guildford
about it tomorrow.15
Five days later on October 12,
Vaughan Williams wrote to Herbert
Howells, explaining how he believed
Federal Union to be the only solution.
Like many others in the movement, he
had been deeply affected by Clarence
Streit’s Union Now:
The latest bee in my bonnet is
“Federal Union” (Have you read
Streit’s Union Now—you should[;]
it is I believe the only solution). I
am trying to get a branch started
in Dorking.16
Soon after, Vaughan Williams started
a branch at Dorking, U.K., and often
served as its chairman.
As in 1932 in Bryn Mawr, when he
stated his desire for “a United States of
the World,” Vaughan Williams revisited
his linking of cultural nationalism with
federalism ten years later in his essay
“Nationalism and Internationalism:”
I believe that the love of one’s
country, one’s languages, one’s
customs, one’s religion, are
essential to our spiritual health.
We may laugh at these things,
but we love them none the less.
Indeed it is one of our national
characteristics and one which I
should be sorry to see disappear,
that we laugh at what we love.
This is something that a foreigner
can never fathom, but it is out of
such characteristics, these hard
knots in our timber, that we can
help to build up a united Europe
and a world federation.17
Vaughan Williams was particularly active in Federal Union in 1943; he wrote
to his cousin and Cambridge classmate,
Ralph Wedgwood, on January 21:
46
Being a complete ignoramus is
not going to stand in the way of
thanking you for your splendid
article in the Times. One sentence
seemed to adumbr ate the
particular Bee in my Bonnet—
Federal Union—is it going to be
issued as a pamphlet—I do hope
so.18
Later on in November, he wrote to a
choral conductor, Arnold Barter. After
sending greetings to Barter’s choir, he
unabashedly plugged Federal Union by
enclosing some federalist material:
Now I want to bore you with the
latest Bee in my Bonnet—Do,
if you have not done so already,
read the enclosed? [sic] It seems
to me the only solution. I am as
you know a convinced nationalist
in all that concerns our individual
& cultural life—But I believe this
can only be achieved by living
in unity with other nations in
all those matters which are our
common interest.19
It is clear from the frequency with
which Vaughan Williams referred to Federal Union as the “Bee in my Bonnet,”
that the organization and its philosophy
were in the forefront of his mind. Not
only did he invite speakers to the Dorking Branch, he himself spoke at other
branches, including one in London in
1952 at a Federal Union meeting with
fellow musician Yehudi Menuhin.20 In
1955 he became the President of the
Committee for arranging a concert for
the Federal Education and Research
Trust.21 Regarding this appointment, he
“had continued to be a supporter of the
idea that Federalism was the only hope
for the peace of the world.”22 Agreeing
to conduct his London Symphony in a
program that included fellow conductor
and federalist Sir Adrian Boult, Vaughan
Williams added the following to the
program: “…a long and varied life has
shown me that politically the world lacks
a fresh vision of its own unity and that
is often for the artist to try to show the
way.”23 When Vaughan Williams died in
1958, Boult emphasized Vaughan Williams’s humanitarian work as well as his
service to Federal Union in an obituary
printed in the organization’s official
magazine:
Musical leader ship implies a
restricted field, but it cannot
be too often stated that Ralph
Vaughan Williams was no ivory
tower musician: he gave a valuable
and beautiful proper ty to the
National Trust; he took an eager
hand collecting salvage during
the Second Wor ld War ; he
served as an R.A.M.C. orderly in
the First when well over age; he
was a Vice-President of Federal
Union; and some years before
1939, when speaking in public,
he expressed a wish to see the
United States of Europe.24
Dona Nobis Pacem
The Huddersfield Choral Society had
commissioned a work from Vaughan
Williams for its centenary on October
2, 1936. After hearing Holst’s “Dirge
for Two Veterans” played just after his
friend’s funeral, Vaughan Williams was
likely reminded of his own unpublished
setting from 1911, and he used this as
the basis for his anti-war cantata, Dona
Nobis Pacem,25 which he wrote over the
course of 1934–36. It uses martial and
jarring music in its critique of war and
serene and joyous music in its support
for reconciliation and a belief in world
federation. Vaughan Williams uses chromaticism, bitonality, and quartal/quintal
harmonies to symbolize the sin of war,
and he uses diatonicism, both warm and
brilliant orchestration and a more conservative compositional idiom to depict
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
the optimistic message of peace through
world federalism. While not diminishing
the work’s critique of war, the following
discussion is limited to its federalist elements, which primarily take place in the
final two movements.26
Movement V
For the final section of the fifth
movement, Vaughan Williams adapts
Jeremiah 8:15–22. By placing this after
Movement IV’s speech by John Bright,
the original spiritual meaning is changed
and replaced with a worldly plea for
current peace on earth.27
Jeremiah’s prophecies occurred at
a crucial period in the history of Judah;
while under the rule of a weakened
Assyrian Empire in the 7th century
B.C., Judah, led by King Josiah, revolted.
Though initially successful, they were
soon taken over by the Babylonians. It
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
was in this historical context before the
takeover that Jeremiah preached of a
“foe from the north.”28 In chapter 8,
verse 14–22, Jeremiah laments over the
coming destruction. Vaughan Williams
adopts verses 15 and 16 and then skips
to 20 and 22. In doing so, he removes
the context of divine destruction (verse
14 speaks of God dooming the people,
verse 17 of the Lord sending “adders”)
and instead paints a picture of war with
a foreign land (“Dan”):
We looked for peace, but no
good came; and for a time of
health, and behold trouble!
The snorting of his horses was
heard from Dan;29 the whole
land trembled at the sound of
the neighing of his strong ones;
for they are come, and have
devoured the land … and those
that dwell therein … The harvest
is past, the summer is ended, and
we are not saved … Is there
no balm in Gilead?; is there no
physician there? Why then is not
the health of the daughter of my
people recovered?
Vaughan Williams uses the imagery
of Jeremiah, which was certainly well
known to the average church-going
Briton, to paint a prophecy of his own;
the fascists under Hitler and Mussolini
and Franco would soon be “come,”
and “the whole land” (Europe) already
“trembled.”
For this section, Vaughan Williams
moves away from his typical homophonic choral writing and uses the contrapuntal technique of double canon. This
paints a picture of the people of England
yearning aimlessly for peace as they
stumble around echoing each other’s
calls of distress (Figure 1).
47
This underscores Vaughan Williams’s
belief that England needed direction in
this difficult time—direction that federalism could provide. The policies of
isolationism, appeasement and pacifism
that Great Britain debated seemed to
only embolden Hitler and Mussolini.
As the framers of the Federal Union
movement would later articulate after
World War II began, Vaughan Williams
believed that unifying countries through
a federalized government in charge
of foreign affairs was the only way to
achieve peace. He was able to articulate
this desperate search for a meaningful
foreign policy with this effective section
of word-painting and then point the way
towards federalism as a solution in the
final movement.
Movement VI
Text
Vaughan Williams chooses a mixture
of Old and New Testament texts for the
final movement, including passages from
Daniel, Haggai, Micah, Leviticus, Psalms,
Isaiah and Luke. The movement begins
with words of hope sung by the baritone, quoting the books of Daniel and
Haggai.Vaughan Williams saves his most
overt federalist message for this final
movement, carefully selecting texts that
support his aims. Indeed, this is often the
criticism of the work—that it is blatantly
propagandist and too much a tract for its
times. But it is this final movement that
gives his anti-war message an explanation and a solution.
Vaughan Williams, in prophetic fashion, chooses verse 19 from the visionary
tenth chapter of Daniel (“O man greatly
beloved, fear not, peace be unto thee, be
strong, yea, be strong.”). In this chapter,
an angel appears to Daniel to tell him
what is written in God’s book of truth.
Though we are only able to surmise at
Vaughan Williams’s intentions, the baritone might well represent an angel, God,
or even a prophetic poet like Whitman,
as in Movement III. Vaughan Williams
uses this voice to tell England to “be
strong” in the quest for peace. Having
held radical beliefs throughout his life,
he knew that federalism was not likely
Coming Soon!
New and improved
membership and life membership cards.
48
to be a popular path to peace.
The hopeful message continues
with words from Haggai. This prophet
was significant in his focused effort
on rebuilding the temple in postexilic
Jerusalem.30 It is in this context that the
Lord speaks through Haggai in chapter
2, verse 9: “The glory of this latter house
shall be greater than of the former, saith
the Lord of Hosts; and in this place will
I give peace.” By juxtaposing it with
the final chorus (“Nation shall not lift
up…”) and removing reference to the
Jewish God (it reads “greater than of the
former...and in this place”),Vaughan Williams changes the meaning of “house”
from the temple in Jerusalem to the
entire world. Scholar Wilfred Mellers,
in reference to this movement, writes,
“Dona Nobis Pacem stresses the social
and even political ramifications of the
New Jerusalem, as well as the spiritual vision which may make rebirth possible.”31
Micah 4:3 comes from a chapter
titled “Peace and Security Through Obedience”32 describing a future universal
peace.33 Vaughan Williams chooses to
set only the second half of this verse:
“Nation shall not lift up a sword against
nation, neither shall they learn war any
more.” The first half of the verse bears
including here: “They shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their spears
into pruning hooks.” Biblical scholar
Philip King calls this passage “a classic
description of disarmament.”34 Although
he wished for the end of war, it is unlikely that Vaughan Williams would have
supported disarmament, as a federal
union still needs access to arms in case
of conflict.
Leviticus 26:6 reads as follows: “And
I will give peace in the land, and ye shall
lie down, and none shall make you afraid:
and I will rid evil beasts out of the land,
neither shall the sword go through your
land.” In this passage, God is speaking to
God’s people, describing the rewards
for their obedience.35 Vaughan Williams excises and changes a number
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
of words, yielding the following: “And
none shall make them afraid, neither
shall the sword go through their land.”
The composer changes “you” to “them”
to stay aligned with the subject (they)
of the passage before. He also removes
God (I ) as the instigator of peace to
keep his prophecy of peace a result
of world federalism rather than divine
intervention. He excises the passage
about “evil beasts” possibly because it
might be perceived as descriptive of
the Germans or Italians and not fit the
positive, reconciliatory sentiment of the
movement.
Vaughan Williams continues his
scripture pastiche with Psalm 85:10–11
(“Mercy and truth are met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed
each other. Truth shall spring out of the
earth, and righteousness shall look down
from heaven.”).36 Once again, Vaughan
Williams carefully chooses verses that
do not reference a higher power, focusing instead on the pairing of a mystical,
heavenly righteousness with peace on
earth. Continuing in the Psalms, he
chooses Psalm 118:19 (“Open to me
the gates of righteousness: I will go into
them, [and I will praise the Lord]”), but
omits the reference to the praising of
the Judeo-Christian God, instead keeping with an earth-bound peace. With
these verses, Vaughan Williams continues with his vision of a world where
humans have been enlightened by the
“truth” and “righteousness” of federalism, paving the way for world peace.
Vaughan Williams continues with two
passages from Isaiah, the first from chapter 43, verse 9. Compare the original
passage with Vaughan Williams’s adapted
passage just below:
Let all the nations be gathered
together, and let the people be
assembled: who among them can
declare this, and shew us former
things? Let them bring for th
their witnesses, that they may be
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
justified: or let them hear, and say,
It is truth.
Compare again to the stripped-down
version that Vaughan Williams uses:
Let all the nations be gathered
together, and let the people be
assembled; and let them hear, and
say, it is the truth.
And it shall come, that I will gather all
nations and tongues.
The reason for the gathering of nations
in the original passage was to bring witnesses to proclaim the truth of God
(“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD,
and my servant whom I have chosen:
that ye may know and believe me, and
understand that I am he” [verse 10]).
By leaving out these words, Vaughan
Williams changes the subject of “truth”
from the truth of God to the truth of
federalism, aligning with the “truth” of
the Psalm verses just before.
The composer continues with the
theme of nations gathered and united
with his choice of Isaiah 66: 18–22. The
original verses read:
[18] For I know their works and their
thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all
nations and tongues; and they shall come,
and see my glory.
[19] And I will set a sign among them, and
I will send those that escape of them unto
the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that
draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the
isles afar off, that have not heard my fame,
neither have seen my glory; and they shall
declare my glory among the Gentiles.
[20] And they shall bring all your brethren
for an offering unto the LORD out of all
nations upon horses, and in chariots, and
in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift
beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith
the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an
offering in a clean vessel into the house of
the LORD.
[21] And I will also take of them for priests
and for Levites, saith the LORD.
[22] For as the new heavens and the new
earth, which I will make, shall remain before
me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and
your name remain.
And they shall come and see my glory.
And I will set a sign among them, and
they shall declare my glory among
the nations.
For as the new heavens and the new
earth, which I will make, shall remain
before me, so shall your seed and
your name remain for ever.
Vaughan Williams not only omits
verses, but he adds the crucial words
“for ever.” After a sign from God (perhaps a peace treaty following another
war, or more optimistically, a world conference on peace that curtails World
War II?), a new era of peace (“the new
heavens and the new earth”) will be
ushered in that will last forever. Is this
a prophecy of the ensuing conflict as
the war to end all wars? As an avowed
agnostic, Vaughan Williams was clearly
prophesying a peace on earth and not
referring to a peace in heaven.
Because of this shift in meaning, the
final line from the Christmas story recorded in Luke, “Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, good-will
toward men,” is clearly not only referring
to a spiritual peace from the incarnation
of Christ,37 but a worldly peace.
Music
Beginning with the Micah passage,
Michael Kennedy writes, “a mood of optimism floods the music.”38 Even though
it does not include the “disarmament”
passage of nations beating swords into
plowshares, Vaughan Williams’s setting
of “Nation shall not…,” clearly shows
a focus on achieving peace; the tune
that the basses sing pervades the entire
movement, reminding the listeners at all
times of the image of nations at peace
49
(Figure 2).
From this section until the final plea
by the soprano and chorus, Kennedy
sees the music, with its “accompaniment of bells and other emanations
of rejoicing” as having similarities to
“Let all the world in every corner sing”
from Five Mystical Songs (1911) and the
finale of the Eighth Symphony (1956).39
Vaughan Williams understood the need
for absolute clarity of the text and its
accompanying “peace” theme, so along
with a piano dynamic, he writes molto
sostenuto for primary thematic material
and pianissimo for secondary material.
In the following section (“Open
to me the gates of righteousness”),
Vaughan Williams uses glockenspiel
doubled by flutes and piccolo to depict
heavenly bells as people are “open[ed]”
to the “righteousness” of federalism. For
the most important text, in which he
reveals the result of federalism (“For as
the new heavens and the new earth”),
Vaughan Williams uses pure homophony and a fortissimo dynamic. To further
make clear the federalist message, he
changes from E flat major to a bright
G major just prior to this on the word
“nations.” To underscore the steadfastness and timelessness of his message,
Vaughan Williams uses time-honored
compositional techniques. He begins this
passage with the stile antico characteristic of cut time and the Baroque convention of hemiola. He continues with
the Baroque convention of triple meter
for the Gloria movements of concerted
masses for his own Gloria section (Figure 3). Paul Krasnovsky calls this Vaughan
Williams’s “open air service mood.”40 It
is characterized by fast triple meter, bells
and chimes, and much rhythmic activity,
and is found in other Vaughan Williams
works such as Hodie, Benedicite, and O
Clap Your Hands.41
The coda, beginning at six measures
after square 43, moves us from the euphoria of a joyous world at peace back
to reality. The final pleas of “dona nobis
pacem” from the soprano and chorus
are in a tranquil C-major, but their inclusion at the close of the work was a
reminder of the work yet to be done to
avert war. Writing of this section, Ursula
Vaughan Williams surmised: “I think it
was the historian in Ralph (for that was
the subject in which he took his degree
at Cambridge, and which remained a
strong and shaping factor in his life)
who gave to the soprano soloist the
last and desperate cry of ‘Dona nobis
pacem’ with which the work ends.”42 If
Vaughan Williams’s marriage of scripture
and music clearly espoused federalist
thought, the work’s reception showed
that its message was both understood
and timely.
Reception and Conclusion
The premiere of Dona Nobis Pacem
occurred on October 2, 1936 in Huddersfield, Great Britain.The musicians included the Huddersfield Choral Society,
Renée Flynn (soprano), Roy Henderson
(baritone), and the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Albert Coates. Holmes writes
that it “sent shock waves of compassion
and fear through the audience” and
“placed amongst the news bulletins of
the Abyssinian and Spanish Civil wars,
must have touched the rawest of collective nerves.”43
Most critics find its propagandist nature a fault, calling it “a tract for the time.”
This perceived “fault” only bolsters the
argument that Vaughan Williams had a
specific federalist agenda in mind during
its composition. In addition to portraying
a future peaceful world made possible
by federalism, he managed to make
compelling music by encapsulating the
British sentiment against a future war.
The original review in The Times highlights the work’s message of peace:
Dr. Vaughan Williams has never
been a composer of the Ivory
Tower either by profession or
practice, and his new wor k
Dona Nobis Pacem, is a tract for
the time….The moral of the
work—for its artistic climax is
unquestionably a message for
to-day—is the splendour and
radiance of peace.
50
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
The correspondent goes on to praise
the final, strongly federalist, movement:
All this middle part …shows the
cost of war and by implication
the value of peace, but a turn
of the page brings a paean that
proves as only music can in
so small a space of argument
that peace is a great positive
power…it is this presentation
of peace as in itself dynamic that
makes this cantata significant.
Vaughan Williams biographer Simon
Heffer encapsulates the essence of Dona
Nobis Pacem and provides a summary
of the philosophical background and
purpose of the work:
Va u g h a n W i l l i a m s w a s n o
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
appeaser ; he was disgusted by
what he saw and heard of what
was happening in Germany. Dona
Nobis Pacem is not a cry for peace
at any price; it is a pre-emptive
lament for the fact there may well
have to be another war, and for
the suffering that will have to be
caused before certain elements
come to their senses…. He had
never been anything other than
a sincere composer ; now his
sincerity connected with a wider
audience of his fellow Britons,
for his concerns and theirs were
becoming identical: something
he might have regarded as a
necessar y component of a
national music, and why his
music was now truly ‘ultimately
national’….he had caught, with
unerring accuracy, the mood
of the times, and it had given
his music a new lease of life.46
We can never be certain if Vaughan
Williams wrote Dona Nobis Pacem as a
“pre-emptive lament” for a necessary
war or as a warning against a conflict
that would surely surpass the horrors of
World War I. However, we know that he
was deeply affected by his own military
past and that he felt compelled to speak
for himself and his fellow citizens against
war’s brutality. We also know that his
solution to end all future wars—federalism—was at the forefront of his mind. It
is only logical then that he would write a
work steeped in his federalist beliefs and,
in so doing, encapsulate his concern for
the present and his hope for the future.
51
NOTES
1
Mar tin Ceadel, “The Peace Movement
between the war s: problems of
definition,” from Campaigns for peace:
British Peace Movements in The Twentieth
Centur y, ed. by Richard Taylor and
Nigel Young (Manchester: Manchester
University Press, 1987), 95.
2
Andrea Bosco, “Lothian, Curtis, Kimber
and the Federal Union Movement
(1938–40),” Journal of Contemporary
History, XXIII/3 (July 1988), 476.
3
Richard Mayne and John Pinder, Federal
Union: The Pioneers (London: Macmillan
Academic and Professional, 1990), 7.
4
“The history of Federal Union,” Notes
of a discussion at the Federal Union
committee on May 27, 2002, <http://
www.federalunion.org.uk/about/history.
shtml>; Accessed April 4, 2008.
5
Mayne, 2.
6
Ursula Vaughan Williams, R.V.W.: A Biography of Ralph Vaughan Williams
(London: Oxford University Press, 1964),
62.
7
Ibid., 116.
8
Ibid., 120.
9
Ibid., 121.
10
Ibid., 122.
11
Ibid., 122.
12
Ibid., 130.
13
Ibid., 132.
14
Ralph Vaughan Williams, “Some Conclusions,” in National Music and Other
Essays [1963] (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1986), 71. Italics added
for emphasis.
15
Letter supplied by Hugh Cobbe, the British
Library (391007), through an email
attachment. Mr. Cobbe is compiling
a book of RVW’s letters soon to be
published by Oxford University Press.
All subsequent letters will be footnoted
as simply “Hugh Cobbe” followed by the
British Library catalogue number.
16
Hugh Cobbe, 391012b.
17
Ralph Vaughan Williams, “Nationalism and
Internationalism,”in National Music and
Other Essays, 154. Italics added for
emphasis.
52
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Hugh Cobbe, 430121.
Hugh Cobbe, 431101.
Ursula Vaughan Williams, 317.
Begun in 1945 by Sir William Beveridge, the
Federal Trust “is a think tank that studies
the interactions between regional,
national, European and global levels
of government.” “[I]t has long made a
powerful contribution to the study of
federalism and federal systems.” see
<www.fedtrust.co.uk>.
Ursula Vaughan Williams, 361.
Ibid.
Sir Adrian Boult, Boult on Music (London:
Toccata Press, 1983), 78; quoted in
Byron Adams, Review of Vaughan
Williams and the Vision of Albion (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1990), The
Musical Quarterly: Vol. 74, No. 4, p. 633.
Paul Holmes, Vaughan Williams: His Life and
Times (London: Omnibus Press, 1997),
90.
For a detailed analysis of the music, see
Paul Krasnovsky’s dissertation, “Ralph
Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, A
Conductor’s Analysis” (Ph.D. diss, Indiana
University, 1983).
This “original spiritual meaning” was the
covenant promises of God to the
Israelites or the spiritual peace promised
by birth of Christ from Luke 2:14; see
Byron Adams, “Scripture, Church, and
culture: biblical texts in the works of
Ralph Vaughan Williams” in Vaughan
Williams Studies, ed. by Alain Frogley
(Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1996), 115–16.
Leo Perdue, “Jeremiah: Introduction,” in
HarperCollins Study Bible, edited by
Wayne A. Meeks (general editor) (New
York: HarperCollins, Publishers, Inc.,
1993), 1111.
According to Perdue, “Dan” refers to
either a Northern tribe or the city
(Tel Dan) on the northern border of
Israel (see annotation on p. 1131 in
“Jeremiah”).
W. Sibley Towner, “Haggai: Introduction,” in
HarperCollins Study Bible, 1408.
Wilfred Mellers, Vaughan Williams and the
Vision of Albion (London: Barrie & Jenkins,
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
1989), 171.
Philip King, “Micah: Introduction,” in
HarperCollins Study Bible, 1385.
Ibid.
Ibid. King goes on to write, “To conserve
scrap metal, the conversion from
weapons to agricultural tools (as
described here) was reversed in times
of war (Joel 3:10).”
Obedience to God in this context
meant keeping the Sabbath and not
worshipping idols.
Interestingly, Vaughan Williams (or Oxford
Press) failed to reference verse 11 on
the text pages at the front of the full
score.
The meaning of peace in this passage
is open to interpretation, of course.
While many Christian denominations
that support “just war” speak of the
“spiritual” peace that Christ brought,
many historic peace churches would
choose the literal interpretation of
worldly peace.
Michael Kennedy, The Works of Ralph
Vaughan Williams [1964], 2nd edition
Clarendon Paperback (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1992), 272.
Ibid.
Paul Krasnovsky, “Ralph Vaughan Williams’
Dona Nobis Pacem, A Conductor’s
Analysis” (Ph.D. diss, Indiana University,
1983), 107.
Ibid.
Ursula Vaughan Williams, “Ralph Vaughan
Williams and His Choice of Words for
Music,” Proceedings of the Royal Musical
Association, Vol. 99 (1972–73) p. 86.
Holmes, 91.
“Huddersfield Choral Society: Dr. Vaughan
Williams’s New Work” The Times, 3
October 1936, p. 10.
Ibid.
Simon Heffer, Vaughan Williams (Boston:
Northeastern University Press, 2001),
92–93.
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
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Choral Journal • June/July 2009
<Nancy Cox, editor <[email protected]>
Two-Year College
Paul Laprade, National Chair
Choral Repertoire and Standards
in the Two-Year College:
(Part One): ACDA and R&S in 1968
by
Paul Laprade
Author’s note: This article is the first
part of a two-part series in which the
question of repertoire and standards
for two-year colleges is addressed.
In Par t 1, a seminal document on
this subject prepared by an ACDA
subcommittee in 1968 is reexamined
and described. In Part 2, a methodology
for selecting and planning choral
repertory within the two-year college
is proposed, based upon elements of
music learning theory and fundamental
procedures of choral stimmbildung.
The issue of selecting and planning
repertoire is a concern for many twoyear college choral directors. Many claim
it is a difficult task, one compounded by
the widely varying abilities of the student singers with which we work, the
relatively transient nature of the student
body as a whole, and the demands of
the heterogeneous constituencies for
which two-year college programs must
be simultaneously responsive. In the latter category, two-year college curricula
are expected to address the needs of
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
the local community member, through
which enrichment is the primary goal;
the liberal arts student, for which music
fulfills its purpose as a member discipline
of the humanities, and the music specialist, for whom the two-year college
should provide a program comparable
to that found in the first two years of
a quality bachelors degree program in
music.The variety of purposes proposed
for our type of educational institution is
even reflected in the many names it has
been given historically: two-year college,
junior college, and community college,
among others.1
The present author views heterogeneities of educational function and
of student constituencies as arguable
strengths of two-year programs, but
these very same elements have historically presented challenges to establishing
and maintaining standards. In addition,
the college’s avowed mission to be responsive to changes in local needs and
to be flexible in its approach to differing
abilities in students have given pause
to some educators—with some critics
even suggesting that rigorous standards
may not be maintained easily when any
institution seems committed to being
“all things to all people.”
Overall standards in two-year colleges have steadily improved as a whole
in the past century, with transferability and other issues leading to clarified
standards for two-year music programs.
Nonetheless, severe inconsistencies in
the quality of program standards have
occasionally attracted the attention of
collegiate choral directors/educators,
even leading some to initiate the first
significant study on this topic. In the
mid 1960s, a group of two-year college choral directors formed an ACDA
subcommittee to research and address
choral repertoire and standards in twoyear colleges. Their final report was
subsequently presented to the Executive Officers, Board of Directors, and
Advisory Board of ACDA at the March
1968 National Convention in Seattle.
This document, Suggested Guidelines for
the Junior College Choral Program as Prepared by the ACDA Committee on Junior
College Choral Problems,2 is currently
available in its entirety at: <www.eric.
ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/
content_storage_01/0000019b/80/37/
c1/43.pdf>.
Overview
Although this forty-year-old report
presents an implied “snapshot” of twoyear college choral programs during a
time in which ACDA was barely a decade old, it maintains its relevancy in its
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offer of broad proposals, its examination
of diverse aspects of a healthy choral
program, and its presentation of quality
models for standards in the two-year
college. The committee describes its
purpose as follows:
To establish written guidelines
for choral programs at the Junior
College level which are in accord
with ACDA goals, as follows:
A. To offer a graded curriculum;
B. To insure adequate faculty
of music educators, with
course offerings to add to
the overall music education
of singers in the choral
program;
C . To develop discrimination
in the choice of choral
literature;
D. To provide an adequate
festival program for the
musical growth of both the
conductors and the singers;
E. To relate the choral program
to the total music curriculum and to the life of
the community; and
F. To arrange a varying concert
schedule for both the
singers and the listeners.”3
Such sweeping objectives are laudable,
yet it is important to note that they
collectively provide a reasonable set of
considerations for evaluating not only
a two-year college choral program,
but nearly any type of choral program,
regardless of genre. While repertoire is
a component of this charge, the committee includes its descriptions of the
elements of distinctive music only as a
56
component of an attempt to delineate
‘quality in standards.’
Defining Standards
Through Ensembles
One solution for raising standards
of literature at the two-year college is
found in the creation of an ensemble
that combines non-degree community
members (perhaps from community
education programs) with students who
intend to take music for credit.The committee highly supports these endeavors
as a means for addressing several issues
which seem to consistently characterize
two-year college programs; the report
presents one possible model for such an
undertaking.The ACDA report includes
a detailed description of the efforts undertaken by conductor Royal Stanton.
Stanton founded his Schola Cantorum
in 1964 as a response to the need for
a community-supported select choral
ensemble in the Foothill Junior College
District, which was comprised of the
Los Altos and Cupertino (California)
regions.
Stanton’s music program supported
the creation of this new ensemble of auditioned adults; the final chorus included
142 members, taken from the general
community and from the college’s forcredit student body. Stanton’s narrative4
includes a list of the four programs presented during each of the choir’s four
concert seasons, his own assessment of
his choral organization’s strengths and
weaknesses, and the types of collaborations through which he enhanced the
program of this ensemble. Addressing
those schools which experience chronic
challenges in terms of balances between
male and female forces in ensembles,
or those which encounter unpredictable numbers of singers from year to
year (or even semester to semester),
this model presents a means for creating continuity, maintaining a sustainable
ensemble size, and ensuring the type of
stability which simultaneously facilitates
repertoire selection, thereby enabling
the performance of more challenging
literature for larger forces.
Repertoire
The report presents brief suggestions
for the discovery of “fresh” literature,
and discusses briefly the many educational functions of well-chosen literature.
The committee also provided criteria
for selection of literature as a partial
means for defining standards in the
choral program:5
a. the music must have intrinsic musical
value and must be settings of
worthy texts;
b. some of the music should be challenging to the singers without
being insurmountable, while
other selections should be “simple”—usable as pace changers;
c. The music must offer a balanced
fare. It must include:
1. Literature from all style periods;
2. Literature both sacred and
secular;
3. Literature with varied sonorities, i.e., a cappella,
choral-orchestral, accompaniments by piano, organ,
and/or small groups of
instruments;
4. Literature with varying mood,
tempi, and textures;
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
5. Literature in foreign languages;
6. Literature by composers of
diverse nationalities;
7. Literature from varied nations
and cultures: folk material,
etc.;
8. Literature from the American
musical theater; and
9. Literature generally classified
as “novelty” material
Hardester and Charles Hirt are the
authors of the section of the report
entitled “Partial Repertory Materials
for Junior College Chorus—1968”.6 In
this section, hundreds of choral works
are listed within the following categories: “Twentieth-Century,” “Sixteenth
Century (Renaissance Style),” “Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth Centuries,”
“Eighteenth Century (Classical style),”
“Early American,” “Nineteenth Century
(Romantic Style),” “Nineteenth Century
(late Romantic),” “Carol, Hymn, and Folk
Sources.” Today’s conductor will note the
authors’ attempt to address the need for
variety and for several level-appropriate
masterworks works which could be
described as staples of two-year college
repertoire. Although dated to a degree
in terms of listed publishers and even in
some of its specific repertoire choices,
the list still possesses value as a good
reference for any choral director.
Festivals
The ACDA report strongly advocates the creation of and participation
in choral festivals. As with many other
areas of this report, a model is provided:
the Los Angeles Junior College Festival
Program of 1968. According to the authors, this festival was “one of the most
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
vigorous in the country.” Organizational
and operational details of the festival are
included in the report to inspire and
facilitate the creation of similar programs
elsewhere; festival reports, contact letters, and other logistical materials comprise Appendix B of the report. Over
fifteen chamber ensembles and 20 –30
larger choirs indicated interest in the
festival. From these, a total of thirteen
choirs were selected for the festival.
Each choir was given an opportunity
to sing individually (twelve minutes per
ensemble), to be evaluated on their performance by three adjudicators, to enjoy
dinner, and to perform three works en
masse. The final concert was conducted
by Elaine Brown (the renown conductor of Singing City of Philadelphia) and
featured Gabrieli’s Lieto Godea, Brahms’s
Der Abend, and the third movement of
Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms. The
concert was sponsored by the Southern
California Junior College Music Educators’ Association.
Perspective
The 1968 report was a significant
first step toward exploring the issues
underlying Repertoire and Standards
in the two-year college choral program,
but the absence of a more in-depth yet
similarly comprehensive and thoughtful
investigation has unfortunately not appeared in the years since this document
was written. Growth in the number and
quality of two-year colleges suggests
that many other effective models exist for choral programs; indeed, NASM
(the National Association of Schools of
Music) has given accreditation to over
twenty-one two-year college programs
as of this writing, and additional accreditation for non-degree arts programs
has been offered to many institutions
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57
through the Accrediting Commission
for Community and Precollegiate Arts
Schools division (AACCPAS). Nonetheless, the report’s clear request to
have served as a springboard for further research remains unfulfilled. It is
hoped that this valuable document may
stimulate interest in this area, and that
the quality of its recommendations—
offered through models—may again
stimulate the imaginations of two-year
college choral directors.
NOTES
1
2
For a well-considered perspective regarding
this diversity refer to: Dougherty, K. J.The
Contradictory College: The conflicting
origins, impacts, and futures of the
community college. Albany, NY: State
University of New York Press, 1994.
Hardester, Jane Skinner, et al. Suggested
Guidelines for the Junior College
Choral Program as Prepared by the
ACDA Committee on Junior College
Choral Problems. El Camino, CA: El
Camino College, March 1968. ECC
Research Report 68-3. Available for
download (at no cost) from: www.eric.
ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/
content_storage_01/0000019b/80/37/
c1/43.pdf. Hardester served as the
chair of this committee, which included
the following members, listed here in
58
3
4
5
6
the order found in the report: Jeanne
Fuller, Royal Stanton, Wayne Gard, Gene
Simmonds, Gordon Orme, Robert Hagg,
Lois Wells, David Wilson, Galen Marshall,
Otto Mielens.
Hardester et al., p.3.
Hardester et al., pp. 10–14.
Hardester et al., pp. 5–6.
Hardester et al., pp. 21–34.
Ethnic &
Multicultural
Perspectives
Sharon Davis Gratto, National Chair
Multicultural Choral Music:
Composers And Arrangers
Share The Process
by
Sharon Davis Gratto
Have you ever wondered what inspires contemporary composers and
arrangers of choral music in the multicultural category? What are their sources
of inspiration? How do they select existing texts or create new ones? How do
they choose existing melodies or create
original ones? How do they ensure that
their work is authentic, accurate, and culturally sensitive? What sources do they
use for ideas and information? I recently
posed these questions to several composers and arrangers, all of whom had
different views of the challenges they
face and the process they use as they
work with culturally-specific material.
Byron Smith is a prolific composer
and arranger of gospel music and spirituals in the African American tradition.
He is the talented director of The Spirit
Chorale of Los Angeles, music director
of the Grant A.M.E. Church of Los Angeles, associate professor of commercial
music at Los Angeles Harbor College,
and a free-lance arranger and studio
musician. Most of his compositions and
arrangements are created specifically
for his versatile, Christian-based choral
ensemble.This means that these singers
can handle challenging material that
might not work with less-experienced
and younger choirs. Smith tries to
arrange and compose more easily accessible material for use in educational
settings. This means that the texts must
have a broader and more inclusive focus,
with appropriate piano parts that are
not too difficult for the non-Gospel
improviser to play.
Smith describes himself as a “project”
writer, which means that he is inspired
by specific types of programs and
performances or by a commissioning
assignment. In his accompanied pieces,
a strong and well-written piano part is
important if the performance is to be
an exciting one. In his unaccompanied
pieces, he models some of his favorite
unaccompanied vocal jazz groups, including Take Six and Singers Unlimited.
He often composes and arranges unaccompanied parts with wide ranges that
can present special challenges. Unlike
other composers, Smith is comfortable
with choral directors who choose to alter his compositions to make them their
own; he does not object to changes in
his original material as long as the style
remains the same and the message can
still be communicated to an audience
(For additional information about Byron Smith and Onyx Publishing, go to
<www.spiritchorale.com>.)
Inspiring song leader, composer,
and arranger Nick Page has a strong
philosophical basis for the works he produces. He is dedicated to honoring and
respecting the cultures he represents
in his music, and he sets as a personal
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
goal getting to know the people in the
culture and their stories before he attempts to work with their music and
language material. Page is a consummate
learner who may be found at the summer conference of Jewish music as easily
as he is likely to be seen at the national
Gospel Music Workshop. He listens to
world music at every opportunity and
asks questions of the performers. He
makes it a point to be informed. Just as
Byron Smith is willing to have conductors make changes in what he has placed
on the written score, so is Nick Page
an advocate for changes in the original
material as long as cultural respect is
evident. Page often speaks of fusion, or
the combination of all types of music
and different multicultural styles and
performance practices. He composes
this way as well, often bringing together
such contrasting elements as the Indian
raga, salsa, bluegrass, shape note singing
and madrigals.
Page cites William Dawson’s concert
versions of African American spirituals
as one example of fusion created by
the transition from a folk to a European
classical performance tradition. Page’s
attitude is that a non-African American
should also be able to arrange a spiritual
as long as the arrangement honors and
respects the culture of origin and is stylistically appropriate. Nick Page’s music
is published by Boosey and Hawkes and
Alliance. (See <www.nickmusic.com>
for a more in-depth look at Page’s philosophy and for a list of his published
books and music)
Ben Allaway is a composer of an
eclectic body of repertoire that represents his own numerous and diverse
cross-cultural experiences. He describes
himself as a ‘mimic’ and a person who
obtains inspiration from global music
that he hears and from cultures that he
experiences. It is his ability to imitate
that contributes to the authenticity of
his ethnically-influenced or fusion comChoral Journal • June/July 2009
positions. Rather than arrange existing
songs, he prefers to write original music.
Like Byron Smith, Allaway composes on
commission; like Page, he writes from
a personal need to be involved in the
creative process and to provide multi-
Furman University
Conductor of Choral Music
Coordinator of Choral Activities
Furman University is seeking an experienced, outstanding conductor
and teacher with an earned doctorate or demonstrated professional
equivalency; demonstrated success in college teaching, program
development, student recruitment, and community outreach.
The successful candidate will have overall responsibility for the
choral components of the vocal arts program. He or she will conduct
the Furman Singers and will be directly involved in recruitment for
all choral ensembles. Other duties will include teaching conducting,
choral literature, and other topics based on qualifications, experience,
and departmental need. These courses might include studio voice,
choral methods, diction and pedagogy.
Rank and salary are open. The appointment date is August 1, 2010
A letter of application, a current and complete curriculum vitae,
and the names and contact information for three references should
be sent electronically to the address below as separate word
documents. Do not send audio or video recordings at this time.
Those materials, along with official transcripts of degree work, will
be requested of the finalists for the position at a later date.
Send documents to: [email protected]
Questions and requests for additional information should be
addressed to:
Dr. William Thomas, Chair
Department of Music
Furman University
3300 Poinsett Highway
Greenville, SC 29613
[email protected]
Furman University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.
59
cultural experiences both for those who
sing his music and for those who listen
in the audience.
Also like Page, Allaway does not believe that a composer or arranger needs
to be from the music’s culture of origin.
In writing multicultural choral works,
he begins the process by conferring
with conductors and performers from
various ethnic backgrounds and draws
on his personal travel experiences to
inform his composition process.Then he
moves on to the text, which he writes
himself about 80 percent of the time.
He writes first in English before working with a speaker of the non-English
language to translate his words into
the language of the culture. Often he
seeks a second opinion as he attempts
to combine the translated words with
original music.The main challenge in this
process is to reach a point where the
syllabic stress is authentic. Before the
text is complete, Allaway begins writing
the music, first with the melody and then
with stylistically appropriate and typical
harmony. After the first section of music,
he completes the text and then the rest
of the music. If drama and humor are
part of the culture represented in his
composition, then they become part of
the choral work, too. Allaway describes
a range of parameters for composing
cross-cultural choral works and details
three factors that enter into identifying
the place of a work along a spectrum.
They include (1) origin of the musical
idea—traditional, indigenous, or external; (2) origin of the text—traditional,
indigenous, or external; and (3) origin
of the performers—indigenous or external. Allaway is composer-in-residence
at Graceland University and at First
Christian Church in Des Moines, Iowa,
and organizer of the UNESCO-based
Thresholds Choral Festivals, His music
is published by Santa Barbara, Hinshaw,
Mark Foster, Concordia, GIA and
Thresholds Music Press. (See Allaway’s
web site at www.benallaway.com.)
Henry Alviani is associate profes-
Crescent City Choral Festival
A FESTIVAL FOR TREBLE CHOIRS – JUNE 25-29, 2010
Cheryl Dupont, Artistic Director
David Brunner, Guest Artist
sponsored by the
New Orleans Children’s Chorus
• open to all children’s choirs, high school
treble choirs, boychoirs, and girls’ choirs
by audition
• application deadline October 1
• performance in St. Louis Cathedral
hotel near the French Quarter
You’ll fall in love with New Orleans all over again.
60
For more information:
New Orleans Children’s Chorus
5306 Canal Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70124
(504) 482-2883 / (504) 274-9943
[email protected]
www.neworleanshildrenschorus.org
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
sor and director of choirs at Clarion
University in Pennsylvania. He has
published several octavos of Chippewa
melodies for mixed and women’s voices.
He also has a published arrangement
of a Columbian Street Vendors song.
The American Indian songs were an
outgrowth of the request of the Dean
at a small Wisconsin college where Alviani was teaching for faculty to engage
in interdisciplinary projects. The college
is located between the Bad River and
Red Cliff Chippewa reservations and
has a Native American Studies program
that includes instruction in the Ojibwe
language of the Chippewa. Alviani found
several Chippewa songs to arrange for
choirs in Frances Densmore’s 1913
publication of “Chippewa Music.”
His goals in the process were to
maintain the authenticity of the original
tunes, to make the tunes available to
a wider audience outside the reservations, and to arrange them suitably for
the concert stage in a way similar to
Dawson’s work with spirituals. Since the
Ojibwe texts are not written down, they
had to be spoken and recorded phonetically for transcription to the printed
page. To Alviani’s knowledge, these are
the only authentic arrangements of
Ojibwe tunes for concert performance.
Alviani’s “Vendedores ambulantes Colombianos” (Street Vendors Songs) was
inspired by his year of experience as
a Peace Corps volunteer in Columbia.
He listened to, remembered, and then
arranged the street vendors’ cries that
he heard there into a medley of tunes
and texts for choir. He was assisted with
the project by the Spanish-speaking Columbian wife of a close friend. (Contact
Henry Alviani at <www.clarion.edu>;
choral music published by Alliance Publication, <www.apimusic.org>)
While Byron Smith, Nick Page, Ben
Allaway, and Henry Alviani may approach composing and arranging multicultural choral music using different
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
processes, they share common goals
and draw on personal experiences for
inspiration. The results are octavos on
which choral directors can rely as they
seek accuracy and authenticity.
NOTES
1 Allaway, Ben. Teaching and Performing Ethnic
Choral Music-Glossary for Ethnic Choral
Music in Holt, Michele and Jordan, James.
The School Choral Program: Philosophy,
Planning, Organizing, and Teaching.
Chicago, Illinois: GIA Publications, 2008.
Male Choirs
Frank Albinder, National Chair
Franz Liszt’s Szekszárd Mass:
An Unsung Masterpiece
by
Frank Albinder
Franz Liszt, flamboyant pianist, renowned conductor, enthusiastic teacher,
and cerebral composer, had a life worthy
of a soap opera. From humble beginnings in a small Hungarian village, he
eventually experienced musical triumphs
in many of the world’s greatest cities. Yet,
he would also suffer personal tragedies
that led him to take sacred orders and
seek semi-retirement in a monestary
near Rome. As a composer, he is best remembered for his technically demanding
piano works, some of them only playable
by Liszt himself. As a pianist, he was the
toast of Europe. Some even consider
him to be the greatest pianist of all time.
Liszt’s wild piano music and evocative
symphonic works were his most popular
compositions, but he also wrote music
for the voice, including more than 70
solo songs, five Mass settings and one
Requiem. Three of these six large-scale
choral works are for men’s chorus: The
Requiem, the Male-Voice Mass (1848)
and the Szekszárd Mass (1869).
The Male-Voice Mass (also known as
the Missa vocum ad aequales concinente
organo) and the Szekszárd Mass are essentially the same piece. Liszt composed
his first Mass in 1848, not long after he
gave up his career as a touring virtuoso
(at the age of 35!) to concentrate on
composing. Liszt wrote the Mass in
Weimar, and the first performance
took place there on August 15, 1852, in
a Catholic church in celebration of the
birthday of Louis Napoleon, president
of the French Republic.
In 1857, Liszt wrote to a conductor
who was considering a performance of
the Mass:
I fear that the preparation of
this work will cost you and your
singers some trouble. Before
all else it requires the utmost
certainty in intonation, which can
only be attained by practicing
the parts singly (especially the
middle parts, second tenor and
first bass)—and then, above all,
religious absorption, meditation,
expansion, ecstasy, shadow, light,
soaring—in a word, Catholic
devotion and inspiration.The Credo,
as if built on a rock, should sound
as steadfast as the dogma itself;
a mystic and ecstatic joy should
pervade the Sanctus; the Agnus
Dei (as well as the Miserere in the
61
Gloria) should be accentuated, in
tender and deeply elegiac manner,
by the most fervent sympathy
with the Passion of Christ; and the
Dona nobis pacem, expressive
of reconciliation and full of faith,
should float away like sweetsmelling incense. 1
At around this same, Liszt suggested
that some wind and brass instruments
could be added to the performing forces
in order to double and reinforce the
voice parts. While Liszt had originally
intended the Mass to be essentially unaccompanied, the chorus had difficulties
with intonation, so he added a simple
organ part to double the voices. Liszt
was going to write the additional instrumental parts himself, but when presented with sketches by Johann Herbeck, a
Vienna church musician, Liszt expressed
delight with the work and urged him to
complete the orchestration.This version
of the Mass has never been published,
though it was performed in Jena in 1858.
In 1865, Liszt visited the Hungarian
town of Szekszárd and promised a new
mass to Baron Antal Augusz for a church
then under construction. Liszt found he
was unable to complete a new work, so
he revised his earlier Male-Voice Mass
into what is now known as the Szekszárd
Mass. This version of the Mass was given
a public rehearsal in Buda on September
23, 1870, but for reasons that remain a
mystery, the subsequent performance
was cancelled. The premiere finally occurred in Jena, in 1872. The Szekszárd
Mass was published in the collected
works of Franz Liszt and is now in the
public domain.
Stylistically, the Szekszárd Mass looks
both backwards and forwards. The
harmoic language and partwriting owe
an enormous debt to the great Italian
Renaissance master, Palestrina. But there
are also a number of Lisztian touches,
including a harmonic language that presages the works of Brahms and Wagner.
There’s a passage in the Mass that
sounds as if it has been lifted wholesale
from Brahms’s Requiem, except for the
fact that Brahms wrote his masterpiece
almost 20 years after Liszt wrote the
Mass! And Wagner borrowed the most
prominent Leitmotiv in Tristan und Isolde
directly from a Liszt piano piece. Liszt
also quotes medieval plainchant in the
Gloria and the Agnus Dei movements of
the Mass. Interestingly, while the chant
quotation in the Gloria is the plainchant
ARCHITECTURE THEATER RELIGION MUSIC LANGUAGE ART
version of that mass movement, the
chant quoted in the Agnus Dei is actually
the ancient melody for the invocation at
the beginning of the Credo.
The vocal writing for the chorus is
not difficult, though the solo passages
for a TTBB quartet are a bit more sophisticated. If soloists are unavailable, the
chorus could sing the entire work. The
organ part is rarely independent and can
easily be played on the manuals of any
serviceable instrument. While much of
the choral texture is homophonic, there
are some dramatic fugato sections as
well. Liszt also uses the text as his guide,
creating unusual rhythmic “hiccups“ in
some passages to accentuate certain
elements of the mass.
The Szekszárd Mass is filled with lush
harmonies that exemplify Liszt’s mastery of the male chorus genre. He fully
understands and exploits the ranges of
the different vocal parts and creates a
large-scale work that is both grand and
meditative. All of Liszt’s Mass settings
were intended for use in actual church
services, though the music can easily be
enjoyed in a modern concert performance. There is only one commercial
recording of the Szekszárd Mass, by the
Male Chorus of the Hungarian People’s
Army conducted by István Kis.This fortyyear-old recording has been reissued
several times in various combinations
with other Liszt choral works on the
Hungaraton label. Some version of the
recording can be found easily from any
online retailer.
NOTES
1
Revolution and Religion in the Music of Liszt
by Paul Merrick, Cambridge University
Press, 2008.
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Choral Journal • June/July 2009
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Learning Choral History
From the ACDA Archives
<Christina Prucha, editor <[email protected]>
ACDA Archives: Up and Running!
Those who had the fortune of attending the 2009 National Convention
in Oklahoma City earlier this year had
the opportunity to visit the ACDA
International Archives for Choral Music
and the McMahon International Choral
Museum. For the first time since our arrival in Oklahoma City, we were able to
take our members through the archives
and display some of our organization’s
treasures in the museum. Our goal was
to educate members about our shared
history, remind members of past events,
show how ACDA’s present initiatives
and commitments are truly grounded
in longstanding tradition, and to stimulate research interest. This column is
intended to continue that challenge.
One of the highlights of the museum
exhibit is a time line1 of ACDA’s history.
The early documents for this exhibit
come from documents that have not
been available for many years. (An
explanation of this will is given in this
month’s article about the archives written by Marvin Latimer and Christina
Prucha.) Later documents come from
files that have been amassed since the
late 1970s and stored first in the Lawton headquarters and more recently in
Oklahoma City. The photographs come
from a variety of sources within our
archives. Early photographs (1959– 77)
come from the collection of R. Wayne
Hugoboom, ACDA’s first Executive
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Director and Choral Journal editor. He
saved the majority of photographs published in Choral Journal during his tenure.
The result is a pictorial history of ACDA
and of the American choral music scene
in general. Later photographs come
from other Choral Journal editors, professional photographs taken at conventions,
and ACDA members who have donated
photographs from ACDA events.
The question remains of how these
photographs and documents are of use
to ACDA members and researchers in
general.They certainly tell our own story.
It is fascinating to realize that we came
full circle in returning to Oklahoma after
being based in Florida for twenty years.
After all, during the early to mid -1950s,
choir conductors were talking about
a chorally focused organization, and
it was at the 1955–56 Tri-State Festivals in Enid, Oklahoma, that discussion
really took off. At the time of Wayne
Hugoboom’s death and Gene Brooks’
appointment, ACDA leadership was
looking to relocate ACDA to a more
central location. Brooks, with the help
of the McMahon Foundation, made
that possible, and in doing so, brought
us back to where we began.
However, this is only part of the way
we can use our archives. Our photograph collection is a superb supplement
to research. The items in this collection
offer another way of understanding and
viewing the event or person in question.
The documents not only record our
own history. They are a primary source
resource for researchers interested in
some of the legendary choral directors
of the twentieth century or for those
interested in investigating the contributions ACDA has made to the choral
music world in its 50 year history.
The archive contains other interesting and useful records that we will
explore in the coming months as we
highlight some of the history of ACDA
and the men and women who built
the organization. You are invited to
take the ideas posted in this column
and use them and expand upon them.
The ACDA International Archives for
Choral Music, located in the Oklahoma
City Headquarters, is open to all choral
music researchers Monday - Friday, 8-5
central time.
NOTES
1
To see the timeline and other features of the
museum exhibit, visit the Archives page
at <www.acda.org/archives> and click
on the museum link.
65
Furman University
Conductor of Choral Music
Coordinator of Choral Activities
Furman University is seeking an experienced, outstanding conductor and
teacher with an earned doctorate or
demonstrated professional equivalency;
demonstrated success in college teaching, program development, student
recruitment, and community outreach.
Rank and salary are open. The appointment date is August 1, 2010.
The successful candidate will have
overall responsibility for the vocal arts
program. He or she will conduct the
Furman Singers and will be directly
involved in recruitment for all choral
ensembles. Other duties will include
teaching conducting, choral literature,
and other topics based on qualifications,
experience, and departmental need.
The courses might include studio voice,
choral methods, diction, and pedagogy.
A letter of application, a current
and complete curriculum vitae, and the
names and contact information for three
references should be sent electronically.
Do not send audio or video recordings
at this time. Those materials, along with
transcripts of degree work, will be requested of the finalists for the position
at a later date. For more information
about this position, turn to the display
ad on page 59.
U.S. Navy Band
is Seeking Musicians
The United States Navy Band is looking for top-tier musicians to be a part of
the tradition of musical excellence as a
member of their band. The Navy "Sea
Chanters" chorus has an immediate
opening for a tenor vocalist. Auditions
will be held by appointment only. The
minimum enlistment in the U.S. Navy is
four years. Longer enlistments may be
required to take advantage of special
enlistment incentives ( bonuses, if applicable, and college loan repayment). Annual starting salary is $51,000–$58,000,
plus full benefits, including medical care.
More information about this position
can be found in the display ad on page
70.
In the Next Issue
The August issue of the Choral Journal will feature the following articles "With Harp and
Voice: An Annotated Bibliography of Harp/Choral Works” by James and Emily John, “Swedish
Soul: Hugo Alfven and His Folk-song Arrangments" by Nathan Leaf, “On the History and
Future of Hymnody from the Mennonite Tradition: An Interview with Marilyn Houser Hamm "
by Ian Loeppky.
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
67
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Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Investing in Our Future: A Student-Centered Convention
by
Jonathan Krinke and Ryan Sullivan
Editors preface: The 2008 summer
choral convention of the Missouri
Choral Directors Association featured
a one-day student-centered track. The
two coordinators of this event were
Jonathan Krinke, a teacher early in his
career, and Ryan Sullivan, a college
student. Because of the potential for
their program to be a pilot for other
state and division conventions, they
provide this detail and template.
C
ollege students from
throughout the state
were invited to attend
a one-day, conventionwithin-a-convention. This day focused
on “filling in the gaps” of their musical
and pedagogical development, and to
encourage active ACDA membership
from the next generation of choral
conductors. Missouri is home to several
Jonathan Krinke is the Missouri R&S
chair for Youth and Student Activities,
and a public school teacher.
Ryan Sullivan is completing his music
education degree in 2009 at the
University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
fine university music programs. But as
many know, there is much to learn outside of the academic classroom from
other conductors and teachers who
are “in the trenches.” This is one of the
main reasons our organization exists: to
continue learning beyond our formal
education. Why not start this mentoring
process sooner with university students?
Outline Of
Student Convention Content
Welcome and Introduction
Attendees were welcomed by organizers, state and national ACDA Officers.
Literature Sessions
These sessions were more in-depth
than the traditional reading session
format. There were nine presentations
of twenty minutes each. Each presenter
introduced two selections for practical
use in rehearsal. Our state organization
provided packets for students to keep.
The presentation of these pieces served
as rehearsal models for “real-world” application. Presenters represented each
region of the state and came from diverse choral settings (i.e., public and pa-
rochial elementary/middle/high school,
church/community/children’s choirs).
Human Resources Seminar
A human resources director (and
former music educator) from a large
school district offered strategies for
interviewing for a job in music education.
Panel Q&A Session
Panelists received both generated
and student-submitted questions regarding a wide range of topics.
Meet the Headliners
Headline guest directors for the convention shared their choral experiences
and answered questions from students.
The outcomes and feedback for the
day were overwhelmingly positive! All
attendees, both students and first-year
teachers, stated that they would come
to such an event in the future. Each person appreciated the quality of literature
handed out and the array of musical and
professional perspectives throughout
the day. These comments were echoed
by the veteran presenters as well. One
student said that he felt he had a “leg
69
up” based on the information given at
the HR Seminar.
The following statement from one
student attendee is representative of
everything that ACDA philosophically
stands for and represents.
Move the
nation
one note
at a time .
We’re looking for top-tier musicians to join the ranks of the musical elite.
The biggest thing I got from the
[Student ACDA] conference was
a feeling that I have people that I
can go to when I have questions
that need answering in the future.
It’s a great feeling to know that
I’m not alone, but instead have
a number of knowledgeable
experienced teachers that I can
draw intelligence from. I would
recommend the conference to
others in an instant.
—Mick
Speaking from the perspectives of
a young teacher and a student, we
encourage and challenge other states
to build student conventions. The true
goal of reaching out to help students is
to benefit the future of music itself.
Be part of the tradition of musical excellence as a member of the U.S.
From the National Youth and
Student Activities Chair
Navy Band.
The U.S. Navy “Sea Chanters” chorus has an immediate opening for the
following position:
TENOR VOCALIST
Auditions to be held by appointment.
The minimum enlistment in the U.S. Navy is four years. Longer
enlistments may be required to take advantage of special
enlistment incentives (bonuses, if applicable, and college loan
repayment). Annual starting salary $51,000–$58,000, plus full
EHQH¿WVLQFOXGLQJGHQWDODQGPHGLFDOFDUH)RUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQ
please contact [email protected].
We welcome these chapters that
recently were granted a charter:
University of Central Oklahoma,
Edmond, Oklahoma
Karl Nelson, advisor
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Graeme Langager, advisor
And we recognize the following
chapter which was recently reinstated
after several years of inactivity:
University of Hartford
The Hartt School of Music,
West Hartford, Connecticut
Edward Bolkovac, advisor
© 2009. Paid for by the U.S. Navy. All rights reserved.
70
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Table 1
Student ACDA Schedule
Start
End
Session
Presider
8:00
all day
Registration begins
9:00
9:10
Welcome/Overview
State/Nat’l officers
9:10
9:30
Literature Session 1
Presenter #1
9:30
9:50
Literature Session 2
Presenter #2
9:50
10:10
Literature Session 3
Presenter #3
adjust room
10:20
10:50
Meet the Headliners
Invited Conductors
break/adjust room
11:00
11:20
Literature Session 4
Presenter #4
11:20
11:40
Literature Session 5
Presenter #5
11:40
12:00
Literature Session 6
Presenter #6
12:00
2:00
Lunch on your own
2:00
2:50
Human Resources - Job Interviews
HR Director
adjust room
3:00
3:50
Panel Discussion
Panelists
adjust room
4:00
4:20
Literature Session 7
Presenter #7
4:20
4:40
Literature Session 8
Presenter #8
4:40
5:00
Literature Session 9
Presenter #9
Brief Wrap up
Hosts
5:00
6:00
break
6:00
9:00
Convention Banquet
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
State President
71
Vito E. Mason
1913 - 2007
Vito E. Mason was a graduate of New York University and earned a masters
degree in music from Ithaca College in New York. He became a member of
ACDA in 1960.
He was professor emeritus at American University (AU), where he directed
the AU choir program from 1966 until his retirement in 1986. He conducted
the chorus in performances at the White House, the Filene Center at Wolf
Trap National Park for the Performing Arts and with the National Symphony
Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
He was a recipient of the Porter W. Averill Award for his distinguished work
in choral conducting and music eduction, and was the conductor of the choir
at Lutheran Church of the Reformation on Capital Hill for many years.
Before moving to the Washington D.C., area, he served as the director of
choral music at Ithaca High School in Ithaca New York for fourteen years. He
remained active as a guest conductor, clinician, and judge at music contests until
a few months before his death.
72
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
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Knowing Your ACDA Web Site
by Shane Sanderson, ACDA Web site Manager
ACDA Utilizes Current Technologies by Joining Online Communities
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members of larger communities such
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group member, a user can post messages viewable by the entire group,
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74
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Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Compact Disc
Reviews
<Lawrence Schenbeck, editor <[email protected]>
Handel: Acis & Galatea, HWV 49a
Dunedin Consort & Players
John Butt, director
Linn CKD 319 (SACD; 2008; 95’ 18”)
Händel: Acis und Galatea
(Mendelssohn version)
NDR Chor,
FestspielOrchester Göttingen
Nicholas McGegan, conductor
Carus 83.420 (SACD; 2008; 72’ 48”)
Here are two new recordings of a
perennial favorite, each of which can
be strongly recommended to choral
directors looking for fresh ways to program Handel this year. John Butt and his
Dunedin Consort have followed up on
their well-received CDs of Messiah and
Bach’s Matthew Passion with a recreation
of Acis and Galatea in the version heard
at its first performance. Nicholas McGegan, also no stranger to acclaim for
historically informed performances, now
brings us Mendelssohn’s arrangement of
this same work, done around the time
he was preparing the Matthew Passion
for its groundbreaking 1829 revival.
Acis and Galatea itself needs little introduction. By 1718, Handel had been in
England for some time but had occupied
himself mainly with instrumental music
and Italian opera. Aside from ceremonial
works written for Queen Anne in 1713,
Handel composed almost nothing in
English until he took up residence at
the palatial country seat of James Brydges, Earl of Carnarvon (later Duke of
Chandos). For Brydges’ little group of
singers and players, he composed the
eleven so-called Chandos Anthems, the
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
first version of Esther, and the masque
Acis and Galatea. In fact, Acis apparently preceded Esther and thus ranks as
Handel’s first substantial dramatic work
in English. It was enormously popular
during the composer’s lifetime, the only
one of Handel’s dramatic works to be
published complete before his death (by
John Walsh, 1743).
The story is simple: Galatea, a nymph,
loves Acis, a shepherd, and he loves
her. After a lengthy separation, they
are united and bliss ensues. But the
monstrous giant Polyphemus has also
conceived an affection for Galatea, and
he kills Acis. Following
a series of laments,
Galatea decides to
use her divine powers
to turn Acis into an everlasting fountain;
this restores balance to the Arcadian
paradise in which these events are set,
and its inhabitants rejoice in Acis’ transformation: “Hail! thou gentle murm’ring
stream, Shepherds’ pleasure, muses’
theme! Through the plains still joy to
rove, Murm’ring still thy gentle love.”
Handel’s talent for musical drama
unpacked the psychology of these stock
pastoral characters, suggesting that fundamental social and philosophical issues
lay behind this little story. (Indeed, if we
think of Polyphemus as representative
of “the forces of nature,” there’s even
an ecology lesson lurking somewhere in
it.) Small wonder that the twenty-yearold Felix Mendelssohn found himself
strongly drawn to the work. As a chorister in Carl Friedrich Zelter’s Berlin SingAkademie, Mendelssohn had become
acquainted with a number of Handel
oratorios in the Mozart arrangements
commissioned by Baron van Swieten.
Along with Dettingen Te Deum, Mendelssohn’s version of Acis became his first
creative treatment of a Handel work;
it helped spark the nineteenth-century
“Handel Renaissance” in Germany.
Handel himself had an expert but
tiny ensemble at Cannons. There were
no altos and no violas available, although
one of Brydges’ three tenors may have
been a falsettist. Besides strings, the
orchestra consisted of two oboes (doubling recorder) and a harpsichord. Acis
can be performed, in a pinch, with just
five singers and seven instrumentalists—
hence its continuing popularity with
graduate students in search of a “major
work” for minor forces. In 1788, Mozart
added clarinets, bassoons, horns, and
violas. Presumably he shortened several
da capo arias by omitting their repeats,
a practice he had followed in his other
Handel arrangements.
To Mozart’s instrumentation Mendelssohn added flutes, trumpets, and
timpani, and apparently revised some of
the viola parts (see Wolfgang Sandberger’s notes to the McGegan recording). In
addition to retaining Mozart’s cuts, he
also cut Galatea’s “As
when the dove” and
made other emendations and additions.
(Oh, and sister Fanny
devised a German
text!) The result is an overall reduction
of the work’s running time—McGegan
needs just one CD, whereas Butt needs
two—but with a more colorful orches-
75
Compact Disc Reviews
tral palette.
It seems pointless to offer a trackby-track comparison. These recordings
represent two essentially different
works. Suffice to say that both have their
strengths. Butt uses his five soloists to
form the “chorus,” much as Handel did
at Cannons in 1718. McGegan has nearly
fifty members of the North German Radio Choir at his disposal, approximating
the choral sound that Mendelssohn had
in mind. Both conductors employ earlyinstrument specialists in their orchestras,
which are of correspondingly different—
and equally authentic—size and makeup
(I loved the contrabassoon in McGegan’s
band). Both sets include high-resolution
multichannel “surround” tracks as an
option; the Greyfriars Kirk of Edinburgh
offers a more resonant, vivid acoustic for
Butt, the Stadthalle Göttingen a warmer,
more enveloping sound for McGegan.
For Butt, bass Matthew Brook gives a
deliciously comic reading of Polyphemus,
oafish and blustering, more naïve than
hateful. Yet Wolf Matthias Friedrich’s
more earnest portrayal, for McGegan,
will seem equally valid to many, especially
Lawrence Schenbeck
Atlanta, Georgia
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Honegger: Une Cantate de Noël
BBC National Orchestra and
Chorus of Wales
Thierry Fischer, conductor
Hyperion (2008; 75’ 43”)
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in the early-Romantic context of the
Mendelssohn arrangement. Christoph
Prégardien (McGegan) bears away the
tenor honors—no surprise there—and
I liked soprano Julia Kleiter (McGegan)
slightly more than her counterpart
Susan Hamilton, although Hamilton
reveals a nascent flair for comedy in her
exchanges with Brook. Given their numbers, the NDR Choir sings with more
delicacy than one might anticipate. Yet
Butt’s five soloists create a convincing
ensemble for the choruses, and they offer a dramatic immediacy of expression
that scarcely any choir can match.
A number of other recordings, some
recent, some historic, are available. Many
of us grew up with Sutherland and Pears
singing an Anglicized version of the
Mozart arrangement. And the usual HIP
suspects have weighed in with properly
Handelian renditions—one ought to
check out Gardiner and Christie, for
starters. But I’m glad to have both these
newcomers: Butt’s for his energy and
attention to detail, McGegan’s for his
lovingly shaped resurrection of Mendelssohn’s first brush with the Baroque.
(And yes, Carus has an edition out.)
Play “drop the laser” anywhere within
the first 10 minutes or so of Honegger’s late masterpiece and you would
be hard pressed to convince anyone
they were listening to a Christmas work.
Unfolding slowly from a low C on the
organ pedal to a dissonant choral cry of
anguish on “Oh, viens!,” the composer’s
opening setting of the “De profundis” is
dark and somber—hardly the stuff of
holiday cheer or rejoicing at the Nativity.
A children’s choir intones a phrase that
tries to dispel the darkness with tidings
of peace and joy, but without success
until a second attempt
leads to the baritone’s
announcement of the
birth of Christ. At that
point, the listener is
rewarded by one of
the most delightful “Christmas” moments in all music literature: a quodlibet
built not on three, or four, but six melodies, including five well-known carols.
Honegger combines “Es ist ein Ros
entsprungen,” ‘Il est né le divin enfant,”
“Von Himmel hoch,” “Oh du fröliche,”
“Stille Nacht” and a “Gloria in excelsis”
of his own in what his biographer Harry
Halbreich called “an astonishing display
of polyphonic and polymetric skill.”
A second interlude with baritone
solo is succeeded by a setting of “Laudate Dominum”—first Bach’s wellknown melody from “Wachet auf ” and
then Honegger’s own setting, a joyful
paean to God in C major, over which
the children’s choir and trumpet superimpose Bach’s tune like a cantus firmus.
A final orchestral peroration returns
to the quodlibet (this time without
voices) and slowly winds down, finally
returning to the organ pedal C with
which the work began. When it is over,
one has the feeling of having journeyed
from darkness to light to peace—exactly
what Christmas is all about for believers.
Commissioned by Paul Sacher and
his Basle forces, which premiered it in
December, 1953, it was Honegger’s last
composition—his musical testament. It
is food for thought that this sometimes
darkly pessimistic composer left the
world with so bright and life-affirming
a work.
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
The cantata has been lucky on discs,
with excellent performances from such
Honegger specialists as Ernest Ansermet
and Serge Baudo.This new performance
on Hyperion can easily hold up its
head in such company, and naturally
outdoes them in terms of recorded
sound. Voices are well-integrated with
the orchestra during the long opening
vocalise, and conductor Thierry Fischer
paces the build-up well. Baritone James
Rutherford is a bit wobbly but his French
is good. Fischer’s tempo for Honegger’s setting of “Laudate Dominum” is
brisk—almost to the point of sounding
perfunctory—but perhaps that just
gives greater urgency and poignancy to
the explosive orchestral climax which
follows. Choral and orchestral sound is
impeccable throughout.
As a bonus, the disc includes three
of Honegger’s finest but not necessarily
best-known orchestral works: Horace
victorieux, Prélude, Fugue et Postlude and
the charming Cello Concerto. Any choral
conductor who does not know this
cantata owes it to him- or herself to
make its acquaintance forth with, before
another Yuletide season comes and
goes—all the poorer for not resounding
with these marvelous strains!
Frank K. Dewald
Haslett, Michigan
Le Grazie Veneziane:
Music from the Ospedali
Vocal Concert Dresden,
Dresdner Instrumental Concert
Peter Kopp, conductor
Carus 83.264 (2008; 72’ 46”)
Discovering wonderful pieces of
music from the Baroque period for
voices and instruments that don’t have
the names Schütz, Purcell, Bach, Handel,
or Vivaldi attached to them is always a
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
delight. Not just from a programmatic
stand point, but also as a unique experience for your choirs and a celebration
of the diversity of excellent “other”
composers from this period.
Le Grazie Veneziane contains the music of three composers: Nicola Antonio
Porpora (1686–1768), Johann Adolf
Hasse (1699–1783), and Baldassare
Galuppi (1706–1785). The liner notes
by Maestro Kopp
tell us that all three
of these composers,
along with numerous
others, wrote compositions specifically
for the four Ospedali
in Venice. Since the fourteenth century,
the Ospedali had provided help for the
sick, poor, aged, and orphans. Increasingly,
these charitable institutions became
centers of music making and, eventually, the famous music conservatories of
the 18th century. Along with the opera
houses and the musicians of St. Mark’s
Cathedral, they set the tone for musical
life in Venice. Though dissolved in 1777,
the Ospedali hold a significant place in
the history of the Baroque and Classical periods. They offered a safe haven
for musically talented girls and women
until they married, embarked on musical
careers, or entered the convent.
Porpora’s compositions are particularly interesting given his high standing as
a voice teacher. He taught voice to Domenico Corri (who taught Isaac Nathan,
who published a treatise on the voice
in 1810); Caffarelli and Farinelli (both
famous castrati); and Giovanni Ansani
(one of his pupils was Manuel Garcia I,
father of Manuel Garcia II, the famous
nineteenth-century vocal pedagogue).
Porpora also worked with Josef Haydn,
who served as his valet and studio accompanist.
In a sort of Six Degrees of Separation, the Porpora/Garcia influence con-
tinues to the present day: Garcia II taught
Marchesi who taught Liebling who
taught Sills; Garcia taught Everard who
taught Uzatov who taught Chaliapin;
Garcia also taught Julius Stockhausen
who taught the teachers who taught
Lauritz Melchior and Dietrich FischerDieskau, among many others.
Porpora’s comprehensive knowledge of the voice is clearly shown in
his De profundis of 1744. In the words
of Maestro Kopp, “The skillful deployment of the vocal parts, their extreme
virtuosity, and the exceptional demands
on the solo singers never become obtrusive but are always tasteful and well
proportioned.” In 1806, the Viennese
critic Schubart spoke of Porpora’s use
of C major—an uncommon key for
this text—as creating an “innocence,
simplicity and naivety” that characterize
the essence of the female music makers.
The format of these pieces is not
unlike a cantata with instrumental introductions and ritornellos, and solo arias
with short choral responses. The choral
singing on this CD is splendid. It offers a
sort of idealized ingénue sound—exactly what you would expect from young
girls and women singing Baroque music.
It is clear, clean, poignantly restrained,
and lovingly tuned. The only thing really
missing from this recording is more of it.
The solo singing here is, for the most
part, of a completely different character
than that of the chorus. The beautifully
“lean and clean” quality of the chorus is
gone. If this solo music was indeed written for the girls of the Ospedali, then
there should be less bravura and more
attention to clarity and intonation than
the soloists provide here.
In terms of programming one of
these lovely works, any good high school
women’s ensemble should be able to
handle them quite nicely. The solo singing is not easy, but for an excellent young
soloist it would be a great opportunity.
77
Compact Disc Reviews
Not having the number or quality of
soloists needed for these works should
not stop directors of young women’s
choirs from programming them. After
all, they were written for girls ages 12 or
13 to age 20 and 21. Instrumental parts
could be pared down to a few players
and a solid basso continuo section, and
soloists could be hired from an area
college or university.
Rich Brunner
North Hollywood, California
Tarik O’Regan:Threshold of Night
Conspirare
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor
Harmonia Mundi 807490
(2008; 59’ 31”)
Once again, Craig Hella Johnson
masterfully extracts the utmost expression from the musicians of Grammynominated Conspirare in this new
recording, Threshold of Night. Conspirare
reintroduces us to tremendously gifted
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78
British composer Tarik O’Regan (b.1978)
with new compositions for voices and
strings. They will immediately appeal to
anyone looking for music that is innovative and challenging for both singers and
audience. Threshold of Night seems to
have found a satisfying dramatic center,
poised between musical complexity and
beauty of tone.
Two settings of poetry by Emily Dickinson bookend this recording as a “compositional inhalation and exhalation,” and
were commissioned by Conspirare for
the album. Had I Not Seen the Sun (first
of this set) acts as one large crescendo,
whereas I Had No Time to Hate (second)
offers a long and gentle diminuendo that
eventually settings into nothingness.
Soloists Melissa Givens and Jonathon
Subia bring a deep spiritual meaning to
the text through their expressive vocal
quality and clear sense of line.
A challenging work in three seamless sections, The Ecstasies Above, for
double solo quartet, SATB chorus, and
string quar tet, serves
as one of the anchors
of this disc. It requires
extremely talented soloists, especially two
sopranos of the highest
virtuosic quality. Conductor Johnson
chose Kathlene Ritch and Lauren
Snouffer, and they do not disappoint.The
text for The Ecstasies Above, comes from
Poe’s lyric poem Israfel, which speaks of
the angel Israfel and the heavens above.
The solo group, choir, and string quartet
display a wide array of emotions and
seem to take on varying roles, varying
their textures and sonorities, in telling
the story of Israfel.
The namesake work of this disc sets
one of Kathleen Raine’s Three Poems of
Incarnation. According to Tarik O’Regan’s
eloquent notes, “the work aims to
highlight the yearning that all societies
have, in their time of need, for guidance
from beyond their community.” O’Regan
further comments about the work’s
(coincidental) relationship to Hurricane
Katrina with its poignant text (“Go back,
my child, to the rain and storm, I will
not go back for sorrow or pain”) and
blues-like harmonic texture. Conspirare
breathes beautiful life into this song, allowing the listener to become lost in the
“threshold of night.”
Tal vez tenemos tiempo [Maybe we
have time] was also composed specifically for this disc and is followed by Care
Charminge Sleepe, a setting of a John
Fletcher text. Originally set for voices
only, this new version of Care Charminge
Sleepe for voices and strings enables
Conspirare to collaborate with some
excellent string players.Throughout, the
strings seem to take on vocal qualities,
melding with the voices in a magical way.
Triptych is just as rhythmically challenging as The Ecstasies Above, with
perhaps even more drive. Atop a pelting string texture, the voices somehow
combine calmness with urgency. Both
the instrumentalists and singers exquisitely tune each chord and bring life to
the musical line with precise dynamics
and articulation. The second of the set
takes on more ethereal and reflective
properties, with a sustained string introduction followed by a call-and-response
section for soloist and choir.The third of
the set revives the rhythmic drive from
the first, this time with intense rushes of
elation, contrasted with sudden stillness.
Threshold of Night is a disc full of
emotions. It evokes remembrance,
and reflections on life’s brevity. With
Conspirare’s first compact disc for Harmonia Mundi, Craig Hella Johnson and
his company of voices are sure to make
an impact on listeners across the globe.
Cameron F. LaBarr
Denton, Texas
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Simple Gifts
The King’s Singers
Signum SIGCD121 (2008; 48’ 46”)
The King’s Singers’ fantastic mix of
impeccable intonation and striking vocal
color is well known, and it is exciting to
hear them sing lighter repertoire on this
new disc.This collection
consists of popular and
folk songs from England
and America arranged
by Philip Lawson, Bob
Chilcott, and Peter
Knight. Most of the songs are arranged
by Lawson, one of their own. Lawson’s
primary goal was to preserve the songs
as we have come to know them; many
of his arrangements are not much more
than transcriptions.This allows the songs’
accompaniment to truly come alive: the
first track of the album, Billy Joel’s She’s
Always a Woman, is a wonderful example
of this.
The album was recorded in the studio’s drumroom, which gives the entire
collection an intimate, warm sound.The
final product constantly confronts us
with sounds born in a small space. Every
movement of the mouth is picked up,
adding a strong percussive aspect to the
singing, as in CSN’s Helplessly Hoping.
Much like the pop albums of the 60s
and 70s, which The King’s Singers are
emulating, there is a very “engineered”
quality to the sound of the album, remi-
niscent of the Beach Boys’ Good Vibrations. For some listeners, this may take
away from the natural beauty that we
associate with The King’s Singers. However, this very difference gives the album
a refreshing quality. It just makes you feel
good! Best of all, these arrangements are
now published through Hal Leonard, so
we can enjoy them with our own choirs.
Matthew Smyth
Norman, Oklahoma
Festival Internacional de Coro de Niños
San Miguel de Allende in Colonial Mexico
June 29 - July 5, 2009 and now
June 28 - July 4, 2010
HENRY LECK • Conductor
“Musica Mundi’s festivals are
phenomenal in all aspects.”
Henry Leck, Founder and Director
Indianapolis Children's Chorus
Join the TRADITION in 2010
~ with Henry Leck for the second annual Festival Internacional de
Coro de Niños en San Miguel México ~
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Gala Festival Concert in San Miguel de Allende
Debut Festival Gala Concert in Guanajuato
One-hour Festival Repertoire for Gala Concerts with Orchestra
Showcase Ensemble Concert in San Miguel de Allende
Ensemble Workshops with Henry Leck
Ranchero Event
Excursion to Guanajuato
Optional extension to Mexico City: Teotihuacán Pyramids, Diego
Rivera Museum, City Tour, Formal Concert.
• Budgets are tight ~ don’t compromise!
Come to the Festival Internacional de Coro de Niños where fewer
dollars can afford your singers an outstanding musical and cultural
experience.
1 800 947 1991
Musica Mundi Concert Tours
San Miguel de Allende, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
(located in central Mexico)
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
101 First Street, Suite 454 • Los Altos, CA 94022
Ph 650 949 1991 • Fax 650 472 3883
www.musicamundi.com • [email protected]
79
June/July
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Monograph No. 9
Twentieth-Century Choral Music:
An Annotated Bibliography of Music
Appropriate for College and University Choirs.
By Richard J. Bloesch and Weyburn Wasson.
Monograph No. 10
The Syntagma Musicum of Michael Praetorius
Volume III: An Annotated Translation.
Translated by Hans Lampl
and Edited by Margaret Boudreaux.
Go to <www.acda.org/catalog/conference_memorabilia>
<www.acda.org/catalog/conference_memorabilia>
under our shop tab to purchase.
Hurry, there is a limited supply!
When they’re gone, they’re gone!
Editor’s note: The editor of this column
is pleased to announce that for the first
time, many of the choral reviews in this
issue have Web site links so our readers
can also see and hear the choral scores
under review.
Poinsettia Carol
Frederick Taylor
SATB, soprano solo
Twin Elm Publishing
TE99-12
$1.70
<http://www.emersonenterprises.com/
te_home.htm>
Frederick Taylor’s Poinsettia Carol is a
lovely addition to the Christmas repertoire for high school and church choirs.
The text, written by the composer, is
a strophic telling of a Nativity miracle
story: little Pepita, with
nothing but weeds to
present as a gift, sees her
simple devotion repaid
when the Christ child
turns those weeds into
bright flowers. Simple
background figures accompany the two
solo stanzas; some very brief imitative
counterpoint and flowing scalar eighthnote motion occur in the final stanza.
Aside from that, the challenges lie largely
in singing with good intonation in the
less familiar world of the minor modes.
The stanzas are introduced by an
eight measure refrain; the composer
indicates that this refrain may also be inserted between the stanzas. He presents
other performance suggestions, as well: a
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
quartet of soloists may sing to contrast
the full choir on the refrain, two soloists
may be employed to create a narrator/
action relationship, and “oo” is presented
as an alternative to humming on the
solo stanzas. This type of versatility is
appealing. Choir members could have
some input into the final performance of
the piece without the director yielding
ultimate interpretive authority.
Although the key signature indicates
F minor for most of the work (the
refrain is in a lowered-sixth inflected F
major), F Dorian would really be closer
to correct. The absence of a sixth scale
degree and the presence of occasional
sub-tonic cadences reinforce a modal,
somewhat archaic sound world. Neatly
placed parallel thirds within this (almost)
modal framework seem to faintly recall
the sound of a mariachi band. A gentle
rhythmic interplay between 3/2 measures divided into three (most of them
are) and those that could be felt in two,
so characteristic of the music of Latin
America, also imbues the piece with a
very subtle flavor of exoticism.
Overall, this piece would be well suited to the high school concert repertoire
and especially well suited to Nativity
presentations by church choirs. If there
is any notable weakness in the piece, it
might be the saccharine nature of the
text. If you can’t be sweet at Christmas,
however, when can you be?
Brian Burns
Tulsa, OK
And Are We Yet Alive?
John Purifoy
SATB, piano
Brookfield Press
08747336
$1.70
This Anthem is a beautiful example of
a new setting of an old text written by
Charles Wesley during the late 1700s—
a hymnist with over 6,000 hymns to
his credit—that does an
impressive job of mixing
new harmonies with
common-practice settings of hymns.The piece
is distinctly influenced by
Vaughan Williams’ anthems and a newer, energetic piano setting underscoring the
traditional harmonies of the stanzas.
The work begins with an exciting
setting of the first stanza:
And are we yet alive,
And see each other’s face?
Glory and thanks to Jesus give
For His almighty grace!
The musical is jubilant, as in the fanfare opening of Vaughan Williams’ “O
Clap Your Hands.” This exordium also
sets up the two major key centers for
the rest of the work.The fanfare acts as a
ritornello, returning between each stanza.
The texts of the rest of the stanzas
are set in a very traditional, easy to read
style. Most stanzas begin in unison for
the first two phrases and then fill out
to four-part harmony for the final two
phrases of each verse. The harmonies
are sweet and enjoyable. The pitches
81
Choral Reviews
are easy to learn, and there is not a lot
of variety between each stanza, so it is
fairly easy to learn the entire song in a
few short rehearsals.
Perhaps one of the great moments of
this piece is the composer’s change of
key right before the penultimate stanza,
which represents the speakers’ commitment in response to the gifts they have
received: At this point, the composer
moves from the key of F to the key of
D—a relatively brighter key.The melody
of the first two lines also changes slightly
in the vocal ranges, mostly to accommodate the range of the voices. Another
key change occurs right before the final
stanza, which is a mix of the first and
last verses of the original text. At this
point we move to G major, another very
bright key that puts the voices high in
their comfortable range, allowing for a
very exciting ending.
One of the great advantages of this
piece is that, although the vocal parts are
fairly simple, the accompaniment adds a
lot of exciting color and variety to each
verse. Even so, it is not a terribly difficult
accompaniment—mostly sight readable
by the intermediate pianist.
This piece works well for choirs of
varying difficulty and size. An exciting
82
and helpful piano part promotes a great
performance.
Bryson Mortensen
Urbana, Illinois
Guararé
Ricardo Fàbrigas,
arr. Alberto Grau
SATB
Earthsongs
S273
$1.70
<www.earthsongsmus.com>
One of the most prolific Venezuelan
composers of choral music for our
time, Alberto Grau, has taken the music of Ricardo Fàbrigas
and adapted it for SATB
chorus. The poetr y by
Colaco Cortéz speaks of
the spectacle of dance and
song that is found when
one travels through the
town of Guararé, Panama during one
of its many festivals. This is a jubilant
song, punctuated by syncopations and
dotted rhythms. The rhythm is derived
from the tamborera, a popular dance in
the 50s and 60s in Panama. The text is
in Spanish. This piece is appropriate for
university choruses, as well as advanced
community and high school choirs.
If you wish to listen, here is the link:
<http://www.ear thsongschoralmusic.
com/frameintro.php?url=catfind.php>
Reed Criddle
Ann Arbor, MI
Miserere
Rudi Tas
SATB divisi. cello
G. Shirmer, Inc. 50486490, $2.95
<http://www.schirmer.com>
National and international composition prize winner, Rudi Tas was born
in Aalst, Belgium, in 1957. An active
concert organist and choral conductor,
Tas earned a several diplomas at the
Brussles and Ghent Royal Conservatories in theory and a diploma in composition studying under Roland Coryn.
Rudi Tas created an evocative, challenging setting of the sacred Latin text,
Miserere. It requires the mature voices
and skill of a good university or community choir to tackle the chromatic
lines, tone clusters, and occasional low
bass and alto ranges. Contrasting a more
reserved choral part is the demanding cello score which necessitates the
finesse of an accomplished musician to
function both as accompanist to the
choir and virtuosic soloist.
The piece begins with
the choir singing a long
held chord cluster providing a haunting background
for the cello entrance.
As the piece progresses
the rhythms become quicker and the
conversation between choir and cello
more abrupt. Just after the middle of
the piece the choir and cello work to
reach a pleading fortissimo climax folChoral Journal • June/July 2009
lowed by a virtuosic cello passage. The
piece resolves into a calmer mood that
reflects the beginning, and ending with
a soprano and alto tone cluster.
The duration of this piece is approximately eight minutes. A separate
cello part is included. Although the
piece was commissioned by the Belgium
choir, Musa Horti in 1999, the score has
just recently been published under the
Dale Warland Schirmer Choral Series.
Recordings of the work are available by
the Dale Warland Singers, Commotio,
and Musa Horti.
delegated to a small group of advanced
singers. To be sure, the optional solos
for soprano and tenor require musicians
of ability.
In this composition, David Childs has
really nailed the abilities of the advanced
church choir. It is a challenging work, but
accessible. Ranges are well within limits
of the average church choir member.
The mixed meter and syncopation
provide both excitement and challenge.
Philip L. Copeland
Birmingham, Alabama
then come together in a strong unison
final phrase before leading into the
chorus where the actual
spiritual melody and text
make a brief appearance. There is a second
stanza, after which a
coda—structured, like
the opening, as a building
ostinato—brings the work to a gentle,
hypnotic close. This is an appealing and
sensitive piece that will both edify and
please young singers.
Frank K. DeWald
Okemos, Michigan
Adam Jonathan Con
Statesboro, Georgia
Bless the Lord, O My Soul Psalm 103
David N. Childs
Santa Barbara Music Publishing
SBMP 776
<www.sbmp.com>
Until I Reach-a Mah Home
Spiritual
Rollo Dilworth (arr.)
3-part mixed, piano
Hal Leonard
08745993
$1.70
<www.halleonard.com>
To hear this piece go to: <http://
sbmp.com/WebPagesTwo/FamilyOfComposers/FamilyOfComposers.html>.
David Child’s anthem based on Psalm
103 was written in honor of organist
Anna Jeter’s twenty-five years of service
at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in
Wichita, Kansas. It is a joyful anthem of
praise written for a good church choir
that isn’t bothered by mixed meter or
temporary modulations. The work is
reminiscent of Rutter’s
“O Clap Your Hands” in
both character and formal structure, but easier.
It is ABA in form with a
closing section derived
from the ‘A’ material.
Optional solos are included for soprano,
tenor, and alto.
It looks as though Childs was writing
for a church that employs a paid quartet
of more advanced singers. Still, the extensive “B” section could be successfully
To see and hear this piece go to:
<http://www.halleonard.com/closerLook.jsp?id=8745993&refer=item_detail.jsp%3Ftype%3Dproduct%26itemid
%3D8745993%26keywords%3Duntil%
2Bi%2Breach-a%2Bmah%2Bhome%2B
%26catcode%3D00%26order%3D0%2
6refer%3Dsearch>
Inspired by a traditional spiritual
(which is only quoted directly in the
chorus), the composer has created what
he calls a “tale of an old man who passes
down this African-American folk melody
as a means of preserving the cultural and
musical heritage from which the piece
originated.”
The first half of the work consists of
an appealing rhythmic ostinato. It be-gins
with an idea in the male voices, to which
is added first a counterpoint in the alto
and, eventually, a third motif in the soprano. When the tune and its story-line
text finally appear, the first three phrases
are divided among the parts; the voices
Childs, BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL
Childs, BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL
SBMP 776, $2.35
SATB
organ
duration: 4:50
by
David N. Childs
SANTA BARBARA MUSIC PUBLISHING, INC.
Post Office Box 41003, Santa Barbara, CA 93140
WEBSITE: www.sbmp.com
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
A Magical Machine
Stephen Chatman
SSATBB
ECS Publishing
#7.0517
$2.65
<www.ecspublishing.com>
Once again composer Stephen Chatman creates a clever “sound piece” in
A Magical Machine. He has successfully
composed a number of similar pieces,
“(Mosquitoes and Woodpecker)” that
combine interesting rhythms, pitches
and texts. A Magical Machine can be
added to the list of Chatman’s winning
compositions. By using short words
like “spinning,” “flashing,” “buzzing” and
“humming” the composer forms a
combination of sounds that mimics an
active machine. We are unsure of what
the machine does, but we
know it is working. A variety of ostinati, and tonal
and rhythmic shifts form
the musical bond for the
composition.
This is an excellent
work for teaching rhythmic concepts to
a moderately skilled high school, college
or community choir. Single rhythmic lines
No. 7.0517|Chatman|A Magical Machine|SSATBB
commissioned by Central Bucks High School West, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Joseph Ohrt, Director
A Magical Machine
S. C.
for SSATBB Chorus unaccompanied
1 G =
Fast, precise q = 126-138
Soprano
0
G =
Alto
Stephen Chatman
0
0
0
0
mp
4
B
mag
2
Bass
a spin - ning, a spin - ning, a spin - ning,
G =
a spin - ning,
Fast, precise q = 116-126
Keyboard
(for
rehearsal
only)
0
4
mag - ic
5 5 = 5 5 =
ma - chine,
4
G B
cal,
a
i
-
spin - ning, a spin - ning,
0
5
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
1 mp =
G 5 5
2
5
-
4
= 5 5 5 5 5 = 5 5 5 5 5 = 5 5 5 5 5
G = ?
i
a spin - ning ma - chine,
a spin - ning ma - chine, a spin - ning ma - chine,
p stagger breathing
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
p
Tenor
spin - ning
5
5 5 = 5 5 =
and bright,
5
bright
4
5 55 55 5 5 55
mag - ic
5 5 = 5 5 =
ma - chine,
4
B
5
ma -
B
chine,
spin - ning
B
mag
-
a
5
5 55 55 5 5 55
5 55 55
5 5 =
and bright,
-
5
i
-
G = 5 5 5 5 5 = 5 5 5 5 5 = 5 5 5 5 5 = 5 5 5 5 5
i
a spin - ning ma - chine,
a spin - ning ma - chine,
a spin - ning ma - chine,
a spin - ning ma - chine,
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
spin - ning,
G 5B 5 =
5
5 5 5
a
spin - ning,
a
spin - ning,
5 = 55 5 5=
4
5 55 55 5 5 55
5
5
5
a spin - ning,
55
=
5B 5
=
55 55 5 5 55
a
spin - ning,
a spin - ning,
5 = 5B 5 =
4
5 55 55 5 5 55
5
5
5
a
55
=
55 55
© Copyright 2008 by Highgate Press. A division of ECS Publishing,
Boston, Massachusetts. All rights reserved. Made in U.S.A.
83
Choral Reviews
are simple alone, but become more
complex when added to the texture
of the piece. Fast, precise execution
of rhythm, pitch, and text are essential
for realizing the score and bringing the
“musical machine” to life. Vocal ranges
are accessible and allow the singer to
focus on rhythm and diction.The score is
well organized, which is essential in a fast,
rhythmically complex composition. Dynamics are clearly indicated and integral
to the expressive contrasts in the piece.
This work would be a lively selection for
most any concert program.
Stephen R. Eaves
Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Celebrate!
Spiritual
Keith Hampton
SATB, soprano or alto solo, piano
earthsongs
#S-292
$2.25
<www.earthsongschoralmusic.com>
To hear this piece go to: <http://
www.earthsongschoralmusic.com/frameintro.php?url=catfind.php>.
Keith Hampton is the founder
and artistic director for the Chicago
Community Chorus, a non-auditioned
ensemble of 100 singers whose mission it is to offer an
“advanced choral experience to anyone who
loves to sing.” Hampton
composed Celebrate! in
honor of the chorus’s
fifth anniversary. Employing plenty of syncopation and a
lively tempo, the music is joyful and very
accessible for a church or community
chorus. The repetitive style and ABA/
coda structure will enable a singer with
limited choral experience to learn this
piece quite quickly. The middle section
84
is set for either soprano or alto soloist
and could make use of a different singer
for each of the two stanzas if one so
desired. The range of each voice part
is relatively modest with the sopranos
and tenors reaching an e-flat2 and gflat1 respectively.The sopranos and altos
often sing in thirds above unison tenors
and basses, making this a good choice
for groups that have more women than
men. Based on Psalm 96: 6, 9, this piece
would be ideal in a church service or as
a concert piece, and its catchy melodies
and rhythms will appeal to both the
choir and audience.
Christine Howlett
Poughkeepsie, New York
Agnus Dei Canon
Donald Moore
SAB, piano, optional flute or
C-Instrument
Heritage Music Press
15/2222H
$1.75
Performance/ Accompaniment CD:
99/2090H
<www.lorenz.com>
To listen to this piece go to <http://
www.lorenz.com/results.aspx?srch=quic
k&cid=Agnus+dei+Canon&c=Agnus+d
ei+Canon&pg=1&rpp=30>.
Donald Moore uses the Agnus Dei
traditional Latin text in this simple canon
for the middle or high school choir. This
fairly accessible SAB piece employs a
tuneful melody with comfortable vocal
ranges in the key of C minor. A few
of the melodic intervals are a bit challenging in individual vocal lines but the
harmony is reinforced in the accompaniment. Arpeggios make up the majority
of the expressive piano part, always
supporting the voice parts.The optional
flute part is scant yet provides an extra
element of color to the accompaniment.
The texture of the first 25 measures
is polyphonic, with each voice part introducing the melody.The remaining 11
measures are homophonic in texture.The simple
rhythm uses a moderate
tempo. This short piece
builds dynamically from
piano at the beginning
to a climatic forte, then
ending softly, reflecting the Dona nobis
pacem text. The publisher includes a
pronunciation and translation guide on
the inside cover of the piece, certainly
helpful to the student inexperienced in
Latin. Donald Moore has written many
pieces for the “developing” choir.
Emily Gaskill
Brentwood, Tennessee
Laudate Dominum (from Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339)
W. A. Mozart
ed. John Leavitt
SATB, piano, sop. solo
Hal Leonard 08596776
$1.70
To hear this piece go to <http://
www.halleonard.com/closerLook.
jsp?id=8596776&refer=item_detail.jsp
%3Forder%3D0%26keywords%3D085
96776%2B%26type%3Dproduct%26re
fer%3Dsearch%26catcode%3D00%26i
temid%3D8596776>.
When thinking of the top choral
pieces in history that are simply beautiful,
Mozart’s Laudate Dominum from the Vesperae
solennes easily belongs
in the group. The long,
graceful soprano solo
phrases, floating, soaring,
elicit thoughts of beauty
and devotion. Of course, the demands
on the soprano are great. While the
overall demands for the choir (which
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
enters in m. 42) appear relatively simple,
the sustaining power and dynamic prowess Mozart expects are challenging indeed. (One only has to think about how
“simple” his Ave verum seems to be).
Leavitt has provided a straightforward version of the selection from K.
339. Editing is limited to marks commonly seen in Mozart’s music. Suggested
embellishments are in style.There are no
surprises here. A translation of the Latin
text is printed on the inside cover.
It is good to have a fresh, crisp version
of this wonderful piece.The appearance
of the music is clean and easy to read.
This piece is appropriate for an advanced high school choir, college choir,
or a good church choir. Just be sure you
have a really good soprano soloist!
Brian Lanier
Maryville, Missouri
For Us the Living: A Requiem
Alfred V. Fedak
SATB, organ, opt. orch.
Selah Publishing Co.
440-820
$9.75
<www.selahpub.com>
To hear this piece go to<http://www.
selahpub.com/Choral/ChoralTitles/440-
82x-ForUsTheLiving.html>.
Alfred V. Fedak, a composer of numerous hymn tunes and octavos, has
produced his first major work in For Us
the Living. This requiem, commissioned
by Clifford Lamere in memory of his
parents, combines traditional elements
found in the musical settings of Fauré
and Rutter, as well as new textual ideas
found in Eastern Orthodox rituals and in
passages from the Apochrypha. Though
composed as a concert work, the piece
possesses a great deal of liturgical value
and could conceivably be used in a worship setting.
Each movement of the work reveals
the composer’s ability to create beautiful
For the classroom
For the stage
For the church
Choral Music for Every Occasion
Psalm 32:7b
Masterpeacepublishing.com
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
85
Choral Reviews
melodies (some based in plainsong), rich
harmonies, colorful orchestral effects,
innovative counterpoint, and intense
emotion with his chosen texts.
The opening Sentence, sung in English, introduces melodic material that
will recur during the final measures of
the Valediction, bringing the work full
circle as a representation of a life cycle.
The lyrical Introit leads into a Kyrie
Eleison that clearly draws it inspiration
from Gregorian chant; both of these
movements rely on the traditional Latin
texts. In the next movement, Psalm 23,
well-known to every church musician,
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2009 Conductor Francisco Nunez
Music and Choral Festivals, Vienna
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Salzburg Music Festivals, Austria June 25-28,
July 2-5, 9-13, ‘09 • Mar. 18-22, June 24-27, July 8-11, ‘10
International Youth Music Festival, Bavaria
July 7-12, ‘09, July ‘10
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July 31-Aug 10, ‘09, ‘10, ‘11
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Contact
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TF: 800-267-8526 • www.abc.ca
Fax: 613–236–2636 • E-mail: [email protected]
86
is set in English. The simplicity of the
opening lines allows the text to speak
clearly. The drama comes in the middle
section (“the shadow of death”), reaching its climax at “your rod and your
staff, they comfort me” through intense
chromaticism.
Written in triple meter, the percussive Sanctus introduces a new energy
in “the middle of the work. By contrast,
the Benedictus resumes the beautiful
lyricism of earlier movements. The solo
aria, Pie Jesu, accompanied by harp in
the orchestral version, is really more of
a duet between the soprano and the
solo violin.The gentleness of the melodic
line recalls a lullaby, praying that the departed may sleep in peace.
Fedak introduces the Agnus Dei with
an eight-measure chaconne, which reinforces the sense of the text as a litany.
The middle section moves to Bb Major
before returning to the chaconne figure
to close the work with a slight textual
twist. Instead of using the traditional
text of Dona nobis pacem the composer changes the text to Dona nobis
requiem underscoring the work’s real
intent as stated in the title, a prayer for
us, the living.
Valediction, the farewell, opens with
a simply beautiful four-part chorale,
moves into a duet between the women
and the men, and comes back to the
hymn-like style to close with a gentle,
serene Amen.
The choral writing lies comfortably
within normal ranges; Fedak knows how
to write for church choirs. Occasional
three-part divisi for the female and male
voices occurs in nearly every movement
but is counterbalanced by an abundance
of unison writing. Although the rich
orchestration for paired winds, horns,
harp, strings and organ, the vocal score
features an extremely accessible organ
reduction for use in smaller settings. Ad-
ditionally, according to the composer’s
notes, movements may be performed
separately. Fedak’s requiem will prove to
be an extremely useful and accessible
work for church, college, and community choirs. The accompanying compact
disc of the first performance is wellperformed and serves as a useful guide
to tempi, registration, and vocal color.
Steven Young
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Sound the Trumpet
Henry Purcell/Earlene Rentz (arr.)
Three-part mixed, piano.
Heritage Choral Series
15/2230H
$1.85.
<www.lorenz.com>
To hear this piece go to: <http://
www.lorenz.com/results.aspx?srch=quic
k&cid=Sound+the+Trumpet&c=Sound
+the+Trumpet&pg=1&rpp=30>.
Sound the Trumpet is a perennially
popular duet for treble voices, set by
Purcell as part of his 1694 birthday ode
for Queen Mary, Come Ye Sons of Art.
Well-known composer and clinician
Earlene Rentz adds a baritone part that
is pedagogically sound and musically
effective, allowing mixed middle school
choirs and perhaps even beginning high
school choirs to experience the joy of
singing this piece. She has lowered the
key a whole step, from D to C major,
and provided optional baritone notes to
compensate for range issues with newly
changed or changing voices. The octavo
also includes helpful historical background, tips on effectively rehearsing the
piece, and warm-up exercises derived
from the work to prepare students for
the challenges found in it.
The two original treble voices move
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
predominantly in parallel thirds with occasional echo effects. Often the added
baritone part bears some resemblance
to the keyboard bassline, with adjustments for range and melodic flow. At
other times the baritone part harmonizes with the middle (originally lower)
part, altering the piece’s echo effect,
so now one voice is echoed by two.
Towards the end of the piece, the two
harmonizing treble voices are echoed
by the baritone, leading to a triumphant,
almost homophonic finish.
Pedagogically, this piece would be
very useful for teaching parallel thirds,
Baroque styles, crescendos, breath
support, phrase shaping, and Baroque
articulation. It would be a useful addition
to most middle school libraries.
Frank Martignetti
New Haven, Connecticutt
Eternity’s Music
Carlyle Sharpe
SATB, piano or string quartet and harp
ECS Publishing
Choral Score No. 6602 $2.65
Full Score No. 6603 $10.00
Instrumental Parts No. 6604 $15.00
<www.ecspublishing.com>
“Eternity’s music” is a phrase from
Walt Whitman’s poem in Leaves of Grass
“As consequent from store of summer
rains.” That poem, minus six lines, is
the text Carlyle Sharpe has set here.
Whitman’s verse is filled with images of
water that he uses as a metaphor for
human life in the “Sea of Time.” At first,
the water flows in rivulets but finally
it reaches the sea where it interacts
with continents and the waves can be
“abysmic” and stormy. The composer
has chosen to make the tone painting of
these images the overarching character
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
of his piece.The instrumental parts have
sextuplets in perpetual motion in almost
every measure, while the choral contribution to rhythmic liquidity is a very
frequent switch from duplets to triplets.
The first part of the piece establishes
the character of the tone painting: instrumental sextuplets, chant-like choral
writing undulating between duplets and
triplets, and a text that requires excellent
diction and declamation within legato
articulation. A middle section is introduced by an unaccompanied brief passage to be sung espressivo e rubato and
unaccompanied. The text is Whitman’s
personalizing of the water metaphor.
It goes on in musical dialogue between
choir and instruments and includes one
phrase of choral divisi and the highest
sung pitches (for tenors and sopranos)
of the piece. The section ends with a
repeat of the opening music, this time
with new words. The third, and longest,
section of the piece returns to the tex-
ture of the first and includes another
short divisi section and the lowest (for
altos and basses) sung notes of the composition.Vocal ranges are somewhat demanding, but the tessituras are modest.
Carlyle Sharpe teaches theory and
composition at Drury University, the
institution that commissioned this fiveminute work for its Theme Year on
Sustainability. The poem itself is an opportunity for interdisciplinary learning.
University and very good high school
choirs will find this music a refreshing
drink of musical water that is worth the
effort required to learn and interpret
it well.
Roger Miller
New York, New York
New and improved
membership
and
life membership
cards are
Coming
Soon!
87
new organization s name and ideas for an opportunity fo
ectors Association at the state, divi
n, or national level. There are no nis player; and Groom an accomplished a constitution and bylaws and the basic gestions from gras
p
structural framework that would alhs of offifice to be taken with one
one’ss accompanist.
The early
ea
pre
Thhe co
comm
com
mmon
mmo
on eellementt thhat bound
d low for th
the
he or
orga
rga
gani
niza
niza
ni
zatitition
onn’s monumental were generrous no
o
nd on thee Bible; yet, one must posignat
gnnat
ated
ed the but also w
s an altruuistic desire to serr ve fel
ellllow this presidential group together was growth. It was originally design
with the
that
they
were
active
choral
conductors
American
Choirmasters
Association,
butt su
oral colleaagues. Ove
veer th
th years, ACDA
the
supp
p ort, sinnce AC
pp
cers havee volu
luunt
nt
nteered
their time self- throughout the primary portion of their those attending the meeting approved financ
nccia
i l base. D
careers: theyy were directors of choral and adopted
p Woodyy Keister
Keister’ss proposal
p p
sly and,
d, more
ore
re often
ft than
th not
not,t, sett aside
id
per active
p
tivee m
membe
eem
prog
ogra
rams
ms aatt th
thee pu
publ
blic
bliic aand
nd
d p
pri
riva
ivate
te
t
that
th
at tthe
he o
org
rgan
ganiz
izat
atio
ionn be nnam
amed
ed tthe
he co
rsonal
all aam
mbititio
ionn fo
forr th
thee go
g od o
good
off th
thee pr
convention
conv
nven
entitio
on with
witith
it l
school, college or university level. Many American Choral Directors Association. record or reputa
ganizationn.
ACDA’s twe
A
weent
n y-five national presi- also served as part-time choir direc- Unlike the organizations it was based on, attend
dan
an e would
ance
d
by One application for membership was open to wa
ntttss weree mulltiti-t
i-t
-tal
tal
a ented men and tors in a variety of church settings.
wayy, since no
n onee
semi- all choir directors. The American Cho
oraal expense m
meeenn who came from
m a va
v riety of (Casey) founded and conducted
money. T
Scott W. aDorsey
p ofessional ensemble,“Cantari Singers,” Directors Association waas to cco
ov the nized the nneed fo
over
ckkgr
g ound
o
s: some were admiiniis
istr
istr
tratra
a- pr
or
b
ba
sed
d
i
in
n
C
Col
olum
ol
umbu
um
bus
bu
s
s,
,
O
Ohi
h
hi
hio
i
o.
o
.
M
ost
os
t
ch
h
oral
or
al
ne
n
need
e
ed
eds
s
of
f
a
all
ll
c
choir
h
hoi
ho
o
i
r
d
directors,
irectors,
not
j
just
a convention
s off univversityy music departments
p
conventions,
ns helld
d
thhat are successffull hhave de- sm
smal
alll su
subs
bset
et..
nes, Im
Imig
ig, Ma
Math
this
is, Th
Thor
orse
senn, Ha
Habe
berl
rlen
en, conductors
enco
en
cour
urag
aged
ed ffaam
velo
ve
lope
ped
d
trem
tr
emen
endo
dous
us o
org
rgan
aniz
izat
atio
iona
nall sk
skilills
ls
Thee firs
Th
rstt five p
pre
resi
side
dent
ntss ch
char
arte
ted
d tors and
hititten, Price,
i , Groom)) or large
g DM
DMA/
A/
and
d scholars
on to their
ir mSubject
usiicall talent
l ts. Af
Aft
ter th
thee be
begi
ginn
nnin
ings
gs o
off th
thee yo
youn
ungg or
orga
gani
niza
za- Wa
M/PhD
D pro
rogr
gram
amss (H
(Hir
irtt, D
Dec
ecke
kerr, C
C. in addittio
Wagn
gner
er was one
Classifi
cation
k, Hatccher); some were composers/ all, conductors design warm-ups and tion by overseeing the writing of the support A
ACDA a
musical
objectives
for
rehearsals,
select
ACDA
Constitution
and
Bylaws,
creatto
ors/arrrangers
(Decker,
Hirt,
ColThe classification numbers used below correspond to subject headings in all ACDA monographs utilizing bibliographicseveral
format,eaarly conv
repertoire for programs, write notes for by Gordon
a vehicle
for and
communication
(the Aning
, T. Kirrk, particularly
Sanders, Hatcher,
Whitten,
loudly
the Choral
Journal: An Index to Volumes 1-18 (Monograph No. 3) ing
Paine,
The Choral Journal:
Index
to y that “th
programs, recruit singers, prostructuring
geographic
berlen, Price);
and,
although
most inNo. concert
choral
Volumes
19-32
(Monograph
7) by Scott W. Dorsey. Subject classificationsChoral
with noJournal),
entries for
this volume
year have been
omit-convention
mote their choral organizations, and plan divisions, and planning the first annual have to ruub shoul
ir earlyy careers
choral
music
ted fromtaught
the listing.
“REP.
” “BIB.” and “DISC.” are abbreviations for repertoire, bibliography, and discography.
he public
blic schools, a few had primary tours in addition to manyy other tasks. convention. The new leaders of ACDA tors.” Late
Later, Rober
eers (ten or more years) in public These skills, possessed by all the ACDA did not “reinvent the wheel”; President Hillis gave of thei
ool music programs (Leland, Moore, presidents, enabled them to establish Archie Jones was largely responsible for mended that this
practical goals and objectives for the writing the first draft of the constitution worthy of serious
ltt).
“FolkbyElements
in Ariel Ramirez’s
Misa Criolla,”
Aaron Mitchell.
1. Choral
Composition,
Arranging,
Editing and
organization
thatPublishing
were accomplished
and by-laws.
He accomplished
this by
after
This article
is intended
to capture
well-known and in
10/08:10.
BIB.
overview of the accomplishments hard work and determination with the careful study and review of the constitu- ductor/educators
“A Junior High State of Mind: Considerations for Composing
ACDA’s twenty-five presidents as assistance of the national office staff.The tional documents of the American Band supporters of AC
and Arranging for the Middle School Choir,” by Andrea
“Peˉteris Vasks:
Preaching
the Soul
Latvia
to the World,
” byTeachers
Masters
Association
andof the
College
eyy presided over many initiatives national presidents possessed strong
Wilson,
Ramsey. 8/08:73.
Vance
D.
Wolverton.
10/08:44.
collaborative
personalities
that
resulted
Band Directors Association. The draft University, who w
d educational trends in choral music
in achievements suppor ted by the was sent to charter members for sug- the Steering Comm
d performance.
The
reader
should
“Perspectives on Publishing Choral Manuscripts,” by Ryan Kelly.
“René Clausen’s
Crying
for Robert
a Dream,”
by Paulwas
A. Aitken.
10/08:69.
gestions.
Harry
Wilson
the Crane
tee that many2/09:48.
of ACDA’s goals and ACDA Executive Committee, elected
School of M
ectives take years to come to frui- officers at the division (National Board) author of the final version of the new of Potsdam; Elaine
and state
various
committees,
and organization’s
“Dominick
Argento’s Music
for Angels and
and to
Mortals,”
by Philip
ten purposes;
this and,
n under“Multicultural
the guidanceChoral
of consecutive
Howard Swa
Music: Composers
and levels,
Arrangers
Share
the
the
Repertoire
&
Standards
appointees.
day,
these
purposes,
as
adopted
at
that
Brunelle.
12/08:8.
REP.
essidents, executive
committees,
and
affectionately calle
process,” by Sharon Davis Gratto. 6/09:58
All ACDA officers had sincere, honest, time, have remained largely unchanged conductors. The m
io
onal boards.
theand
exception
of Tintinnabuli
two purposes
A small group of ACDA presidents and dedicated attitudes that enabled
“Systems, with
Symbols
Service:The
Technique
of Arvo
these
musicians thr
2. Composers and Their Choral them
Musicto succeed during their terms of added in 1975. MENC’s flowchart of
m the early generation inspired docin support of ACD
Pärt into the Twenty-first Century,” by Grace Kingsbury
office.
division
and state organizations was also an important facto
al students
and Orthodox
younger colleagues
Muzzo.
12/08:22.
“Eastern
Spirituality in the Music of Igor Stravinsky,”
a model from which certain elements early success and
become active leaders in the orgaby Marianne Gillion. 8/08:8. BIB.
were utilized
by the fledgling
choralMesse minuei
attion: Warner Imig at the University
“Dance Rhythms
in Marc-Antoine
Charpentier’s
Early
Years
group.
The
offi
cially
designated
charter
Colorado
(Collins,
Whitten);
Charles
“Ariel Ramirez’s Misa Criolla,” by Oscar Escalada, translated by
de Noël,” by Steven Grives. 12/08:36.
members of ACDA launched what has
Recruitment of
t at the University
Southern
Cali- BIB.
1959–73
Aaron of
Mitchell.
8/08:26.
become
one
of
the
world’s
most
signifi
nia (Saltzman, Whitten, Price); Col“Haydn’s Missa Brevis St. Johannis de Deo and Te Deum,” byThe
Amyofficers
The initial suggestion for an organizacant
infl
uences
in
choral
music.
Charpentier’s
and
Balance
of
French
n Kirk at“Marc-Antonie
the Florida State
UniversityIntegration
(1960–70)
also re
tion of choral directors was made in aJohnston Blosser. 12/08:52. BIB.
The
early
presidents
were
passionate
athis, Groom);
Harold
andand
Italian
StylesDecker
in Two letter
Christmas
Dramas,”
by
Joel
a financial base, th
dated December 2, 1957, by Roband dedicated to the purpose that the
the University
of Illinois
(Mathis,
Schwindt.
8/08:44.
BIB.
ert Landers, conductor of the United
“Understanding and Performing Bernstein’s Chichestermembers
Psalms,” was esse
berlen, Stutzenberger, Apfelstadt). States Air Force’s “Singing Sergeants.” new organization would support the Keister from the
by Ethan Nash. 2/09:8.
“A Tribute
to Composer
Glenn E. Burleigh (1949-2007),” by
ese pioneers
presented
examples
Landers included a recommendation finest choral music and music-making, Gainesville wrote,
8/08:101.
through word and deed.The first annual
outstanding Sharon
ACDADavis-Gratto.
leadership and
for the formation of a seven-member
“Grand Oratorio with a Social Conscience: Marc Blitzen’s This is
vice that their younger generation steering committee whose task was to ACDA convention, March 16–17, 1960,
ACDA is in its
the Garden
(1957),
” by
Justin
Smith.
2/09:32.
“The
of Norman
Luboff,” by John Haberlen. 9/08:14.
in
Atlantic
City,
NJ,
was
held
in
conjuncstudents
andLegacies
colleagues
could and
time no one
solicit support for the idea of this new
tion
with
the
MENC
national
convention
emulate. DISC.
value to any m
choral organization. The committee
“A New History
of Mendelssohn’s
Psalm 42,”
by Jeffrey S. basis.
Spo- Your m
and
was
planned
by
ACDA
offi
cers.
Thhere were presidents who had skills was successful in setting the course
ofsato. 3/09:8.
“Form
and
Harmonic
Language
in
Hugo
Distler’s
In
der
Welt
habt
yond
nd conducting that were consid- the orga
with six hund
g nization and arranging for its It was led by its first president, Archie
op.12/7
(1936),
S. Pack. 9/08:22.
J
Jo
nes,
,
who
was
Dean
of
the
University
y
youu as a vvis
yo
isio
io
ble and variihe
ied
dAngst,
: EEllwood
d “W
“Wood
dy””” byfiTim
rst formal meeting. Four memb
bers off
of
Kansas
City’s
Conservatory
of
Music.
distinguished
ster wa
wass an aair
irpl
plan
anee pi
pilo
lot;t; D
Dec
ecke
kerr, aann the
h Steering
i gC
Committ
ittee later
ter b
bec
ecam
amee
prof
pr
ofes
essi
sion
on..
nclu
lude
ded
d co
conc
ncer
erts
ts,, cl
clin
inic
ic d
dem
emon
onst
stra
raercise fanatiic; Hirtt spo
er
p ke FFrenchh and
d na
natition
onal
al p
pre
resi
side
dent
ntss (J
(Jon
ones
es, Hi
Hirt
rt,, Imiig, It iinc
tions,
tions
i
pan
panel
ell d
discussions,
iscussiions re
reading
adi
ding sessi
sessions,
ions
ove a lluxury Cit
Citroen; M
Mathis
this was
as an and Keister),
88
Ch l JJournall • June
Choral
JJune/July
y 2009
By
May 1963, the m
istic director/conductor/accompaOn February 4, 1959, thirty-five and two general business sessions. Once
The Choral Journal:
An Index to Volume Forty - nine
or feedback and sug- to ACDA s phenomenal growth and Men s Glee Club, and a second concert
The trend of selecting outs
in 1983 with the Singing Statesmen from international choruses to perf
popularity.
ss roots members.
It took a number of years to develop the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. subsequent national conventions
esidents and officers
standard
election p
procedures;; the first Milburn Price led thee Furman U
University
niv
iversity ue
ot onlyy with their time,,
ued Lynn
ued.
Lyn
y n Whitten
Whitten,
t
the conventio
conv
nventio
elec
el
l
ecti
ec
tion
ti
ons
on
s
were
we
re
i
nfor
nf
f
orma
or
mal
ma
l
and
an
d
i
in
n
h
hi
i
ind
in
n
d
dsi
ds
s
i
igh
ig
g
h
ht
t
C
Conc
Co
o
ncer
nc
ert
er
t
Ch
oir
oi
i
r
i
in
n
“
A
C
Cel
Ce
e
l
leb
le
e
b
br
r
ati
at
t
ion of
ion
io
of off the
eiir pe
pers
rson
onnall fin
financiiall
he 199
9955 Wa
Wash
shi
hin
ingt
ingt
gton
onn D.C.,
C c
eeme
med
d as nno
o su
surp
rpri
rise
ise th
ttha
hhatt ffo
four
ur o
off LLo
Love
ve:: A
An EExp
xplo
llora
ratitition
ion o
off C
Cont
Co
ntem
tempo
porary tion,
CD
DA ha
had
d onnlly a ssma
mallll iitt ssee
i was the
h first to expand
d th
thee c
thee se
seve
venn me
memb
mber
er SSte
teer
erin
ingg Co
Comm
mmititte
teee Me
Medi
diaa fo
forr Wo
Wors
rshi
hip
p.” Ot
Othe
herr pr
pres
esid
iden
ents
ts sc
uuess werre set at $
$66 th
sche
hedu
dule
le ffro
rom
m th
thre
reee da
days
ys tto
o f
15. Choral
Conducting
andatChoral
“Lost
in Translation:
Case president.
of Mendelssohn’s
Psalm
by conducted
elected
At times,
only95,” also
choral
ensembles
Na- Techniques:
er. Im
maggine
planning
a wereThe
schedulingRepertoire
an “International Nig
Selection [Decker (2), Mathis
Siegwart
one name3/09:28.
was submitted on a slate. tional Conventions
liitttlee moneey, no
track Reichwald.
featured three outstanding ch
at
ationn, wheere those in Warner Imig described the process, “All (3), Casey,Thorsen, Hatcher (3), Sanders from Canada, East Germany, and
“Thoughts on Choral Arrangements of Solo Repertoire,” by
the in
Free
Chorale,”at
byaAngela
R. Mace
R. Moore,
those
attendance
national
meet-and(2),
and Apfelstadt] illustrating on Wednesday evening. The inclu
d bee payinn“Mendelssohn
g their own and
Debra Spurgeon. 11/08:43.
Larry
Todd.
3/09:48.
ing
were
handed
a
ballot.
Their
marked
their
musical
talents and their leader- international choirs was not alto
at thhat time received
ballots
were
counted
and
the
fi
nal
tally
ship
traits.
An
expert
MitziChoral
The founders recogwelcomed;
members
com
“The Challengesaccompanist,
of Multicultural
Reading some
Sessions,
” by
announced.
It was fast,
economical,
and Groom, was
selected
to accompany
“Performing
Mendelssohn’s
Op.74
in the Nineteenthr higgh staandards
at theAthalia:
Sharon
Davies-Gratto.
2/09:57. they thought our convention
very”relaxed.
” Obviously,
early 4/09:9.
officers numerous “convention sings” and read- be exclusively “American.” The m
d cr
criticc sessions,
and World,
Century
by Marian
Wilson Kimber.
“Programming and Repertoire: Too Many
Choices,
” by Frank hearing
ous choral conduc- were elected by the small number of ing sessions.
however,
appreciated
Albinder.
3/109:73.
members and
who
to participate.
Roger Likevoting
“But I Don’t
it: Observations
Reflattended
ections onthe
the Two Decker also formed an ad hoc Com- from around the world with th
conventions.
To
include
more
members
mittee on Choral Editing Standards with ferent tone colors and the expo
of the first to Finales
activelyof Elijah,”
by Douglass Seaton. 4/09:24.
as ofchair;
their
charge Histories
and he appeared on in the process, the Board approved a Walter34.Collins
a greaterofvariety
History
Choral
Performance,
Choralof indigenous
motion
in
1964
to
have
future
elections
was
to
address
the
“low
quality
editing
vention programs
stat- Valediction,” by John Michael Cooper. 4/09:34.
Organizations, and Biographies ofrepertoire.
Conductors
“Mendelssohn’s
he joy of attending a by mail with the results certified by an of most pre-twentieth-century choral
Some presidents were invo
“In
Memoriam:
Milvern
‘Mel’
Ivey (1938–2008).
” 11/08:66.
independent
CPA.
This
resulted
in
voting
music
published
in
the
United
States”.
n was that“The
he did
not
other
projects
independent of
Revival of an Early ‘Crossover’ Masterwork: Duke Ellingnumbers
that
were
proportional
to
the
Publishers
became
aware
of
the
need
ders with bandton’s
direcRoyce
Saltzman
Sacred Concerts,” by Thomas Lloyd. 5/09:9.
“In Memoriam: Glenda Casey (1948–2008).” 11/08:99. founded the O
rt Shaw and Margaret total number of members, which had, for artistic/authentic editions that were Bach Festival in 1970 that featu
by March 1973, grown to over 4000 selected
use at ACDA
and(1918–2008).
r talents “Villa-Lobos’s
and recom- Musica
“Infor
Memoriam:
Brockinterest
McElheran
” 12/08:75.
famous German
conductor H
Sacra,” by Jill Burleson. 6/09:10.
reading sessions. ACDA also produced a Rilling. David Thorsen was Rilli
new organization was members.
“In Memoriam:
John 27,
Carl1974
Tegnell
” 1/09:38.
Candidates selected to run for “Copyright
Policy” on June
that(1917–2008).
s support. Four other
sistant for
fifteen years at the O
“Dona Nobis Pacem, Vaughan Williams’s Federalist Manifesto,”
national
president,
from
the
beginning
encouraged
members
to
abide
by
the
nfluential choral confestival ”and
five years at the So
“In Memoriam: Frank McKinley (1915–2008).
2/09:69.
by Scott Hochstetler. 6/09:42.
were also pro-active of the 1980s on were carefully chosen copyright laws and not use photocopies akademie-Bach in Stuttgart, G
“Infor
Memoriam:
Leroy
YarbroughThe
(1934–2008).
” 3/09:99.
rehearsalHarold
or at any
concert
CDA: Harry Robert by a nominating committee and the of music
Oregon Bach
Festival hosted
“Franz
Liszt’s
Szekszárd
Mass:
And
Unsung
Masterpiece,,
”
by
College of Columbia nominees had extensive resumes of performance or ACDA sponsored ipants from thirty countries and
Memoriam: Vito E. Mason (1928–2008).” 6/09:72.
Frankof
Albinder.
6/09:61. and years of previous event. “In
achievement
Adherence to the policy, printed international choirs. The festival
was also a member
mittee; Helen Hosmer, and proven effective service to ACDA on membership forms, was to be signed Grammy in 2001, and has becom
38. Historywhen
and Analysis
of Choral Music:
(Table and
1). Choral
Most nominees
served
by conductors
they became
Music, State
University
of theBaroque
premiere summer chora
8. Choral
Conducting
Techniques:had
Vocal
Technique,
as
state
and
division
presidents
and
had
members
of
ACDA.
e Brown, Singing
City;
shops
in
the United States.
Vocal Production and Tone
“Angels
of
Song:
An
Introduction
to
Musical
Life
at the
success
in
running
state
and
division
n, Occidental College,
Saltzman
andVenetian
Walter Collin
Ospedali,”
by
Christopher
Eanes.
2/09:71.
BIB.
“Voice
Training inconventions.
the Choral Rehearsal,
” bymany
Ann Howard
In addition,
national Jones.
ed the Dean
of choral
leaders in discussions at the 198
International Activities
11/08:8.
many contributions
of president nominees also had served on
Orleans
convention concerni
“Letter to the Editor,” by Joan Whittemore.
4/09:7.
roughout their careers national ADCA committees and/or as
Harold Decker was instrumental in creation of the International Fed
“Acknowledging an Indebtedness,” by Richard Miller. 11/08:16.
“Rebuttal,
” by Christopher
Eanes.
DA was unquestionably R&S Committee chairs.
of Choral Musicians [IFCM] th
establishing
international
contacts
for4/09:7.
or of the organization’s
place in 1982. ACDA was one
ACDA
as
a
promoter
of
The
Vienna
“Arts Medicine: An Overview for Choir Conductors,” by Robert
subsequent growth.
Symposium
(1969–73). The symposia five founding members. Saltzman
Sataloff. 11/08:24.
43. Interviews
An Emphasis on Choral Repertoire involved
the participation of select eight years as its second pr
“Getting the Most fromand
thePerformance
Vocal Instrument
in a Choral Setting,
”
Practices
(1985–93),
and Andrew
a year as interim
American
choirs
and many
“Theuniversity
Conductor’s
Perspective,
” by Timothy
Campbell,
by Ingo R. Titze.As11/08:34.
Members/Elections
dent (1998–99).
presiuniversities and colleges began ACDA members
Crow, including
Matthew future
Culloton,
Peter Haberman,
Bradley Collins
Miller, was t
editor
of the
International
Choral
dents Mathis,
Decker,
Stutzenberger,
and
hiring
musicologists
such
as
Julius
Herin the first
decade
James
Patrick
Miller,
Kathy
Saltzman
Romey,
John
Salveson
“Web Sites for Voice Students,” by Don Oglesby. 11/08:63.
David Thorsen represented the
thrust Stern.
of international
ealized that to create ford, Alfred Mann, and others who Haberlen. This
and Jeffrey
9/08:34.
influence was apparent at the first two States by conducting his “Fullerto
specialized
choral music
research,
e recruitment
of new
“Breathing
without
Breathing:inIncorporating
Tai Chi
into Choral
“An Interview
Dave Brubeck
His Choral
Music,
” at IFCM
University
Singers”
choir
ACDAwith
national
conven- Regarding
of choral
repertoire and independent
ential. In 1962,Warm-ups,
Woody ”an
by awareness
Jong-Won Park.
2/09:61.
by
William
Skoog.
5/09:28.
REP.
world
choral
symposium
in Vie
University of Florida, score study became more important to tions in Kansas City; with special guests
1987.
Since
the
founding
of
IFCM
Wilhelm
and” by Alice Cavanaugh. 5/09:40.
practicing conductors. ACDA was com- from Germany,
“A Conversation
withEhmann
Amy Kaiser,
12. Choral Conducting and Choral Techniques: Intonation
mitted to educating members through Frauke Haasemann in 1971, and with presidents, during their terms o
have Munson.
automatically
served on th
The Faculty
of Robert
Music Singers
“An Interview
with
Page,” by Mark
6/09:32.
s infancy …
at this
articles inBuilding:
the CJ The
and Bel
at conventions.
“Chiaroscuro
Resonance
Canto Answer two
to choirs,
board;
most
recently
President
can guarantee Choral
full
of
the
University
of
Western
Ontario,
The
1966
national
convention,
led
by
Tone and Intonation Problems,” by Laurier Fagnan.
Apfelstadt
and
President-Elect
Je
member on a dollar
Canada,
and
the
Budapest
University
Harold
Decker,
had
a
theme
of
specifi
c
11/08:51.
46. Literature on, and Music for Various Types of Choruses:
embership along
Hungary, in 1973. Russell Coy were in attendance at the 8t
issues related to performance practices Choir, fromMen’s
Voices
red others, marks
in various stylistic periods; the prepa- Mathis and Morris Hayes continued this Symposium of Choral Music in Ju
ona
nary
ry aass we
wellll aass a
as A
ACD
CDA
A re
repr
pres
esen
enta
tive
vess.
glob
obal
al iint
nter
eres
estt by
llea
eadi
ding
ng ttwo
wo p
peo
eopl
pleeof-to
toratition
ra
on aand
nd rreh
ehea
ears
rsal
al o
off ma
majo
jorr ch
chor
oral
al gl
“A
Brief
Historical
Overview
the European
Tradition
of tati
Male
member of our
In
Aug
g
ust
1992,
the
Endowm
e
p op
ple tours
to Southeast
Mathis
works;
wo
s; twe
wenttieeth
t -ccen
e tu
turyy cho
oraal id
dio
omss; pe
Singing
Societies Asia.
and Their
Influence on the Development wme
wass fo
form
rmed
ed w
witithh th
thee pu
purp
rpos
osee o
also
so w
was
as iinv
nvol
olve
ved
d wi
with
th aadd
ddititio
iona
nall tr
trip
ipss wa
and
an
d, rrec
ecen
entt de
deve
velo
lopm
p en
pm
ents
ts iinn ch
chor
oral
al al
ing
ACDA’s
ACDA
s
financial
fi
nancial
fut
future
t
ure
ur
and
with
Friendship
Ambassador
Ambassadors
r
s
to
Roma
Romacomposition
iti
Choral Jour
Journal • June/July 20
22009
89
membership increased
Over the years, eleven ACDA nia and Poland, and he went to South the select objectives and purp
DA member to be elected to serve principal timpanist in the Florida Sym tion of The Music Teachers National formal election sy
an officer of the American Choral phony and a “rock” drummer; Whitten, Association, [not MENC] produced the etc.The business m
ectors Association at the state, divi- a gourmet chef; Price, an excellent ten- new organization’s name and ideas for an opportunity fo
playyer; and Groom an accompl
accomplished
p ished a constitution and bylaws and the basic gestions from gras
n, or national level.
el. There are no nis player;
accompanist
accompanist.
structur
structural
t rall frame
rame
ra
mewo
work
w
rk that would alal
hs of office
office to bee takenn wi
with
w
wit
ith
th o
onnne’
e’s
Thee early
Th
earl
ea
rlyy pre
pre
The common ellementt tthhatt bound
Th
d low for the
h organizati
i tiion
on’s m
monument
monumental
onum
on
umenta
umen
ental
tall we
ta
do
onn th
thee Bi
Bibl
Bibl
ble;
bl
e; yyeet
et, one must poswere
re ggen
ener
en
erou
er
ouss no
lyy d
desi
de
esi
sign
ign
gnat
ated
at
ted
d tthe
he b
he
s an al
altr
trui
uist
stic
tiicc d
des
esir
esi
iirre tto serve fellow this presidential group together was growth. It was originally
but
bu
utt also
allso w
witithh th
thee
oirrmast
ste
ters A
Association, but support, since AC
ral colleagues. Oveer thhe ye
year
ear
arss,
s, A
s,A
ACD
C A that they were active choral conductors American Cho
CD
thro
hro
roug
ugho
ug
gho
hout
ut tthe
he p
pri
rima
rima
ri
mary
mary
ry p
por
ortitition
or
tion
on o
off th
thei
eir th
eir
ei
those
tho
hose
os attending
t
the meet
meeting approved financial base. Du
cers have volunteered
ered their time self- th
ly and, more often than not, set aside careers: they were directors of choral and adopted Woody Keister’s proposal per active membe
the2),”public
and private
the and
organization
be named
the convention
“Programthat
Growth
Opportunities
for the Two-Year
College with l
sonal ambitionoffor
the good
of the
Collegiate
Glee
Clubs programs
in America at
(Part
by Jeremy
school,
college
or
university
level.
Many
Choral
Program,
”
by
Paul
Laprade.
2/09:58.
American
Choral
Directors
Association.
anization.
D. Jones. 10/08:87.
record or reputat
ACDA’s twenty-five national presi- also served as part-time choir direc- Unlike the organizations it was based on, attendance would
Choral repertoire and Standards in the Two-Year College: Part
nts were multi-talented men and tors in a variety of church settings. One application for membership was open to way, since no one
ACDA
and R&SThe
in 1968,
” by Paul
Laprade. 6/09:55.
47. Literature on, and Music (Casey)
for Various
Typesand
of Choruses:
founded
conducted
a
semi-Oneall–choir
directors.
American
Choral
men who came from a variety of
expense money. T
Elementary School and Children
kgrounds: some were administra- professional ensemble,“Cantari Singers,” Directors Association was to cover the nized the need for
based in Columbus, Ohio. Most choral needs of all choir directors, not just a conventions, held
s of university
“Makingmusic
Music departments
with Our Youngest Singers,” by Robyn Lana and 50. Literature on, and Music for Various Types of Choruses:
conductors that are successful have desmall subset.
nes, Imig, Mathis,
Thorsen,
Haberlen,
encouraged famo
Community
Choir
Kelly Ann Westgate. 9/08:77.
veloped
tremendous
organizational
skills
The first five presidents charted tors and scholars
hitten, Price, Groom) or large DMA/
Community
Choir
Members,
” by W.R.
“Bob”was one o
in addition
to their
musical
talents.“Inspiration
After the for
beginnings
of the
young
organiza“Lifelong Passion
for Singing
” by Jean
Ashworth
Bartle.
M/PhD programs
(Hirt, Decker,
C. in Choir,
Wagner
Johnson.
10/08:90.
all,
conductors
design
warm-ups
and
tion by overseeing the writing of the support ACDA a
11/08:71.
k, Hatcher); some
were composers/
tors/arrangers (Decker, Hirt, Col- musical objectives for rehearsals, select ACDA Constitution and Bylaws, creat- several early conve
“A for
Time of
Robert Johnson.(the
5/09:72.
“Finding the New in Somethingrepertoire
Old: Baroque
Repertoire
for Vocal
programs,
write notes
ingReckoning,
a vehicle” by
forW.communication
T. Kirk, Sanders,
Hatcher, Whitten,
ing loudly that “th
Suitable for Children’s Choirs,
”
by
Angela
Broeker.
3/09:75.
berlen, Price); and, although most in concert programs, recruit singers, pro- Choral Journal), structuring geographic choral convention
mote
theirSmall.
choral4/09:65.
organizations, and51.
planLiterature
divisions,
first Types
annualof Choruses:
r early careers
taught Keeping
choral music
have to rub should
on,and
and planning
Music forthe
Various
“Hard Times:
the Faith!”
by Ann
convention. The new leaders of ACDA tors.” Later, Rober
he public schools, a few had primary tours in addition to many other tasks.
Church
eers (ten or more years) in public These skills, possessed by all the ACDA did not “reinvent the wheel”; President Hillis gave of their
Literature
on, and
Music presidents,
for Various Types
of Choruses:
enabled
them to establish
“The Marian
Antiphons
Compline,
” by D.forJason
Bishop.that this n
Archie
Jones wasoflargely
responsible
ool music48.
programs
(Leland,
Moore,
mended
Middle
School,
Junior
High
School,
High
School
and
Boy12/08:47.
practical
goals
and
objectives
for
the
writing the first draft of the constitution worthy of serious
t).
choir
This article is intended to capture organization that were accomplished by and by-laws. He accomplished this after well-known and in
“The
of Our Calling,” by John H. Dickson. 4/09:57.
hard work and determination with
theCrossroads
careful study and review of the constitu- ductor/educators
overview“Recruitment
of the accomplishments
for Boychoirs,” by Andrew Riffey and Randall
ACDA’s twenty-fi
ve 9/08:80.
presidents as assistance of the national office staff.The tional documents of the American Band supporters of AC
Wolfe.
Masters
andVarious
the College
55. Literature
on,Association
and Music for
Types of Choruses:
y presided over many initiatives national presidents possessed strong
Wilson, Teachers C
collaborative
personalities
that
resulted
Folk,
Pop,
Jazz,
and
Rock
Band
Directors
Association.
The
draft
educational
trends
in
choral
music
“Choir Wants You! Recruitment,” by Cara Sedberry. 10/08:73.
University, who w
performance. The reader should in achievements suppor ted by the was sent to charter members for sug- the Steering Comm
“Working
Smartergoals
in Middle
” byExecutive
Cynthia Bayt
Bradford. elected
“Throughgestions.
the Eyes Harry
of a Ten-Year
Old:
Taking was
a Look
ACDA
Committee,
Robert
Wilson
theat Elementary
e that many
of ACDA’s
and School,
Crane School of M
10/08:92.
Vocal
Jazz,
”
by
Natalie
Wilson.
5/09:69.
offi
cers
at
the
division
(National
Board)
author of the final version of the new of Potsdam; Elaine
ectives take years to come to fruiand state levels, various committees, and organization’s ten purposes; and to this and, Howard Swan
n under the
of for
consecutive
“Anguidance
Argument
Separating Boy and Girl Choirs,” by Marcia
the Repertoire & Standards appointees.
day, these
purposes,
asPhilosophy
adopted at that affectionately calle
sidents, executive
committees,
57. Educational
Techniques
and
Patton.
11/08:67. and
All ACDA officers had sincere, honest, time, have remained largely unchanged conductors. The m
onal boards.
and dedicated
attitudes
that” enabled
two purposes
“Do It of
Again!
Repetition
in the Middle
School Choral
Rehearsal,
A small group
ACDA
presidents
“Survivingwith
the the
First exception
Month of aofChoral
Conducting these
Doctoral
musicians thr
them to succeed during their terms ofProgram,
added
1975.Betts
MENC’s
flowchart
of in support of ACDA
by Joshuainspired
Bronfman.
” byinLaurie
Hughes.
9/08:107.
m the early generation
doc-3/09:81.
division and state organizations was also an important facto
al students and younger colleagues office.
“Vocal
Transformation
of
the
Secondary
School
Singer:
The
“Student
Friend
or certain
Foe? Steps
for Developing EfaLeadership:
model from
which
elements
become active leaders in the orgaearly success and s
Choral Director as Vocal Coach,” by Christine Bass. 4/09:49.
fective
Student
Leadership,
”
by
Joshua
Taylor.
were utilized by the fledgling choral 10/08:111.
ation: Warner Imig at the University
EarlySchool/Junior
Years
group.
The offi
charter
Colorado“Celebrating
(Collins, Whitten);
Charles
the Music
of G. F. Handel with Middle
“Fast, or Far,
or Some
of cially
Both?”designated
by Kirk Marcy.
11/08:46.
members
of
ACDA
launched
what
has
Recruitment of
t at the University
of
Southern
Cali1959–73
High Choirs,” by Maribeth Yoder-White and Tom Shelton.
become
one
of
the
world’s
most
signifi
“Mentoring,
”
by
Marie
Palmer.
12/08:65.
nia (Saltzman, 4/09:53.
Whitten, Price); ColThe officers i
The initial suggestion for an organizan Kirk at the Florida State University tion of choral directors was made in a cant influences in choral music.
(1960–70) also re
A Primer,
” by R. were
Andrew
Crane. 12/08:87.
“The Boy’s
Voice: Take the High Road,” by Henry Leck. “Job Applications:
The early
presidents
passionate
athis, Groom);
and Changing
Harold Decker
a financial base, the
letter dated December 2, 1957, by Roband
dedicated
to
the
purpose
that
the
the University5/09:49.
of Illinois (Mathis, ert Landers, conductor of the United
“Motivate with Mottos,” by Julian Ackerley. 3/09:78. members was esse
berlen, Stutzenberger, Apfelstadt). States Air Force’s “Singing Sergeants.” new organization would support the Keister from the
ese pioneers
presentedon,examples
49. Literature
and Music Landers
for Various
Types ofa Choruses:
included
recommendation finest choral music and music-making, Gainesville wrote,
66. ACDA Activities and Other Professional News
outstanding ACDA
leadership
and
Junior College, College and
forUniversity
the formation of a seven-member through word and deed.The first annual
vice that their younger generation steering committee whose task was to ACDA convention, March 16–17, 1960,
ACDA is in its
“Letter to the Editor,” by Mark Aamot. 10/08:9.
students “Growing
and colleagues
could Relevant
and solicit
a Dynamic,
Musicsupport
Programforinthe
a Two-Year
time no one c
idea of this new in Atlantic City, NJ, was held in conjuncthe
MENC
national10/08:9.
convention
College, Part 2,” by Tammie
Burger.organization.
8/08:104.
emulate.
value to any m
“Letter totion
thewith
Editor,
” by
Jim Hejduk.
choral
The committee
There were presidents who had skills was successful in setting the course of and was planned by ACDA officers.
basis. Your m
“Correction.
” 10/08:9.
It
was
led
by
its
fi
rst
president,
Archie
yo
ond
n conducting that were consid- the organization and arranging for
with six hundr
its
Jone
Jo
nes
s
,
w
who
ho
w
was
as
D
Dea
ean
n
of
t
the
he
U
Uni
nive
vers
rsit
ity
y
youu as a vvis
yo
isio
io
ble and
nd vvar
arie
ied:
d: EElw
lwoo
ood
d “W
Woo
oody
dy” first formall meeting
i g. Four memb
bers off
o
of
f
K
Kan
ansa
sas
s
C
Ci
t
ty’
y
’
s
C
onse
on
serv
rv
ator
at
t
ory
y
o
of
f
M
Mus
usi
i
c
.
dist
di
stiingu
i n guiish
i s hed
hed
ste
terr wa
wass an aair
irpl
plan
lanee pi
pililot;
lot; D
Dec
eckker,
ker, aann th
thee St
Stee
eeri
ring
ing C
Com
ommi
mitt
itt
ttee
ee lat
ater
ter b
bec
ecam
amee
90
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
profession.
profession
concerts clinic demonstrademonstra
rcise fanatic; Hirt spoke French and national presidents (Jones, Hirt, Imig, It included concerts,
An Index to Volume Forty-nine
stem, terms of office, ral director had to be recommended of stylistic Performance of Male Choral sible development of ACDA bran
meetings also provided for membership. These facts attest Literature” with the University of Illinois South America.
r “feedback” and sug- to ACDA’s phenomenal growth and Men’s Glee Club, and a second concert
The trend of selecting outst
in 1983 with the Singing Statesmen from international choruses to perfo
popularity.
ss roots members.
It took a number of ye
yyears
ars to develop
p the Universityy of Wisconsin
Wisconsin-Eau
Eau Claire
Claire. su
esidents
esid
es
iden
ents
ts aand
nd o
officers
offi
fficcer
erss
subs
bseq
b eque
uent
ntt nnat
atio
tiiona
nall co
conv
nven
entition
tionss
stand
stan
anda
an
dard
dard
da
d eel
ele
lecti
lect
le
ctio
ct
ionn proc
ion
io
p oc
pr
oced
edures;
edur
ed
dur
ures
es;; th
es
the
he fifirst
rstt Mi
rs
Milb
lburn
lbur
lb
urnn Pr
ur
Priic
Pric
icee le
ice
led
led
d th
the
he Fu
Furman
Furm
rman
rm
an U
Uni
niversi
nive
ni
ive
vers
rsititity
rs
ityy ue
ot on
only
ly w
witith
th th
thei
eir
ei
ir titime
me,, st
me
ued
d. LLyn
d.
y n Wh
yn
Whitt
Whit
itittte
ten,
ten
n, tthhe
he cco
onve
on
o
vent
ntiio
io
elec
lectitition
ionss we
were
re iinf
nfor
forma
mall an
and
d iin hhin
iinds
dsig
d
iight
hhtt C
Conc
Co
ncer
ertt Ch
Choi
oir
ir iin “A C
Cele
Ce
llebr
brat
b
atio
tiiionn off off tthhe 1995
eirr pe
ei
pers
rson
onal
all fin
finan
anci
cial
iall el
1199
9955 Washi
hhiington
t D.C.,
C c
CDA had only a small it seemed as no surprise that four of Love: An Exploration of Contemporary tion, was the first to expand the c
for Worship.
” Other presidents schedule
ues were set at $6 the seven-member Steering Committee MediaEvoking
from three
Sound: The Choral Rehearsal, Volume
Two: Inward
Bound/days to f
“A New Face for were
ACDA,elected
” by Phillip
Copeland.
10/08:62.
president.
At
times,
only
also
conducted
choral
ensembles
at
Naer. Imagine planning a
scheduling
an
“International
Nigh
Philosophy and Score Preparation, by James Jordan. Stephen
name
was submitted
on aCandidates.
slate. tional
Conventions
[Decker
(2),
Mathis
ittle money,
no track
featured
three
outstanding
ch
“Division
Election:one
Central
Division
President-Elect
”
Town, reviewer. 9/08:86.
tion, where those
in Warner Imig described the process, “All (3), Casey,Thorsen, Hatcher (3), Sanders from Canada, East Germany, and
11/08:100.
andof Apfelstadt]
illustrating
The Music
Lennox Berkeley,
by Peter Dickenson.
Stephen
Town, The inclu
be paying their own those in attendance at a national meet- (2), Moore,
on Wednesday
evening.
“Division
Election:ing
Southern
Division aPresident-Elect
Candidates.their
”
reviewer.
were handed
ballot. Their marked
musical
talents9/08:91.
and their leader- international choirs was not alto
at that time
received
The founders11/08:101.
recog- ballots were counted and the final tally ship traits. An expert accompanist, Mitzi welcomed; some members com
The was
Schoolselected
Music Program:
Philosophy Planning, Organization and
to accompany
r high standards at the announced. It was fast, economical, and Groom,
they thought our convention
“Division Election: Western Division President-Elect Candidates.”
Teaching,
edited
by
Michelle
Holt and James Jordan. Stephen
critic sessions, and very relaxed.” Obviously, early officers numerous “convention sings” and read- be exclusively “American.” The m
11/08:102.
Town, reviewer. 10/08:95.
ous choral conduc- were elected by the small number of ing sessions.
however, appreciated hearing
voting
members
who attended
the
Decker
also formed
an Exploring
ad hoc Comto participate.
Roger
around
world with th
“The ACDA
National
Presidency:
A Snapshot,
” by John Haberlen
The Courage
to Teach:
the Innerfrom
Landscape
of athe
Teacher’s
conventions.
To include more members mittee on Choral
Editing
Standards
with J. ferent
of the first toand
actively
colorsTown,
and the expo
Russell Mathis.
1/09:8.
Life (tenth
edition),
by Parker
Palmer.tone
Stephen
as chair;
their charge a greater variety of indigenous
and he appeared on in the process, the Board approved a Walter Collins
reviewer.
10/08:99.
“Special Convention
Issue.in
” 1/09.
1964 to have future elections was to address the “low quality editing repertoire.
ention programs
stat- motion
O Clap
Your Hands: A Musical Tour
of Sacred Choral
by Gorpre-twentieth-century
choral
he joy of attending a by mail with the results certified by an of most
Some Works,
presidents
were invo
“ACDA Utilizes Current Technologies by Joining Online Comdon Giles.
Stephen
reviewer.
10/08:101.
in the
UnitedTown,
States”.
was that he did not independent CPA.This resulted in voting music published
other
projects
independent
of
munities,” by Shane Sanderson. 5/09:76, 6/09:74.
ders with band direc- numbers that were proportional to the Publishers became aware of the need Royce Saltzman founded the O
O Clap Your Hands: A Musical Tour of Sacred Choral Works, by Goreditions that were Bach Festival in 1970 that featur
t Shaw and Margaret total number of members, which had, for artistic/authentic
don Giles. Steven R. Gibson, reviewer.
10/08:103.
67.
Professional
and
Artistic
Philosophy,
Esthetics
r talents and recom- by March 1973, grown to over 4000 selected for use at ACDA interest and famous German conductor H
reading
sessions.
also produced
a Rilling.
new organization was members.
Thorsen
The
Singer’sACDA
Ego: Finding
Balance Between
Music David
and Life,
by Lynn was Rillin
“Prayer–and–Praise
Worship
and selected
Formal Worship,
” byforDavid
Candidates
to run
“CopyrightEustis.
Policy”Stephen
on June Town,
27, 1974
that 11/08:85.
support.
Four other
reviewer.
sistant for fifteen years at the O
Stocker.
national president, from the beginning encouraged members to abide by the festival and five years at the So
nfluential choral
con- 8/08:67.
of the 1980s on were carefully chosen copyright
lawsThe
andFirst
not Art,
use photocopies
Singing:
by Dan H. Marek.
Donald CalleninFreed,
were also
pro-active
akademie-Bach
Stuttgart, Ge
“There are Angels Hovering ‘Round – Singing for the Dying,” by
reviewer.
11/08:88.
by
a
nominating
committee
and
the
of
music
for
rehearsal
or
at
any
concert
CDA: Harry Peter
Robert
The
Oregon
Bach
Festival
hosted
Amidon. 9/08:71.
College of Columbia nominees had extensive resumes of performance or ACDA sponsored ipants from thirty countries and
The Art
of Singing,
Stephen F. Austin. Donald Callen
years of previous event.Bassini’s
Adherence
to the
policy, by
printed
Believe . . .of
,” by achievement
Robert J. Ward.and
5/0979.
was also “I
a member
international choirs. The festival
Freed,
reviewer.
11/08:88.
mittee; Helen Hosmer, and proven effective service to ACDA on membership forms, was to be signed Grammy in 2001, and has becom
“Investing
in Our (Table
Future:1).
A Student-Centered
Convention,
Most nominees had
served ” by
by conductors
when Bass-Baritone
they becameand of
Music, State
University
theVoices,
premiere
summer chora
Securing Baritone,
Bass
by Richard
Jonathan Krinke
and
Ryan
Sullivan.
6/09:69.
ACDA.
e Brown, Singing City; as state and division presidents and had members of
shops
in
the
United
States.
Miller. Michael Hix, reviewer. 11/08:90.
n, Occidental College, success in running state and division
Saltzman and Walter Collin
The Joy of Music, by Leonard Bernstein.leaders
Steven in
Grives,
reviewer.
conventions.
In addition,
many national
d the Dean
of choral Materials:
discussions
at the 198
69. Reference
Bibliographies
of Literature
on Choral
12/08:69. Activities
International
many contributions
Music of president nominees also had served on
Orleans convention concerni
roughout their careers national ADCA committees and/or as
Harold
Decker was instrumental in creation of the International Fed
The Birth of the Orchestra: History of an Institution, 1650–1815,
“ACDA International
for Choral
Music: Past, Present and
R&SArchives
Committee
chairs.
A was unquestionably
of Choral Musicians [IFCM] tha
establishingbyinternational
contacts
for Dennis
John Spitzer and
Neal Zaslaw.
Malfatti, reviewer.
Future,” by Marvin E. Latimer and Christina Prucha. 6/09:20.
or of the organization’s
ACDA as 12/08:70.
a promoter of The Vienna place in 1982. ACDA was one
subsequent growth.
Symposium (1969–73). The symposia five founding members. Saltzman
“ACDA Archives: Up
Running!”
ChristinaRepertoire
Prucha. 6/09:65.
Anand
Emphasis
onbyChoral
years asreviewer.
its second pre
involved
the participation
of select
The Perfect
Rehearsal, by Timothy
Seelig. eight
Lyn Schenbeck,
and
Performance
Practices
(1985–93),
and
a
year as interim
12/08:73.
American
university
choirs
and
many
“The Choral Journal: An Index to Volume Forty-Nine,” by Scott
Members/Elections
dent
(1998–99).
Collins
was th
As universities and colleges began ACDA members including future presiW. Dorsey. 6/09:88.
Hall
Johnson:
His
Life,
His
Spirit,
and
His
Music,
by
Eugene
Thamon
editor
of
the
International
Choral
in the first decade hiring musicologists such as Julius Her- dents Mathis, Decker, Stutzenberger, and
Simpson. Donald Callen Freed, reviewer. 2/09:83.
ealized that to create ford, Alfred Mann, and others who Haberlen. This thrust of international David Thorsen represented the
71.
Book
Reviews
by conducting
his “Fullerto
was apparent
at the
first two
e recruitment of new specialized in choral music research, influence
Neurosciences
in Music
Pedagogy,
editedStates
by Wilfried
Gruhn and
University
Singers”
choir
ACDA
national
convenential. In 1962, Woody an awareness of choral repertoire and independent
Francis H. Rauscher. Vance D. Wolverton, reviewer. 2/09:84. at IFCM
Beyond Singing; Blueprint for the Exceptional Choral Program, by Stan
University of Florida, score study became more important to tions in Kansas City; with special guests world choral symposium in Vie
McGill and Elizabeth Volk. Stephen Town, reviewer. 8/08:79.
is Your Brain
on Music:
The Science
a Human
by of IFCM,
SinceObsession,
the founding
Germany,
Wilhelm
Ehmann
and of1987.
practicing conductors. ACDA was com- from This
Daniel
J.
Levitin.
Vance
D.
Wolverton,
reviewer.
2/09:88.
presidents,
during
their
terms of
Frauke
Haasemann
in
1971,
and
with
educating
membersApplied
throughto Life
The Conductor as mitted
Leader: to
Principles
of Leadership
have
automatically
served
on the
two choirs,The Faculty of Music Singers
infancy … aton
this
articles
in theM.CJ
and
at conventions.
the Podium,
by Ramona
Wis.
Stephen
Town, reviewer.
The Vocal Instrument, by Sharon L Radionoff.
Donald
Callen
Freed,President
board;
most
recently
can guarantee8/08:81.
full
The 1966 national convention, led by of the University of Western Ontario,
reviewer. 3/09:87.
ember on a dollar
Harold Decker, had a theme of specific Canada, and the Budapest University Apfelstadt and President-Elect Jer
th
The Robert
edited by
Blocker.practices
Ian Loeppky,
embership
along Shaw Reader,
CoyWilcocks
were in and
attendance
Choir,Afrom
in 1973. Russell
issues related
to Robert
performance
Life inHungary,
Music: Conversations
with Sir David
Friends, at the 8
reviewer.
9/08:85.
red others, marks
Symposium
Choral Music in Ju
MorrisbyHayes
continued
in various stylistic periods; the prepa- Mathis and edited
William
Owen. this
Elliot Jones,
reviewer.of3/09:88.
nary
na
ry aass we
wellll aass a
ACD
CDA
A re
repr
pres
esen
enta
tatitive
vess.
lobal
al iint
nter
eres
estt by llea
eadi
dinng two
op
peo
eopl
plee-to
to- as A
ratition and
d rehears
h
all off majjor chor
h all glob
me mb
mber
b er o
off ou
ourr
In
A
Aug
ugus
ust
t
1992
19
92,
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th
e
Endo
En
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p
pe
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p
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t
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ours
rs
t
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o
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So
uthe
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t
Asia
As
ia.
Math
Ma
this
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work
wo
rks;
s;
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twe
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ntie
ieth
th
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c
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tury
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id
ioms
ms;
;
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
91 dowm
was
formed
f
d
with
ith
the
th
purpose
o
also
l
was
involved
i
l
d
with
ith
additional
dditi
l
trips
t
i
and,
d recent developments
d l
iin choral
h l
officer of the American Choral phony and a “rock” drummer; Whitten, Association, [not MENC] produced the etc.The business me
ctors Association at the state, divi- a gourmet chef; Price, an excellent ten- new organization’s name and ideas for an opportunity for “
y
and the basic gestions from grass
or national level. There are no nis player; and Groom an accomplished a constitution and bylaws
acco
ac
com
co
m
mpan
mp
p
ani
an
i
ist
is
s
t
.
stru
st
truct
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rame
ra
m wo
me
w rk thatt would alof office to be ttaken with
thh onee’ss
The early presid
Thee common
co
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eleemeentt that
thaat bo
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low
w fo
forr th
thee or
orga
organizati
gani
niza
zatition
tiion
on’ss monumental
m
on
on the
the Bible;
Bibl
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Bi
ble;
bl
e;; yyet,
yet
et,, on
et
one mu
must
st pos
pos-were
we
re generous
ggenerou
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ous not
ou
not o
sign
g at
gnat
gn
ated
ed tthe
he bu
an altltr uistic
i tic d
desire
esiir
es
ire to
ire
to serve fellow this presidential group together was growth. It was originally deessi
but al
but
also
lso w
with
ith their
itith
maast
ster
erss As
er
As ociation, but support, since ACD
Ass
al colleagues. Over the
t e ye
year
ear
arss,
s, A
ACDA that they were active choral conductors American Choirma
thro
roug
ro
uggho
hout
ut the pri
rima
mary
ma
ryy por
ortition
on o
off th
thei
eirr th
ei
t os
osee at
att
tte
tend
ndi
ding
in the
h meetiinng approved
d financial base. Due
rs hav
avee vollunteereed
d their time selflf- th
careers:
they
were
directors
of
choral
and
adopted
Woody
Keister’s
proposal
and, more often than not, set aside
per active member.
that
the
organization
be
named
the
onal ambition
for the good
of the programs at the public and private
convention
72. Recording
Reviews
Spirit of the Season. Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Craig
Jessup, with litt
school, college or university level. Many American Choral Directors Association. record or reputatio
nization.
conductor. Roger G. Miller, reviewer. 9/08:104.
also
as part-time
choir direc- Unlike the organizations it was based on, attendance would b
CDA’s twenty-fi
ve national
presi-Byrd.
Tallis Scholars
Sing William
Theserved
Tallis Scholars;
Peter Philips,
in a variety
of church settings. One
application
forMusic
membership
was
open
to way,
Snowcarols:
Christmas
by William
Ferris.
William
Ferrissince
Cho-no one at
s were multi-talented
and tors
conductor.men
Rich Brunner,
reviewer.
8/08:91.
Paul directors.
French, conductor.
Robert
Strusinski,
reviewer.
all choir
The American
Choral
en who came from a variety of (Casey) founded and conducted a semi- rale;
expense
money. Th
Requiem
K626. London
Symphony
Orchestra
andSingers,” 9/08:104.
professional
ensemble,
“Cantari
Directors Association was to cover the nized the need for h
grounds: Mozart:
some were
administraSir Colin Davis, conductor.
Brian Katona,
reviewer.
based in Columbus,
Ohio.
Most choral needs of all choir directors, not just a conventions, held c
of university Chorus;
music departments
of Joy and
Sorrow. BBC Singers, Chorus of the ASMF, Lau8/08:91.
conductors
that
are
successful
havePsalms
de- small
subset.
s, Imig, Mathis, Thorsen, Haberlen,
encouraged famou
dibus
Chorus,
London Chorus. Stephen Kingsbury, reviewer.
veloped tremendous organizational skills
The
fi
rst
fi
ve
presidents
charted
ten, Price,Mozart:
Groom)Requiem
or largeK626.
DMA/Symphonie
tors and scholars to
Orchester & Chor des
in addition to their musical talents. After 10/08:105.
the
beginnings
of
the
young
organizaPhD programsSchwedischen
(Hirt, Decker,
C.
Wagner was one of
Rundfunks; Manfred Honeck, conductor.
all, conductors design warm-ups Sacred
and tion
by
overseeing
the
writing
of
the
Hatcher); someBrian
were
composers/
support
ACDA and
Services
from
Israel.
Various
Choirs;
Avner
Itai,
Yoel Levi,
Katona, reviewer. 8/08:91.
ACDASchwarz,
Constitution
and Bylaws,
rs/arrangers (Decker, Hirt, Col- musical objectives for rehearsals, select Gerard
several
early conven
conductors.
StephencreatKingsbury,
reviewer.
repertoire
for programs,
write notes for 10/08:105.
ing a vehicle for communication (the ing loudly that “the
Dietrich Hatcher,
Buxtehude:
Membra Jesu
nostri. Dresdner
Kammerchor;
T. Kirk, Sanders,
Whitten,
programs,
recruit
singers, pro- Choral Journal), structuring geographic choral convention w
Hans-Christian
Radermann,
conductor.
Tobin
Sparfeld,
rlen, Price); and,
although most
in concert
Verdi: Messa
de Requiem.
Corothe
& Orchestra
8/08:93.
divisions,
and planning
first annualFilamonica
early careers reviewer.
taught choral
music mote their choral organizations, and plan
have todella
rub shoulde
Fondazione
Arturo
Toscanini;
Zubin
Mehta,
conductor.
Alan Robert S
tours
in
addition
to
many
other
tasks.
convention.
The
new
leaders
of
ACDA
e public schools, a few had primary
tors.” Later,
Dietrich Buxtehude: Dein edles Herz der Liebe Thron. Capella Andid notreviewer.
“reinvent10/08:106.
the wheel”; President Hillis gave of their t
rs (ten or more years) in public These skills, possessed by all the ACDA Denney,
gelica Lautten Campagney;
Wolfgangenabled
Katschner,them
conductor.
presidents,
to
establish
Archie
Jones
was
largely
responsible for mended
ol music programs (Leland, Moore,
that this ne
Louis Commissions. Saint Louis Chamber Chorus;
Philip
Tobin Sparfeld, reviewer.practical
8/08:93. goals and objectives for Saint
the
writing
the
fi
rst
draft
of
the
constitution
.
worthy
of
Barnes, conductor. Allen Clements, reviewer. 10/08:107. serious su
that were
by and by-laws. He accomplished this after well-known and infl
his articleDietrich
is intended
to capture
Buxtehude:
Alles, wasorganization
ihr tut. Ensemble
76 accomplished
Stuttgart,
hard work
and conductor.
determination
with Aemilian
the careful
studyTeand
review
of theOrpheus
constitu-Vokalensemble,
Rosengart:
Deum
laudamus.
verview of the
accomplishments
ductor/educators w
Mottenchor
Stuttgart; Günter
Graulich,
Tobin
assistance of the national office staff.The Ars
tional
documents
of Jürgen
the American
Band supporters
Antiqua
Austria;
Essl, conductor.
Lawrence of ACD
CDA’s twenty-fi
ve presidents
Sparfeld,
reviewer. as
8/08:93.
reviewer. 10/08:108.
Masters Association
and the College Wilson, Teachers Co
presided over many initiatives national presidents possessed strong Schenbeck,
Dietrich
dulci jubilo.
Vocalensemble
Rattstatt,
Lesresulted Band Directors Association. The draft University, who was
collaborative
personalities
that
educational
trendsBuxtehude:
in choral Inmusic
Cosi to
fancharter
tutte Mass,
K.Anh 235e.
German Mozart
Favorites;
Holger
Speck,
conductor.
Tobin
Sparfeld,
reviewer.
in
achievements
suppor
ted
by W.
theA. Mozart:
was sent
members
for sugperformance. The reader should
the Steering Commi
Orchestra;
Franz
Raml,
conductor.
Lawrence
Schenbeck,
that many of8/08:93.
ACDA’s goals and ACDA Executive Committee, elected gestions. Harry Robert Wilson was the Crane School of Mu
reviewer.
10/08:108.
officers at the division (National Board) author of the final version of the new of Potsdam; Elaine B
ctives takeDavid
years
to come
to Organ
frui- Concerto,
Briggs:
Requiem;
Ave Maria. Euphony; Richard
and state levels, various committees,American
and organization’s
purposes;
andFoss,
to this
under the guidance
ofconductor.
consecutive
Howard Swan,
Choral Music: ten
Copland,
Corigliano,
Ives andand,
Persichetti.
Tanner,
Steven R. Gibson, reviewer. 8/08:95.
day, theseofpurposes,
as
adopted
at
that
dents, executive committees, and the Repertoire & Standards appointees. University
affectionately
Texas Chamber Singers; James Morrow, con- called
AllInstrumental
ACDA offiWorks.
cers had
sincere, honest, ductor.
time, have
largely unchanged
Johann Michael Haydn: Vocal and
Ex Tempore,
nal boards.
conductors. The ma
Philipremained
Barnes, reviewer.
11/08:95.
and dedicated
attitudesHeyerick,
that enabled with the exception of two purposes these musicians throu
Palatina, Marcolini
Quartett; Florian
small group ofAcademia
ACDA presidents
A Bluegrass
Mass.
them to 8/08:95.
succeed during their termsCarol
of Barnett:
conductor.
John docPetzet, reviewer.
addedThe
in World
1975.Beloved,
MENC’s
flowchart
of VocalEssence
the early generation
inspired
in support of ACDA
Ensemble
Singers,
Monroe
Crossing;
Philip
Brunelle,
conduc- factor o
offi
ce.
division
and
state
organizations
was
also
students and younger colleagues
an important
I Sing the Birth. New York Polyphony. Richard Bloesch, reviewer.
tor.
Bryson
Mortensen,
reviewer.
11/08:96.
a
model
from
which
certain
elements
ecome active leaders in the orgaearly success and su
9/08:101.
were utilized by the fledgling choral
on: Warner Imig at the University
French Choral Music 3. Netherlands Chamber Choir; Roland
Early Years
group. The officially designated charter
olorado (Collins,
Whitten);
I Saw Three
Ships:Charles
Christmas Music from Gloucester
Cathedral.
Hayrabedian, conductor. Michael Lister, reviewer. 11/08:98.
members of ACDA launched what has
Recruitment of M
at the University
of
Southern
Cali1959–73
Gloucester Cathedral Choir; Andrew Nethsingha, conducbecome
one
of
the
world’s
most
signifi
a (Saltzman, Whitten,
Price);
ColScattered
Rhymes.
Orlando
Consort,
Estonian
Philharmonic
tor. James L. Queen, reviewer.
The officers in
The9/08:101.
initial suggestion for an organizacant inflChoir;
uencesPaul
in choral
Hillier, music.
conductor. Cameron
F. LaBarr, also rea
Kirk at the Florida State University tion of choral directors was made in a Chamber
(1960–70)
Ralph
Vaughan
Williams:
Hodie;
Fantasia
on
Christmas
Carols.
GuildThe
early
presidents
were
passionate
reviewer.
11/08:97.
his, Groom); and Harold Decker letter dated December 2, 1957, by Roba financial base, the
Choral Society,
St. Catherine’s School Middle Chamber
and
dedicated
to
the
purpose
that
the
e University ford
of Illinois
(Mathis,
members
ert Landers,
conductor
the United
Hans Schanderl:
Lux Aeterna.
Polski
ChórtheKameralny;
Janwas essen
Choir; Hilary
Davan Wetton,
conductor.
James L. of
Queen,
new
organization
would
support
erlen, Stutzenberger,
Apfelstadt).
Keister
from
States Air Force’s “Singing Sergeants.” Łukaszewski, conductor. Cameron F. LaBarr, reviewer. the U
reviewer. 9/08:102.
e pioneers presented
examples Landers included a recommendation finest choral music and music-making, Gainesville wrote,
11/08:98.
through word and deed.The first annual
utstandingNoël
ACDA
leadership
and Jeremy
for theBackhouse,
formationconductor.
of a seven-member
nouvelet.
Vasari Singers;
NaACDA
convention,
1960,
ce that their younger
generation
ACDA is in its in
Bairstow:
Choral March
Music. 16–17,
Choir of
St. John’s College,
tasia Sexton, reviewer. 9/08:103.
steering committee whose task wasSirtoEdward
in Atlantic David
City, NJ,
was
held
in
conjuncudents and colleagues could and solicit support for the idea of this new Cambridge;
time no one ca
Hill, conductor. Brian Burns, reviewer.
tion with the MENC national convention
mulate. Joyous Day! Songs of Christmas choral
Arrangedorganization.
by Barlow Bradford.
value to any mem
The Utah
committee 12/08:77.
and
was
planned
by
ACDA
offi
cers.
Chamber
Barlowwas
Bradford,
conductor.
Steven
R.
her
e e were presidents
whoArtists;
had skills
basis. Your mem
successful in setting the course of
NicholasIt Jackson:
Choral
Music.
Rodolfus
Choir;
Ralph Allwood,
was
led
by
y
its
fi
rst
p
pr
esident,
,
Archie
reviewer.
9/08:103.
nd
d con
ondu
duct
ctin
inggGibson,
that were
considwith
wi
th ssix
ix hhun
undr
dred
ed
thee or
th
orga
gani
niza
zatition
on aand
nd aarr
rran
angi
ging
ng ffor
or iits
ts
conductor.
Philip
Barnes,
reviewer.
12/08:77.
Jones,
who
was
Dean
of
the
University
you
as
a
visiona
e aand varied: Elwood “Woody” firs
rstt fo
form
rmal
al m
mee
eetiting
ng.. Fo
Four
ur m
mem
embe
bers
rs o
off
distingu
g ished m
er wa
was an airpl
p ane pi
p lot;; Decker,, an th
thee St
Stee
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and
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Choral
Journal
•
June/July
2009
(Jones Hirt
Hirt, Imi
Imig,
tions, panel discussions, reading sessions,
e a luxury Citroen; Mathis was an
An Index to Volume Forty-nine
etings also provided for membership. These facts attest Literature” with the University of Illinois South America.
“feedback” and sug- to ACDA’s phenomenal growth and Men’s Glee Club, and a second concert
The trend of selecting outsta
in 1983 with the Singing Statesmen from international choruses to perfor
popularity.
roots members.
It took a number of years to develop the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. subsequent national conventions co
dents and officers
standard
stan
anda
dard
rd eele
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lect
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DA had only a small it seemed as no surprise that four of Love: An Exploration of Contemporary tion, was the first to expand the co
o
es were set at $6 the seven-member Steering Committee Media for Worship.” Other presidents schedule from three days to fou
Imagine planning a were elected president. At times, only also conducted choral ensembles at Na- scheduling an “International Nigght
h
“Recording and
Redressing
Felix Mendelssohn”
[Mendelssohn:
Music forone
Choirname
and Cello.
Berry, tional
con- Conventions
was Commotio;
submitted Matthew
on a slate.
[Decker
(2), Mathis
tle money,Night
no track
featured three
outstanding cho
o
Chorwerkel
(Complete).
Chamber
Choir
of Europe;
Nicol
ductor.
Brunner,
12/08:79.
Warner
Imigreviewer.
described
the process, “All (3), Casey,Thorsen,
Hatcher
(3), Sanders
on, where those
in Rich
from
Canada,
East Germany,
and K
Matt,Apfelstadt]
conductor. Mendelssohn:
I– XII evening.
(Complete
in attendance at a national meet- (2), Moore, and
illustrating Kirchenwerke
be paying Mack
their Wilberg:
own those
on Wednesday
The inclussi
Requiem and other Choral Works. Mormon TabSacred
Music)
Kammerchor
Stuttgart;
Frieder
Bernuis,
coning
were
handed
a
ballot.
Their
marked
their
musical
talents
and
their
leadert that time received
international
choirs
was
not altogg
ernacle Choir; Craig Jessop, conductor. Steven R. Gibson,
ductor.],
by
Philip Barnes.
4/09:69.
ballots
were
counted
and
the
fi
nal
tally
ship
traits.
An
expert
accompanist,
Mitzi
he founders recogwelcomed;
some
members
comp
pl
reviewer. 12/08:80.
was selected
to
accompany
igh standards at the announced. It was fast, economical, and Groom,Handel:
thought
ourconducconvention sh
Messiah. Dunedin Consort ofthey
Players;
John Butt,
relaxed.
” Obviously,
“convention
readFrancis and
Poulenc:very
Gloria,
Motets.
Polyphony,early
Choiroffi
ofcers
Trinity numerous
Colcritic sessions,
be exclusively
tor. Richardsings”
A. A. and
Larraga,
reviewer.
5/09:83. “American.” The maa
lege Cambridge;
StephenbyLayton,
conductor.
Sean
were elected
the small
number
of Burton,
ing sessions.
us choral conduchowever, appreciated hearing c
Bach:
St. Matthew
Passion.
of Players;
Butt,with the
reviewer.
12/08:82.
Decker
also
formed an
ad hocDunedin
Com- Consort
o participate. Roger voting members who attended the
from around
theJohn
world
e
conductor.
Richard
A.
A.
Larraga,
reviewer.
5/09:83.
f the first to actively conventions. To include more members mittee on Choral Editing Standards with ferent tone colors and the exposu
J. S. Bach: Motets, BWV 225– 230. Nederlands Kamerkoor; Peter
d he appeared on in the process, the Board approved a Walter Collins as chair; their charge a greater variety of indigenous c
Dijkstra, conductor. Lawrence Schenbeck, reviewer. 2/09:93. Spotless Rose: Hymns to the Virgin Mary. Phoenix Chorale; Charles
ntion programs stat- motion in 1964 to have future elections was to address the “low quality editing repertoire.
Bruffy, conductor. Jean-Marie Kent, reviewer. 5/09:85.
by mail with the results
certifiedDresden;
by an Peter
of most pre-twentieth-century choral
joy of attending
a (Motteten/Motets).
Some presidents were involvve
Bachs Schüler
Vocal Concert
independent
CPA.
This
resulted
in
voting
music
published
in
the
United
States”.
was that he didKopp,
not conductor.
otherWeek,
projects
independent
of A
Alexander Tikhonovich Grechaninov: Passion
Op.58.
PhoeRobert Chambers, reviewer. 2/09:94.
awareCharles
of the Bruffy,
need conductor.
ers with band direc- numbers that were proportional to the Publishers became
Royce Saltzman
founded
nix Chorale;
Jean-Marie
Kent, the Or
Peter Maxwell
Davies:
Sacred
Works.which
Choir had,
of St. Mary’s
total
number
ofChoral
members,
for artistic/authentic
Shaw andSirMargaret
Bach Festival in 1970 that featuree
reviewer.editions
5/09:85.that were
Cathedral,
Edinburgh;
Matthew
Owens,
conductor.
Rich
for use at ACDA interest and famous German conductor Heel
talents and recom- by March 1973, grown to over 4000 selected
Gesualdo:
Libro de Madrigali.
La Venexiana;
Claudio
2/09:96.
members.
reading Carlo
sessions.
ACDAQuarto
also produced
a Rilling.
ew organizationBruner,
was reviewer.
David Thorsen
was Rillingg
Cavina,
conductor.
Matthew
Smyth,
reviewer.
5/09:87.
Candidates selected to run for “Copyright Policy” on June 27, 1974 that sistant for fifteen years at the Or
upport. Four other
Georg Friedrich
Handel: Opresident,
Praise the Lord,
Anthems. Capella
fromPsalms,
the beginning
encouraged members to abide by the festival and five years at the Som
fluential choral
con- national
m
Ockeghem: Missa Cuiusvis Toni. Ensemble Musica Nova;
Principale;
Jochen
M.
Arnold,
conductor.
Brian
Katona,
re- Johannes
copyright
laws
and
not
use
photocopies
were also pro-active of the 1980s on were carefully chosen
akademie-Bach
in
Stuttgart,
Ger
r
Lucien Kandel, conductor. Rich Brunner, reviewer. 5/09:89.
viewer. 2/09:97.
by a nominating committee and the of music for rehearsal or at any concert The Oregon Bach Festival hosted p
DA: Harry Robert
nominees
had extensive
resumes
of Singers;
performance
or ACDA
sponsored
ollege of Arvo
Columbia
fromStephen
thirty countries
Tormis. Holst
Singers; Stephen
Layton, ipants
conductor.
Kings- and e
Pärt: Music
for Unaccompanied
Choir. Elora
Festival
achievement
years of reviewer.
previous 2/09:97.
event. Adherence
to the policy,
printed international choirs. The festival w
s also a member
ofEdison,
bury, reviewer.
5/09:90.
Noel
conductor. and
Lyn Schenbeck,
ttee; Helen Hosmer, and proven effective service to ACDA on membership forms, was to be signed Grammy in 2001, and has becom
me
Handel: Acis
& Galetea,HWV
49a. Dunedin
Consort summer
of Play- choral w
MacMillan:
Tenebrae.
Cappella
Nova; Alan
(Table
1). Most
nominees
hadTavener,
servedconducby conductors
when
they became
usic, StateJames
University
of the premiere
John Butt, conductor. Lawrence
reviewer.
Stephen
Kingsbury,
reviewer.
2/09:98.and had members of ers;
as state
and division
presidents
ACDA.
Brown, Singingtor.
City;
shopsSchenbeck,
in the United
States.
6/09:75.
Occidental College, success in running state and division
Saltzman and Walter Collins
Felix Mendelssohn: Sacred Choral Music. Choir of St. John’s College,
the Dean of choral conventions. In addition, many national
in discussions
at the 1981
Handel: Acis & Galetea,HWV 49a. NDRleaders
Chor; Nicholas
McGegan,
Cambridge; David Hill, conductor. Kirk Aamot, reviewer. International
Activities
any contributions of president nominees also had served on
concerning
conductor. Lawrence Schenbeck,Orleans
reviewer.convention
6/09:75.
3/09:91.
ughout their careers national ADCA committees and/or as
Harold Decker was instrumental in creation of the International Fedeer
Honegger:
Une Cantate
de Noël.for
Chorus
Wales;Thierry
Fischer,
R&S
Committee
chairs.
was unquestionably
of ofChoral
Musicians
[IFCM] thatt
establishing
international
contacts
James MacMillan:
Tenebrae.
Cappella
Nova; Alan Tavener, conducconductor.
Frank
K.
DeWald,
reviewer.
6/09:76.
of the organization’s
ACDA as a promoter of The Vienna place in 1982. ACDA was one o
tor. Stephen Kingsbury, reviewer. 3/09:92.
ubsequent growth.
Symposium (1969–73). The symposia five founding members. Saltzman se
Le Grazie Veneziane: Music from the Ospedali. Vocal Concert DresSurprised by Beauty:
Minimalismon
in Choral
Music.
Boston Secession;
An Emphasis
Choral
Repertoire
involved the participation of select eight years as its second press
den; Peter Kop, conductor. Rich Brunner, reviewer. 6/09:77.
Jane Ring Frank,
conductor.
Natasia
Sexton
Cain,
reviewer.
and Performance Practices
American university choirs and many (1985–93), and a year as interim p
3/09:94.
embers/Elections
dent (1998–99).
Collins was thee
including
future
presiAs universities and colleges began ACDA members
Tarik O’Regan:
Threshold
of Night.
Conspirare;
Craig Hella Johnson,
editor of6/09:78.
the International Choral Bu
Decker, Stutzenberger,
and reviewer.
musicologists
such asBWV
Julius27,Herthe first
decade
Cameron F. LaBarr,
Christus,
der isthiring
mein Leben
(Bach Cantatas
84, 95dents
and Mathis,conductor.
David
Thorsen
represented the U
Haberlen.
This
thrust
of
international
ford,
Alfred
Mann,
and
others
who
lized that to create
161). Collegium Vocale Gent; Philippe Herreweghe, conSimple
Gifts.
The
King’s
Singers.
Matthew
Smyth,
reviewer.
6/09:79.
States
by
conducting
his “Fullertonn
infl
uence
was
apparent
at
the
fi
rst
two
specialized
in
choral
music
research,
recruitment ofductor.
new John
Petzet, reviewer. 3/09:95.
tial. In 1962, Woody an awareness of choral repertoire and independent ACDA national conven- University Singers” choir at IFCM’s
Massscore
in E Minor,
Me.more
Rheinberger:
in in Kansas City; with special guests world choral symposium in Vien
n
study Libera
became
importantRequiem
to tions
niversity Bruckner:
of Florida,
74. Choral Activities in the USA and1987.
Abroad
E Flat. Kammer
Chor
Staarbrucken,
Kammerphilharmonie
Since
the
founding
of
IFCM,
A
from
Germany,
Wilhelm
Ehmann
and
practicing conductors. ACDA was comManheim;mitted
Georgto
Grün,
conductor.
Michaelthrough
Lister, reviewer.
during their terms of o
Frauke “Choral
Haasemann
1971,itsand
with ” bypresidents,
educating
members
MusicinMeets
Audience,
Ian Loeppky. 10/08:4.
3/09:97.
have
automatically
served on thee
nfancy … at this
articles in the CJ and at conventions. two choirs,The Faculty of Music Singers
board;
recently
President H
n guarantee full
of Music
Western
The 1966 national convention, led by of the University
“How Choral
SavedOntario,
a Nation: The
1947most
Estonian
National
Apfelstadt
and President-Elect
Jerrry
mber on a dollar
the Festival
Budapest
and University
the Song Festivals
of Estonia’s
Soviet OcHarold Decker, had a theme of specific Canada, andSong
mbership along
were inBIB.
attendance at the 8th W
10/08:28.
Hungary,” by
in David
1973. Puderbaugh.
Russell Coy
issues related to performance practices Choir, from cupation,
d o
oth
ther
ers,
s, m
mar
arks
ks
posium of Choral Mu
Musi
sicc in July
y s continued this Syymp
in vvar
ario
ious
us ssty
tylilist
stic
ic p
per
erio
iods
ds;; th
thee pr
prep
epaa Mathis and Morris Haye
“Letterby
toleading
the Editor,
Jim Hejduk. as
12/08:7.
ary as well as a
ACDA representatives.
two” by
people-toration and rehearsal of major choral global interest
member of our
In Auggust 1992, the Endowmen
entt
p op
ple tours to Southeast Asia. Mathis
works;; twentieth-centuryy choral idioms;; pe
Choral Journal
•
June/July
2009
93
was
formed
with
the
purpose
of
s
and, recent developments in choral also was involved with additional trips
and
ing
ACDA’s
fi
nancial
future
and
fu
with Friendship Ambassadors to Romacomposition.
officer of the American Choral phony and a “rock” drummer; Whitten, Association, [not MENC] produced the changes such as a mo
ors Association at the state, divi- a gourmet chef; Price, an excellent ten- new organization’s name and ideas for formal election syste
y
and the basic terms of office, etc. T
or national level. There are no nis player; and Groom an accomplished a constitution and bylaws
acco
ac
comp
co
mpan
mp
ani
an
i
ist
is
s
t
.
stru
t
u
ctur
ct
t
ur
r
a
al
l
f
fra
rame
ra
m
me
w
wo
rk
that
would al- business meetings al
of office to be taaken withh one
ne’ss
The
common
element
that
bound
low
for
the
organizati
organization
ti
i
on
n
’s
s
monumental
m
onumental
onum
on
umen
enta
tall p
on the Bible;
Bibl
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ble;
bl
b
le;
e;; yyet
et,, o
et
onne must pospos
provided
prov
pr
ovided
ovid
ided aann op
opport
ppo
p rt
thi
th
i
s
pre
sid
i
d
e
nti
t
i
al
l
group
t
ogeth
ther
was
growth
th.
It
was
o
ri
i
ginall
i
lly
d
de
des
e
es
s
si
i
g
gn
ated
at
t
ed
d
t
th
h
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e ni
n al
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stiic d
desire
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o serve fellllow
nity
nit
ity
ty ffor
or “fe
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eed
edb
db
baack
ck”
k” a
Asso
Asso
oci
ciat
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ionn, b
but
ut su
col
ollleaggue
uess. O
Ove
verr thhe year
yeear
arss,
s, ACD
s,A
C A that they were active choral conductors American Choirmaastterr s As
sugg
gges
estition
onss fr
from
om ggra
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t ei
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those
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osee attending
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tte
tend
ndi
ding the meeting approved roots members.
s haave volunteered
d their time selff- th
and
nd, more often than not, set aside careers: they were directors of choral and adopted Woody Keister’s proposal
The early presiden
naal ambition for the good of the programs at the public and private that the organization be named the and officers were ge
IndexAmerican Choral Directors Association.
school, college or universityAuthor
level. Many
zation.
erous not only wi
DA’s twenty-five national presi- also served as part-time choir direc- Unlike the organizations it was based on, their time, but also w
a variety of church settings. One application for membership was open to their personal financ
were multi-talented
men and tors in
DeWald, Frank K., 6/09:76
LaBarr, Cameron F., 11/08:97, Salveson, John, 9/08:34
Aamot, Kirk, 3/09:91
(Casey)
founded and conducted a semi- all choir directors. The American Choral support, since ACD
n who came
from
a
variety
of
Denney, Alan, 10/08:106
Sanderson, Shane, 5/09:76,
11/08:98, 6/09:78
Aamot, Mark, 10/08:9
ounds: some were administra- professional ensemble,“Cantari Singers,” Directors Association was to cover the had only a small financ
John
H.,
4/09:57
6/09:74
Larraga,
Richard
A.A.,
5/09:83,
Ackerley, Julian, 3/09:78 basedDickson,
in Columbus, Ohio. Most choral needs of all choir directors,
not just a base. Dues were s
f university music departments
Dorsey, Scott W., 6/09:88
Sataloff, Robert, 11/08:24
5/09:83
Aitken, Paul A., 10/08:69
Imig, Mathis, Thorsen, Haberlen, conductors that are successful have de- small subset.
at $6 per active mem
Eanes,
Christopher,
2/09:71, skills
Schenbeck,
Lawrence,
Lana, Robyn,
Albinder,or
Frank,
tremendous
organizational
The 9/08:77
first five presidents
charted
en, Price, Groom)
large3/109:73,
DMA/ veloped
ber. Imagine planning
4/09:7to their musical talents. After
10/08:108,
10/08:108,
Laprade,
2/09:58,of the young
6/09:61
the Paul,
beginnings
organizahD programs
(Hirt, Decker, C. in addition
convention with litt
Escalada, Oscar,
8/08:26
2/09:93,
6/09:55
Amidon,
Peter,
9/08:71
all, conductors
design
warm-ups and
tion by overseeing the writing
of 6/09:76
the money, no track reco
Hatcher); some
were
composers/
objectives
for11/08:51
rehearsals, select
Fagnan,
Laurier,
Schenbeck,
Lyn, 12/08:73,
Latimer,
Marvin
E., 6/09:20 and Bylaws,
Barnes,
Philip,Hirt,
11/08:95,
ACDA
Constitution
creats/arrangers
(Decker,
Col- musical
or reputation, whe
repertoire
for
programs,
write
notes
for
Freed,
Donald
Callen,
2/09:97
ing
a
vehicle
for
communication
(the
Leck, Henry, 5/09:49
12/08:77,
4/09:69
Kirk, Sanders,
Hatcher,
Whitten,
those in attendan
programs,
recruit
singers, proJournal),
structuringSchwindt,
geographic
11/08:88,
11/08:88,
2/09:83,
Joel, 8/08:44
Lister,Choral
Michael,
11/08:98,
len, Price);Bartle,
and, although
most in concert
Jean Ashworth,
would be paying th
their choral organizations, and plan
divisions, and planning theSeaton,
first annual
arly careers
taught choral music mote3/09:87
way, since no o
Douglass,own
4/09:24
3/09:97
11/08:71
tours
in
addition
to
many
other
tasks.
convention.
The
new
leaders
of
ACDA
public schools,
a
few
had
primary
at
that
Gibson, Steven R., 8/08:95,
Loeppky, Ian, 9/08:85, 10/08:4 Sedberry, Cara, 10/08:73 time receive
Bass, Christine, 4/09:49
These9/08:103,
skills, possessed
by
all
the
ACDA
not “reinvent
President
s (ten orBishop,
more D.
years)
in
public
expense money. T
10/08:103,
Shelton,
Tom, 4/09:53
Lloyd,did
Thomas,
5/09:9 the wheel”;
Jason, 12/08:47
presidents, enabled them to establish Archie Jones was largely responsible for founders recognized t
music programs
(Leland,
Moore,
12/08:80
Skoog, William, 5/09:28
Mace, Angela R., 3/09:48
Bloesch, Richard, 9/08:101
practical goals and objectives for the writing the first draft of the constitution need for high standar
Gillion, Marianne, 8/08:8
Small, Ann, 4/09:65
Malfatti, Dennis, 12/08:70
Blosser, Amy Johnston,
s article is intended to capture organization that were accomplished by and by-laws. He accomplished this after at the conventions, he
Grives,
Steven,
12/08:36,
Smith, Justin, 2/09:32
Marcy,
Krik,
11/08:46
12/08:52
erview of the accomplishments hard work and determination with the careful study and review of the constitu- critic sessions, and e
12/08:69
Smyth, Matthew, 5/09:87,
Mathis,
Russell,
1/09:8
Broeker,
3/09:75
DA’s twenty-fi
veAngela,
presidents
as assistance of the national office staff.The tional documents of the American Band couraged famous cho
Haberlen,
John, 9/08:14,
Miller,Masters
Bradley, 9/08:34
Cynthia
Bayt, national
presidents
possessed strong
Association and 6/09:79
the College conductors and scho
presided Bradford,
over many
initiatives
1/09:8
Sparfeld,
Tobin, 8/08:93
Miller,
James
Patrick,
10/08:92
Association.
The draft
ducational trends in choral music collaborative personalities that resulted Band Directors9/08:34
ars to participate. Rog
Haberman, Peter,
9/08:34
Sposato,
3/09:8 was one of t
Miller,was
Richard,
suppor
ted by the
Bronfman,
Joshua,should
3/09:81 in achievements
sent 11/08:16
to charter members
for Jeffrey
sug- S.,
erformance.
The reader
Wagner
Executive
Committee,
elected
Hejduk,
Jim, 10/08:9,
12/08:7
Spurgeon,
Debra,first
11/08:43
Miller,gestions.
Roger G.,Harry
9/08:104
Philip,goals
12/08:8
Robert Wilson
was the
hat manyBrunelle,
of ACDA’s
and ACDA
to actively suppo
the division
(National Board)
author
of 10/08:10
the final versionStern,
of the
new9/08:34
Hix,atMichael,
11/08:90
Jeffrey,
Mitchell,
Aaron,
8/08:91,
ves take Brunner,
years to Rich,
come
to frui- officers
ACDA and he appear
levels, various
and
organization’s
purposes;
and toDavid,
this 8/08:67
nder the guidance
consecutive
Hochstetler,
Scott,committees,
6/09:42
Stocker,
Mortensen,
Bryson, ten
11/08:96
on several early conve
12/08:79,of
2/09:96,
5/09:89, and state
the
Repertoire
&
Standards
appointees.
day,
these
purposes,
as
adopted
at
that
ents, executive
tion
programs stati
Hughes, Laurie Betts,
Strusinski, Robert,
9/08:104
Munson, Mark, 6/09:32
6/09:77committees, and
All ACDA
officers had sincere, honest,
time,
haveKingsbury,
remained largely
unchanged
al boards.Burleson, Jill, 6/09:10
loudly that “the j
9/08:107
Sullivan,
Ryan, 6/09:69
Muzzo,
Grace
and dedicated attitudes that enabled with the exception of two purposes of attending a cho
mall group
of ACDA
presidents
Johnson, W. Robert,
Taylor, Joshua, 10/08:111
12/08:22
Burger,
Tammie,
8/08:104
to succeed during their terms of added in 1975. MENC’s flowchart of convention was th
he early generation
inspired
doc- them10/08:90,
5/09:72
Titze, Ingo R., 11/08:34
Nash, Ethan, 2/09:8
Burns, Brian,
12/08:77
division and state organizations was also he did not have to r
tudents and younger colleagues office.
Jones, Ann Howard, 11/08:8 Oglesby, Don, 11/08:63
Todd, R. Larry, 3/09:48
Burton, Sean, 12/08:82
a model from which certain elements shoulders with ban
come active leaders in the orgaJones, Elliot, 3/09:88
Town, Stephen,
Pack, Tim
S.,
9/08:22
Cain, Natasia Sexton,
were utilized by the fledgling
choral 8/08:79,
n: Warner Imig at the University
directors.” Later, Robe
Jones,
Jeremy
D.,
10/08:87
8/08:81,
9/08:86, 9/08:91,
Palmer,
Marie,
12/08:65
9/08:103,
3/09:94
Early Years
group. The officially designated charter
orado (Collins, Whitten); Charles
Shaw and Margaret H
Katona, Brian, 8/08:91,
10/08:95,
Park, Jong-Won,
2/09:61
Campbell,
Timothy, Cali9/08:34
members of
ACDA launched
what 10/08:99,
has lis gave of their talen
t the University
of Southern
1959–73
8/08:91, 2/09:97
10/08:101, 11/08:85
Patton, Marcia, 11/08:67
Cavanaugh,
(Saltzman,
Whitten, Alice,
Price);5/09:40
ColThe initial suggestion for an organiza- become one of the world’s most signifi- and recommended th
Kelly,
Ryan,
2/09:48
Ward, Robert J., this
5/0979
Petzet,
John,
8/08:95,
3/09:95
Robert,
2/09:94
rk at the Chambers,
Florida State
University
new organizatio
tion of choral directors was made in a cant influences in choral music.
Jean-Marie, 5/09:85,
Westgate,
Kelly Ann,
9/08:77
The
early
presidents
were
passionate
Prucha,
Christina,
6/09:20,
Clements,
Allen, Decker
10/08:107letterKent,
s, Groom);
and Harold
was
worthy
of serio
dated December 2, 1957, by Roband dedicated to the purpose
that the Joan,
5/09:85 conductor of the United
Whittemore,
4/09:7 Four oth
6/09:65
e University
of Illinois
(Mathis, ert Landers,
Cooper,
John Michael,
support.
would Wilson,
supportNatalie,
the 5/09:69
len, Stutzenberger,
Apfelstadt). StatesKimber,
well-known and infl
Marian“Singing
Wilson, Sergeants.
Puderbaugh,
David, 10/08:28
4/09:34
Air Force’s
” new organization
fi
nest
choral
music
and
music-making,
pioneersCopeland,
presented
examples
ential choral conducto
4/09:9
Wolfe,
Randall,
9/08:80
Queen,
James
L.,
9/08:101,
Phillip,
10/08:62 Landers
included a recommendation
through
word
and
deed.
The
fi
rst
antstanding Crane,
ACDAR.leadership
and for the
educators
were al
Kingsbury,
Stephen,
Wolverton,
Vance
D.,
9/08:102
Andrew, 12/08:87
formation of a seven-member
nual
ACDA
convention,
March
16–17,
e that their
younger
generation
pro-active
supporte
10/08:105,
10/08/:105,
10/08:44, 2/09:84, 2/09:88
Andrea, 8/08:73
committee
whose task was Ramsey,
to
Crow, Andrew, 9/08:34 steering
1960, in Atlantic City, NJ, was held in of ACDA: Harry Ro
dents and colleagues could and solicit2/09:98,
support3/09:92,
for the 5/09:90
idea of this new
Reichwald, Siegwart, 3/09:28 Yoder-White, Maribeth,
Culloton, Matthew, 9/08:34
conjunction with the MENC national er t Wilson, Teache
mul
u ate.
choral
organization.
The committee
Krinke,
Jonathan, 6/09:69
4/09:53
Riffey, Andrew, 9/08:80
Davis-Gratto, Sharon,
eree were presidents who had skills was successful in setting the course of convention and was planned by ACDA College of Columb
Romey,
Kathy Saltzman,
8/08:101,
6/09:58
d con
onducting
that 2/09:57,
were considthe organization and arranging for 9/08:34
its officers. It was led by its first president, University, who w
Arch
chie
ie JJon
ones
es, wh
who
o wa
wass De
Dean
an o
off th
thee also
and variied
d: EEllwood
d “W
“Wood
dy”” firs
l a memb
ber off t
rstt fo
form
rmal
al m
mee
eetiting
ng. Fo
Four
ur m
mem
embe
bers
rs o
off Ar
Univ
Un
iver
ersi
sity
ty
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o
of
f
Kans
Ka
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as
C
Cit
ity’
y
s
Cons
Co
nser
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p lo
lot;t;; D
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Stee
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eeri
ring
ngg C
Com
ommi
mitt
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ater
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bec
ecam
amee
94 spoke French and
Choral
Journalclinic
• i June/July
2009
tory
of
f
M
Music.
i
It
I
included
i
l
d
d
concerts,
li
se fanatic; Hirt
Helen
Hosmer,
Cra
national presidents (Jones, Hirt, Imig,
demonstrations, panel discussions, read- School of Music, Sta
a luxury Citroen; Mathis was an
An Index to Volume Forty-nine
lius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
lius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
JJul
uliu
iuss He
Herf
rfor
ord
d Pr
Priz
izee
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
JJul
uliu
iuss He
Herf
rfor
ord
d Pr
Priz
izee
2008
Julius Herford Prize
JJul
uliu
iuss He
Herf
rfor
ord
d Pr
Priz
izee
Juli
Ju
lius
us H
Her
erfo
ford
rd P
Pri
rize
ze
Juli
Ju
lius
us H
Her
erfo
ford
rd P
Pri
rize
ze
JJul
uliu
iuss He
Herf
rfor
ord
d Pr
Priz
izee
Juli
Ju
liuu
JJul
uliu
iuss He
Herf
rfor
ordd Pr
Call for Nominations
The subcommittee for the Julius Herford Prize, given annually by the American Choral Directors
Association, is now accepting nominations for the outstanding doctoral terminal research project in
choral music for 2008. Projects are eligible if they comprise the principal research component of the
degree requirements, whether the institution defines the project as a “dissertation,” a “document,” a
“thesis,” or “treatise,” etc. Eligibility is limited to doctoral recipients whose degrees were conferred
during the period January 1 through December 31, 2008. The winner will receive a $1000 cash
award and a plaque.
Nominations must be submitted by the dean, director, or chair of the music unit. An institution may
submit only one document. In the event that there are two nominations of equal merit from one
school, the administrative head of the unit must submit a letter justifying the additional nomination.
A letter of nomination signed by the administrative head of the music unit and one unbound copy
of the dissertation must be submitted no later than June 30, 2009 to:
Dr. Grant W. Cook III, Chair
Julius Herford Prize Subcommittee
Department of Music
Heidelberg University
310 E. Market St.
Tiffin, Ohio 44883
Phone: 419.448.2084; fax: 419.448.2124; e-mail: <[email protected] >
Choral Journal • June/July 2009
Juli
liu
Julius Herford Pr
JJul
uliu
iuss He
Herf
rfor
ordd Pr
Priz
izee
Juli
Ju
lius
us H
Her
erfo
ford
rd P
Pri
rize
ze
Juliu
JJul
uliu
iuss He
Herf
rfor
ordd Pr
Juli
lius Herford
f d Priize
Julius Herford Prize
Juliu
Julius Herford Pr
Julius Herford Prize
Juli
Ju
lius
us H
Her
erfo
ford
rd P
Pri
rize
ze
Juli
lius H
Herffordd Prize
i
Julius Herford Pr
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
JJul
uliu
iuss He
Herf
rfor
ord
d Pr
Priz
izee
Juli
lius Herford
f d Priize
Julius Herford Prize
Juli
Ju
lius
us H
Her
erfo
ford
rd P
Pri
rize
ze
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
Juli
Ju
lius
us H
Her
erfo
ford
rd P
Pri
rize
ze
Juli
lius H
Herffordd Prize
i
Julius Herford Prize
JJul
uliu
iuss He
Herf
rfor
ordd Pr
Priz
izee
lius
li
us H
Her
erfo
ford
rd P
Pri
rize
ze
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
Juli
lius Herford
f d Priize
lius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
Julius Herford Prize
lius
li
us H
Her
erfo
ford
rd P
Pri
rize
ze
Julius Herford Prize
95
Choral Reviews
Submission Information
Articles submitted for publication in the Choral Journal should
meet established specifications. Although the length of articles
varies considerably, submissions generally consist of ten to twenty
typed, double-spaced pages. Referenced material should be indicated by superscript and end notes. Any artwork and a one- to
two-sentence professional identification of the author should also
be included. Complete writer’s guidelines can be found on the
ACDA Web site at <www.acdaonline.org/cj/writersguidelines>.
Articles submitted via e-mail attachment should be sent to <[email protected]>.
Choral Reviewers
ACDA members wishing to review
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Telephone 770/683-6837,
E-mail <[email protected]>
Book Reviewers
ACDA members wishing to review
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<[email protected]>
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Send books, octavos, and discs for review to:
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DESIGN BY [email protected]
Tickets available at the Apollo Theater, starting June 1 ‘09, from 10 to 14 hrs.
and from 18 to 22 hrs. Telephone & Information: + 30 - 22810 - 85192
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Women in Song
Seattle 2010
With Elektra Women’s Choir
April 22-25
Morna Edmundson, Artistic Director
Steve Stevens, Festival Director
Festival package includes:
* Two concerts including a gala massed choir concert and a concert showcasing individual choirs
* Optional service participation
* Special events for directors of participating choirs including roundtable discussions and
directors’ dinner
* Three nights’ accommodation in a first class hotel centrally located in downtown Seattle
* Breakfast daily plus 2 dinners
* 8 hours of massed choir rehearsals and vocal workshops
* Individual choir adjudication by Morna Edmundson
* Guided sightseeing tour of Seattle
* Welcome and farewell receptions
* All airport and local transfers
* All massed choir sheet music
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$1250 per person based on double occupancy
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[email protected]