Douglas I. Smith, D.M.A., Artistic Director
Previous Programs: 1992 - 1993
December
1993 - George Frederick Handel's "Messiah"
Performed last by the ECAS in 1988, this popular oratorio is performed
again in the baroque tradition with the 60-member vocal group and orchestra.
Soloists included Margaret Brooks (soprano), Robin Shapiro (contralto),
Alvin Maddison (tenor) and Gregory Gardiner (baritone). This work, composed
in 1742 was an instant success and has continued to be performed every
year for the last 250 years. The genius of the work is believed to be in
it's simplicity. It is the perfect marriage of music and Biblical text
and exemplifies among the finest choral and solo writing of any age.
April
1993 - "Gloria" Randol Alan Bass,
John Rutter, Francis Poulenc
This concert showcased three different composers' offerings of the
ancient Latin movement of the Roman Catholic Mass Ordinary, the "Gloria".
Three contemporary composers are represented here - Randol Alan Bass, American,
(1991), John Rutter, English, (1974) and Francis Poulenc, French, (1959).
The pieces of Rutter and Bass comprised the first half of the program and
are scored for brass, percussion and organ. The longer, more elaborate
Poulenc piece is scored for a full symphony orchestra and soprano solo,
sung by Phyllis Oldham. These compositions are limited to the original,
unaltered text, however, the composers chose to emphasize and repeat various
sections, according to their points of view in both style and scale. The
works vary in length from six to 28 minutes.
December
1992 - Music of the A Cappella Tradition
This concert was an a cappella music collection spanning 400 years.
The concert included the earliest Medieval and Renaissance composers to
works written by composers of today, concluding with traditional music
of the holiday season. Among those performed were Gabrieli's "Lieto
Godea Secundo", K. Lee Scott's "Go, Lovely Rose", Allen Koepke's
"Festival
Psalter" and Tchaikovsky's "The Nightingale". Five songs by
Brahms, "Rest" by Ralph Vaughan Williams and "When Sunny Gets
Blue" by Marvin Fisher complete the first half of the program, with
soloist Ruth Hynson-Palmer (mezzo-soprano). The final half was Orlando
di Lasso's "Echo Song", Copeland's "Lark", Stravinsky's "Ave
Maria", followed by a collection of holiday music.
May
1992 - "The Cantors of Leipzig" - Music of Bach, Schelle &
Kuhnau
This concert was comprised of church music performed at the famous St. Thomas Church of Leipzig, Germany. The best-know of its cantors (choir masters), was Johann Sebastian Bach. Cantata No. 4 and Cantata No. 140, with solos by Ed Nordby, Ruth Baer, Jeffrey Baer, and Jonathan West, were performed in English. "Magnificat", by Johann Kuhnau, who was Bach's predecessor at the St. Thomas Church, opens the program. Johann Schelle was Kuhnau's predecessor and wrote many of the church cantata's used during the time of Bach's schooling. Performed in this concert were "Heut' triumphieret Gottes Sohn" , with solos by Barbara Roach, Julianne Hardy, Tracey Phillips, Cecil Yates and John Barber, and "Nun danket alle Gott". These two cantatas were only recently discovered by musicologist, Mary S. Morris. The music is accompanied by a 24-piece orchestra under the direction of Douglas I. Smith.
|
Easton Choral Arts Society
P. O. Box 13
Easton, Maryland 21601