The Joy in Rehearsal

Any of us who are choir directors, choir members or choral accompanists know that one  - if not the - most important element of any good and effective rehearsal is attitude! Attitude effects every element of a rehearsal - from having good posture (or not!) so that our physical engagement is perfect for singing to our spiritual and mental approach to the music itself so that the message in the score takes on audible life.

One way that I have found that assists me is to remember "from whence I came." I do not for a moment believe I am alone in having had a series of extraordinary teachers and experiences from childhood all the way to today! How many of us take the time to stand back and actually recount those musicians - those people - with whom we have been so intimately involved in learning and practicing our art? It is so worth the time to do so.

I have mentioned before that Mary Berry, the extraordinary chant scholar and Augustinian nun, used to close all of her chant seminars with the question "You will pass this on, wont' you?"  She generally answered herself by saying "You must carry on." Every time I think of her and the smile on her face as she said this, my own level of joy rises! This is  one way that I have found to  "re-enliven" myself when I start to become bored with repetition of a piece or am having a day in which choir rehearsal is the farthest from my mind.

I hope you might find this helpful - let me know!

Understanding the Baroque Musical Titans - Buxtehude and Bach

       If you take a few minutes to do a basic internet search on the music of either Dieterich Buxtehude or J.S. Bach, you will rapidly discover documents that speak about vast influences on both men! They were the musical pinnacles of German baroque sacred music. They  traveled far and wide and did things like hand-copy the manuscripts  in order to learn styles of other composers from other lands. (Realizing, of course,  that there were no photocopying machines, no pdfs on-line, and no regional aircraft to cross what now seem like small distances). Bach himself crossed several hundred miles to hear Buxtehude perform his own music.

      I am making this point because this week's Gloriae Dei Cantores concert is music of Dieterich Buxtehude and J.S. Bach  - North German Baroque composers who were composing within about the same 75 year time span. It is a perfect opportunity to do some personal reading and study about two famous composers who were the musical embodiment of the German High Baroque spirit and musical language!  Then, if you are able to attend, I will be doing a pre-concert talk on these two men and together, we will discover even more about listening with "their ears."

         

Dieterich Buxtehude - A name worth getting to know!

When we think of music of the baroque, often the first (and perhaps only!) name that comes to mind is J.S. Bach. Bach's name is more than synonymous with the musical time period generally defined as 1600-1750. But, if you look at those dates, and realize that Bach was not born until 1685, an obvious question arises: "What was going on musically during the first 100 years of the baroque?"

The north German musical world of the early 17th century was centered around the music of Dieterich Buxtehude. Though Buxtehude is known primarily today for his "progressive"  organ music - that is, much more technically demanding and musically developed than that of his immediate predecessors - he left over 100 choral works which have only in the past 25 years been "re-discovered' and hailed for their beauty and depth! On our next choral concert, Gloriae Dei Cantores will be performing Buxtehude's cantata cycle entitled "Membra Jesu nostri" in which he pays musical homage to Christ on the cross, adoring first Christ's feet and ultimately, His face. The depth of musical illustration of this text is is simply mind-blowing. Having spent some time with this particular work, I have a much better understanding of why the young J.S. Bach would walk the  250 mile journey from Arnstadt to Lübeck to hear the music of Buxtehude and why he felt it was worth losing his job to stay a full three months to learn from this great master!

The Joy of Bach!

Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten (We run with stumbling but eager steps) - the 2nd movement of J. S. Bach's cantata, Jesu, Der Du meine Seele -  is among the most beloved and recognized works of J.S. Bach- why? Is it the delight to be found in the voicing of a soprano and alto "speaking" to each other in duet? Is it the "bouncing" instrumental bass line? 

We often speak of the "joy" found in the works of Bach but do we really stop to think about why we experience that beyond just the surface textures? While preparing this work, I was reminded of a touching conversation between coloratura soprano Beverly Sills and the 'Tonight Show" host, Johnny Carson. Mr. Carson, a long time friend of Ms. Sills, asked her if she was a happy person. Her response, to his surprise as well as the audience was "No, I am not". Ms. Sills went on to say that she loved her work and her family but that the suffering in her personal life would never allow her to be happy. But, FOR THOSE SAME REASONS, she was quite joyful!

It is my personal conviction that had J.S. Bach been asked Mr. Carson's question, he would have given an answer similar to that of Ms. Sills. He suffered great personal loss in both family and business and yet, what an outpouring of audible verve in his music. Here is why I believe that, without even knowing it , we are "hooked" by the music of Bach. He knew incredible suffering and yet offers such hope and joy. It is his suffering which produces such genuine hope and joy in his music - and a faith in God that is both grounded and unmistakable!

A Year of Wonder

I suppose a title such as this could imply looking backward or forward.  Absolutely!   

As the 25th anniversary year for Gloriae Dei Cantores comes to a close, we stand in awe of what God has brought about. Our final Gala concerts were at the beginning of December and what a joy it was to see - under one roof - so many people who have supported the work of Gloriae Dei Cantores. And moreover - to hear them share their stories!

I believe, that much like the past 25 years, every new year will bring many blessings, struggles, and surprises.

So - where do we go from here?  The sheer variety of repertoire that we were able to cover this past year was incredible! Of course, in terms of the choral literature, we have only scratched the surface of that which is available to sing. I can't wait, because when journeying with God, the level of adventure is always tremendous!

O Come!

Great Advent and the O Antiphons have held a special place in my heart ever since I was first introduced to them as a novice over 30 years ago. In fact, as novices, the tradition so fascinated us that we constructed an O Antiphon Tree and decorated it with homemade "O" ornaments like keys, roots, scrolls, stars, etc.......
They link the old and new testament in unique and clever ways. The kinds of ways that make you feel smart for discovering them.
They are the basis for the beloved carol - O Come, O Come  Emmanuel
So even today when their season arrives - advent kicks up a notch.
I sit a little more forward and try to find something new.

O Come!

What God Hath Wrought

(A letter from Gloriae Dei Cantores, printed in the program for our 25th Anniversary Gala Concert)

It was 1988, and under the direction of Elizabeth Patterson, the choir had just

finished two month-long study periods in Cambridge, England, singing more than

one hundred pieces of choral repertoire, and completing eight levels of the Royal School

of Church Music theory program, the Modus Novus sight-singing course, daily

classes of Gregorian chant, and weekly personal voice lessons. In this same year,

one of the Community’s Founders died, and the dream of the future Church of the

Transfiguration began to take shape.

We had no idea of the adventure that was about to unfold.

As the winds of dramatic change began to sweep across Eastern Europe and the

former Soviet Union, the breath of the Holy Spirit was leading the newly named

Singers to the Glory of God to sing his praises in countries that had been

closed both to America, and to the sung word of God. From the outposts of Irkutsk to

the mountains of Croatia, the choir bridged cultural and ecumenical divides,

sharing the love and hope of Christ in churches and concert halls in twenty-three

countries. No one but the Divine Orchestrator could have brought together the

people in the places at the time we were there, to fling open doors in ways that would never have been possible.

Over the years, the challenges were manifold and daunting, as we struggled

to achieve the excellence and beauty that would honor and glorify God. We

sometimes flagged -- in faith, in effort, in energy, and in charity. But there were

many who stood with us, encouraging, teaching, and challenging us to the highest

standards of performance artistry. And there were others who sacrificed time,

resources, and prayers, supporting the mission of inspiration and healing that

can come through sacred texts sung from the hearts of consecrated lives. Along

the way we had the privilege of wonderful collaborations and performance

opportunities, forming deep friendships through shared musical experiences across

this country and abroad. God took our feeble offerings, and like the miracle of the

loves and the fishes, multiplied them to feed a hungry world.

Join us tonight, as with heartfelt gratitude,

we celebrate 25 years of God’s abundant faithfulness.

Gloriae Dei Cantores