FROM THE PRESIDENT As President, as well as a singing member of the Waukesha Choral Union, I am honored and privileged to welcome you to the Waukesha Choral Union’s final concert of the 2011-2012 season. We hope that our performance of An All-Beethoven Concert will bring as much enjoyment to you as it already has for us. We also hope that you can join us for “Give Us Peace” on May 21st, when we collaborate with the Bel Canto Chorus and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra at the Oconomowoc Arts Center. Our 2010-2011 season is made possible not only by the hard work and dedication of our singers and musicians, but also by the support of our donors, advertisers, sponsors, volunteers, and all those who attend our concerts. In order to be successful, our organization needs the efforts of all of these participants, just like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. As a member of today’s audience you are one piece of the puzzle. You can turn that into many pieces by inviting friends, family members, and neighbors to experience the wonderful performances that will make up our 2011-2012 season. Artistic Director Ernie Brusubardis has selected “Heaven and Nature Sings” as the theme for next season, which will begin with a wonderful concert in the beautiful chapel at Holy Hill. It promises to be yet another enjoyable experience for audience and singers alike. Tom Custis Waukesha Choral Union President
www.ChoralUnion.org · Waukesha Choral Union 1
A B O U T T H E WAU K E S H A C H O R A L U N I O N As the premiere chorus in the area, the Waukesha Choral Union has been musically active in the community for over 50 years. Originally a combination of the Carroll College student chorus and community singers named Waukesha Choral Society in 1949, the group became the Town and Gown in 1961 and the Waukesha Choral Union in 1974, taking its present form as an auditioned choir in 1978. MISSION The Waukesha Choral Union’s mission is to challenge, enrich, and engage its singing members, audiences, and community through the pursuit of excellence and a variety of programming. The WCU mission includes expansion of the effectiveness of its educational efforts throughout Waukesha County through collaboration with schools, area performing artists, and community arts organizations. S TA Y C O N N E C T E D TO T H E WAU K E S H A C H O R A L U N I O N Website www.ChoralUnion.org Sign up for our new eNewsletter
Search Waukesha Choral Union @Choral_Union
2 Waukesha Choral Union · www.ChoralUnion.org
WA U K E S H A C H O R A L U N I O N
Board of Directors Tom Custis - President Diane McGeen - Vice President Tom Hering - Treasurer Susan Wallenslager - Secretary Ernest Brusubardis, III - Ex-officio Kristina Boerger Tom Constable ReAnn Holmes Sarah Holmquist Barbara Miller Tom Smith Staff Ernest Brusubardis, III - Artistic Director Christopher Ruck - Accompanist Jim LaBelle - Marketing Director
www.ChoralUnion.org 路 Waukesha Choral Union 3
A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R Ernest Brusubardis, III, Artistic Director of the Waukesha Choral Union, is a graduate of UW Milwaukee with the Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Music and the Master’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis on choral conducting. His other choral directorships include the advanced ensembles of Hartford Union High School and the
Celebrating 27 Years of Growing
our Clients’ Businesses
Brusubardis-Dzimente Latvian Choir, a podium he shares with his father. His expertise in this latter pursuit has earned him the chief conductorship of Latvian Song Festivals in the United States, Canada, and Latvia. As a music theater enthusiast, he conducts the orchestra for the annual productions at Hartford Union High School and boasts a record as music director for community theater productions throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, including Menomonee Falls Patio Players, On the Wall and Off the Wall theaters, Archangel Productions, and shows at the UW Milwaukee and West Bend extensions.
139 E. North St. Historic Downtown Waukesha 262-650-8300 www.ImageMakersAdv.com 4 Waukesha Choral Union · www.ChoralUnion.org IMA_WaukChoral_10_11ad.indd 1
9/13/10 8:24:30 AM
F R O M T H E A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R This evening we end our regular season with an all-Beethoven concert. We begin with a choral arrangement of Die Himmel rühmen, Opus 48, number 4, originally written for solo voice followed by Hallelujah from Christus am Ölberge (Christ on the Mount of Olives), Op. 85. It is from an oratorio portraying the emotional turmoil of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane prior to his crucifixion. It was begun in the fall of 1802, after his completion of the Heiligenstadt Testament, but was only published in 1811. After a failed suicide attempt, Beethoven wrote this famous testament to his brothers declaring that he would live to complete his artistic destiny regardless of his physical ailments, chief among them, his struggle with deafness. He kept this document in secret with his papers where it was discovered only after his death in 1827. Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Mass in C are among the first fruits of his new resolve after writing the testament. He wrote his Mass in C major, Op. 86, to a commission from Prince Nikolaus Esterházy, II, in 1807, following in the footsteps of Haydn who had written a mass every year to honor the Prince’s wife. The Choral Fantasy was written as a finale to a concert where the same mass, as well as his 5th and 6th symphonies were performed. Beethoven was known for his piano improvisation skills, so it made sense to have a finale that would use all of the forces from the concert with the composer himself at the piano. It is with great pleasure that we collaborate with Steven Ayers as he leads us into the choral portion of the Choral Fantasy with the improvisatory section from the beginning of the work. May Beethoven’s example of resolve and commitment inspire us all to overcome whatever ails us, however great or small. Sincerely, Ernest “Ernie” Brusubardis, III Artistic Director
Subscribe to our e-newsletter Keep updated on featured shows and ticket giveaways in the Milwaukee, Chicago, and Madison areas. Sign up @ www.footlights.com/newsletter 6 Waukesha Choral Union · www.ChoralUnion.org
Subscribe for as little as $56 before June 24th and receive 1 free ticket to a concert of your choice! Love and the Sea October 11, 2011 at 7:30pm Oconomowoc Arts Center
Salute to Our Veterans: Americans in Paris November 13, 2011 at 3pm Shattuck Auditorium
Joyeux Noel: Christmas in Paris December 6, 2011 at 7:30pm Shattuck Auditorium
Gallic Delights
Tuesday, April 19, 2011 7:30pm Oconomowoc Arts Center With special recognition to winners of The Wisconsin Philharmonic’s Shining Stars Scholarship Competition!
February 26, 2012 at 3pm Sharon Lynne Wilson Center
Une Grande Finale: from France to Spain May 6, 2012 at 3pm Shattuck Auditorium
www.wisconsinphilharmonic.org
Waukesha CiviC TheaTre May 6-22, 2011
By William Shakespeare Love and madness collide in this madcap romp filled with unrequited love, cunning plans, and intense infatuations. After a shipwreck on an unfriendly shore, Viola must pose as a man to survive. She falls hopelessly in love with Orsino; who is pining for Olivia; who falls for Viola, thinking she is a man. The gender-bending triangle is complete and everyone is set awhirl by the absurdities of love. Twelfth Night is one of the Bard’s most irresistible and accessible plays. Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
COMEDY
A Gender-Bending Triangle Of Love, Laughter, And Lunacy TICKETS: Adult $19 • Student / Senior $17 Subscriber Discount and Group Rate $15 • Educational Group Discount $10
264 West Main Street • Waukesha 262-547-0708 • www.waukeshacivictheatre.org
MUSICAL FINES
Latecomers (Entering between songs)….. $10.00 Latecomers (Entering during songs).…….$100.00 Coughing.…………………………….…..$25.00 Watch Alarm.……………………….……$15.00 Tapping Foot.……………………….……$10.00 Cell Phone Ring Tone…………………... $500.00 Whispering.………………………………$25.00 Audibly Humming……………………… $50.00 Audibly Humming (Out of tune).………..$500.00 Opening Cough-Drop Wrapper.………….$25.00 Opening Cough-Drop Wrapper Slowly.….$5,000.00 Please make checks payable to Waukesha Choral Union
RALPH’S AUTO CENTER W395 N5700 Frontier Road Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066 PHONE (262) 567-0410 FAX (262) 567-0144
www.ChoralUnion.org · Waukesha Choral Union 9
is proud to support the
Waukesha Choral Union
Enjoy the Show!
Your Bank for Life’s Journey! With offices located in Brookfield, Delafield, Mukwonago, Muskego, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Sussex and Waukesha! ®
www.WaukeshaBank.com • Member FDIC
WAU K E S H A C H O R A L U N I O N Ernest Brusubardis, III, Director Christopher Ruck, Accompanist SOPRANO Karen Bieszk Indra Brusubardis Christine Budish Caitlin Butte Phyllis Cramer Paula Custis Carrie Garcia Jennifer Garcia Patricia Hummel Barbara Miller Rena Pett Sally Schwarz Carol Slaybaugh Mary Stephani Wendy Stippich Kathi Stoiber Joanna Vanderhoef ALTO Jane Dykema Maureen Hair Beth Heflin Claire Johnson Wendy Muller Jana Otto JoAnn Portz
Susan Rabe Colleen Reske Michele Rinka Judy Rosynek Mary Ruckh Susan Till Sue Wallenslager Anne Wandler TENOR David Betzold John Clausz Tom Custis Jeffrey Fillian James Gallup BASS Richard Blauvelt Ed Butte Norm Goeschko John Gustafson Tom Hering Charlie Hummel Dean Larson Paul Rempe Tom Smith Alan Thompson
AU D I T I O N I N F O R M AT I O N Waukesha Choral Union is always seeking new members. To schedule an audition please call (414) 297-9310 or email at membership@choralunion.org
The 2010-2011 Waukesha Choral Union season, “Putting Together a Community of Singers,” is sponsored in part by grants from the Arts Alliance of Waukesha County and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
www.ChoralUnion.org · Waukesha Choral Union 11
Built on Generations of Trust
WE BUY GOLD!
• Specializing in Diamonds & Fine Jewelry • Expert Repair & Custom Design • Appraisals by Graduate Gemologist
We Are Now Carrying Religious Jewelry & Gift Items 234 W. Main Street • Downtown Waukesha 262-547-7206 • Donna Krumrich-Manke
C O N T R I B U TO R S The Waukesha Choral Union is deeply grateful to these donors for their meaningful financial support. Their commitment to live, local music will help the WCU remain affordable and accessible to the communities we serve. Maestro ($2,500 and above) Anthony and Andrea Bryant Family Fund Wisconsin Arts Board Conductor ($1,000 to $2,499) Arts Alliance of Waukesha County JoAnn Portz Soloist ($500 - $999) Tom and Paula Custis Richard and Carol Snook Waukesha State Bank Chorister ($250 - $499) Alan Thompson Betty Lou Tikalsky Tom’s Heating Service Mary Stephani Patron ($100 - $249) Tom Constable Marion A. Eales GE Foundation
John Gustafson Practical Club Randle Dable Dick Smith Alan Thompson Accompanist ($25 - $99) Mark Aamot Maureen Bestland Ernie and Indra Brusubardis Katherine Ebel Hildegard Fischer Harry and Ingrid Goeschko Norman Goeschko Juanita Gorden Clark Gugler Tom and Pat Gregory Mary Johnson Charmaine and James LaBelle Peter Roidt Sally Schwartz Ruth and Glenn Van Haitsma Anne Wandler
Donations to the Messiah / Creation Project in honor of Fred Portz Mark Aamot Janice Davis Allegra Jrolf Ron Abrahamson Jane Dykema Margaret Ktoriedes Maryilyn Bradley Ralph Fischer Mary Lou Marose Susan Braunschweig Sharon Goodrum Dick Smith Petrea Brenkle Juanita Gorden Tom Smith Andrea Bryant Tom and Pat Gregory Donald Tewes Susanne Carman Clark Gugler Susan Wallenslager Judy Clark Pat Haughney Mary Ann Wolfe Tom and Paula Custis Elaine Hurdle Richard and Carol Snook D O N AT E TO T H E WAU K E S H A C H O R A L U N I O N OnLine www.ChoralUnion.org eMail president@ChoralUnion.org Phone 262-549-4863 Mail Waukesha Choral Union PO Box 495 Waukesha, WI 53187 Advertise in our next concert program Call 262-901-5325 or eMail marketingmanager@ChoralUnion.org Select #918425 Waukesha Choral Union for the Pick’n Save We Care Program Waukesha Choral Union is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. www.ChoralUnion.org · Waukesha Choral Union 13
ALL-BEETHOVEN CONCERT
Saturday, April 30, 2011 Shattuck Auditorium, Carroll University Waukesha Choral Union Ernest Brusubardis, III, Conductor Christopher Ruck, Piano Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) Die Himmel rühmen, Opus 48, No. 4 Christ on the Mount of Olives, Opus 85 Hallelujah Choral Fantasy, Opus 80 Steven Ayers - piano Intermission Mass in C major, opus 86 Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus (Benedictus) Agnus Dei
Ami Bouterse – Soprano Jillian Bruss – Mezzo-soprano Alexander Gmeinder – Tenor James Barany – Bass 14 Waukesha Choral Union · www.ChoralUnion.org
GUESTS SOLOISTS
Steven Ayers, Piano, received his training from Indiana University, majoring in piano, where he received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees, as well as a Performer’s Certificate. He attended the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and began work on his doctoral degree at UW-Madison. After several years of teaching piano post-graduation, Steven and his wife welcomed their first son, prompting Steven to look for a somewhat more stable source of income. He became a CPA at that time and spent 17 years helping others with all things tax related. However, three or four years ago, Steven began to feel as though he was missing the music in his life. So with both sons now grown and in college, he began to shift his career back to his love for making music. This led him to a job as a finance advisor for the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. He began to once again teach piano lessons and accompany string players, and has been on the faculty since 2005. Then Steven saw a job listing for a Company pianist for Milwaukee Ballet. He decided to apply—and after an audition consisting of sight reading some music from (what else?) The Nutcracker, and playing a piece of music that he had prepared ahead of time, Steven got the job and joined the Company. He also serves as accompanist for the String Academy of Wisconsin. Ami Bouterse, Soprano Ami Bouterse has performed soprano favorites in opera and musical theater such as Die Zauberflute, Le nozze di Figaro, Gianni Schicchi, The Wizard of Oz, The Mikado, Phantom of the Opera, and Into the Woods. Venues include Skylight Opera Theatre, Ash Lawn Opera Festival, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, New York Japan Society, Operafestival di Roma, Dorian Opera Theater, and Milwaukee Opera Theater. Recent concert performances include Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Verdi’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and
Litany for the Altar of the Blessed Sacrament. An international recitalist, the Atlantic Center for the Arts featured Ms. Bouterse at its New Arts Song Festival in Florence, Italy. Other recital venues include the Sopelana (Spain) Music Festival, Lake Geneva Chapter of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Milwaukee Civic Music Association. Award highlights include those sponsored by the Gerda Lissner Foundation in New York, MET District Council Auditions, multiple first place awards at various National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) auditions, and winning a Milwaukee Civic Music Association debut recital. Ms. Bouterse is an Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin- Parkside where she teaches private voice and other related courses, including directing the Opera Workshop. She received voice and opera theater performance degrees respectively from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and Carnegie Mellon University. Jillian Bruss, Mezzo-soprano, has performed both here and abroad in opera, oratorio, and recitals. She has performed with the Florentine Opera in both main stage and outreach programs, Milwaukee Opera Theatre, Dallas Opera, Milwaukee Choral Artists, Milwaukee Youth Symphony, Waukesha Choral Society, MasterSingers, Bel Canto Chorus, Milwaukee Choristers, and Lutheran Acapella Choir. In 2006, Jillian took a recital concert of American composed and arranged songs to the countries of her grandfathers, Denmark and Norway. She is the General Manager of the Milwaukee Opera Theatre and conductor of the women’s ensemble Women of Note. She also teaches private voice in her home studio in Elm Grove, at Pius XI high school, and at UW Parkside. Jillian holds a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Illinois – Champaign Urbana, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from UW-Stevens Point.
www.ChoralUnion.org · Waukesha Choral Union 15
GUEST SOLOISTS (cont) Alexander Gmeinder, Tenor, is currently a fifth-year senior at Lawrence University, where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance. Alex studies in the voice studio of Kenneth Bozeman. At Lawrence he has played the drunken neighbor in The Merry Wives of Windsor, King Ouf in Emmanuel Chabrier’s operetta L’Etoile, the title role in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide, and Vašek in The Bartered Bride by Smetana. In December, Alex performed the role of Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus with Candid Concert Opera in Madison. Recent concert works include Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Mass in Time of War, Bach’s Magnificat, Mendelssohn’s Magnificat, and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy in C. He also recently performed Beethoven’s Mass in C at Lawrence University. This past summer Alex studied at The Chautauqua Institute in Chautauqua, NY. While at Chautauqua
he performed the title role in Carissimi’s Jephte. He will be attending the Chautauqua Institute again this summer and hopes to attend graduate school in the fall. James Barany, Bass, has performed comprimario and supporting roles with the Florentine Opera, including the Herald in Rigoletto, Yakuside in Madama Butterfly and “Man #1” in Elmer Gantry. James has also performed with the Florentine Opera Chorus since 2005 as a Bass- Baritone in the productions of Aida, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Macbeth, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Madama Butterfly,The Magic Flute, Semele, Tosca, Elmer Gantry, Rigoletto, Rio De Sangre and L’ italiana in Algeri. James has also performed for Waukesha audiences as Sancho in Man of LaMancha at the Waukesha Civic Theatre.
Avalon Square A Masterpiece in Senior Living
Senior Apartments
Assisted Living
At Avalon Square, we ve transformed senior living into an art. Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Waukesha, Avalon Square offers premier access to a vibrant, urban lifestyle.
Call or visit us today! 262.446.9300 www.avalonsquare.com
16 Waukesha Choral Union · www.ChoralUnion.org
Specialty/Memory Care
Avalon Square 222 Park Place Waukesha, WI 53186
Thomas L. smiTh President
We have been meeting area residents' heating and cooling needs since 1954. Our outstanding workmanship, professional employees and superior equipment have helped us build a cherished reputation. • High-efficiency Gas Furnaces • Central Air & Air Cleaners • Power Humidifiers • 24-Hour Emergency Service
Tom’s Heating Service (262) 548-1300 TomsHeating.net
Thomas P. WyPiszynski Vice President
VENUE
ACROSS
BORDERS
ACROSS
TIME The Shattuck Music Center houses a recital hall that seats 150, an auditorium that seats 1350, and a Schantz seventytwo-stop pipe organ. The Department of Music has a large band-practice room, teaching studios, a multi-sensing room, a computerized music laboratory, and classrooms. Carroll University, often called Wisconsin’s pioneer college, is the oldest four-year institution of higher education in the state. In 1841, settlers living in the Wisconsin Territory community of Prairieville established the academy that five years later would become Carroll College. Soon after its founding, Carroll affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and adopted the motto “Christo et Litteris,” which means “for Christ and Learning.” Carroll’s early patrons believed that higher education would serve as an instrument for civilizing the wilderness, spreading the Gospel and planting the roots of democracy deep in the prairie soil. They also sought to provide for the prosperity of their children and future generations. Carroll was chartered by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature on Jan. 31, 1846, two years before Wisconsin became a state. On May 10, 2008, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to change the institution’s name to Carroll University, effective July 1, 2008. Throughout Carroll’s history, the hallmarks of its educational experience have been teaching excellence and individualized attention.
FLANDERS QUARTET “Six Wives of Henry VIII” Apr 30 (Sa) 5:00 n Wis Luth College This acclaimed quartet is joined by soprano Cecile Kempernaurs in a musical portrait of the renowned flamboyant English king and his six wives. Contemporary compositions of Piet Swerts are juxtaposed with original English ensemble music of Henry and his court composers. Order online or by phone.
Early Music Now 414.225.3113 n 877.546.8742 info@earlymusicnow.org www.earlymusicnow.org Watch for details of the extraordinary programs planned for
EMN’s 25th Anniversary Season! Save the dates – and register for updates at www.earlymusicnow.org All Saturdays at 5:00 unless otherwise noted. 2011 Oct 8 at UWM Zelazo Center Nov 19 at Wisconsin Lutheran Dec 10 at St. John’s Cathedral (7:30) 2012 Feb 18 at All Saints’ Cathedral Mar 17 at UWM Zelazo Center Apr 21 at St. Joseph Chapel
www.ChoralUnion.org · Waukesha Choral Union 19
COMPOSER’S CORNER Moodiness and Moonlight Ludwig van Beethoven Born in Bonn, Germany, 1770 Died in Vienna, Austria, 1827 German composer who was the dominant musical figure of the nineteenth century – particularly famous for his nine symphonies From: Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (And What the Neighbors Thought) Written by Kathleen Krull, Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt Harcourt Brace & Company – San Diego, New York, London MUSIC – NOT COOKING, GOOD MANNERS, OR FASHION – was Ludwig van Beethoven’s whole life. His father began giving him piano lessons before he was four years old. Young Beethoven was so small he had to stand on the piano bench in order to reach the keys; his father rapped his knuckles whenever he made a mistake. Neighbors recalled him as a tiny boy weeping in front of the piano. When he was a little older, his father roused Beethoven at midnight to show him off to friends he brought home from bars. By the time he was twelve, Beethoven was an organist at court. He was already publishing music and earning a salary that kept his family going when his father, an alcoholic, cold no longer take care of them. At age sixteen, he caught Mozart’s attention: “Keep our eyes on Him,” the older composer is said to have urged people. “Someday he will give the world something to talk about.” Beethoven had a difficult childhood but he could be playful. One day he bet a church singer that he could throw him off stride by playing variations as he accompanied the singer on the organ during the service. The singer accepted the challenge, but Beethoven won the bet: The singer was distracted. And Beethoven did get in trouble. Eventually, he became known as the greatest pianist of his time. He could play so beautifully that his listeners wept – and when they did, he would burst out laughing. “You are fools!” he would say. Yet if people talked while he played, he would stalk off in a huff. If he didn’t like the audience, he wouldn’t perform at all. His talent and powerful personality attracted many friends, but his moodiness could make it hard to stay friends with him. He insulted everyone. For an overweight violinist, he wrote a song called “Praise to the Fat One.” On his brother’s business card – which read “Johann van Beethoven, Landowner” – Beethoven scrawled “Ludwig van Beethoven, Brain Owner.” Once he became angry with a prince who was important to his financial health, telling him, “There are and there will be thousands of princes. There is only one Beethoven.” A policeman arrested Beethoven one day for acting suspiciously. By this time the composer was very well known, and the policeman refused to believe that the “great Beethoven” could look as he did. The fashionable hairstyle of the day 20 Waukesha Choral Union · www.ChoralUnion.org
UPCOMING CONCERTS Waukesha Choral Union GIVE US PEACE Ernest Brusubardis, III, Music Director 2010-2011 Season
Saturday, May 21, 2011 7:30pm Oconomowoc Arts Center With Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Bel Canto Chorus
2011-2012 SEASON
HEAVEN AND NATURE SINGS
THE HUMAN AND THE DIVINE
Saturday, October 15, 2011 8:00pm Basilica at Holy Hill With Hartford Union High School Concert Choir
A COLLAGE OF CAROLS
Friday, December 9, 2011, 8:00pm St. Luke’s Church, Waukesha Sunday, December 11, 2011, 3:00pm St. Catherine’s, Oconomowoc
MESSIAH
Sunday, March 25, 2012, 3:00pm Shattuck Auditorium, Carroll University
AWAKENING AND RENEWAL Saturday, May 5, 2012, 8:00pm Shattuck Auditorium, Carroll University
Purchase tickets from Waukesha Choral Union Members, at all Waukesha State Bank locations online www.ChoralUnion.org or phone 414-297-9310
C O M P O S E R ’ S C O R N E R ( c o n t .) was careful pigtails, but Beethoven let his thick hair grow long and wild. He also couldn’t be bothered with clean or stylish clothes. When his clothes became too dirty and disgusting, his friends took them away during the night and brought new ones. Beethoven never noticed the difference. Even Beethoven admitted that he was not physically attractive: “I cannot love what is not beautiful – or I should be loving myself.” He was short, with a huge head and hairy hands. His face was scarred from smallpox, and he had sad, nearsighted eyes. In later life, his ears were stuffed with pieces of cotton wool soaked in some yellow fluid. Only his protruding teeth were always clean: he constantly rubbed them with his napkin. One of his favorite foods was macaroni and cheese. He also liked red herrings, a mushy soup of bread and eggs, and strong coffee that he made himself – exactly sixty beans to the cup. He was notorious for his bad cooking, and for his behavior in restaurants. Once he got so mad at a waiter that he dumped a plate of veal and gravy on the man’s head – and laughed. He had a loud laugh and a loud, annoying voice. And he liked to spit. He sometimes left restaurants without paying and sometimes he wrote music on the bill. “I am never alone when I am alone,” Beethoven said. He usually got up early in the morning to compose, then later walked through the streets of Vienna, muttering, growling, and stamping his feet. He carried bulging notebooks of music with him at all times. His handwriting was so messy that almost no one other than himself could read it.
presents MALE A CAPPELLA CHORUS • GREENDALE, WI
Sway! Let the Music Move You!
May 21st, 2011 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Greendale High School Auditorium • 6801 Southway • Greendale, WI.
Ticket prices: $12, $19, and $26. Senior and Group prices: $2, $4, and $6 off the regular price.
Tickets are available by calling 888-240-4426 or online at www.mve.org
pri!
Special guest Quartet, Ca
Capri consists of two barbershop-brat sisters, a ukulele playing grandma and a single baritone. The current Sweet Adeline’s International 3rd place medalists and are two-time recipients of the Audience Choice Award.
Also featured, Skyline – a BHS “Top 20” Quartet. Recently voted “Audience Favorite Ballad” award at their International Preliminaries Contest!
s‌
ht g i e H w e N nce
e i r e p Ex
in Choral Performance with the Waukesha Choral Union & in Real Estate Service with Summit Realty. Summit Realty Serving Waukesha and Diane McGeen Supporting the Community (262) 521-3049 for over 20 years. www.SummitRealty.Org
Summit_09-10 choral ad_final.indd 1
9/28/09 12:39 PM
C O M P O S E R ’ S C O R N E R ( c o n t .) In the afternoon, he’d go to a coffeehouse to gossip and read the newspapers. Sometimes he worked all night, by moonlight, going without food or sleep. More to keep awake than to get clean, he would pour pitchers of water over his head, which annoyed his downstairs neighbors when the water flooded the floor and leaked through their ceiling. When a group of boys peeked in his ground-floor window one time, they caught him working in his underwear. His room was even more shocking: dirty laundry, half-eaten food, rusty pens, scribbled papers everywhere; there was even a full chamber pot under the piano. His landlords didn’t like him, and he had to move once or twice a year. Beethoven would have been difficult to live with. (One woman who rejected his proposal of marriage called him “ugly and half crazy.”) He always had to have his own way. He never married, but he was always in love, often with a woman who was already married or engaged. The saddest thing about Beethoven’s life was his gradual deafness, beginning in his late twenties. But he was used to writing music he couldn’t hear. As a child he had been too young to play the compositions he wrote. As his hearing grew worse and worse, he lived inside his head more than ever and kept on writing music with no loss of energy. He broke strings on his piano trying to pound loud enough so that he could hear the notes. Frustration made him more moody, even at times suicidal. Beethoven conducting an orchestra was a sight to see. He would leap into the air during the loud parts, waving his arms toward the skies, sometimes shouting without being aware of it. Then he would crouch low during the quiet parts, almost creeping under the music stand. Audiences loved his music. In his last public performance, he began to cry when someone turned him around to make him aware of the roaring applause that he couldn’t hear. He died of liver failure at age fifty-seven. The legend is that he roused himself from his bed at the end during a violent thunderstorm and shook his fist at the sky, defiant as ever. Mozart’s Requiem (the same work Mozart had thought he was writing for his own funeral) was played at Beethoven’s funeral. It was a sad day for Vienna: one out of ten people who lived there came to pay their respects. e e e
Musical Notes Possibly the most famous notes of all time are the first four notes of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony – three short beats followed by one long beat. Some people think they represent the knocking of Fate at one’s door. The last movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is choral music set to Schiller’s poem Ode to Joy. The music has inspired people ever since it was written. It was played, for example, during the Chinese student protest in 1989, and when Germany’s Berlin Wall came down in 1990. Beethoven dedicated the famous Moonlight Sonata to eighteen-year-old Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. He was in love with her – but he was also in a tight spot. He needed to take back another dedication he had made to her and give it to someone else. The famous piano piece called Für Elise may actually have been meant as Für Therese – a pupil who ended up refusing Beethoven’s proposal of marriage.
www.ChoralUnion.org · Waukesha Choral Union 25
PROGR A M NOTES Die Himmel rühmen, Opus 48, No. 4 Beethoven’s Gellert Lieder were composer during a tumultuous time in the composer’s life. In 1801 we find Beethoven’s first mention of his growing deafness. The probability that his deafness was incurable tempted Beethoven to withdraw from society. During the same year, however, the composer writes of “a dear charming girl who loves me and whom I love. ... “This was certainly the sixteen-year-old Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, a student of Beethoven and the dedicatee of the Moonlight Sonata, written in 1801. In 1803, Guicciardi married Count Wenzel Gallenberg, a young composer of ballet music. Myriad setbacks in Beethoven’s life may have induced his temporary attraction to religious subjects such as the Gellert poems of Op. 48. Published in Vienna by Artaria in 1803, the Six Songs were dedicated to Count Johann von Browne (1767-1827), one of Beethoven’s chief early patrons. Die Himmel rühmen (The Heavens extol the Glory of God) was published as the fourth of the Six Songs, Op. 48. The song is a majestic description of nature’s declarations of the glory of God. Octaves or block chords in the piano part trace the vocal line, which is more instrumental than vocal in conception. Marked “majestic,” the voice and piano begin by outlining the tonic triad, creating a military atmosphere. A quick modulation to G minor at “Vernimm, o Mensch, ihr göttlich Wort!” prepares us for the appearance of E flat major two measures later. As the poem describes, “Wer trägt der Himmel unzählbare Sterne?” (Who bears the heavens’ innumerable stars?), Beethoven slowly returns to the tonic, C major.
26 Waukesha Choral Union · www.ChoralUnion.org
P R O G R A M N O T E S ( c o n t .) Hallelujah Christ on the Mount of Olives, Op. 85, is an oratorio portraying the emotional turmoil of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane prior to his crucifixion. The libretto in German is by the poet Franz Xaver Huber. It was first heard on April 5, 1803, and revised by Beethoven in 1811 for publication. The work is a dramatic oratorio rather than a religious choral Mass or a dramatic opera, and is a much more humanistic portrayal of the Christ passion than other settings, such as those by Bach. It concludes at the point of Jesus personally accepting his fate, placing the emphasis on his own decision rather than the later Crucifixion or Resurrection. Although the work enjoyed immediate public success following its premiere, it has since drifted into obscurity, and is now rarely performed, being commonly regarded as falling below Beethoven’s usual standards of excellence. However, the finale chorus has enjoyed some popularity on its own, usually being rendered as an Hallelujah. Choral Fantasy, Op. 80 The Fantasia was first performed in December of 1808, which also saw the premières of the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies as well as a performance of portion of the C major Mass. To conclude this memorable concert program, Beethoven wanted a “brilliant Finale” that would unite in a single piece the different musical elements highlighted in the concert night: piano solo, chorus and orchestra. The Fantasia op. 80, was thus written expressly to fulfill this role. Beethoven himself played the piano part and the opening solo offers an example of his improvisational style (at the premiere he did, in fact, improvise this section).
ALL DIRECTIONS LEAD TO MCA! The Milwaukee Choral Artists’ 2011-2012 Season
Northern Lights
October 22, 2011, 7:30 PM
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church 1615 Wauwatosa Avenue, Wauwatosa
Southern Skies & Western Winds
February 18, 2012, 7:30 PM
Unitarian Universalist Church West 13001 West North Avenue, Brookfield
Eastern Voyages
April 14, 2012, 7:30 PM
Fox Point Lutheran Church 7510 North Santa Monica Blvd., Fox Point SPECIAL PERFORMANCE C O L L A B O R AT I O N
A Present Music Thanksgiving November 20, 2011
St. John’s Cathedral 812 North Jackson Street, Milwaukee
milwaukeechoralartists.org 262/628-5022
PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S VOCAL ENSEMBLE SHARON A. HANSEN, FOUNDER AND MUSIC DIRECTOR
www.ChoralUnion.org · Waukesha Choral Union 27 SeasonAD1-April.indd 1
4/21/11 3:26 PM
P R O G R A M N O T E S ( c o n t .) The premiere performance seems to have been a rather troubled one; according to the composer’s secretary, “it simply fell apart,” a result most likely attributable to insufficient rehearsal time. Because of a mistake in the execution of the piece, it was stopped half way through and restarted. The Choral Fantasy includes a sequence of variations on a theme that is widely felt to be an early version of a far better known variation theme, namely the one to which Beethoven set the words of Friedrich Schiller’s Ode to Joy in his Ninth Symphony. Mass in C major, opus 86 Each year, in honor of his wife’s name-day (September 8), Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy, II, commissioned a new mass to be sung at his residence in Eisenstadt, Austria. In 1807, the commission fell to Beethoven. The Mass in C Major was first performed on September 13, 1807, under the composer’s direction. While Beethoven seems to have been quite pleased with the work, his first effort in the genre, Prince Esterházy was not, describing it as “unbearably ridiculous and detestable.” The composer was undeterred, however, and the mass received a more positive response after an 1812 performance. At the time of the work’s publication, Beethoven considered dedicating it to Napoleon, but finally decided upon Prince Ferdinand Kinsky, possibly as an intentional snub to the ungrateful Esterházy. That Beethoven wished to set the mass text “in a manner in which it has rarely been treated” is evident right from the opening of the Kyrie, which begins with unaccompanied bass voices. A passage in the Sanctus, scored for voices and tympani only, must have been equally startling to contemporary audiences. Much like Haydn before him, Beethoven further divided main sections of the mass into smaller units, allowing for a progression of keys and tempi. Beethoven reduces the choral texture to unison or octave singing for particularly profound passages of text, including “Quoniam tu solus sanctus” (Thou alone are holy), “Deum verum de Deo vero” (True God from true God) and “sub Pontio Pilato” (under Pontius Pilate). As in the Fifth Symphony, the contrast between C major and C minor is a salient feature. The texts associated with these keys imbue the contrast with particular meaning: C minor implies anguish, C major, relief. This is especially evident in the Agnus Dei, where the C minor of “miserere nobis” (Have mercy on us) gives way to a “dona nobis pacem” (Grant us peace) in C major.
28 Waukesha Choral Union · www.ChoralUnion.org
T H E L A S T WO R D
10 SIMPLE WAYS PARENTS CAN GET MORE ART IN THEIR KIDS’ LIVES 1. Enjoy the arts together. Sing, play music, read a book, dance, or draw with your child at home. 2. Encourage your child to participate in the arts and celebrate their participation in or out of school. 3. Explore your community’s library and read “the classics” together—from Mother Goose to Walt Whitman. 4. Read your local newspaper to find out about attending local arts events like museum exhibits, local plays, festivals, or outdoor concerts. 5. Tell your child’s teacher, principal, and school leadership that the arts are vital to your child’s success and an important part of a quality education. Find out if your school has sufficient resources for arts education, including qualified teachers and materials. If not, offer to help. 6. Contact your local arts organizations to inquire about the arts education programs they offer either during school hours or after school. Volunteer to donate time, supplies, or help with their advocacy efforts and connect these services to your child’s school. 7. Attend a school board or PTA meeting and voice your support for the arts to show them you care and make sure the arts are adequately funded as part of the core curriculum in the school budget. 8. Explore your child’s dream to sing, to dance, to draw, to act—and encourage them to become the best they can be through the arts. 9. Be an arts supporter! Contact your elected officials—lawmakers and school board members—to ask them for more arts education funding from the local, state, and federal levels.. 10. Sign up to become an activist on the Americans for the Arts website, www. ArtsUSA.com. You will get news updates and alerts about arts education.
30 Waukesha Choral Union · www.ChoralUnion.org
YOUR HARDSCAPE SPECIALIST
Taking your dream and creating a reality in your backyard.
• • • •
Brick Paver Patios Pillars and Seat Walls Water Falls Built in Fire Pits and BBQ’s • Outdoor Lighting Lawn Maintenance Also Avaliable
Free Estimates / Fully Insured / Satisfaction Guaranteed Call Dave at 262-784-8219 groundsmaintenancewi.com