The 122nd Annual
Concert of Sacred Music
The Auditorium Northfield, Massachusetts May 1, 2016 v 2:30 pm
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This concert is funded by the generosity of many donors and by the Pflug Concert Fund, courtesy of John Pflug ’56. 2
“I don’t know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed.”
Mary Oliver
2 The theme for this year’s Concert of Sacred Music is How We Pray. Prayer is deeply personal and also powerfully communal. A prayer can be a simple utterance, or a complicated conversation. It can be a recitation of words that have been spoken by others for centuries, or a stream-of-consciousness emotional outpouring of the soul. It can be a walk in the woods, or a view from a mountaintop. Perhaps a quiet moment alone, or amongst thousands of others shouting for peace. We are blessed that we are in a place where we have the freedom to pray if we wish, and we can do it in the way we choose. Our music today includes prayers from many traditions, religions, and cultures. While we have not been able to present prayers from every tradition we embody here at NMH, we hope we have created a rich tapestry of sacred words that communicate important human desires: freedom, faith, connection to nature, help, hope, and, perhaps above all, peace.
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Program Call to Prayer: Kyrie
David Fanshawe (1942–2010)
From African Sanctus Translation of Call to Prayer:
God is great. I witness there is only one God. Mohammed is the Prophet of God. Come hurry to prayer. Come hurry to do that which is most needful. God is great. There is only one God. Translation of the Kyrie:
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy. In 1969, David Fanshawe, a British composer, went to Africa with the idea of writing a major work that would combine his love of travel, adventure, and recording with his own composition. On the hill of the citadel in Cairo, overlooking the Nile, he heard the unlikely combination, in his head, of a Western choir accompanying the Islamic “Call to Prayer.” This was the inspiration for his major choral work, African Sanctus. He traveled up the Nile to Lake Victoria, recording indigenous African music, then returned to England to compose a piece in which he combined the collected recordings he made with his own music, creating a large work of (in his own words) “Praise to One God.” The Call to Prayer juxtaposes a recording of the singing of the Islamic Call to Prayer by an Imam with the choir singing the opening of the Christian Mass, the Kyrie. The melodic material for the Kyrie is taken from the transcendent and beautiful Call to Prayer.
the concert choir and the alumni choir
Grant Us Thy Peace
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809–1847)
Felix Mendelssohn, born into a prominent German Jewish family, was a child prodigy, much like Mozart. His family would not capitalize on his talent, however. Instead of traveling the country with their son, they turned their living room into a musical and intellectual salon, bringing musical opportunities to him in their home. Mendelssohn’s compositions are full of gorgeous melodies, as is clear in this setting of a prayer for peace.
the concert choir
Page 2 The Holberg Suite Prelude
Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
Most famous for his Piano Concerto in A Minor, Edvard Grieg was the premier Scandinavian composer of the late 19th century. His love of Norwegian folk music and his affinity for tuneful writing made him a national treasure. The Holberg Suite was written in 1855 for the Holberg bicentennial in Norway. Ludvig Holberg was an 18thcentury Scandinavian playwright who wrote comedies in the vein of Molière and Plautus.
the chamber orchestra
There Will Be Rest
Frank Ticheli (b.1958) Poem by Sara Teasdale (1884–1933)
There will be rest, and sure stars shining Over the roof-tops crowned with snow, A reign of rest, serene forgetting, The music of stillness holy and low. I will make this world of my devising, Out of a dream in my lonely mind. I shall find the crystal of peace, — above me Stars I shall find. Sara Teasdale is regarded as one of the great American lyric poets. Her lyrical style has its roots in the works of Sappho, Christina Rossetti, and Housman. Haunted by depression in later years, Teasdale took her own life at the age of 48. Many of her poems address the pain that tormented her spirit, but to the end she seemed to draw strength and hope from the stars and their permanent radiance. “There Will Be Rest,” one of her last poems, is a perfect summary of her lifelong concern for the stars and their ancient promise of peace. This choral setting is designed to capture the poem’s purity of spirit and delicate lyricism [notes from the composer, Frank Ticheli].
the nmh singers
Page 3 Not Alone for Mighty Empire, Class of 2016 Hymn
Rowland Hugh Prichard (1811–1887) Text by William Pierson Merrill (1867–1954)
Hyfrydol
The audience is invited to stand and join in the singing of the hymn.
Not alone for mighty empire Stretching far o’er land and sea; Not alone for bounteous harvests, Lift we up our hearts to see, Standing in the living present, Memory and hope between, Yes, we would with deep thanksgiving, Sing praise most for things unseen. Pray for justice, save the people From the clash of race and creed; From the strife of class and faction: Make our nation free indeed. For the priceless gift of freedom, For the home, this place, the school, For the open door to justice In a land the people rule. Sunrise Mass The Spheres (Kyrie) Sunrise (Gloria) Identity and The Ground (Sanctus and Agnus Dei)
Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978)
amelia olsen ’16 and lauren eminth ’16, violin solo
Kyrie
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
Page 4 Gloria
Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace to all those of good will. We praise you. We bless you. We worship you. We glorify you. We give thanks to you according to your great glory. Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father almighty. Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. You who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us. You who takes away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You who sits at the right hand of the Father, Have mercy upon us. For You alone are holy. You alone are the Lord. You alone are the most high, Jesus Christ. With the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Sanctus
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Agnus Dei
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
The Sunrise Mass is a symphonic Mass for double chorus and string orchestra, composed in 2008. It was premiered in Oslo, Norway, the homeland of the composer, Ola Gjeilo (pronounced Yay-lo), in November of that year. The English titles of the Latin movements of the Mass are unusual. In Gjeilo’s words: “I wanted the musical development of the Mass to go from the most transparent and spacey, to something completely earthy and grounded; from nebulous and pristine to more emotional and dramatic, and eventually warm and solid, as a metaphor for human development from child to adult, or as a spiritual journey. I always want there to be a positive evolution in artistic expressions; to move everything forward, to transcend conflict and dissonance, by going through it, not avoiding it. Ideally, it has the capacity to help bring us deeper into ourselves rather than the other way” [Ola Gjeilo, notes from the vocal score for Sunrise Mass]. The music that Gjeilo has composed is lush and in its dissonance, profound. Rhythmic intensity takes a back seat to harmony and melody; chords are held for extended periods of time, wrapping the listener in the color of sound. The choice to use only strings in the orchestra allows for an unusual blend between them and the voices. In the final movement, “Identity and The Ground,” the composer does ground us in a rapturous melody, only to then leave us with the final sustained, shimmering and consonant chords, the setting of the words “grant us peace.”
the concert choir, the alumni choir, and the strings of the symphony orchestra
Page 5 Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 Adagio molto - Allegro con brio
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Beethoven was a pivotal figure in the development of Western concert music. He straddled the Classical and Romantic periods and pushed the boundaries of musical form. His musical sketchbooks show us that he considered a large number of possibilities before deciding on motives, melodies, harmonies, and instrumentation. His first symphony was very much influenced by two great composers who came before him: Haydn and Mozart. In this music, we hear many similarities with Beethoven’s elders and contemporaries, but we also hear indications of the greatness that is to come.
the symphony orchestra
Jerusalem Text by William Blake (1757–1827)
C. Hubert Parry (1848–1918) Arranged by Joseph T. Elliott Jr.
The audience is invited to stand and join in the singing of the hymn.
And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England’s mountains green? And was the Holy Lamb of God On England’s pleasant pastures seen? And did the countenance divine Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here Among those dark satanic mills? Bring me my bow of burning gold! Bring me my arrow of desire. Bring me my spear! O clouds unfold! Bring me my chariot of fire! I will not cease from mental fight, Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand, Till we have built Jerusalem In ev’ry green and pleasant land.
Page 6 Eli, Eli (My God, My God)
Song by David Zahavi(1910–1977) Arranged by Sheila L. Heffernon (b. 1954) Poem by Hannah Senesh (1921–1944)
My God, my God, I pray that these things never end: The sand and the sea, the rush of the water, The lightning in the sky, the prayer of the heart. Hannah Senesh was a Hungarian Jew who immigrated to Palestine in 1941 in order to help the Zionist movement. She enlisted in the military and became a paratrooper, eventually being promoted to Special Operations Executive Paratrooper. In 1943, she and 37 fellow paratroopers were airdropped by the British into Yugoslavia to help rescue Hungarian Jews who were about to be deported to the death camp at Auschwitz. She was arrested at the Hungarian border, eventually tried, and executed for treason at the age of 23 because she refused, in spite of repeated and cruel torture, to reveal the details of her mission. She is a national hero in Israel. Senesh wanted to be a writer; she especially loved to write poetry. “Eli, Eli” is one of her most famous poems. This poem and the tune that David Zahavi composed for it have haunted me ever since my teacher, Iva Dee Hiatt, shared them with me. I wrote the arrangement of it for this year’s Select Women’s Ensemble, to whom it is dedicated; I am grateful to them for presenting this premiere.
the select women’s ensemble
Hatikvah
Morton Gould (1913–1996)
Text by Naftali Imber (1856–1909)
As long as within the innermost heart, the Jewish spirit sings, and as long as the eye looks eastward toward Zion, hope is not lost. The hope of two thousand years still lives on: to be a free people in the land of Zion and Jerusalem. Morton Gould was a composer, conductor, pianist, and teacher from New York. He had a wonderful and varied career. He was the conductor for many orchestras, including Radio City Music Hall in New York. He composed music for major symphonies, television, films. He won the Pulitzer Prize and was honored by the Kennedy Center for his contributions to American culture. The text for “Hatikvah” was written by Naftali Imber in 1878. Like Senesh, Imber started writing poetry as a child. His first book of poems, Morning Star, was published in 1886. One of the poems in it, “Tikvateinu (Our Hope),” became the lyrics of the Zionist movement, of which he was a part. The poem, in an adapted form, became the lyrics of the national anthem of the State of Israel. This is the version that Morton Gould arranged for chorus.
the alumni choir craig k. sandford, piano
Page 7 Jerusalem Luminosa
Abbie Betinis (b. 1980)
“Jerusalem Luminosa is an exploration of peace. The 15th-century text is taken from a much longer poem celebrating Jerusalem and the unmeasured praises sung about its everlasting light. The music begins in a tranquil state. What ensues, however, is another vision of true peace: not a peace that pacifies, but one that engages in the act of peacemaking — of compromise, and of joy in collaboration. The voices “play tag,” each part constantly trying to catch up with the other, lending and borrowing beats in order to align at cadences and partner at melodic peaks. Today we know Jerusalem as a city shrouded in generations of controversy and war. Indeed, if there could only be some lending and borrowing, some geographical, moral, and religious compensation in that part of the world and everywhere, perhaps peace would be closer at hand.” [From the notes in the vocal score for Jerusalem Luminosa by Abbie Betinis, 2002.] Abbie Betinis is a composer from Minnesota who is making a significant contribution to the world of choral music through her compositions and her advocacy for the art of choral singing.
the select women’s ensemble
Many Blessings
Heffernon
abdikarim hussein ’16, arabic; xiuzhu mino song ’16, chinese; phan hanh linh trinh ’16, buddhist; annabel gould ’16, irish; abigail milhaly ’17, quechua; claire mitike lyons ’16, amharic (ethiopia); lauren spagnuolo, american sign language; isabel colon ’16, northfield benediction A blessing can be a prayer that is shared casually (when someone sneezes) or formally (for a wedding or welcoming of a newborn child). Blessings can be rooted in religious or cultural traditions, and they are often associated with joyous occasions. When I first conceived of this piece, I heard blessings in many different languages being incorporated in the music. As I worked with them, I realized that I did not want to try to mold the beautiful language of the many blessings from different cultures to Western music, which is the tradition from which I come. The piece became a dance (the repeated theme “Blessings upon you,”) interwoven with settings in English of the Buddhist and Quechua texts. The piece is framed by spoken blessings, in their original languages, over the rhythmic chant of the singers. It concludes with our community’s blessing, the words of the “Northfield Benediction.” I wrote this piece for this year’s NMH Singers, to whom it is dedicated, and thank them for presenting this premiere. Blessings upon you!
the nmh singers
Page 8 Common Ground
Paul Winter (b. 1939)
The audience is invited to stand and join in the singing of the hymn.
Voices are calling round the earth Music is rising in the sea The spirit of morning fills the air Guiding my journey home. Where is the path beyond the forest? Where is the song I always knew? I remember it just around the bend, In the village the music never ends. Refrain: In a circle of friends, in a circle of sound All our voices will blend when we touch common ground. Voices are calling round the earth Music is rising in the sea The spirit of morning fills the air Guiding my journey home. Here is the path beyond the forest, Here is the song I always knew I remembered it just around the bend In the music the village never ends. Refrain members of the stage combo
The Chase
Steven Bathory-Peeler (b. 1965)
Originally written as the third movement of a four-movement suite titled Film Score to an Unmade Film, this short, angular piece is meant to accompany thoughts of a chase scene in a movie. When it was originally performed, audience members were given pencils and index cards, and asked to write down thoughts regarding a possible plot for the movie. Later in the concert, a few particularly imaginative note cards were read back to the audience.
the symphony orchestra
Page 9 Baba Yetu
Christopher Tin (b. 1976)
jae yeun charlie yoon ’16, hyewon skylar kim ’16, abdulmajeed sadiq-adamu ’16, mira sachdeva ’18, naomi christiansen ’18, alexander kryuchkov ’17, soloists ishan dirks ’17, cajon; chaewon carrie kim ’18, doumbek; maxine mcclendon ’16, djun, djun; taishiro mizutani ’18, guiro shaker
Our Father, who is in Heaven Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our sins, as We forgive others. Lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil. Amen. Christopher Tin, an American composer, has won two Grammys for his classical crossover album, Calling All Dawns. He writes for the concert hall, films, video games, and commercials, and is heavily influenced by world music. He is best known for the piece we are performing today, Baba Yetu. It was featured in the 2005 video game, Civilization IV. Chris Kiagiri set the Swahili adaptation of “The Lord’s Prayer” to Tin’s music.
the concert choir and the world music combo
Harmoniemesse Agnus Dei Dona Nobis Pacem
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
(see translations under Sunrise Mass)
nancy farrand ’75, soprano; heather jones sano ’83, mezzo-soprano donald freeman ’55, tenor; ted finlayson-schueler ’68, baritone The Harmoniemesse, composed in 1802, is the last major work that Haydn composed. It is one of six Masses that he wrote for his patron, Miklós II, in his later life; they are considered to be the most important Masses composed in Europe in the 18th century. The nickname Harmoniemesse was given to this last one because it prominently features the woodwinds of the orchestra. The German term for a woodwind band is “harmoniemesse.” Prior to this Mass, the woodwinds were not usually part of the orchestration. It seems fitting to end our concert, focused on prayers, with a setting of the text “Dona nobis pacem.” Grant us peace — a universal prayer.
Page 10 Northfield Benediction
Lucy Rider Meyer (1849–1922) The congregation is invited to remain seated and join in the singing of the hymn.
The Lord bless thee and keep thee, The Lord make his face shine upon thee, And be gracious unto thee, And be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance, His countenance upon thee, And give thee peace, And give thee peace. The “Northfield Benediction” was sung for the first time on February 5, 1885, at the birthday celebration of Betsey Moody, the mother of Dwight Lyman Moody. The Bible text was set to a tune by Lucy Rider Meyer, a one-year teacher in the religious studies department, specifically for this occasion. The celebration also marked the official opening of Marquand Hall. The “Northfield Benediction” has been part of Sacred Concert since 1925, when it first appeared on the program at the Mount Hermon School for Boys.
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Special thanks to Abdikarim Hussein, Jing Liu, Bea Garcia, Ted Thornton, Emily Jacobson, Meg Donnelly, Lauren Spanguolo, Hyewon Skylar Kim, Gorgui Diaw, Lee-Ellen Strawn, and Grant Gonzales for their guidance with the program; to Ron Smith, for always being willing to collaborate; to Sue Rhenow, Harry van Baaren, and everyone in Communications for their production of the program; to our ushers; to Laura Carbonneau, Marggie Slichter, and the wonderful people in Advancement for all their support; to Susan Podlenski, Gail Doolittle ’89, Gretchen Licata, and all the amazing Plant and Property staff for their many hours of help; and to Steve Wiggins and the National Christian Foundation, who have generously opened the Auditorium to us.
This concert is being digitally recorded by Legrandice. CDs are available for $21. Contact the music office at 413-498-3281 or email srhenow@nmhschool.org to place an order.
Sheila L. Heffernon Director of Choral Music
Steven Bathory-Peeler Director of Orchestral and Band Music
Craig K. Sandford Accompanist
Emily Jacobson ’16 Lachlan Miller ’17 Alexis Portnoy ’17 Laura Bertrand ’18 Choir Managers
Daniel Clarke ’17 Orchestra Manager
Ronald Smith
Director of Jazz and World Music