West Chester University Symphony Orchestra Concert Choir, and Mastersingers Joseph Caminiti, David P. DeVenney, Ryan Kelly, directors
Sunday, April 28, 2019 Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall Philips Memorial Building 7:30 PM
CONCERT PROLOGUE Tonight’s concert couples two profound works. The first is taken from Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 (written 1892, 1899-1900; revised 1910), a work, whose outer movements especially, is largely freed of the often weighty and dark matters that consumed much of Mahler’s compositions. An overarching muse of this symphony is a child’s view of heaven. The third movement, however, has a rather mature affect ranging from blissful solace to sad introspection; elegant consolation to the glorious gates of heaven; brutal collapse to serene utopia. Mahler’s famous stated goal of his symphonies, “A symphony must be like the world, it must embrace everything”, can be fittingly applied to this single movement. Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem (written 1936) is rather comprehensive in its own right, but focuses on the complex realities of war, and eventually acknowledges a hopeful end. The texts are drawn from the Christian Mass, Walt Whitman, John Bright, and the Scriptures. The sound-world progresses as follows: pleading petition for peace (movement I); the violent beating of drums and infiltration of war into daily life (movement II); Reconciliation, “that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost” (movement III); a sobering dirge of homage to the death of father and son (movement IV); numbing recognition of the inevitability of death and the probing possibility of its perpetuity (movement V); consolation and certitude of eternal hope, and the praise of God (movement VI). These two works are fitting companions. Most of us have not experienced war and need the glimpse of it that Vaughan Williams’ piece gives us. It brings us to uncomfortable terms with war’s realities, while offering hope that transcends war’s horrors. All of us have experienced the war of internal tempests, and likewise reprieve that Mahler’s work focuses on. Hopefully this concert will offer a deepened understanding of what is common to us, and what most of us have only ever read about and hopefully will never have to experience. ~Notes by Joseph Caminiti
PROGRAM Joseph Caminiti, conductor Symphony No. 4 in G Major ........................................................................ Gustav Mahler (1860–1911) Movement III: Ruhevoll. (Poco adagio)
Intermission
Dona Nobis Pacem ....................................................................... Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) I. Agnus Dei (Lento) II. Beat! Beat! Drums! (Allegro moderato) III. Reconciliation (Andantino) IV. Dirge for Two Veterans (Moderato alla Marcia) V. The Angel of Death… (L’istesso tempo) VI. O man greatly beloved… In Young Lee, soprano Randall Scarlata, baritone Concert Choir and Mastersingers Please Silence but Reference Your Electronic Devices
Many thanks to the skilled work of the Executive Committee of the WCU Symphony Orchestra: Darby MacAdams: Executive Administrator Riley McGowan: Marketing Specialist Lily Eckman: Marketing Assistant Kristin Erle: Concert and Outreach Coordinator James Devor: Assistant to Concert and Outreach Coordinator Hannah Choi: Librarian
SUNG TEXTS Dona Nobis Pacem
I. (Christian Mass) Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem. (Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world, grant us peace.) II. (Walt Whitman) Beat! beat! drums! – blow! bugles! blow! Through the windows – through the doors – burst like a ruthless force, Into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation, Into the school where the scholar is studying; Leave not the bridegroom quiet – no happiness must he have now with his bride, Nor the peaceful farmer any peace, ploughing his field, or gathering in his grain, So fierce you whirr and pound you drums – so shrill you bugles blow. III. Reconciliation (Walt Whitman) Word over all, beautiful as the sky, Beautiful that war and all its deeds of carnage must in time be utterly lost, That the hands of the sisters Death and Night incessantly, softly, wash again and ever again this soiled world; For my enemy is dead, a man divine as myself is dead, I look where he lies white-faced and still in the coffin – I draw near, Bend down and touch lightly wih my lips the white face in the coffin. IV. Dirge for Two Veterans (Walt Whitman) The last sunbeam Lightly falls from the finished Sabbath, On the pavement here, and there beyond it is looking Down a new-made double grave. Lo, the moon ascending, Up from the east the silvery round moon, Beautiful over the house-tops, ghastly, phantom moon, Immense and silent moon. I see a sad procession, And I hear the sound of coming full-keyed bugles, All the channels of the city streets they’re flooding As with voices and with tears. I hear the great drums pounding, And the small drums steady whirring, And every blow of the great convulsive drums Strikes me through and through. For the son is brought with the father, In the foremost ranks of the fierce assault they fell, Two veterans, son and father, dropped together, And the double grave awaits them.
Now nearer blow the bugles, And the drums strike more convulsive, And the daylight o’er the pavement quite has faded, And the strong dead-march enwraps me. In the eastern sky up-buoying, The sorrowful vast phantom moves illumined, ’Tis some mother’s large transparent face, In heaven brighter growing. O strong dead-march you please me! O moon immense with your silvery face you soothe me! O my soldiers twain! O my veterans passing to burial! What I have I also give you. The moon gives you light, And the bugles and the drums give you music, And my heart, O my soldiers, my veterans, My heart gives you love. V. (John Bright) The Angel of Death has been abroad throughout the land; you may almost hear the beating of his wings. There is no one as of old ... to sprinkle with blood the lintel and the two side-posts of our doors, that he may spare and pass on. Dona nobis pacem. (Jeremiah 8:15-22) 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; 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? VI. (Daniel 10:19) O man greatly beloved, fear not, peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. (Haggai 2:9) The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former ... and in this place will I give peace. (Adapted from Micah 4:3, Leviticus 26:6, Psalms 85:10 and 118:19, Isaiah 43:9 and 56:18-22, Luke 2:14) Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. And none shall make them afraid, neither shall the sword go through their land. 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. Open to me the gates of righteousness, I will go into them. 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. 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 forever. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men. Dona nobis pacem.
WCUSO ORCHESTRA Violin I Freddy Contreras-Romero, Concertmaster Blair Cunningham, Assistant Principal Brittany Welty River Michael Brian Robbins Amari Rickards Riley McGowan Isaac Linton Benjamin Brubaker
Flute Chloe Leed, Co-Principal Katie Stidham, Co-Principal Jessica Lynch Wiktoria Godawa
Violin II Kristin Erle, Principal Kyla Eryka de Guia Katrina Cwiertniewicz Abigail Stratton Julianna Schweitzer Hanna Choi Blair Kidd Annalee Althouse
Clarinet Nadine Silverman, Principal Zach Stola Laura Sachaczenski, Bass clarinet
Viola Abigail Keebler, Principal Robert Cuthill Kristen Taylor Pam Jacobson Hannah Richards Joseph Cosgrove
Horn Matthew Hontz, Principal Libby Ando Evan Bucha Nash Helsel Michael Antonacci
Violoncello Lia Criscuolo, Principal Lily Eckman Elisa Aquino Gomez Ally Paino Connor McPartland Brett Bailey Emily Zook William Shaw Hyewon Jo Taylor Cope Lauren Blackwell Katie Kuester Bass James Devor, Principal Amber Kowal Darby MacAdams Grace Wible Timothy Ragsdale Caleb Sharp Isaac Meyer Casey Warfield Saven Wright
Oboe John DeBiase, Co-Principal Marlene Miller, Co-Principal Hannah Shields, English horn
Bassoon Meghan Freer, Principal Alex Brandreth Peter Young III, Contrabassoon
Trumpet Nicholas Bowser, Principal Adrianna Korey Chloe Francis Maeve Barta Brand Davis Trombone Michael Kaplan, Principal Kyle Jackier Woody Rehaag, Bass trombone Tuba Chris Liounis Timpani Cameron Davis, Principal Percussion Luke Thurston, Principal Dan Farnum Sean Hayes Ben Pessognelli Harp Sarah Higgins-Benz
CHOIRS Andrew Cassell Katherine Clark Richard Cross SL Kyla Eryka de Guia Caleb Deutsch Matthew Ebersole Nicole Faiola Andrew Gifford Kyle Gombosi Aaron Hungerford Shane Hurley Steven Kendikian Brianna Kislak Sabrina Knapp Taylor Koenigsberg ^ SL Kyle Loedel Mateo Lopez Chad McKenrick Casey Morris Don Nyugen Julie Perri Mario Ramirez # Kevin Ramsey Kiana Rivera SL Hollie Roberts Madeleine Robinson Mateo Rodriguez Julian Romenek Cassandra Rosenfeld Vittoria Rybak Emily Salatti William Shaw Kimberly Sulahian Christopher Swantek Sidney Szwarc Joshua Taylor Leetal Tusia Zachary Walter Jeremy Wolfberg Michael Zelno SL Ryan Zickafoose Ava Zinno
Concert Choir
David P. DeVenney, director Brett Bailey Isabella Bennett Kyleigh Bleacher Ian Brady Spencer Camacho Janna Collins Kathryn Corbino Ian Edge Leanne Frist Stephen Gliatto Matthew Hascha Matthew Hayden Sarah Holderith Daemyung Hyun SL Jenny Kim Won Kim Sergey Kravets Lauren Longhi ^ SL Samuel Loposky Brenten Megee SL Felicia MulĂŠ Evan Nelson Isabela Pazdzierski * SL Connor Riley Devaney Ross Cassie Rumbough # Chase Sanders Jordan Shomper Jennifer Smith Strummer Steele Andrew Walls Olivia Yachnik
Mastersingers Ryan Kelly, director
Maeve Bantra Kiernan Bouman Alexander Brandreth Benjamin Brubaker Alexandra Bruch * Ashlyn Bushey Emily Caplan
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president
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vice president
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secretary
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section leaders
UPCOMING WELLS SCHOOL OF MUSIC EVENTS For full event details visit www.wcupa.edu/music or call (610) 436-2739 Monday, April 29, 2019, 7:00 PM Collegium Musicum Mark Rimple, director Ware Family Recital Hall Swope Music Building Monday, April 29, 2019, 8:15 PM Flute Ensemble Kimberly Reighley, director Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Tuesday, April 30, 2019, 8:15 PM Vocal Honors Recital Emily Bullock, director Ware Family Recital Hall Swope Music Building Wednesday, May 1, 2019, 7:00 PM Graduate Recital: Hunter Gregory, composition Jacob Cooper, director Ware Family Recital Hall Swope Music Building Thursday, May 2, 2019, 8:15 PM Woodwind Chamber Recital Karen Dannessa, director Ware Family Recital Hall Swope Music Building *Tickets required for this event.
Steinway & Sons Piano Technical, Tuning and Concert Preparations by Gerald P. Cousins, RPT A majority of performances are available to watch via live stream at Facebook.com/ArtsAtWCUPA and LiveStream.com/wcupa. Mr. Robert Rust, Audio & Visual Technician Events at the Wells School of Music are often supported by individual sponsors and organizations. Contributions to the Wells School of Music may be made out to: West Chester University Foundation 202 Carter Drive, West Chester, PA 19382
For further information, please call (610) 436-2868 or contact Dr. Christopher Hanning, Dean. If you do not intend to save your program, please recycle it in the baskets at the exit doors. The Wells School of Music | West Chester University of Pennsylvania Dr. Christopher Hanning, Dean