Date: Sun, 06 Dec 1998 19:02:21 +0000
From: Bob Eaton
To: choralist <choralist@lists.colorado.edu>
Subject: Neglect Masterpieces compilation
Compilation of neglected choral masterpieces
(at least 15 minutes in length)
Ode for St. Cecilia's Day by Handel. It is about a 50 minute work, but has only three choruses in it. It requires quality soprano and tenor soloists.
Lili Boulanger, Psalm 130 (Du fond de l'abime, or De profundis), hands down.
Full chorus, semi-chorus (briefly), mezzo solo, full orchestra including organ, about 25 minutes long.
Buxtehude's Membra Jesu Nostri, for SSATB chorus and soloists, also cantata length.
Krenek's Lamentations settings (Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae, Op 93, 1941). The whole thing is 70 minutes and strictly twelve tone-but the plainsong for the lamentation readings as in the Holy Week liturgy is always present as a CF, and the row is based upon it. Krenek held that it was his greatest work, but it's tough.
Randall Thompson's Ode to the Virginian Voyage E.C. Schirmer No.2433
Randall Thopmson's The Testament of Freedom E.C. Schirmer No.3017
Howard Hansons' Song of Democracy Carl Fischer No. O 4028
Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise (Lobgesang) G. Schirmer No.5187
Charles V. Stanford - Elegiac Song, words by Walt Whitman, duration
about 25 minutes. It was originally scored for full orchestra.
Rheinberger's Cantus Missae for double Chorus a cappella is as good as anything from the 19th century.
Also, only about 10 minutes, but Brahms Fest- und Gedenkspruche are also superb. Also double chorus a cappella.
Or how about Horatio Parker Hora Novissima or Dame Ethel Smyth Mass in D.
For early music, you can't do the Schutz Musikalisches Exequien too often.
Vaughan Williams' Hodie.
Gustav Holst's The Cloud Messenger (available from ECS in Boston).
2 relatively unknown masterpieces by Iceland's foremost composer Jon Nordal that you might consider. They are named Ottusongvar a vori (35 min, choir, soprano and countertenor solo, organ, percussion and cello), and (if you balk at the Icelandic texts) a Requiem, (16 min) for choir a cappella. Both those pieces are brilliant IMHO. Difficult, but worth every minute spent on them.
--
"The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sing the best." Henry David Thoreau
Dr. Robert P. Eaton...............eatonrp@ma.ultranet.com
Assabet Valley Mastersingers
http://www.ultranet.com/~eatonmu/AVM.shtml
Algonquin Regional High School, Northborough, MA 01532
http://www.ultranet.com/~eatonmu/ARHS/ARHS.ChoralMusic.shtml
Trinity Church, Northborough, MA 01532
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