Lecture Notes from Wendy Moi

UW Carolfest
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Meany Hall
What is Carolfest?
Chamber Singers
University Chorale
University Singers
Women's Choir
Men's Glee Club
perform carols and seasonal music from around the world
Chamber Singers
The University of Washington Chamber Singers, formerly
known as the Madrigal Singers, is the UW’s longest-standing
choral organization, formed in the early 1930s.
The current Chamber Singers, consisting of graduate and
advanced undergraduate music majors, vocal performance
majors, and music education majors, has expanded in size and
repertoire to focus on challenging repertoire of all periods.
45 voice auditioned ensemble
Chamber Singers
Little Tree-Steve Heitzig
O Come Emmanuel with harp-Bern Herbolsheimer
Seattle Composer; UW Faculty
Listen for the Chant
Ding Dong Merrily on High
University Chorale
65 voice auditioned ensemble
The University Chorale is the premiere undergraduate choral
ensemble at UW and is know for its highly expressive
performances and technical abilities.
4 movements from Pushkin’s Garland is choral concerto by
Georgi Sviridov with vibraphone, harp, and percussion
Sviridov
Cult following/status in Russia
Georgi Sviridov (1915-1998) is the most prominent composer
of Russian choral music in the latter half of the twentieth
century.
"symphonic" and "coloristic" approach to choral writing
follows in the footsteps of the masters from the "new Russian
choral school" of the early 20th century--Kastalsky,
Rachmaninoff, and Gretchaninoff. His Concerto for Choir
entitled "A Pushkin Wreath" (Pushkinskii venok), from which
this haunting movement is taken, exemplifies his powerful ties
to the giants of Russian literature and poetry, as well as to the
Russian national spirit.
Men’s Glee Club
The UW Men's Glee Club is one of the oldest choral
organizations on campus.
The Glee Club is a non-auditioned choir that rehearses once a
week on Thursday nights. We sing a variety of repertoire from
classical, doo-wop, barbershop, and traditional collegiate glee
club literature.
Gaudete from Piae Cantiones
Suo Gan Traditional Welsh
Christmas Time is Here
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
Gaudete
The song was published in the Piae Cantiones, a collection of
Finnish/Swedish sacred songs published in 1582.
The text, in Latin, is a typical song of praise, probably
stemming from the Middle Ages. It follows the standard pattern
for the time - a uniform series of four-line stanzas, each
preceded by a two-line refrain (in the early English carol this
was known as the burden).
Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born of the Virgin Mary — rejoice!
The time of grace has come—This that we have desired,
Verses of joy. Let us devoutly return.
Steeleye Span-turned it into a folk hit
University Singers
This choral ensemble is the largest and most diverse on
campus with around 100 singers. This ensemble can help you
learn about the basics of beautiful, healthy singing.
Sing dem Herrn Michael Praetorius (1571-1621)
Sing to the Lord
Joyous Christmas (Chanson joyeuse de Noël) Françoise-
Auguste Gevaert (1828-1908)
Light One Candle Peter Yarrow arr. Robert De Cormier
Praetorius
Michael Praetorius (Creuzburg, probably February 15, 1571 –
Wolfenbüttel, February 15, 1621)
German composer, organist, and writer about music.
Composer significant in the development of musical forms
based on Protestant hymns, many of which reflect an effort to
bridge the chasm that had been opened between Protestants
and Catholics.
University Singers
A la Puerta del Cielo16th Century Spanish Lullaby arr. Audrey
Snyder Kevin Dong, piano
Translation Chorus: Sleep little baby, sleep little baby, sleep
little baby, aru, aru.
Verse 1: At the gates of heaven they sell shoes for the little
angels that walk barefoot.
Verse 2: From the gates of heaven comes the child to Holy
Mary, mother of God.
Verse 3: God blesses the sleeping children, and God helps
the mothers who protect them.
Sing Noel Traditional arr. David Hamilton
Women’s Choir
The University of Washington Women’s Choir is comprised of
musicians from many different academic disciplines. This nonauditioned
ensemble explores the fundamentals of singing and
artistry within a collaborative community and through a
selection of diverse repertoire.
Women’s Choir-Aspects of Love
Mother, Please Explain Traditional French
Mon Coeur Se Recommande A Vous Attributed to Orlando di
Lasso
My heart is offered still to you. Full now of woe and deep
despairing!. Be not to constancy untrue; Say one farewell, my
sorrow sharing! My mouth which once could smile in
gladness, And charming stories improvise. Now can only
curse in its madness. Those who banished me from your
eyes.
French Madrigal-A madrigal is a type of secular vocal music
composition, written during the Renaissance and early
Baroque eras.
polyphonic and unaccompanied by instruments, with the
number of voices varying from two to eight, but most
frequently three to six
Unlike many strophic forms of the time, most madrigals are
through-composed, with music being written to best express
the sentiment of each line of a poetic text.
Holst
Tears, Idle Tears from “The Princess” Text by Tennyson Music
by Gustav von Holst
Sweet and Low
Splendour Falls
Tears Idle Tears
O Swallow, Swallow
Text painting
Women’s Choir
For Good from “Wicked” By Stephen Schwartz
Love Came Down at Christmas by Edwin R. Fissinger, arr.
Mary K. Geston
Jazz harmonies
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day Arranged by John Rutter
Dancer
Questions?