Carols for the Earth

Recorded December 16, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

St. Paul’s Church,
Stockbridge, MA

Performers:

Nadia Aguilar, Soprano
Margie O’Brien, Mezzo-soprano
Laura Evans, Alto
Randy Orzano, Counter tenor
Igor Ferreira, Tenor
Peter Perkins,  Tenor
John-Arthur Miller, Bass

Christopher Belluscio, Trumpet
Tricia Van Oers, Recorder,
Douglas Schmolze, Guitar
Christine Gevert,  Organ

Crescendo Chorus
Directed by Christine Gevert

Program

Thomas Tallis (c. 1505-1585)
O nata lux lumine (O Light of light, by love inclined)

William Byrd (1543-1623)
Rorate caeli (Drop down dew, ye heavens)

Salomone Rossi (c. 1550-1630)
Rorate caeli (Drop down dew, ye heavens)

Attr. John Reading (c. 1645–1692)
To stand for all creation (Adeste Fideles) from Sophia Green’s Carols for the Earth. With a descant by Christine Gevert

Godfrey Finger (1655-1730)
Sonata in C Moderato / Adagio – Andante

William Byrd   
From Virgin’s Wombe / Rejoyce, Rejoyce!

• Laetentur coeli (Let the Heavens Rejoice)

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), arr. William H. Cummings (1831–1915)
Come, behold the year before us (Hark, the herald angels) from Sophia Green’s Carols for the Earth. With a descant by Christine Gevert

Avrom Goldfaden (1840-1908) / Arr. Elliot Z. Levine (b. 1948)

• Drey Zikh, Dreydele (Spin, Dreydel, spin) Elliot Z. Levine
• Mi Ze Hidlik (Who here has tlit these slender candles)
• Al HaNissim (For the miracles)
• Lo v’chayil (Not by might)

Oliver Barton (b. 1948)
The Carol of the Wandering Boy

Trad. Sicilian, arr. Christoph Lahme (b. 1968)
Yuletide, bless us (O sanctissima) from Sophia Green’s Carols for the Earth. With a descant by Christine Gevert

Frank Ticheli (b. 1958)
Earth Song

Adolphe C. Adam (1803– 1856), arr. Marshall Green
The Crossroads (O holy night) from Sophia Green’s Carols for the Earth. With a descant by Christine Gevert

Godfrey Finger
Sonata in C Allegro / Grave – Allegro

Trad. Scottish, Arr. William Dunbar (1460-c.1520)
Rorate coeli desuper With a descant by Christine Gevert

Tim Porter (b. 1948)

• Sleep in Peace
• Hark, how all the Welkin rings

Anon. English Carol, arr. Oliver Barton, John Stainer
The first Nowell from “A Wassail to keep out the cold” With a descant by Christine Gevert

The Performers

Soloists

Nadia Aguilar, Soprano
Margie O’Brien, Mezzo-soprano
Laura Evans, Alto
Randy Orzano, Counter tenor
Igor Ferreira, Tenor
Peter Perkins,  Tenor
John-Arthur Miller, Bass

Instrumentalists

Christopher Belluscio, Trumpet
Tricia Van Oers, Recorder,
Douglas Schmolze, Guitar
Christine Gevert,  Organ

Crescendo Chorus
(Section Leaders*, Vocal Ensemble^)

Soprano
Nadia Aguilar*, Louise Brown, Donna Castaner*, Elizabeth Chamberlin, Kathy Drake^, Emily Elliot, Terre Lefferts, Margie O’Brien*, Roberta Roll^, Elaine Russell^, Barbara Wolkowitz, Joy Wyatt^

Alto
Elisabeth Enoch, Laura Evans*, Lisa Keller, Susan Mullins, Susan Pettee^, Mary Priestman, Mary Sullivan^

Tenor
Michael Chamberlin^ Gordon Gustafson, Igor Ferreira*, Matthew Kreta*, Randy Orzano^, Peter Perkins*, Douglas Schmolze*

Bass
Jim Barrett*, Brian Farrell^, John-Arthur Miller*, Andy Kettler^, Tom Schindler^, Bruce Weinstein^, Michael Wise^

Roberta Roll, Body Work

Directed by Christine Gevert

Crescendo is a national-award-winning music performance organization. Now in it’s 20^th season, Crescendo has presented concerts year- round in northwestern Connecticut, the Berkshires, and the mid-Hudson Valley of New York. The organization is based at Trinity Church Lime Rock in Lakeville, CT.

Founder and Artistic Director, Christine Gevert, is celebrated for her innovative approach to programming and performance. Crescendo’s audiences are often rewarded with programs of rarely-heard and newly discovered works. Often Ms. Gevert uses original manuscripts to make her own performing editions for chorus, soloists and orchestra because there are no existing published editions. Frequently our programs feature early and contemporary music works alongside each other, creating a contrast for the listener. Eight new works have been commissioned for our chorus and vocal ensemble. Crescendo has presented ten U.S. premieres.

Crescendo’s innovative programming relies on a local base of dedicated and talented auditioned amateurs and professionals who make up the Crescendo Chorus and Crescendo Vocal Ensemble. Crescendo has its own Period Instrument Orchestra and Andean Ensemble, comprised of professionals from New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Hartford. These instrumentalists and the internationally recognized soloists who regularly collaborate with Crescendo bring the performances to a level comparable to the best ensembles in the country. Instrumental music ensembles and concerts with vocal soloists have been part of Crescendo’s programs since the beginning. Some of the performers have been: Julianne Baird (Philadelphia) soprano, Nicholas Tamagna (Oldenburg, Germany) countertenor, Peter Sykes (Boston) and Władysław Kłosiewicz (Warsaw, Poland), harpsichord, Chris Bellsucio (Boston), natural trumpet, Tricia van Oers, recorder, I Fagiolini Renaissance Vocal Ensemble (London, UK), L’Orchestre de Chambre Francaise (Paris, France), Peter Lekx (Montreal) baroque violin, Duo Alturas (Hartford) charango, viola and guitar, and Duo Les Inégales, traverso and harpsichord.

We are strongly committed to educational outreach―to our own singers, our audiences and local students. Talented local high school singers and young musicians are coached by Ms. Gevert as part of our “Young Artist Program”, and often play a part in our performances. She and members of the chorus visit local schools to work with students.

Artistic Director Christine Gevert is celebrated for her innovative approach to programming and performance: In 2014 Crescendo won the prestigious Chorus America / ASCAP Alice Parker Award. Today’s programming reflects some of the diversity and scope of music that Crescendo is known for.