Music Across Borders: Baroque and Contemporary Eastern European Vocal Music
October 29, 2022 at 4 pm
Trinity Church, Lakeville, CT
Performers:
Vocal Soloists
Christina Kay, Jordan Rose Lee – sopranos
Nicholas Tamagna, Augustine Mercante – countertenors
Dan Foster – tenor
Peter Becker – bass
Crescendo Period Instrument Orchestra
Vincent Monaco, Brian Kanner, Baroque trumpets
Daniel Mallon, timpani
Robert Eisenstein, Job Salazar – violins
Mark Bailey – viola
Caroline Nicolas – violoncello
Rachel Begley – dulzian
Jay Elfenbein – bass
Hideki Yamaya – theorbo
Christine Gevert – organ
The Crescendo Chorus
(Vocal Ensemble Singers in Italics, Section Leaders marked with *)
Sopranos:
Louise Brown, Donna Castaner*, Kathy Drake, Aliana de la Guardia*, Emily Elliot, Peggy Heck, Christina Kay*, Jordan Rose Lee*, Sarah Melcher, Roberta Roll, Isabel Rooney
Altos:
Maureen Bateman, Sarah Bleasdale*, Traudi Chiaravalloti, Deborah Mark, Augustine Mercante*, Lauren Paul, Susan Pettee, Martha Nesbitt
Tenors:
Dan Forster*, Gordon Gustafson, Susan Hooker, Matthew Kreta*, Peter Perkins*, Doug Schmolze*
Basses:
Jim Barrett*, Peter Becker*, Malcolm Brown, Brian Farrell, Tivon Hall-Love, John-Arthur Miller*, Tom Schindler,
Michael Wise
Directed by Christine Gevert
Robin Hood Radio with Marshall Miles interviews Christine Gevert about the December 2022 Program
Program
Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki (1663–1734) Poland
Laetatus sum
SATB, soli, Trumpets, Timpani, Strings, Continuo (Kay, Mercante, Foster, Becker)
Bohuslav Matěj Černohorský (1684-1742) Czech Rep., Italy, Austria
Laudetur Jesus Christus
SATB, strings & Basso Continuo (B.C.)
Zdeněk Lukáš (1928–2007) Czech Rep.
Pater noster, op. 263
SSATB
Kryštof Harant (1564–1621) Czech Rep.
Qui Confidunt in Domino à 6 SSATTB (Vocal Ensemble)
Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977) Latvia
O Salutaris Hostia
SATB div., SS soli (Rose Lee, Kay)
Johann Adam Hiller (1728–1804) Germany, Poland, Latvia
Psalm 100 “Jauchzet dem Herrn alle Welt”
- Coro: Jauchzet dem Herrn SATB Trumpets, Timpani, Strings, Continuo
- Duet: Erkennet dass der Herr SA soli, strings & Continuo (Kay, Mercante)
- Coro: Gehet in sein Tore ein SATB Strings, Continuo
- Aria: Denn der Herr ist freundlich A solo, strings & Continuo (Tamagna)
- Coro: Seine Gnade währet ewig SATB Trumpets, Timpani, Strings, Continuo
Craig Courtney (B. 1948) US/Ukraine
Ukrainian Alleluia
SSAATTBB
– INTERMISSION –
Johann Valentin Meder (1649–1719) Germany, Poland, Latvia
Jubilate Deo omnis terra
B solo, Trumpet, Violin, B.C. (Becker, Levine, Eisenstein)
Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679–1745) Czech Rep.
Christe eleison ZWV 29
A solo, strings, BC (Tamagna)
Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki (1663–1734) Poland
Completorium
- Cum invocarem SATB, SATB soli, Trumpets, Timpani, Strings & B.C. (Kay, Mercante, Foster, Becker)
- In te, Domine, speravit SATB, soli, Strings & Continuo
- Qui habitat SATB, soli, Strings & Continuo
- Ecce nunc benedicite SATB, Trumpets, Strings & Continuo
- Te lucis ante terminum SATB Strings & Continuo
- In manus tuas satb soli, Strings & Continuo
- Nunc dimittis SATB soli, Trumpets, Timpani, Strings & B.C.
Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977) Latvia
Stars
SSAATTBB, tuned glasses and Tibetan singing bowls
Crescendo and its programming
Crescendo is a national-award-winning music performance organization. For more than fourteen years, 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 (New York) 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 Baroque 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.
Musicians of Crescendo’s Latin American Ensemble
