Video Recordings on YouTube

Recent Videos

Lamentations – A Concert with Contemplative Music by J.S. Bach, Tallis and a Spiritual

This online concert features some of the most contemplative music ever composed expressing the sentiment of hope, and the transcendence of death. The repertoire from different eras and genres from Europe and the U.S. encompasses the Renaissance motet with Thomas Tallis, the Baroque aria with Johann Sebastian Bach, and the present with an African-American Spiritual. Christine Gevert, Founder and Artistic Director, directs the performances.

This half-hour-long concert is Crescendo’s second in this year (202-21 Season) of remotely produced recordings. Like all performing arts groups, Crescendo has been greatly affected by the pandemic. So, while all activities were moved online, Crescendo seized the opportunity to not only produce an extraordinary amount of repertoire, giving work to more than sixty professional musicians (eg. the Crescendo Vocal Ensemble recorded over fifty Renaissance motets during this year), but also, for our winter concert, to collaborate with renowned performers, coaches, and scholars from three continents. This is also the case for this program that brings together Early Music specialists from four East Coast states, and the internationally acclaimed soloist Nicholas Tamagna, now temporarily based in Oldenburg, Germany. This New York City artist’s career was abruptly put on hold by the shut-down after a stellar premiere at the Metropolitan Opera alongside Joyce DiDonato last February.

At the center of this concert are three arias from J.S. Bach’s Matthew Passion, B Minor Mass and Cantata “Komm, du süsse Todesstunde) performed by soprano Jennifer Tyo (Lakeville, CT), countertenor Nicholas Tamagna (New York City and Oldenburg, Germany), tenor Pablo Wiley Bustos (Rochester, NY). They are accompanied by members of the Crescendo Period Instrument Orchestra—Rodrigo Tarraza (traverso), Sarah Davol (oboe da caccia), Job Salazar (violin), Carlos Boltes (viola), Malina Rauschenfels (violoncello), and Christine Gevert (continuo organ). Crescendo’s professional Vocal Ensemble with Nicholas Tamagna (countertenor), Dan Foster and Eric Martin (tenors), Daniel White (baritone), and Jim Barrett (bass) will perform Thomas Tallis’ celebrated Renaissance Tenebrae Motet, “Lamentatio Ieremiae Prophetae” á 5, part 1 (Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah) Operatic soprano Schauntice Shepard from Hartford, CT brings us into a more contemporary era with her unaccompanied rendition of the haunting spiritual, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”

What’s happening this season for Crescendo?

This season, Crescendo will be taking our music online in our Virtual Season of offerings!

Through a series of regular videos, culminating in a full program on December 19th at 4pm ET, Crescendo will present some of the greatest choruses, arias and recitatives of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, parts I & II. This season will include “Villancicos” of the Colonial Baroque in South America, by composers such as Juan de Araujo and Matías Durango, and also excerpts of famous Argentinian 20th century’s composer Ariel Ramírez’s Navidad Nuestra. We will also embark this year in exploring a genre and style that we have not yet performed with Crescendo: compositions by black composers, based on the Negro Spiritual and Gospel music.

Educational Videos

History and performance of Negro Spiritual and Gospel music – with baritone Jermaine Woodard Jr.!

Join Christine Gevert for a conversation with baritone Jermaine Woodard Jr. all about gospel music!  Recorded: December 9, 2020

Modern Latin American Choral Music with Andean influence

Carlos Boltes Palma, award winning charango and viola player, and expert in Latin American music talks with Crescendo’s Founding Artistic Director Christine Gevert about the influence of Andean heritage in the choral music of the late 19th and the 20th centuries.

Besides well-known Argentinian composer Ariel Ramirez’s Misa Criolla and Navidad Nuestra, other works will be explored, with special emphasis on Jaime León’s Misa Andina (1981), premiered by Crescendo in the U.S. in 2014.

Photo of Carlos Boltes Palma by: Edward J Parent.

Who is Crescendo?

Who is Crescendo, and what is their story? Join Christine Gevert, Artistic Director of Crescendo, and singers Kathy Drake and Tom Schindler as they share some of their favorite moments from seasons past, and what they’re most looking forward to in this virtual season of music.

This season, Crescendo will be taking our music online in our Virtual Season of offerings!

Through a series of regular videos, culminating in a full program on December 19th at 4pm ET, Crescendo will present some of the greatest choruses, arias and recitatives of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, parts I & II. This season will include “Villancicos” of the Colonial Baroque in South America, by composers such as Juan de Araujo and Matías Durango, and also excerpts of famous Argentinian 20th century’s composer Ariel Ramírez’s Navidad Nuestra. We will also embark this year in exploring a genre and style that we have not yet performed with Crescendo: compositions by black composers, based on the Negro Spiritual and Gospel music.

“Alleluia” from Coronation Anthem HWV 260 by George Frideric Handel
Crescendo Chorus and Period Instrument Orchestra, directed by Christine Gevert. October 2019

Excerpt of Act I of Acis y Galatea by Antonio de Literes
Crescendo Vocal Ensemble, soprano Catherine Hancock, and Period Instruments. Co-directed by Salomé Sandoval and Christine Gevert. December, 2019

Allegro from Sonata Op.1 No. 6 by Giovanni Pittoni
Hideki Yamaya, theorbo and Christine Gevert, organ. September 2019

“Sey nun wieder zufrieden, meine Seele” à 8 by Johann Michael Bach
Crescendo Chorus and Period Instrument Orchestra, directed by Christine Gevert, May 2019

Excerpts of “West Lake Cycle” by John Myers, commissioned for and premiered by Crescendo Chorus, Speaker and instruments, in 2013.

“Vidi Speciosa” à 6 by Tomas Luis de Victoria
Crescendo Vocal Ensemble, Hideki Yamaya, theorbo and Christine Gevert, organ. February 2020

“Hodie completi sunt” à 8 by Hieronymus Praetorius
Crescendo ‘Virtual’ Vocal Ensemble, directed by Christine Gevert, organ. Recorded remotely and assembled digitally in May 2020

All recordings, except “Hodie completi sunt” are live recordings. All used with permission by the performers. All scores are in the Public Domain, or are used with permission of the editor.

Exploring the Baroque Trumpet

Hear about the history of the Baroque Trumpet from First Trumpet of the Crescendo Period Instrument Orchestra, Christopher Belluscio!

Video Produced by Adam Reinwald – Open Voices, LLC and Sara Langworthy – DeveloPlay, LLC

What are villancicos?

Hear from experts Luciana Kube (singer, philologist) and Paul Feller (musicologist) as they discuss the origin and musical background of the villancico.

Get to know the Baroque Guitar!

Learn about the Baroque Guitar – it’s history and differences from a modern guitar – and hear special guest Hideki Yamaya play a piece on his baroque guitar! Video Produced by: Sara Langworthy, DeveloPlay LLC

Christmas Oratorio – December 2020

Mary Had a Baby – sung by Jermaine Woodard Jr.

Mary Had a Baby – Traditional Spiritual Sung by: Jermaine Woodard Jr.  December 2020.

Christmas Story in Three Cultures – (feat. Christmas Oratorio, Navidad Nuestra & Chariot Jubilee!)

Program features parts of J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Villancicos by Matías Durango and Juan de Araujo, excerpts of Navidad Nuestra by Ariel Ramirez, and The Chariot Jubilee by Nathaniel Dett.

Many thanks to our choral singers, instrumentalists, and soloists for their work in putting together this entirely remotely recorded and digitally assembled program! Special thanks to Leszek Wojcik for recording the instrumentalists for Navidad Nuestra!

Soloists: Pablo Bustos, tenor; Jonathan de la Paz Zaens, baritone (Bach); Elliott Paige, tenor (Dett); Ignacio Ugarte, tenor; José Sacín, baritone (Ramirez); Salomé Sandoval, soprano; Malina Rauschenfels, mezzo soprano, Pablo Bustos, tenor (Villancicos).

Crescendo Period Instrument Orchestra (Bach): Christopher Belluscio, trumpets; Daniel Mallon, timpani; Rodrigo Tarraza, traversi; Gonzalo Ruiz, oboes, oboes da caccia and oboes d’amore; Rachel Begley, bassoon; Susanna Ogata (concertino) and Job Salazar, violins; Carlos Boltes, viola; David Bakamjian, violoncello; Heather Miller Lardin, double bass; Hideki Yamaya, gallichon; Christine Gevert, continuo organ; Juan Mesa, organ (Dett); Andean Instrument Ensemble: Gonzalo Cortés, quena, zampoña, bombo; Carlos Boltes, charango; Scott Hill, guitar, Markus Centola, accordion; (Ramirez); Period Instrument Ensemble: Malina Rauschenfels, violoncello; Christa Patton, harp; Hideki Yamaya and Salomé Sandoval, Baroque guitar; Salomé Sandoval, percussion (Villancicos).

Crescendo Chorus and Vocal Ensemble Singers

Directed by Christine Gevert

Music Credits:
Christmas Oratorio BWV 248/I by Johann Sebastian Bach: Coro I/1; Recit I/2; Choral I/5; Recit I/6; Aria I/8; Choral I/9. [Public Domain]

The Chariot Jubilee by R. Nathaniel Dett, Jason Max Ferdinand, ed.
© 2020 GIA Publications. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved.

Navidad Nuestra by Ariel Ramírez: La Anunciación and El Nacimiento
© 1964 Lawson–Gould Publishing, a series of Alfred Publishing. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved.

Villancicos Pues mi Dios ha nacido by Matías Durango, and Ay andar, andar by Juan de Araujo[Public Domain]

Audio Produced by: Christine Gevert
Video Produced by: Erin N. Arndt & Sara Langworthy, DeveloPlay, LLC – www.developlayllc.com

Two Chorales from Christmas Oratorio – J.S. Bach

Hear two of J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio Chorales performed by Crescendo, with audience participation.

O Lord, how shall I meet you (Wie soll ich dich empfangen) BWV 248 I/5
From heaven above (Vom Himmel hoch) BWV 248 II/7

Recorded live on October 26th, 2019 at Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA by Leszek Wojcik. Performed with audience participation in English translation, adapted by Christine Gevert

Video Produced by: Sara Langworthy, DeveloPlay, LLC

Five Episcopalian Hymns

Hymn #362 Nicaea

Hymn #370 St Patrick’s Breastplate

Hymn #460 Hyfrydol

Hymn #482 Slane

Hymn #534 Purpose

Paintings in Song – By John Myers

View individual segments and behind the scenes footage on YouTube.

“Paintings in Song: Visions of Norman Rockwell” (World Premiere), by John Myers, performed by Crescendo, with projected large-screen animations by Alice Myers and Anna Sabatini – a joint initiative with the Norman Rockwell Museum. Performed: Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 3 & 7 pm Saint James Place, Great Barrington, MA

The Performers

Vocal Solists
Andrea Bargabos, soprano – Mavis Hsieh, mezzo soprano – Christopher Sokołowski, tenor – Søren Clulow, soprano – Nellie Rustick, mezzo-soprano – Steven Fasano, bass – Jordan Rose Lee, soprano – Trudy Weaver Miller, alto – John-Arthur Miller, bass

Instrumentalists
Sharon Powers, flute – John Myers, jazz guitar – Judith Dansker, oboe
– David Wampler, trombone – Thomas Sadin, clarinet – Pete Toigo, bass – Cathryn Gaylord, bassoon – Jay Bradley, drums

Berkshire Children’s Chorus – Julie Bickford, Director
*Junior Choir Assistants

Senior Choir: Nicholas Barbieri, Sadie Chernila, Tessa Climo, Elana Doren, Elisabeth Enoch, Fiona Ferrone, Miranda Hastings, Elsa Letteron, Sarah Markham, Amanda Seward, Mary Shalaby,
Olivia Thiemann, Annika Wainwright, Mira Webber, Sarah Wohl
Coda: Stella Bellow, Ella Carlson, Lauren Console, Søren Clulow (guest), Lucy Doren, Samantha Elliott, Piper Gibson*, Jamie Lord, Eliza Maggio, Marya Makuc, Skylar Norton*, Zoë Renner

Crescendo Chorus – Christine Gevert, Director
*Section Leaders, + Vocal Ensemble

Sopranos: Andrea Bargabos*+, Gaile Binzen, Louise Brown, Kathy Drake+, Peggy Heck, Jordan Rose Lee*+, Sarah Melcher+, Susan Mullins, Skylar Norton+, Margie O’Brien*+, Andrea Patel+, Roberta Roll+, Nellie Rustick*+

Altos: Martha Baer, Pat Barton+, Laura Evans*+, Anne Frieze, Mavis Hsieh*+, Debby Mark, Martha Nesbitt, Trudy Weaver Miller*+, Susan Pettee+, Mary Verdi+

Tenors: Jeffrey Cregeur*+, Gordon Gustafson+, Susan Hooker, Eric Martin*, Randy Orzano+, Christopher Sokołowski*+, Douglas Schmolze*+, Dick Vreeland

Basses: Kevin J. Andersen*+, Steven Fasano*+, John James+, John-Arthur Miller*+, Rene Milo, Tom Schindler, Michael Wise+, Jermaine Woodard Jr.*+

Archived Videos

You can see more videos on Crescendo’s YouTube Channel.

Christoph Demantius – Steh auf, und nimm das Kindelein

View additional Baroque Music clips on YouTube.

Crescendo Vocal Ensemble, conducted by Christine Gevert. Recorded at Trinity Lime Rock, Christoph Demantius – Steh auf, und nimm das Kindelein from Corona Harmonica 1610

Kyrie from Missa a senis vocibus by Claudio Monteverdi

View additional selections from this concert on YouTube.

Recorded April 19, 2015 at Trinity Lime Rock. Christine Gevert, Director. Video: Between the Lakes Group LLC

Wu Xing, music by Cheng Chia Wu

View additional New Music clips on YouTube.

World premiere performance, Great Barrington, MA April 13, 2013. Presented by Crescendo, Christine Gevert, Artistic Director. Conducted by Christine Gevert, Rodrigo Tarrazza, flute, Jordan Lee, soprano, Trudy Weaver Miller, alto, Doug Schmolze, tenor, John-Arthur Miller, bass, and the Crescendo Chorus. Video by Geoff Brown.

Laudate Dominum – Domenico Zipoli

View additional selections from this concert on YouTube.

Recorded at Trinity Lime Rock, November 16, 2014. Part of Crescendo’s 10th anniversary program “Sounds That Transform: The “Italian-Argentinian Bach,” Domenico Zipoli. Julianne Baird, Soprano; Nicholas Tamagna, Countertenor; Pablo Bustos, tenor; the Crescendo Period Instrument Orchestra; the Crescendo Youth Singers; and the Crescendo Chorus. Directed by Christine Gevert, Artistic Director of Crescendo. Supported in part by an Alfred Nash Patterson grant of Choral Arts New England.

“Cor Meum” motet for three voices, by Orlando di Lasso (c.1532-1594) 

View additional Renaissance Music clips on YouTube.

Performed by Crescendo Vocal Ensemble, conducted by Christine Gevert. Recorded in concert at Trinity Lime Rock on April 21, 2012.

Laudate Dominum – Juan de Herrera (c. 1528 – 1599)

View additional Latin American Music clips on YouTube.

Laudate Dominum, written in 1689 by Juan de Herrera (c. 1528 – 1599) is performed here by the Crescendo Choir, with solo sopranos Jordan Rose Lee and Salome Sandoval, as part of the Mille Regretz concert. Performed on Sunday, April 10, 2011 at Trinity Church, Lime Rock, CT.