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This page includes the complete program from the May 2002 concert, "Sacred Songs..."

ST. THOMAS MORE PARISH

SACRED SONGS...

...of the Virgin Mary
...of Love
...of the Trinity
...for Holy Week

Saint Thomas More Parish Choir

Gary D. Cannon, Conductor
Anita Wigington, Organist

Sunday, 19 May 2002
7:00 pm

Saint Thomas More Catholic Church
6511 176th Street SW, Lynnwood, Washington

SACRED SONGS...

Saint Thomas More Parish Choir

Gary D. Cannon, Conductor
Anita Wigington, Organist

Toccata in G major	Théodore Dubois
Anita Wigington, organ solo

...of the Virgin Mary
Ave Maria	Sergei Rachmaninov
Mary, Did You Know?	arr. Fred Bock
Ave Maria	Camille Saint-Saëns
Jenny Dreesen and Michelle Terry, sopranos
Mary's Magnificat	Andrew Carter
Michelle Terry, soprano

Sequence for the Dead I. Dies irae II. Quantus tremor III. Quid sum miser IV. Recordare V. Ingemisco VI. Pie Jesu	Anonymous
Jenny Dreesen and Michelle Terry, sopranos Ben Brody, countertenor Rebecca Gillette and Vicky Brown, violins Jennifer Schillen, viola; Diane Gullikson, cello

Simple Gifts	Virgil Fox
Anita Wigington, organ solo

...of Love
God So Loved the World	John Stainer
If Ye Love Me	Thomas Tallis
Ubi caritas	Maurice Duruflé
In This Very Room	Ron and Carol Harris

Intermission

*...of the Trinity*
Of the Father's Love Begotten	Chant
Pastorale on a Christmas Plainsong	Virgil Thomson
Anita Wigington, organ solo
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring	J. S. Bach
O Holy Spirit, We Need You Still	Ron Mallory

Humoresque: L'organo primitivo	Pietro Yon
Anita Wigington, organ solo

*...for Holy Week*
Thy Will Be Done	Craig Courtney
Adoramus te Christe	Paul Parthun
Alleluia	Ed Harris
I Have Seen the Lord	Alan Hovhaness
Jenny Dreesen and Michelle Terry, sopranos Lauren Anderson, trumpet

When Morning Gilds the Skies	arr. Donald Busarow
Lauren Anderson, trumpet

Please turn off all cellular phones, pagers, and watches that beep on the hour.

Refreshments will be served in the Renggli Room after the concert.

This concert is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the
Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting at the University of Washington.
Gary D. Cannon is a student of Geoffrey Boers and Abraham Kaplan.

SACRED SONGS...

Toccata in G major, from Pièces nouvelles, 1886	Théodore Dubois 1837–1924
Over the last two hundred years, the French Catholics have cultivated the greatest organ tradition in the world. Dubois was one of its major exponents in the late nineteenth century, serving in two of Paris's most prestigious musical positions: he was organist at both Sainte Clothilde and La Madeleine.

Ave Maria, from All-Night Vigil, 1915	Sergei Sergeyevich Rachmaninov 1873–1943
Among Rachmaninov's few choral works is his setting of the All-Night Vigil, based on Russian and Greek Orthodox chants. The prayer Bogoroditse Djevo is closely linked to the Ave Maria text, and is sung tonight in Latin translation.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.	Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Mary, Did You Know? 1998	Mark Lowry and Buddy Green arranged by Fred Bock 1939–1998
This popular Christian tune depicts the Mother Mary and her newborn. The second verse is followed by a more emphatic section, listing increasingly evident signs of His Holiness. Fred Bock arranged the tune for chorus just months before his death.

Ave Maria ca. 1860	Camille Saint-Saëns 1835–1921
An organ and piano virtuoso, Saint-Saëns is remembered today mostly for his Organ Symphony and Carnival of the Animals. While organist at La Madeleine in Paris for twenty years, he wrote a great amount of church music, including this delicate duet.
See above for text and translation.

Mary's Magnificat 1986	Andrew Carter b.1939
England's most enduring musical tradition is in Anglican cathedral music. Andrew Carter is one of today's most frequently performed and commissioned English choral composers, and this Christmas motet for soprano, chorus and organ is typical of his energetic but delicate style.

Sequence for the Dead		Anonymous edited by Gary D. Cannon
The manuscript for this late eighteenth-century Sequence was only recently discovered in the cathedral at Oaxaca, Mexico. The composer may be Ignacio de Jerusalem, an Italian who had worked in Mexico City mid-century.
I. II. III. IV. V. VI.	Dies irae, dies illa, solvet saeclum in favilla, teste David cum Sibilla. Quantus tremore est futurus, quando judex est venturus, cuncta stricte discussurus. Quid sum miser tunc dicturus, quem patronum rogaturus, cum vix Justus sit securus. Recordare Jesu pie, quod sum mause tue vie, ne me perdas illa die. Ingemisco tanquam reus, culpa rubet vultus meus, supplicanti parce Deus. Pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem.		This day of wrath, this day shall consume the world in ashes, as foretold by David and the Sibyl. What trembling there will be when the judge shall come to weigh everything strictly. What shall I, a wretch say then; to which protector shall I appeal when even the just man is barely safe? Remember, gentle Jesus that I am the cause of your earthly life, do not cast me out on that day. I groan as one guilty, my face blushes with guilt; spare the suppliant, O God. Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest.

Simple Gifts	Virgil Fox 1896–1980
Choral songs and organ music frequently and quite favorably collide. Virgil Fox, one of the greatest of American organ virtuosi, composed this setting of variations on the familiar Shaker hymn tune, which was published in the year of his death.

God So Loved the World, from The Crucifixion, 1887	Sir John Stainer 1840–1901
Sir John Stainer was the major choral figure in Victorian England, serving as organist and chorusmaster at St. Paul's Cathedral in London for sixteen years. His Passiontide oratorio The Crucifixion is the only work which remains in the repertory, of which God So Loved the World is an especial gem.

If Ye Love Me ca. 1550s	Thomas Tallis ca. 1505–1585 arranged by Richard Proulx
Religion in England went through a major upheaval barely ten years before Tallis composed this, one of the most performed motets throughout history. Henry VIII had just consolidated his and all England's official conversion to Anglicanism. Tallis was one of the few composers who was allowed to continue work unfettered. Tonight we hear this motet in Proulx's tasteful arrangement for three voices.

Ubi caritas, from Four Motets on Gregorian Themes, 1960	Maurice Duruflé 1902–1986
Duruflé was a highly self-critical composer, and published barely a dozen works. Among them is a series of four motets based on Gregorian chant themes, of which this is the most popular. The chant is heard throughout, with sections repeated for extra emphasis. Duruflé's dedicated study of chant history is clear.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est: congregavit nos in unum Christi amor: exsultemus et in ipso jucundemur: timeamus et amemus Deum vivum: et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.	Where charity and love are, God is there: Christ's love has brought us together as one: let us joyfully exult in His love: let us fear and love the living God: and let us love with a sincere heart.

In This Very Room 1979	Ron and Carol Harris b.1941
Nary a church exists in the United States that has not heard In This Very Room. Ron Harris was inspired for this work in a lonely New Orleans hotel room, but the text can apply equally to any room of devotion. In This Very Room has been recorded over three hundred times, and has sold a half-million copies worldwide.

Of the Father's Love Begotten	Gregorian Chant
Much music is written on a specific theme—in this case, Christmas—but its message can be applied in many different ways. This eleventh-century chant transcends the child in swaddling clothes, embracing Christ's role throughout the eternal past and future.

Pastorale on a Christmas Plainsong 1922	Virgil Thomson 1896–1989
Virgil Thomson wrote much for piano, but very little for the organ. This somewhat dissonant series of variations on "Of the Father's Love Begotten" also invokes another familiar Christmas tune.

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, from Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, 1723	Johann Sebastian Bach 1685–1750 arranged by Wallingford Riegger
This chorus, though excerpted from one of Bach's lesser-known cantatas, remains one of the master's most enduring works. (And happens also to be a favorite of our own Father Jim!) Tonight you will hear an arrangement for three voices.

O Holy Spirit, We Need You Still 2001	Ron Mallory b.1973
This gentle, even ethereal, work invokes the familiar hymn tune, Old Hundredth, by Louis Bourgeois. Ron Mallory is choir director at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Maple Valley, and is present at tonight's performance. O Holy Spirit has been heard only twice before: at Ron's Pentecost service last year, and at ours this morning.

Humoresque: L'organo primitivo 1918	Pietro Yon 1886–1943
An Italian immigrant, Pietro Yon was organist at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York from 1927 until his death, and as such became the leading musical figure in Catholic America for many years. This toccatina for flute is representative of his easily accessible style.

Thy Will Be Done 1984	Craig Courtney b.1954
A dramatic work for Good Friday, Thy Will Be Done is one of the choir's favorite works. It depicts the psychological horror as Christ prepares for the impending torture and crucifixion and pleads, "My Father, let this cup pass from me." The glory of the equally inevitable resurrection supplies the musical climax, but remains secondary to the event immediately at hand.

Adoramus te Christe 1962	Paul Parthun b.1929
Another motet for Good Friday, Dr. Paul Parthun composed Adoramus te Christe for his own parish choir: Saint Peter and Paul in Mankato, Minnesota. Each section of text is repeated with a different emphasis of mood.
Adoramus te Christe, et benedicimus tibi, quia per crucem redemisti mundum.	We adore thee, Christ, and bless thee, who by the cross redeemed the world.

Alleluia 1979	Ed Harris
Ed Harris is a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, and influence revealed in the relentless primitivism of this Alleluia. The overall structure of this anthem is of slow, gradual growth, as each section adds a new layer. This growth then repeats itself twice as fast.

I Have Seen the Lord, opus 80
1963

Alan Hovhaness
1911–2000

Hovhaness, a Northwest composer of Armenian descent, published over four hundred works in varying genres. I Have Seen the Lord is an Easter scenetta about the distraught but later comforted Mary Magdalene. The choir is the Evangelist or story-teller, while the soprano soloist (or, in our case, two soloists) alternately takes the roles of angels at the tomb, the risen Christ, and the devout Mary.

When Morning Gilds the Skies 1989	arranged by Donald Busarow b.1934
Donald Busarow's exciting arrangement of Joseph Barnaby's hymn tune was made for Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Evansville, Indiana. Each verse sees the tune treated differently, including the third verse for a cappella choir, the fourth for antiphonal men and women, and the final verse with soprano and tenor descant.

Refreshments will be served in the Renggli Room after the concert.

Special Thanks To...

...my friends Mark, Ben, Suzanne, Melissa and Royal, for filling out the choir so admirably ...our parish friends Larry, Bob and Arlene, for joyfully allowing themselves to get roped in ...Lois, Ann, and many others, for making more administrative arrangements than I can count ...Marnie, for the photocopying time, and for keeping me somewhat sane ...Mark, for the rehearsal tapes ...Debbie and Bob, for the recording ...Lauren and our Cascade Symphony string players ...Father Jim, Kathleen, and the entire parish staff ...above all, the composers and their families, especially Ron Mallory, Ron Harris, Karen Parthun, Stephen Bock, and Donald Busarow, for their kind personal support and beautiful music.

Saint Thomas More Parish Choir

Lois Hudson, President
Cindy Swain, Vice-President

Sopranos:	Suzanne Brown Jenny Dreesen Suzanne Hanson Jean Mitterndorfer Melissa Scott Cindy Swain Michelle Terry	Tenors:	Mark Adrian Ben Brody Fred Mitterndorfer Larry Rosemeyer Teresa Spiz
Altos:	Lois Hudson Arlene Metzger Janis Northquist Ann Russell-Yeh Debbie Sjodin Helen Tomminger	Basses:	Todd Bennett Tino Floresca Paul Gilbert Royal Hanson Bob Metzger Ed Smith

The adult choir sings every Sunday for the 9:30 Mass at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church, and at occasional additional services. If you are interested in participating in the Choir, contact Gary at gary@garydcannon.net, or just show up at a Thursday evening rehearsal and start singing!

Lauren Anderson, trumpeter, is a graduate of the University of Washington, where he studied with William D. Cole. Anderson has appeared as a featured soloist with numerous Northwest area orchestras and has performed recitals throughout Washington and in Alaska, Oregon, and Idaho. He currently serves part-time on the faculties of Western Washington University and North Seattle and Olympic Community Colleges.

Our string quartet (Rebecca Gillette and Vicky Brown, violins; Jennifer Schillen, viola; Diane Gullikson, cello) are all string players in the Cascade Symphony Orchestra.

Gary D. Cannon
Conductor

A California native, Gary has served as choir director at Saint Thomas More since November 2000, and is also chorusmaster of the Northwest Mahler Festival. He currently pursues graduate studies at the University of Washington, under the tutelage of Geoffrey Boers, Abraham Kaplan, and Peter Erös. A former student of Jeffrey Thomas at the University of California, Davis (B.A. 1999, with honors), he directed the Davis Festival Singers and was founding director of the student vocal/instrumental ensemble Pulchritudina.

Gary is in increasing demand as a tenor soloist in the Seattle area, having been a featured soloist for First Presbyterian Church, Cantare Vocal Ensemble, and all of the major choirs at the University of Washington. In June 1999, he premiered the role of Dennis Kearney in Jerome Rosen's opera Emperor Norton of the U.S.A. In California, he was twice the tenor soloist in community productions of Handel's Messiah and gave private vocal instruction.

More information, including his research into the life and works of the British composer William Walton, is available at Gary's website, www.garydcannon.net.

Anita Wigington
Organist

Anita Wigington is a graduate of Berea College, Kentucky, and a former teacher in the Edmonds school district. She has been organist for several Seattle area churches, including three in Edmonds and Lynnwood: Maplewood Presbyterian, Edmonds Methodist, and Saint Thomas More (from August 1994). She was a regular recitalist for the weekly organ series at First United Methodist Church, Seattle. Anita studied with Dr. George Fiore, former organist of St. James Cathedral and presently serving First Presbyterian Church, Seattle.

Thanks for coming to our concert!!!

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