A Reformation Salute

This week on Going Beyond Words and ACDA Radio/ChoralNet host Stan Schmidt invites you to hear a Reformation Salute. You will compare three versions of Ein Feste Burg of Martin Luther. The first arranged by John Ferguson, then a setting by Telemann and lastly, the famous one by Johann Sebastian Bach. Also programmed are two settings of another Luther hymn Gelobet Sei Gott, der Herr one by Johann Friedrich Doles for Double Choir and the other a great creation by Felix Mendelssohn. Also scheduled is Vater Unser by the great Heinrich Schütz, Built on a Rock by F. Melius Christiansen and from his Op 74, Edvard Grieg’s Psalm arrangement of God’s Son Has Made Me Free.  

American Composer Charles Forsberg is also heard with his piece The Exaltation of Christ. The program opens with Peter Philips and the Tallis Scholars with a Gregorian Chant from Josquin des Pres. Other outstanding choral ensembles to be heard include The St. Olaf Choir with Anton Armstrong;  The Dresdner Kammerchor and Brockorchester with Hans Christoph Rademann; The Athesinus Consort and Kammerchor Stuttgart led by Frieder Bernius; The Northwestern College Choir of St. Paul, Minnesota with Dr. Timothy Sawyer, conductor;  The Magleburger Kammerchor and Barochkorchester with Lother Hennig on the podium; The Deutschen Bach-Vocalisten guided by  Gerhard Weinberger;  The North Dakota State University Concert Choir and Jo Ann Miller, Director; and we end with the great Helmuth Rilling leading the Gachinger Kantorei and Bach Ensemble of Stuttgart.  Thanks for listening and its good to hear from you.

For a look at the CD’s used and a complete list of the music heard, go to the blog of WWW.GONGBEYONDWORDS.COM website and click on show 2503.