What’s on Great Sacred Music, Sunday, September 27, 2015

Great Sacred Music airs every Sunday morning from 8 until 11 a.m. eastern on The Classical Station.

Much of the music on this week’s playlist can also be found on Spotify at this link: Great Sacred Music – September 27, 2015

Also on Sunday evenings you can hear more choral music both sacred and secular on Wavelengths and Peaceful Reflections

beginning at 9 p.m. eastern.

 

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08:01:25
Plainsong: Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer
Rupert Gough, organ

 

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Bless the Lord, O my soul ~ Vespers, Op. 37
BBC Singers, David Hill

 

Healey Willan: Chorale Prelude on a Melody by Orlando Gibbons
Patrick Wedd, organ
1994/1995 Casavant Organ of the Eglise Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montreal

 

The Veni Creator is an ancient plainsong tune set to an 8th century text

by Rabanus Maurus. Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff used an

ancient Greek chant as the basis of his setting of the second movement

of his All-Night Vigil. Canadian organist Patrick Wedd has been Director

of Music of Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal since 1996.

 

08:14:46
Vincenzo Ugolini: Exultate omnes
The Studio of Ancient Music of Montreal, Christopher Jackson

 

Sir William Harris: Faire is the heaven
Cambridge Singers, John Rutter

 

Max Reger: Romanze in A minor
Martin Welzel, organ
Johannes Klais Organ, Trier Cathedral

 

Canadian early music specialist Christopher Jackson (1948-2015) founded

The Studio of Ancient Music of Montreal in 1974. The group has produced

many highly-regarded recordings of early music. John Rutter celebrated his

70th birthday on September 24. Klais Orgelbau has produced hundreds of

superb pipe organs since its founding in 1882. The founder’s grandson Hans

Gerd Klais now runs the firm.

 

08:31:46
William Byrd: Rorate caeli desuper
The Cardinall’s Musick, Andrew Carwood

 

James William Elliott: O Jesus, I have promised
Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer
Rupert Gough, organ

 

Johann Pachelbel: Fantasia in G minor
Marilyn Mason, organ

 

The Fisk “Marilyn Mason” organ at the University
of Michigan designed in honor of Dr. Mason

 

English musician Andrew Carwood has been Director of Music at St. Paul’s

Cathedral, London, since 2007. James Elliott’s tune for “O Jesus, I have

promised” no longer enjoys the popularity it once had, having been replaced

by William Ferguson’s tune “Wolvercote”. American organist Dr. Marilyn

Mason (1925-) is Professor of Organist Emerita at the University of Michigan

where she has been on staff since 1947. She retired from active duty at the

university in 2014.

 

08:43:31
Arvo Part: Da pacem Domine
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Paul Hillier

 

Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Old Hundredth Psalm Tune
Choir of the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, Thomas Somerville
Frederick Swann, organ
Skinner/Schlicker organ in First Congregational Church, Los Angeles

 

Jean Langlais: Te Deum ~ Three Gregorian Paraphrases
Andrew Lucas, organ
Mander organ in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London

 

Estonian composer Arvo Part’s music is inspired by plainchant. The composer

uses a technique which he calls tintinnabuli to give his music its unique persona.

Frederick Swann left Riverside Church, New York to become Organist of the Crystal

Cathedral. He subsequently moved to First Congregational Church in Los Angeles

where he presided over a mammoth 5 manual 346 rank instrument from 1998-2001.

 

09:01:14
J.S. Bach: Cantata 114, “Ach, lieben Christen, seid getrost”
Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki
Yukari Nonoshita, soprano; Daniel Taylor, countertenor;
Makoto Sakurada, tenor; Peter Kooy, bass

 

One translation of the German title is “Ah, dear Christians, be comforted”. The opening

chorus is a stunner with the chorale tune surrounded by a tapestry of instrumental sound

such as Bach wrote with such mastery and assurance.

 

09:26:00
George Frideric Handel: Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne
Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford; Academy of Ancient Music
Simon Preston
Judith Nelson, soprano; Emma Kirkby, soprano;
Shirley Minty, contralto; James Bowman, alto;
Martyn Hill, tenor; David Thomas, bass

 

While strictly speaking a secular cantata, the Ode which is also known

as “Eternal source of light divine” is worth a listen as one of those grand

Handelian flourishes for an occasion.

 

09:53:14
Alexandre Guilmant: Grand Chorus in D, Op. 18 (after Handel)
Simon Lindley, organ
Harrison & Harrison organ at Leeds Parish Church

 

Dr. Simon Lindley has been Organist of Leeds Parish Church among other

prestigious appointments since 1975.

 

10:01:06
Frank Martin: Mass for two unaccompanied choirs
Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, Stephen Darlington

 

Swiss composer Frank Martin (1890-1974) was largely self-taught. His 1922

Mass for Double Choir is unaccompanied. It is widely considered one of the

finest 20th century choral works.

 

10:29:25
Johann Gottlieb Naumann: Mass in D minor (No. 18)
Neuer Kornerscher Sing-verein; Collegium Instrumentale, Peter Kopp
Heike Hallaschka, soprano; Kai Wessel, alto;
Markus Brutscher, tenor; Matthias Weichert, bass

 

German composer Johann Gottlieb Naumann (1741-1801) is perhaps best known

as the composer of the widely-used Dresden Amen.