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A poem for mixed voices and orchestra by
Leo Sowerby (1895-1968) is remembered today as America's foremost composer of organ and liturgical music, but during the first part of this century he was among our most often performed symphonic composers. His intensely personal and highly individual style requires a long familiarity and sensitivity in performance, but when such care is expended, a compelling, powerful, daring and original music emerges.
I first met Sowerby in the winter of 1955. I was, at the age of 18, the newly appointed organist at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago and since St. James Episcopal Cathedral was just a block away, I ventured into Sowerby's sanctuary to introduce myself. Leo was at the console of the organ, preparing music for the Sunday service. The Cathedral was quite cold so he wore a pair of gloves with the finger tips removed to keep his large hands warm while still allowing him to play on the keyboard. It was a cordial but brief encounter with Sowerby suggesting I get back to work in my cathedral, since it was heated during the week!
Our next meeting was in 1957 at the American Conservatory of Music when I presented my music to him in the hopes of becoming his composition student. I had long admired his works, especially the Symphony in G, and was very nervous about this great composer viewing my fledgling efforts, so Sowerby's legendary gruff manner, particularly evident when he was at the Conservatory, was truly frightening. For what seemed an eternity he studied my scores, not saying a word or even looking at me. At last he said, "I would be honored to have you as a student" and from that moment I began one of the most exciting and profoundly important periods of my creative life.
Sowerby was a demanding teacher; he expected me to write a minimum of fifty bars of music for each lesson. He never forced his own stylistic or harmonic language on me, but rather helped me find and refine my own voice. His understanding of my musical style was amazing. One day, as he was playing an orchestral work of mine on the piano from open score, his fingers formed the next chord before I turned the page.
His enthusiasm for good work knew no bounds. When I completed my first symphonic work, October/ November he ran excitedly into the halls of the Conservatory to find someone to play it with him four hands on the piano. We worked together as master and apprentice for five years and shared the deepest of artistic friendships. Sowerby confided in me that he believed he might never again meet a student who was a real composer until I came to his door. When I completed my Concert Piece for Organ and Strings he told me that I should no longer consider myself his student, we were now colleagues. For my part, working with Leo was the one most significant aspect of my formation as a composer.
Sowerby left Chicago in 1962 to found the College of Church Musicians at Washington Cathedral and except for an occasional visit and for the 70th birthday concert I organized for him in 1965, our communications were brief telephone conversations or copious letters.
Throughout the years I have been proud to perform Sowerby's music. In 1986 my Chorale mounted a week-long festival called Remembering Leo. Some of the performances on this disc come from that concert. We also made the world premiere recording of Forsaken of Man, his great Lenten cantata, and celebrated his 100th birthday with numerous performances of his works. I was especially honored to complete the orchestration of his last major choral/orchestral work, La Corona.
I was deeply saddened at his death in the summer of 1968. America lost one of her finest composers, church music one of its greatest exponents, and I an old and dear friend.
The Throne of God (H.341)
To mark the 50th anniversary of Washington Cathedral, its Dean, Francis B. Sayre, Jr., envisioned "a great musical presentation led by Paul Callaway," the Cathedral's organist and choirmaster and founder and director of the Cathedral Choral Society. "Here would be the possibility of commissioning vital new music. The great musical resources of the cathedral would be mobilized for a supreme witness to the Christian faith through song."
"Our thoughts naturally turn to you when we think of such a project as the one most fitted to write such a work," Callaway told Sowerby. "It would be a wonderful thing for the Cathedral and for music in general in this country. Sowerby, accepting what he termed a "formidable task" wrote, "What a challenge you have given me! I shall hope to be worthy of your confidence."
The Dean asked that the words "Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" be used as either the climax or the conclusion of the piece, since this text is inscribed in stone on the outside of the apse of the Cathedral, the first part of the superstructure to be built. The remaining texts, drawn from the Revelation to John were compiled by Canon Theodore 0. Wedel in collaboration with the composer.
The Throne of God proved to be the towering masterwork of Sowerby's mature period. Filled with brilliant choral and orchestral writing, it was in many ways a perfect summation of the daring inventiveness and heartfelt sincerity found in Sowerby's previous compositions, both sacred and secular.
After its premiere on November 18, 1957 Sayre wrote Sowerby: "I am still glowing from the concert at which your great music was presented. I cannot remember very many times when a piece of music has stayed with me in excitement and joy for very many days after its hearing." The Throne of God "so clearly came from a great spirit and wise faith. It said something the Cathedral is here to say, and it said it as eloquently as anything else on or in this whole Close."
Critic Paul Hume wrote: "Applause contrary to all tradition, shattered the sacred precincts of Washington Cathedral last night to honor a great living composer...Sowerby, a Pulitzer prize winner, has given Washington Cathedral a worthy memento of its anniversary."
Recorded live in concert February 21, 1986; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Chicago
Adoration of the Lamb of God
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing,
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Angelic Admonitions to Worship God
And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion,
And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder.
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.
And I heard another angel out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
Heavenly Benediction of the Martyrs
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.
Triumphal Song of the Martyrs
And they sing the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Who shall not fear thee, 0 Lord, and glorify thy Name? for thou only art holy.
Hymn of Praise to God, Exulting over the Fall of Babylon (Satan's Kingdom)
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God.
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils,
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
The New Creation, and God's Eternal Age
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;and there was no more sea.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and be their God.
And I heard the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Text from the Revelation to John
Interlude for Forsaken of Man (H.303)
"The 20th Century's Matthew Passion" is the way the Washington Post described Sowerby's 1939 cantata Forsaken of Man. Performed as an integral part of the worship service at St. James Cathedral on Good Fridays from 1940 until 1962, Sowerby added an organ interlude in 1949 as a musical meditation during the offering.
Recorded June 13, 1990; St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Chicago
Geoffrey Fischer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, came to Chicago in August of 1954 to attend the2nd Assembly of the World Council of Churches. Sowerby wrote a series of brilliant fanfares, in the proper Anglican style, to herald the Archbishop's visit to Saint James Cathedral.
Recorded live in concert February 21, 1986; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Chicago
Thy Word is a Lantern Unto My Feet (H.405)
Sowerby arrived in Washington during John F. Kennedy's presidency, and almost immediately became an estimable part of the capital's musical life. As a lifelong Democrat, he was an ardent admirer of the young President and the climate of optimism and reverence for the arts he fostered.The depth of the composer's grief at Kennedy's assassination is reflected in his selection of the Psalmist's text and in its passionate setting for unaccompanied voices.
Recorded live in concert June 9, 1986; St. David Church, Cardiff, Wales
Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my paths.
Thou art my defense and shield; and my trust is thy word.
My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgements.
I am thy servant; 0 grant me understanding that I may know thy testimonies.
Show the light of thy countenance upon thy servant and teach me thy statues.
The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting.
0 grant me understanding, and I shall live.
Ad te levavi animam meam (H.356)
In 1958 the composer and choral conductor Edwin Fissinger asked his former teacher to contribute a work for an anthology of contemporary motets in Latin. Sowerby obliged with a setting of verses from Psalm 24 and dedicated it with the inscription: ad Edwin Fissinger.
Recorded live in concert February 17, 1995; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Chicago
Ad te levavi animam meam Deus meus, in te confido, non erubescam: neque irrideant me inimici mei: et enim universi qui te exspectant non confundentur.
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul, in You I trust, never let me be put to shame; nor let my enemies exalt over me; for no one who hopes in You will be confounded.
God Mounts His Throne (H.436)
Double Alleluia for Ascension Thursday
After the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, forward-looking John J. Wright, the Cardinal Archbishop of Pittsburgh, commissioned some of the country's finest composers to write music for the new liturgy with English texts. Sowerby provided several works for this project that were published in the Summit Series by World Library Publications.
Recorded March 27, 1992; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Chicago
Alleluia! God mounts His throne amid shouts of joy; the Lord amid trumpet blasts. The Lord advances from Sinai to the sanctuary; ascending on high, he has led captivity captive.
Verses from Psalms 46 and 67
Washington Cathedral's Gloria in Excelsis bell tower was dedicated on Ascension Thursday in 1964. Samuel Barber, Lee Hoiby, John LaMontaine and Ned Rorem were among the composers commissioned to write anthems for the celebration. Sowerby obliged with this simple yet universal hymn tune as a gift to the Cathedral.
Recorded live in concert at the Regional Convention of the American Guild of Organists, June 26, 1991; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Chicago
Come Risen Lord and deign to be our guest,
Nay let us be Thy guests, the feast is Thine;
Thyself at Thine own board made manifest
In this our sacrament of bread and wine.
We meet as in that upper room they met;
Thou at the table, blessing, still dost stand;
“This is my Body” so Thou givest yet;
Faith still receives the cup as from Thine hand.
One body we, one Body who partake,
One Church united in communion blest;
One name we bear one Bread of Life we break
With all thy saints on earth and saints at rest.
Chicago's William Ferris Chorale, from its very first season in 1971, has been committed to a daring exploration of the music of our time.
Introducing audiences to significant contemporary works through Composer Festival concerts, week-long celebrations with the composer in residence, is a Chorale hallmark. William Schuman, Vincent Persichetti, David Diamond, John Corigliano, Ned Rorem, Gian Carlo Menotti, Dominick Argento, John McCabe, William Mathias and Lee Hoiby have been among the Chorale's composer guests in recent seasons.
The Chorale made its European debut in 1986 at Britain's Aldeburgh Festival and was a featured performer at the 1982 Spoleto Festival: USA. In addition to its concerts in the Chicago area, the Chorale has been heard on the BBC, on National Public Radio and has recorded ten award winning compact discs.
With a roster of fifty of Chicago's finest singers, the Chorale has been hailed both nationally and internationally for its dazzling performances and as an eloquent champion of the contemporary composer.
William Ferris, the founder and director of the Chorale, has had his music performed by major American orchestras, including the Chicago and Boston Symphonies, premiered at Britain's Aldeburgh Festival and broadcast world-wide by the BBC.
For seven years, Ferris was organist of Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral. During Fulton J. Sheen's episcopacy, Ferris held the position of organist/choirmaster at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Rochester, New York. He is Music Director and Composer-in-Residence at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Chicago.
Ferris, who has received numerous awards and honors for his outstanding contributions to the musical arts, is the first American composer to teach at the Vatican. Pope John Paul II conferred a Papal knighthood upon him in 1989 and Radio Vaticana broadcast a concert of his music world-wide.
In 1992 Northwestern University established the William Ferris Archive, which will contain all his musical compositions, preliminary sketches, correspondence and memorabilia.
The Chorale's official accompanist and organist since 1983, Thomas Weisflog has appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on many occasions, most recently in Janacek's Glagolithic Mass under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas. He has concertized extensively in the United States and Europe and his recitals have been broadcast on National Public Radio. Weisflog is the organist of St. Thomas the Apostle Church and the First Unitarian Church of Chicago.
Members of the William Ferris Chorale performing in these concert recordings
Producer: Hudson Fair · Recording: [1-10, 12] Brian Ziegler; [11] Bill Bradley and Hudson Fair; [13-16] Ealing Mobile Recording, Ltd., Chicago & Hudson Fair · Remastering: Hudson Fair
Cover: Leo Sowerby with William Ferris following the 70th birthday concert, June 12, 1965.
Design by: Dunn & Rice, Rochester, New York · Program notes compiled by John Vorrasi · Publishing information: Leo Sowerby Foundation: 1, 3; H. W. Gray: 2, 4, 7; Summy Birchard 5;World Library Publications 6. · Texts reprinted by permission
Leo Sowerby Foundation, Francis Crociata, Ronald Stalford; AWR Music, Arnold Roth; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Rev. Thomas I. Healy; 3 G Recording, Thomas W. Conklin; past and present members of the William Ferris Chorale. Baldwin is the official piano of the William Ferris Chorale. The Throne of God was commissioned by the Washington Cathedral.
The Throne of God (H.341; 1956-57) (45:48)*
A Poem for chorus and Orchestra
and I heard the voice of many angels (7:59)
a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion (3:36)
And I heard another angel out of the altar say (4:46)
And they sing the song of the Lamb (4:19)
And after these things I heard a great voice (2:44)
Babylon the great is fallen (4:56)
And I saw a new heaven (5:37)
And I heard the voice of a great multitude (2:32)
Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (5:33)
Interlude (H.303; 1949) (7:01)*
(for The Forsaken of Man)
Fanfare No. 3 (H.335, No.3; 1955) (1:49)
Thy Word is a Lantern Unto My Feet (5:13)
(H.405; 1964) (In Memoriam-John Fitzgerald Kennedy)
Ad te levavi animam meam (H.356; 1958) (3:39)
God Mounts His Throne (H.436; 1965) (2:32)*
(Double Alleluia For Ascension Day)
Come, Risen Lord (H.398; 1963) (3:26)
In concert recordings of performances given between 1986-1995, including the historic 90th birthday celebration Remembering Leo, February 21, 1986.
* indicates world premiere recording
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