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Bucknell University
Bucknell University, rated one of the 30 best liberal arts colleges in America in the 1995 edition of U.S. News & World Report's college guide, offers a professional music program within an outstanding liberal arts environment. The Bucknell Music Department has an internationally recognized faculty whose members have gained recognition as performers, conductors, composers, authors and lecturers. A number of its faculty members are represented on more than 15 records and compact discs. Members of the department have received recognition for superior teaching from such diverse sources as The College Music Society and Rolling Stone magazine. The department is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and offers the bachelor of arts degree in music and the bachelor of music degree in performance, composition, music history, and music education. These degree programs are designed to prepare musicians for professional activity or graduate study.
The Rooke Chapel Choir
The Rooke Chapel Choir of Bucknell University, under the Direction of William Payn, has gained international recognition for some of the most significant twentieth-century American sacred repertory. Its select members represent every major field of study at Bucknell, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, business administration, education, and engineering. The Choir's popular Candlelight Service of Carols, nominated for an Iris Award in 1989, attracts capacity crowds to Rooke Chapel for three performances every December, and was taped by PBS for national distribution in 1987,1990, and again in 1995. In April 1988, the choir participated in the premiere of Handel's Imeneo at a sold-out concert in New York City's Merkin Concert Hall; in 1990, it performed with London's contemporary-music ensemble Electric Phoenix and sang in a concert version of Handel's opera Acis and Galatea with the Brewer Chamber Orchestra; and in 1992, it assisted the Gregg Smith Singers in the New York premiere performance of William Duckworth's Southern Harmony at Merkin Hall (Lovely Music CD 2033). The choir has toured England, Wales, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Puerto Rico.
Megan Allen
Shannon Beam
Megan Castrina
Gregory Choi
Marianne Fallon
Melissa Funk
Tim Gage
Bryan Gess
Julie Griesemer
Meghan Griffith
Trey Helms
Catherine Hollyer
Matthew Jesick
Shannon Kearns
David Kim
Karissa Krenz
Kenneth Laurora
Rebecca Lawson
Gwynne Luminati
Matthew Mehaffey
Jeanne Mellish
Susan Minsavage
Michael Phillips
Gregory Quenell
David Regula
Amanda Swarr
Becky Tarbell
Arthur Thomas
Douglas Waage
Theresa Wenzke
Melissa Wharton
Ryan Zoliner
The Rooke Chapel Ringers
The Bucknell University Rooke Chapel Ringers were organized in 1983 under the direction of William Payn. The choir consists of 12 members who are selected by audition and who represent diverse major fields of study at Bucknell. The choir plays regularly for Protestant worship services on campus and participates in the traditional ringing-in-of-Christmas at Candlelight services in Rooke Chapel each December. Since its founding, the choir has participated in two festivals at the Riverside Church in New York City, has played for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Conference, and has toured in Europe, Canada, and the United States. In the summer of 1995 the Ringers were invited to perform at Handbell Exploration '95 in Scottsdale, Arizona. On this recording, Laudation is conducted by Curtis Crane.
Meredith Bauer
Barbara Black
Curtis Crane
MeShanti Hatch
Trey Helms
Jennifer Kelley
Christine McCallum
Sharon Sauder
Randee Schneider
Christine Taylor
Douglas Waage
Kathryn Worster
William Payn
William Payn, who has achieved prominence as a conductor, composer, and clinician, is Director of Choral Studies, Professor of Music, and chairman of the Department of Music at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. His choir have achieved international recognition for their creative interpretation of significant choral literature of the past five centuries. Both his Rooke Chapel Choir and University Concert Chorale have sung at conventions of the American Choral Directors Association. Four compact discs featuring his Rooke Chapel Choir have been recorded on Lovely Music and Albany labels.
Active as a composer since the early 70's, Payn has written over 22 published handbell compositions, many of them commissioned works, as well as a choral work, To Music, distributed by National Music. His works are performed virtually every week in the United States and abroad. He is in constant demand as a clinician and festival conductor throughout the world.
Payn received his Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College and his Doctor of Musical Arts in organ and harpsichord literature from West Virginia University. As a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Payn has served as Pennsylvania state president. Information about him appears in two reference publications: Contemporary American Composers: A Biographical Dictionary, and Who's Who in American Music: Classical. In 1987, he was presented with the Harriman Award for contributions to the intellectual life of Bucknell University, and in 1994 he received the Bucknell University Cook Award, given annually to a member of the faculty to promote creative travel.
David Cover
David Cover graduated from Bucknell University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a double major in Music and Chemistry; he was the 1984 recipient of the coveted Barbara Watson Grever Prize in Music. He earned a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Peabody Conservatory, where he received a full scholarship and served as ear-training assistant. Mr. Cover was appointed as the Bucknell University Chapel Choir accompanist in the fall of 1989. He also serves as the University Chorale accompanist, teaches privately, and freelances as a jazz pianist.
Elizabeth Etters-Asmus
Elizabeth Etters-Asmus is a graduate of the Juilliard School, with Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in harp performance. She has been principal harp with the Virginia Opera Company as well as a member of the New York Harp Ensemble, with whom she recorded and toured throughout Europe and the United States. Ms. Etters-Asmus is currently principal harp with the New York Chamber Ensemble and is a guest instructor of harp at Pennsylvania State University.
D'Anna Fortunato
D'Anna Fortunato (Bucknell '67), mezzo-soprano, has charmed critics and audiences alike with her recital, symphony orchestra, and opera appearances in the United States and abroad. Since her debut in 1971 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she has appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic, the orchestras of Cleveland and Louisville, and the Detroit, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, and Minnesota symphonies. Ms. Fortunato has been featured in leading operatic roles with the New York City, Glimmerglass, Kentucky, and Connecticut operas, as well as the Opera Company of Boston, Monadnock Festival, and the Rochester Opera Theater. As a concert and oratorio soloist, Ms. Fortunato has appeared internationally with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, Clarion Music Society, Musica Sacra, Bach Choir of Bethlehem, and the Boston Camerata. Andrew Porter of The New Yorker called her a "Handelian of crisp accomplishment," and Leighton Kerner of The Village Voice proclaimed her a "mezzo-soprano of profound musicality and technical aplomb." Her festival engagements include Marlboro, Tanglewood, Blossom, Brattleboro, Casals, and the Bach Festival of Rome. Ms. Fortunato exhibits her curiosity for the new and unusual in her work as a recitalist and chamber musician. She has researched and performed extensively the little-known vocal works of Liszt and Loeffler, as well as music by women composers such as Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn, and Amy Beach. Composers John Harbison, Stephen Albert, and John Heiss have chosen her to premier their works. Ms. Fortunato has recorded on the Harmonia Mundi, Nonesuch, Music Masters, and Vox labels. Her album of songs by Amy Beach was voted "Best Record of the Year" by The New York Times, the Boston Globe, and New York Magazine.
TEXTS
On This Day Earth Shall Ring
text: "Piae Cantiones," 1582
On this day earth shall ring
With the song children sing
To the Lord, Christ our King,
Born on earth to save us;
Him the Father gave us
Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo!
His the doom, ours the mirth;
When he came down to earth,
Bethlehem saw his birth'
Ox and ass beside him
From the cold would hide him.
Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo!
God's bright star, o'er his head,
Wise men three to him led,
Kneeling low by his bed,
Lay their gifts before him,
Praise him and adore him.
Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo!
On this day angels sing;
With their song earth shall ring,
Praising Christ, heaven's King,
Born on earth to save us.
Peace and love he gave us.
Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo!
Wolcum Yole!
text: Anonymous
Wolcum be thou hevene' king,
Wolcum Yole!
Wolcum, born in one morning,
Wolcum for whom we sail sing!
Wolcum, Thomas marter one,
Wolcum, seintes lefe and dere,
Wolcum, innocentes every one.
Wolcum Twelfthe Day both in fere
Wolcum be ye, Stevene and Jon,
Wolcum be ye good Newe Yere.
Wolcum Yole,
Wolcum! Candelmesse,
Quene of bliss,
Wolcum bothe to more and lesse.
Wolcum be ye that are here,
Wolcum Yole,
Wolcum alle and make good cheer.
Wolcum alle another yere,
Wolcum Yole, Wolcum!
Super Flumina Babylonis
text: Psalm 137 (verses 1 and 2)
Super flumina Bahylonis,
illie sedimus, et flevimus,
dum recordaremur tui, Sion:
in salicihus in medin ejus,
suspendimus organa nostra.
By the waters of Babylon,
there we sat and wept,
when we remembered Zion.
we hung up our lyres.
Adore Te Devote
text: 13th century
Adorn te devote, latens Deitas,
Quae sub his figuris vere latitas:
Tibi se cor meum totum subjicit,
Quia te contemplans totum deficit.
Visus, tactus, gustus in te fallitur,
Sed auditu solo tuto creditur
Credo quid quid dixit Dei Filius:
Nil hoc verho veritatis verius.
O memoriale mortis Domini
Panis vivus, vitam praestans homini.
Praesta meae menti de te vivere,
Et te illi semper dulce sapere.
Jesu, quem velatum nunc aspicin,
Oro, fiat thud quodtam sitio:
Ut, te revelata cernens fade,
Visu sim beatus tuae gloriae.
Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore,
Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more:
See, Lord, at thy service low lies here a heart,
Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art.
Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived;
How says trusty hearing? that shall he believed:
What God's Son has told me, take for truth I do;
Truth himself speaks truly or there's nothing true.
O thou our reminder of Christ crucified,
Living Bread the life of us for whom he died.
Lend this life to me then: feed and feast my mind,
There he thou the sweetness man was meant to find.
Jesu whom I look at shrouded here below,
I beseech thee send me what I thirst for so,
Some day to gaze on thee face to face in light
And he biest for ever with thy glory's sight.
O Magnum Mysterium
text: Matins responsory for Christmas Day
O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum,
Ut animalia viderent Dominum
natum iacentem in praesepio.
O beata virgo cuius viscera
meruerunt portare Dominum Christum.
Alleluia. Amen.
O great mystery and wonderful Sacrament,
That the animals should see
the birth of the Lord in a stable.
O blessed virgin whose womb
was found worthy to hear the Lord Christ.
Alleluia. Amen.
A La Nanita Nana
Traditional Spanish
A a nanita nana, nanita ea
Mi Jesus time sueño, bendito sea.
Fuentecilla que corres claray sonora,
Ruiseñor q'en la selva cantando lloras,
Callad mientras cuna sehalancea.
To the little sleeping one,
My Jesus, He is sleeping, O come behold Him. How blessed he His name.
Little brook everflowing, rushing and ringing,
Nightingale in the forest sighing and singing,
Quiet while the cradle gently enfolds Him.
Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head
Traditional American
Jesus, Jesus, rest your head,
You have got a manger bed.
All the weary folk on earth
sleep in silence at their birth.
Have you heard about our Jesus?
Have you heard about his fate?
How his mother went to the stable
on that Christmas Eve so late?
Winds were blowing, cows were lowing,
stars were glowing.
Jesus, Jesus, rest your head,
You have got a manger bed.
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
Traditional English
Tomorrow shall he my dancing day:
I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play,
To call my true love to my dance:
Sing, O my love;
This have I done for my true love.
Then was I horn of a virgin pure,
Of her I took fleshly substance;
Thus was I knit to man's nature,
To call my true love to my dance:
Sing, O my love;
This have I done for my true love.
In a manger laid and wrapp'd I was,
So very poor, this was my chance,
Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass,
To call my true love to my dance:
Sing, O my love;
This have I done for my true love.
Still, Still, Still
Text:Marilyn Keith and Alan Bergman
Still, still, still, one can hear the falling snow.
For all is hushed, the world is sleeping,
Holy Star its vigil keeping
Still, still, still, one can hear the falling snow.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, 'tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.
The night is peaceful all around you,
Close your eyes, let sleep surround you
Sleep, sleep, sleep, 'tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.
Dream, dream, dream of the joyous day to come.
While guardian angels without number
Watch you as you sweetly slumber.
Dream, dream, dream of the joyous day to come.
The Lamb
text: William Blake (1757-1827)
Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
gave thee life, & hid thee feed
By the stream &o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, woolly, bright:
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb.
He is meek, & he is mild;
He became a little child.
I, a child, & thou a Lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
Let This Mind Be in You
text: Phillipians 2, verses 5-11
Let this mind he in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to he equal with God: but made himself no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above ev'ry name: that at the name of Jesus ev'ry knee should how, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that ev'ry tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
From Heaven Above
text: Martin Luther (1483-1546)
From heav'n above to earth I come
To bring good news to ev'ryone!
Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To all the world, and gladly sing:
To you this night is horn a child
Of Mary chosen virgin mild;
This newborn child of lowly birth
Shall he the joy of all the earth.
This is the Christ, God's Son most high,
Who hears your sad and bitter cry;
He will himself your Savior be
And from all sin will set you free.
The blessing which the Father planned
The Son holds in his infant hand,
That in his kingdom, bright and fair,
You may with us his glory share.
On Christmas Night
English Traditional
On Christmas night all Christians sing,
To hear the news the angels bring,
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King's birth.
Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad,
When from our sin he set us free,
All for to gain our liberty?
When sin departs before his grace,
Then life and health come in its place;
Angels and men with joy may sing,
All for to see the newborn King.
All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night:
Glory to God and peace to men,
Now and forevermore. Amen.
Recorded in Rooke Chapel, Bucknell University, in February and May, 1995. Recorded and edited by Rusty Richards, Northumberland, Pennsylvania. Microphone placement for the choir and bells utilized matched pairs of condenser mics at locations determined to provide focus, width and depth in the aural image. The microphone pairs were Neumann U-87's and U-47's, AKG 414's, Crown PZM's and Shure SM-81's. The recording console was a RAMSA 820 B, using the direct outputs to 10 tracks of Alesis ADAT. Mixdown was through the Yamaha 0 1 digital mixer to a Panasonic 5V3700 DAT machine. Editing was performed on the proTools system. No artificial ambiance was used.
This recording was funded by Bucknell University in honor of its Sesquicentennial Celebration (1846-1996).
The Rooke Chapel Choir appears on Albany Records, "An American Collage," (TROYO98) and will appear on an upcoming disc of the Civil War songs of Stephen Foster.
Cover art from Lewisburg Studios, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
ALBANY RECORDS U.S.
P.O. Box 5011, Albany, NY 12205
Tel: 518.453.2203 FAX: 518.453.2205
ALBANY RECORDS U.K.
Box 12, Warton, Carnforth, Lancashire LA5 9PD
Tel: 0524 735873 FAX: 0524 736448
WARNING: COPYRIGHT SUBSISTS IN ALL RECORDINGS ISSUED UNDER THIS LABEL.
© 1995 THE ROOKE CHAPEL CHOIR
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