Morten Lauridsen was born in Colfax, Washington. He studied at Whitman College and at the University of Southern California, where he is now a member of the faculty. His principal teachers were Ingolf Dahl and Halsey Stevens. Lament for Pasiphaë is the first of the five Mid-Winter Songs by Lauridsen on texts by Robert Graves. The work was commissioned by the University of Southern California and was premiered by Rodney Eichenberger and the USC Chamber Singers. The work was awarded the 1984 Phi Kappa Phi Creative Writing Prize. De ton rêve trop plein is the third of five poems concerning roses entitled Les Chansons des Roses. The cycle of poems, written by Rainer Maria Rilke was commissioned by Choral Cross-Ties, who premiered the work in Portland, Oregon in 1993.
Eric Whitacre has already made his mark as a composer, clinician, and conductor. Ghost Train, for large wind orchestra, was premiered at the Concert Band Directors National Association Convention, and was performed in 1994 by the Shobi Conservatoire Wind Symphony, Japan's most prestigious wind ensemble. Mr. Whitacre has received performances of his published choral works throughout the United States and Canada and is a regularly commissioned composer. He served three seasons as associate conductor at the College Light Opera Company in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and has been invited to numerous junior high, senior high, and university campuses as a guest clinician. His composition Cloudburst received first place in the American Choral Directors Composers of the Future competition. Water Night was commissioned by the Dale Warland Singers and is dedicated to Dr. Bruce Mayhall. The text is by Octavio Paz.
Sven Lekberg was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1899. He was involved with music early in his life, taking piano lessons at the age of nine and becoming an assistant organist by the age of fourteen. Ile graduated from Northwestern University and continued his studies in Paris with the composers Vincent d'Indy and Paul Dukas. Upon returning to the United States in 1931, Lekberg assumed the position of Dean of the School of Music at Augustana College, Illinois,and later became the chairman of Division of Fine Arts at Simpson College, Iowa. Lekberg's compositional style is influenced by Vaughn Williams and is characterized by modal scales, parallelism, and mild dissonance; each of these is evident in the first four measures of Let All the World.
Greg Knauf is a graduate student of the Theory/Composition Department and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Choral Conducting at the University of Miami. His setting of Psalm 117 is dedicated to his niece. Knauf notes that the piece "is based upon the Gregorian chant Caudate Dominum °nines grilles, and is structured as if one were 'tuning in' to the song of the angels. By beginning and ending with aleatoric sections in which the choir randomly sings certain pitches, the words 'Praise the Lord... forever' are highlighted, alluding to eternal hymns of praise."
Alfred Desenclos was born February 7, 1912 in Le Portal (Pas-de-Calais). He died in Paris on March 3, 1971. He studied music at the conservatories of Roubaix and Paris, where lie obtained his first Grand Prix de Rome in 1942. From 1943 to 1950, he was the head of the conservatory at Roubaix. Salve Regina is one of the four Marian Antiphons. It was first a processional chant for the Feast of the Assumption. It is now sung at the conclusion of Compline during the season of Pentecost.
René Clausen, conductor of the Concordia Choir, is one of the leading choral composers of the United States. In describing his composition 0 Vos Omnes he states that it was written with no technical limitations. Haunted by the poem of the prophet Jeremias who lived at the close of the seventh and beginning of the eighth century BC, Clausen employs bi-tonal and technically difficult phrasing to heighten the drama of the piece. In 0 Vos Omnes he uses English, Hebrew, and Latin, a solo soprano and tenor, divided double chorus, and the chorale melody "0 sacred head now wounded" as devices to further the corporate and individual expression of his deep faith.
An hour northwest of Prague, the little town of Terezin (Thereseinstadt) was chosen by the Nazis to "resettle" European Jews. On November 24, 1941, the first group of Jews arrived, bringing abundant Czech culture. To keep their sanity in such terrible conditions, many ensembles were formed and concerts given. Standard repertoire was used, such as Mendelssohn's Elijah, as well as original works and folk songs arranged by such composers as Gideon Klein (1919-1945) and Victor Ullman (1898-1944). Songs such as the Roznov Clock were taught by rote and performed in many different arrangements. The version sung by the Chorale represents three ways this song would have been performed.
Between 1942 and 1944, fifteen thousand children occupied the camp at Terezin. Only about one hundred survived. 1 Never Saw Another Butterfly contains three songs written on the text of several of the children's poems. These poems represent the horror and shock felt by the children as well as moments of humor, beauty, and determination. At Terezin was written by Teddy; The Little Mouse by Miroslav Kosek, Hanes Lowy, and Bachner; and The Butterfly by Pavel Friedmann. This arrangement of these poems has been written by Joel Hardyk.
Although not originally intended as a piece to depict the Holocaust, the musical textures and compositional devices used in Tema by Alfred Jansen seem to suggest such an event. Beginning with a pensive piano solo, the vibraphone eventually enters with a persistent drone. Out of this texture, the women ominously emerge. The tension builds as the organ enters and the men begin whispering and talking. One can picture the masses of Jews lining up to get on trains or the whispering among workers in the dorms as screams are heard coining from the "showers." The organ, sounding its deepest tones, lays the foundation for the rest of the piece, while the chorus grows louder, until a snare drum silences the entire ensemble.
Prayer Before Sleep is the last of six pieces which comprise the Talmud Suite of Sid Robinovich. The Talmud is a body of law, legend, and philosophy collected between the third and eighth centuries in Babylonia and Palestine. It is one of the greatest influences on the doctrine and conduct of Jewish life. Although intended simply as a legal reference, it is considered a work of art in itself, consisting of logic, history, science, many anecdotes, poems, and prayers. The text of Prayer Before Sleep, as the title suggests, is one of these prayers which is to be recited at home before going to bed.
Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe, Professor and Program Director, Choral Studies at the University of Miami, received B.A. and M.A. degrees from California State College at Long Beach and a D.M.A. degree from the University of Southern California. Scheibe held positions in California and Arizona prior to his arrival at the University of Miami. At the University of Miami, he conducts the Civic Chorale of Greater Miami and the University Chorale, he coordinates the choral program, and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting. Ensembles under his leadership have sung at state, regional, and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association and the Music Educators National Conference. Scheibe is a frequent guest conductor for the All State Choirs, honor choirs, high school and collegiate choral festivals.
Dr. Robert Gower, Associate Professor of Theory and Composition at the University of Miami, earned his B.A. and M.M. degrees from the University of South Florida and a D.M.A. from the University of Miami. Ile is coordinator of the Undergraduate Theory Program, associate conductor and pianist for the University of Miami Chorale and the Civic Chorale of Greater Miami, and is on the conducting staff of the University of Miami Summer Choral Camp. In addition to his ensembles and teaching duties, Dr. Gower is Director of Music at Coconut Grove United Methodist Church and is well known for his contributions to community andchurch music in Miami. Several of his compositions and arrangements have been published with Galleria Press and CPP/Belwin.
The University Chorale, one of nine choral ensembles in the University of Miami School of Music, was founded in 1993. The Chorale has quickly established itself as one of Florida's leading collegiate choral ensembles. The voices of the Chorale are chosen from across the campus, drawing both music majors and majors outside the School of Music. Noted for its innovative and versatile programming, the Chorale prides itself in singing literature of the Twentieth Century. The Chorale has performed with Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras. In addition, the University of Miami Chorale and Symphony Orchestra performed at the 1996 National Convention of the Music Educators National Conference and the Chorale performed at the 1997 American Choral Directors National Convention.
The University of Miami: Situated in Coral Gables, the University of Miami is the most comprehensive private research university in the Southeastern United States. Approximately 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students from every state and more than 100 countries are enrolled in the University's many graduate and undergraduate degree programs.
Including the School of Music, the University of Miami has 13 schools and colleges. Among them are the distinguished schools of marine science, law, and medicine. The University of Miami has an excellent faculty and one of the most comprehensive undergraduate honors programs of any American university. The majority of new freshmen are in the top fifth of their high school classes. Students have the opportunity to continue that excellence through small class sizes that invite close student-teacher interaction. The Residential College concept—where faculty and their families live in campus housing with undergraduate students—further demonstrates the University's strong commitment to the undergraduate student.
The School of Music: The University of Miami's School of Music ranks among the most comprehensive and innovative in the nation. While building on a classical tradition, the school incorporates a contemporary approach to learning and creatively responds to the changing needs of the world of music. A pioneer in new curricula, the school was the first in the nation to offer degrees in Music Business and Entertainment Industries and Music Engineering Technology. The School was also among the first to offer degrees in Music Therapy, Musical Theatre, and Studio Music and Jazz.
Recorded at Gusman Hall at the University of Miami and First United Methodist Church of Coral Gables.
Microphones AKG414B/ULS and BEtK4007; Mic-pre: John Hardy M 1; Digital Editing: Sound Designer II;
Recording Engineer: Simon Soong, Peter McGrath. • Cover design and text layout by Armando A. Acevedo.
