Notes

This will mark the third time we’ve ended the year with a performance in the Great Court, and we will once again take advantage of its remarkable acoustics by featuring a group of polychoral pieces.

Orlando di Lasso (1532–1594) was the last and greatest of the Renaissance period Franco-Flemish composers. He was a true international composer, having studied in France and Italy before settling in Germany, whose output includes over 2,000 works in all sacred and secular genres. He wrote with fl uency in French, German, Italian and Latin and was conversant in all of the styles of the late Renaissance. Today’s work, Omnes de Saba Venient, is an antiphon published in 1604, and it shows clear evidence of di Lasso’s exposure to the Venetian school of polychoral music. It is known that Andrea Gabrieli studied with di Lasso in Munich and it is assumed that Gabrieli brought knowledge of the multi-choir music of St. Mark’s Cathedral (which is pictured on the cover of this program) to the master’s attention.

The second work on our program, a setting of the Crucifi xus text from the Credo of the Mass by Italian composer Antonio Caldara (c. 1670–1736), dates from the latter part of the Baroque period. Caldara’s 16-part setting of the text, splitting the chorus into four four-voice choirs, is much more thematic than di Lasso’s setting. Caldara uses a “cross theme” for the opening text and is consistent in his uses of themes for other sections of the text.

Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672) is generally considered the most important composer in Germany in the early Baroque, and this setting of the Psalm 150 also shows the Venetian infl uence. The text is a series of “praises” to God, and Schütz sets it in short, sectional form, balanced at the beginning and end by a festive “Alleluia” in fast triple meter.

The Chamber Singers will sing next, doing two of the great acappella choral sets of the 20th century, the Trois Chansons (“three songs”) of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

The actual texts of the three poems set by each of these French impressionistic masters are completely different. Debussy’s settings are beautiful and lyric (even the third, “Winter, you are a villain” which starts and ends with an edge, is primarily lyric throughout). Ravel’s choice of poems calls on a wider emotional range, each telling a fairy tale-like story: fi rst, the tale of a young woman who chooses money over love; next, a stunning description of the birds of Paradise; and fi nally, the wildly virtuosic tale of a forest inhabited by all manner of evil creatures.

The Chorus will then return with more 20th century music.Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) was the most important composer of his

generation in England and this motet, O Clap Your Hands, is typical of his smaller works for the Anglican Church. The music is modal with full, six-part chords, and uses cross-rhythms to create tension in the middle section.

Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924) began his career as a church organist and found his greatest compositional success writing choral music and solo songs. He also became a leading teacher of composition at the Conservatoire di Paris in the late 19th century, and was the principal teacher of Maurice Ravel, among many others. Fauré is best-known for his lyric setting of the Requiem text, but he wrote a number of other works for the church that remain in the repertoire including a missa brevis (a “short mass,” leaving out the lengthy Gloria and Credo texts) titled the Messe Basse for treble choir and treble solo. We are performing this work in an arrangement by Australian composer Christopher Moore which is expanded for SATB chorus.

Dr. Powell wrote the concluding piece, A Festive Psalm, in the late 1980’s for the Midland-Odessa Symphony Chorale. For today’s performance, the keyboard part has been revised to be more “organ-like” rather than pianistic.

Music in theGreat Court

Sunday, June 10, 2007 3:00 p.m. Great Court

Drexel University Chorus Chamber Singers

Music of Schützdi LassoCaldara

DebussyRavelFauré

TRANSLATIONSProgram

Omnes de Saba Venient ..................................... Orlando di Lasso (1532–1594)

Crucifi xus a 16 ................................................Antonio Caldara (c. 1670–1736)

Psalm 150 from “Psalmen Davids” ................. Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672)Anna Klebanov, Jillian Giblin, soprano

Heather Le, Katelin Kloberg, altoAnthony Kotula, David Cherian, tenor

Ben Guez, Matt Ridgway, bassUniversity Chorus

Trois Chansons ....................................................Claude Debussy (1862–1918) I. “Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder!” II. “Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin”

Marielle desEtages, soprano III. “Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain”

Anna Klebanov, soprano Katelin Kloberg, altoAnthony Kotula, tenor Ben Guez, bass

Trois Chansons ....................................................... Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) I. “Nicolette” II. “Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis”

Anna Klebanov, soprano Katelin Kloberg, altoMichael Jeffers, tenor Matt Ridgway, bass

III. “Ronde”Chamber Singers

O Clap Your Hands ..............................Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)

Messe Basse ..............................................................Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924) I. “Kyrie eleison”

Marielle desEtages, soprano II. “Sanctus” III. “Benedictus”

Teresa Lepak, soprano IV. “Agnus Dei”

A Festive Psalm ...........................................................................Steven Powell

Brian Dilts, Keyboard Steven Powell, conductorUniversity Chorus

Omnes de Saba:They shall all come from Shebabringing gold and incense,and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.Alleluia.

The kings of Tharsis and of the islands bring presents;

The kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.Alleluia.

Crucifi xus: [And] was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate: he suffered, and was buried.

Psalm 150: 1. O praise God in his holiness : praise him in the firmament of his power. 2. Praise him in his noble acts : praise him according to his excellent greatness. 3. Praise him in the sound of the trumpet : praise him upon the lute and harp. 4. Praise him in the cymbals and dances : praise him upon the strings and pipe. 5. Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals : praise him upon the loud cymbals. 6. Let every thing that hath breath : praise the Lord.

Trois Chansons (Debussy): On separate sheet

Trois Chansons (Ravel): On separate sheet

Messe Basse:Kyrie eleisonLord have mercy upon us.Christ have mercy upon us.Lord have mercy upon us.

SanctusHoly, holy, holyLord God of Hosts.Heaven and earth are full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest.

BenedictusBlessed is He who comesin the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.

Agnus DeiLamb of God: that takest away the sins of the world; Have mercy upon us.Lamb of God: that takest away the sins of the world; Have mercy upon us.Lamb of God: that takest away the sins of the world; Grant us thy peace.

Drexel University ChorusDr. Steven Powell, directorBrian Dilts, accompanist

SopranoSopranoLee Cahill ----------------------------------------------------------Music IndustryChristina Curreri ---------------------------------------------------- EngineeringMarielle des Etages ------------------------------------------------- BusinessElizabeth Gee -----------------------------------------------------Music IndustryJillian Giblin ------------------------------------------------- Music IndustryKathryn Guarrieri -----------------------------------------------Music Industry#Kristin Imhoff --------------------------------------#Kristin Imhoff --------------------------------------#Kristin Imhoff Mechanical Engineering•Anna Klebanov --------------------------Business/Higher EducationTeresa Lepak ---------------------------- Screenwriting & PlaywritingDanielle Mayo ----------------------------------------------------Music Industry#Johanna Mikitka --------------------- Architectural & Civil Engineering#Marielle Octaviano ------------------------------------ Information SystemsShefali Ramsinghani -------------------------------Business AdminstrationJessica Szatkowski ------------------------------------ Chemical EngineeringJamie Tijerina -------------------------------------------------- Biology/Pre-MedAlison Toback --------------------------------------------------- Biology/Pre-MedAlicia Wise -------------------------------------------------------- Health Sciences

AltoValerie Banas -------------------------------------------------------- Mathematics#Mahallani Bandong -----------------------#Mahallani Bandong -----------------------#Mahallani Bandong Mechanical EngineeringEmily Bell ---------------------------------------------Business AdministrationChrystina Cappello ------------------------------------------------- EngineeringMadison Eggert-Crowe --------------------Political Science/MathematicsKatelin Kloberg ---------------------------------------------Katelin Kloberg ---------------------------------------------Katelin Kloberg Interior Design•Heather Le ------------------------------------------------------------ BusinessErica Louth -------------------------------------------------------- Interior DesignChelsea Meyer ----------------------------------------------------Graphic DesignMaria Nguyen ----------------------------------------------------Fashion DesignVictoria Spellman ------------------------------------------ Teacher Education

TenorDavid Cherian ------------------------------------Electrical EngineeringDavid Humes -----------------------------------------------------Music IndustryMichael Jeffers ------------------------------------------------------- Engineering•#Anthony Kotula ------------------------------------- Chemical Engineering#Brian Summers --------------------------------------------- Computer Science#Jeremy Toll ------------------------------------------------------Music IndustryIsaac Weber -----------------------------------------------------------Architecture

Drexel University ChorusDr. Steven Powell, directorBrian Dilts, accompanist

SopranoSopranoLee Cahill ----------------------------------------------------------Music IndustryChristina Curreri ---------------------------------------------------- EngineeringMarielle des Etages ------------------------------------------------- BusinessElizabeth Gee -----------------------------------------------------Music IndustryJillian Giblin ------------------------------------------------- Music IndustryKathryn Guarrieri -----------------------------------------------Music Industry#Kristin Imhoff --------------------------------------#Kristin Imhoff --------------------------------------#Kristin Imhoff Mechanical Engineering•Anna Klebanov --------------------------Business/Higher EducationTeresa Lepak ---------------------------- Screenwriting & PlaywritingDanielle Mayo ----------------------------------------------------Music Industry#Johanna Mikitka --------------------- Architectural & Civil Engineering#Marielle Octaviano ------------------------------------ Information SystemsShefali Ramsinghani -------------------------------Business AdminstrationJessica Szatkowski ------------------------------------ Chemical EngineeringJamie Tijerina -------------------------------------------------- Biology/Pre-MedAlison Toback --------------------------------------------------- Biology/Pre-MedAlicia Wise -------------------------------------------------------- Health Sciences

AltoValerie Banas -------------------------------------------------------- Mathematics#Mahallani Bandong -----------------------#Mahallani Bandong -----------------------#Mahallani Bandong Mechanical EngineeringEmily Bell ---------------------------------------------Business AdministrationChrystina Cappello ------------------------------------------------- EngineeringMadison Eggert-Crowe --------------------Political Science/MathematicsKatelin Kloberg ---------------------------------------------Katelin Kloberg ---------------------------------------------Katelin Kloberg Interior Design•Heather Le ------------------------------------------------------------ BusinessErica Louth -------------------------------------------------------- Interior DesignChelsea Meyer ----------------------------------------------------Graphic DesignMaria Nguyen ----------------------------------------------------Fashion DesignVictoria Spellman ------------------------------------------ Teacher Education

TenorDavid Cherian ------------------------------------Electrical EngineeringDavid Humes -----------------------------------------------------Music IndustryMichael Jeffers ------------------------------------------------------- Engineering•#Anthony Kotula ------------------------------------- Chemical Engineering#Brian Summers --------------------------------------------- Computer Science#Jeremy Toll ------------------------------------------------------Music IndustryIsaac Weber -----------------------------------------------------------Architecture

BassRay Canzanese ---------------------------------------- Computer EngineeringJonathan Greenblatt -------------------------------- Computer EngineeringBen Guez ----------------------------------------------------------------- BusinessVon López-Jacobs ---------------------------------------Civil Engineering•Matt Ridgway ----------------- Civil & Architectural EngineeringLuke Rodgers ---------------------------------------------------------------HistoryDevin Ruffner -----------------------------------------------------Music IndustryBrandon Rutter --------------------------------------------------Music IndustryGeorge Waldie ----------------------------------------------------Music IndustryMatthew White -----------------Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics

• Section Leader # Pi Nu Epsilon MemberGraduating Seniors in Bold

BassRay Canzanese ---------------------------------------- Computer EngineeringJonathan Greenblatt -------------------------------- Computer EngineeringBen Guez ----------------------------------------------------------------- BusinessVon López-Jacobs ---------------------------------------Civil Engineering•Matt Ridgway ----------------- Civil & Architectural EngineeringLuke Rodgers ---------------------------------------------------------------HistoryDevin Ruffner -----------------------------------------------------Music IndustryBrandon Rutter --------------------------------------------------Music IndustryGeorge Waldie ----------------------------------------------------Music IndustryMatthew White -----------------Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics

• Section Leader # Pi Nu Epsilon MemberGraduating Seniors in Bold

Chamber Singers

SopranoSoprano Alto Christina Curreri Valerie Banas Marielle des Etages Mahallani Bandong Anna Klebanov Katelin Kloberg Jamie Tijerina Erica Louth

Tenor Bass Michael Jeffers Ben Guez Anthony Kotula Matt Ridgway Jeremy Toll Matthew White

Chamber Singers

SopranoSoprano Alto Christina Curreri Valerie Banas Marielle des Etages Mahallani Bandong Anna Klebanov Katelin Kloberg Jamie Tijerina Erica Louth

Tenor Bass Michael Jeffers Ben Guez Anthony Kotula Matt Ridgway Jeremy Toll Matthew White