Tonight's recommended listening is for a performance that @cmp2020 and I had the opportunity to see live on Sunday. I'm not sure how long it will be available, but while it's there, please enjoy this recording of the @mozart Requiem which was performed by the Westminster Presbyterian Church Choir on Sunday in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The choir was under the direction of Robert F. Morris and it featured internationally known Baritone-Bass vocalist Michael Scarcelle.
Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CC0, Public Domain
Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CC0, Public Domain Introduction
One of the things that our family looks forward to every year is enjoying the annual Requiem that's performed by the church choir each spring. Mozart's Requiem this year was no exception. In the past, @lisa.palmer has performed in the choir, but unfortunately, she was unable to even attend this year. However, @cmp2020 and myself had a wonderful experience attending the performance. Please feel free to go ahead and click the link to listen in a new tab while you continue to read the rest of this article.
In addition to seeing it live on Sunday, I also enjoyed listening to this recording at my desk today. Before getting to the requiem itself, and not shown on the video, the opening processional was Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, played on organ by Glenn Kinckner (Incidentally, Barber grew up in West Chester and was once the organist at this church). Next came Mozart's Ave Verum, Laudate Dominum, and Per Questa Bella Mano. After a brief pause to collect an offering, the program continued with the twelve texts of the requiem.
Update: I should also mention that the performance also included some other fantastic soloists: Barbara Mountain Belt, soprano; Victoria Provost, soprano; Sue Sullivan, contralto; and Lee Fisher, tenor.
In the remainder of this article, I'll tell you what I was able to learn about the choir director, the featured vocalist - Michael Scarcelle, and the works that were performed.
Choir Director: Bob Morris
Mr. Morris has been the choir director at Westminster for 27 years, and he has directed the 125 member choir in masterworks at venues across the US Northeast, and throughout Europe. He also taught music for 25 years in the Great Valley School District and co-founded the M.K.M. Productions youth music theater workshop. He graduated from West Chester University and did graduate work in music at the renowned Westminster Choir College. He also received the distinguished 2009 Music Alumnus award from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in recognition of his accomplished career in music.
Source: Event program
Baritone-Bass soloist: Michael Scarcelle
Once compared by Opera News to a "Young Cary Grant," and praised by the New York Times as “forbidding, resonant bass-baritone,” Scarcelle has performed at venues across the United States and Europe including roles in opera, recital, concert, and theater. His performances have included the Leipzig MDR Symphony, Carnegie Hall, the Anchorage Opera, the Greenwich Choral Society, and the New York City Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Scarcelle has a Bachelor of Music degree from Hunter College, and a Master of Music degree in music from Yale University.
On a personal note, we're also grateful that Mr. Scarcelle stayed in town and conducted a Master class on Monday for some young local voice musicians, including @cmp2020.
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Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CC0, Public Domain
Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CC0, Public Domain Musical Selection #1: Ave verum corpus
The Ave Verum Corpus text has been attributed to Pope Innocent VI in the 14th century, and has been set to music by numerous composers. Mozart's setting (K618) was written in 1791, while he was also working on Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute). The setting was done in celebration of the feast of Corpus Christi and intended for Anton Stoll, who was a friend of Mozart and of Joseph @Haydn.
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Musical Selecton #2: Laudate Dominum
Laudate Dominum, the 117th psalm, has also been set to music by a number of composers, including Bach and this one by Mozart - as the fifth movement of his Vesperae solennes de confessore - which was the final choral work that Mozart wrote for cathedral performance.
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Musical Selection #3: Per Questa Bella Mano
Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CC0, Public Domain
Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CC0, Public Domain Per Questa Bella Mano (K612) was also written in 1791 and is sung by a solo bass vocalist with accompaniment from an obbligato double bass. According to the choir director, this is one of the few most difficult pieces for performance by the stringed bass, and (in my opinion) it was ideally suited to Scarcelle's vocal characteristics. The piece was originally sung by Franz Xaver Gerl, who also played roles of Don Giovani, Figaro, and Sarastro.
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Musical Selection #4: Requiem
Depending upon how you count, the requiem was comprised of twelve sacred texts: Requiem Aeternam, Dies Irae, Tuba Mirum, Rex Tremenndae, Recordare, Confutatis, Lacrimosa, Domine Jesu, Hostias, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. According to Mr. Morris, Mozart had not completed this work at the time of his passing. The last portion that was written by Mozart was within Lacrimosa. After that is a student's work based on some indications that Mozart left to indicate his intent. Also, much of the music in the final movements was repeated from Mozart's completed work earlier in the requiem.
When you get done listening to the Requiem, you may also enjoy this short video that @cmp2020 showed me. It contains an entertaining juxtaposition of the audio track from the movie, Amadeus with the score and music of the Confutatis movement from the requiem.
Conclusion
So that's a bit of a summary. If you haven't begun listening, I enthusiastically renew my recommendation. Go ahead and click the link. I'm not sure how long it will stay available, but please try to enjoy it while you can.
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Thank you for your time and attention.
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