acadia
choral
society
Singers' Study Guide
STUDY GUIDE FOR CHORISTERS
1. The New Three Log Night Songbook is edited by Jane Peppler of Mappamundi.
You don't need to buy the songbook, as reprint licensing is available. Copies of the songs will be provided. The chorus will be joined by the early music duo of Linda Kush and Beth Mahar, who also played with us two years ago.
2. Durante's Magnificat in Bb Major was correctly attributed to him for 250 years before picking up an incorrect attribution to the better-known Giovanni Battista Pergolesi. Music historians are now trying to turn the tide and give Durante proper credit again.
Generally when a work is rarely performed, a quick listen and/or glance at the score will reveal why. However, this is a genuine little Baroque masterpiece. The score is available online, and copies will be provided. If you'd like to get a head start on it, PDFs of Claude Tallet's edition of each movement are available here:
1. Magnificat
2. Et misericordia
3. Deposuit
4. Suscepit
5. Sicut locutus
6. Sicut erat
There are some recordings available on YouTube. I especially like this recording, but another recording has the nice feature of scrolling the score while the music plays. Each movement is a separate video, but those links to the first movement will get you started. It's easy to navigate to the other movements.
On iTunes you can get a recording by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; search <pergolesi magnificat> to locate it. You can also find recordings on Amazon using the same search or searching with Durante instead of Pergolesi.
3. The second half consists of creative and accessible carol arrangements by Vermont composer Gwyneth Walker. Dr. Walker sounds like a thoroughly engaging person, and her music is thoroughly engaging as well. We'll be performing the SATB version of the Appalachian Carols, and the Christmas medley entitled Rejoice. Both of those links include extensive program notes and audio files.
If you know of a recording, website, or any other resource that would be useful to the chorus members, please let Jamie know.
