Favorites - a sampler
Sergei Rachmaninov: Vespers
Joseph Haydn: Mass in Time of War
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa Brevis
George Frideric Handel: Messiah
Favorites - a sampler
"
The Lord gave the word", from Handel's Messiah
"Gloria", from Haydn's Mass in Time of War
"Osanna", from Palestrina's Missa Brevis
"Blessed is the man", from Sergei Rachmaninov's Vespers
All of these can be heard in the context of the complete work by following the links below.
Sergei Rachmaninov: Vespers
Recorded in concert April 7, 2002 in the Bel Air Presbyterian Church. Conducted by Donald Neuen with Steven Kronauer, tenor soloist.
The greatest of Rachmaninov's religious works, this beautiful and reflective piece is sung a cappella in Old Church Slavonic and is set to liturgical texts of the Russian Orthodox Church. Several of these texts are parallel to Latin versions used in Roman Catholicism and are familiar to many music listeners; thus #6 is an "Ave Maria", #11 a "Magnificat", and #12 a "Gloria".
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Joseph Haydn: Mass in Time of War
Recorded in concert November 13, 2004 in the Bel Air Presbyterian Church, with Paul Salamunovich, guest conductor. Soloists: Katja Rothfuss, soprano; Minna Edel, alto; Steven Kronauer, tenor; Patrick Bell, bass. With the Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
I. Kyrie
II. Gloria
III. Credo
IV. Sanctus
V. Benedictus
VI. Agnus Dei
VII. Dona Nobis Pacem
Haydn's Mass in Time of War, also called the Paukenmesse ("Timpani Mass"), was composed in 1796, following Haydn's return to Vienna after years in London, where he enjoyed immense popularity. It was the first of six masses that Haydn composed annually to celebrate the name-day of the wife of his patron, Prince Nikolaus Eszterházy II.
Through Haydn's prominent use of timpani, we get the musical image of distant cannon fire from Napoleon's approaching armies, which greatly concerned the people of Austria at that time. The final Dona Nobis Pacem became both a prayer for peace and victory.
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Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa Brevis
Recorded in concert 2000 in the Bel Air Presbyterian Church. Conductor: Donald Neuen.
I. Kyrie
II. Gloria
III. Credo
IV. Sanctus
V. Benedictus
VI. Osanna
VII. Agnus Dei
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594) ranks as one of the greatest masters of Renaissance polyphony.
As a young man, Palestrain was appointed by Pope Julius III to be Maestro di Cappella of the Cappella Giulia in Rome. Over the next four decades, in similar positions at St. John Lateran and St. Maria Maggiore, Palestrina composed hundreds of masses, motets, madrigals and magnificats. His sacred music remains his most glorious achievement.
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George Frideric Handel: Messiah
Recorded in concert December 17, 2005 in the Bel Air Presbyterian Church. Conductor: Donald Neuen. Soloists: Khori Dastoor, soprano; Kelly O'Connor, alto; Timothy Gonzales, tenor; In-Joon Jang, bass.
| 1 |
Overture |
14 |
Surely he hath borne our griefs
And with his stripes we are healed
All we like sheep have gone astray |
| 2 |
Comfort ye, my people
Every valley shall be exalted |
15 |
All they that see him
He trusted in God that he would deliver Him |
| 3 |
And the glory of the Lord |
16 |
Thy rebuke hath broken his heart
Behold and see if there by any sorrow
He was cut off from the land of the living
But thou didst not leave his soul in Hell |
| 4 |
Thus saith the Lord
But who may abide |
17 |
Lift up your heads, O ye gates |
| 5 |
And he shall purify |
18 |
The Lord gave the word |
| 6 |
Behold, a virgin shall conceive
O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion |
19 |
How beautiful are the feet of them |
| 7 |
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
The people that walked in darkness |
20 |
The sound is gone out
Why do the nations all furiously rage together?
Let us break their bonds asunder |
| 8 |
For unto us a child is born |
21 |
He that dwelleth in heaven
Thou shalt break them |
| 9 |
Pastoral Symphony |
22 |
Hallelujah |
| 10 |
There were shepherds abiding in the field
Glory to God in the highest |
23 |
I know that my Redeemer liveth |
| 11 |
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion |
24 |
Since by man came death |
| 12 |
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd |
25 |
Behold, I tell you a mystery
The trumpet shall sound |
| 13 |
He was despised |
26 |
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
Amen |
Werner Keller writes:
"Maestro Donald Neuen is one of the world's leading authorities in the interpretation of this work, and is committed to performing Messiah as closely as possible to the way that Handel intended it to be performed. The Chorale is singing from a score that contains literally thousands of markings and annotations that Professor Neuen has added over many years of performing and studying Messiah, guided by the leading Handel scholars of the last century."
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