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Program Notes Preview
A Gift to be Simple, December 3 & 4, 2011
ABOUT THE MUSIC
In this season of generosity, I’ve started to notice the large number of clichés that concern themselves with gifts or giving. We are warned not to look gift horses in the mouth; we are reminded that it is better to give than to receive. Advertising promotes the gift of life, the gift of music, and the gift of knowledge -- all of which are gifts that keep on giving.
And I was recently reminded of the most famous story about a gift exchange: O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” in which a pair of poor newlyweds each make great sacrifices in order to the buy the other a perfect present, only to find out that the other has sold the very thing that . . . you get the idea. [This story, by the way, has nothing on Steve Martin’s “The Gift of the Magi Indian Giver,” in which a man with nice shinbones is married to a woman with lovely cuticles. He sells his shinbones in order to buy cuticle frames for her, only to find that she has sold her cuticles to buy him shinbone polish. I tear up every time I think of it.]
Anyway. In trying to come up with a theme for Quintessence’s holiday concert, I was reminded of the Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts,” which may be our most famous American folk song. It’s hard to believe that the tune was completely unknown (outside of Shaker circles) until Aaron Copland discovered it and used it is 1942 ballet score Appalachian Spring. We are bookending our program with two lovely arrangements of “Simple Gifts,” one by the American René Clausen, and one by the English Bob Chilcott (a signature arrangement of the Kings Singers).
There are a fair number of English carols on this program, in various guises, including Edwin Fissinger’s joyous setting of “I Saw Three Ships,” Ralph Vaughan Williams’ raucous “Wassail,” and James McKelvy’s lopsided “Deck the Halls” (It’s supposed to sound lopsided: it’s in 7/8.).
And then there’s “In the Bleak Midwinter.” If you love this carol, it is probably Gustav Holst’s tune that you know. But the setting by the 20th century organist and composer Harold Darke is deeply beloved in England. Darke’s setting, for chorus with organ or strings, is reimagined note-for-note in this a cappella arrangement by the American composer Carol Barnett, with the voices singing the string accompaniment. Gosh, it’s beautiful.
Two modern settings of Latin texts are sprinkled in to add class to our program: Morten Lauridsen’s gorgeous “O nata lux” is from his cantata Lux aeterna, and Taylor Davis’ lush “Mirabile Mysterium.” Both of these pieces evoke awe and wonder, as does the David Dickau’s poignant setting of a Sara Teasdale poem, “Stars I Shall Find.”
Awe and wonder are noticeably absent from the P.D.Q Bach carol “Good King Kong Looked Out,” (which I am proud to say we are presenting with period instruments) and from the borderline-annoying “Jingle Bells” setting we offer. Fortunately, neither of these is very long.
The ladies and gentlemen of Quintessence are very pleased to share these concerts with our friends Joanna Hart, Lauren Saeger and their superb students. These young singers are, in a word, gifted.
Finally, we hope that by sharing the gift of music with you, we have given you a gift that will keep on giving well past the time it was given. Because, after all, it’s the thought that counts.
And always remember: today is a gift; that’s why they call it the present.
MATTHEW* GREER
*“Matthew” is Greek for “God’s gift.” I’m just sayin’.
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