Masterworks Concert - Symphony Orchestra and Choirs - 4/30/24
From Bryan Mitschell
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Masterworks Concert
featuring
UCO Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Mickelthwate, director
Concert Chorale and Cantare
Karl Nelson, director
Cantilena
Jan Hulsey, director
University Choir
Stephanie Keegan-Moring, director
Edmond Community Chorale
Tracey Gregg-Boothby, director
Program
Prophecy | Michael Snow (1928-2023)
Symphony No. 8, D. 759, “Unfinished” | Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Andante con moto
Intermission
Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 192 | Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
I. Chorus: Nun danket alle Gott
II. Duet: Der ewig reiche Gott
III. Chorus: Lob Ehr’ und Preis sei Gott
Duet: Cheyenne Holland, soprano, and Blake Harlow, baritone
Dixi, for mixed choir and orchestra | Giya Kancheli (1935-2019)
Soloists: Alexandria DeHart, soprano, and Kylie Weldon, mezzo-soprano
Program Notes
Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 192
Johann Sebastian Bach, a towering figure of the Baroque era, composed well over 200 cantatas. Bach composed Nun danket alle Gott in 1730 during his tenure as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, Germany. Nun danket alle Gott BWV 192 is a jubilant expression of gratitude and praise, encapsulating the spirit of thanksgiving. This cantata was written for a special occasion, possibly a community or religious event celebrating a harvest festival or day of thanksgiving. Its vibrant orchestration and exultant choruses reflect the joyous atmosphere of such festivities. Nun danket alle Gott follows the typical structure of a Bach cantata, comprising opening and closing choruses, recitatives, and arias. The work is scored for soprano and bass soloists, a four-part chorus, and a rich instrumental ensemble of strings, flutes, oboes, and continuo. Nun danket alle Gott showcases Bach’s mastery of contrapuntal writing, vivid harmonic language, and expressive vocal and instrumental textures. The music alternates between moments of exuberant celebration and introspective reverence, embodying the diverse emotions associated with thanksgiving and praise. Bach’s Nun danket alle Gott stands as a testament to the composer’s profound faith and musical genius. Through its majestic choruses, expressive duet, and fervent prayers, the cantata invites listeners to join in a spirit of gratitude and worship, acknowledging the abundant blessings bestowed by a benevolent Creator.
The cantata opens with a triumphant chorus proclamation as all soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices, join together in unison to declare “Nun danket alle Gott” (Now thank we all our God). Bach’s handling of polyphony allows each voice to weave in and out of the texture, creating a gorgeous tapestry of sound. The orchestration is equally magnificent, with the strings providing a lush harmonic backdrop while the oboes add color and depth to the ensemble. Fanfare-like motifs in the brass punctuate the music, heightening the sense of exultation and joy. As the chorus progresses, Bach ingeniously develops the musical material, introducing cascading melodic lines and intricate contrapuntal textures. The music swells to majestic heights, reflecting the magnitude of the thanksgiving being expressed.
The text of the chorus, drawn from Martin Rinkart’s hymn, “Nun danket alle Gott,” applauds the virtues of gratitude and acknowledges God’s boundless blessings. Each voice in the chorus joins in a collective expression of thanks, embodying the communal spirit of wosrhip and praise. Bach’s Nun danket alle Gott exudes a sense of exuberance and jubilation, uplifiting the listener with its radiant melodies and fervent devotion. The chorus serves as a call to worship, inviting all to join in thanksgiving and sets the stage for a profound musical and spiritual journey. Through its majestic music and heartfelt text, this chorus inspires gratitude and reverence, reminding us of the power of thanksgiving to unite hearts and uplift souls.
In the second movement, we encounter a sublime duet for soprano and bass, “Der ewig reiche Gott” (The eternally rich God), serving as a nostalgic reminder of the enduring abundance of divine love, inviting listeners to join in the chorus of thanksgiving and praise. The duet unfolds with the soprano and bass soloists engaging in a tender dialogue, accompanied by an ornate ensemble of strings, oboes and continuo. The voices intertwine seamlessly, creating a tapestry of intricate harmonies aned expressive melodies. The lush orchestration enhances the beauty of the vocal lines, enveloping listeners in a transcendent musical experience. The text of the duet celebrates the eternal richness and benevolence of God, acknowledging His boundless blessings and celestial care. The soprano and bass soloists unite in praise and adoration, expressing gratitude for God’s unfailing grace and mercy.
In the concluding movement, a majestic chorus with a resplendent fanfare, all voices join together in unison to declare “Lob, Ehr’ und Preis sei Gott” (Praise, honor, and glory be to God). Each voice shines individually while contributing to the grandeur of the ensemble sound. The text of the chorus serves as a culmination of the cantata’s theme of thanksgiving, praise and honor to the Divine Creator. It serves as a fitting conclusion to the cantata, reaffirming the central message of gratitude and devotion.
– Davison Ngyuen
Dixi, for mixed choir and orchestra
Born in Tbilisi, Georgia on the 10th of August 1935, Giya Kancheli grew up in Belgium. Giya initially began actively composing in 1961. While living in the USSR, he was awarded the Nika Award for Best Music Score. After the dissolution of the USSR in late 1991, he became the composer-in-residence of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic. In 2008 he was awarded the Wolf Prize in Arts for Music, placing him alongside recipients like Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Vladimir Horowitz, and many other extremely famous and influential musicians. His final published work was released in 2015. 4 years later, he passed away in his home city of Tbilisi at 84 years old.
Kancheli wrote the piece ‘Dixi’ in 2009 for choir and orchestra. It was first performed by the Bavarian Radio Choir and Orchestra in October of 2009 in Munich Germany. The words of the piece are all mixed Latin, and not without reason. Kancheli, in his original composer’s notes for the piece wrote; “My choice of Latin phrases was based on the desire to remind our contemporaries how relevant problems that have existed since ancient times remain. We are only entitled to remind you that, despite the greatest advances in civilization, the gap between good and evil unfortunately continues to grow”. The Latin word Dixi translates to “I said” in English, and the piece carries a very dramatic air throughout, emphasized not only by the text itself, but also the extreme variation of dynamics, and the fluid key center.
– Greg Henson
Translations
Nun danket alle Gott by Johann Sebastian Bach
1. Chorus
Nun danket alle Gott
Let all give thanks to God
Mit Herzen, Mund und Händen,
with heart, voice, and deeds,
Der große Dinge tut
to the one who does great things
An uns und allen Enden;
for us and in all ways;
Der uns von Mutterleib
who from the womb
Und Kindesbeinen an
and childhood on
Unzählig viel zugut
has done us incalculable good
Und still jetzund getan.
And does so even now.
2. Duet
Der ewig reiche Gott
May the ever-bounteous God
Woll uns bei unserm Leben
give us throughout our life
Ein immer frölich Herz
an ever-joyful heart
Und edlen Frieden geben
and genuine peace,
Und uns in seiner Gnad
and in his grace
Erhalten fort und fort
preserve us forever and ever,
Und uns aus aller
Not and from all distress
Erlösen hier und dort.
Deliver us here and there.
3. Chorus
Lob, Ehr und Preis sei Gott,
Praise, honor, and glory be to God,
Dem Vater und dem Sohne
to the Father, and to the Son,
Und dem, der beiden gleich
and to him who is the same as both
Im hohen Himmelsthrone,
on heaven’s high throne,
Dem dreieinigen Gott,
to God the Three-in-One,
Als der ursprünglich war
as he was in the beginning
Und ist und bleiben wird
and is and shall be
Jetzund und immerdar.
now and evermore.
Dixi by Giya Kancheli
Mortuos plango
I lament the dead
Ad se ipsum
To oneself
Ars est celare Artem
True art conceals its art
Canimus surdi
We sing for deaf people
Vox clamantis in deserto
A voice crying in the wilderness
Durum patientia frango
I use patience to break that which is hard
Ede, Bibe, lude
Eat, drink, play
Salve, sancta simplicitas
Hail, holy simplicity
Per aspera
Through hardships
Qualis rex, talis grex
Like master, like servant
Stabat mater dolorosa
Grieving Mary stood
Sine ira et studio
Without hate and zealousness
Vitam impendere vero
To devote one’s life to the truth
Ora et labora
Pray and work
Et alleluia, re vera veritas
And Alleluia, truly the truth
Et feci
And I did it
Dictum, factum—Kakhidze
Said and done—Kakhidze
Lux in tenebris,
The light in the darkness
Lux et tenebris
the light from the darkness
Via sacra
Sacred road
Omnes una manet nox
One and the same night awaits everyone
Credo verum
I believe in the truth
Ex silentio
From the silence
Signum temporis
Signs of the time
Si etizm omnes sit, ego non
Even if all join in, I do not
Lege artis
In accordance with art
Larga manu
With a liberal hand
Lux Veritatis
Light of Ttruth
Nil nisi
Nothing but
Dum est lux
As long as there is light
Dum est vis, est vox
As long as one has strength, one has a voice
Ad infinitum
For all eternity
Charta non erubescit
Paper does not blush
Et alleluia, ab initio,
And Alleluia, from the beginning until infinity.
Ad infinitum astra
the stars shine
Dixi
I have spoken
Varium hic, nubila
Here it is variable, sometimes clouds,
sol
sometimes sun
Volens nolens
For better or worse
Odium, omnia vanitas
Hatred reigns, and all is vanity
Ego non
Not I
Dum spero,
As long as I hope,
Nil nisi bene
I only want to say good things
O, si sic omnia
Oh, if only everything were so
Memento vivere,
Remember that you are alive,
Et memento mori
and remember that you must die
Lege artis,
Who is it in truth, and according
re vera quis?
to the rules of art?
Post tenebras lux,
After the darkness, the light,
Post nubila sol
after the clouds, the sun
Post mortem lux
After death, light
Summa summarum
All in all
Itur ad astra
The way to the stars
Super omnia veritas
Truth conquers all
Personnel
UCO Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Mickelthwate, director
First Violin
Samuel Gilles
Anuja Poulo
Anna Grace Darvin
Noshin Rahman
Wei Jia *
Chazlen Rook
Dustin Borjas
Madeline Bradley
Second Violin
Zoey Yip
Briana Donovan
Piper Rath
Sasha Gunderson
Azusena Gordillo
Ashley Selby
Skylar Callan
Viola
Caleb Springer
Taylor Nguyen
Alexis Wartchow
Ella Haiges
Cello
Sophia Darvin
Lily Coyer
Emma Douglas
Logan Bycko
Ashley Haiges
Jeremiah Salem-Jones
Yasaman Seif
Midori Ito
Ishmael Sutherland
Aria Hansen
Elise Gaymon
Bass
Tyler Dees
Alex Chapman
Noah Colson
Kaleb Guillory
Dawson Gilreath
Ian Morrison
Flute
Bryanna Louch
Melody Soto
Eric Neel (piccolo)
Kieran Sowerby (piccolo, alto flute)
Oboe
Scott Erickson *
Emily King
Clarinet
Cristian Celis
Jace Cooper
Roseanna Medina (bass clarinet)
Bassoon
Micah Adkins
Abigail Claussen
Horn
Becca Geitzenauer
Alex Hamm
Iriana Phipps
Sephra Jared
Trumpet
Trevor Chandler
Josiah Banter
Clinton Carr
Noah Moey
Trombone
Luke McHenry
Jonathan Kegley
Mason Longey
Mateo Rivera (Bass Trombone)
Tuba
Zane Radka
Percussion
Blake Wylie
Calvin Forrester
LeAnna Branham
Caden Bayne
Piano
Rachel Darvin
Harp
Chelsea Bushong *
* faculty guest
Concert Chorale
Karl Nelson, director
Luis Vasquez, assistant director
Hwaju Lee, piano
Tae Bradshaw
Khalil Cabrera-Tosado
Kody Clark
Jarrett Cox
Katy Croft
Jake Eads
Katelynn Fair
Lliam Guill
Blake Harlow
Nickolas Hennigh
Greg Henson
Cheyenne Holland
Taylor Jones
Cadence Luttrell
Autumn Manus
Lauren Mckenna
Ky Miller
Faith Morrissey
Sofie Moxley
Davison Nguyen
Yutong Nie
Trever Spruill
Payton Stephens
Marli Stodden
Luis Vasquez
Kylie Weldon
Qing Yang
Cantilena
Jan Hulsey, director
Luis Vasquez, assistant director
Hwaju Lee, piano
Emily Burrus
Zanna Clegg
Emily Cole
Luanda De Hilster
Alexandra DeHart
Jael Doumembo
Brynn Fuqua
Peyton Harris
Gabrielle Hightower
Kadyn Lott
Elissa Marks
Hanna Mobley-Hubbard
Victoria Mosburg
Grace Myers
Katelynn Pannell
Kyoka Shibayama
Brooklyn Snyder
Stevie St. John
Lisa Teske
Ava Van Bevern
Aubree Walker
Avery Wooden
Cantare
Karl Nelson, director
Hwaju Lee, piano
Eli Davis
Caden Giles
Jonathan Grein
Zhikun Han
Ayden Hartel
Joe McBride
Caleb Scott
Samuel Skinner-Noble
Zachary Studdard
University Choir
Stephanie Keegan-Moring, director
Luis Vasquez, assistant director
Hwaju Lee, piano
Christian Belcher
Grace Blocker
Lamar Burns
Daniela Garces
Maddie Hamby
Baily Hill
Laila Jalil
Andrew Johnson
Chloe Grace Kenyon
Grace Martin
Caden McKenna
Ian Nance
Morgan Paulson
Grace Pierce
Heath Rawls
Colin Rizzo
Harrison Shaw
Luis Soto
Nolia Sweatt
Robert Valderas
Logan Vohs
Edmond Community Chorale
Tracey Gregg-Boothby, director
Sallie Pollack, piano
David Bailey
Derek Bridenstine-McTurnal
JoDee Burger
Jon Butterfield
Karen Cooper
Esther Davis
Lexi DeHart
Abby Delony-Buller
Ramona Waylon Diaz
Ted Drab
Brynn Fuqua
Erinn Giraudo
Rachel Glass Fairchild
Will Goss
Tylar Grant
Dana Hampton
Taze Hearn
Ricki Hoover
Haldor Howard
Xana Howard
Molly Jobe
Ann Jones
Lingchu Lin
Debbie Lord
Linda Mason
Ella McDonald
Cathy Miller
Kari Mitchell
Dennis Moran
Jana Mott
Brooke Nguyen
Mark Parkhurst
Dennis Paul
Jim Pregler
Ellisya Ravencroft
Megan Rupp
Alayna Smith
Sarah Spurrier
Sharon Taylor
Alicia Vanderschaaf
Katie Vogel
Carol Willett
Marcia Woodward
Rebecca Yeager
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