Suite de Lorca

For Chamber Singers: a translation of the first piece. See here for side by side comparison.

Horseman's Song

Cordoba.

Distant and alone.

A black nag, the giant moon,

and olives in my saddlebag.

Even if I know the way,

I never will reach Cordoba.

Over the plain, through the wind,

A black nag, the bloody moon.

The Reaper is watching me

From the tall towers of Cordoba.

Oh, such a long road!

Oh, my valiant nag!

Oh, the Reaper awaits me

before I ever reach Cordoba!

Cordoba.

Distant and alone.

- Translation, Charles W. Johnson

Directions to Miles College

Miles College information

Times:

Departure from UAB: 12:30

Arrival at Miles: 1:00 in Pearson Auditorium

Concert: 2:00

Destination:

At Pearson Auditorium. The address for Miles is 5500 Myron Massey Blvd. Fairfield, AL 35064.

Directions:

Take I-59S/20W from I-65.

Exit Valley Road, near a Home Depot.

Cross Valley toward Home Depot onto EJ Oliver Blvd.

Turn left between the Miles College signs.

Continue past First Baptist Fairfield and the Miles gymnasium.

Once past the gym, you will see gravel parking on either side of the street. Park in one of those lots.

Pearson is a new building on the right, immediately before the back entrance onto the main campus.

Program

UAB Concert Choir

Nunc dimittis No. 2	Vytautas Miškinis (b. 1954)
Ave Maria	Javier Busto (b. 1949)
Kyrie, from Mass in Eb Major	Josef Rheinberger (1839-1901)
Ave maris stella	Trond Kverno (b. 1945)

UAB Chamber Choir

Suite de Lorca, Op. 72 1. Cancion de jinete 2. El Grito 3. La luna asoma 4. Malaguena

Einojuhani Rautavaara (b. 1928)

UAB Concert Choir

Sleep	Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)
McCay, from An American Thanksgiving	Carol Barnett (b. 1949)
Deep River	Arr. Norman Luboff (1917-1987)
Joshua	arr. Norman Luboff

Thinking of you

136 Tips for Saving Money in College.

I didn't look to see if there was anything about grand openings of fried chicken stores for Linc.

A picture paints a thousand words

I saw this picture via Digg.com tonight and it reminded me of some of the recent changes in our choir lately. My best to everyone, really, and remember: we all survive college and relationships.

EW @ UM

Here's what I was talking about today:

April 24, 2007 (Tuesday)
An Evening with Eric Whitacre
Featuring world-renowned composer/musician, Eric Whitacre as guest conductor
Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts
University of Mississippi
7:00 P.M.
$10.00 General Admission, Free Admission to UM students with ID (complimentary tickets must be acquired before concert date)
Call (662) 915-7411 for ticket information.

Do you have choir rehearsal when snow covers your house?

Convocation Notes, Rehearsal Techniques

Here is the PDF of my session notes from tomorrow's convocation on rehearsal techniques.

I entitled it "Lessons My Father Taught Me" and I'm referring to my musical father, Jerry Jordan. Most of the quality ideas came from him and they aren't what you would typically find in choral methods books.

Here's the review

Look here.

For 85 minutes, a sold-out audience was transfixed on Verdi's "Requiem." Rarely could a cough or a whisper be heard, so captivating were the caressing sweetness of "Requiem aeternam, dona eis" and numbing power of "Dies irae." Justin Brown masterminded the proceedings. The Alabama Symphony, four world-class vocal soloists and six combined choirs carried them out.

To say it was loud inside Jemison Concert Hall would be an understatement. With 20 extra symphony musicians, a Wagnerian mezzo-soprano and a soprano and bass that easily cut through 250 choristers at full-throated volume, there was no shortage of decibels.

But there were also tender moments that could melt your heart. The "Hostias" comes to mind for the gentle reverence instilled by the quartet of soloists, soprano Marina Shaguch contributing angelic radiance above a shimmering string accompaniment.

Each soloist brought unique qualities, yet they created a silky blend when singing together. Shaguch could focus to a lovely pianissimo, then swell to a controlled, penetrating volume. Mezzo-soprano Margaret Jane Wray sang with passion and character, bass Eric Owens with robust authority. Tenor Vinson Cole's voice could be just as hearty, but his was a more introspective, reverent and songful expression. His gentle "Ingemisco" was a highlight of the performance. Wray and Cole were 11th-hour replacements, making their fine showing all the more remarkable.

As impressive as the chorus was in the repeated strains of the "Dies irae," its sheer size occasionally worked against it. It was apparent from the start that maneuvering a body of singers this large would be like moving a mountain. With 100 less, it might have brought more definition to the "Sanctus" and "Libera me" and still had enough power to belt out the "Dies irae."

With singers from five area college choirs plus the Birmingham Concert Chorale, this was a community-galvanizing event, and a feather in the ASO's cap. Musically, it was inspiring as well, if a bit weighty.

Quink and UAB Chamber Singers

Here's another opportunity to give feedback: I'm interested in hearing your impressions of our time with Quink today.

I thought you sang the Rautavaara very well . . . and it got better the more you sang.

Post your impressions . . . I want to read them.

The Verdi was Magnificent

Congratulations, Choir!

I thought the Verdi Requiem was fantastic tonight. Justin Brown has to be one of the most expressive conductors around--I thought he was magnificent in his control, expression, and passion for the event.

I'd enjoy hearing your experience . . . let me know!

Dziedot dzimu, dziedot augu

Look here for a website that features the Latvian song that will open our Spring concert. It is an incredible piece of music. Make sure you bring it to class next Monday (it was in the Fall packet).

The website.

The story behind the song:

For ages, Latvians have been recognised as a singing nation. This song tells about a girl who was born singing, grew up singing, and spent her lifetime singing. She met her death while she was singing in the garden of paradise. When she sang, the mountains shook and the forests resounded.