Word: choraled
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Killmayer: Missa Brevis and Harrison: Mass (Margaret Hillis conducting the New York Concert Choir and Orchestra; Epic). The Fromm Music Foundation, joint sponsor with Epic records of the excellent Twentieth Century Composers Series, takes a look at current choral writing. Young (29) Munich-born Composer Wilhelm Killmayer's Missa Brevis ripples with exciting, shifting rhythms and rises skillfully to a colorful series of blasting choral climaxes occasionally more reminiscent of the bandstand than the choir. Oregon-born Composer Lou Harrison, 39, found the inspiration for his moving, low-pitched Mass in the percussion-accompanied plain song of the Indians...
...strings were out of tune. Much of the Stabat Mater is written for soloists: the two girls who sang the parts had agreeable voices, but not the faintest idea of how to breathe to support their tone. Luckily, the general good humor of Pergolesi's music plus some spirited choral singing saved the work from falling apart. Nonetheless, it was the impressive individual performances rather than a smooth combination that made the concert worth-while...
...Mass of the Holy Spirit, by Randall Thompson, recently completed, was a fitting number to follow the Palestrina. Professor Thompson's choral style, without surrendering its individuality, draws not a little inspiration from 16th Century polyphony. Written entirely for a capella chorus, the work is impressive in its construction, evidence of the composer's unquestioned versatility in contrapuntal writing. The chorus appeared quite at home with the piece and sang it admirably; the Gloria was particularly well done...
Another of Professor Thompson's works, the Familiar Alleluia, was performed following the award of a Harvard Glee Club medal to the composer. In his presentation Professor Wodworth spoke high praise of his colleague's contribution to the choral repertory, a tribute seconded by the warm appreciation of the audience...
...16th Century Venetian master Giovanni Gabrieli. The choice of this concluding work was a happy one, balancing the opening Palestrina work of the same period but of completely different style. For the student, the entire program was, in fact, an excellent lesson in the varieties of religious choral music. For the rest of the audience it was equally enjoyable, judging by the extended ovation given the chorus and its congenial conductor...