Sunday, March 7 Music:

Herbert Howells (1892-1983) remains one of the most individual and remarkable composers of 20th-century English and Anglican music. His music is marked by a unique and modal harmonic language, brilliant text-painting, a strong element of drama, an orchestral sense of registration and a clear affinity towards the choirs, organs and setting for which his various works are composed. Psalm Prelude No. 1 is the first of six such settings for organ. This dark work, full of brooding harmonies, builds to a full organ expression of triumph over despair, ending in quiet meditation. Malcolm Archer, Director of Music at Winchester College, has greatly enriched the repertoire for treble voices. He sets Isaac Watts’ text in a lyric and hopeful melody. Like as the Hart is perhaps the most well-known choral work by Howells. Beloved and sung by choirs everywhere, it bears all the hallmarks of Howell’s singular melodic and harmonic style. Whereas most settings of this beautiful text emphasized the hope and serenity of coming into God’s presence, Howells patiently asks God “when?” in a dark and brooding setting. The work begins with a quiet melody in the men’s voices. The women take up the melody at the words “my tears have been my meat day and night” and a moment of great drama follows with the words “where is now thy God?” The opening melody is repeated under a serene descant and the work ends with a quiet organ postlude in E major. William Byrd (1543-1623) and his mentor Thomas Tallis were the greatest of the Tudor composers. A Gentleman of The Chapel Royal, Organist for a long period at Lincoln Cathedral, he was a master of counterpoint and text painting. Byrd’s life is remarkable when we consider the religious and musical climate of his day. He remained a staunch Catholic in a militantly Protestant country, and it was only the favour of Queen Elizabeth I which kept him from execution for his recusancy. The Mass for Four Voices is one of the glories of the Tudor era. Exquisitely simple, the Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei are masterpieces of imitative writing. Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) composer, conductor and teacher, was one of outstanding composers of the 20th century. He wrote only a few works for organ in a sparkling modern and tuneful style. The postlude is the third movement from Hindemith’s First Organ Sonata. A jagged, powerful work, it is a free fantasia built over a four-note theme: E, G, G-flat, B-flat. Dissonance and resolution conspire together to create a work of fantastic drama.

Sunday, October 18^th at 2:15 p.m.

Cor Cantiamo; Dr. Eric Johnson, Director  A new Chicagoland Choral group members and alumni of the Northern Illinois University Chamber Choir

Sunday, November 8^th at 2:15 p.m.

  A Mendelssohn Organ Festival; David Jonies, Br. Jonathan Ryan, Roger Stanley & Richard Barrick Hoskins, Organists

Sunday, February 7^th at 2:15 p.m.

      The Parish Recital; The talented musicians of our Parish: pianists, singers, dancers, actors, and more!

March, 2010

Trois Leçons des Ténèbres; Lindsay Metzger, Jennifer Schneider & Nora Engonopoulos, Sopranos; Craig Trompeter, Viole de gambe; Richard Barrick Hoskins, Organ      François Couperins exquisite settings of The Lamentations of Jeremiah

Sunday, May 23^rd  at 2:15 p.m.

The Glorious Voices of St. Chrysostom's; Diana Lawrence, Lindsay Metzger, Jennifer Schneider, Nora Engonopoulos, Lindsey Adams, Angela Young Smucker , Herbert Lentz, Marcus Shields, Justin Adair, Matthew Hayden, Richard Hoskins, Piano