Choral Journal 2

Contents
April 2009
Vol. 49 • no 10
8 24 34
Articles Inside
8 Performing Athalia: Mendelssohn’s Op 74 2 From the Executive Director
In the Nineteenth-Century Choral World 4 From the President
by Marian Wilson Kimber 6 From the Editor
7 Letters to the Editor
24 “But I Dont Like It”: Observations and Reflections on the 74 Career Moves
Two Finales of Elijah 75 In Memoriam
by Douglass Seaton 80 Advertisers’ Index
128 Advertisers Index
34 Mendelssohn’s Valediction The Choral Journal is the official publication of The
American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).
by John Michael Cooper ACDA is a nonprofit professional organization of
choral directors from schools, colleges, and univer-
Columns
sities; community, church, and professional choral
ensembles; and industry and institutional organiza-
tions. Choral Journal circulation: 19,000.
Annual dues (includes subscription to the Choral

Journal): Active $85, Industry $135, Institutional $110,
49 Repertoire & Standards Articles Retired $45, and Student $35. One-year member-
ship begins on date of dues acceptance. Library
Vocal Transformation of the Secondary School Singer: the Choral Director as Vocal Coach annual subscription rates: U.S. $45; Canada $50;
by Christine C. Bass Foreign Surface $53; Foreign Air $85. Single Copy
$3; Back Issues $4.
Celebrating the Music of G.F. Handel with Middle School/Junior High Choirs
by Marbeth Yoder-White adn Tom Shelton Permission is granted to all ACDA members to
reproduce articles from the Choral Journal for
noncommercial, educational purposes only. Non-
57 Hallelujah! by John H. Dickson members wishing to reproduce articles may request
permission by writing to ACDA.The Choral Journal
65 Children’s Choir by Ann Small is supported in part by a grant from the National
Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. © 2007
Hard Times: Keeping the Faith! by the American Choral Directors Association,
545 Couch Drive, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102.
69 Compact Disc Reviews edited by Lawrence Schenbeck Telephone: 405/232-8161. All rights reserved.
77 Choral Reviews edited by Lyn Schenbeck The Choral Journal (US ISSN 0009-5028) is issued
monthly. Printed in the United States of America. Pe-
riodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,
Cover art by Efrain Guerrero, graphic artist, Austin, Texas. and additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send
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ChoralJournal_Apr09 1 3/13/09 8:35 AM

National Officers From the
President
Hilary Apfelstadt
The Ohio State University
614/292-9926 (voice)
Executive Director
H
<apfelstadt.1@osu.edu>
Vice-president istorically, when tribes gather in
Michele Holt
Providence College
the same place, opportunities for
401/822-1030 (voice) mutual inspiration are strong. The
<Holtm@cox.net>
intensity and power of similar
President-elect
Jerry McCoy groupings as a result of their influence on each
University of North Texas
940/369-8389 (voice)
other has driven innovation and brought about
<mccoy@music.unt.edu> significant philosophical movements as well as
Treasurer scientific breakthroughs.
Julie Morgan
Arkansas Tech University Sociologist Randall Collins relates how the
479/968-0332 (voice)
<jmorgan@atu.edu>
tribe dynamic has influenced many of the great
Tim Sharp philosophical movements. He ties the history of
Executive Director
Tim Sharp Greek philosophy to the gathering of like-minded
405/232-8161 (voice); 405/232-8162 (fax)
<sharp@acda.org> people—the Pythagorean brotherhood and its offshoots; Socrates’ circle;
Plato’s friends; Aristotle’s Peripatetic school; the Athenian Stoics; and on it
Central Division President goes.These tribes of thought created interlinking groups, and their influence
Pearl Shangkuan
Calvin College is still felt today in philosophical thought.
616/526-6519 (voice)
<pshangku@calvin.edu> In a The New Yorker article last May, Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point,
Eastern Division President
Blink, Outliers) wrote about the notion of “multiples”, the term science his-
Lynn Drafall torians use for the phenomenon of simultaneous discovery. To grossly over-
Pennsylvania State University
814/863-4219 (voice) simplify the subject, this means that throughout history, if a person invented
<led5@psu.edu>
a widget, or came up with a novel concept, the same invention or concept
North Central Division President
Kevin Meidl
may have been at the brink of discovery with multiple individuals throughout
920/8324170 (voice) the world. In 1922, a comprehensive list of multiples was put together by
<meidlkevin@aasd.k12.wi.us>
William Ogburn and Dorothy Thomas, and they found a hundred and forty-
Northwestern Division President
Richard Nance eight major scientific discoveries that fit the multiple pattern.
Pacific Lutheran University
253/535-7613 (voice)
Gladwell’s recent book Outliers proposes that we’ve been far too focused
<nancelr@plu.edu@msn.com> on the individual in terms of innovation—on describing the characteristics
Southern Division President and habits and personality traits of those who get furthest ahead in the world.
David Castleberry
Marshall University Gladwell thinks that this focus is misdirected, and in his words, “in order to
304/696-3127(voice)
<castlebe@marhshall.edu>
understand the outlier, I think you have to look around them—at their culture
and community and family and generation. We’ve been looking at tall trees,
Southwestern Division President
Galen Darrough and I think we should have been looking at the forest.”
University of Northern Colorado
970/351-2290 (voice) Over and over again, history shows us that the clustering of a tribe of cre-
<galen.darrough@unco.edu> ative individuals has led to explosive innovation, breakthroughs, and growth.
Western Division President In February of this year, I convened just such a group of creative individuals in
Dean Semple
559/539-7927 (voice) Birmingham, AL, for the first of several meetings I intend to sponsor around
<dbsemple@springvillewireless.com>
the country to examine what it will take to establish the opportunity for
Industry Associate Representative
Alec Harris
every child in the United States to sing in a choir. This is one of four initia-
GIA Publications Inc. tives I have outlined as we look to the future of ACDA.
708/496-3800 (voice); 708/496-3828 (fax)
At our “tribal” gathering of children’s choir leaders in Birmingham, we
Chair, Past Presidents’ Council heard of the success of the ENCORE program that the Dothan, AL imple-
Mitzi Groom
Western Kentucky University
mented, resulting in the reestablishment of music classes in the public schools.
270/745-3751 (voice); 270/745-6855 (fax) We heard of summer camp training programs for children’s choir leaders,
<mitzi.groom@wku.edu>
year-round after-school choir programs sponsored by volunteers, and com-
National Past Presidents munity choirs that have adopted community children’s choirs for support
Archie Jones † Colleen Kirk † and growth.
Elwood Keister †
Warner Imig †
Maurice T. Casey
Hugh Sanders †
As a result of our “tribal” gathering in Birmingham, we started a strong list
J. Clark Rhodes †
Harold A. Decker †
David O. Thorsen
Diana J. Leland
of possible ways that the American Choral Directors Association can foster
Theron Kirk † William B. Hatcher singing experiences for children throughout the country.
Charles C. Hirt † John B. Haberlen
Morris D. Hayes † Lynn Whitten † The following model was suggested for ongoing consideration:
Russell Mathis James A. Moore
Walter S. Collins † Milburn Price
H. Royce Saltzman David Stutzenberger

JAN
Step 1
ACDA, through additional division and state meet-
Executive Director’s Log
ings as the one described above, could gather, com-
pile, and post on its Web site advocacy models and
A highlight of Tim Sharp’s
FEB
success stories from around the country, including
the ENCORE type model, the summer music camp meeting schedule.
model, and the after-school model children’s choir.
These models could be condensed and described,
and then “how-to” downloadable resources, materi-
MAR
als, and online media could be provided for potential
turn-key implementation for each program or advo- April - May, 2009
cacy listed on the ACDA Web site.
Contact information of those who successfully
implemented the initial choir model or advocacy
APR
project could be provided via the ACDA website.
These consultants could agree to form partnerships
4 1 Lecture on Exsultet
and provide free consultation/assistance with those St. Paul’s,
who desire to replicate/adapt a particular model.
Oklahoma City, OK
MAY
STEP 2
ACDA could then challenge and motivate its
membership to seek out and take on music advocacy
projects such as those described above. 4 4 Oklahoma City
Philharmonic Orchestra
JUN
STEP 3
ACDA would then network to help match willing Oklahoma City, OK
ACDA organizations/members with communities or
schools needing music, and help ADCA organizations
select the best advocacy strategy to implement in a
particular setting. In essence, ACDA would create an 4 14 Oklahoma Baptist
JUL
“advocacy clearinghouse” component that could help

match need with resource. University
ACDA could feature this initiative strategy at the
various conferences sponsored at the state, division,
Shawnee, OKo
AUG
and national levels. ACDA could focus attention on

this initiative by creating a National Children’s Choir
Summit or Children’s Choral Advocacy Summit. Ad- 4 16- Mississippi ACDA
ditional attention and synergy could be generated by 17 Conference
a National Day of Singing or a Year of Children’s Choir
Advocacy, bringing a high profile to this initiative. Jackson, MS
SEP
Advocacy success stories could then be shared

online and at ACDA conferences. Recognition could
then be given to choirs and choral programs for 5 17- ACDA Executive
Excellence in Music Advocacy.
20 Committee Meeting
OCT
In the months ahead, I plan to continue gathering

Oklahoma City, OKy
our tribe in other locations for this kind of exchange
and visioning. I believe that many of us are looking at
the future and imagining communities where singing
in a choir is not only desirable, but is also possible. 5 22- 2011 Chicago
NOV
23 Convention Site Visit

Chicago, IL
Tim Sharp
DEC
Virginia High School

National R&S Chairs
National Chair
Nancy Cox
580/482-2364 (voice); 580/482-1990 (fax)
<nrcox@swbell.net>
From the President
Boychoirs
O
Julian Ackerley
Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus n the eve of Inauguration
520/296-6277 (voice); 520/296-6751 (fax)
<ackerley@boyschorus.org> Day, Jan. 20, 2009, I am
Children’s Choirs writing this column on the
Robyn Lana
Cincinnati Children’s Choir way home from an ACDA
513/556-0338 (voice); 513/556-9988 (fax)
<lanarr@uc.edu> Executive Committee retreat in Chicago. For
the first time in my memory, and certainly in
College and University Choirs
To be Filled recent history, the national leaders of ACDA
met to dream and discuss non-convention
Community Choirs
W. Robert Johnson matters. Of course, we did not avoid the
301/654-3380 (voice) Hilary Apfelstadt
<wrjohnson@aol.com> topic of conventions entirely; how could we?
It was not on the agenda, however, since the
Ethnic and Multicultural Perspectives
Sharon Davis Gratto retreat was devoted entirely to new directions in ACDA, under the visionary
University of Dayton
973/229-3946 (voice); 937/229-3916 (fax) leadership of our Executive Director, Tim Sharp.
<grattosd@notes.udayton.edu>
When ACDA hired Tim Sharp, more than a year ago, the search committee
members were highly impressed by his wealth of knowledge, his entrepreneur-
Junior High/Middle School
Tom Shelton ship, and the quality and quantity of his ideas. I remember telling friends and
First Presbyterian Church—Greensboro
336/478-4713 colleagues after the interview that Tim embodied an ideal blend of practical
<tomshelton@triad.rr.com>
knowledge and imaginative vision. Not all leaders are visionaries. Some are
Male Choirs most effective at handling the day-to-day practical matters of running organiza-
Frank Albinder
202/986-5867 (voice) tions; those leaders are more managerial than they are visionary. Some leaders
<FSAlbinder@pobox.com>
have wonderful ideas, but lack the skill to implement them; if they are wise, they
Music in Worship surround themselves with people who can carry out those ideas. Thankfully,
Paul A. Aitken
Boise First United Methodist Church
208/343-7511 (voice); 208/343-0000 (fax)
we have not only a visionary leader but also a dedicated staff and volunteers
<paitken@boisefumc.org> to help implement ACDA’s visions as articulated by current leadership.
Senior High Choirs The purpose of our retreat was to dream about what ACDA can become
Amy Johnston Blosser
Bexley High School in the twenty-first century. Our second fifty years must, of necessity, be dif-
614/539-5262 (voice) ferent from the first fifty. The world is very different now than when ACDA
<ablosser@bexley.k12.oh.us>
began in 1958. To remain relevant for current members and to reach non-
Show Choirs
Ken Thomas member choral musicians, we need to respond to the changed world. In some
Enterprise-Ozark Community College
334/347-2623 (voice) ways, we have already begun to do that: we now have online registration and
<kthomasmu@charter.net>
membership capabilities; we have completed phase 1 of our Web site re-
Two-Year Colleges design, making our site more accessible, attractive, and informative; we have
Paul Laprade
Rock Valley College instituted “ChorTeach,” an online resource column especially geared toward
815/921-3347 (voice)
<p.laprade@rockvalleycollege.edu> public and private school teachers; we have reconnected with other arts
Vocal Jazz
organizations such as IFCM (The International Federation for Choral Music),
Kirk Marcy and Chorus America.
Edmonds Community College
425/640-1651 (voice); 425/640-1083 (fax) In recent years, I mused about the need for ACDA to move beyond the
<kmarcy@edcc.edu>
intricacies of planning conventions and into the business of other pursuits
Women’s Choirs
Debra Spurgeon such as advocacy, education, research, and promotion of grass-roots efforts
University of Mississippi
662/513-6635 (voice)
to expand our influence in communities. As we considered and re-considered
<dspurg@olemiss.edu> convention formats, locations, and ways of reaching more people, I had the
Youth and Student Activities nagging sense that we could not stake our claim on these things much longer.
Jeffrey Carter
Webster University Since the Chicago 1999 national convention, we have seen registration num-
765/760-3812 (voice)
<jrc@jeffreycarter.us> bers drop, despite attractive locations such as New York and Los Angeles, and
4 Choral Journal • April 2009

wonderful programs for attendees. In the current economy, process. In ACDA, we are taking an objective assessment
each of us knows the reality of diminishing assets and of the of what we have been doing in the past and we are mak-
caution, even fear that prompts. Financial support from in- ing necessary changes; some of these will take longer than
stitutions and churches is less plentiful; teachers sometimes others, but ultimately, they will make us stronger.
have to pay for their own substitutes in order to pursue Personally, I envision something other than the biannual
professional development opportunities. When the bill for convention* model, but realize that it will not be easy
a four-day conference comes to $1000 or more, it is simply to shift away from that pattern unless we offer a better
too much for many people to manage. alternative. Focusing more on state activities and projects,
Despite the tone of those last few sentences, I am op- on summer seminars, on interactive communication and
timistic, both politically and professionally. The excitement artistic exchanges—those may be some alternatives for
we see in our nation on the eve of this new political era the future. Yet, as an individual, I cannot affect any of these
is palpable. We have the opportunity to make things right changes alone; if they occur, it will be as a result of collective
again. It will take a long time, but if we are prudent and efforts by many of us.The first step will be communicating
proactive, we can do it. How exciting it is to have that op- about them; the second, considering their benefits to our
portunity. membership. What, for example, can we do to reach a
Likewise, the opportunity to reinvent ACDA is exhilarat- larger percentage of our members than those who attend
ing. By building on the successes of the past, while moving conventions?
forward with renewed vigor and purpose, we can become The initiatives we discussed during our retreat included
the contemporary organization we must be. What better new associations with other choral organizations; choral
time to begin this process than during our 50th anniversary programs that involve children and youth in communities
year. Our history is rich and accomplished, and on that throughout the country; investment opportunities that will
foundation, we can build an even more solid future. solidify our financial position; and composer recognition
and commissions, and what role ACDA should play in the
January 21, 2009 propagation of worthy choral repertoire. You can read
about all of these and more on our Web site, in the Choral
Reading these thoughts two days after they were writ- Journal, and on Tim Sharp’s blog. Proposals about these
ten, and the day after the Inauguration of President Obama, ideas will be on the agendas for the next Executive Com-
I cannot help but be struck by the parallels between these mittee and National Board meetings and under further
ideas about ACDA and those he presented about our consideration prior to that time. As you read and consider,
country in his speech. Not to glorify our mission or suggest please let your division and national officers know what you
that the challenges we face in ACDA are anything like what think. You may e-mail us through the Web site or contact
our nation and world confront now, but we must realize, us otherwise if you prefer. Together we can steer ACDA
however, that we are on the brink of something momen- into its second fifty years and ensure that its future will be
tous, and that we ourselves must take responsibility for its even more stellar than its past.
realization. We have new invigorating leadership; we have
challenges to overcome; we are in a bit of a downturn, both * Note: A suggestion reflective of current thinking is to
in numbers and resources; yet we are energized about the change the word “convention” to “conference,” as proposed
possibilities. Who among us, no matter what our political by some of our members at the recent NCCO meeting in
convictions, could watch that mass of people crowding into Cincinnati. As they pointed out, our academic colleagues
Washington to be near the Inaugural festivities without recognize the word “conference” as being more reflective
feeling a great sense of excitement? Yesterday, our country of what we actually do at these events than “convention,”
was united in optimism, and indeed, people all around the a word that implies a less productive environment. We will
world took note of this event with seeming enthusiasm. consider this change at upcoming Executive Committee
Coming from our recent Executive Committee retreat, I and National Board meetings.
felt a similar excitement.
President Obama was not boastful in his praise of this
nation; indeed, he was sharply realistic about our diminished
state at the moment. At the same time, he balanced his Hilary Apfelstadt
comments about our shortcomings with talk about what
must change, and he conceded that regeneration is a long
Choral Journal • April 2009 5

Editorial Board
Editor
Carroll Gonzo
From the Editor
University of St.Thomas
651/962-5832 (voice); 651/962-5876 (fax)
<clgonzo@stthomas.edu>
In This Issue
Managing Editor
Ron Granger
ACDA National Office
This is the second of a two-part series for the
405/232-8161 (voice); 405/232-8162 (fax) Choral Journal (CJ) focusing on the 200th anniversary
<rgranger@acda.org>
of Felix Mendelssohn.The seven authors who wrote
Editorial Associate for these two issues were contacted two years ago,
David Stocker
281/291-8194 (voice) completed their research and writing, and sent their
<dstocker@asu.edu> articles to the ACDA National Headquarters De-
Patricia Abbott cember 1, 2008.Three of the authors’ articles—one
Assn. of Canadian Choral Conductors of the articles was written by two authors—were
514/351-4865 (voice) Carroll Gonzo published in the March 2009 issue of the CJ. They
<accc@ca.inter.net>
were:
Terry Barham
Emporia State University
620/341-5436 (voice) Jeffrey Sposato
<tbarham@emporia.edu>
“A New History of Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42”
Richard J. Bloesch
319/351-3497 (voice)
<richard-bloesch@uiowa.edu> Siegwart Reichwald
“Lost in Translation: The Case of Mendelssohn’s Psalm 95”
John Dickson
Mercer University
478/301-5639 R. Larry Todd and Angela Mace
<john.h.dickson@mercer.edu>
“Mendelssohn and the Free Chorale”
J. Michele Edwards
651/699-1077 (voice)
<edwards@macalester.edu> ••••••••••
Sharon A. Hansen
University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee
The remaining three authors represented in this issue include:
414/229-4595 (voice)
<sahansen@uwm.edu>
Marion Wilson-Kimber
Janeal Krehbiel “Performing Athalia: Mendelssohn OP. 74 Incidental Music in the
Lawrence Children’s Choir
785/832-5550 (voice)
Nineteenth-Century Choral World”
<janealk@sunflower.com>
Edward Lundergan Douglass Seaton

SUNY-New Paltz “But I Don’t Like it:” Observations and Reflections on the Two Finales of Elijah”
845/257-2715
<lunderge@newpaltz.edu>
John Michael Cooper
Donald Oglesby
University of Miami “Mendelssohn’s Valediction”
305/284-4162 (voice)
<DOglesby@miami.edu>
••••••••••
Lawrence Schenbeck
Spelman College This issue of the Choral Journal marks the first offering of the “Hallelujah!” column
404/270-5482 (voice)
<lschenbe@spelman.edu> under the editorship of John Dickson. John became editor after Tim Sharp relinquished
Lyn Schenbeck
the post and became Executive Director of ACDA. Dickson is Dean and Professor of
Coweta County Schools conducting, at Townsend School of Music at Mercer University in Macon, GA.
770/683-6837 (voice)
<lyn.schenbeck@cowetaschools.org>
**********
Ann R. Small
Stetson University
386/822-8976 Haydn Focus Issue
<asmall@stetson.edu>
Magen Solomon The September issue of the Choral Journal will be a Franz Joseph Haydn focus issue
University of Southern California
213/740-3225
and Lawrence Schenbeck will serve as guest editor. Authors’ names and titles of their
<magensol@usc.edu> articles will appear in this column in the May issue.
Stephen Town
Northwest Missouri State University
660/562-1795 (voice)
<stown@nwmissouri.edu>
Carroll Gonzo

Editor
Choral Jou
545 Couchurna
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OKC, Okla Driv
Drive,
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72
72 Letters to the Editor
Point Counterpoint
In the February 2009 issue of the Choral Journal, Christopher Eanes’s article, “Angels of Song: An Introduction
to Musical Life at the Venetian Ospedali,” appeared on page 71 in the “Research” column.The Choral Journal (CJ)
received a rather extensive critique of Eanes’s article from Joan Whittemore. It is an editorial policy of the CJ
to invite the author to offer a rebuttal to the critique and to then publish them simultaneously.
Because of the magnitude of the critique, rebuttal, and page space publication limitations, it is not possible to
publish the critique and rebuttal in the Journal. As an alternative—and as a courtesy to both authors—the two
submissions can be accessed on the ACDA Web site,
Readers are encouraged to read this lively colloquy on our Web site at <www.acda.org> by clicking on the
interative link on the Choral Journal page.
—Carroll Gonzo, Editor
Dear Editor,
Because the topic of the Venetian Ospedali is dear to my heart and scholarly work, I read with interest Christopher Eanes’
article, in the February issue of the Choral Journal, “Angels of Song: An Introduction to Musical Life at the Venetian Ospedali.”
Regrettably, I, among other authors, am even quoted incorrectly throughout the article, and credited for information I have
never presented. While Mr. Eanes’ article refers to many interesting topics related to the Ospedali, he has made a number
of major and cumulatively significant minor errors as demonstrated below.
Joan Whittemore, CSJ
Rebuttal by Christopher Eanes
When I set out to write “Angels of Song: An Introduction to Musical Life at the Venetian Ospedali,” my intention was to
do just that: to provide the reader, and future performer, with an unbiased overview of this extensive and complex topic. It
should be clear from the scope, length, and forum of this article that no attempt was being made to dispute current research,
or to provide information that is not already available to scholars in their local university library.
Joan Whittemore’s “Research Report:Venetian Ospedali, Setting the Record Straight” attacks the very premise of presenting
a well-researched overview of information that is available in credible sources. As she is widely recognized to be a leading
scholar in this field, she knows as well as anyone that there is an incredible wealth of information available in both primary
and secondary sources, and that, when research reveals differences of opinion, it is the writer’s obligation to provide guid-
ance. New information on these topics, in the form of primary sources, is still being unearthed and interpreted, and until it
appears in published form it is largely unavailable to the average performer. So, while I will defer to her firsthand knowledge
of manuscript sources, it must be stated that other leading scholars in the field have debated her interpretation of these
sources, and there is not as of yet complete agreement about many of the issues surrounding performance practices in the
repertoire of the Venetian ospedali.
A glance at the copious citations that Whittemore uses in her “Setting the Record Straight” should suffice to show the
reader that she is using the research of only a handful of scholars (herself included), to attack principles set forth by other
well-respected writers on the subjects presented below. Furthermore, the presentation of her ideas sometimes obscures
her valid points.
It would be easy to leave this rebuttal there, but since Dr Whittemore took the time and effort to list twenty-six indi-
vidual grievances, I though it only fitting that I should address each one in turn. For the few that were the result of my own
oversight, I apologize. As for the rest, they seem to be the result of Whittemore’s effort to change the reader’s perspective
towards her own, and in what follows I have endeavored to distinguish between the two categories.

f Mendelssohn’s choral music, the of Athalia in the years following Mendelssohn’s
O works perhaps most neglected in

the twentieth century have been
his incidental music for the Greek
plays Antigone, op. 55, and Oedipus at Colonos, op.
93, and for the French tragedy by Jean Racine,
death, and the ways in which contemporary
aesthetic understandings and period perform-
ing traditions made it possible for the work to
become established in the nineteenth-century
choral repertory.
Athalie, op. 74.1 All three were composed dur-
ing the 1840s at the request of King Friedrich
Wilhelm IV, whose aspiration to spearhead a neo-
classical dramatic revival brought Mendelssohn The Early History of Athalia
temporarily back to Berlin from Leipzig, where Athalie, the final play of the seventeenth-
he had been conducting the Gewandhaus Or- century French playwright, Racine, was written
chestra. Of the works that Mendelssohn penned in 1690 for the students of the Maison Royale de
for performances at the Prussian Court, only the Saint Louis at St. Cyr, a school for impoverished
incidental music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, aristocratic girls. Created in a neoclassical vein
op. 61, remains well known today; after its 1843 on Greek models, the play is biblical in origin,
premiere, it rapidly became inseparable from deriving from 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.4 When
theatrical productions of Shakespeare’s play, and the story opens, Athalia, the queen of Judah, has
the instrumental portions were regularly heard murdered her children, the heirs to the throne,
in concert halls in Europe and America.2 In 1854, and in doing so, seemingly eliminated the line
the English critic Henry Chorley, lamenting that from which the Messiah would come. However,
Mendelssohn’s early death prevented him from the high priest, Joad, and his wife have secretly
producing an entire opera, found his other three rescued Athalia’s grandson Joash, who has lived
mature dramatic works less than satisfactory safely in the temple from birth. After dreaming
substitutes, complaining that “under the best of of the child, Athalia enters the temple and is
circumstances, these works are, by their nature, destroyed; Joash is crowned King. Because the
rarely accessible, appealing only to a peculiar and play’s pseudo-Greek choruses were made up of
limited public,—liable, when produced, to mis- Levite girls, Mendelssohn originally set Racine’s
construction and failure of effect, in no respect as- French text as four choruses for female voices
cribable to their musical qualities.”3 Yet in the case and piano;5 when the Prussian King subsequently
of Athalia at least, Chorley was wrong—although had the work translated into German, Mendels-
Mendelssohn’s op. 74 incidental music was only sohn revised, expanded, and orchestrated the
sometimes heard in full-fledged theatrical produc- work, adding men’s voices to the chorus.
tions, it was regularly performed in concert set- The final version is scored for full orchestra
tings.This article explores the historical reception and chorus, with two sopranos and an alto as
soloists who figure prominently in four of the five
choruses. In addition, Athalia opens with a sub-
Marian Wilson Kimber is associate professor of stantial overture, its march-like style brought to
musicology at the University of Iowa. She has full fruition in the work’s only other purely instru-
published numerous articles and book chapters mental number, the “War March of the Priests.”
on the biographies, music, and reception of There are several melodramatic sections that
Felix Mendelssohn and Fanny Mendelssohn require text to be spoken over musical accompa-
Hensel. <m-wilson-kimber@uiowa.edu> niment, including sections before the first chorus,
at the close of the penultimate chorus, and again

during the opening of the final section work pleased me; now, after attending composition of the music, and analytical
of the work. The fourth number opens the performance and rehearsals, I glory commentary based on his study of the
with a brief chorus, but primarily consists in it. In certain passages, I was deeply af- score. Although Chorley acknowledged
of melodrama in which Joad prophesies fected, what must he have felt when he that Mendelssohn’s commission “could
the destruction of Jerusalem and calls wrote it?”9 In 1850, Jules Benedict wrote, hardly have been a labor of love,” he
for the priests to arm themselves against “It would be an endless task to specify hoped that the resulting work would
Athalia. Douglass Seaton and Larry Todd each of the beauties of this work, which “prove … steadily and permanently
have noted Mendelssohn’s Christological on each successive hearing are more attractive.”12
interpretation of Athalia’s Old Testament perceptible.”10 Athalia’s success would initially seem
tale through the inclusion of Lutheran The early interest in Athalia was unlikely, considering its somewhat
chorales, Ach Gott vom Himmel sieh’ immense. Mendelssohn himself had convoluted cultural position: although
darein in the opening chorus, and the conducted the theatrical premiere of the earliest performances in Germany
Christmas chorale Vom Himmel hoch, Athalia at a private performance at were in German, the source of the
heard in the trumpet against shimmering Schloß Charlottenburg in Berlin in De- original play was French; Mendelssohn’s
strings and harps in the central section cember 1845, and it was presented to popularity in France was significantly
of melodrama.6 The theme of the open- a paying public at the Potsdam Schau- less than in Germany or England, where
ing chorus returns for the brief final cho- spielhaus the following month. Queen the work was performed, not in French
rus that rounds out the score (Figure 1). Victoria, who had requested a copy of or in German, but in English translation.
Athalia was well regarded by the the score from Mendelssohn, hosted Even an advocate for Athalia like Chor-
members of Mendelssohn’s profes- a performance at Windsor Castle ley acknowledged that it initially had
sional and social circles. In the spring two years later, yet the earliest public seemingly little to suggest itself to pro-
of 1846, Mendelssohn’s sister Fanny performances of the work in England spective audiences: “The fate and fame
Hensel requested additional vocal took place only after its posthumous of the ‘Athalie’ may at first sight appear
parts for an upcoming performance publication in 1848. In early February singular and unmerited to those … who
at one of her Sunday salon concerts, 1849, the work was performed by the fancy that a French classical tragedy on
as numerous people desired to be in Leipzig Gewandhaus;11 two months later, a Biblical subject, written for the use of
her chorus in order to perform it;7 in the Philharmonic Society, conducted by young ladies, and with choral interludes,
her diary, she declared Athalia to be Michael Costa, premiered the work in comprises as many un-realities as can
wonderful.8 When the work was first London. The English performance was well be assembled within the compass
performed in Leipzig in 1849, the pianist preceded by an extensive two-part ar- of one work of Art.”13 Nonetheless,
Ignaz Moscheles sentimentally recalled ticle by Henry Chorley in the Athenæum Athalia was popular with nineteenth-
the composer performing it for him in that provided the historical background century audiences far beyond Chor-
London before his death:“Even then, the to Racine’s play and Mendelssohn’s ley’s “limited public.” Although it was

performed throughout the century in popular in England at the end of the cen- or vocal solos. Publishers produced
Germany, including eight times at the tury, that the choral group of the Birken- multiple arrangements in order to allow
Gewandhaus between 1849 and 1895, head Young Men’s Christian Association amateur groups who lacked the resourc-
where it was still warmly anticipated in and “Mr. Lumgair’s Presbyterian Choral es of a full orchestra to perform Athalia.
188114—it was less well known there Society” nearby could both program the During the nineteenth century, it was
than in England. Indeed, an 1865 notice piece in March of 1898 “without the one often heard with some sort of keyboard
about a performance in Breslau stated knowing of the decision of the other.”19 accompaniment: piano, piano four-hands,
that Athalia was “to the greatest part By the early twentieth century, Athalia or two pianos, organ, or some combina-
of our audience practically unknown.”15 had been performed by vocal groups tion. Novello published an arrangement
However, when Athalia began to be per- ranging from the Moscow Liedertafel to of the work for piano and harmonium,
formed in England, the memory of Men- the Shanghai Choral Society.20 which was widely utilized in England in
delssohn’s death only two years before Athalia’s shor ter length made it the last three decades of the century.21
was still fresh, and the public was hungry more manageable by amateur choral Some groups endeavored to enhance
for the remaining compositions of the organizations and allowed for a certain the keyboard scoring with additional
composer with which they were unfa- amount of programming flexibility. It instrumentation, adding harp, which is
miliar. Given the overwhelming success was frequently paired with another required in the full overture and the
of Elijah, which premiered in Birming- choral work; London’s Sacred Harmonic largest section of melodrama,22 or
ham in 1846 and was then performed Society often programmed the work trumpets to amplify the magnificent
in a revised version in London the with Rossini’s Stabat Mater. Athalia might “War March of the Priests.”23 The oc-
following year, the resulting public inter- serve as the first section of a concert, casional addition of string instruments
est in Mendelssohn’s large-scale choral which then featured a second half of may have motivated the arrangement
works was not surprising. Nonetheless, miscellaneous shorter choral numbers for piano and string quintet published by
even in the hagiographic atmosphere of
mid-century, Athalia’s success in Britain is
particularly notable, for it faced regular
competition there from the composer’s
greatest choral works, not only Elijah
and St. Paul, but also Lobgesang, op. 52,
and Die erste Walpurgisnacht, op. 60,
which received regular performances
throughout the century. When Athalia
was programmed at the Birmingham
Music Festival, the writer for The Musical
World claimed that the sensation created
by the music was “without parallel in
Birmingham since the first performance
of Elijah in 1846.”16
By the 1870s, the British musical
press assumed that Athalia was widely
known; one writer referred to it as “a
work with the great merits of which
English audiences are so familiar that
special comment can be dispensed with
on this occasion;”17 another agreed that
“Mendelssohn’s music is so familiar that
nothing explanatory need be said about
it, though the temptation is strong to
enlarge upon its beauty.”18 It was still so

Performing Athalia cont.
Berthold Tours in 1897;24 this arrange- the work’s close, led to the assessment Positive Critical Assessment
ment was used in the 1902 performance that Athalia, “perhaps, more than any of Athalia
in Edinburgh. work ever written, in the breadth and Critics hailed Athalia as “more deeply
The musical press, which initially grandeur of its style, the fullness and imaginative and poetical than either the
complained that such partial accom- opulence of its instrumentation, and the Antigone or Œdipus”27 and “one of the
paniments were less than ideal, soon largeness of the means required to bring finest choral works in the whole realm
became used to hearing reduced scor- out all the great musician contemplated of classical music.”28 It was considered
ings.Yet their sense of Athalia’s grand and in the exuberance of his imagination, is “a work which abounds in beauties
expansive character led them to find best adapted to afford full scope for an and never fails to interest.”29 In England,
it more suitable for performance with orchestra and chorus on so gigantic a many of the individual sections were
the gigantic ensembles characteristic of scale.”25 Only one dissenting critic found heard as similar to parts of other of
Victorian choral festivals. For example, the three or four extra ophicleides at Mendelssohn’s choral works: “O Sinai,
the chorus and orchestra of 2500 at an 1849 performance of “War March thou theme of never-ending story” (in
the Crystal Palace in 1863, with ca. 200 of the Priests,” “obstreperous superflui- the opening chorus) was compared to
string players, twelve harps, and addi- ties.”26 “Let all men praise the Lord,” and the
tional brass, as well as organ added at soprano duet, “Ever blessed child” (in

the second chorus), to “He waited for Dresel’s Private Club of Amateurs in that the incidental music for Athalia was
the Lord” from Lobgesang; even the Boston for selecting such music “with a not a second Elijah, and many writers
brief phrase, “The calm and holy rest” view to have the best.” 32 Likewise, the noted that it was not as successful as
in the trio, “Hearts feel, that love Thee,” Milwaukee Sentinel praised the newly Mendelssohn’s other choral works, fre-
was compared to Elijah’s “Lift thine eyes formed Choral Union for programming quently comparing it to pieces that were
to the mountains.”30 The melodramatic such “important classical works for intended for the concert hall, not the
section in which the chorale tune is the first time in Milwaukee,” giving the stage. One Boston writer complained
given to solo trumpet was found to group “reason to congratulate itself.”33 that Mendelssohn’s Racine setting
be particularly striking. In 1849, one This recognition of Athalia’s high art “rather detracts from than adds to the
critic reacted: “the effect of this must be status did not prevent it from achieving composer’s fame as a dramatic writer. It
heard to be understood; it is beyond popularity. Audiences regularly insisted falls so far behind Elijah and the Hymn of
description.”31 that certain numbers from Athalia be re- Praise, in its dramatic intensity, that it is
In America, a choral organization’s peated, most frequently the trio,“Hearts difficult to believe that it came from the
programming of Athalia signified their feel, that love thee” (Figure 2) and the same pen.”34 A correspondent for The
seriousness of purpose. Critic John “War March of the Priests” (Figure 3). Musical World wrote that it appeared
Sullivan Dwight was pleased with Otto In time, critics came to recognize “nothing more than a succession of fine

lyric bits, stringed together too loosely reviewer acknowledged, “Even though some of the rare bad reviews of Athalia
to form a whole.”35 Other writers took the work is not one of the composer’s center on the problem of presenting
more account of the piece’s original most excellent, many things still speak a fundamentally dramatic work in a
context, and suggested that Racine’s deeply to the soul.”39 Chorley asserted, concert setting, and early reviewers
alexandrine poetry was to blame for “the composition must grow in favour complained that the melodramatic sec-
any sense that the music was stylistically in proportion as it is known and its tions were omitted in the earliest per-
“constrained.”36 Dwight acknowledged original conditions are understood and formances, or that the plot of the drama
that Athalia was “in some parts a little attended to.”40 was not apparent through the music
dry and tame,” but considered this natu- alone. When the London Philharmonic
ral,“considering the character of Racine’s presented the work for the first time,
text.… Unfortunately the musical work, Reciting Athalia: one critic complained, “Mendelssohn
bound by the text, lacks climax. But there Inclusion of Text in Performance did not intend the music of Athaliah
is much beautiful and some superb and The means by which Mendelssohn’s for a concert-room, but for the stage,
splendid music in it.”37 The eventual con- Athalia could be successfully presented and never would have consented to
sensus was similar to Dwight’s; although in the concert hall was through the its performance in the former without
Athalia did not rank with the very best performance of the text of Racine’s the whole poem being read, and the
of its composer’s choral output, it was play, in order that the audience might recitatives and descriptive music which
nonetheless quite worthy of his name.38 understand the dramatic context from connect the choruses and vocal solo and
After an 1871 performance in Graz, one which the choruses had sprung. Indeed, concerted pieces together.”41 Chorley
compared the damage caused when
individual numbers were brought to-
gether without intervening text to that
of a major actress having to do all her
lines from a Shakespeare play one after
the other without the other scenes or
characters to complete the drama.42 Af-
ter a performance by the Cecilia Society,
the Boston Daily Advertiser called for text,
either aurally or printed in the program:
“It is not unlikely that the text would be
tedious to many hearers but something
should be furnished to give those not
familiar with the drama some idea of
the dramatic positions.”43
While some of the earliest perfor-
mances, including those held privately
for Queen Victoria, appear to have taken
place with Racine’s original text read by
an actor, the text was quickly adapted
into shortened summaries of the play’s
action in poetry to be recited by a single
performer between movements of the
work. Mendelssohn’s friend, the actor
Eduard Devrient, published a German
text in 1849 that was used when the
work was performed by the Leipzig
Gewandhaus Orchestra.44 In 1848, Men-
delssohn’s London translator, William
Bartholomew, who had been respon-

sible for the English text of Elijah, “It was once thought they could
published verses to accompany be done without, and the cantata
concert performances of Athalia was publicly tried in this fashion;
(Illustration 1). Bartholomew’s but the close sequence of move-
verses quickly became standard ments without tonal relationship
fare in British performances, so or preparation occasioned an obvi-
much so that the press made ous impropriety, and of late years
special note of those occasions the ‘Lyrics’ have never been given
on which the piece was per- without the aid of the descriptive
formed “without the customary narrative of the interlocutor.”54
recitations.”45 One factor in the success of
The addition of the text the recited material was the size
typically enhanced the audience’s and acoustics of the performance
appreciation of the performance. space, which, if too large, rendered
In 1883 at the concert of the the text inaudible.The problem was
Cliftonville Choral Society, “the often encountered in performances
work was rendered additionally in London’s gigantic Crystal Palace,
interesting by the excellent read- such as at the season opener of
ing of the narrative portions.”46 1863, heard by an audience of
When George Bartley recited 14,000. One Mr. Phelps recited
the text of Athalia, The Musical the illustrative verses, but his voice
World reported that “the whole was “almost inaudible.”55 At a simi-
Illustration 1
feeling of the music was rendered lar event in 1887, Charles Santley
Title page to early English piano-vocal score of
clear and intelligible in conse- Mendelssohn, Athalia, op. 74, with texts by Wil- “acquitted himself of this by no
quence … and the intent of the liam Bartholomew. Courtesy of the Warren D. Allen means easy task in excellent fashion,
composer was made manifest Music Library, Florida State University. making every syllable heard to the
immediately.”47 In contrast, at an farthest corners of the concert
1883 performance of the same room without any effort or exag-
work in Leeds, the spoken text was the necessary explanation, its effect is geration.”56 When they appeared at the
omitted, and The Musical Times stated weakened. This applies more particu- Crystal Palace two years later, the Tonic
that, as a result, “some of the general larly to the second part of the work, Sol-fa Choirs Association left out the
effect of the work was lost…”48 where the plot begins to thicken.”51 “recited verses, which would have been
Although widely performed and Several critics preferred explanatory lost in so vast an area.”57
consistently deemed necessary, the program notes, but these do not appear Athalia was performed so frequently
texts were not uniformly popular with to have been widely adopted, leaving a that recitation of the accompanying
the critics. A British performance with continuing ambiguity about the reciter’s verses, as well as the texts for Mendels-
spoken texts led one reviewer to claim role, such as that which surfaced after a sohn’s other incidental music, became a
that their “impression, not for the first performance in Manchester: “the duality specialty for professional and amateur
time, [was] that the omission of two- of the mode of interpretation is always reciters.58 Foremost among these were
thirds of them would be a great relief;”49 felt to be a weakness.”52 A review of the professional elocutionists, who some-
even Chorley acknowledged that “Even Niederrheinische Musikfest complained times recited solo selections on the
if delivered by the best of elocutionists, about the length of Devrient’s text: “in second half of the program as well. The
they displace the music as much as they such expanse a poem no longer ‘con- most popular performer was Charles
suggest its purpose.”50 As late as 1884, nects,’ no, it separates and basically chills Edward Fry (1845–1928). Fry, who also
when the practice was well established, us …”53 In spite of the mixed views of taught at the Hampstead and Croydon
The Musical Times noted, “The recitation the efficacy of performing the connect- Conservatories, and later at the London
may be regarded as a tiresome interrup- ing recitations, it nonetheless came to be Academy of Music, appeared regularly
tion of the music, but some of the latter considered “a recognized necessity.” In in concert performances of Athalia for
is so essentially dramatic that without 1875, The Musical World admitted that over fifty years, between ca. 1870 and

1922; his obituary claimed he had per- Calthrop to read the text, a reviewer adapted to the capabilities of amateur
formed the work over 200 times.59 His wrote, “In this case we admire their societies.”71
first performance took place in Brixton courage more than the outcome of it,”
in 1870;60 five years later, after a perfor- for neither the reader nor the orches-
mance with the Welsh Choral Union tra, “succeeded in proving that earnest The Question of Genre:
at the St. James Hall, a reviewer noted endeavour can dispense with special Athalia as a Sacred Work
that his “elocutionary powers appear to skill.”66 In 1868, Mr. Lin Rayne recited Unlike Antigone and Oedipus at
be gradually obtaining that recognition with “perhaps too much earnestness.”67 Colonos, settings of texts by Sophocles,
which we some time ago predicted.”61 Alice Archer, a rare female reciter, who Athalia’s biblical story and frequent
The elocutionist had all the necessary performed the verses for an 1890 performance in concert halls caused
skills for successful performance:“a good, performance in Milwaukee, must have audiences to group it with Mendels-
well-modulated voice, clear enunciation, been more convincing, as she was later sohn’s unstaged choral works and to
expressive inflection, appropriate and recruited by the Chicago Oratorio So- consider it to be primarily a sacred work.
full, yet not exaggerated action.”62 Fry ciety to perform with them.68 Chorley believed it to be one of the rare
was regularly applauded, particularly In addition to traveling elocutionists, examples of “sacred stage-music which
after the melodramatic section of the local celebrities were often called into is substantial enough to bear transplan-
work, Joad’s speech,“Earth Lend an Ear!” service. At the Norwich Musical Festi- tation into a sacred concert-room.”72
Fry’s declamation was described not as val, Charles Santley, better known as a In the contemporary press, Athalia was
an interrupting distraction, but rather baritone, made his elocutionary debut in most often compared with Elijah, in
it “intensified the effect that the work Athalia;69 he recited the text on at least part because of the story: the triumph
produced.”63 Fry himself became an two other occasions. As Athalia gained in of the Jews over Athalia, is, as in Elijah, a
essential component of performances popularity with British church choirs, the triumph over the worship of Baal.
of the work, reciting “the lyrics with a text was frequently performed by mem- Athalia was thus seen as a sort of
success resulting from a natural intuition bers of the local clergy; some two dozen musical prequel (though in plot, a se-
matured by long experience.”64 Review- Reverends were drafted into a role that quel) to Mendelssohn’s most popular
ers credited him with having “thoroughly required them to utilize the same vocal choral work;73 Devrient’s poetic text
roused the audience to an audible skills on which they drew in religious ser- strengthened this connection by de-
acknowledgment of the true place of vices. Less frequently were lawyers, also scribing the prophet Elijah’s battles in
the narrator in Mendelssohn’s glowing notable for their public speaking skills, its opening lines. One early objection
musical picture.”65 called into service. Herbert Thompson, was to Mendelssohn’s use of chorales
Few other performers of the spoken a barrister who later became music critic as being inappropriate in a theatrical
text achieved Fry’s prominence, and of the Yorkshire Post, was recruited by a depiction of the Jewish faith: “as a mat-
reciters sometimes received criticism Leeds organist to perform with four lo- ter of dramatic propriety no less than
by the press. When the Highbury Phil- cal choral societies in the 1880s. He later of religious truth, we believe them to be
harmonic employed the Rev. Gordon recalled a performance in which he got entirely misplaced.”74 But these objec-
“up to adjust my desk, when an obliging tions were largely temporary, as Athalia
soprano behind me kindly moved my became firmly planted in the concert
chair out of my way, so I resumed my hall, almost completely separated from
seat on nothing!!”70 The frequency of its theatrical origins.
having text recited with Athalia can be The work’s performing context and
determined by its imitation in Henry biblical origins helped Mendelssohn’s
Gadsby’s Alcestis, which called for recit- music to be perceived as a sort of minia-
ers when it was performed in 1879. ture oratorio or cantata, and it was occa-
Gadsby, inspired by Mendelssohn’s sionally identified in the contemporary
incidental music, reportedly composed press as being a representative of these
“some very effective numbers, which genres. When the 1849 Birmingham
although somewhat simpler in character Music Festival presented Athalia under
than those of Mendelssohn, are well the designation “sacred oratorio,” The

Musical World countered, “We assume [O]ne first asks oneself, what ambiguities, and the work’s status in
this designation was adopted as a plea kind of talent must it have been the Anglo-American choral world led
for it constituting the grand feature of to be capable of producing … musicians to conceive of it as fitting
one of the morning performances. No such a beautiful work of music, into those genres with which they were
such excuse, however, was required; the what a strange mixture of genres most familiar.
merits of the work, and the name of … half as biblical oratorio and Not surprisingly, many of the per-
Mendelssohn, were sufficient to guaran- half as Greek play …. If one has formance venues for choral groups
tee the introduction of Athaliah on any not already hesitated to call the who performed Athalia were churches,
occasion.”75 Nonetheless, the practice oratorio the fruit of a misalliance where the singers were accompanied
persisted. In 1879, the San Francisco Daily between opera and church, by organ, but the piece, in whole or in
Evening Bulletin reported on the Boston what could one say to such part, found its way into actual services as
joining?—Second, and because
Handel and Haydn Society’s “Rendition well. In England, it was a popular choice
of it, the question appears to
of the Oratorio of ‘Athalie,’ ” noting that for fall services related to the harvest
us not without consequence,
the “large attendance . . . shows that or thanksgiving. Individual numbers
what influence this advance of
there is a strong undercurrent in this were used as anthems in churches in
Mendelssohn’s is qualified to take
community in favor of sacred music.”76 on the further development of
the United States; for example, a selec-
Likewise, the newspaper advertisements the art.81 tion from Athalia was heard on Easter
for the thirteenth annual Texas Sän- Sunday in 1899 at St. John’s Cathedral
gerfest at Galveston on April 19, 1881, But the writer only desired to “have in Denver, Colorado. Charles Fry even
referred to Athalia as an oratorio.77 The stirred up a question,” and left no spe- recited the connecting texts in a church.
Wellington, New Zealand, Harmonic cific answers to his musings. Most critics On March 13, 1892, he appeared at St.
Club included Athalia in the list of “all were less sensitive to Athalia’s generic Luke’s Church, New Kentish Town, after
the cantatas” they had performed,78
and Myles Birket Foster even edited a
version of the piece published in 1898
as a “sacred cantata.” As late as 1920,
Hermann Kretzschmar wrote that, “The
concert is the proper home of Mendels-
sohn’s music to Athalia, and the mighty
scenes . . . could easily be completed into
an entire oratorio.”79
The various designations also came
from the contemporary aesthetic sense
that the work could certainly function
outside of the theater, but, more im-
portantly, that it somehow fell between
recognized genres. Chorley, rhapsodizing
after hearing the work in concert for the
first time, wrote that, “there will still be
detected in this ‘Athalie’ music a peculiar
colour, resembling that of no Catholic
Service—of no Protestant Oratorio
with which the world is acquainted.”80
After hearing a performance in Leipzig
in 1864, one critic for the Allgemeine
musikalische Zeitung wrote thoughtfully
about Athalia’s peculiar hybrid status and
its implications for the future of music:

Evensong, and “wearing cassock frequently “obtaining the usual

and surplice, spoke from the en- encore,”88 it was a staple for
trance to the choir,” a new devel- ceremonial occasions of all
opment against which the writer types throughout the cen-
for The Musical Times could “see tury. These ranged from the
no objection.”82 The Rev. Henry Sunday service at St. Paul’s
Cart later wrote that the per- Cathedral celebrating Queen
formance had been “grumbled Victoria’s Jubilee, where it ac-
at by some of the faithful,” but companied the Lord Chancel-
reported that Fry believed the lor and Peers marching down
work “gained enormously in im- the nave in their robes,89 to
pressiveness and spirituality by its the dedication of the statue
being rendered in a devotional of Mendelssohn in Leipzig in
manner in a sacred building.”83 1892, when it was performed
Car t fur ther suggested that by students from the Leipzig
more “oratorios” designed like Conservatory that the com-
Athalia should be produced for poser founded (Illustration
church use. Even when heard 2).90 It was not uncommon
in concer t settings, Athalia’s for the “War March” to serve
reception was dominated by its as a recessional for religious
religious connotations. Dwight’s services. British choral fes-
review of the Harvard Sym- tivals sometimes featured
phony’s performance described a religious service as part
how “Mendelssohn’s religious of a several-day event; for
Overture to ‘Athalia’ made a example, at the close of the
stately prelude.”84 Nonetheless, service for the Second Festival
one is inclined to wonder what of the Association for the Im-
the congregation thought at the Illustration 2 provement of Church Choirs
performance of Athalia at a Ser- Postcard of the Mendelssohn memorial in Leipzig (1899). in the Penrith Parish Church
vice of Praise in January 1879 at in August 1871, “choirs and
St. James Church, Clerkenwell. During for female voices, which included the congregation dispersed” to the organ
the service, the Rev. J. H. Rose gave an often encored “Hearts feel, that love playing the “War March.”91 In the early
address on 2 Kings, the biblical basis of thee,” noted that such “home music” twentieth century, the “War March”
Racine’s play, but digressed into “a warm for “amateurs” is “always welcome in was sometimes heard as part of Easter
eulogium on the talents of Mendels- a drawing-room.”86 The selection from services in America, found its way into
sohn,” and his “Shakespeare’s music” to Athalia that had the widest range of per- high school graduation ceremonies of
show “what a success he might have formance contexts was the “War March the 1930s and 1940s, and even into
attained had he chosen to write more of the Priests,” which was so popular weddings: it was performed for the
for the stage.”85 that it was perceived as competition arrival of Edward, the Prince of Wales,
Individual numbers from Athalia for Mendelssohn’s seemingly ubiquitous at his wedding in 1863, as well as at
were often performed separately in “Wedding March” from A Midsummer numerous far less public nuptials, such
concer ts, par ticularly the over ture, Night’s Dream. In 1885, the “War March” as an 1894 Portland, Oregon, wedding,
which was frequently programmed was one of the works programmed by where it preceded the usual march from
and was available in four-hand piano the newly formed Westminster Popular Wagner’s Lohengrin.92 The “War March
arrangements throughout the century. Orchestral Society in order to insure of the Priests” became such a staple
The soprano duet and the women’s trio that its reputation lived up to its name.87 of organists that it spawned numerous
were also available separately for singers; Not only was the March heard as a sep- inferior imitations, and one reviewer
an 1878 review of an edition of trios arate instrumental number in concerts, complained, “Mendelssohn has much to

answer for, and still more has he who sic conducted by Yorke Trotter at St. larger interest in putting on the entire
first arranged for the organ the Marches George’s Hall. The press claimed that play with Mendelssohn’s music in the
in Athalie and A Midsummer Night’s the production had historically au- 1890s.There were five performances in
Dream, for to those two men and these thentic costumes created through the Paris at the Odéon Theatre, beginning
two marches are entirely due a host of assistance of the Théâtre Français and in December 1896; three years later in
organisms of various merit, that would “a well-known Hebrew authority.”96 It is August 1899, players from the Odéon
never have come into being but for the not clear from the contemporary press also staged Athalia at the Roman theater
precedents afore-named.”93 exactly what text was used, as report- at Orange in Provence with Mendels-
edly Bartholomew’s familiar translation sohn’s music played by the Colonne
served as the basis of a version to which orchestra.99 In America the play was
Between the Choral World were added “certain alterations and ad- taken up by schools and universities,
and the Stage ditions” from the translation of R. Bruce particularly women’s colleges; perhaps
Athalia’s success in the church and Boswell. The resulting “amendments the female performers were aware that
the concert hall, as well as the perceived and interpolations decidedly increased Racine’s play had originally been written
need for some sort of recognition of the the dramatic interest” and reviewers for the young women of St. Cyr. In 1893,
dramatic story, sometimes generated concluded that “Although highly effec- the Smith College senior class posed in
performances that were something be- tive in the concert-room, ‘Athalie’ is still twelve tableaux to Mendelssohn’s music
tween a concert with solo reciter and a more so when performed as intended performed by a chorus of thirty, with the
full theatrical performance. In several in- by the composer.”97 Fry repeated the text read by George King of Harvard
stances, more than one reciter was used, performance with students of the College.100 The spectacle, reported as
and lines were performed by persons London Academy of Music in April of the first performance of the play in
representing the individual characters. 1905 and 1912. How ingrained Athalia America, took place in the college gym-
At an 1878 performance of the Boylston had become in concert life is suggested nasium and featured sixty participants
Club in Boston, the melodramatic sec- by the way in which the press justified and an audience of one thousand. The
tions were recited, “some by individual the drama on the basis of the music, 1897 performance by Harvard’s De-
voices issuing from various quarters of rather than vice versa, crediting the 1900 partment of French in Sanders Theater
the platform, and some by chorus in uni- performance with making “evident how with the choruses sung by the Cecilia
son.”94 Charles Fry, already well known much Mendelssohn’s music gained in Society accompanied by members of
for his recitation of Bartholomew’s dramatic significance.”98 the Boston Symphony was a major
verses, was the force behind several Fry’s performances were part of a cultural event in American musical life.
more dramatic performances. In 1897,
with the assistance of theatrical profes-
sionals, Fry played the role of Joad in a
complete performance of the play with
the Highbury Philharmonic Society. The
press was pleased with the results, calling
it a “success far exceeding the most san-
guine expectations. These numbers, for
which the restored dramatic passages
afforded adequate preparation, proved
much more telling than before, inasmuch
as their appropriateness was apparent
to the whole of the audience instead of
being restricted to the few who were
acquainted with Racine’s tragedy.”95
Three years later, Fry helped produce
the first full-length English theatrical
production with Mendelssohn’s mu-

The event was widely reported, from tion in international choral life, much the vitality of the work;”103 almost half a
The Daily Picayune of New Orleans to of Mendelssohn’s other music suffered century later, Werner’s request has not
the Butte, Montana Weekly Miner (see from a strongly anti-Victorian reaction yet been fulfilled.104 While Athalia has
Illustration 3). The governor of Mas- and the rise of a modernist aesthetic. recently been recorded with Eduard
sachusetts and the presidents of other In Germany, Mendelssohn’s reputation Devrient’s summarizing texts,105 con-
New England colleges were among the suffered with the rise of Wagnerism ductors who wish to program a per-
audience members who saw the play and the New German School, and from formance of the work in English may
performed with Mendelssohn’s “noble anti-Semitic assessments that peaked in find that Bartholomew’s translation has
and stirring music.”101 the era of National Socialism.102 Tech- not worn well and that his verses are
nological changes, the rise of radio and too quaint for a modern audience. One
moving pictures, ended the era of the viable solution is to perform the work
The Future of Athalia? elocutionists who recited in concert in German with explanatory program
In spite of a long history of per- performances of Mendelssohn’s inci- notes—but the problem of successfully
formance, primarily in England but in dental music, a practice that had been communicating the texts of the striking
Europe and America as well, Athalia, considered essential to Athalia’s success. melodramatic portions remains, and the
like many of Mendelssohn’s large-scale In his 1963 biography of the com- possibility of using German-speaking
choral works, fell out of favor in the poser, Eric Werner wrote, “Athalie is actors or operatic-style supertitles is
twentieth centur y. Although Elijah certainly worthy of a new edition and impractical for most choral organiza-
continued to hold a prominent posi- revival in performance; this would prove tions. Clearly, in the twenty-first century,
Henry Chorley’s assessment of
1849 still holds true: “The work
has to be heard from the right
point to be valued as it de-
serves; though every one must
regret that its peculiarity of
form makes such exceptional
preparation and management
necessar y.” 106 Nonetheless,
Athalia deserves to be heard
in performance. As Chorley
has written, it is a work that
demonstrates “what art can do
when the will is earnest,—that
while it can keep its subordi-
nate place as a garniture and a
decoration, the garnishing shall
have such beauty and value as
to bear exhibition when de-
tached from its original place
and purpose.”107
NOTES
1
On these works, see Douglass
Seaton, “The Dramatic Music,” in The
Mendelssohn Companion (New York:
Illustration 3 Greenwood Press, 2000), 192–230.
Artist’s rendering of Athalia as performed at Harvard University in 1897, printed in The Daily On Antigone see Jason Gear y,
Picayne of New Orleans, Sunday, November 28, 1897, pg 24. “Reinventing the Past: Mendelssohn’s

Antigone and the Creation of an Ancient 3 8
Henry Fothergill Chorley, Modern German Februar y/March 1846, Fanny Hensel,
Greek Musical Language,” Journal of Music, 2 vols. (1854; reprint ed., New Tagebücher (Wiesbaden: Breitkopf &
Musicology 23 (2006): 187– 226. On York: Da Capo Press, 1973), 1: 286. Härtel, 2002), 263.
the early performances, see Monika 4 9
See R. Larry Todd, Mendelssohn: A Life in Ignaz Moscheles, Recent Music and
Henemann, “From Drawing Room Music (New York: Oxford University Musicians as Depicted in the Diaries
to Theater : Performance Traditions Press, 2003), 502–8. and Correspondence of Ignaz Moscheles,
of Mendelssohn’s Stage Wor ks,” 5
These have now been published as Musik ed. Charlotte Moscheles, transl. A. D.
in Mendelssohn in Performance, ed. zu “Athalia” von Racine, op. 74, ed. Armin Coleridge (New York: Henry Holt, 1873;
Siegwart Reichwald (Bloomington and Koch, Leipziger Ausgabe der Werke von reprint ed., New York: Da Capo Press,
Indianapolis: University of Indiana Press, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Ser. V, Bd. 1970), 353.
2008), 129–33. 10
9A (Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, Jules Benedict, Sketch of the Life and Works
2
For the history of reading the play in 2005). of the Late Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
concer ts with Mendelssohn’s music, 6
Seaton, “The Dramatic Music,” 218–19, and (London: John Murray, 1850), 46.
see Marian Wilson Kimber, “Reading 11
Todd, Mendelssohn: A Life in Music, 507. Alfred Dörfell, Geschichte der Gewandhaus
Shakespeare, Seeing Mendelssohn: 7
Fanny Hensel, The Letters of Fanny Hensel Concerte zu Leipzig: vom 25. November
Concer t Readings of A Midsummer to Felix Mendelssohn, ed. Marcia J. Citron 1781 bis 25. November 1881, 2 vols.
Night’s Dream, ca. 1850 –1920,” Musical (New York: Pendragon, 1987), 343–6, (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1881– 84),
Quarterly 89 (2006): 199–236. 607–9. 1: 190.

12
[Henry Chorley], “The Music to Racine’s 23 (March 17 , 1849): 167. (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1849).
30 45
‘Athalie,’ with an English Adaptation of “Sacred Harmonic Society,” The Musical “Miscellaneous Concerts, &c.,” Musical Times
the Lyrics,” The Athenæum 114 (March World 24 (April 7, 1849): 210; “Sacred 25 (October 1, 1884): 588.
46
3, 1849): 234. Harmonic Society,” The Musical World 39 “Brief Summary of Country News,” The
13
Ibid., 233. (December 7, 1861): 773–4. Musical Times 25 (January 1, 1884): 42.
31 47
14
“Berichte. Leipzig,” Allgemeine musikalische “Sacred Harmonic Society,” The Musical “Philharmonic Concerts,” The Musical World
Zeitung 45 (November 9, 1881): 718, World 24 (April 7, 1849): 210. 24 (March 31, 1849): 197.
32 48
suggests the major reason it had not “Mendelssohn’s Bir th-day: A Private “Music in Yorkshire” The Musical Times 24
been heard more often was that the hall Concert,” Dwight’s Journal of Music 20 (June 1, 1883): 325.
49
was not large enough for the required (February 7, 1857): 149–50. “Mr. Barnby’s Choir (From the ‘Morning
33 Post,’ Jan. 30)” The Musical World
choral forces. “Choral Union Concert Racine’s ‘Athalie’
15
“O. S. Breslau,” Allgemeine musikalische and Miscellaneous Selections—Miss (February 1, 1868): 78.
50
Zeitung 8 (February 22, 1865): 135. Anna Smith,” The Milwaukee Sentinel, [Henr y Chorley],” “Sacred Harmonic
16
“The Birmingham Music Festival,” The Tuesday, March 18, 1890; pg. 2; col. B. S o c i e t y,” T h e A t h e n æ u m 1 7 8 0
34 (December 7, 1861): 771.
Musical World 24 (September 8, 1849): “Music and the Drama: The Cecilia
51
568. Concer t,” Boston Daily Advertiser, “Borough of Hackney Choral Association,”
17
“Sacred Harmonic Society,” The Musical February 9, 1878; Issue 35; col. I. The Musical Times 25 (December 1,
35 1884): 698.
Times 18 (June 1, 1877): 275. “Music at Bristol,” The Musical World 24
52
18
D. T., “Norwich Music Festival,” The Musical (December 29, 1849): 829. “Music in Manchester,” The Musical Times 39
36 (February 1, 1898): 115.
World 59 (October 22,1881): 676. For example, see “Berichte. Leipzig,”
53
19
“Music in Liverpool and District,” The Allegemeine musikalische Zeitung 45 “Das Niederrheinische Musikfest,” Allge-
Musical Times 39 (April 1, 1898): 260. (November 9, 1881): 718. meine musikalische Zeitung 29 (July 18,
20 37 1866): 233
It was performed in 1903 in Moscow and “Concerts,” Dwight’s Journal of Music 37
54
the following year in Shanghai. (February 16, 1878): 182. “The Welsh Choral Union.” The Musical
21 38 World 53 (June 5 , 1875): 377.
The first performance with harmonium and One notable exception to the largely
55
piano I have identified was in 1873. See positive reception of the work is “Brief Chronicle of the Last Month,” The
“Miscellaneous,” The Musical Times 16 in “Frankfur t am Main,” Allgemeine Musical Times 11 (June 1, 1863): 64.
56
(April 1, 1873): 45. musikalische Zeitung 19 (May 10, 1865): “Crystal Palace,” The Musical Times 28 (April
22
The performance of the Welsh Choral 317, which states that it is among 1887): 214.
57
Union, St. James Hall, featured Mendelssohn’s weakest works, with dull “Miscellaneous Concerts, Intelligence, &c.,”
piano duet and a septet of harps. invention, incorrect declamation, and The Musical Times 30 (August 1, 1889):
“Miscellaneous Concer ts, &c.,” The insignificant contrapuntal writing. 486.
39 58
Musical Times 17 (July 1 , 1875): 140. “Graz,” Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung 29 See Marian Wilson Kimber, “Mr. Riddle’s
23
The March 1900 performance with organ (July 19,1871): 460. Readings: Music and Elocution in
40 Nineteenth-Centur y Concer t Life,”
at Islington Presbyterian Church was [Henry Chorley],” “Musical and Dramatic
supplemented by harp, trumpets, and Gossip,” The Athenæum 1119 (April 7, Nineteenth Century Studies 21 (2007):
timpani. “London Concerts, &c.,” The 1849): 364. in press.
41 59
Musical Times 41 (May 1 , 1900): 331. “Philharmonic Concerts,” The Musical World “Obituary: Charles Edward Fry,” The Musical
24
“During the Last Month,” The Musical Times 23 (March 17, 1849): 167. Times 70 (January 1, 1929): 78. I have
42 documented only 56 performances of
38 (October 1, 1897): 698. [Henry Chorley], “Musical Notes for March
25
The Musical World 41 (April 25, 1863): 265. by Tartini’s Familiar,” Bentley’s Miscellany Athalia with Fry, which is nonetheless a
26
“Drury Lane. Jullien’s Concerts,” The Musical 25 (April 1849): 410–11. substantial number.
43 60
World 24 (December 1, 1849): 756. “Music and Drama,” Boston Daily Advertiser, “Miscellaneous Intelligence,” The Musical
27
“Mr. Joseph Barnby’s Choir,” The Musical Saturday, February 9, 1878; Issue 35; Times 14 (June 1, 1870): 501.
61
Times 13 (January 1, 1868): 241. col. I. “Miscellaneous Concerts, &c.,” The Musical
28 44 Times 17 (July 1, 1875): 140.
“Events in Music,” The Milwaukee Sentinel, Dörfell, Geschichte der Gewandhaus
62
Sunday, March 9, 1890; pg. 12; Issue 20; Concerte, 2:40. Eduard Devrient, “Sacred Harmonic Society,” The Musical
col. E. Zwischenreden zur Verbindung für World 59 (April 2 , 1881): 211.
63
29
“Philharmonic Concerts,” The Musical World Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s Musik zu Athalia “Music in Bristol and West of England,” The

Musical Times 33 (March 1, 1892): 154. Musikwissenshaft 14 (1972): 213. August 20, 1899; Issue 37; col. C. I would
64
“‘The Spectre’s Bride,’ ‘Athalie,’ and ‘The Flag 80
[Henry Chorley], “Philharmonic Concerts,” like to thank Elinor Olin for verifying the
of England’ at Cheltenham,” The Musical The Athenæum 1167 (March 17, 849): Orange performance for me.
Times 39 (March 1, 1897): 184. 282. 100
“Dramatics at Smith; ‘Athalie’ Successfully
65
“Miscellaneous Concerts, &c.,” The Musical 81
“Leipzig 4 November,” Allgemeine Presented by Seniors for the First Time
Times 18 (March 1, 1877): 129. musikalische Zeitung 45 (November 9, in America,” Boston Daily Advertiser,
66
“Highbury Philharmonic Society,” The Mus- 1864): 764. Saturday, June 17, 1893; pg. 5; Issue 142;
ical World 61 (December 1, 1883): 755. 82
“Facts, Rumors, and Remarks,” The Musical col. B.
67
“The Sacred Harmonic Society,” The Musical Times 33 (1 April 1892): 211. 101
Henry Austin Clapp, “Racine’s Athalie
Times 13 (April 1, 1868): 347. 83
Rev. Henry Cart, “The Oratorio: Its Relation Presented by the French Department
68
“Musical and Dramatic Notes,” The Mil- to Church Music,” Proceedings of the at Harvard,” Boston Daily Advertiser,
waukee Sentinel, Sunday, October 5, Musical Association 19 (1892-3): 7–8. Tuesday, December 7, 1897; pg. 8; Issue
1890; pg. 12; Issue 49; col. E. 84
“The Har vard Symphony Concer ts,” 135; col. C.
69
“Norwich Musical Festival,” The Musical Dwight’s Journal of Music 22 (30 102
See Marian Wilson Kimber, “The Composer
Times 22 (1 November 1881): 567. November 1872): 342. Emphasis added. as Other: Gender and Race in the
70
“Occasional Notes,” The Musical Times 49 85
“Miscellaneous Concerts, Intelligence, &c.,” Biography of Felix Mendelssohn,” in The
(January 9, 1908): 20. The Musical Times 20 (1 February 1879): Mendelssohns: Their Music in History, ed.
71
“Miscellaneous Concerts, Intelligence, &c.,” 83. John Michael Cooper and Julie Prandi
The Musical Times 20 (May 1, 1879): 86
“Octavo Edition of Trios, &c. for Female (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003),
268. Voices [Novello, Ewer and Co.],” The 335–51.
72
[Henry Chorley], “The Music to Racine’s Musical Times 19 (March 1, 1878): 160. 103
Eric Werner, Mendelssohn: a New Image
‘Athalie,’ with an English Adaptation of 87
“Miscellaneous Concerts, &c.,” The Musical of the Composer and His Age, transl.
the Lyrics,” The Athenæum 114 (March Times 26 (December 1, 1885): 738. Dika Newlin (New York: Free Press of
3, 1849): 234. 88
“Music in Sheffield, &c.,” The Musical Times30 Glencoe, 1963), 407.
73
Todd, Mendelssohn: A Life in Music, 504. (July 1, 1889): 423 104
Presumably, a good German edition will be
74
“Philharmonic Concer ts,” The Musical 89
“Jubilee Music,” The Musical Times 38 (July available in the future in the Leipziger
World 23 (March 17, 1849): 166. On 1,1897): 457. Ausgabe der Werke von Felix Mendelssohn
English audiences’ lack of understanding 90
“Foreign Notes,” The Musical Times 33 (July Bartholdy.
of Mendelssohn’s use of chorales, see 1, 1892): 430 105
Felix Mendelssohn Bar tholdy, Athalia,
Jeffrey S. Sposato, “Saint Elsewhere: 91
“Brief Summary of County News,” The Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Radio-
German and English Reactions to Musical Times 15 (October 1, 1871): Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR,
Mendelssohn’s Paulus,” 19th-Centur y 247. conducted by Helmut Rilling (Hänssler
Music 32 (2008): 26–51. 92
“Society, Matrimonial,” Morning Oregonian, Classic CD 98.486, 2004).
75
“The Birmingham Music Festival,” The Sunday, February 4, 1894; pg. 9; Issue 106
[Henry Chorley], “Philharmonic Concerts,”
Musical World 24 (September 8,1849): 5; col. A. The Athenæum 1118 (March 31, 1849):
566. 93
“A Festival March for the Organ by Henry 338.
76
“The Handel and Haydn Society’s Rendition Hiles,” The Musical Times 17 (May 107
[Henr y Chorley], “Sacred Harmonic
of the Oratorio of ‘Athalie,’ ” Daily 1,1875): 84. Society,” The Athenæum 1527 (January
Evening Bulletin (San Francisco, CA), 94
“Boylston Club,” Dwight’s Journal of Music 37 31, 1857): 155.
Tuesday, April 1, 1879; Issue 159; col. E . (March 2, 1878): 191.
77
The Galveston Daily News, Sunday, March 27, 95
“Highbur y Philharmonic Society,” The
1881; Issue 4; col E. Musical Times 38 (April 1, 1897): 246.
78
“Brief Summary of Country News,” The 96
“Miscellaneous,” The Musical Times 41 (May
Musical Times 25 (January 1, 1884): 43. 1, 1900): 338.
79
Hermann Kretzschmar, Führer durch den 97
“Athalie,” The Musical Times 41 (July1, 1900):
Konzertsaal (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 479.
1920), II. Abteilung, Bd. II, 618, quoted 98
“Miscellaneous,” The Musical Times 53 (June
in Eberhard Rudolf, “Mendelssohns 1, 1912): 405:
Beziehungen zu Berlin,” Beiträge zur 99
“Notes,” The Milwaukee Sentinel, Sunday,

*
Douglass Seaton
* Spelling sic. The original orthography has been retained here in order to capture the
character of its writer’s style and evoke the period.

E
lijah didn’t The commission for an oratorio, to be performed
always end under Mendelssohn’s own direction at the 1846
as we now Birmingham Music Festival, came at the end of July
know it. Af- 1845.1 Mendelssohn had conceived a setting of the
ter the Birmingham prophet’s story shortly after he completed St. Paul,
premiere on August already ten years earlier. He had first approached
26, 1846, Mendelssohn his good friend Karl Klingemann for a new ora-
reworked the oratorio torio text in 1836, suggesting the story of Elijah
extensively. Among his as one possible topic.2 But when it came time to
revisions, he created a produce the music, he was frantically overworked
new final chorus. Study and rushed. More remarkable than the need for
of the historical con- revisions after the premiere might be the fact that
text of the work and analysis of the original finale in so much of the music did come so close to satisfy-
comparison to its replacement allows insights into ing him.
how he subjected his own work to rigorous criti- The end of Part 2, in particular, emerged in
cism and reconceived his ideas, not only in regard haste and under pressure. In the summer of 1846,
to the intrinsic musical quality of this Schlusschor the people in charge at the Birmingham end sent
but also about how it belonged to the oratorio as repeated letters to remind the composer that the
a whole. Understanding these two finales can also words had to be translated, the parts had to be
raise issues for us about how we treat this music engraved for the 271 singers in the chorus and 93
and other such compositional situations generally. string players, and the musicians had to rehearse.
They pointed out that time was growing frighten-
ingly short and pleaded with Mendelssohn to send
The Creation of the Birmingham Version even small sections as he finished them.3 The final
The production of the score for Birmingham chorus arrived only nine days before the begin-
took place under such circumstances that we should ning of the Festival.4 It is hardly astonishing, given
not be entirely surprised to learn that Elijah under- this history, that the some of the music that was
went major revisions following the performance. performed at Birmingham did not make it into the
final version of the oratorio, and that, in particular,
the final chorus was replaced by a very different
Douglass Seaton is Warren D. Allen Professor of
movement.
musicology at the Florida State University, where he
serves as coordinator of music history/musicology. He
is the editor of The Mendelssohn Companion, author Text and Layout
of numerous articles on Mendelssohn’s works, and of the Opening Section
editor of critical editions of Lobgesang (Carus) and Elijah
(Bärenreiter) <dseaton@fsu.edu>.
The Birmingham finale of Elijah, for which a full
score is extant,5 had a completely different text

But I dont like It cont.
Table 1
Design of Birmingham and revised Elijah final choruses
Section Birmingham Elijah final chorus Revised Elijah final chorus
Opening, section 1 mm. 1–8: “Now to him who is able . . .” mm. 1–9: “And then, then shall your light . . .”
4/4, Andante sostenuto 4/4, Andante maestoso
chordal texture chordal texture
Opening, section 2 mm. 9–22: “To him be glory . . . Amen” mm. 10–17: “And the glory of the Lord. . .”
unison SA, then chordal imitative, beginning with T, S, B, A entrances
Fugue, exposition mm. 23–39 “To him be glory . . . Amen” mm. 18–39: “Lord our Creator, how excellent …”
[4/4], Allegro vivace 2/2, Allegro. Doppio movimento
A, S, B, T A, S, B, T
Fugue, development mm. 40–95 mm. 40–112

Amens, SAT, mm. 55–62 Amens, SA, mm. 60–65
pedal point, mm. 72–77 pedal point, mm. 77–84
mostly chordal texture, mm. 80–95 chordal texture, mm. 90–112
Coda mm. 96–112: “Amen” m. 113–27: “Amen”
from the piece that we know, although from the Bible, it took its text from the three miracles enacted in Part 1 of
its general layout followed the same Ephesians 3: 20–21. The King James Ver- the oratorio: the raising of the widow’s
scheme (Table 1 shows the broad sion reads,“Now unto him that is able to son, the fire on the altar, and the lifting
do exceeding abundantly above all that of the drought. Notably, the text serves
outlines of both choruses). In keeping
we ask or think, according to the power in many Christian churches as a com-
with Mendelssohn’s principle that all mon liturgical benediction, and it seems
that worketh in us, unto him be glory in
the words in the oratorio should come the church by Christ Jesus throughout all to provide that function here. Thus, as a
ages, world without end, Amen.” Obvi- conclusion, it tends to frame the entire
ously, the Christian bit—“in the church oratorio as an act of worship, rather
by Christ Jesus”—had to be jettisoned than as a drama.
for an Old Testament story.The German This text was laid out complete in
of the manuscript copy reads, “Dem chordal texture in the first 22 measures.
aber, der überschwänglich tun kann Mm. 1– 8 present the first half of the
über all das wir bitten oder verstehen, sentence (“Dem aber, der überschwän-
dem sei Ehre […] zu aller Zeit und von glich tun kann über all das wir bitten
Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit. Amen!” (literally, oder verstehen”). At m. 9, the sopranos
“But to him who can do lavishly above and altos enter in unison, presenting
all that we ask or understand, to him a new melodic idea on “dem sei Ehre
be honor [. . .] at all times and from zu aller Zeit” (Figure 1) and the four-
eternity to eternity. Amen!”). This song part texture resumes in mm. 11–18 to
of praise to God relates to the story of complete that part of the text and then
Elijah through its apparent reference to restate it. Mm. 19 –22 proclaim “Amen!”

over a dominant pedal tone, reaching a plicated. Unlike the abandoned chorus, text from the words and melodic idea
dominant seventh chord in D major to the introduction does not bring in the introduced in m. 9, together with a sort
set up the fugue that follows. concluding “Amen,” leaving that for the of countersubject provided by state-
For comparison, the concluding cho- end of the whole number. ments of “Amen” to a motive consisting
rus as we know it begins with an adapta- of the skip of a third and return by a step
tion of Isaiah 58: 8: “Alsdann wird euer (generally upward and then down, but
Licht hervorbrechen, wie die Morgen- The Fugue once in inversion—alto, mm. 35–36).
röthe, und eure Besserung wird schnell In the rejected final movement, be- The last sixteen measures, as coda, turn
werden, und die Herrlichkeit des Herrn ginning in m. 23 comes an extended exclusively to Amens.
wird euch zu sich nehmen” (KJV: “Then fugue of about seventy measures (it ar- The fugue of the replacement finale
shall thy light break forth as the morn- rives at a full cadence in m. 90, followed (mm. 18–113) is based on a new text,
ing, and thine health shall spring forth by a brief extension leading to the last Psalm 8: 1: “Herr, unser Herrscher, wie
speedily: and [thy righteousness shall Amens). This fugue, at a much faster herrlich ist dein Name in allen Landen,
go before thee;] the glory of the Lord tempo, nevertheless takes its subject and du man dir lobt im Himmel” (O Lord,
shall be thy reward”). This verse is not
a liturgical benediction, and it functions,
just as it does in its original context in
Isaiah, as a word of encouragement from
the prophet – here Elijah, of course – to
the nation of Israel (or, by extension, to
the oratorio audience).
Again, in this movement, the first
clauses are set homorhythmically in
the first half of the introduction (mm.
1–9). The final clause (from “and the
glory of the Lord”), however, plays out
imitatively, concluding with an authentic
cadence in D major at the downbeat of
m. 18. Although the new finale starts by
suggesting the relatively simple introduc-
tion style of its predecessor, it develops
into something considerably more com-

our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all Musical Subject and Development on e1, two weak syllables back on d1,
the earth! Who hast set thy glory above Describing the differences between and then a striking, upward-bounding
the heavens”). Here, instead of either a these two movements in this fashion will gesture in pairs of fourths—the d1 to g1,
benediction or a word to the hearers of have left the impression that Mendels- followed by f-sharp1 to b1. The soprano
prophecy or of the oratorio, we have a sohn discarded his music in the original line then hangs on b1 for four measures,
hymn of praise to God from the people one, replacing it with something entirely a distinctly uninteresting choice, even if
of Israel, the chorus whom we have new. This misrepresents the history of intended as an illustration of “Ewigkeit”
heard from the very beginning (“Lord, the composition, however, because [eternity]. The b1 serves to launch a
bow thine ear to our prayer”) and nota- Mendelssohn actually modeled not only sequential repetition with the fourths
bly in the finale of Part 1 (“Thanks be to the general structure but also the me- on b1 to e2 and d2 to g2, but this merely
God; he laveth the thirsty land”). At the lodic subject of the new piece on the old gives a weak illusion of imitation, while
conclusion of the fugue the “Amen” ap- one. In doing so, he improved both the the lower three voice parts accompany
pears, forming a fourteen-measure coda. subject itself and its treatment. Compari- in rigid block chords.
These two final choruses are thus son of the two movements illustrates his The fugue, now Allegro vivace, begins
entirely different in their texts and cor- critical judgment of his own work and with the same subject in the alto. It
respondingly in the way in which they his creativity in finding a better solution. starts as before, then descends from b1
determine the nature of the oratorio as In the original finale, the principal to g1, where it sits to finish the textual
a whole. At the same time, they follow melodic idea appeared already in the phrase, disguising the melodic monotony
the same overall plan of brief Andante Andante sostenuto tempo of the intro- by inserting upper and lower neighbor
introduction, extended Allegro fugue, and duction (mm. 9–11), as we have noted. tones. It is a perfectly functional subject,
concluding Amens. The text, “dem sei Ehre zu aller Zeit und of course, but Mendelssohn must have
von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit,” is set with two judged it in retrospect to be fairly pe-
half notes on d1, a step up to a quarter destrian.
In the replacement movement this
subject, now set to different words, is
remarkably transformed.The new words
generated a declamatory start, melodi-
cally static but rhythmically interesting,
on “Herr, unser Herrscher” / “Lord, our
creator.” Consequently, the launch of
the upward-springing fourths on “wie
herrlich ist dein Name” / “how excellent
thy name is” feels all the more energetic
(Figure 2). This, in turn, leads to a sharp
drop back to recover the d1– g1 leap, af-
ter which the strong repeated half notes
and natural descent to f-sharp1 on the
final syllable of the sentence at “in allen
Landen” / “in all the nations” shape the
subject at once decisively and elegantly.
Moreover, the subject in the new move-
ment is a measure longer than that in
the former one, so that the answer
enters five measures after the subject
rather than the squarer four.
Although the opening passage be-
fore the fugue in the later movement
now has entirely separate text from the
fugue, Mendelssohn nevertheless found

a way to anticipate the fugue subject at ticated and better calculated design. In point, the two plans diverge for a short
the new turn to a more contrapuntal both cases, the order of entries is alto, time, but each eventually arrives on a
texture in the middle of that opening. At soprano, bass, tenor. Where the early long dominant pedal. Soon thereafter,
the text “and the glory of the Lord” the fugue had no consistent countersubject the texture becomes chordal, leading
bounding fourths appear in each voice but instead the Amen motive that at
in turn, at the interval of one measure: least added some variety by popping in
tenor (Figure 3), soprano, bass, alto, and from time to time, the eventual solution
finally again in the bass (“ever shall represented a genuine and strongly pro-
ward you”). This supplies a much more filed countersubject, both rhythmically
interesting link between introduction and melodically.
and fugue than before, not fully giving As the two fugues continue, the
away the text and subject of the fugue order and pitch placement of entries
but hinting at its basic melodic gesture of the subject remains parallel. In the
and setting up the imitative texture. middles of both pieces the soprano
The treatments of the expositions and alto have a brief “Amen” passage. In
of the two fugues again bear similari- the early one, the tenor joins the upper
ties, but they also show a shift from a voices; in the later one, it restates the
relatively elementary to a more sophis- opening of the fugue subject. From this

to the concluding Amens, which are ex- Elijah’s English translator, William But I dont like it.—So leave a blank in
tremely similar, the second piece worked Bartholomew, left a telling note in the case Dr M prefers it this way.”6 In other
out, not unexpectedly, with somewhat margin of the composer’s manuscript of words, like Mendelssohn as he wrote
more thoroughgoing imitation than its the piano-vocal score, into which he was a new closing movement for the ora-
predecessor. entering the translation for the engraver. torio (as well as other corrections and
In the recitative and chorus no. 10, replacement numbers), Bartholomew
where Elijah sings “and put no fire under regarded the Birmingham performance
The Status of it,” he took it upon himself to make a as having represented a provisional stage
the Birmingham Elijah fairly substantial change to the pitches in the compositional evolution of the
The Elijah performed at Birmingham’s and rhythms of the vocal line in order to oratorio. The text underlay of the line
Town Hall in August of 1846 comprised improve the English declamation, but he that troubled him was indeed awkward,
a completed oratorio, and it certainly included an instruction to the engraver, and Mendelssohn did adopt his change
achieved success with the public. Equally showing the way in which the passage for the final version.
certainly, Mendelssohn did not regard it had read in the Birmingham version and Of course, this should not seem
as representing a perfected form of his ordering that the text should not be surprising. When we perform or attend
own ideals for the work. engraved right away: “It was sung thus. the first performance of new music, we

might have an understandable romantic cessful version of a single piece? ritorno età dell’oro.” One can argue that
idea that we have the happy fortune This is not merely an idle question. the various versions of these existed at
to be in at the very moment when a Over the past few decades, the study some time and in some manner as inte-
work attains its destiny by its realization of Mendelssohn’s extant manuscripts gral works, and they have been recorded
in sound. But composers learn from has brought to light different versions and published on that understanding.
hearing their music, and it is probably a of a number of his pieces. The excellent But on what authority do we represent
rare composer—certainly an excessively preservation of many of his manuscript them as reflections of the composer’s
self-confident one—who does not take scores offers us many pieces in multiple own idea of his art?
a first performance as an opportunity to iterations, from casual presentation Now, if we limited ourselves to works
correct and revise the music. Mendels- canons, short piano pieces, and songs whose final publication Mendelssohn
sohn was not rare in this respect, and to such major works as the revised authorized, we would miss much, includ-
he was never overly self-confident of second, third, and fourth movements of ing (just to name some choral works)
the perfection of his compositions. He the “Italian” Symphony; deleted move- the choral songs in opp. 75, 76, 88, 100,
invariably revised after performances, ments from St. Paul, the early version of and 120; the Dürerfest, Humboldt, and
before delivering his music to be pub- Die erste Walpurgisnacht, or the alter- Gutenberg cantatas; several Psalms and
lished.. nate concert aria “Infelice!/Ah, ritorno chorale cantatas, and Lauda Sion. So
età felice” for the earlier “Infelice!/Ah, we surely cannot deny ourselves the
Reflections
To define for our time the relation-
ship between the two different closing
choruses of Elijah and to put that rela-
tionship in perspective for today is not
simple. In contrast to the situation with
Bartholomew’s marginal note to the
engraver, where the issue was a simple
matter of correcting an obvious infelicity,
the early Schlusschor was in some sense
a complete and correct composition.
At the same time, Mendelssohn realized
that it was also not the right piece to
close Elijah. What is more, the musical
differences and similarities between it
and the choral finale that replaced it
are such that we might regard the first
as a work in its own right, or we might
understand it as an early version of the
second. Do the different texts of the
two pieces, their different themes, and
their different aesthetic premises suffice
to give the early movement an indepen-
dent identity? Or do the similarities of
theme and overall form, and the obser-
vation that the later movement builds
a more sophisticated expansion of the
existing subject and presents the same
design in a more sophisticated manner
mean that we should regard the two as
one unsatisfactory version and one suc-

recovery of so much fine music. In cases the earlier in musical interest—both in can and will correct afterward—without
such as these, when Mendelssohn left the quality of the thematic material and even the excitement of the first occa-
us a finished version but not one au- in its working out. Further, as we have sion—holds little appeal. We would not
thorized for publication, it seems clearly also seen, the final chorus that Mendels- want to reconstruct and perform the
appropriate to present such a piece as sohn ultimately completed maintains Birmingham Elijah with the awkward
a complete work. the underlying dramatic principle of the wording or silly mis-accentuation that
It is not really the same thing, how- oratorio as the rejected one did not. Bartholomew pointed out.
ever, to treat music that a composer Though we prize the premiere, its In the end, then, what of the original
evidently revised or replaced as if it con- significance as an event rests on reasons closing chorus? To perform Elijah with
stituted a complete work. Performing that are not intrinsic to the work as a the Birmingham finale, rather than the
Elijah in the Birmingham version would work of art. Obviously, a work’s pre- one that Mendelssohn shortly afterward
do just that. All the evidence shows that miere cannot be repeated. Nor should found that the work required, means
Mendelssohn both repudiated the early we wish it. The prospect of hearing not only giving our listeners a weaker
number and authorized the publication a performance that likely contains at movement but also misrepresenting
and performance of the later one in its least flawed choices, simple errors, and the oratorio as a whole. Such a perfor-
place.The later movement stands above awkward moments that the composer mance would amount to a biographical

snapshot of the composer at work, in- 6
The original wording had been “put no fire the Bodleian Library, and the notation
teresting to musicologists and a curiosity underneath it,” which really does sound described here appears on page 44.
for the average audience member. But awkward and unidiomatic in English. The
it would not be Mendelssohn’s Elijah. manuscript source is MS. M.D.M. c. 39 in
In the end, the decision as to when the
music is right belongs properly to the
composer
NOTES
1
The letter to Mendelssohn from
Joseph Moore, guiding figure of the
Birmingham Music Festival, containing
the commission, is dated July 24, 1845.
2
In context, Elijah appears to have been
Mendelssohn’s preferred topic; he also
suggested St. Peter or even (tongue
in cheek) Og of Bashan, the giant
leader of the Amorites, whose forces
fought against Moses and the Hebrews
returning to Israel. For a detailed list
of the libretto outlines and drafts, see
Jeffrey Sposato, The Price of Assimilation:
Felix Mendelssohn and the Nineteenth-
Century Anti-Semitic Tradition (Oxford
and New York: Oxford University Press,
2006), 118–20.
3
These letters may be found in the “Green
Books” collection of letter s to
Mendelssohn in the Bodleian Library,
Oxford, in the volume from January–
August 1846 catalogued as MS. M.D.M.
d. 49. The letters in question here
include the one from Joseph Moore in
Birmingham, June 15, 1846 (item 311),
one from Edward Buxton of the London
publisher Ewer & Co. on that same day,
and one from the translator William
Bartholomew in London, June 23.
4
F. G. Edwards, The History of Mendelssohn’s
Oratorio Elijah (London: Novello, 1896;
repr. New York: AMS Press, 1976), 47, 82.
5
The score, a copy made by Mendelssohn’s
main copyist, Eduard Henschke, is in
the possession of the Birmingham City
Archives, where is it catalogued as MS
1721. I am grateful to the Archive for
the opportunity to examine it there
and for permission to have a digital
copy made.

John Michael Cooper

Editor’s note: The figures for this article may be found a text by Eichendorff, sent to the publisher with the
on the ACDA Web site. Click on the interactive link on other five songs of what would become his final Ger-
the Choral Journal page. <www.acda.org/publications/ man opus on October 25; then by an “a cappella motet
choral_journal>. for chorus and soloists, also composed in the summer
of this year, also manuscript;”1 and then by the Over-
F
elix Mendelssohn Bartholdy died at 9:24 ture to his first oratorio, St. Paul, published a decade
p.m. on November 4, 1847, the victim of earlier and a landmark in choral composition as well as
three increasingly serious strokes suffered in the history of the oratorio as a genre.The first half of
in the weeks since October 9. One week the concert also included Mendelssohn’s Meeressttille
later, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, filled to overflowing, und glückliche Fahrt (Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage).
gave a special commemorative concert for the thirty- The second half comprised Beethoven’s Symphony No.
eight-year-old composer and conductor who had 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica).
made Leipzig his professional home for most of the From the perspective of latter-day musicians, this
previous thirteen years. The program of this concert program also raises an important question—namely,
included four works of particular relevance to this what was the manuscript unaccompanied chorus
Journal and to singers generally. The first part began composed in the summer of 1847? As it turns out,
with his 1830 setting of Verleih uns Frieden (grant us the information provided in the review is not en-
peace), Martin Luther’s translation of the antiphon “Da tirely accurate—but the errors are instructive.Textual,
pacem Domine.”This was followed by his last compo- contextual, and musical considerations clearly seem
sition, the Nachtlied (“Vergangen ist der lichte Tag”) on to corroborate Alfred Dörffel’s apparent supposi-
tion, more than three decades later, that the work in
question was the German version of Mendelssohn’s
setting of the Nunc dimittis (“Lord, now lettest Thou
John Michael Cooper holds the Margarett Root Brown
Thy servant depart in peace”).2 That setting, however,
Chair in Performing Arts at Southwestern University
was actually conceived and composed on the English
(Georgetown, Texas). A Fulbright scholar, Cooper has
published writings in Early Music, Nineteenth-Century
version of the text rather than the German one, and
Music, the Journal of Musicological Research, and elsewhere. was patently scored for chorus with organ accompani-
He is the editor of a facsimile edition of the complete ment rather than unaccompanied chorus. Moreover,
autograph sources of Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony, it was actually at press at that very moment (though
the first complete edition of the revised version of that not actually released until the following month).These
work (Wiesbaden, 1997 and 2001), the first source-critical seemingly minor errors were the beginning of a long
editions of Mendelssohn's Op. 69 and Op. 78 Motets and convoluted posthumous reception of the Nunc
(Kassel, 2006), a new Urtext edition of Mendelssohn's dimittis and two other choruses—a Magnificat and a
Paulus/St. Paul (Kassel, 2007), and the first version of Jubilate Deo—that has effectively obscured both the
Mendelssohn's choral ballade Die erste Walpurgisnacht music of these works and their positions in Mendels-
(Madison, WI, 2008). Cooper is also the author of Felix
sohn’s output.
Mendelssohn Bartholdy: A Guide to Research (New York, 2001)
This article aspires to sort out that confusion and
and Mendelssohn's “Italian” Symphony (Oxford, 2003). His
latest book, Mendelssohn, Goethe, and the Walpurgis Night:
discuss these works on their own terms, in the process
The Heathen Muse in European Culture, 1700–1850, was disentangling the English and German versions so that
published by the University of Rochester Press in May 2007. those who wish to perform them in either language
< cooperm@southwestern.edu> will know what they need to know in order to realize
Mendelssohn’s music in a fashion consistent with his

MENDELSSOHN’S VALEDICTION
assumptions and intentions. I begin his characteristic self-doubts led him to oratorio, Elias (Elijah).The completion of
by reviewing the essentials of the suppress it for thirteen years. In 1846, his Anglican project thus was placed on
choruses’ compositional history, then he offered an overhauled version of the the back burner once again.
offer some practical remarks on their work to Edward Buxton, owner of the At this point, the Anglican choruses’
edition- and performance-histories London publishing house of Ewer & Co. already protracted history became
with an eye to issues that confront (which had in the meantime replaced even more complex. In March 1847,
latter-day musicians who wish to Novello as his preferred English pub- Mendelssohn turned to the close of
perform them. I then close with some lisher), specifying that it was to be pub- the Morning Service (i.e., the Jubilate),
observations on the music and texts lished in England only (not in Germany, writing out the work in full score with
of the compositions, together with as would have been).5 The work was fi- organ accompaniment and completing
some thoughts on their significance in nally published in June 18466—but since it on March 26th—but without the
Mendelssohn had not yet composed the doxology (“Gloria patri” / “Glory be
broader terms.
Jubilate, Magnificat, and Nunc dimittis, the to the Father”); this he composed on
project of music for a complete Morning April 5,1847. Sometime in the last two
I. Conception and Genesis and Evening Service remained unfulfilled. weeks of that month, he showed the
It was presumably because of this completed chorus to Buxton, but, after
The works generally known today unfulfilled project that Buxton, appar- further delays, Buxton was compelled to
with German texts as Mendelssohn’s ently sometime late in 1845, had copied remind him of the project on May 28th.8
Drei Motetten, Op. 69, are patently Eng- out the texts that would be necessary But, in the meantime, the triumphant
lish in their conception and creation.3 to complete the two services—i.e., trajectory of Mendelssohn’s life and
Their history dates back to 1832, when those of the Jubilate, Magnificat, and career had been dashed by the sudden
the London publisher Vincent Novello Nunc dimittis—for Mendelssohn.7 In death of his beloved older sister, Fanny
invited Mendelssohn to compose music January 1846, the composer promised Hensel, on May 18th.
for the Morning and Evening Services him that the Evening Service would be As is well known, Fanny’s death threw
of the Anglican liturgy (comprising the completed soon. But by the time the the composer into a severe depression.9
Te Deum and Jubilate Deo and the Mag- first installment of the Anglican that had Attendant to this was a profound cre-
nificat and Nunc dimittis, respectively).4 been music invited and conceived nearly ative crisis: during the coming months
Although he completed a setting of the fifteen years earlier was published in most of his creative energies were
Te Deum in response to this invitation, June, he was hard at work on his second channeled into drawings and water-
colors.10 The musical products of these
final months of Mendelssohn’s life are
remarkable not only for their expressive
intensity, but also because this intensity is
achieved within genres and forms char-
acterized by strictness and an imposing
historical legacy. The English music critic
Henry Fothergill Chorley (1808–72),
who visited with Mendelssohn in Inter-
lachen near the end of that sorrowful
summer, later recalled the composer’s
remarks about these months:
He had composed much music,

he said, since he had been
customar y at Interlachen; and
mentioned that stupendous
quartett in F minor, which we
have since known as one of the
most impassioned outpourings of
sadness existing in instrumental

music—besides some English garded the Anglican choruses that already-composed main body of the
service music for the Protestant would eventually become his Op. 69 work—he dispensed a copy of all three
church. It has been very good for as important or essential ingredients in pieces—now with a completed organ
me to work, he went on, glancing his spiritual artistic convalescence after part included—to Buxton on July 7,
for the first time at the great Fanny’s demise. The autograph reveals 1847, along with a cover letter in English
domestic calamity (the death that he completed the music for the requesting that he be given the chance
of Madame Hensel), which had Evening Service (i.e., the Magnificat and to review the proofs once his preferred
struck him down, immediately Nunc dimittis) on June 12th and 13th, English translator, William Bartholomew,
on his return from England; and I leaving only their respective doxologies had reviewed the declamation and
wanted to make something sharp uncomposed.12 He then returned to identified any errors or infelicities he
and close and strict (interlacing discovered there.
the Jubilate Deo, laboring heavily over
his fingers as he spoke)—so that Buxton relayed three possible emen-
the setting of the line “For the Lord is
church music has quite suited me. dations to declamation in the Magnificat
gracious”—a line whose meaning must
Yes: I have written a good deal
have troubled him deeply in the “gray in a letter dated August 7, also remind-
since I have been here—but I
on gray” (grau in grau) world left to him ing Mendelssohn that it and the Nunc
must have quiet, or I shall die!11
after the death of Fanny.13 After decid- dimittis still needed their respective
ing on a setting that complemented the doxologies.14 The composer wrote the
Clearly, Mendelssohn himself re-

choral parts for the doxologies into the published as his Opus 71.16 The little- kopf & Härtel as the German publisher
composing scores and dispatched them known cover letter to this missive also and receiving payment for the publica-
to Buxton one week later.15 By Septem- provides information vital to assessing tion.18 On October 28, he suffered the
ber 16, Buxton had forwarded proofs the critical authority of the first German second of the three strokes that led
to Mendelssohn in Leipzig, hoping to edition of the Anglican choruses: to his death on November 4. In the
retrieve them from him in person when meantime the Jubilate Deo had finally
he arrived there a week or so later, and I also enclose a collection of been published.19 As noted above, the
by October 25, Mendelssohn was able choruses for the worship service, Nunc dimittis from the German version
to send Breitkopf and Härtel a pre- which likewise should appear was performed at the Gewandhaus’s
publication print of the English edition, simultaneously at Ewer [& Co.]. memorial concert on November 11
along with a copyist’s manuscript, and a But the organ accompaniment is 1847. ß On November 17, Breitkopf &
separate leaf documenting a rescoring necessary for the English churches, Härtel announced the works’ impend-
of mm. 40–80 of the Magnificat, and the whereas I would prefer to hear ing release,20 but that publication was
six new songs that would eventually be these chor uses without any evidently delayed. The English edition
accompaniment in Germany. This of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis was
explains the differences between
released sometime in December, now
the manuscript and the printed
bearing the opus number 69.21 Finally,
pages, which I enclose because
on January 12 and 26,1848, the German
the copyist wrote the English text
firm was able to describe the set—now
uncertainly and incompletely in
the wrong position. Specifically, it
scored for a cappella chorus and identi-
must stand beneath the German fied as “3 Motetten”—as “erschienen”
[text] throughout, and in a smaller and “so eben erschienen” (“released”
typeface; all notes that reflect the and “just released”) in advertisements
English version must likewise be in the Leipzig Allgemeine Musikalische
small ones, and I think it better to Zeitung.22
include the printed exemplar here Unfor tunately, this comparatively
so that [these instructions] can be tidy close of the genesis and publication
followed precisely. Whether you history of Mendelssohn’s opus ultima
wish to publish the three motets only multiplied the musical and editorial
(for one can also call them that) problems associated with the works. For
individually or only as a group is one thing, in the German publication, the
entirely up to you. But in each one doxology originally composed for the
the Gloria Patri must be separated Jubilate, and published with it in England,
out and begin only after a break, was replaced by one that Mendelssohn
while the individual sections of the had originally composed for the small
motets themselves (for example, group of pieces posthumously published
[those of ] the Magnificat) can as his Deutsche Liturgie and had subse-
follow one another directly, as quently revised for his setting of Psalm
in the printed exemplar and the 43 (likewise published only posthu-
copy. The individual vocal parts
mously).23 Moreover, because German
will probably also have to be
liturgical practice of the day mandated
published at the same time. I
strictly unaccompanied performance,
would suggest 40 Friedrichs d’or
the German edition did not include
as the honorarium for this opus.17
Mendelssohn’s organ part—and both
The remainder of the choruses’ the organ part and the original English
genesis is relatively tidy: at some point texts were dropped when the works
Mendelssohn assigned them the opus were republished in the Collected
number 69 in his personal inventory of Works edition supervised by Julius Rietz
his compositions, also identifying Breit- and published by Breitkopf & Härtel in
1871–74. Finally, since the latter publica-

tion—misleadingly designated as “criti- for the better part of the century and the four possessed a clear sequence that
cal” in its subtitle—served as the source a half since their first publication have ended in a tone of humility before God
from which most subsequent editions been known by only one of these—the (Te Deum – Jubilate Deo – Magnificat
of Mendelssohn’s music were derived,24 German one, which in some important – Nunc dimittis), whereas in German,
the English versions of the choruses, the senses distorts their conception and they possessed no clear sequence or (if
organ part, and other significant variants Mendelssohn’s creative intention. For the one followed the apparently arbitrary
between them and their German coun- Anglican contexts for which they were sequence adopted by Breitkopf & Här-
terparts were effectively obliterated created and first published, these were tel) began with the Nunc dimittis and
in the consciousness of scholars and liturgical works, whereas for German ended with the Magnificat, thus tracing
performers of Mendelssohn’s music until reformed ecclesiastical contexts they a path from supplication to resplendent
quite recently. were non-liturgical. When used in their opulence. Finally, for Anglican contexts,
liturgical context in Anglican music, they they were scored for soloists, chorus,
comprise the last three members of a and organ, whereas for German ones
II. English or German? four-member set—the first of course only, they were strictly unaccompanied.
The three choruses of Mendels- being the 1846 Te Deum discussed These quandaries leave one fact
sohn’s Op. 69 thus entered the world above—whereas for German contexts frustratingly clear: both the English and
in two significantly different guises, but they were an autonomous set. In English, the German versions of these works

are fully authorized; neither can claim larger groups: Ideally, the three works of in which Mendelssohn approached
greater authorial legitimacy. For modern Op. 69 would be grouped with the 1846 them, as evidenced by the composing
performers concerned with fidelity to chorus and performed in the sequence score held in the Biblioteka Jagiellońska,
the composer’s wishes, this means that Te Deum – Jubilate Deo – Magnificat – Cracow.26
the first step in preparing for a per- Nunc dimittis, thus offering a complete
formance of these works is to decide Morning and Evening Service. Alterna-
whether to use the English versions of tively, performers might offer either the Jubilate Deo
the choruses (i.e., those integrally bound Morning or Evening Service. For English Based on Psalm 100: 1– 5, the Jubilate
up with their stylistic antecedents, con- purposes, offering only the three cho- Deo in its German version is Mendels-
ception, and authorized publication) or ruses of Op. 69 should be a last resort.25 sohn’s second setting of Psalm 100,
the German ones (which are effectively Conversely, if the German versions the first having been composed on
afterthoughts—if also impressive ones are used, the works should be per- January1, 1844, for the Berliner Dom-
—introduced de ultissima hora). If the formed a cappella (see Mendelssohn’s chor.27 On the whole, it represents the
English versions are used, the works letter of October 25, 1847, above). approach to motet composition used
should be performed with organ ac- Although the possibility cannot be ruled in Mendelssohn’s Op. 39: each line of
companiment (not unaccompanied). out that there was some authorial basis text is set to its own musical phrase,
The sources and chronology of the (now lost) for the German first edition’s but points of imitation are mostly
opus suggest three best alternatives for designation of the works as “Motette confined to internal sections. Thus, as
delivering the choruses individually or in I,” “II,” and “III,” there is little to suggest shown in Figure 1,28 <www.acda.org/
a historically authorized “best” order- publications/choral_journal>,while the
ing; Mendelssohn’s letter of October opening line (“O be joyful in the Lord”
25,1847, makes clear that he had no / “Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt”) is set
preference whether the works were as a contrapuntal declamation by the
published as a set or individually. As will full chorus, the individual voices engage
be discussed below, the most difficult in delicate interplay on the phrase of a
question for modern performers of the rising third that first appears in the G-
German versions may well be that of sharp – A – B of the soprano: the figure
which doxology to use for the Jubilate appears simultaneously in augmentation
Deo (see <www.acda.org/publications/ in the tenor and in mm. 3– 4 in the alto,
choral_journal>). and then in mm. 6– 8 in the tenor and
bass. By contrast, the second and fourth
lines (“Serve the Lord with gladness” /
III. Notes on the Music “Dient dem Herrn mit Freuden” and
Mendelssohn’s Op. 69 motets rank “O go your way into His gates” / “O
as masterpieces in the annals of nine- geht zu seinen Toren ein,” mm.10– 30
teenth-century sacred music—not only and 51– 81) feature significantly more
as the century’s strongest antecedents elaborate contrapuntal display, and the
to the seven motets composed by extended treatment of the latter makes
Brahms a generation later (Opp. 24, 74, the authentic cadence in A major at m.
and 110), but also in their own right. 81 an especially important point of ar-
Individually and collectively, they bespeak rival (Figure 2 <www.acda.org/publica-
a gift for poignant and occasionally tions/choral_journal>).
profound expression despite their per- Also in the Jubilate, it is worth not-
vasive cultivation of euphonious beauty ing that the task of setting of the lines
—appropriating techniques of English “For the Lord is gracious / His name
late-Renaissance vocal polyphony for is everlasting / and His truth endureth
the emotional intensity of nineteenth- from generation to generation” (“Denn
century musical language. The follow- der Herr ist freundlich, und seine
ing remarks treat them in the order Gnade und Wahrheit waltet ewig”)

challenged Mendelssohn considerably. the music of lines 1– 2 (mm. 1– 15)— florid, freely composed melody in the
He approached these lines (verse 5 of suggesting that Mendelssohn consid- sopranos that recalls material from the
the psalm) at least three times before ered interpreting verse 5 as somehow opening (Figure 5 <www.acda.org/pub-
devising a setting that satisfied him. summative by musically recapitulating lications/choral_journal>); and the final
The original setting (Figure 3 <www. material from earlier verses, perhaps as complete statement uniting the four
acda.org/publications/choral_journal>) a musical parallel to the coordinating voices. The verse closes quietly, with a
obviously betrays the influences of its conjunction “for / denn” in the text. Ulti- final reiteration of the central concept
illustrious English antecedents in the mately, however, Mendelssohn reverted “For the Lord is gracious” / “Denn der
works of Gibbons, Byrd, and Tallis, em- to a more restrained version of the es- Herr ist freundlich” in all parts.
ploying closely structured imitative lines sential ideas of the first setting, avoiding Finally, there is the matter of the
in the lower parts, a belated entry of the the high A that occurred in the soprano doxology for the Jubilate. As discussed
florid soprano, and flexible treatment of line in that version. This version offers above (see <www.acda.org/publica-
closely spaced points of imitation.29 The three complete statements of verse 5, tions/choral_journal>), the choruses’
second attempt (Figure 4 <www.acda. with the first statement presenting the genesis and sources clearly dictate that
org/publications/choral_journal>), aban- essential as an alto/tenor duet imitated English performances of the piece
doned after eighteen bars and lacking by the bass, all within a narrow range; should not use the doxology familiar
some of its text, almost literally recalled the second elaborating on this with a to performers and audiences from the

Rietz editions of the work, but rather would be expected in tonal music).31 in men’s chorus in mm. 139–42 and
the one that Mendelssohn composed The importance of this variety of 147–47, followed by its tonal counter-
for the English setting and published affective harmonic language for the part in mm. 142–44 and 147–49).Then,
with it. As David Brodbeck has noted, conclusion of this chorus is announced however, in a tonal move stylistically
despite general structural and proce- at the outset of the doxology, which evocative of the harmonic “retrogres-
dural affinities, this doxology does not abruptly turns from the tranquil and sions” familiar from late Renaissance
just differ substantively from its more thoroughly tonal A-major setting of “for sacred polyphony, the setting moves
familiar German counterpart.30 Rather, the Lord is gracious,” piano, to a forceful from E major in m. 149 to D minor in
it offers (partly through the essential intonation in A minor of “Glory be to m. 150, subsequently tonicizing G major
organ accompaniment) a compact and the Father,” forte, with the organ pro- (improbable in the context of both D
remarkably concentrated display of viding essential harmonic fleshing-out minor and the original A minor), suggest-
Mendelssohn’s integration of motivic (Figure 6 <www.acda.org/publications/ ing C major in a series of staggered and
work within contrapuntal textures as choral_journal>). The first two phrases subtly imitative entries, and finally em-
well as the subtle richness of his har- adopt a responsorial texture (unison phasizing D minor before returning to
monic imagination —especially through tenors and basses for the first four A minor at the final cadence. The result
its use of monality (colorful borrowings bars and women’s voices moving into is a setting of the doxology that achieves
of sonorities from the parallel major or harmony in the next two) and establish distinctive power partly through color-
minor of a harmonic progression that A minor as the key (A modal minor ful harmony and skillful manipulation of

texture, and partly through the stylistic by the obligatory lack of an organ in handmaiden”) as a soprano solo with
evocation of the music of the English the German version. Mendelssohn cast responsorial soprano and alto chorus
musical renaissance. the English version of mm. 40–80 (“For (Figure 8a <www.acda.org/publications/
As Brodbeck has noted,32 the sub- He hath regarded the lowliness of His choral_journal>). This passage required
stitution of a different doxology for the
German edition of the Jubilate was prob-
ably necessitated by the simple fact that
contemporary Prussian liturgical prac-
tice required strictly unaccompanied
textures—something that would have
been essentially impracticable with the
original English doxology. Instead, some-
one (evidently Mendelssohn himself 33)
replaced the A-minor doxology with the
second version of the F-major doxol-
ogy from the setting of Psalm 43, which
Mendelssohn had composed for the
Berlin Cathedral Chorus in 1844– 45.34
This doxology employs some of the
same general strategies and techniques
as its English counterpart—the overall
AA’B form, the alternation between
unison passages and full-voiced harmony,
and the idea of a concluding “Amen”
built out of staggered, imitative en-
trances that culminate in the full choral
sonority. Its main musical goals, though,
seem to have been the emphasis on
the words “und dem heiligen Geist” and
“Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit” (“the Holy Ghost”
and “eternity to eternity”)—concepts
that are strongly emphasized in the
psalm setting for which the German
doxology was originally written—and,
in the concluding “Amen,” a gradual
unfolding of the sonorous luxury of the
eight parts in harmony, ascending from
Bass II to Soprano I and expanding the
full spatial expanse of the choirs’ regis-
ters over the course of ten measures
(Figure 7 <www.acda.org/publications/
choral_journal>).
Magnificat
For performers, the Magnificat pres-
ents only one textual variant comparable
in importance to that of the doxology
of the Jubilate—and this change, too,
was probably at least partly motivated

thorough rescoring in the unaccompa- der Gewalt seines Arms” (mm. 142ff.); m. 229, plus the original subject begin-
nied German version—and Mendels- and finally the distended musical setting, ning in m. 236 (Figure 10b–d <www.
sohn, with the same sensitivity to the spanning some seventy-seven bars, of acda.org/publications/choral_journal>);
effectiveness of solo quartet writing that “He remembering His mercy … for and the original subject itself is inverted
he had used to great effect in Elijah as ever” / “Er gedenket der Barmherzigkeit (still in combination with the counter-
well as St. Paul, rewrote it in that form . . . ewiglich”; mm. 192–268)—an apt subject) beginning in m. 242 (Figure
(Figure 8b <www.acda.org/publications/ (if also hardly unprecedented) musical 10e <www.acda.org/publications/cho-
choral_journal>). depiction of “forever” / “ewiglich.” ral_journal>). After a strong cadence
The English version of the above pas- The close of the motet proper is in B-flat major, the remainder of the
sage also reflects one further important all the more impressive as a display of passage freely combines the original
aspect of this setting of the Magnificat, Mendelssohn’s mastery of imitative po- and inverted forms of both ideas. After
for it veritably teems with vivid musical lyphony.The phrase “as He promised to this conspicuous display of contrapuntal
responses to the text’s vibrant emotion- our forefathers, Abraham and his seed prowess, the gentle dissonances of the
al language, plentiful pictorial images, and forever” / “wie er zugesagt mit seinem largely homophonic doxology are all the
cultivation of pronounced contrasts. Fig- Worte Abraham und seinem Samen more effective (Figure 11a <www.acda.
ures 9a–c, <www.acda.org/publications/ ewiglich” begins as a fugue in m. 200 org/publications/choral_journal>). Only
choral_journal>, offer a representative (Figure 10a <www.acda.org/publica- in the last seven bars does Mendelssohn
sampling of these responses: the sudden tions/choral_journal>), then elaborates return to imitative textures—now, how-
rhythmic animation at the words “and this by developing into a double fugue: a ever, in imitation that descends through
my spirit hath rejoiced in God” / “und new subject associated with “Abraham the ensemble in a final reminder of the
es freuet sich mein Geist” (mm. 9ff.); the and to his seed” / “Abraham und seinem Magnificat’s essential cultivation of con-
powerful hammer-stroke declamations Samen” appears as a countersubject to trasts between high and low, heavenly
at “For He that is mighty” / “Denn er, der the original subject in m. 212, then in and earthly, strong and meek—and of
da mächtig” (mm. 80ff.) and “He hath inversion beginning in m. 216, then in its the occasion for Mary’s song in the Gos-
shew’d strength with His arms” / “Mit original and inverted forms beginning in pel of Luke: the visitation of the lowly
from on high with the annunciation of
the birth of Christ (Luke 1: 26–38) (Fig-
ure 11b <www.acda.org/publications/
choral_journal>).
Nunc dimittis
The last-composed of these three
choruses, the Nunc dimittis, is the most
compact but in some ways the most
impressive. Based on Luke 2: 29–32, the
brief text (also known as the Canticle of
Simeon) is rich in references to the Old
Testament:“For mine eyes have seen Thy
salvation” / “Denn mein Auge hat dein
Heiland gesehn” alludes to Isaiah 52:10;
“which thou hast prepared” / “den du
bereitet hast” accords with Psalm 97;
and “a light to lighten the Gentiles” / “ein
Licht sei den Heiden” recalls Isaiah 42:7.
The setting also blends historical styles in
a fashion that neatly parallels the Chris-
tological perspective of Simeon’s can-
ticle. Just as the evangelist Luke invokes

potent Old Testament texts in order to program, does it represent the sort of hero, struggling to transcend the cleft
affirm Christ’s identity as the savior of historically ordered potpourri that had between spiritual and material existence,
all peoples, Mendelssohn subsumes fluid become customary by that time and has and, perhaps most importantly, celebrat-
imitative counterpoint evocative of late remained the norm ever since in most ing the power of individual nobility and
Renaissance polyphony into the context circles. Nor, least of all, does it represent valor as means of transcending strife and
of an overarching modern ternary form the more casual variety of medley that struggle. Because it gives voice to themes
(ABA’) that would have been compre- had been common since the day of and issues that pervaded Mendelssohn’s
hensible to his contemporaries. Haydn and Mozart, and that one might own life and career, this concert—and
Each section of this tripartite struc- expect of a concert programmed, re- the Nunc dimittis in particular, with
ture is subdivided into three subsections. hearsed, and performed in less than one its opening and closing lines of “Lord,
Thus, the “A” section (mm. 1– 48, corre- week. Surely this remarkable program- now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in
sponding to verse 29) is tonally closed ming is partly accountable for one fur- peace”—thus emerges not so much as
in E-flat major, with a rhythmically and ther fact about the event: even though a commemorative event, a celebration
melodically discrete motive assigned the hall was filled to overflowing, “from of the past. Rather, it is a statement from
to each of the three phrases of its text beginning to end there was only the the composer himself, a final utterance
(Figure 12 <www.acda.org/publications/ deepest silence. All external demonstra- intended to inspire his musical world
choral_journal>).The “B” section, stylisti- tions of response remained unspoken. and imbue it with renewed energy in
cally responding to the more assertive It was a silent, intimate celebration of the service of the noble ideals to which
imagery of verses 30–32 (mm. 49–86), hearts.”35 he had dedicated his life.
is tonally unstable, commencing in C This extraordinar y circumstance It was, in other words, Mendelssohn’s
minor, centering around G minor, and offers a crucial insight into the signifi- own valediction.
cadencing in G major in m. 86. And the cance of the Gewandhaus’s memorial
final “A” section (mm. 86–123) begins in concert of November 11, 1847, and
G major but quickly reaffirms the tonic the significance of the works contained NOTES
E-flat —now also embracing textual on it. Individually and collectively, those
and musical ideas from the “B” section. works thematize the nature of the
1
Although appended only as an after- loss Mendelssohn’s community had to [Leipziger] Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung
thought to the canticle itself, the doxol- grapple with in the wake of his demise. 49, no. 46 (November 17, 1847), col.
ogy is anything but routine. In particular, In this program, we glimpse the com- 791.
2
the staggered initiation of the “Amen” poser’s world commemorating a fallen See Alfred Dörffel, rev. Johannes Forner,
in the various voices, coinciding with
another artful chain of suspensions in an
extended cadential descent, offers a de-
ceptively simple but highly effective close
to one of the Gospel’s most emotionally
poignant episodes (Figure 13 <www.
acda.org/publications/choral_journal>).
Conclusion:
Mendelssohn’s Valediction
The program of the Gewandhaus’s
memorial concert for its late music
director is worthy of study in itself.
It does not just showcase some of
Mendelssohn’s best-loved composi-
tions along with two of his own final
works; nor, despite the combination of
Mendelssohn and Beethoven on a single

Die Gewandhaus-Konzerte zu Leipzig 10 abgesondertes Stück sein, und nach

See R. Larry Todd, “On the Visual in
(Leipzig: Deutscher Verlag für Musik, Mendelssohn’s Music,” in his Mendelssohn einem Absatz anfangen; während die
1980), 1: 119. The work’s text certainly Essays (New York: Routledge, 2008), einzelnen Stücke der Motette selbst
fit the occasion, and its sentiment and 81– 92; fur ther, Mar garet Cr um, (z.B. das Magnificat) ohne Absatz
key (E-flat major) fit naturally not only “Mendelssohn’s Drawing and the auf einander folgen können, wie im
with those of the Nachtlied with which Doubled Life of Memory,” in Festschrift gedruckten Exempl., und in der Copie.
it was coupled, but also with those of Albi Rosenthal (Tutzing: Hans Schneider, Die einzelnen Singstimmen würden
the Verleih uns Frieden and the “Eroica” 1984), 87–103. zu diesen Chören wohl auch gleich
Symphony. 11 mitausgegeben werden müssen. Als
Henry F. Chorley, Modern German Music,
3 Honorar würde ich 40 Friedrichsd’or für
The music examples and portions of the new introduction and index by Hans
text quoted below are based on my Lennenberg (New York: Da Capo, 1973), dies Werk vorschlagen.” Mendelssohn’s
recent edition of the Op. 69 motets 2: 387–88. private account-book for 1846– 47
prepared for the Bärenreiter Urtext 12 records that he received payment for
Bibliotheka Jagiellońska, Cracow, Ms. Mus.
series (BA 8937; Kassel, 2006). autogr. F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy 44, Op. 69 from Ewer & Co. as well as
4 Breitkopf & Hartel in October 1847
See “Unpublished Letters of Mendelssohn,” pp. 1–36.
The Musical Times 51 (1910): 366. 13 (Bodleian Librar y, Oxford, MS M.
Letter to Charlotte Moscheles dated of
Because, as will be explained presently, October 9, 1847, quoted from Todd, A Deneke Mendelssohn e.17, fol. 8v).
18
neither the English nor German version Life, 565. See Brodbeck, “Eine kleine Kirchenmusik,”
of these works can claim precedence 14 178–81.
Bodleian Library, Oxford, GB 26/23.
15 19
and the composer titled them in Latin, Bodleian Library, Oxford, MS M .Deneke One of the two exemplars in the British
this article adopts the Latin terminology Mendelssohn c. 42, no. 47 Library (London) bears the penciled
for the works. 16 accession date of November 1, 1847
Bodleian Library, Oxford, GB 26/34
5 17 (shelfmark H.864.a.(2.)). I wish to
See Peter Ward Jones, “Mendelssohn and Letter from Mendelssohn to Raimund
His English Publishers,” in Mendelssohn Här tel, 25 October 1847 thank Robert Balchin, Curator of Music
Studies, ed. R. Larry Todd (Cambridge: (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin—Preußischer Collections, for helpful information
Cambridge University Press, 1992), Kulturbesitz, Handschriftenabteilung, concerning the acquisition of this and
242–43. Sammlung Haertel No 301): “Zugleich the remaining installment of the Ewer
6 Edition of Op. 69.
See David Brodbeck, “Eine kleine Kir- lege ich eine Sammlung von Chören
20
chenmusik: A New Canon, a Revised für den Gottesdienst bei, die ebenfalls [Leipziger] Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung
Cadence, and an Obscure ‘Coda’ by bei Ewer gleichzeitig er scheinen 49, no. 46 (November 17, 1847), col.
Mendelssohn,” Journal of Musicology 12 sollen. Doch ist für die Engl. Kirchen 798.
21
(1994):198. Orgelbegleitung nöthig, während ich An exemplar in the British Librar y
7 (H.864.a.(4.)) bears the penciled
Letter preserved in the “Green Books” die Chöre in Deutschland am liebsten
collection of Mendelssohn’s incoming ganz ohne Begleitung hör te. Daher accession date of December 22, 1847.
22
correspondence in the Bodleian Library, die Verschiedenheit des Manuscriptes, [Leipziger] Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung
Oxford. Items from this collection are und der gedruckten Blätter, die ich 50, no. 2 (January 12, 1848), col. 31; idem,
cited by the appropriate volume in the jedoch beilege da der Copist den Engl. 50, no. 4 (January 26, 1848), col. 63.
23
series and item within the volume. This Text unsicher und noch dazu an eine The first edition to deal critically with music
letter is GB 27/5. ganz falsche Stelle geschrieben hat. Er and sources of the Op. 78 Psalms was
8 prepared by David Brodbeck (Stuttgart:
Bodleian Library, Oxford, GB 25/2. It may muß nämlich durchgängig unter dem
have been in the wake of this reminder Deutschen, und zwar mit kleinerer Carus, 1997). See also my recent edition
from Buxton that he produced the Schrift stehen; auch alle Noten, die sich for the Bärenreiter Urtext series (Kassel,
undated fair copy of all three works, auf die Engl. Version beziehen müssen 2006).
24
with fully written out organ part, now kleine sein, und damit dies recht genau For information on the posthumous ed-
held in the Moldenhauer Archives of the beobachtet werden könne, hielt ichs itions of Mendelssohn’s works and
Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. für besser das gedruckte Exemplar the critical authority often misguidedly
9 afforded to the Rietz editions, see my
By far the most detailed and accurate beizulegen. Ob Sie die 3 Motetten,
account of this difficult period to date is (denn so könnte man sie auch nennen) “Knowing Mendelssohn: A Challenge
offered in R. Larry Todd, Mendelssohn: A einzeln oder nur zusammen ausgeben from the Primary Sources,” Notes 61
Life in Music (Oxford: Oxford University wollen hängt ganz von Ihnen ab. Bei (2004): 36–39.
25
Press, 2003), 525–69. jeder aber muß das Gloria patri ein There are also two more intrinsically

musical concerns per taining to the of Byrd’s Cantiones Sacrae (1842), from October 25, 1847, and the manuscript
Jubilate and the Magnificat; see <www. 1829 to the end of his life, and appears rearrangement of the soli quar tet
acda.org/publications/choral_journal>. to have owned at least two volumes section of the Magnificat (see <www.
26 of James Burns’s collection of Anthems
Bibliotheka Jagiellońska, Cracow, Ms. Mus. acda.org/publications/choral_journal>)
autogr. F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy 44, and Services for Church Choirs (London, leave little doubt that Härtel, a longtime
pp. 1–36. 1846). See Großmann-Vendrey, Felix friend of the composer, would have so
27 Mendelssohn Bartholdy und die Musik
For the first critical edition of this earlier crassly contravened his wishes.
der Vergangenheit, 215; and Peter Ward 34
Jubilate, see the edition prepared by The first setting of the Psalm was com-
Judith Silber Ballan for Carus-Verlag Jones, Catalogue of the Mendelssohn pleted on January 3, 1844, and its
(Stuttgar t, 1997). See also David Papers in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, Vol. attendant doxology on January 17.
Brodbeck, “A Winter of Discontent: III: Printed Music and Books (Tutzing: Hans The revisions were undertaken and
Mendelssohn and the Berliner Domchor,” Schneider, 1989), 3–4. completed in March 1845.
30 35
in Mendelssohn Studies, ed. R. Larry Todd Brodbeck, “Eine kleine Kirchenmusik,” “Alle Räume des weitläufigen Kokals waren
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 201– 04. überfüllt. Doch herrschte von Anfang
31
1992), 1–32. For a useful explanation of the esoteric- bis Ende die tiefste Stille. Jede Art
28 sounding but apt term “monality,”
Except where otherwise noted, the music äusserer Beifallsbezeugung unterblieb.
of the examples follows the first English see Rober t W. Wienpahl, “Modality, Es war eine stille, innige Feier der
edition (London: Ewer & Co., 1847). Monality and Tonality in the Sixteenth Herzen.” “Nachrichten,” [Leipziger]
English and German texts are provided and Seventeenth Centuries,” Music and Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung 49, no.
in the example captions only. Letters 52 (1971): 408–10. 46 (November 17, 1847), col. 790–91.
29 32
The issue of Mendelssohn’s familiarity with Brodbeck, “Eine kleine Kirchenmusik,” 200.
33
English Renaissance sacred music has not Brodbeck (“Kirchenmusik,” passim) and
yet been thoroughly explored. He was a Todd (A Life, 558–59) question whether
close friend of William Horsley (1774– this substitution was sanctioned by
1858), editor of an edition of Book 1 Mendelssohn himself, but his letter of
In conjunction with the forthcoming ACDA publication Women in Choral Music, Joan Catoni Conlon and Rachel
Samet are compiling names and contact information for women who are active in choral music as conductors and
educators. We are launching this project for many reasons. Primarily, we hope to promote collegiality among women
choral conductors.
The database will also serve to expand awareness of women who might serve as graduate and undergraduate mentors,
or who might be sought to conduct All-State and Honor Choirs. Additionally, we would like to meet the needs of the
growing number of women conductors who have expressed a desire to know their colleagues. We invite you to be a
part of this important resource. To enter your information, please go to: <www.womeninchoralmusic.org>
We welcome any questions you may have about this project. For questions about the book, please contact Joan
Catoni Conlon at joan.conolon@colorado.edu. For questions about the database, please contact Rachel Samet at
rachel.samet@colorado.edu.

<Nancy Cox, editor <nrcox@swbell.net>
that the building of vocal technique is a day in rehearsal. In order to manage

Senior High Choirs sequential process, literature should be these dual jobs, every warm-up and
Amy Johnston Blosser, National Chair carefully chosen to teach specific vocal selection of repertoire must be treated
techniques.”1 Even when considering this as a vocal exercise that helps build the
and choosing appropriate repertoire, choir’s vocal technique. If the singing is
Vocal Transformation of the the frustration that comes from the not approached correctly, stop and use
Secondary School Singer: need to teach the repertoire, prepare that limitation as an opportunity for
the Choral Director it for performance along with the lack developing vocal technique. If the tech-
as Vocal Coach of vocal depth and maturity can be a nique is not built into the learning of the
constant struggle. Do you accept the piece, it is nearly impossible to add it in
by correct notes, phrasing, cut-offs, and ig- later. In other words, the very first time
Christine C. Bass
nore the sound? Absolutely not! Choral the four-measure phrase is introduced
directors have the dual job of being both to the choir, teach the energy, line, shape
conductor and vocal coach. of the phrase, and musical idea from the
M
any choral directors, Very few secondary school singers start. Learning the notes without being
especially those in are studying voice privately, and some of musical means one of two things: hav-
secondar y schools, those who do, are not necessarily well ing to rip it apart and unsuccessfully try
have left a rehearsal taught. It is up to the choral director to to build it in later, or never achieving a
saying, “When will they learn how to play the part of the vocal coach every musical performance at all.
really sing?” In college, students are won-
derfully equipped with many musical and
educational experiences. However, the
actual art of vocal technique is often
overlooked. How can one get the novice
singer in a choral setting to grow in vo-
cal technique and musicianship? What
repertoire can be programmed that
will bring success to growing singers?
“Literature should be chosen based
on what can contribute to building the
vocal ensemble sound. Understanding
Christine Bass currently teaches at

Cherr y Hill West High School in
Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She was also
the conductor of the 2009 ACDA
National High School I Honor Choir in
Oklahoma City.

Table 1
Simple Outline of Trained Versus Untrained Singers.
Untrained Trained
Little physical involvement Engaged physically, mentally, and emotionally
Poor vowel shape/space/weak tone Lifted sound/tall vowels/core in sound
Little energy/support Plugged into body, brimming with energy
No concept of musical ideas Implements musical ideas throughout
Unaware of the importance of listening Active and critical listeners
The above admonition can seem a 1 is a simple outline of untrained versus not settling for “just the notes.”
daunting task for the choral director trained singers: Vocal coaching can be divided into
who is standing in front of a group of How can conductors move their five general areas:
novice singers.This is all the more reason students from untrained to trained
to use the approach of “voice lesson/ singers and not overwhelm them with • Posture
choral rehearsal” to transform your sing- terminology? The answer is found in • Breathing
ers into fine, complete musicians. Table modeling the following basic areas, and • Support
• Resonance
• Articulation
Very little can be taught until singers

realize how their posture affects their
sound, and how to breathe and man-
age their breath support. Once this is
accomplished, then mix these concepts
in with understanding support and
resonance. The more singers compre-
hend their vocal anatomy, the greater
National Chair Vacancy success they will have building strong
singing habits.
The National Junior High/Middle School Chair is being
vacated. If you are interested in applying for this position, • Posture: Use analogies with the choir:
please send a resume and short Statement of Intent (your vi- “You can’t take your voice out of
sion for the future as a national R&S leader) to: a clarinet case and put it together;
your entire body is your instru-
Nancy Cox, National R&S Chair <nrcox@swbell.net> ment,” a n d “Your instrument runs
from the soles of your feet to the
Applicant submission deadline date is May 1, 2009. top of your head.” The “Alexander
Method”2 six points of balance help
build healthy body alignment and
need to be applied to their seated

posture as well. One might say, “I they somehow seem to remember. throats.This lack of knowledge can lead
am always asking my students to The conductor’s job as vocal to a lack of support, a raised chin, and
sit up straight, but they continue coach also includes becoming the a stretching of the neck while singing
to slouch.” A large part of that anatomy teacher and explaining the high notes. Be creative with a vocal
struggle is that directors are ask- singer’s body as it relates to posture, anatomy presentation. Divide the choir
ing! Students need to “remember breath, and resonance.There are many into sections and have each section
it” and the motivation needs to fine resources about this topic. “Unfor- discuss certain aspects of their vocal
come from their desire to achieve tunately, the majority of musicians are anatomy.
excellence. To begin, choirs could largely ignorant of their bodies, and
identify the reasons everyone in until they make the radical paradigm • Breathing: This is one of the most ba-
class needs “tall posture.” It can’t shift to think of themselves as movers, sic, yet misunderstood areas for the
just be because Mrs. Smith says so. they are at risk of developing physi- young singer. Again, understanding
They need to understand the rea- cal and vocal problems”3 Across the the vocal anatomy is crucial. Work-
sons behind it. Students who can’t country, many choir members don’t ing with singers to achieve an open
seem to remember to sit tall could understand how their bodies affect (almost a suppressed yawn) vocal
be the ones asked to stand while their singing and don’t know which track is a good place to start. Inhale
everyone else sits. After a few times, way their vocal folds/cords lie in their slowly while fanning in front of the

mouth to feel the air at the back of energy by demonstrating just how moving slightly up and down. This
the pharynx wall. One way to help ‘”sad’” students look and sound, can be called the “Ah-Meter” to
understand the actual space that is singing without energy. model where the “tall vowel” sound
needed for a great breath is to use Use the “duh mouth” so the occurs. Next, take the hands and
the concept of an inner tube, low jaw is relaxed and out of the way bend them forward so the fingers
breath, feeling ”fat” with the exhale with “bright eyes” so the singer are close to the mouth. This nar-
going to skinny. Have students place is demonstrating energy without rows the sound and produces an
one hand on their sternums and the tension. The analogy of an electric ultra-bright, nasal sound (similar to
other on their belly buttons as they guitar not plugged into its amplifier, the Urkel character from the show,
work on filling down the breath is like singers who don’t use sup- “Family Matters”). Then move the
while not letting the ribs collapse port, resonance, or energy in their opposite way, to the back of the
on the exhale. Another helpful anal- sound. Don’t let them continue to head, and swallow the sound to
ogy is the ribs are the barrel and sing unless they are “plugged in” to make it too dark (similar to Julia
the lungs are the balloon. A “quiet their support mechanism and en- Childs). Students begin to under-
breath” is an important concept for ergy supply. Remember not to be stand resonance and often get a
achieving an open throat breath. afraid to stop them if they are not big thrill out of the fact that they
Students can open their hands as singing correctly. Model the cor- can change the placement of their
they breathe to achieve the open, rect sound and energy constantly. own sound.
low concept. Daily breathing exer- Break things up into little exercises, Spend some warm-up time
cises in warm-ups help the proper and then bring them back into the getting students to feel the sym-
singing breath become a habit. musical phrase. pathetic vibrations of their sound
on the upper rib cage, throat, and
• Support: Using energy and excite- • Resonance: Often the most fun con- facial mask. Have singers explore
ment to generate a great sound is ductors have with their ensembles their “amplifiers” to find out where
an important concept. Secondary is working on resonance with sing- certain vocal registers “ring.” Work-
students are a unique breed. They ers. The result of time spent on this ing on the “up and over” concept
can be wildly excited about their concept are transformative. There of lifting the sound and creating
favorite team or pop star and then are a lot of analogies one can use. space connects the idea of support
“too cool” to get excited about First, ask students to sing “ah” with to resonance. Sopranos and altos
choral music. Conductors need to their hands (palms open and facing should work on releasing their high
work on the concept of singing with front) along the side of their ears, notes so they shoot right out of
the top of their heads. Women can
pretend to take top hats off as they
lift through the upper register while
bending their knees to maintain
support. Most altos can vocalize
to a high “b” when they learn how
to support, open their throats, and
lift the sound up and out. They are
delighted when they can sing as high
as the sopranos!
Ladies’ mid-range head voice
with chest resonance is one of the
more advanced concepts. There
are many techniques to bring the
head voice lower to produce a
fuller, richer sound with proper
placement and color. Use the word
“core” often and have the students

work on centering the sound for
resonance and support.Young sing- Junior High/
ers sometimes just need to hear
other high school students with
Middle School
great core and resonance to know
what is expected.
Choirs
Tom T. Shelton Jr., National Chair
• Articulation: Pair articulation with
agility to achieve clarity and accu-
Celebrating the Music of
racy. Kinesthetic motions should
G. F. Handel with
be paired with most warm-ups
Middle School/Junior High Choirs
and used while learning repertoire.
The more physically involved the by
singers are, the more measurable Maribeth Yoder-White
their progress. Teach them all the and Tom Shelton
correct terminology: diphthong, syl-
labic stress, elision, fricatives, voiced
consonants, messa di voce and so Handel is the greatest composer
on. Students enjoy learning these who ever lived. I would bare my
terms, which are fun and relevant head and kneel at his grave.
to their music-making.
When all of these concepts are —Ludwig van Beethoven
in play, the result is a free, natural,
T
energized, vibrant sound.The better
he respect engendered in
our singing, the easier it becomes,
this quote by Beethoven
and the more singers will enjoy
highlights the impact of
their sound, as individuals and an
George Frederic Handel on
ensemble. Students want to achieve
the musical world. As one of the most
excellence, and conductors need to
prolific composers of all time, Handel’s
gain the skills required in order to
contributions to the oratorio genre
equip them to meet this goal.
are unrivaled. April 14, 2009, marks the
250th anniversary of Handel’s death. His
popularity and immense body of work
NOTES
have led many modern composers, and
1. Holt, Michele and James Jordan, The
music scholars, to edit and arrange Han-
School Choral Program. Chicago, IL. GIA
del’s pieces for multiple voicings. Many
Publications, 2008. 113. of these editions and arrangements
2. Conable, Barbara. What Every Musician are suitable for middle school choral
Needs to Know about the Body: The ensembles.
Practical Application of Body Mapping Careful analysis of Handel’s reper-
and the Alexander Technique to Making toire prior to instruction allows choral
Music, rev. ed. Portland, OR: Andover
Press, 2000.
3. Buchanan, Heather and Matthew Mehaffey.
Teaching Music through Performance in Maribeth Yoder-White has taught
Choir Vol. 2. Chicago, IL. GIA Publications, choral music at the middle school and
2007. 114. university level. She currently serves
as a music education consultant.

directors to determine effective instruc- and life; marriage; children; and further challenge to singers.
tional techniques that enhance and cul- culture (clothing, beliefs, struggles, The following are suggested works by
tivate stylistic singing. Studying a Handel customs, music, etc.). Extend by Handel appropriate for middle school
composition may initially seem daunting having students write a biographi- ensembles of various voicings.
for middle school singers, but inclusion cal sketch; compare/contrast other
of even a single piece of music dur- works by Handel; and create a
ing the school year offers opportunity timeline of Handel’s life. Explore Unison
for broadening the choral experience. various ways of presenting the “Art Thou Troubled?” (from Rodelinda),
Additionally, a study of Handel’s music information uncovered, includ- Handel/Bar tle, Hinshaw HMC1431
affords the learner an opportunity to ing interviews (another student (with keyboard or string parts)
simultaneously explore and develop interviews the student portraying
multiple musical and non-musical skills Handel); dramatic presentations; “He Shall Feed His Flock” (from Mes-
and understandings. creating dramas about Handel’s siah), Handel/Burkhardt, Morningstar
For example, students might: life; writing reports and then hav- MSM-50-9404
ing other students read the report
• Research Handel’s life, including his for comprehension; and creating “How Beautiful are the Feet of Them”
birth/death dates; country of birth timelines of the Baroque period, (from Messiah), Handel/Rao, Boosey &
including events and other people Hawkes M-051-46702-0
of interest.
O Let the Merry Bells Ring, Handel/Rao,
• Investigate historical background of Boosey & Hawkes OCTB6509
compositions (e.g., impetus, influ-
ences, etc.). “O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to
Zion” (from Messiah), Handel/Bankson,
• Analyze the story—(who, what, where, Morningstar MSM-50-1306
when, how, etc.; character, plot,
theme, style). Have students write “Where’er You Walk” (from Semele),
about what they imagine might hap- Handel/Cough-Leighter, EC Schirmer
pen next in the story. 426 (orchestra parts available)
• Analyze the lyrics for when were they

written, who wrote them, what SA
was the impetus for writing them, “Ombra Mai Fu” (from Serse) and “Las-
what meaning and emotion are cia Ch’io Pianga” (from Rinaldo), Handel/
expressed, etc. Stroope, Alliance AMP0607 (with Key-
board or Strings)
• Create a vocabulary or word wall
that includes words from lyrics and “Lascia Ch’io Pianga” and “Bel Piacere,”
musical terminology. Handel/Perry, Shawnee Press E0320
• Analyze melodic, intervallic, and rhyth- “Let’s Imitate Her Note Above” (from
mic content of each voice part Alexander’s Feast), Handel/Hines, Law-
and represent findings via musical son-Gould LG52612
terminology (e.g., range, tessitura).
Additionally, many Handel pieces TB

provide opportunity for instrumental
“Sing for Joy!” (from Judas Maccabeus),
accompaniment, thereby adding interest
Handel/Spevacek, Heritage 15/2356H
and variety to programming, and offering

Three-Part Mixed SATB
“Art Thou Troubled?” (from Rodelinda), “Awake the Trumpet’s Lofty Sound” “Sing With Joy” (from Judas Macca-
Handel/Porterfield, 15/1434H (from Samson), Handel/Liebergen, Alfred baeus), Handel/Liebergen, Carl Fischer
16207 (with optional trumpets) CM8345
“Sing for Joy” (from Judas Maccabeus),
Handel/Spevacek, Heritage 15/1585H “Hallelujah, Amen” (from Judas Mac- “Your Voices Tune” (from Alexander’s
cabeus), Handel/Davison, E.C. Schirmer Feast), Handel/Malin, Warner Bros./
“Sing Unto God” (from Judas Macca- ECS 304, (orchestra parts available) Belwin OCT02408
beus), Handel/Robinson, Alfred 27253
“Haste Thee, Nymph” (from L’Allegro),
“Swell the Full Chorus” (from Solomon), Handel/Mason, Walton Music W7007
Handel/Porterfield, Heritage 15/1232H
(with optional trumpets) “O Praise the Mighty Lord” (from
Joshua), Handel/Liebergen, Carl Fischer
“Your Voices Tune” (from Alexander’s CM8384
Feast), Handel/Por terfield, Heritage
15/1308H

Hallelujah!
editor, John H. Dickson <John.H.Dickson@mercer.edu>
The Crossroads of Our Calling

by
John H. Dickson
I
Editor’s note: Friends and Colleagues, n contemplating topics inclusive seen less with the eye and valued more
welcome back to our Hallelujah column. enough to serve as an introduc- for the activities it spawned. I was a boy
I am honored to assume the editorship tion to this column, I kept com- of action—not of reflection; of emo-
of this column on sacred music from ing back to the idea of “Calling.” tion—not of thought; of speech—not
my friend, former editor, and now Perhaps it is a good beginning for us to of silence.
Executive Director Timothy Sharp. I reflect, as musicians, upon our sense of Then one day, like one born out of
encourage all who have an interest in calling, and how this intersection of the time, music found me, and with that
the music of the church, synagogue, sacred and choral music was born. birth followed the deep stirrings of all
and of all things sacred within our Art I suppose from my earliest childhood that is beautiful. It had always been there
to participate through your readership I was a hopeless romantic. My romance but like one who hears but cannot listen
and contributions. Auden inspires us was born out of idea, imagination, and or one who sees but cannot perceive,
to cast a broad net when applying the fantasy. Aesthetics, on the other hand, it was hidden until finally, the muse
term “sacred” – surfaced much later. Prior to my col- awakened beauty in me. C. S. Lewis’s
lege years, I have little remembrance of account of his conversion from atheism
Holy still is speech, but there beauty as an existential force in my life. to Christianity is titled, Surprised by Joy.
is no sacred tongue: the Truth The utilitarian nature of my mathemati- His description of joy is “an unsatisfied
may be told in all. cal background; the “black and white” desire which is itself more desirable
solutions to my fundamentalist faith; my than any other satisfaction . . . sharply
—from The Twelve
by W. H. Auden1 family heritage including a businessman distinguished from happiness and from
father and no members with a college pleasure.” He goes on to say, “I doubt
degree nor any proclivity toward artistic whether anyone who has tasted it
As editor, I would hope that Hallelujah
pursuits—all of these elements masked would ever, if both were in his power,
could be a source of both inspiration
the world of aesthetic beauty and ren- exchange it for all the pleasures in the
and information—a place where we
dered me, not a seeker, but one ignorant world. But then joy is never in our power
can discover new repertoire, discuss
choral techniques, investigate issues that such a world existed. and pleasure often is.”2
of worship, introduce fresh hymnody, In those formative years, it never My joy was the discovery of the
or share creative ideas in sacred occurred to me that a building could Soul’s ache for beauty. Music has only
music. Whatever the topics, this is be beautiful—only that it had function. been a part of that journey and choral
your column as church musicians Language was a tool of communicating music, of course, has been a particularly
and I encourage you to assist me need or intent but not of defining ex- large part of that passion. But along the
in the shaping of it. Please consider perience. Vocal music was text-less, void way, buildings began to speak to me
contributing an article and feel free to of anything but rock beat. Hymns were more in terms of architecture than func-
suggest topics of interest. familiar tunes but carried no conscious tion (stone, wood, stained-glass framed
theology or spirituality, and instrumental mood). Language became a bridge be-
music was non-existent. Nature was tween emotions and thoughts—defining

Hallelujah!
the beautiful by both its absence and its From Seasons such as these? comes from the Latin, obedire, and audire
presence. means to listen with careful attention.
The Sehnsucht, or the Soul’s long- King Lear, Our obedience requires careful listening
ing for beauty is, at its core, a spiritual Act III, Scene iv3 to our own individual calling in life. And
journey. Adam and Eve were the words what sustains us in all seasons, though it
spoken separate from all other creation. Lear’s words to the Fool on the Heath should not surprise us, is a calling inex-
Unlike the creatures of the air or sea, penetrate far deeper than the howling tricably connected to our gifts as well as
these creatures were named—set apart winds and bone-soaked rains. What sus- our passion.
because unlike any other, they possessed tains you through the “seasons” of life? Theologian and writer, Frederick
the Imago Dei, Divinity’s spark that rec- In Life’s “pelting, pitiless storms,” where Buechner speaks about “calling” in his
ognized and desired Beauty. do you find your mind’s shelter, what book, Secrets in the Dark:
Surprised by joy and having left far feeds your soul, or opens your heart’s
behind the opaque world of my youth, shutters beyond the torrents? Maybe the voice we should listen
the discovery of this intersection of For me it is, in part, my faith and my to most as we choose a vocation
beauty and the soul was one of those calling. For over thirty years it has been is the voice that we might think
rare moments that is “more desirable my calling as a teacher and conductor in we should listen to least, and that
than any other satisfaction.” the collegiate, church, and civic commu- is the voice of our own gladness.
nities that has fed my malnourished soul What can we do that makes us
and assisted me in the pursuit of The gladdest, what can we do that
Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are,
Beautiful and The Sacred. As teachers, leaves us with the strongest sense
That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm,
ministers, and musicians, our vocation is of sailing true north and of peace?
How shall your houseless heads or
our call—vocare, to call or to summon. . . . I believe that if it is a thing that
unfed sides,
And how do we hear that summons? makes us truly glad, then it is a
Your loop’d and window’d raggedness,
The etymology of our word obedience good thing and it is our thing and
defend you
it is the calling voice that we were
made to answer with our lives.
And also, where we are most
needed. In a world where there is
so much drudgery, so much grief,
so much emptiness and fear and
pain, our gladness in our work is
as much needed as we ourselves
need to be glad.4
What is it about your call that makes

you gladdest? In John Claypool’s Open-
ing Blind Eyes, the former Baptist pastor
turned Episcopal priest suggests that
early in life we make a fundamental
choice between the human realm and
the material realm—we decide which
is of more value and holds the key to
real fulfillment. Claypool also asserts that
there is a difference between people
who want to be something and those
who want to do something.5
Those whose primary goal is to be
something are often the hollow people,
who spend much of their energy seek-

ing others’ approval and applause.Those
who want to do something often have
The Collar
deeply held convictions and a clear call-
ing to leave the world a better place by
because of their courage and desire George Herbert
to share their gifts. Do we want to be
something or to do something? We, I struck the board and cried, “No more;
The Called, must be the “Do-ers of the I will abroad!
Word/Music” and not the “Be-ers” only. What? shall I ever sigh and pine?
The seventeenth-century metaphysi-
My lines and life are free, free as the road,
cal poet, George Herbert, describes this
classic struggle of callings between the
Loose as the wind, as large as store.
selfish desires of those who want to be Shall I be still in suit?
something and the obedient response of Have I no harvest but a thorn
those who want to do something. Free To let me blood, and not restore
to be—free as the road; loose as the wind; What I have lost with cordial fruit?
large as store—this calling produces only Sure there was wine
sighs and tears with no bays to crown it, Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn
no flowers, no garlands gay? All blasted? Before my tears did drown it.
All wasted? This is a call to bondage,
Is the year only lost to me?
not freedom; and it is a prodigal’s imag-
ery—the collar; the cage; the rope, and Have I no bays to crown it,
the cable. For, He that forbears to suit and No flowers, no garlands gay? All blasted?
serve his need, Deserves his load. Finally, All wasted?
through the ravings fierce and wild, one Not so, my heart; but there is fruit,
Voice is heard, “Child!” and one reply, And thou hast hands.
“My Lord.” Recover all thy sigh-blown age
On double pleasures; leave thy cold dispute
Of what is fit and not. Forsake thy cage,
Thy rope of sands,
Which petty thoughts have made, and made to thee
Good cable, to enforce and draw,
And be thy law,
While thou didst wink and wouldst not see.
Away! take heed;
I will abroad.
Call in thy death’s-head there; tie up thy fears.
He that forbears
To suit and serve his need,
Deserves his load.”
But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild
At every word,
Me thought I heard one calling, Child!
And I replied, My Lord.6

Hallelujah!
Our calling as choral musicians has like the woman in the crowd, our one tion of community. Our “Souljourn”
set us on a lifelong journey, a “soul- outstretched hand joins theirs in a brush invariably leads us to the very core of
journ,” which embraces a variety of against Divinity’s garment; a weaving of who we are—The Imago Dei. It is the
intersections. These are intersections of story and experience in the life of the image—God’s divine spark that drives
rapturous music and intimate spiritual community. us to a lifelong search for beauty, for
encounters; a priceless moment when These are the crossroads of our intimacy, for a soul satisfying touch of
composer and poet clasp hands and, calling in the choral art—the intersec- the Divine. Like Michelangelo’s Adam,
we find ourselves desperately trying to
stretch our souls far enough to make
contact with our Creator … only to
find God’s hand already outstretched.
And when we come within a fingertip
of Divine intersection,The Beautiful and
The Sacred join hands at the crossroads
whose heart is God.
The remarkable Swedish diplomat
and Christian philosopher, Dag Ham-
marskjöld, wrote,
The man who is unwilling to

accept the axiom that he who
chooses one path is denied the
others must tr y to persuade
himself, I suppose, that the logical
National Chair Vacancy thing to do is to remain at the
crossroads. But do not blame the
man who does take a path.
The National Community Choirs Chair is being
vacated. If you are interested in applying for Beyond the crossroads, the path
this position, please send a resume and short continues, and for T. S. Eliot that path is
Statement of Intent (your vision for the future as strangely circuitous. In Little Gidding, he
describes this journey as (Costing not less
a national R&S leader) to:
than everything):
With the drawing of this Love and

Nancy Cox, National R&S Chair the voice of this
Calling
<nrcox@swbell.net>
We shall not cease from exploration
Applicant submission deadline date is And the end of all our exploring
May 1, 2009. Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first
time.7
In choral music for the church, the

academy, and the community, I have dis-
covered my calling to a noble art whose
texts inspire a depth of spirituality found

in no other context; whose music calls NOTES Collins, 2006; 40.
5
for an intimacy of belonging and a com- Claypool John R, Opening Blind Eyes: Journeys
1
munity of kindred spirits; whose ministry Auden WH, Collected Poems, ed. Edward in Faith, editor Rober t A. Raines,
is worship, inviting each person into a Mendelson, New York, New York: Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press,
soul satisfying touch from the Divine; Random House, 2007; 815. 1984; 33.
2 6
and whose artistry educates and chal- Lewis CS, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of my Penguin Classics: The Metaphysical Poets,
lenges the soul to worship the Lord in Early Life, Orlando, Florida: Harcourt editor Helen Gardner, London, England:
the Beauty of Holiness. Inc., 1955; 18. Penguin, 1985; 135.
3 7
From time to time we all require new Shakespeare William, The Oxford Shakespeare: The New Oxford Book of English Verse, editor
inspiration in our “calling.” Sometimes The Complete Works 2nd Edition, editors Helen Gardner, Oxford, England: Oxford
Stanley Wells, Gary Taylor, John Jowett, University Press, 1997; 897.
only a reminder of THE CALL is enough.
William Montgomery, Oxford, England:
Thanks be to God.
Oxford University Press, 2003; 1170.
4
Buechner Frederick, Secrets in the Dark: A Life
in Sermons, New York, New York: Harper

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Call for Nominations
The subcommittee for the Julius Herford Prize, given annually by the American Choral Directors
Association, is now accepting nominations for the outstanding doctoral terminal research project in
choral music for 2008. Projects are eligible if they comprise the principal research component of the
degree requirements, whether the institution defines the project as a “dissertation,” a “document,” a
“thesis,” or “treatise,” etc. Eligibility is limited to doctoral recipients whose degrees were conferred
during the period January 1 through December 31, 2008. The winner will receive a $1000 cash
award and a plaque.
Nominations must be submitted by the dean, director, or chair of the music unit. An institution may
submit only one document. In the event that there are two nominations of equal merit from one
school, the administrative head of the unit must submit a letter justifying the additional nomination.
A letter of nomination signed by the administrative head of the music unit and one unbound copy
of the dissertation must be submitted no later than June 30, 2009 to:
Dr. John Silantien, Chair

Julius Herford Prize Subcommittee
Music Department
University of Texas at San Antonio
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249
Phone: 210/458-5328; fax: 210/458-4381; e-mail: <john.silantien@utsa.edu>

Hard Times: Keeping the Faith!
by
Ann Small
M
ary had a tendency among what seemed like a thousand however, seemed to grow exponentially!
to look back. She had after-school options. She almost felt she could not compete
started a community Furthermore, the national economy with increasing academic demands, fi-
choir that had flour- went south! More and more families nancial shortage, and after-school activi-
ished in better times. Originally, about felt the financial pinch of “extras” for ties. Somehow, it seemed families did not
75 youngsters expressed an intense their children. “Can’t you just sing in the have the same commitment ethic that
desire to sing in a community choir school or church choir?” “But, Mom, it’s she was taught. Students joined the choir,
that was select, prestigious, adorned not the same!” signed year-long commitments to choir,
in “spiffy” uniforms, and even traveled Mary at first saw a small decrease in and then dropped out when a school
to festivals near and far. An occasional membership. She continued to plow for- play or a sports opportunity appeared.
out-of-country tour made the choir ward with stunning music and life-chang- What could she possibly do?
only that much more attractive. But the ing travel opportunities. Her challenges, Those of us who work with com-
choir did cost their parents a hefty fee
for participation, and only beneficent
contributors and a few grants made the
opportunity really attainable for most
of the children.The choir had grown to
an admirable number, and interest in
the choir precipitated many inquiries.
A younger training choir was necessary
for the most inexperienced singers who
wanted to participate in this fine choir.
But things changed. Schedules
jammed with spor ts activities and
unbending athletic coaches with prac-
tice demands offered considerable
competition. Accelerated curricula and
International Baccalaureate programs
demanded extra study time. Gener-
ally speaking, more students felt torn

munity children’s choirs have been, no to cancel a planned trip, be honest the Blest (in four parts) by Randall
doubt, where Mary finds herself. First with our students about the rea- Thompson, or the Litanies to the
we look inward. “Do I not have what sons. Neither you nor I will be the Black Virgin by Poulenc. So what if
it takes anymore?” “Have I chosen the first to inform them of a slumped we “go back” to a few unison and
wrong music, the wrong rehearsal time, economy. two-part pieces sung with lovely
the wrong tuition?” I would venture to tone quality on the breath with
suggest that we may all be experiencing • Continue to recruit. Build relation- meaningful phrasing? (You know
these feelings to a certain extent. In view ships with local schools. Have “bring what? That is not going back! When
of these concerns I would like to offer a friend” sessions with your choir. was the last time our choir sang a
the following suggestions. Explore “pay plans” to make tuition unison piece with all the phrasing,
affordable. Plan performances and breath control, stylistic nuances, and
• Keep the faith. Children still love to opportunities that do not cost beautiful tone that the piece really
sing excellent music with excel- money. demanded?) I am convinced that
lent musicianship. We are living if the most difficult music we ever
in challenging times. The economy • Be flexible, and work intently with sang with our choirs is the standard
has everyone strapped (not just my those who come. Refocus on these by which we work, we have missed
program). We need to meet with students. I am convinced that the the point! If there is any principle
our boards, reevaluate our com- children who come to us can be that children’s choir conductors
mitments, and if necessary, cut back. taught according to their abilities, must learn, it is that we start over
Where do we cut? Only you and and they are not there to hear many, many times! We start over
your organization can decide that. our woeful disappointment about whenever it is necessary to start
those who are not there.There was over.The children who are here are
• Be honest with our singers. If we have a day when our choir sang Place of our mission. Otherwise, this thing
we do is about us, not the singers.
The children and their wondrous
commitment to making great music
is our calling. We must not stray
from that mission.
The resounding summary of our

response to these challenging days is
to go forward with the children we
have, regardless of how many there
are, and know they deserve to realize
their potential as musicians who have
been carefully taught and nourished in
phenomenal music literature to their
full capability. Let us not permit a sag-
ging economy and competing programs
to turn us from our mission: children
singing great literature, and singing well!
We must focus on the singers we have.
Look ahead not back! Couragio, Mary.
Keep the faith!

Recording and Redressing Felix Mendelssohn —Twice
by
Philip Barnes
Mendelssohn: Chorwerke/ “have it all,” they permit us to assess when their performances are recorded
Choral Works (Complete) the total output of artists and gauge within a short time period, that consis-
Chamber Choir of Europe their strengths and weaknesses.Through tency is only intensified.
Nicol Matt, conductor them, we may discern the development The boxed set of Mendelssohn’s
Brilliant Classics 99997 (2006; 10 CDs) of a creative mind, deciding for ourselves choral works by the Chamber Choir
whether such development is linear, of Europe, released in 2006 on Brilliant
Mendelssohn: Kirchenwerke I–XII progressive or regres- Classics, provides one opportunity to
[Complete Sacred Choral Music] sive. Of course, they survey all his sacred choral music with
Kammerchor Stuttgart can also modify or the exception of the three oratorios,
Frieder Bernius, conductor reinforce an existing Elijah, St. Paul, and the unfinished Chris-
Carus (1983–2009; details at <http:// opinion and some- tus. Their omission, together with the
www.carus-verlag.com/index. times shed new light absence of his choral lieder and stage
php3?BLink=MendelssohnSerie>) on what had seemed works, renders the set’s title a bit mis-
A
familiar. When a musical anthology is leading, but the ten discs are generously
nthologies are a wonder- compiled by a single group of perform- filled and at a bargain price. They are
ful resource. Beyond the ers, the added consistency may also add also coherently programmed in terms
pleasure they afford the some objectivity to the critical process; of scoring, rather than merely running
compulsive collector to
Phillip Barnes was trained in the

English choral tradition and educated
at the universities of Bristol and
Manchester and King’s College in
London. He came to the United States
in 1988. The following year, he was
appointed artistic director of the Saint
Louis Chamber Chorus, a professional
forty-voice choir that specializes in
unaccompanied repertoire. With this
group, he has made nine CDs, most
recently on the Guild and Regent
labels, and has performed much of
Mendelssohn’s choral music.

Compact Disc Reviews
through the opus numbers. This may Christian Wildhagen writes lucidly and must be said that not every track affords
facilitate a judgment on Mendelssohn’s contributes greatly to our understanding this level of discernment. That is not a
ability to write for various forces; in of these choral works and their wider shortcoming of the singers, but rather
practice, I found that such an approach significance in Mendelssohn’s oeuvre. the responsibility of engineer and pro-
works well enough on one or two Stephen Taylor provides an excellent ducer Reinhard Geller, who presumably
discs, but others invite English translation of the essay.The texts conferred with Herr Matt.
sampling rather than of all the pieces have also been included, And here we encounter an interest-
playing through from but only in German; it certainly would ing conundrum. Do we wish to hear the
beginning to end. The have been gratifying to have these trans- music as the composer might have done,
collection is comple- lated as well. standing immediately before the per-
mented with a lengthy The first three discs cover Men- formers, or do we prefer the aural per-
and informative essay that sheds much delssohn’s five psalm and eight hymn spective of a parishioner, seated some
light on the selections, although those cantatas for soloists, mixed voices and way back in the church? The latter would
who enjoy liner notes that progress orchestra. Discs 4 and 5 complete the appear to be the choice of the Brilliant
from track to track may find the es- composer’s works for similar forces, the Classics team. They
say approach frustrating. Nonetheless, two German hymns Lass, O Herr, mich chose two locations
Hilfe finden and the celebrated Hör mein for the recordings: the
Bitten, and a series historic Kloster Bron-
of Latin treatments, nbach, Wertheim, for
a Kyrie, Gloria, Lauda the unaccompanied
Sion, Magnificat, and works, and the Reutlingen studio for
Tu es Petrus. Anthems the orchestral works with the Würt-
requiring only organ temberg Philharmonic. Oddly, it is in the
accompaniment are gathered on discs studio that the choir sounds distant; the
6 and 7, and on the latter we first en- church setting, on the contrary, allows
counter the composer’s unaccompanied for a close recording but with plenty of
choral writing in his Drei Motetten (op. resonance.
69). This scoring now unifies the selec- This difference in acoustic and re-
tions on discs 8 and 9, while the tenth corded sound is immediately apparent
and final disc is given over to a miscel- when comparing the Brilliant collection
lany of pieces for mixed, male, or female with the other major Mendelssohn an-
voices, with or without accompaniment. thology now being made available—that
The performances are uniformly issued by Carus featuring the Stuttgart
excellent. The young voices of the Chamber Choir under the direction of
Chamber Choir of Europe are of the Frieder Bernius. Overall, Bernius offers
first order, as one would expect from an a significantly different approach to
ensemble that has won various competi- the composer and how we might hear
tions and praise from critics around the his music. As such, the Carus series is
world. Originally founded as the Nordic an essential counterweight. The Carus
Chamber Choir in 1998 by Hanno project has been over twenty years in
Kreft, it subsequently changed its name the making, the first disc being recorded
under current conductor Nicol Matt (b. in the summer of 1983, and volume IX
1970) to better reflect its international made only last June. [Vol. X, Lobgesang,
makeup of singers. Clearly, though, the was released in February, and vols. XIII
choir is at ease with German literature, and XIV, Antigone and Oedipus, will be
and it is a pleasure to hear the lyrics sung released later in 2009. –Ed.] Even during
with pronunciation and inflection that this extended period, the sessions were
Mendelssohn would have recognized. It not spaced regularly. The first four discs

were issued between 1983 and 1987, priced Brilliant collection, might suggest with a sprightly tempo that evokes the
the following three between 1996 and that the Carus discs finish second. Ab- work’s obvious parent, the Magnificat
1998, and remaining discs since 2005. solutely not so! Fine though Nicol Matt’s of Johann Sebastian Bach. With numer-
Unlike the Brilliant collection, in interpretations are (and they may have ous light touches, the music dances
which vocal soloists are drawn from been influenced by his study with Ber- along and positively
the choir, Carus has employed a wide nius), the best that the older conductor engages the listener.
variety of professional soloists. Orches- has to offer is sublime. Bernius offers This piece is included
tral accompaniment is provided by a ideal tempos, and his direction reveals a in volume VIII, made
similarly varied array of ensembles: the deftness of touch that enlivens many of in 2008. Twenty-five
Wür ttemberg Chamber Orchestra the selections. Matt’s speeds are often years earlier, Bernius
of Heilbronn, the Bamberg Symphony, slower, and while this can allow some opened the selection on volume I with
the German Chamber Orchestra of pieces to breathe a little more easily, the famous Hör mein Bitten (more fa-
Bremen, and from Stuttgart, both the elsewhere things seem a tad sluggish. An miliar, perhaps, as Hear My Prayer) and,
Chamber Orchestra and Ensemble ’76 excellent point of comparison is provid- even at this early stage, Bernius’s drive
plus an ad hoc band, the Classic Phil- ed in the Magnificat that the precocious and phrasing is more persuasive, though
harmonic. Recording sites are equally Mendelssohn penned at only 13 years his soprano soloist, the celebrated Julia
varied, ranging from a studio in Stuttgart of age. Matt’s reading is assured, and his Hamari, is not as appealing as Lydia Al-
to three churches outside Stuttgart, at tutti forces are immediately impressive; lert in Matt’s performance. Allert, Bittner,
Gönningen and Schwaigern. Accompa- however, the work gradually lags, even and Matt’s other soloists possess gor-
nied works are not restricted to the stu- in the verses sung by magnificent bass geous voices and frequently outshine
dio, nor unaccompanied compositions Manfred Bittner. Bernius, on the other the distinguished line-ups heard on the
to the churches; indeed, the most recent hand, follows the opening exuberance Carus recordings.
venue, the Evangelische Stadtkirche in
Schwaigern, has been used for many
other recordings of both vocal and in-
strumental performances. Several engi-
neers and producers
worked on the discs,
notably Peter Laenger
and Andreas Priemer,
and as technology has
developed, so too has
the format of the discs, the latest three
being hybrid multichannel Super-Audio
CDs (SACD). In fact, the only constant National Chair Vacancy
factor behind the Carus recordings is
conductor Frieder Bernius (b. 1947), The National Colleges & Universities Chair is being va-
considering that over twenty years the cated. If you are interested in applying for this position,
personnel in his Stuttgart Chamber please send a resume and short Statement of Intent (your
Choir have inevitably changed. Because vision for the future as a national R&S leader) to:
his interpretations must surely also have
matured over the years, one might even Nancy Cox, National R&S Chair <nrcox@swbell.net>
question whether Bernius’s perfor-
mances provide a consistent “take” on Applicant submission deadline date is April 1, 2009.
the composer.
This piecemeal approach to a Men-
delssohn anthology, set against the high
quality and uniformity of the budget-

Compact Disc Reviews
Bernius largely avoids the sort of Hora Est on volume I and the Te Deum pioneering abstractionist, banned by the
methodical, almost encyclopedic, se- on volume II. Another shortcoming of Nazis, and prominent in the South Ger-
quencing of pieces characteristic of the aggregated Carus Mendelssohn is man art world after World War Two.) In
the Brilliant collection, offering instead inconsistent auxiliary materials. Only fact, most of the Carus endeavor (other
a more idiosyncratic approach to pro- recent issues have the original texts than the use of the Bremen orchestra)
gramming. Each of his discs resembles a translated into English (and French), emanates from the greater Stuttgart
concert program, thoughtfully compiled while the first eight area, from the performers to Carus itself,
to hold the attention, and this makes volumes offer mere- a prominent music publisher responsible
the acquisition of single discs an attrac- ly abridged English for some of the best modern editions of
tive proposition. There are even a few versions of the liner Mendelssohn and other major German
unexpected pleasures not heard in the notes, which is most composers.This suggests another attrac-
Brilliant collection: the Two Sacred Songs regrettable given the tive feature of the collection, that the
(op. 112) on volume VII and, earlier in caliber of the Mendelssohn scholars editions used by Bernius are published
the series, two hymns for soprano solo writing them. These include Friedhelm by the same company. Even experienced
and orchestra. On volume I, Julia Hamari Krummacher and Thomas Schmidt- and knowledgeable choral directors are
sings the Salve Regina (which, jarringly, Beste; thankfully, those by R. Larry Todd bound to find unfamiliar works among
she mispronounces), while on volume of Duke University are complete. As this collection and want to perform
II, Krisztina Laki performs the Ave Maris some compensation, the CD booklets them; knowing that the printed music
Stella. The latter bonus does, though, ex- contain a wealth of illustrations and is readily available is no small consid-
pose a weakness in earlier Carus issues, facsimiles; they also sport Carus’s cus- eration.
namely clumsy editing in which the am- tomary Max Ackermann artwork, some This year’s promotion of Mendels-
bient sound (the “soundstage”) changes of which is eye-catching. (How well it sohn’s choral music is an important
with unnatural abruptness. This can be befits a Mendelssohn anthology I leave corrective to the imperfect understand-
heard within several tracks, including to others to judge, but Ackermann was a ing and poor reception that much of it
suffered, following the cavils and dis-
paragement famously
uttered by Wagner
and later by George
Bernard Shaw.Though
hailed in his lifetime,
Mendelssohn was later
criticized for facile melodies and insipid
melodies. Masterpieces like Elijah and a
few motets, such as the opp. 78 and 79
sets, retained a place in the mainstream
choral repertoire. Now, listening to the
assorted psalm and hymn cantatas, as
well as the numerous Latin motets, one
can only be astonished at their relative
neglect. The range of choral works that
Mendelssohn penned is wide, from great
oratorio to humble chorale, but each
bears the mark of a master and merits
our consideration.Thus, a major gift that
the Carus and the Brilliant collections
bestow upon us is the opportunity to
gain a full acquaintance with this mag-
nificent music and to form our own
conclusions.

Amid such a rich feast one is vigor of the choruses or the resignation Bernius and Matt are persuasive in their
very likely to develop a new favorite, of Elijah’s final aria, “Es ist genug” (“It is cause. These two collections are es-
and—given the aforementioned wide enough”). sential for all lovers of musical Romanti-
range—perhaps an addition to one’s Anthologies are never more useful to cism, and even a cursory comparison
own repertoire. Apart from such prac- us than when enlivened by such persua- will demonstrate why neither prevails
tical advantages, there is also the sheer sive and expert performers. The Carus over the other. Finally, Mendelssohn has
joy in discovering performances of and Brilliant collections both demand received his due. It seems only fitting
outstanding beauty and power. In this our attention, our respect, and ultimately that his music should be accorded this
respect, both Matt and Bernius serve us our gratitude. Their double honor.
well. The men of the Chamber Choir of approaches in advo-
Europe invest that sort of power in the cating Mendelssohn
Two Sacred Choruses for male voices (op. as a choral composer
112), whereas Bernius’s reading of Elijah of prime importance
is quite literally breathtaking. His tempos may differ in pro-
are paced to perfection, whether in the gramming and interpretation, but both

Secretary-General International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM)
The Secretary-General must be fluent in English and have a general command of at least two other international working
languages. He/she should hold a university degree in music or arts administration, and have a passion and commitment
to the choral art; have successful experience in membership administration (including successful staff management and
development); expertise in budget development, communication, and strategic planning; choral project organization skills;
management of leadership meetings; vigorous knowledge of technology; editing experience with choral publications; and with
a strong background in grant writing. With the IFCM Executive Committee and Board of Directors, provide administrative
leadership and artistic vision; oversee fiscal operations of the organization; develop artistic and financial partnerships; provide
leadership for international office staff; coordinate business negotiations for international affairs; and represent IFCM with
international choral and other music associations.The Secretary-General serves in accordance with the Executive Commit-
tee’s directives. The International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM) was founded in 1982 for the purpose of facilitating
communication and exchange between choral musicians throughout the world. Through its world and regional symposia,
conducting master classes, World Youth Choir, Choral Music Database (Musica), ChoralNet Web site, World Choral Census,
International Choral Bulletin, World Day of Choral Singing, and many other projects, IFCM is fulfilling its purpose. IFCM is
the official representative of choral music on the International Music Council of the UNESCO. The Council recognizes that
there are perhaps more people in the world participating in choral music than in any other group activity and that choral
musicians need an organization such as IFCM to encourage and facilitate international communication and cooperation.
IFCM’s Mission:
- To be the worldwide promoter and facilitator of the development of choral music as an art form,
- To be the worldwide advocate of choral music,
- To encourage the creation, development, and training of choral organizations in countries and regions where none exists,
- To encourage the inclusion of choral music in general education and to promote the exchange of information on
pedagogy and training,
- To encourage and support research activity in the field of choral music,
- To be a worldwide centre of expertise providing access to networks, human resources, knowledge and data, advice
and information.
Send, via email, curriculum vitae (résumé), three letters of reference, and a one-page letter of application stating vision for
international choral music to Dr. Michael J. Anderson, IFCM First Vice-President, (mjanderson@ifcm.net).
For more information, write to IFCM Secretary-General Search Committee, Department of Performing Arts M/C255, Uni-
versity of Illinois at Chicago, 1040 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607-7130, USA; call +1-(312) 413-1058, log on to www.
ifcm.net, or email mjanderson@ifcm.net. For fullest consideration, applications should be received by 1 March 2009. The
successful candidate will begin in the Autumn 2009, but could begin as early as 1 May 2009, if available. Salary will be com-
mensurate with experience.

Herman Manville
Herman Manville had a long relationship with ACDA. He provided legal services from
time-to-time through the years, and was a long-time legal advisor and friend to Gene
Brooks. Manville was also Vice-Chairman of the McMahon Foundation, and was a Trustee
when the Foundation provided grants for both the ACDA National Headquarters
buildings in Lawton and Oklahoma City.

Sherry this is understood, the first tenor part Blow,Winds of Fall
Bob Gaudio is very easy to read; the method does, Greg Gilpin
arr. Mac Huff however, make the part appear at first SATB, Piano
TTBB, piano to be strangely written in an abnormally Heritage Choral Press
MPL Communications low range for the lead melody. (a division of Lorenz)
(Hal Leonard, agent) Performing forces can vary with #15/2245H
#08202046 this flexible arrangement in A♭ major. A $1.85
$1.80 larger men’s ensemble <www.lorenz.com>
<www.halleonard.com>
B
should have little dif-
F
ficulty performing the low, Winds of Fall is set to
rankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, homophonic work, and a text that begins with,
and their pop ensemble, small ensembles will “The burning breath of
The Four Seasons, rose to enjoy trying to capture summer’s call….” It im-
national recognition in 1962 the intimate sound of mediately grabs the listener’s attention.
when their song Sherry was recognized the vocal timbres as Good poetry is a hallmark of commu-
by Billboard magazine as the number originally recorded. The piano accom- nicative compositions, and lyricist John
one single in the country. Mac Huff ’s paniment is very simple, and presents Parker’s stanza about the contrasts
arrangement for TTBB chorus is a fun, another opportunity for creative per- between the summer and fall seasons is
nostalgic romp through yesteryear’s forming. If an eight-to-ten member jazz enchanting and cogent. The text gives a
rock-and-roll era. ensemble has singers proficient at vocal strong foundation to Greg Gilpin’s SATB
The chief compliment this arrange- percussion, they could sing the piano accompanied composition.
ment deserves is that it sounds like its accompaniment to present an all-vocal The piece starts with a modified
1960s rock-and-roll namesake. Huff performance. ABAB form and moves
incorporates enough harmonies, tex- Obvious programming themes suit- into a dramatic closing
tures, and entrances from the original able for this piece would include pop that finds its kinetic ener-
song to respectfully maintain the song’s music and original American composi- gy slowly dissolving with
character and connect with audience tions. A creative programming idea the vanishing “winds.” F
members who remember the song would be to include it in a set of pieces minor and A ♭ major are
when it first aired. titled with female forenames. For exam- the tonal centers of the
The arrangement’s lead melody is in ple, Sherry might be an amusing addition piece, though it closes with sections in
the first tenor part and, while true to the to a program including pieces such as F major and its relative minor. Homo-
original, is in a tessitura too high for inex- Fair Phyllis, Gentle Annie, and Jeanie with phonic writing is prevalent with only a
perienced tenors. Ranging from ab to c2, the Light Brown Hair. brief section of antiphonal statements
the first tenor line is the only significant between the men’s and women’s voices.
challenge that the piece holds for a male Ryan Kelly Singers should find their par ts
ensemble. The first tenor line is written Longview, Texas generally uncomplicated, although in
in the treble clef without its typical octive the transitions between key changes
below marking; an instruction indicates the part writing is not as smooth as
the tenor section or soloist is to sing in other sections. Gilpin’s use of dis-
the line in the octave as written. Once

Choral Reviews
sonance is thoughtful and helps give Arise, Shine! to a full setting of “and His glory shall
the piece a sense of mystery. A brief Dan Forrest be seen upon thee.” The brilliance and
unaccompanied section supplies a nice SATB divisi, piano or brass ensemble energy of these final chords provide an
timbre change to showcase a topically Hinshaw Music HMC2163 $2.35 exciting contrast to the brooding, low
appropriate natural sound. <www.hinshawmusic.com> tones of the men’s voices.
T
The piano accompaniment is an After a brief interlude and repetition
integral part of the octavo. It provides he text for this setting, of the opening section in the accompa-
both harmonic support and important drawn from the book of niment, the second text of the B section
thematic material and is very playable Isaiah, is centered on the is introduced: “The sun shall no more
for those with intermediate piano skills. theme of light with the be thy light, neither for brightness shall
Lasting an approximate 4’30”, Blow, words “Arise, shine! For thy light is the moon give light; but the Lord shall
Winds of Fall would be a charming ad- come” The setting of these words is be upon thee an everlasting light.” The
dition to early fall semester concert jubilant, passionate, and dramatic. The setting of this text is perhaps the most
programs. music serves as a recurring motive, difficult performance
regularly appearing in the accompani- section of the work. The
Ryan Kelly ment to unify this seven-minute work. voice leading throughout
Longview, Texas The A-section returns at the end of the the rest of the piece is
work, appearing first in the tenor voice nearly always stepwise
and moving from voice to voice in a fu- or tonal, while in this
gato style, until a complete homophonic section the melodies
return seems inevitable. At that moment, skip in unexpected in-
the composer takes a surprising right tervals. Fortunately, the accompaniment
turn, introducing new music and text doubles the voice for these difficult
before finally completing the work with melodies. The texture, just like in the
a colorful repetition of the A section. previous section, begins quietly and
These bookends surround two builds to a dramatic ending – leading to
more texts from Isaiah addressing dif- the return of the A section.
ferent facets of the theme of light. The Because of Forrest’s careful voice
music in this section is so subdued that, leading, the complex harmonies are
if it weren’t for the recurring motive relatively simple to manage. They are
throughout the B-section, it would be also made easier by doubling them with
nearly impossible to tell that these two the accompaniment, which can be ren-
sections came from the same work. dered by piano, full orchestra, or brass
The first text of the B section is “For ensemble and organ. Trying to cover
behold, darkness shall cover the earth; the entire accompaniment with only
But the Lord shall arise.” The composer one pianist may be too difficult and the
begins with only the men’s voices low in conductor may want to consider having
their range.The musical texture thickens the work performed with two pianists.
as more voices join and the melody rises After a preliminary hearing, I was im-
mediately in love with the expressivity
and the excitement in this piece. Upon
subsequent hearings, I grew to love For-
rest’s intricacy and attention to detail. It
is a work that will quickly rise to the top
of many lists.
Bryson Mortensen
Urbana, Illinois

Daniel in the Lion Den voice leading moves in stepwise motion measure ostinato.
Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory or in thirds which will help the singers Set in 6/8 time, with the dotted quar-
SSATB, (bass divisi) solo soprano, navigate the trickier harmonic passages. ter note at m. 63, the piece maintains
and piano The challenges of this piece are the ever a rhythm of quarter note followed by
earthsongs S-228 changing rhythm and syncopation, and eighth note or steady eighth notes in the
$2.25 tuning the extended tertian chords. texted portions.The “lullylulley” sections
<www.earthsongsmusic.com> A few details to consider: it is im- are set with dotted Siciliano rhythms.
portant to ensure that one has enough The tonality is D Dorian through-
D
singers on the second soprano part in out. Each of the six short stanzas is set
aniel in the Lion Den order to balance the rest of the group. uniquely; the melody is always present,
was commissioned by (If the choir is equally balanced for SATB sometimes over a less active “accompa-
the Central Division of scoring, it may be wise to move some niment” provided by the other voices,
the American Choral high altos to the second soprano part.) other times homorhyth-
Director’s Association for the division The solo part is for an advanced singer mically. The fourth stanza
convention’s High School Honor Choir, with a solid technique. Although the utilizes parallel fifths and
conducted by Anton Armstrong in Feb- solo is written out in full, improvisation octaves, and the sixth stan-
ruary 2008. From the same compos- is encouraged and noted in the score. za is canonic. The “lullyl-
ers’ who have given us Ain’t No Grave Finally, an excellent pianist is a must for ulley” sections are always
and John the Revelator, this is one of Caldwell and Ivory’s compositions as contrapuntal, but are not
their newest compositions.This spiritual there is much detail and finesse required difficult. Solo or soli occur(s) in the fifth
would make an excellent choice for a for some of the more difficult passages. and sixth stanzas only. The range of the
good high school choir or collegiate choral parts isn’t problematic; however,
level ensemble, and the piece could be Christine Howlett the solo part has three high a2s, all ap-
programmed in a set of spirituals, or Poughkeepsie, New York proached from below with an octave
even as an encore. leap.This occurs in a climactic reiteration
The text is based on text from the of the sixth stanza, which builds to the
book of Daniel. The piece begins with The Falcon Carol powerful ending.
a short piano introduction in g-minor. Stephen Chatman Because the meaning of the text is
The choir enters singing a syncopated, SSA Two Soprano soli, optional drum difficult to understand, few directors
homophonic passage that is used in and organ would choose to use this in a church
variation throughout the piece. Although EC Schirmer service. However, it can be used in a
we hear this rhythmic motive often, the # 7.0531 concert setting, and if the concert hap-
opening measures are not used as a $1.85 pens to be in a church where an organ is
“refrain” as one might expect. Instead, <www.ecspublishing.com> available, by all means use it. It can be an
T
Caldwell and Ivory offer energetic and enjoyable selection, with
variations on this motive he Falcon Carol is not a car- or without the optional instruments in
which keeps the music ol in the usual Christmas any performance venue.
fresh, interesting, and chal- sense.The text, sometimes
lenging. Levels of contrast called the “Corpus Christi Russell Thorngate
also play a large roll in the Carol,” refers metaphorically to the Marathon, Wisconsin
overall trajectory of the death of Christ. It is a traditional English
piece; variation in harmony, dynamics, text from c.1400. Canadian composer
and texture, and the versatility of the Chatman’s (b. 1950) setting retains
piano contribute toward the steady in- much of the medieval flavor of the
crease in intensity throughout the work. original text, especially when employing
Overall, the piece is relatively straight- an organ and “medieval drum.” In this
forward; there are no unusual key case, the organ plays a drone on D and
changes or changes in style. Much of the d, and the drum plays a continuous one-

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Contents

Annual dues (includes subscription to the Choral

ChoralJournal_Apr09 1 3/13/09 8:35 AM

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“advocacy clearinghouse” component that could help

and national levels. ACDA could focus attention on

Advocacy success stories could then be shared

In the months ahead, I plan to continue gathering

23 Convention Site Visit

Virginia High School

4 Choral Journal • April 2009

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Edward Lundergan Douglass Seaton

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—Carroll Gonzo, Editor

Joan Whittemore, CSJ

Rebuttal by Christopher Eanes

Choral Journal • April 2009 7

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O works perhaps most neglected in

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Evensong, and “wearing cassock frequently “obtaining the usual

18 Choral Journal • April 2009

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Section Birmingham Elijah final chorus Revised Elijah final chorus

Fugue, development mm. 40–95 mm. 40–112

Coda mm. 96–112: “Amen” m. 113–27: “Amen”

26 Choral Journal • April 2009