Meet Our Fall 2021 Soloists

On November 21, 2021, at 3 PM ET, St. George’s Choral Society will present our fall concert in person at St. George’s Church, 7 Rutherford Place, New York, NY and via livestream. In-person and livestream tickets are available for purchase online for $30.

The concert will feature four talented soloists:

GRAMMY Award-winning soprano Sarah Brailey enjoys a versatile career that defies categorization. Praised by The New York Times for her “radiant, liquid tone,” and by Opera UK for “a sound of remarkable purity,” she is a prolific vocalist, cellist, recording artist, and educator. Sarah’s numerous career highlights include performing with Kanye West and alternative-classical vocal band Roomful of Teeth at the Hollywood Bowl, serenading the Mona Lisa with John Zorn’s Madrigals at the Louvre in Paris, and performing the role of The Soul in the world premiere recording of Dame Ethel Smyth’s The Prison, for which she received the 2020 GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. Other notable recent and upcoming projects include Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the Colorado Symphony; Julia Wolfe’s Her Story with the Lorelei Ensemble and the Boston, Chicago, Nashville, National, and San Francisco Symphony Orchestras; and John Zorn works with Barbara Hannigan at the Elbphilharmonie. Sarah is a member of Beyond Artists, a coalition of artists that donates a percentage of their concert fees to organizations they care about. Through Beyond Artists, she supports NRDC, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, and the Animal Welfare Institute. Sarah is a co-founder of Just Bach, a monthly concert series in Madison, Wisconsin, the Artistic Director of the Handel Aria Competition, and the Director of Vocal Studies at the University of Chicago. Learn more at www.sarahbrailey.com.

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Heather Petrie is “a true contralto, with a big, deep, resonant projection that can fill a hall” (New London Day) and is thrilled to be singing with the St. George's Choral Society again this season. In 2019 Heather was the second-prize winner in the Lyndon Woodside Oratorio Competition, and made her Carnegie Hall solo debut that winter with the Oratorio Society of New York. As a soloist she has appeared with the American Symphony Orchestra, Voices of Ascension, Sacred Music in a Sacred Space, and the New Orchestra of Washington. She performs frequently with the NY Philharmonic, Musica Sacra, the Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola, Musica Viva NYC, and the Cathedral Choir of Saint John the Divine. In addition to numerous operatic roles, she has been a member of the opera chorus at both Bard Summerscape and the Princeton Festival, and is currently a member of the Metropolitan Opera Extra Chorus. She holds degrees from Bard College and SUNY Purchase Conservatory. More information can be found at www.heatherpetriecontralto.com.

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Praised for his “infectious energy” (Schmopera) and "clear and robust" tenor (Opera News), Michael Kuhn is a versatile singer/actor whose career has spanned across opera, musical theater, concert, and recital repertoire. Recent highlights include Pedrillo in Die Entführung ausdem Serail with Opera Omaha, and Romano in the world premiere of Stonewall with New York City Opera at Jazz at Lincoln Center. An active performer in NYC, Michael has appeared at Carnegie Hall as the tenor soloist in Haydn’s Mariazellermesse, in two off-broadway runs of ¡Figaro 90210! at the Duke on 42nd Street, and was recently featured with the Kaufman Center in their Musical Storefronts series. In the US, Michael has performed with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Central City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Virginia Opera, The Princeton Festival, Syracuse Opera, On Site Opera, Opera in the Heights, and more. He has also made several appearances in France as a solo artist with the Festival Lyrique-en-mer. In concert repertoire, Michael has appeared as a soloist with the Omaha Symphony, Carolina Philharmonic, Cape Symphony, Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, the New York Choral Society, among others. A passionate recitalist, Michael recently debuted his self-directed and produced project in collaboration with the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) titled Nachtund Träume, a staged recital of German lieder programmed to represent a journey through a night of vivid dreaming. Next year, Michael returns to Opera Omaha as Tobias in Sweeney Todd, and reappears with On Site Opera in NYC as Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi. www.michaelkuhntenor.com

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Praised by The New York Times as having a “beautiful sound,” Filipino-American bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca performs oratorio, opera, chamber music, and recitals with repertoire from early to contemporary music both as soloist and chorister across the United States and internationally. In New York, Enrico regularly performs as soloist and chorister with the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola, Bach Choir of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Thomas Choir of Men and Boys, Musica Sacra, Cathedral Choir of St. John the Divine, Bard Festival Chorus, New York Choral Artists, TENET Vocal Artists, Clarion Music Society, and The Metropolitan Opera Chorus. Across America, Enrico performs with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale in New Mexico, Conspirare and Ensemble VIII in Austin, Texas, Skylark Vocal Ensemble and Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble in Massachusetts, Bach Collegium San Diego in California, Spire Vocal Ensemble in Kansas City, Missouri, The Thirteen in Washington D.C., and Seraphic Fire in Miami, Florida. In 2013, he was a finalist in the Das Lied International Song Competition in Berlin, Germany and in 2015 in the 24th International Vocal Arts Competition Le Centre Lyrique in Clermont-Ferrand, France. In 2019, he was selected to be a participant in the inaugural of Renee Fleming's Song Studio at Carnegie Hall. www.enricolagasca.com

Announcing our 2021-2022 Season

We are excited to announce that fall 2021 will mark a return to in-person rehearsals. We hope you can sing with us! Let us know if you will return as a singer or join for the first time. Rehearsals will begin on September 22.

In accordance with NYC Emergency Executive Order 226, all individuals rehearsing or performing with St. George’s Choral Society will be required to provide proof of vaccination. Violations can result in our organization being fined up to $2,000 per incident. Masks will be required.

Fall Concert with Orchestra
St. George’s Church, 7 Rutherford Place, New York, NY
Sunday, November 21 at 3 PM

J. S. Bach – Cantata 4, “Christ lag in Todesbanden”
Haydn – Missa in Angustiis, “Lord Nelson Mass”

Our return to in-person rehearsals and performance will be with wonderful choral repertoire. Bach’s Cantata 4 (sung in German) is scored for choir, strings, and continuo. The chamber singers (by audition) will sing this performance. The solo and duet movements will be sung by the entire choir section, a frequent performance practice. The challenges for the group will be German diction and Baroque stylistic singing. The Haydn “Lord Nelson Mass” is a stunning work, scored for strings, two trumpets, and timpani, that gives the full choir plenty of robust choruses. People love singing this piece, and audiences always enjoy it.

Spring Concert with Piano
Music of Johannes Brahms
St. George’s Church, 7 Rutherford Place, New York, NY
Sunday, May 1 at 3 PM

Brahms: Nänie, op. 82
Ein deutsches Requiem, op. 45

Brahms is a favorite of many, for good reason. This program features two of his beloved choral works with piano accompaniment. Nänie will be sung by the chamber singers, and the Requiem by the full ensemble. Brahms himself wrote the four-hand piano version, which will be used in this performance. Singers will tackle German diction along with the demands of the pieces.

Summer Choral Festival with strings and organ
Music of Gabriel Fauré
Saturday, June 18 at 7 PM
Church of the Incarnation, 209 Madison Ave, New York, NY

Ave Maria, 1871 (TTB)
Tantum ergo, op. 65, no. 2 (SSA)
Requiem, op. 48

The sweet melodic lines and rich harmonies of Fauré are appealing at all levels. Singers will enjoy fine-tuning the popular Requiem, and will be challenged by the lesser-known motets. A string quintet, with organ, will accompany this program. Rehearsals will be held at St. George’s Church, with the concert at the Church of the Incarnation.

Meet Our Dvorak Soloists

On May 1, 2021, at 7 PM ET, St. George’s Choral Society will debut our online concert featuring music of Dvorak. Tickets are available online for $10, and also allow access to the concert after the debut.

Here are our talented soloists and host:

Naomi Lewin, host, served as an announcer at WQXR in New York for six years, after cutting her radio teeth at WGUC in Cincinnati, Ohio and WKYU Bowling Green, Kentucky. At WQXR, she hosted afternoon drive-time classical music, and led debates on hot topics in the music world as host of the podcast Conducting Business. She also emceed live events – both audio and video – and produced recorded specials ranging from Stephen Foster: America’s Bard to Nutcracker Sweets. Radio audiences around the world heard her host opera broadcasts from the Glimmerglass Festival. https://www.naomilewin.com/

Soprano Elizabeth Van Os is one of New York City’s most dynamic performers, making waves not only as soloist and ensemble member but also as a co-founder of the non-profit Pleiades Project. For her efforts, opera-zine parterre noted her “striking impression,” with additional praise from Voce di Meche for her “lovely, affecting” voice and “justifiable passion.” Born Elizabeth Smith, she holds performance degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Brigham Young University in Idaho. Learn more by visiting elizabethvanos.com.

Miriam Kushel has been described as "brilliantly confident" in Opera News. She has performed as a studio artist at Sarasota Opera where she covered the roles of Elizabeth in Don Carlos and the title role of Tosca and with Opera New Jersey as cover for Magda Sorel in Menotti's The Consul. NYC appearances have included the title role of Suor Angelica with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, Chelsea Opera's On Rosenstrasse (world premier), Amela in Un Ballo in Maschera for renowned opera diva Martina Arroyo, and the world premiere of Great Expectations, in a role written for her. Miriam has performed with Glimmerglass Opera, New York Lyric Opera Theatre, Bard Summerscape, Motor City Lyric Opera, and Ohio University (as a guest artist). Past roles include Lady Billows (Albert Herring), Mrs. Grose (Turn of the Screw), Mother (Hansel and Gretel), Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Old Lady (Candide), Queen (The Goose Girl), Clara (Signor Deluso), Forrester’s Wife/Owl (Cunning Little Vixen, in Czech) and Terentia (The Beautiful Bridegroom, NY premier).

Christopher Carter, tenor, studied under Randall Scarlata and earned a performance degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. While attending graduate school at the University of Toronto, he studied with Mary Morrison. Chris has performed with the Toronto International Bach Festival (under the direction of Helmuth Rilling), the Toronto Bach Consort (Yannick Nézet-Seguin), the Festival Ensemble with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (under Peter Ouindjian). Chris has performed and toured throughout southern Germany singing Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” with the Festival Ensemble Stuttgart, under the direction of Helmuth Rilling. In the same year, as a member of the Choir of St. James Cathedral (Toronto), he was a performance soloist at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa. Chris has also been an active singer in the New York City metro area for 12 years, performing at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Trinity Wall Street, and Bard College.As a professional chorister, Chris has been a member of St. Bartholomew’s Choir since 2010.

Praised by The New York Times as having a “beautiful sound,” Filipino-American bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca performs oratorio, opera, chamber music, and recitals with repertoire from early to contemporary music both as soloist and chorister across the United States and internationally. In New York, Enrico regularly performs as soloist and chorister with the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola, Bach Choir of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Thomas Choir of Men and Boys, Musica Sacra, Cathedral Choir of St. John the Divine, Bard Festival Chorus, New York Choral Artists, TENET Vocal Artists, Clarion Music Society, and The Metropolitan Opera Chorus. Across America, Enrico performs with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale in New Mexico, Conspirare and Ensemble VIII in Austin, Texas, Skylark Vocal Ensemble and Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble in Massachusetts, Bach Collegium San Diego in California, Spire Vocal Ensemble in Kansas City, Missouri, The Thirteen in Washington D.C., and Seraphic Fire in Miami, Florida. In 2013, he was a finalist in the Das Lied International Song Competition in Berlin, Germany and in 2015 in the 24th International Vocal Arts Competition Le Centre Lyrique in Clermont-Ferrand, France. In 2019, he was selected to be a participant in the inaugural of Renee Fleming's Song Studio at Carnegie Hall.

Notes on Missa Brevis

On November 21 at 7 PM, St. George’s Choral Society will present our first live-streamed concert, a performance of the newly commissioned Missa Brevis. Tickets for the live stream are now available. Here, composer Phillip Martin gives insight into his work.

Andrew Spina, © 2020

In the Baroque era, a movement of a composition was expected to arouse a single emotion in the listener. Contrast existed between movements but, by design, seldom within a movement. The Classical era changed that. Contrast became crucial to musical narrative, and this was achieved through contrasting themes and the interplay between them. Missa Brevis follows the Classical tradition in focusing on contrast. However, rather than use themes as the element of contrast it uses musical styles.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

The first Kyrie begins in the minimalist style. Soloists sing the Kyrie theme, a medieval chant, over soft taps in the timpani and an airy, sustained high G in the cello. Slowly, the style begins to change. The choir enters, one voice at a time. Then instruments of the orchestra begin to enter. Soon, the piece has morphed from a minimalist chant into a full-blown Baroque choral fugue. The minimalist style returns briefly, with the choir taking up the timpani’s taps from the beginning of the movement. But this time we hear the two styles combined, as the orchestra simultaneously continues the fugue. The movement builds to a dissonant final chord. When the chord drops away, a single high note in the cello remains. The cello then slowly descends to begin the Christe.

The Christe conflates three traditional forms. First, it is a passacaglia. The cello states an eight-measure theme, which is then repeated 14 times, serving as the bass line for the movement. It is also a ritornello form. A ritornello theme, played by the oboe, appears before each entrance of the soloists. Finally, as is the case in many traditional masses, the Christe follows the form of an operatic love duet. The soprano sings the first verse alone, the alto sings the second verse, then the two sing together for the third. The movement concludes with a fourth verse, in which the oboe joins the singers, playing the ritornello theme as a counterpoint to their lines.

In many masses, the Kyrie repeats after the Christe. In this mass, the Kyrie theme returns, but it is treated differently, incorporating yet another musical style: the Lutheran chorale. In 1831, in the midst of a cholera epidemic in Berlin, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel wrote her Cholera Cantata to commemorate the epidemic’s victims. The cantata incorporated the Bach chorale “O Traurigkeit, O Herzeleid.” As a nod to a composer working in similar circumstances, this second Kyrie utilizes the same chorale. The movement begins with a new fugue, based on the same theme as in Kyrie I. The choir then introduces the chorale. The music continues with another fugue, using both the chorale theme and the Kyrie theme combined. Finally, the chorale returns in its original form, sung by the choir and superimposed over the fugue the soloists sang at the movement’s beginning. The movement builds to a final climax, then concludes with a return to the minimalist texture that began Kyrie I, fading away to the lone high G in the cello and soft taps in the timpani.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The Sanctus offers a respite from the drama and complexity of the Kyrie, utilizing yet another musical style from the Romantic era. This movement would feel quite at home in a 19th-century oratorio. The Hosanna is a lively, playful movement. It combines the feel of a traditional scherzo with a technique from the ars antiqua of the 13th century: hocketing. The word “hosanna” bounces from voice to voice, with one voice beginning the word and another ending it. The instruments of the orchestra employ a similar technique, one instrument beginning an idea and another taking it over.

The Benedictus is similar in style to the Christe. It is also an aria in ritornello form—this time for solo bass. The ritornello theme is played first by the flute, then by the violin.

The Hosanna is then repeated. But this time the timpani joins the fun. The movement is extended by a brief coda.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace.

In the Agnus Dei, we return to the minimalist style that began the mass. An almost inaudible timpani roll and a low sustained note from the double bass act as a drone while the tenor, then the soprano, chant the Agnus Dei theme. In the middle section, the usual roles of the orchestra and choir are reversed. The orchestra plays the thematic material, and the choir accompanies it with an ostinato. This ostinato incorporates a technique from the 14th century: isorhythms. Each voice sings a repeated pattern, but the patterns overlap. This results in the voices becoming out of phase with each other, with accents in one voice no longer coinciding with accents in another.

The mass ends with the Dona Nobis Pacem (“Grant us thy peace”), built from a theme we heard briefly at the end of the first section of the Agnus Dei. The choir alternately ascends, then drops back. Each time, it extends higher, as if slowly but persistently reaching toward heaven. The line concludes with a long, sustained “pacem” over shimmering strings as the solo violin takes over the ascent, carrying the music slowly and peacefully into the stratosphere.

Meet our Fall 2020 Artists

Our Fall 2021 concert is like no other we’ve presented before. Soloists and chamber ensemble will be live on stage, amply spaced. Choir members will be seen by the audience via screen as a part of the multimedia performance, merging live and pre-recorded sections. Tickets for the live stream are now available.

The piece is one commissioned by St. George’s Choral Society—Phillip Martin’s Missa Brevis.

Meet the composer and the four soloists who will premiere this exciting new composition:

Phillip Martin

Phillip Martin studied composition at the University of Michigan with Leslie Bassett and William Albright and at the University of Denver with Normand Lockwood. His music strives to build on traditions of the past, interpreting these traditions in modern, inventive ways. Martin served as composer-in-residence for Hartford Opera Theater (HOT), which presented two of his operas at their annual New in November festival. HOT also premiered his opera Tom Sawyer at the Mark Twain House as part of their centennial commemoration of Mark Twain’s death. Martin “has a masterful way with music, which tends to build intense feelings and draw the listener into the drama of opera.” (Hartford Courant) Martin also writes chamber music (particularly for cello and piano), choral music, and film scores. Originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, Martin now lives in Scarsdale, New York. He served as Chief Technology Officer of the hedge fund Gargoyle Group and has recently joined Fortium Partners, which provides on-demand technology leadership.

Meg Dudley

Hailed for her “sparkling voice” (Opera News) and “full-toned soprano” (New York Classical Review), Meg Dudley has established herself as a versatile vocal artist in a variety of genres. Recently, Ms. Dudley has been a featured soloist in Carnegie Hall (Dan Forrest’s Lux, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Haydn’s Mass in the Time of War and Lord Nelson Mass), in Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall (Vaughan William’s Mass in G Minor and Leonardo Leo’s Magnificat), with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Debussy’s Nocturnes), and A Far Cry Chamber Orchestra (Kareem Roustom’s Hurry to the Light). A highly sought-after ensemble singer, Ms. Dudley works regularly with the Lorelei Ensemble (core member since 2017), Conspirare, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, The Crossing, the New York Philharmonic, the American Classical Orchestra, Oregon Bach Festival’s Berwick Chorus, and the Bard Festival Singers. Ms. Dudley holds a BM from the University of Denver and a MM from Mannes School of Music.

Heather Petrie

Hailed as “a true contralto, with a big, deep, resonant projection that can fill a hall,” (New London Day) Heather Petrie is a familiar voice throughout the Northeast. In 2019 she was the second prize winner in the Lyndon Woodside Oratorio Competition, and made her Carnegie Hall solo debut in Handel's Messiah with the New York Oratorio Society.  As a soloist she has appeared with the American Symphony Orchestra, Voices of Ascension, Sacred Music in a Sacred Space, and the New Orchestra of Washington.  She performs frequently with the NY Philharmonic, Musica Sacra, the Choir of St Ignatius Loyola, and the Cathedral Choir of Saint John the Divine. In addition to numerous operatic roles, she has been a member of the opera chorus at both Bard Summerscape and the Princeton Festival, and is currently a member of the Metropolitan Opera Extra Chorus.  She holds degrees from Bard College and SUNY Purchase Conservatory. More information can be found at www.heatherpetriecontralto.com  

John Ramseyer

Known for his warm, silky tone, tenor John Ramseyer is a New York City-based performer of operatic, concert, and sacred works. Well-versed in operatic repertoire spanning the eras, Mr. Ramseyer has performed leading roles with The Bronx Opera Company, Apotheosis Opera, Resonanz Opera, Christman Opera Company, The Midwest Institute of Opera, and many others. As a concert soloist, Ramseyer has collaborated with many of New York’s finest ensembles, including the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the American Classical Orchestra, and Camerata New York. The Illinois native has toured the United States and Europe with the Grammy-nominated Clarion Choir and the English Concert, under the baton of Harry Bicket. With the Clarion Choir, he will be the featured tenor soloist on an upcoming release of Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil. Ramseyer holds a master’s degree from Mannes School of Music.

Jonathan Woody

Bass-baritone Jonathan Woody is an active performer of early and new music in NYC and across North America. He has performed as a soloist with historically-informed orchestras such as Tafelmusik, Apollo’s Fire, Boston Early Music Festival, Washington Bach Consort, and New York Baroque Incorporated. He sings regularly with many ensembles, including the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, the Clarion Music Society, and TENET Vocal Artists. Jonathan is also immersed in the world of new music and has premiered several major works, including Ellen Reid's p r i s m, Ted Hearne's The Source, and Du Yun’s Angel’s Bone. In the last few years he has also been commissioned as a composer and has written for Lorelei Ensemble, Cathedral Choral Society of Washington DC, Handel & Haydn Society, and the Uncommon Music Festival of Sitka, Alaska.

Answering Your Questions about Our Fall 2020 Multimedia Concert

On September 3, St. George’s Choral Society hosted a Zoom social hour as a meet and greet for members and to answer questions about our Fall 2020 multimedia concert. Here is a recording of the session for those who could not attend:

We also recommend reading a new Vocal Area Network feature on our fall plans.

Want to participate? Let us know by filling out this online form.

Exciting Plans for Fall 2020

St. George's Choral Society is pleased to announce our Fall 2020 concert: a commissioned multimedia mass for choir, soloists, and chamber ensemble:

Fall Concert with Chamber Ensemble
Saturday, November 21 at 7:00 PM
Live streamed and at St. George’s Church, Stuyvesant Square

Phillip Martin - Mass (sung in Latin)

Rehearsals begin September 9. Interested in singing? Fill out this form to let us know.

About the piece

• This setting of the ordinary of the mass is for the current time—particularly for situations hampered by social distancing requirements. It is scored for chorus, four soloists, and seven instruments.

• The mass consists of three movements of the Mass Ordinary: the Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. Embedded in the Kyrie is the chorale “O Traurigkeit, O Herzeleid,” a nod to Fanny Hensel’s “Cholera Cantata.” Hensel wrote this cantata as a response to the 1831 cholera epidemic in Berlin and included this chorale in the sixth movement.

• American composer Phillip Martin studied composition with Leslie Bassett, William Albright, and Norman Lockwood. He has written operas, chamber music, scores for independent films and choral music.

About the rehearsals

• All choir rehearsals via Zoom.

• Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings, 7:00-8:30 PM ET, beginning September 9.

• New member auditions (to confirm voice part) are Sept 9 or 16. All new members are welcome from all geographical areas. Schedule an audition or let us know you will return to the choir this fall by filling out this online form.

• Choir members learn their parts in rehearsals, and then record their individual parts (clear instructions on recording are part of the rehearsal process).

• A sound engineer will edit the recordings and merge them.

• Recording will be a combination of sound and video so that your face will appear on screen during the concert (with options for those who prefer not to be seen).

• Dues are $120 for this concert, plus four mandatory ticket sales at a special member price of $15 each. PDF of scores included.

About the concert

• The concert will be live streamed, with optional attendance for a limited number (as allowed by public health guidelines). Online and in-person tickets will be $20.

• Soloists and chamber ensemble will be live on stage, amply spaced.

• Members will not be live on stage, but will be seen by the audience via screen as a part of the multimedia performance (merging live and pre-recorded sections).

• A camera and sound crew will be on site, presenting the multimedia performance.

A Message from our Artistic Director

St. George's Choral Society is staying the course.

Like many groups, we are doing what we can to keep our members engaged and connected, while dealing with the realities around us. 

Our Spring Concert, originally scheduled for May 2, is postponed but not canceled. We hope to present Brahms' "Nänie" and Schumann's "Pilgrimage of the Rose" on Saturday, June 13, in place of the originally planned Summer Choral Festival. Of course, the COVID-19 situation changes from day to day. We will keep everyone updated if these plans change.

Meanwhile, Choral Society members have been attending rehearsals via GoToMeeting. It's a lot of fun (much laughter), and even includes some music and rehearsing. 

If you are interested in joining us to sing Brahms and Schumann, please email info@stgeorgeschoralsociety.org.

Stay well and be safe,

Matthew Lewis
Artistic Director

Notes on Elijah

© ANDREW SPINA 2019

On November 20 at 7 PM, we will perform Mendelssohn’s Elijah at St. George’s Church in Stuyvesant Square. Tickets are on sale now!

Want to learn more before the concert? Here are our program notes:

In 1845 the Birmingham Festival committee wrote to Mendelssohn asking him to write a new oratorio for the 1846 Festival. He wrote back accepting the new commission, adding, “Since some time I have begun an oratorio and hope I shall be able to bring it out for the first time at your Festival; but it is still a mere beginning and I cannot yet give you any promise as to my finishing it in time.” He returned to Elijah, a project he began about a decade earlier, with renewed enthusiasm.

The first performance, conducted by Mendelssohn, took place on August 26, 1846 before an audience of two thousand packed into Birmingham Town Hall for the eagerly awaited event. It was an unprecedented success. Mendelssohn recounted the experience in a letter to his brother: “No work of mine went so admirably the first time of execution, or was received with such enthusiasm by both the musicians and the audience.” It was without doubt the crowning glory of Mendelssohn’s spectacularly successful career, but tragically it was to prove his last major triumph. A lifetime of overwork now brought rapidly failing health, and when his beloved sister Fanny unexpectedly died, he never recovered from the shock. He died on November 4, 1847.

Structurally the work is clearly influenced by the choral masterpieces of Bach and Handel, but its highly dramatic style, at times bordering on the operatic, constitutes a significant step forward from its Baroque predecessors. Elijah has many other outstanding qualities: the imaginative orchestration, the spontaneity and energy of the counterpoint, the variety which Mendelssohn brings to the recitatives to ensure that they always maintain the dramatic impetus, and the sheer beauty of many of the arias and choruses. Above all, there is no mistaking the work’s considerable dramatic impact, epitomized by the vivid characterization of Elijah himself.

The story of Elijah comes from 1 Kings 17:19 and 2 Kings 2:1. As recounted in the oratorio, Elijah prophesies that as punishment for worshiping the god Baal under King Ahab, God will bring about a drought to Israel. Ahab blames the drought on Elijah, but Elijah states that it is the fault of Baal worship. The drought ends when Elijah prays to God, who first brings forth a fire for their sacrifice and then rain to end the drought. In the second part of the oratorio, Queen Jezebel demands the death of Elijah, who flees. Angels comfort him in the desert, and he returns to Israel until he is carried to heaven in a fiery chariot.

Adapted from John Bawden’s Choral Programme Notes and from the NY Philharmonic notes from November 2010.

What's so great about Mendelssohn's Elijah?

© ANDREW SPINA 2019

On November 20 at 7 PM, we will perform Mendelssohn’s Elijah at St. George’s Church in Stuyvesant Square. Ahead of this performance, we checked in with Artistic Director Matthew Lewis to see what he likes best about the piece. Here are his favorite moments:

- The beginning of the piece is unusual. It begins with a recitative, followed by an orchestral overture. The chorus makes a stunning and dramatic entrance, crying "Help, Lord!" It's a powerful start to the piece.

- The Angels octet is stunning, and that happens early in the oratorio. Mendelssohn had written this "motet" previously, and incorporated it into Elijah. It's one of the most beautiful movements.

- I think a memorable highlight of the piece is the standoff between Elijah and the prophets of Ba'al. The Ba'al choruses are so exciting! And, Mendelssohn has a great sense of humor in setting Elijah's mocking response to their "no show" god.

- I have to admit, my favorite parts are the big choruses. "Thanks be to God," at the conclusion of Part 1, and "Be not afraid," at the beginning of Part 2—amazing! And, so fun to sing and to hear.

Come hear these highlights, and decide your favorite parts of this grand work. Tickets are on sale now.