FUMC Choir

Messe de Minuit pour Noel

2008-10-31T11:09:00.000-07:00

Messe de Minuit pour Noel
Midnight Mass for Christmas based on French Carols

Marc-Antoine Charpentier was a prolific composer of both secular and sacred music and quite well known in late 17th century France. He very likely wrote this piece when he served as maître de musique (music director) of the Jesuit church of St. Louis in Paris. It was commonplace to hear secular carols both played and sung in church. Charpentier’s innovation was to compose an entire mass based on these familiar tunes.

Link to program notes by James Baldwin

Link to Charpentier bio article

Link to text and translation (scroll to bottom of page)

The latin text and attractive, singable character of this work makes it one of my favorites. I am especially looking forward to Craig Hansen’s delightful baroque organ accompaniment. This is a special convergence of both Craig’s forte with our baroque Nowak instrument. Enjoy!

I wish I could post links to recordings, but this would violate copyright laws. Here are some links to recordings you can download or purchase:

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants, Erato (2000)

David Willcocks, Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, EMI Classics (1967)

Aradia Ensemble, Kevin Mallon
Available for streaming or download on Rhapsody (free for Comcast users)
www.rhapsody.com (free trial available)

Several different performances available for download on itunes (.99 per track)

A wonderful plug-in, Scorch, makes it possible for you to follow the music on your screen while you hear and see your part. This feature works best using Internet Explorer. Click on the links in the sidebar to the right. You’ll be prompted and guided how to download Scorch. I think you’ll find these practice files especially useful.

The rehearsal schedule and general choir calendar also appear on a sidebar. Enjoy singing!

Great start!

2008-09-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

It has been great fun to be with you for two rehearsals so far. I'm excited about our year and our new identity as the New Choir.

Here's what I've learned so far:

Having your own folder, music and cubby makes everyone happy.
You can never post the schedule in enough places. It will be on the white board tomorrow!
Ray is awesome...and we need more tenors!
You all have a wonderful choral sound.
Everyone has a slightly different idea of what's fun to sing. Even me :)
We are going to be exciting and awesome for our debut on Sunday!

I have a challenge for all of you: The most successful choir recruiting I've been involved with has been when members are excited and reach out. Can you think of someone to whom you can say "Our choir at FUMC is __________ (adjective), our community is __________ (adjective), and our conductor is _________ (adjective) ! I think you would really enjoy it!"

I am very happy to make follow up contact to these people. (Hi! I'm the __________ (adjective) conductor of the FUMC choir!) Just let me know who and how to contact them.

Thanks for your musicianship and loyalty. I'll see you tomorrow night!

We're a new choir! Feedback, please.

2008-08-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

Hi Singing Friends!

This blog is for the singers in what I'm calling the New Choir and our friends and fans. The New Choir will be singing for the New 9:00 worship service. This choir will include people who love to use their voices and skills to enhance the worship atmosphere and to create community among ourselves through singing together. I envision this group to be comprised of Sanctuary Choir and Spirit Singers personnel, but also to include some people who we haven't included before, or for a while.

MISSION
In making this change, it is helpful and important to keep our mission in mind. I don't know if our music mission is articulated anywhere, but this is what I believe about our service music:

Music feeds souls
Music enhances subjects, scriptures, themes of worship
Music is inclusive of many styles, genres
Music is inclusive of our whole planet
Music includes many musicians in church community
We all strive for a high quality of music and performance
Other?

The New Choir will be singing regularly at the 9:00 service. I'm also hoping to have a New Big Choir which will sing for special services and special events--an oratorio choir similar to our Messiah choir last year.

FEEDBACK, PLEASE
As we prepare to sing and launch a new program year, I would like to ask you for some information. You can use the survey sidebars and the comments box to respond.

1. When would you like to rehearse? Tuesday or Wednesday (see sidebar)
2. How often would you like to sing in worship? (see sidebar)
3. What is the choral music that really fills your soul? It's important to me that singing in our choir feeds you spiritually and expressively. (use comments)
4. Who else could/should be singing with us? Do you know how to contact them? (use comments)
5. What should our name be? (use comments)
6. I'm willing to help with: (use comments)

publicity and marketing
recruiting
organizing choral library
social events
choosing outfits
other (please indicate)

I'm hoping that this blog can be a good way for us to discuss and communicate choral issues at FUMC. By the way (BTW in blog-speak), you don't have to even include your name or email address to use the comments. You can, and it would be helpful, but no "signing up" is required.

Our first rehearsal will be in the week of August 25. I'll be in touch with specific calendar and location information soon, hopefully after I hear from you!