Gratitude for Singers

This post is being written in the early morning of the day after an amazing concert by The Michael O’Neal Singers.  There is no doubt the members of the chorus were tremendously  ”aided and abetted” by the excellent Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, and four outstanding vocal soloists (Katie Baughman, Heather Witt, Adam Kirkpatrick, and John LaForge), but this post is directed toward my beloved chorus.   I am filled with thankfulness today for singers who have poured their hearts and souls for the past seven weeks into the preparation of one our great choral/orchestra masterpieces, the Mass in C Major by Ludwig van Beethoven.   During the rehearsal process I have observed with appreciation as the singers have exibited a growing understanding of the music and an empathy with the intentions of the composer.   All this resulted yesterday afternoon in one of the most satisfying concerts it has ever been my privilege to conduct.  A major goal of any conductor is to be “in sync” with his or her ensemble.  I felt that connection with MOS yesterday and I am enormously grateful for the experience.

The Brilliance of Beethoven

MOS will present The Brilliance of Beethoven  at 3 PM on Sunday, February 26, with the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, one of our finest regional orchestras.  The program will consist of Symphony No. 3 (Eroica), conducted by Maestro J. Wayne Baughman, regular conductor of the JCSO, and the Mass in C Major, conducted by me.  This promises to be a thrilling afternoon of music for several reasons.  First, is the music itself.  Ludwig van Beethoven is widely recognized as one of the greatest composers of all time, and this is an opportunity to hear two of his most remarkable compositions.  Next, the JCSO and MOS have each garnered much critical acclaim for the depth and quality of their performances. This will be the first time these two ensembles have performed together.   Finally, a performance such as this would usually require a journey to downtown Atlanta, with the higher ticket prices and paid parking associated with that area.   So I invite you to come to Roswell United Methodist Church on Sunday afternoon and experience The Brilliance of Beethoven.

Valentine’s Day and Choral Music

It’s Valentine’s Day and a good time to think of romantic love.  There are many great choral pieces on the subject and I’d “love” to hear your favorites.  I’ll get the ball rolling with several of mine.

On the top of my list would be the Liebeslieder Walzer, Op. 52, and the Neue Liebeslieder Walzer, Op. 65, by Johannes Brahms.  These tributes to love, Vienna, and the Strauss waltzes are fresh everytime I hear, sing or conduct them.   Another set of songs that has become a favorite of mine in recent years is Five Hebrew Love Songs, composed by Eric Whitacre, with words by his wife, Hila Plitmann.  These are lovely pieces and you can almost “feel” in them the love between Eric and Hila.   Rene Clausen has created a beautiful setting of the Robert Burns poem, Oh My Luve’s Like a Red, Red Rose and David Dickau has done likewise with i carry your heart with me by e.e. cummings.

I could name many more, but I think I’ll let you folks contribute now.  I know there must be a lot of titles out there, for as we all know, choral musicians are a romantic bunch!

Beethoven and Suffering for Art

Ludwig van Beethoven wrote an amazing document in 1802.  It is known as the Heiligenstadt Testament and it is actually a letter addressed to his two brothers, Carl and Johann.  It was discovered among Beethoven’s papers following his death in 1827 and there is no evidence that it was ever delivered.  Still, considering the content of the document, I imagine it was a cathartic experience for Beethoven just to put the words on paper even if it was seen by no person during his lifetime.

It is heartfelt writing and comes as a result of the increasing sense of desolation felt by Beethoven as his hearing loss was growing more profound.   In this document he strove to impart the reasons for his withdrawal from society and to provide assurances that he most sincerely wished for human love and companionship.  Here are some of the words he said:

Oh you men who think or say that I am malevolent, stubborn, or misanthropic, how greatly do you wrong me.  You do not know the secret cause which makes me seem that way to you.  From childhood on, my heart and soul have been full of the tender feeling of goodwill, and I was even inclined to accomplish great things.

I was soon compelled to isolate myself, to live alone.  If at times I tried to forget all this, oh how harshly was I flung back by the doubly sad experience of my bad hearing.  Yet it was impossible for me to say to people, “Speak louder, shout, for I am deaf.”  Ah, how could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense which ought to be more perfect in me than others, a sense which I once possessed in the highest perfection…My misfortune is doubly painful to me because I am bound to be misunderstood; for me there can be no relaxation with my fellow men, no refined conversations, no mutual exchange of ideas.  I must live almost alone, like one who has been banished.

…I would have ended my life – it was only my art that held me back.  Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the world until I had brought forth all that I felt was within me.

These are but a few of the words shared by Beethoven in this remarkable document.  I encourage you to read the entire Testament (it is readily available on the internet).  It offers valuable insight into one of our greatest composers, and as many of us prepare to perform his Mass in C Major in a few short weeks, I would hope a contemplation of Beethoven’s thoughts would bring a greater empathy to our performance.