Monday Evening, February 15, 2016, at 7:00Isaac Stern Auditorium / Ronald O. Perelman Stage
Changing Lives through the Power of Performance
Iris Derke, Co-Founder and General DirectorJonathan Griffith, Co-Founder and Artistic Director
presents
Mozart Mealor Martin: Music of Joy And Sorrow
Distinguished Concerts OrchestraDistinguished Concerts Singers International
THE MUSIC OF JOSEPH MARTIN JOSEPH MARTIN, Composer/Conductor
Shout to God The Homecoming E Pluribus Unum If My People A Gathering of Spirituals Who Are the Brave? IRVING BERLIN God Bless America arr. Joseph Martin
Brief Pause
PLEASE SWITCH OFF YOUR CELL PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES.
THE MUSIC OF PAUL MEALORJAMES JORDAN, DCINY Guest Conductor
PAUL MEALOR, DCINY Composer-in-Residence
Stabat Mater PENELOPE SHUMATE, Soprano
Jubilate Deo (World Premiere)
Intermission
WOLFGANG AMADEUS Requiem Mass in D Minor, K.626 MOZART I. Requiem II. Dies irae III. Tuba mirum IV. Rex tremendae V. Recordare VI. Confutatis VII. Lacrimosa VIII. Domine Jesu IX. Hostias X. Sanctus XI. Benedictus XII. Agnus Dei VANCE GEORGE, Conductor Laureate PENELOPE SHUMATE, Soprano KRYSTY SWANN, Mezzo-soprano YOUNGBAE YANG, Tenor JEREMY MILNER, Bass-baritone
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Notes ON THE PROGRAMThe Music of JOSEPH MARTIN (b. 1959)Notes by Joseph Martin
Based on the words of Psalm 100, thisbrief text exhorts the sanctuary to pro-claim the glory of God with loudshouts of praise and worship. Theopening theme is sharply syncopated,creating a spirit of joyful abandon. Themiddle section incorporates a choral
ostinato that invites instruments to jointhe voices in a festive crescendo ofthanksgiving. This jubilant cacophonysurrenders to the restatement of theopening theme and drives unrelentinglyto a climactic conclusion.
JOSEPH MARTIN Shout To God Text by J. Paul Williams
The text of this choral tone poem isexcerpted from a poem by AbrahamLincoln, the 16th president of theUnited States. Completed in 1864, thispoem is a deeply emotional work writ-ten following Lincolns visit to hischildhood home. In the poem hereflects upon his memories of the place
and the ideas of home, family, life anddeath. Incorporated into the music fab-ric of piece are the traditional folktunes, Happy Land, Bound For thePromised Land and Dvoraks celebrat-ed theme from the New World com-monly known as Goin Home.
JOSEPH MARTIN The Homecoming Text by Abraham Lincoln
Energetic and rhythmic in characterthis driving choral song is based on thephrase aping on the seal of the UnitedStates of America. The translation forthis phrase from the Latin is Out ofMany, One. This phrase traditionallywas representative of the many statescoming together as one nation, but anexpanded interpretation in recent years
has added the concepts of the Americanmelting pot. In this usage the phrasesuggests that out of many peoples,races, religions, languages, and ances-tries we have evolved into a single peo-ple and nation. The contrasting middlesection borrows ideas from the book ofProverbs. How good and pleasantwhen people dwell in unity.
JOSEPH MARTIN E Pluribus UnumText by Joseph Martin
This lush and expressive anthem is asetting of a celebrated Bible passage,which at its core is a call to righteous-ness. Originally framed as promise tothe people of Israel, it has been anencouragement to nations who, in
times of trail and distress, pray forrestoration and healing. A favorite pas-sage of presidents, Ronald Reagan tookthe oath of office with his mothersBible opened to this passage.
JOSEPH MARTIN If My PeopleText from II Chronicles 7:14
This joyful gallery of well-known spiri-tuals will set toes to tapping and heartssoaring. An extended orchestral flour-ish opens the set before delivering thepiece to the choir for a robust and con-
fident rendition of Great Day,Somebodys Knockin At My Door, andMy Lord, What a Morning. This jubi-lant trio of songs is a celebration ofhope and a confident testimony of faith.
JOSEPH MARTIN A Gathering of Spirituals(based on traditional spirituals)
Lyricist J. Paul Williams wrote his mostrecognized text as an homage to a long-time friend whose life and work hadinspired him. In this patriotic paean, hereminds us all of the true nature ofbravery and heroism. Joined with anoble theme and a musical setting ofalmost military dignity, this powerfulanthem has been performed for manynational gatherings including the 50th
anniversary of the Normandy landingand most recently at the dedication ofthe Pentagon Memorial in Washington,DC. After Mr. Williams passing, theflags were flown at half-staff over theAmerican headquarters in Afghanistanin recognition of the power and dignityof his timeless testimony to those whogive their lives in the service of others.
JOSEPH MARTIN Who Are the Brave? Text by J. Paul Williams
God Bless America is one of ournational treasures, and one of the mostrecognizable patriotic songs of all time.Irving Berlin composed the piece in1918, but revised it in 1938 whenfamed vocalist Kate Smith recorded it.The song became a powerful encour-agement for the nation during WorldWar II. Taking the form of a prayer, the
inspiring text asks for a blessing ofpeace upon the nation while celebrat-ing the beauty and grandeur ofAmerica. Irving Berlin generouslydonated royalties for the song to TheBoy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America.
All orchestrations by Dr. Brant Adams
IRVING BERLIN God Bless AmericaMusic and Text by Irving BerlinArrangement by Joseph Martin
The thirteenth century Roman Catholicsequence, Stabat Mater (The mourn-ful mother was standing), attributedto Pope Innocent III and Jacopone daTodi, is a powerful and immediatemeditation upon the sufferings of theBlessed Virgin Mary during the cruci-fixion of Christ. As he hangs, dying onthe cross, she shares his agony and hispain; however, the poem is also anoffering of hope hope that, throughthe sacrifice of Christ, we may all befree of suffering.
Divided into four sections (that are tobe performed attacca without abreak), my setting of this powerful andmoving poem attempts to portray thejourney from darkness, despair andsuffering to light, rest and final, ever-lasting peace.
My composition is constructed in anarch-shaped design with material beingmirrored, stratified and transposedthroughout. The first section is a prel-ude that is built upon a fragment of theplainsong, Ave maris stella (Hail Star ofthe Sea, nurturing Mother of God). Theplainsong is never explicitly revealed,but colors the harmony. As the move-
ment comes towards a natural close,the music gently transforms into a lyri-cal elegy a solo soprano offers upprayers of hope and, for the first time,the orchestra enters, playing soft arpeg-gios (in my mind representing incense a physical aid to prayer).
The third section is a kind of pas-sacaglia with a number of themes over-lapping, interweaving and commentingupon each other in a whirlwind ofchoral and pianistic virtuosity. Thisthen gives way to the final section, amusical summing-up of the entirepiece. Material from all three previousmovements is brought back in differingguises until
