North Dakota State University Concert ChoirEdwin Fissinger, Director

1982 and 1983

TraTransitnsition ion from Putnam to Reineke

Tour recordings from 1982 and1983

from Putnam to

North Dakota State University Concert Choir Edwin Fissinger

Reineke

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Exultate Deo PalestrinaQuem Vidistis Pastores A. GabrieliKomm, Jesu, Komm J.S. BachThis Summer and Last KaderavekSet me as a Seal Fissinger Vickie Theige, sopranoRondes RabeGo Down Death Scott Joseph Staples, baritone Linda Hansen, PercussionThree Sacred Pieces FissingerFour Christmas Vignettes Fissinger

Sicut Cervus PalestrinaO Admirabile Commercium HandlDer Gerechte J.C. BachLobet den Herrn, alle Heiden J.S. BachLux Aeterna Fissinger Joseph Staple, baritone Annette Flegel, sopranoConsecrate the Place and Day FissingerThy Word Is a Lantern Sowerby Unto My FeetJesus and the Traders KodalySpring Grass KreutzMorning Trumpet arr Fissinger Joseph Staples, baritoneOriginal analog recordings from sessions at

Lutheran Church of the Good ShepherdMoorhead, Minnesota. Doug Geston, Audio Engineer.Digital Re-mastering by The Brookwood StudioAnn Arbor, Michigan August, 2009David Lau, EngineerCD Produced by Alan Young , Ypsilanti, MichiganBooklet editing by Annette Flegel Anfinrud. Rockville, MdThis release is dedicated to the memory of NDSU Choir members Cindy Froeschle, 1981 and 1982and Daniel Steckler, 1980-1984

The North Dakota State University Concert Choir

Edwin Fissinger, Director

CD 1Selections from the1982 Spring Tour

CD 2Selections from the1983 Spring Tour

SOPRANO*Annette Flegel - HazeltonCindy Froeschle - Bismarck Lynn Froeschle - Bismarck*Joline Halvorson - RugbyLinda Hansen - Detroit Lakes, MN*Tamara Hatlie - West Fargo*Mary Pat Hellman - BismarckShirley Leiphon - Devils LakeSusan Loh - RegentDeborah Schultz - MinotSandy Swift - Glen Ullin*Vickie Theige - Harvey

ALTO*Shelley A. Anderson - CliffordBarbara Burke - Grand ForksConnie Burkhart - West FargoGlenda Cermak - MandanKaren Gratz - MottKristin Kistner - Fargo*Rachel Neumann - Maddock*Sandra Richmond - Devils Lake*Bonnie Slotsve - MinotBobbie Staveteig - ThompsonTamara Varner – Wheaton, MNLori J. Wiest - Wishek

1982 North Dakota State University

Concert Choir Edwin Fissinger, Director

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PRODUCER MUSINGS

It is a crisp fall afternoon-under a clear bright blue North Dakota sky, the leaves are crunching under my feet as I approach that old Carnegie Library where a small but dedicated music department is crammed into 16 rooms (Including practice rooms and 7 faculty offices and 1 Echo Chamber). I make my way up the stairs between and past the two large exterior pillars... through the doorway now...a brave tenor is singing an aria from La Traviata...and is echoing from downstairs and the immediate left. As I look upwards a small number of students are gathered around the two old church pews against the wall at the top of the stairs...Suddenly a small man-balding, with a beard-walks briskly toward the water fountain, he drinks it in as he breaks from one of many lessons he has already taught on this beautiful day but is ready for more...slowly but steadily the small group of students has grown and many, including myself, are now moving into the large room to the left. I enter and make my way to the top row slightly to the left of the middle and take a seat. Others come in the door and turn left and grab their brown folders...I have mine with me as It never leaves my possession. I guard it's contents as the un-mined gold that it is...

Then a Man enters. If you notice he has a limp -even a false leg, but the Man never mentions it...He proceeds to the piano as the rest of the people make their way to the chairs on the creaking wood risers set against the south wall....One student grabs The Man's ear and explains some strange story. The Man's eyes are curious but not convinced. A slight smirk of a smile is quickly corrected as his countenance firms....The choir members have now all reached their seats, a gentle excited murmur is suddenly overtaken by a crisp D major chord. The Man says "Pure round O".....Immediately and in unison the entire murmur becomes one solid soaring sound as the D is held and the piano thunders down ...D major, b minor, G major, e minor, and finally a suspended 4th resolving to the original D major chord....from there I hear many beautiful sounds from Palestrina to Bach to Brahms...each note, each phrase, blended and sung with passion and direction....I am with my friends from so long ago but just like yesterday.....

CD Producer- Alan Young NDSU Choir President 1981 Pg. 19

CD2Track 4Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden J.S.Bach (d.1685) O Praise the Lord all ye nations; praise him, all ye peoples. For his merciful kindness is great towards us; and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Alleluia

Of Bach's six motets, this is the only one in four parts. In addition, it is the only one without anyelements of the choral. Bach scholars conjecture,because of it's archaic style, that it was writtenbefore 1723. Furthermore, there are some whothat this motet is a fragment from a lostcantata. In regard to form, there are two mainsections plus the concluding Alleluia.

Track 7Lux Aeterna Edwin Fissinger (d 1990) May light eternal shine upon them, O Lord. With thy saints forever, because Thou art merciful. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace . Amen.

Based upon the text from the Communion of theRequiem Mass, this work was composed to honorthe memory of Phil and Dodie Mark. Severalphrases from the Gregorian Mass are employed bythe composer. The Requiescant in Pace, which forms the concluding section, is not part of the Communion text, but was included because underthe circumstances it seemed entirely appropriate. Soloists,Joseph Staples Annette Flegel

Track 5Consecrate the Place and Day Edwin Fissinger (d.1990)This piece, a setting of a poem by Joseph Addison,was composed for the dedication of the new MusicEducation Center at North Dakota State University.

Track 6Morning Trumpet arr. Edwin FissingerSoloist, Joseph Staples

Track 8Thy Word is a Lantern Leo Sowerby Unto my Feet (d.1968)

Leo Sowerby, who was the first American composer to be awarded the Prix de Rome, was aprolific twentieth century composer. Thisexpressive anthem was composed as a tributeto the memory of President Kennedy in 1964. It is apersonal creative utterance in which the composer's melodic and harmonic characteristicsare evident on every page

Track 9Jesus and the Traders Zoltan Kodaly (d. 1967)Kodaly is considered to have been one of the mostinfluential musicians and music educators inHungary. This is one of his best known and mostdramatic works. It dates from the middle 1930's

Track 10Spring Grass Robert Kreutz (d.1996)Robert Kreutz dedicated this brilliant setting ofthe Carl Sandburg poem to the NDSU Concert Choir which has performed several of his choral works. Mr. Kreutz, a resident of Denver, receivedhis early training at the American Conservatory of Music. He has contributed substantially tochoral literature

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TENORJoel Beyer - BottineauJeffery Grieve - BuffaloGreg Hellman - MandanDavid Henry – Staples, MNDuane Hoff – Crookston, MN*Sam Iwen - ArthurAanders Jackson – Fosston, MN*Charles Morse - WheatlandRussell Peterson - Hankinson*Dan Steckler - Glen Ullin *Alan Young - Grand ForksThomas Young - Grand Forks

BASS*Thomas Berg – Mazeppa, MN*Dan Berger- Renville, MNDouglas Evanson - New RockfordDan Fandrich – Glenville, MN*Rich Fitzer – Luverne, MN*Todd Grove – Climax, MNWesley Hellman - MandanEric Hofmann - MedinaTroy-Johnson – Glencoe, MNCraig A. Knudson - Jamestown*Galen J. Mack - OrrinJoseph Staples - West FargoDavid Swift- Herman, MN

PRESIDENT, Galen MackBUSINESS MANAGER, Rich FitzerSECRETARY-TREASURER, Annette Flegel

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SOPRANOJoanne Aaser – Worthington, MNMarybeth Berggren – Wayzetta, MN*Annette Flegel - HazeltonLynn Froeschle - BismarckJulie Haberer - Elbow Lake, MN*Tamara Hatlie - West Fargo*Mary Pat Hellman - BismarckSusan Houge – Hendrum, MN*Shirley Leiphon - Devils LakeSusan Loh - RegentSandy Swift - Glen Ullin*Vickie Theige - Harvey

TENOR*Joel Beyer - BottineauDavid Burke - Grand ForksJeffery Grieve - BuffaloDavid Henry – Staples, MNDuane Hoff - Crookston, MN*Samuel Iwen - ArthurLoren Janke - GackleBrad R . Kelley - Dawson, MN*Charles Morse - WheatlandRussell Peterson - Hankinson*Dan Steckler - Glen Ullin *Thomas Young - Grand Forks

PRESIDENT, Rich FitzerBUSINESS MANAGER, Daniel StecklerSECRETARY-TREASURER, Susan Loh

1983 North Dakota State University Concert Choir

Edwin Fissinger, Director

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Track 6 Rondes Folke RabeThis Swedish composer has with this work produced a fascinating experiment with a variety of sounds not normally associated with choral music.

Track 7 Go Down Death Tom Scott

Based on a traditional chant from the Georgia Sea Islands, this choral work creates an intense,compelling mood. It is traceable directly to the primitive chants of darkest Africa and in itsAmerican form shows a strange mixtures of African paganism and the Christianity of the New World.

Soloist, Joseph Staples

Tracks 8, 9, 10Three Sacred Pieces Edwin Fissinger (d 1990)Joyfully, Let Praises RingOf the Father's Love Begotten Adoro Te Devote

Tracks 11, 12, 13, 14Four Christmas Vignettes Edwin Fissinger (d.1990)Christmas FestivalRecipeMadonna and ChildChristmas Greeting

CD 2Track 1Sicut Cervus Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (d.1594)

As the deer pants for the fountains of water, so my soul longs after thee, O God

This motet, a setting of the tract for Holy Saturday exemplifies the graceful, well-balanced style of Palestrina, one of the masters of the Renaissance

Track 2O Admirabile Commercium Jacob Handl (d.1591)

O wondrous fellowship, the creator of the human race, taking unto himself a living body, deigns to be born of a Virgin, and becoming man from no human generation hath bestowed upon us his divinity.

Handl, who was also know by his Latinized formof his name Gallus, was a master of the Venetianpolychoral style of which this motet is representative.

Track 3Der Gerechte Johann Christoph Bach (d.1703)

Thought the righteous comes to die before his time, he is still in peace. God is pleased with him and loves him well: and is taken away never again to live among sinners. Quickly, he is taken so the wickedness of the world never shall change him, nor false teaching cause his soul to be troubled. Soon his life is ended, thus the years find fulfillment. For God is pleased with his soul and right well; therefore God hastens with him from the evil life.

Johann Christoph Bach is an older member of the illustrious Bach family. He was an organist andcomposer of some stature. His two best known works are the present motet and “Ich lasse dich nicht,” an impressive motet in eight parts.

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ALTO*Shelley A. Anderson - CliffordBarbara Burke - Grand ForksConnie Burkhart - West FargoGlenda Cermak - MandanSonia Einerson - FargoKaren Gratz - MottDeborah Halland - BuffaloKristin M Kistner - FargoLouise Tegtmeier - CrystalDenise Wamre – Hawley, MN*Lori J. Wiest - Wishek

BASS*Thomas Berg – Mazeppa, MN*Douglas Evanson - New RockfordThomas Eversman – Dawson, MNDan Fandrich – Glenville, MN*Rich Fitzer – Luverne, MNBrent Helleckson - Elbow Lake, MNTry-Johnson – Glencoe, MNMonte S. Kaelberer - New SalemCraig A. Knudson - Jamestown*Galen J. Mack - OrrinRichard Rucks - Sauk Centre, MNPatrick Schultz - Glasgow, Mt*Joseph Staples - West FargoDavid Swift – Herman, MN

*Madrigal Singers

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CD-1Track 1Exultate Deo- Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (d.1594) Exalt in God our helper Rejoice in God of Jacob Take the psalms and give the drums Play joyful psalms on the cythara Blow on the horns on the significant day of your solemnity.

The music of this late Renaissance master is the essence of refinement in its attention to beautifully sculpted line,balance in rhythm, and careful use of dissonance. The present piece,in five parts is a good example of this composer's style

Track 3Komm, Jesu, Komm J.S. Bach (d.1685)

Come, Jesus, come, my body is weary. The strength is dwindling more and more. I long for your peace. The bitter path is becoming exhausting for me. Come, come, I will surrender myself to you. Therefore I commend myself into your hands and tell the world goodnight! Although my life path hurries to it's end, the soul is yet in good keeping. It will hover around its creator, for Jesus is and remains the true way of life.

J.S. Bach represents the culmination of Germanmusic at the height of the Baroque. His mastery of allforms of his time is truly amazing. The present workis the most introspective of Bach's motets. There aresix sections with a final homophonic aria. The aria exudes a spirit of peaceful resignation-typical of Bach.

Track 2Quem Vidistis Pastores Andrea Gabrieli (d.1586)

Whom do you see,shepherds? Speak, announce to us Who appears in this land? We see a newly born child and a chorus of angels praising the Lord. Alleluia

Andrea Gabrieli was a significant Renaissancecomposer who spent many years as organist andcomposer at St. Mark's in Venice. He numberedamong his pupils his nephew Giovanni Gabrieliand the German composer Hans Leo Hassler.“Quem Vidistis Pastores” exudes a rich harmoniccolor representative of the Venetian School of thisperiod.

Track 4This Summer and Last Milan Kaderavek

Milan Kaderavek is chairman of Theory and Composition at Drake University. He hascomposed a wide variety of music including some excellent works for choir. “This Summer and Last” is a striking setting of the Thomas Hardy poem. Although the colorful harmonic style immediately attracts attention, the graceful melodic line is no less impressive.

Track 5Set Me As a Seal- Edwin Fissinger (d.1990)The Text is from the Song of Solomon 8:6-7

Soloist, Vickie Theige

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In 1983 I recorded the sessions using what are now considered to be some of the finest "vintage" tube mics ever made -- Neumann U47s and U67s. Even then the mics were old and bulky, were difficult to set up and had occasional hums & buzzes that I worried would ruin an otherwise good take. But fortunately they behaved once they had warmed up for a while, and they sounded just great. The piece I most remember was Ed's "Lux Aeterna" which he wrote to honor Phil Marks who taught in Barrington IL and died in a car accident around that time. The combination of those mics, the music and the choir's performance gave me tingles. It was one of those great, rare moments that makes this job so addicting.

The 2008 recording sessions were the last ones we did in that space which is now torn down after the congregation had moved to their new building on the south side of Moorhead, and the demolition was not far off. Almost half the pews had been removed along with the organ and all the artwork, etc. It felt like a ghost town, but it was good to be in there one last time recording before it was torn down.

The upside was that the editing process was usually pretty easy & smooth because he would run a piece until there was one take where everything worked and we could use that take in its entirety without splicing. This was great since in those days we recorded to 1/4" tape. Editing was done with a razor blade and was considerably more difficult that it is now on a computer.

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Edwin R. Fissinger was born June 15, 1920 and attended school at Rockford, Illinois. He earned an undergraduate degree at Marquette University, Milwaukee. He served during World War II in the U.S. Air Force. A promising athletic career was set aside after sustaining a leg and other injuries when his plane was shot down. Instead, Fissinger turned his efforts to music and never looked back.

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Dr. Edwin R. Fissinger a charter member of the American Choral Director’s Association, had an active career as a conductor and composer for forty-five years. In addition to orchestral, piano, and vocal compositions, he wrote 183 choral works, a substantial contribution of quality literature to this medium. His music has attracted the attention of serious choral musicians and has received performances by numerous All-State Choirs and at regional and national ACDA conventions. Edwin Fissinger received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in composition from the American Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of the eminent composer Leo Sowerby. His doctorate in choral conducting and literature was from the University of Illinois. Fissinger’s teaching career included the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago (1947-1954), University of Illinois (1955-1957), University of Illinois, Chicago Circle (1957-1967), and North Dakota State University (1967-1985).

At North Dakota State University, Dr. Fissinger was Chairman of the Music Department and served as the Director of the Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers. In 1970 the Music Department earned accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music under his leadership. The Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers received recognition and numerous awards under Fissinger’s direction. The Concert Choir was selected by audition to perform at the North Central MENC convention in 1969, the National MENC Convention in 1970, and the ACDA national conventions in 1973, 1977, and 1983. At the 1977 convention his choir participated in an American choral music documentary produced by Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (Second German Television Network). During the Christmas seasons of 1978, 1979, and 1980, the NDSU Concert Choir was one of the featured choirs on "The Cavalcade of Christmas Music," a CBS radio network program.

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Cecile Patricia “Patty” Monette was born in Lowell, Massachusetts on July 26, 1917. Patty and Edwin Fissinger and were married Feb. 27, 1943 in Fresno, California. Patty died in 1998. and was buried next to her husband at Riverside Cemetery, Fargo. They raised a son, Edwin, and a daughter, Laura.

The choral music of Edwin Fissinger exhibits individuality, a signature that is readily recognizable by those who are familiar with his works. One only need reflect upon the individual qualities of the music to understand his important contribution to the enhancement of the choral art.

Dr. Fissinger spearheaded the efforts leading to the construction of the $6 million Music Education Center at NDSU, dedicated in 1982 as the Reineke Fine Arts Center. He retired in 1985 and continued composing until his death in Fargo on October 16, 1990.

Fissinger has been included in editions of Who’s Who in the Middle West, the International Who’s Who of Musicians, Men of Achievement, Personalities of America, and Who’s Who in American Classical Music. He was editor for a number of years, beginning in 1967, of the Parkway Choral Series of contemporary choral music for World Library Publications. A number of his choral works have been published by this company. From 1958 to 1962 he was consulting editor for Summy-Birchard Publishing Co. The following companies publish his choral music: Associated, Colla Voce, Hal Leonard, Kjos, Meadowlark, Pavane, and Walton.

On a chilly winter day, Patty and Edwin Fissinger stand outside Festival Hall in Fargo as the NDSU Concert Choir prepares to leave on its annual Spring tour.

Each Spring after it's annual tour, the choir would book a pair of weekends or so at The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Moorhead, Minnesota where selected pieces from the tour program were recorded. The sanctuary was a near perfect space for capturing the a capella sounds of a choral ensemble. The sound engineer for the NDSU Concert Choir in the annual recordings was Doug Geston. He shared these reflections

Jo Ann Miller and the NDSU Concert Choir during final recording sessions in the sanctuary of Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church before the building was torn down in 2008.

I always looked forward to the NDSU Choir sessions because of the level of musicianship the choir had. Ed Fissinger was a stickler for detail as you know. I remember listening to many playbacks in the recording van that I thought sounded fine but that he found to be lacking in some regard, leading to the large number of takes we always did on everything.

I have been recording the NDSU choir under Jo Ann Miller in recent years, and except for a couple of times continued to record in Good Shepherd Lutheran.

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5. If you can’t sing it the way I wrote it, I’ll just have to re-write it.

4. This is as close to perfection as you will ever experience.

3. Don’t shoot your wad all at once.

2. As long as we’re here, we might as well work.

1. ...pleased, but not satisfied.

10. Becky Jones never missed a day of choir until her grandmother died, now that’s dedication. 9. You must RESONATE through the voiced consonants.

8. I used to have tenors that could do that. 7. It takes just as much energy to sing something the wrong way as it does to sing it the right way. 6. Don’t anticipate the anticipation.

Top 10 Fissinger Quotes

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NDSU Music Faculty in the Spring of 1982 Left to Right

Steven Dimmick-Brass, Music Theory 1Orv Eidem-Gold Star Band,Roy Johnson-Woodwinds, Music History,.Edwin Fissinger-Department Chair, and Concert Choir Charlotte Trautwein-Music Education Women's Glee Club,Jack Trautwein-Ear Training, Music Education, Concert Choir Tour Itinerary,Robert Olson-Voice, Opera Workshop,Andrew Froelich-Music Theory II, Piano, 20th Century Composition, Robert Groves- Piano, Chamber Music.

Dr. Fissinger was very ably assisted by Bernadine Richtman, who had been secretary to Department Chair Dr. Ledet beginning in 1965. Mrs. Richtman remained with the department for 18 years.

The NDSU Concert Choirs from 1982 and 1983 each had 49 members. Eighteen members from 1982 and sixteen members from 1983 were music majors. Most of these music majors as well as several non-majors studied voice with Dr. Robert Olson. Dr. Olson's contributions to the department, the students and the choir are invaluable.

His students' accomplishments include singing at the Metropolitan Opera in NY, The Tanglewood Institute of the Boston Symphony, and other professional choirs including the Dale Warland Singers, St. John's Choir Lafayette Square, The Norman Luboff Choir, The Robert Shaw Festival Singers and The Waverly Consort.

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During its lifetime, Festival Hall served as the stage for many world-class performers. Included in the long list are: Eugene Ormandy and the Minneapolis Sympathy, Rachmaninoff, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Paul Robeson, Grace Moore, Carl Sandburg, Marian Anderson, the Trapp Family Singers, Ezio Pinza, Burl Ives, Victor Borge, Oscar Levant, Isaac Stern, Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops, Louis Armstrong, Jose Greco, Harry Belafonte, Mantovani, Simon and Garfunkel, Phil Ochs, Dick Gregory, George Carlin, Vincent Price and many more.

On July 6, 1982, the community turned out for the last hurrah. "Over 800 people, young and old, dressed up and dressed down in everything from blue jeans to black tuxedos, turned out last week to bid a rousing farewell to Festival Hall. Hollywood arranger and former local musician Frank Scott and an array of local talent provided the smooth, mellow, big band sound; ... and the crowd provided the energy and spirit that rocked the walls of Festival one last time." (It's Happening, 7/14/82, p.4). The demolition of Festival Hall began at 9:52 a.m. on July 19, 1982. The land that served as the center of campus activities for 85 years now contains a metered parking lot for the Memorial Union. Although Festival Hall was torn down, it lives on in the Reineke Fine Arts center and its new, 1,000-seat Festival Concert Hall

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Pleased but Not Satisfied. Three words that became ingrained into the psyche of most anyone

that sang under Dr. Edwin R. Fissinger. In it's most direct inference it means-good but can be better. Pleasing Dr Fissinger was simple but not easy. The challenge to go beyond pleased was a

gift to everyone who sang in Dr's choir. To be satisfied meant not so much having achieved

perfection, but having reached the end. To not be satisfied means that there is more to do. More

music to be made. As long as there is music to be made how can we be Satisfied?

They in turn have inspired another generation of conductors and choir directors The influence of Dr. Fissinger on his students goes further. All

across North Dakota and Minnesota and other states, his students have developed and strengthened the choral programs of numerous

high schools, middle schools and other educational arenas. Those of us that did not pursue music as a direct vocation have found other ways to

continue the pursuit of artistic excellence. I am sure Edwin Fissinger would find it very Satisfying.

CD Producer - Alan Young NDSU Concert Choir 1978-1982

Whether or not we made Music our career, singing in the NDSU Concert Choir was for many if not all of us a Defining Moment. There is no doubting the impact Dr. Fissinger had

on those who sang for him. Six people who sang under Edwin Fissinger went on to obtain their Doctorate in Choral

Conducting: Harley Muilenburg , Jo Ann Miller, Bradley Logan, Joseph Testa, Mary Kay Geston, and Lori Wiest.

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Clarence Simeon Putnam was born September 16, 1859 at Barre, Vermont. He was educated at Barre Academy and Dartmouth College where he studied for two years. Because of the urging of his mother, he attended the Philadelphia Medical School and graduated in 1883 from the Hahnemann Medical College in Chicago. During all this time, Mr. Putnam was active in musical groups, directing a band at the age of 17. In 1904 a fire in the Edwards Building in Fargo destroyed his medical office. He then began teaching various courses at the North Dakota Agricultural College. At the College, he developed the fledging band classes into the Gold Star Band, so named because of the top ratings it received by the national inspectors of the Reserve Officers Training Corps. In addition, he organized at the college a concert orchestra, girl's and boy's glee clubs and a string ensemble. "Doc" Putnam continued in his work as bandmaster throughout his career at the NDAC until his death. He was also responsible for writing many compositions including the North Dakota Hymn and the NDAC school song, “The Yellow and Green.”

As the enrollment at NDAC increased, the Carnegie Library quickly became packed with students and the

additional books and journals needed to meet the growing College's needs. A new library was built in 1949 and

dedicated in 1950. The Carnegie Library then became home to the Music Department. In 1952, the Carnegie Library was rededicated Putnam Hall in honor of C. S.

"Doc" Putnam, a former medical doctor who became the College's first band director.

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Putnam Hall (Carnegie Library) had its beginnings in 1903 when B. F. Spalding, Representative at Large for North Dakota, wrote to Andrew Carnegie (1) requesting $35,000 to $40,000 to build a library and chapel for the North Dakota Agricultural College (2) (NDAC). James Bertram, Carnegie's private secretary, responded saying that Carnegie was not dealing with colleges at this time but the letter would be kept for later reference.

After a couple years and numerous negotiations, the library was completed. The cornerstone for the library was laid on June 7, 1905 and the NDAC Carnegie Library was officially dedicated on January 18, 1906. The total cost of the library was $23,000--eight thousand dollars over the projected cost. Carnegie gave the NDAC the additional $3,400 raising his total endowment to $18,400. The Board of Trustees gave $4,500 to further offset the construction costs. The completed building measured 56 feet by 68 feet and had a full basement of red sandstone with a cloak room, store rooms, two reading rooms, room for literary societies and an additional stack room.

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The floors were tiled and the steps were marble. The interior finish was quarter sawed oak and all the stacks were metal. On the main floor the stack room measured 23x68 feet, two reading rooms could hold 50 students, and there was a rotunda measuring 16 feet in diameter. The Spectrum stated that the build was "modern and the best for its size to be found in any state" (The Spectrum, April 15, 1905, pg. 143 and Worst to Carnegie, 7 November 1905, The Fargo forum and Daily Republican, June 7, 1905 & January 19, 1906 ).

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Exultate Deo PalestrinaQuem Vidistis Pastores A. GabrieliKomm, Jesu, Komm J.S. BachThis Summer and Last KaderavekSet me as a Seal Fissinger Vickie Theige, sopranoRondes RabeGo Down Death Scott Joseph Staples, baritone Linda Hansen, PercussionThree Sacred Pieces FissingerFour Christmas Vignettes Fissinger

Sicut Cervus PalestrinaO Admirabile Commercium HandlDer Gerechte J.C. BachLobet den Herrn , alle Heiden J.S. BachConsecrate the Place and Day FissingerMorning Trumpet arr Fissinger Joseph Staples, baritoneLux Aeterna Fissinger Joseph Staple, baritone Annette Flegel, sopranoThy Word Is a Lantern Sowerby Unto My FeetJesus and the Traders KodalySpring Grass KreutzOriginal analog recordings from sessions at

Lutheran Church of the Good ShepherdMoorhead, Minnesota. Doug Geston, Audio Engineer.Digital Re-mastering by The Brookwood StudioAnn Arbor, Michigan August, 2009David Lau, EngineerCD Produced by Alan Young , Ypsilanti, MichiganBooklet editing by Annette Flegel Anfinrud. Rockville, MdThis release is dedicated to the memory of NDSU Choir members Cindy Froeschle 1981 and 1982and Daniel Steckler 1980-1984

The North Dakota State University Concert Choir

Edwin Fissinger, Director

CD 1Selections from the1982 Spring Tour

CD 2Selections from the1983 Spring Tour

TrayCard (Back side)

Tray Card (Inside)