In past years we have often presented a sacred choral concert on the afternoon of Palm Sunday. This year we have reimagined that concert as a vocal recital which will be premiered over Facebook and YouTube at 3:00 p.m. on Palm Sunday, March 28.
Bookending the program are setting of African-American spirituals. The concert opens with the triumph and excitement of “Ride On, King Jesus” and concludes with the hushed agony and despair of “He Never Said a Mumbalin’ Word.”
Baroque arias are represented by Johann Hermann Schein and George Frederic Handel, infusing a certain austerity to the program.
We will hear the “Agnus Dei” or “Lamb of God” from the Missa In Simplicitate, by Jean Langlais, a rare setting of the Roman mass for solo voice and organ. This final movement provides a moment of peace.
The title of the concert “We Sat Down and Wept” comes from the centerpiece of the program, “By the Waters of Babylon,” a rhapsody for baritone solo, violin, cello and organ by Herbert Howells. “By the Waters of Babylon” is based on Psalm 137 using the translation by Myles Coverdale. The words of verse 4, ‘how shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land’ are a theme with which singers and musicians have grappled throughout this past year of living in a strange land devoid of live music.
A printed program will be available for this concert; the link to download it may be found at the same place you access this concert. I encourage you to follow along in the program for all texts, translations, and names of performers.
Several of our devoted choir section leaders are part of the program, including sopranos Karen Kanakis and Maggie Kerr, mezzo-sopranos Amira Fuller and Johanna Nordhorn, tenor Eric Hiby and baritone Adam Stefo. They will be accompanied variously by violin, cello, piano and organ.
We hope that you will find this music to be a meaningful companion as you journey through the Great and Holy Week.
