The Well-Tempered Ear
Classical music: The Rural Musicians Forum offers two FREE but contrasting modern “Magnificats” — by Jonathan Willcocks and Alan Hovhaness — this coming weekend in Spring Green and Plain.
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By Jacob Stockinger
Our friends at the Rural Musicians Forum — which is directed by Kent Mayfield (below) of Milwaukee and which does such a laudable service by bringing classical music to rural areas in south central Wisconsin — send us the following word about some remarkable performances this coming weekend:
“The Rural Musicians Forum welcomes the holiday season with two Advent concerts in early December. Each concert features the ancient text of the “Magnificat” in two dramatically contrasting modern musical settings for orchestra, chorus and soloists.
One performance will be at 7 p.m. on this Friday, Dec. 5, at the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (below), at 253 West Washington Street in Spring Green.
The second is at 3 p.m. on this Sunday, Dec. 7 at the basilica-like St. Luke’s Catholic Church (below), at 1240 Nachreiner Avenue, in Plain.
Both concerts will be directed by Gregory Dennis (below), who is widely appreciated around the state for his able choral direction.
The concerts are NOT ticketed. A free-will offering will be received. These concerts are underwritten in part by support from the Spring Green Area Arts Coalition, the Spring Green Arts and Crafts Fair, Kraemer Brothers LLC and generous individual donors.
“The first work is from the British composer, Jonathan Willcocks (below), who is known for a broad range of choral and orchestral music, much of it written for television and film, as well as for King’s College Christmas celebrations.
His “Magnificat” is a melodious, rhythmic and colorful piece, set in five contrasting movements from the Latin with two additional 15th-century texts in praise of the Virgin Mary and interweaves the Latin of the Church with the English of the common people — as if interweaving spiritual and secular themes through the use of two languages.
“The second setting for the “Magnificat” is strikingly different. Influenced by the sounds and rhythms of the Holy Land, Alan Hovhaness (below) — who is also known as an “American mystic” — captures the mysticism, the beauty and the burning ardor of early Christianity. The result is an experience of intense longing, a declaration of grateful praise and resounding jubilation from voices filled with faith. (You can hear the opening of the Magnificat by Alan Hovhaness in a YouTube video at the bottom.)
Announcing the concerts, RMF’s Artistic Director Kent Mayfield notes, “In Willcocks, we have vitality and joyful excitement. With Hovhaness, we sense mystery, inspiration and an unforgettable radiant beauty. Each brings an abiding sense of spirituality to an often-secular holiday. Each prompts a stirring emotional response appropriate to the season.”
“‘Two Magnificats: Ancient Texts – Modern Voices’ promises a rich musical experience exploring deeper themes of personal and universal, spiritual and aesthetic meaning in a single holiday celebration.”
“Two performances of “Two Magnificats” are scheduled with full orchestra and featuring soloists soprano Christina Kay (below top), alto Katie Butitta (below second), tenor J. Adam Shelton (below third) and bass Derek Miller (below bottom).
For more information about the Rural Musicians Forum and its concert series, here is a link:
http://www.ruralmusiciansforum.org
Tags: Advent, Alan Hovhaness, alto, Arts, basilica, bass, choral music, chorus, Christianity, Christmas, Classical music, conductor, Frank Lloyd Wright, Holiday, holiday music, holiday season, Holy Land, Jacob Stockinger, Jesus, Jonathan Willcocks, Kent Mayfield, Magnificat, Milwaukee, Music, mysticism, Orchestra, Plain, Roman Catholicism, rural, Rural Musicians Forum, soprano, Spring Green, St. John, St. Luke, tenor, YouTube
Classical music: Singers are needed for the Rural Musicians Forum community chorus that will perform two modern Magnificats during the upcoming holiday season.
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By Jacob Stockinger
The Rural Musicians Forum has announced the formation of a new choral group for two concert performances in early December.
The concerts will feature two contrasting settings of the traditional biblical text of the “Magnificat,” both by modern composers Alan Hovhaness (below top and at the bottom in a YouTube video) and Jonathan Willcocks (below bottom).
The chorus begins its rehearsal schedule on October 5. The chorus is open to regional singers without audition. There is no fee for participation in the chorus, although members will purchase some music.
All rehearsals are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sunday evenings weekly at the Christ Lutheran Church in Spring Green (below).
The concerts are slated for December 5 in Spring Green and December 7 in Plain.
The director for the ensemble is Gregory (Greg) J. Dennis (below), whose reputation as the director of the Mount Horeb Chorale and of the Platteville Chorale is well-established. These groups have not only performed widely in Wisconsin but have traveled abroad during the past summer.
Highly regarded for his extraordinary musicianship, Mr. Dennis recently retired from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he conducted two mixed choirs and taught elementary and secondary general music and choral music methods courses in addition to supervising student teachers. He directed RMF’s community “Sing Out Messiah” in 2013.
Drawing upon the enthusiasm and commitment of orchestra, soloists and chorus, Dennis will open doors to the beauty of the music and the season with the sensitivity for which he is known.
In describing his hopes for the performances, RMF Artistic Director Kent Mayfield (below) says: “Our goal is to bring these works of extraordinary beauty and seasonal depth to the greater Southwestern Wisconsin community, engaging as many area singers and musicians to participate as possible. My hope is to inspire the wider community to share in a vibrant and unique musical experience.”
For less-experienced singers and performers, the chance to work in the company of trained musicians of acknowledged skill offers the opportunity for skill-building and in-depth musical appreciation.
For many, even those with extensive experience with choral and orchestral music, the works of Alan Hovhaness and Jonathan Willcocks promise to be a challenge and opportunity not often available in the area.
A regional orchestra assembled uniquely for these concerts will be named soon.
For further information on the chorus or the orchestra, contact Kent Mayfield, artistic director of the Rural Musicians Forum. You can call (414) 239-7952 or send an email to ruralmusiciansforum@yahoo.com.
Tags: Alan Hovhaness, Arts, Choir, choral music, chorus, Classical music, Gregory J. Dennis, Jacob Stockinger, Jonathan Willcocks, Kent Mayfield, Magnificat, Music, Orchestra, Rural Musicians Forum, Spring Green, Spring Green Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Wisconsin, YouTube
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The Well-Tempered Ear 