St Celcilia Mass Charles-Francois Gounod was born in Paris in 1818 to a talented, but financially unsuccessful, painter and his pianist wife. Charles’ father died before he was five years old, and his mother maintained her husband’s painting classes as well as her own piano teaching.  Charles showed early talent in both areas, but gave…

Classic Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter was the sole offspring of Kate Cole, daughter of a successful businessman, and her husband, pharmacist Sam Porter, residents of Peru, Indiana. Young Cole was composing by the time he was ten (in 1901), and his mother and grandfather supported his musical education (including altering records to make it…

A Gershwin Portrait A Washington DC conference in March 13-16, 2009 marked the re-opening of the Gershwin Room at the Library of Congress: The Library has become the repository of a marvelous trove of Gershwiniana, much of it donated by the Gershwin family themselves. One of the people honored at the conference was Anne Wiggins…

The Testament of Freedom Randall Thompson (1899-1984) ranks as one of America’s greatest 20th-century choral composers, along with his one-time student Leonard Bernstein. His 1940 anthem, Alleluia—one of several Thompson works Naperville Chorus has previously presented, (which also include Frostiana, Ode to the Virginian Voyage and A Peaceable Kingdom)was the best-selling choral work in this…

Navidad Nuestra Navidad Nuestra is a folk drama of the nativity of Jesus Christ in the rhythms and traditions of Hispanic America. Ramírez, a native of Argentina, also used this style in his popular Missa Criollawhich was performed by The Naperville Chorus in December of 1994. In this composition Ramírez gave to each episode of…

Gilbert and Sullivan notes William S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan: Of their partnership is often said that the important part was neither Gilbert nor Sullivan but the ampersand. They first collaborated on a small opera entitledThespis or The Gods Grown Old, which opened in 1871. The opera was not a notable success and the score…

Ceremony of Carols Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) is one of Britain’s leading Composers of this century. His operas are considered among the finest of English operas since those of Henry Purcell in the 17th century, admired for their skillful setting of English words and their orchestral interludes, as well as for their drama and colorful characterization.…

Judas Maccabaeus by Georg Frideric Handel The Story The libretto for Judas Maccabeus was written by the Rev.Thomas Morrell, rector of Buckland in Hertfordshire, who was an acquaintance of Queen Caroline. Morrell, who later wrote other libretti for Handel, was easygoing compared to the vain Jennens (the librettist for Messiah and several other Handel works),…

Zadok the Priest Much of Handel’s reputation today rests on only a small body of his work, principally Messiah written in 1741, even though the total amount of music he composed was enormous. This preference for Messiah has meant that much of Handel’s work is not heard regularly. Zadok the Priest has had a little…

Gloria Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741), the son of one of the leading violinists of St. Mark’s Chapel, was educated both for music and for the priesthood. He began his priestly duties in 1703, but because of ill health, was excused from active service a year later. From that time he devoted himself wholly to music, continually…