Singers Wanted!

The Pass Chorale will resume rehearsals on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. We are changing our rehearsal location to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1320 W. Williams St., Banning. We will begin working on music for our spring concert in May. The featured work will be the Harmony Mass by F.J. Haydn. This is a beautiful work with lovely harmonies as the name implies.

The Chorale performs two major concerts per year, spring and winter, plus occasional performances around the community. We invite all parts, sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses, with special emphasis on tenors and altos. If you have singing experience (high school choir? Church choir?) please consider joining us. We welcome high school students and adults of all ages. Call or email for further information or come to a rehearsal and try singing with us. It is a wonderful experience to learn masterworks and then perform them. We have fun too!

Thanks, and Merry Christmas

Thanks to everyone who attended our concert on December 14, it was a wonderful musical celebration of Christmas. The carol-singalong at the end got everyone in the Christmas spirit. It was great fun for the singers and the instrumentalists too. As usual, donations at the concert cover only a small part of concert expenses. If you want to support this non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, send checks to:

Pass Chorale
P.O. Box 589
Beaumont, CA 92223

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The Pass Chorale

Pass Chorale Celebration of Christmas 2008

The Pass Chorale will present two concerts in Banning this year. The full concert, with orchestra is scheduled for December 14. Details are described in a previous post. An abbreviated concert featuring some selections from the Rutter Magnificat plus the anthems and carols will be presented on December 7, 2008, 2:00pm at Grace Lutheran Church, 1000 W. Wilson, Banning, CA.

The full concert program is seen below.

Magnificat
By John Rutter

1. Magnificat
Magnificat anima mea dominum et exultavit spiritus meus in deo salutari meo. Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae, ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
(My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior. For He has regarded the lowliness of his hand-maiden. For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.)

2. Of a Rose (15th Century English Carol)
Hearken to me, both old and young, How this rose began to spring.
A fairer rose to mine liking, in all this world ne know I none.

Five branches of that rose there been, the which be both fair and sheen.
The rose is called Mary, heaven’s queen. Out of her bosom a blossom sprang.

The first branch was of great honour, that blest Marie should bear the flow’r.
Then came and angel from heaven’s tower to break the devil’s bond.

The second branch was great of might, that sprang upon a Christmas night.
The star shone over Bethlem bright, that man should see it both day and night.

The third branch did spring and spread. Three kinges then the branch gan led
Unto our lady in her child-bed, into Bethlem that branch sprang right.

The fourth branch it sprang to hell, the devil’s power for to fell.
That no soul therein should dwell, the branch so blessed fully sprang.

The fifth branch, it was so sweet. It sprang to heav’n both crop and root.
Therein to dwell and be our bote (salvation), so blessedly it sprang.

Pray we to her with great honour, she that bare the blessed flow’r,
To be our help and our succour, and shield us from the fiendes bond.

3. Quia fecit
Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est,et sanctum nomen ejus.
*Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. *(from the Ordinary of the Mass)
(For he that is mighty has magnified me, and holy is His name.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.)

4. Et misericordia
Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.
(And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.)

5. Fecit potentiam
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo, dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles.
(He has shown strenght with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has cast down the mighty from their seats, and exalted the humble and meek.)

6. Esurientes
Esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes. Sucepit Israel puerum suum,
recordatus misericordie suae. Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros,Abraham et semini ejus in secula.
(He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He remembering His mercy, has helped his servant, Israel. As He promised to our fathers, Abraham and his seed forever.

7. Gloria
Gloria patri et filio et spiritu sancto.
(Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.)
*Sancta Maria, succurre miseris, iuva pusillanimes, refove flebiles: ora pro populo, interveni pro clero, intercede pro devotofemineo esxu, sentiant omnes tuum iuvamen, quicumque tuum sanctum implorant auxilium. Alleluia.
*(Antiphon at the Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
(Holy Mary, succour those in need, help the faint-hearted, support the weak, pray for the laity, assist the clergy, intercede for all devout women. May all feel the power of your help, whoevery prays for your holy aid. Alleluia.)

8. Sicut erat
Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in secula seculorum. Amen.
(As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.)

Christmas Anthems and Carols

Wexford Carol……………………………………………………………arr. John Rutter
Monte Joham, Baritone

O Come, O Come Emmanuel……...…….Gregorian chant arr. Alice Parker, Robert Shaw

O Nata Lux……………………….………………..……..………….Morten Lauridsen
O nata lux de lumine, Jesu reemptor saeculi, dignare clemens supplicum, laudes preches que sumere.
Qui carne quondam contegi dignatus es pro perditis. Nos membra confer effici, tui beati corporis.
(O born of light, Jesus, Redeemer of the world, Mercifullly deem worthy and accept the praises and prayers of your supplicants.Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh for the sake of the lost ones, grant us to be made members of your holy body.)

What Sweeter Music…………………………………...……………John Rutter

How Unto Bethlehem………….……….Italian carol arr. Alice Parker, Robert Shaw

How Should a King Come?.......................Carol Owens, Jimmy Owens, Tom Fettke

Carol Sing-Along

Once in Royal David’s City
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
What Child is This?
Angels, We Have Heard on High
Jingle Bells
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Silent Night

Pass Chorale Christmas Concert

The Pass Chorale will present a Christmas concert on Sunday, December 14, 2008. This annual Celebration of Christmas will feature Magnificat (Mary’s song of praise) by British composer, John Rutter. This composition is full of lively rhythms, beautiful soprano solos and choruses. The program also includes several Christmas anthems by John Rutter, Morten Lauridsen, and other composers. The annual carol sing-along, with the Chorale, audience, and orchestra, guarantees to put you in the Christmas spirit. Please join us and invite your friends.

Concert: A Celebration of Christmas 2008

When: Sunday, December 14, 2008, 2:30 pm

Where: Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
1320 W. Williams St.
Banning, CA 92220

Suggested Donation: Adults. $15
Seniors and Students. $10

Further Information: Ernest Siva 951-849-4676
siva@dishmail.net
www.passchorale.blogspot.com

Magnificat by John Rutter

We're beginning rehearsals on the Magnificat by British composer, John Rutter. Rutter is a composer familiar to all choir singers. He's written countless anthems as well as several major works with orchestra. Magnificat is one of these. It is a setting of Mary's song. The text begins : "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For He that is mighty has magnified me..." Most of the work is in latin, but one movement is in English, a lovely carol. If you sing, come join us as we begin learning this beautiful music.

We've had three rehearsals so far and have focused on the carols and anthems mentioned in the last post. It is great fun learning these too.

Cool Christmas Music

As the heat of summer hits, the Pass Chorale is singing some very cool Christmas music! We're preparing for our December 14 Christmas Concert. The major work to be performed with orchestra is "Magnificat" by British composer, John Rutter. In addition, we're learning several beautiful anthems and carols. Some are: the Wexford Carol, arranged by John Rutter, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw, O Nata Lux by Morten Lauridson, What Sweeter Music by John Rutter, and How Unto Bethlehem, arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. There may be more too! If this music sounds good to you, please join us! Its a great way to keep cool during the hot summer.

Welcome

On Mother's Day of this year, the Pass Chorale performed the complete Handel's Messiah. It was a first, as far as I know, in the town of Banning to have this wonderful piece heard! It was also a first for many of the performers, orchestra and singers, to perform the whole work. There is the consideration of making it an annual affair, since it is so loved. It would build into an extra special event were we to do this. We will deliberate about this.

In 1990, my church choir at Westwood Hills Congregational Church in West L.A. teamed up with the L.A. Baroque Orchestra to do the complete work. The orchestra uses period style instruments, tuned to almost a half step lower, the result was wonderful. Easier to sing, from a tessitura standpoint and the style of play of the strings, very special. A valveless trumpet on The Trumpet Shall Sound? You'd have to see it to believe it!

Please join us, if you like singing works of the Masters. - ES