Noteworthy News, April 16, 2021
Important upcoming dates:
Tuesday, April 27, 7 pm Duruflé Requiem, Virtual Masterworks Series (Zoom)
Monday, May 24, 7 pm Rodgers & Hammerstein Virtual Sing-Along (Zoom)
A special note from Wendy: On April 27, we have the honor of welcoming Dr. Eugene Rogers to lead us through the sublime Duruflé Requiem. Eugene is the director of choirs at the University of Michigan as well as the conductor of the Washington Chorus in DC. You can read his bio here: https://www.eugenerogers.com/bio. Eugene also conducted the premier of Joel Thompson’s The Seven Last Words of the Unarmed. Here is info about this incredible piece and a link to a powerful performance: These African-American men -- each killed by police or other authority figures -- are the subjects of a powerful multi-movement choral work by Atlanta-based composer Joel Thompson entitled “Seven Last Words of the Unarmed”followed by “Glory” from the motion picture “Selma” arranged by Eugene Rogers. The piece was premiered by the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club in 2015 under the direction of Eugene Rogers, director of choirs and professor of conducting at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. I hope you will take a moment to experience this very moving work conducted by Eugene Rogers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od6DMd3sP4s&t=1142s
And from Alissa: As Frenchmen go, Maurice Duruflé led a staid, somewhat boring life. Born in Louviers, France in 1902, he started his musical career as a chorister at the Rouen Cathedral Choir School at the age of 10. He moved to Paris in 1919 and began studying the organ, eventually graduating "with first prizes" from the Conservatoire de Paris. In 1927, Duruflé became an assistant to Louis Vierne at Notre-Dame. In 1947, he completed probably the most famous of his few pieces, the Requiem (commissioned in 1941). Also in 1947, Marie-Madeleine Chevalier became his pupil and assistant. They were married in 1953. (She was nearly 20 years his junior. That's about as juicy as it gets). The couple became a famous and popular organ duo, going on tour together many times throughout the sixties and seventies. Duruflé was a known perfectionist and highly critical of his own work. He and his wife were musically conservative. In 1969 they attended a "jazz mass" at St-Etienne-du-Mont, where Marie-Madeleine was visibly upset by the experience and Duruflé called it a scandalous travesty.
Thanks to everyone who participated in our Trivia Night. I'll know many memories were refreshed with lingering chuckles long into the evening. Now that your brain has been stirred, this would be a great time to submit your top 5 PSC performances. Please go the our website to list your choices (pschoir.org/top-5). A listing of works performed going back to 1980 is available within the website page. (Look for the light grey "click here" under the "Let's Rank" headline). Everyone is welcome to have their voice heard.