Link to Bach's St. Matthew

It's a long way off, but here's a link to a great website that contains part learning help for Bach's St. Matthew Passion!

Updated praise from Justin about Carmina

Chorus,

I want you to know what a privilege to prepare things with you and for Justin & ASO. It's especially honorable to work with a guy that speaks this way about us:

"And by the way, congratulations again for Carmina. That was a real high-point for everyone, the feedback keeps coming in.

You certainly deserved the 5 star review, and I wish Huebner had written more about the chorus. They really did a tremendous job."

Recommended recordings

Here's the word from Justin on recordings for future works:

I always find it difficult recommending recordings, because my favourite recordings tend to be very different from each other, and certainly can’t be used as a guide to what to expect. For example, for the Bach I love Harnoncourt’s latest one on Teldec, but I also love the old Karl Richter on Archiv. However, I’m neither as fast as Harnoncourt nor as slow as Richter.

In the Beethoven, no one is as intense and moving as Furtwängler. The best choral singing is on his Luzerne 1954 recording (various labels). However, Karajan 1962 (DG) is also very fine, and there are exciting modern ones from Mackerras (EMI), Gardiner (Archiv) and (especially) Harnoncourt (Teldec) – but these also tend to be very fast and/or lightweight, whereas Furtwängler is very spacious and profound.


Mendelssohn – I only know the Dohnanyi with Cleveland, which is not hugely exciting but pretty solid.

Looking at next year

Check out plans for next year.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddd3868b_149gfd22rdz

We'll begin work on it sooner rather than later!

NOTE: parts, especially the Bach, are subject to change. Last word I got was that it would most likely be in the Jemison Concert Hall with everyone.

Carmina Gets 5!

Alabama Symphony's Carmina: Bawdy and Beautiful
Michael Huebner -- Birmingham News




Justin Brown, conductor; Ilana Davidson, soprano; Leon Williams, baritone; Steven Stolen, tenor; Birmingham Concert Chorale; Birmingham Boys Choir; Choirs from Birmingham-Southern College, Samford University and University of Montevallo.

Friday, Alys Stephens Center. Repeats Saturday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m

Nearly eight years have passed since fortune last visited the Alabama Symphony with "Carmina Burana," just about the right interval to bask in its guilty pleasures.

On Friday, a nearly full house at the Alys Stephens Center heard an artfully sculpted reading of Carl Orff's secular oratorio that brought 250 musicians to the stage and choral balcony. An effort that combined five choirs and a small army of extras to the orchestra, it reaped the power, joy, delicacy, lust, love and bawdiness of this familiar score, at the same bringing the community together.

At the helm was ASO Music Director Justin Brown, conducting without a score, his arms often driving cues like a propeller. He was confident and commanding, at times narrowing the focus of the large forces to chamber music proportions. "O Fortuna" built intensity in a slow simmer. "Tanz" was filled with rhythmic vitality. The wall of choral sound at the work's beginning and end wasn't just loud, it had character. Likewise, brass and percussion sections turned in balanced and full-bodied, but not deafening, performances.

No "Carmina" performance could work without a good baritone soloist, and Leon Williams fit the bill, not only for his pure, rounded voice, but for his dramatic expression and engaging humor in tavern and love songs. Ilana Armstrong, a light soprano with a sweet tone, sang beautifully in "Steti Puella," though she occasionally could get lost under the orchestra. Tenor Steven Stolen hammed it up with with his crackling falsetto and drunken musings. The Birmingham Boys Choir added a touch of tenderness in "Amor Volat Undique."

Not to be overlooked was Zoltan Kodaly's "Hary Janos" Suite, which started the program. Punctuated by fine solos on viola, cimbalom and clarinet, it ranged from a sweet and serene "Song" to a rambunctious Hungarian dance in "Intermezzo."

mhuebner@bhamnews.com blog.al.com/mhuebner

Call Time: 7:30 pm

The revised call time for Friday and Saturday night is 7:30 pm in the Hulsey Recital Hall. Give yourself time to find a parking place and (if new) the Recital Hall.

Thrilling Rehearsals

Some of you may be walking away exhausted from our recent rehearsals but I am skipping away quite energized! It's going to be a special performance.

Heed these words from Lester Siegel, director of the Birmingham Southern choir:

The chorus needs to own this piece--it's their night, and they should be proud of their sound and the dedicated effort they're putting into it.

Now . . . put more into it and make it your own. How best to do that? Study your scores when you have a moment . . . look over words so that you can look up and make a connection with Justin. He's giving us exactly what we need if we bother to take a look.

Next Regular Rehearsal March 2

Upon completion of Carmina Burana performances, our next regular rehearsal will be Monday, March 2. Review the full remaining season schedule online at: http://concertchorale.org/addendum/schedule.html .