Dessoff Choirs
The Dessoff Choirs | |
|---|---|
| Origin | New York City,New York, United States |
| Genres | Choral music |
| Years active | 1924-present |
| Members | Malcolm J. Merriweather Steven W. Ryan (accompanist) |
| Website | www |
TheDessoff Choirsis an independent chorus based in New York City.Margarete Dessoffestablished the organization in 1930 as the union of two choirs she directed, the Adesdi chorus and the A Cappella Singers, whence the plural Choirs. Today, the plural connotes Dessoff's various ensembles, which range from the large Dessoff Symphonic Choir, which appears with major orchestras, to the Dessoff Chamber Choir, which performs in more intimate settings.[1]
The performance of new, unusual, or rarely heard works is a central facet of Dessoff's mission. Under Dessoff's baton, the Dessoff Choirs gave many premieres, including the American premiere ofArnold Schoenberg'sFriede auf Erden,the first American performance ofOrazio Vecchi'sL'Amfiparnaso,and the New York premiere of Bach's cantataChrist lag in Todes Banden.Dessoff's second conductor,Paul Boepple,continued to championearly music,and when he retired after 32 years as musical director, early music had seen its modern renaissance in which Dessoff had played a significant role. In 1951, the Dessoff Choirs performed with the New York Wind Ensemble at a special Peabody Mason Concert series commemorating the Bi-Millennial year in Paris.[2]During Boepple's tenure, the Choirs released 13 recordings, and his editions were published byTheodore Presseras the Dessoff Choir Series.[1]
Recent history
[edit]From 2005 through 2010,James Bagwellserved as the musical director of Dessoff. Under his direction, Dessoff performed several large works not often heard, includingKurt Weill'sBerliner Requiem,Paul Hindemith'sApparebit repentina dies,andWilliam Bolcom'sThe Mask.In addition, Bagwell expanded Dessoff's repertoire with regard to American music, including in the choir's concertsSacred Harpmusic and American music from the 18th and 21st centuries. Dessoff's May 2009 concert, which included works byCharles Ivesand his teacherHoratio Parker,was recorded live and released on CD and by mp3 download in December 2009. In September 2009, Bagwell was named musical director of theCollegiate Chorale.
In June 2009, the Dessoff Symphonic Choir joined theNew York Philharmonicand theNew York Choral Artistsfor seven performances of two programs, Britten'sWar Requiemand Mahler'sSymphony No. 8), markingLorin Maazel's final concerts as music director of the Philharmonic, withKent Tritle,the philharmonic's organist.
In November 2009, the Dessoff Chamber Choir performed songs fromThe Kinks Choral CollectionwithRay Davieson theLate Show with David Lettermanand at twoTown Hallperformances.[3]
In May 2010, Christopher Shepard became the seventh music director of the Choirs, succeeded by Malcom Meriweather in 2016.
2010–2011 concert season
[edit]- October 8–9, 2010, (Dessoff Symphonic Choir)Radio City Music Hall,Howard Shore's score toThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,performed during a live projection of the film. With theBrooklyn Youth Chorusand the21st Century Symphony Orchestra,Ludwig Wickiconductor
- November 21–22, 2010, St. James Church (Madison Ave. at 71st St.), French Masters fromJosquintoDuruflé,Chris Shepard, conductor
- November 24–28, 2010, (Dessoff Chamber Choir) East Coast tour withRay Davies,The Kinks Choral Collection
- November 24, 2010, TheBeacon Theatre,New York
- November 26, 2010, TheWellmont Theatre,Montclair, New Jersey
- November 27, 2010,Verizon Hall,Philadelphia
- November 28, 2010,Wilbur Theatre,Boston
- December 13, 2010, (Dessoff Symphonic Choir)Avery Fisher Hall,Maurice Ravel'sDaphnis et Chloé,with theJuilliardOrchestra,Yannick Nézet-Séguin,conductor
- February 25, 2011,Church of St. Mary the Virgin,Arvo Pärt'sPassio,Chris Shepard, conductor
- May 14, 2011,St. George's Episcopal Church,Dance On! Music for Choirs, Pianos, and Percussion, Chris Shepard, conductor
2009–2010 concert season
[edit]- November 12, 2009,Congregation Rodeph Sholom,Ernest Bloch'sSacred Service.Paolo Bordignon (organ), Charles Perry Sprawls (bass-baritone), James Bagwell, conductor
- March 6, 2010,Merkin Concert Hall,Kyle Gann'sTranscendental Sonnets(New York premiere),Harold Farberman'sTalk(world premiere), andLukas Foss'sPsalms.James Bagwell (conductor)
- March 28, 2010,Avery Fisher Hall,Beethoven'sSymphony No. 9.Budapest Festival Orchestra,Iván Fischer,conductor[4]
- May 8, 2010,St. George's Episcopal Church,The Roots of Bach and Beyond.Patrick Dupré Quigley,guest conductor
Dessoff Symphonic Choir performances
[edit]- (2010)21st Century Symphony Orchestra,Howard Shore's score toThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,Radio City Music Hall,Ludwig Wickiconductor (Official event web siteArchived2010-10-08 at theWayback Machine)
- (2010)Budapest Festival Orchestra,Beethoven'sNinth Symphony,Avery Fisher Hall,Iván Fischer,conductor (New York Times review)
- (2009)New York Philharmonic,Mahler'sSymphony No. 8,Avery Fisher Hall,Lorin Maazel,conductor
- (2009) New York Philharmonic,Britten'sWar Requiem,Avery Fisher Hall, Lorin Maazel, conductor
- (2009) Mahler's Symphony No. 3, Mahler for the children of AIDS benefit concert,Carnegie Hall,George Mathew, conductor
- (2008)American Symphony Orchestra,Rued Langgaard'sMusic of the Spheres,Avery Fisher Hall,Leon Botstein,conductor
- (2006)NHK Symphony Orchestra,Maurice Ravel'sDaphnis et Chloé,Carnegie Hall,Vladimir Ashkenazy,conductor
- (2006) American Symphony Orchestra,Rimsky-Korsakov'sMozart and Salieri,Avery Fisher Hall, Leon Botstein, conductor
- (2006)San Francisco Symphony,Charles Ives'sHolidays Symphony,Carnegie Hall,Michael Tilson Thomas,conductor
- (2005)Tan Dun'sWater Passion after St. Matthew,South Street Seaport,Tan Dun, conductor
- (2004)Kronos Quartet,Terry Riley'sSun Rings,Brooklyn Academy of Music,Aaron Smith, conductor
- (2004)John Tavener'sThe Veil of the Temple,Avery Fisher Hall, Stephen Layton, conductor
- (2004)New York Philharmonic,Charles Ives'sSymphony No. 4andGeneral William Booth Enters into Heaven,Avery Fisher Hall,Alan Gilbert,conductor
Discography
[edit]- Reflections: Four Contemporary American Composers Look Back (1997), The Dessoff Choirs,Kent Tritle,conductor[5]
- Paul Moravec:Songs of Love and War(first recording), David Arnold, baritone
- Robert Convery:To the One of Fictive Music(first recording), Steven Ryan, Piano
- Ned Rorem:From an Unknown Past
- John Corigliano:Fern Hill(first recording of revised orchestration), Mary Ann Hart, mezzo-soprano
- Glories on Glories (2009), The Dessoff Choirs, James Bagwell, conductor.
- William Billings,Modern Music,Jordan,Chester(1781)
- Horatio Parker,Urbs Syon unica(from Hora Novissima) - (1893)
- Charles Ives,Psalm 67(1897),Glories on Glories(1902),Psalm 90(1924)
- Randall Thompson,The Last Words of David(1949)
- Henry Clay WorkMarching Through Georgia/Battle Cry of Freedom(1865)/George F. Root(1862)
- Tenting on the Old Camp Ground-Walter Kittredge(1864)
- Oliver Holden,Ode on Music(1792)
- Andrew Law,'Bunker Hill' (1786)
- J. H. Moss,Singing School(1865)
- Miss M. Durham,Promised Land(1854)
- Robert Lowry,Beautiful River(1864)
- William Walker,Saints Bound for Heaven(1884)
- John McCurry,Weeping Mary(1855)
- Anonymous,Hallelujah(Original Sacred Harp, 1844)
- A. Marcus Cagle,Soar Away(Original Sacred Harp, 1971)
References
[edit]- ^abFromhttp://www.dessoff.org
- ^Boston Herald,16-May-1951, Rudolph Elie, "Fanny Mason Concert"
- ^"Ray Davies".Raydavies.info. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-11-09.Retrieved2014-05-17.
- ^[1]ArchivedOctober 6, 2009, at theWayback Machine
- ^Omnitone
External links
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