March 18th, 2013

“An American Tapestry”, Songs Reflecting the Music in 20th Century America, The Delaware Choral Society, Spring Concert, Friday, April 12th, 7:00 p.m., Venue? Sanctuary at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 631 South State St., Dover, Delaware

The Delaware Choral Society was founded in Dover, Delaware (our state’s capital), in 1957 by a group of church choirs wanting to perform Handel’s Messiah.  Branching out to other choral music of the great composers; from the Renaissance to the present, renditions of spiritual and folk music.  The Society is open to every interested singer without audition.  More info?  Please visit http://www.delawarechoralsociety.org.

Join the Delaware Choral Society, under the direction of Dr. James Wilson, for their spring concert presentation featuring a compilation of 20th Century American music, including songs by Leonard Bernstein, Smauel  Barber, Randall Thompson, and many more!!

Program Highlight:  “Have Ye Not Known”? and “Ye Shall Have a Song” from Randall Thompson’s The Peaceable Kingdon.

Randall Thompson is recognized as one of the finest composers of American choral music for major works, which often incorporated jazz, folk music, and American text into an eclectic body of music, which also included orchestra and piano works, operas, and chamber music.  The Peaceable Kingdom was commissioned in 1936 by the League of Composers for the Harvard Glee Club and the Radcliffe Choral Society, and it was inspired by a painting of the same by the naturalist Edward Hicks entitled the “Preaching Quaker of Pennsylvania”.  The painting depicts Isaiah, Chapter XI, verses 6-9.  In Thompson’s work, the selected verses are proclaimed by the chorus and their meaning sets the stage for a variety of choral techniques:  opposing choruses expressing the contrast between blessings bestowed on the righteous and woes inflicted upon the wicked, soprano and bass lines mirroring each other (one moves up in pitch as the other moves down and vice versa), and double choruses whose fullness of parts embody overwhelming joy and gladness of heart.

Friday, April 12th, one single performance, at 7:00 p.m.  The concert will be hosted in the sanctuary of Holy Cross Catholic Church located at 631 South State St., Dover, DE 19901.

Tickets:

General Admission – $20.00

Seniors, 65 years of age and over – $15.00

Military and anyone under the age of 21 – Free

Purchase or reserve the tickets by visiting http://www.delawarechoralsociety.org.  Or, will-call reservations and further information, please call 302-245-0449, or email info@delawarechoralsociety.org.  Tickets may also be available at the door.

Have a great day!!