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Symphony
TWO OLD, TWO NEW AT THE SR SYMPHONY'S MARCH CONCERT IN WEILL
by Peter Lert
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Chamber
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THIRTY-THREE PLUS VARIATIONS AND AN OCEAN VIEW
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Choral and Vocal
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Choral and Vocal
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Chamber
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Chamber
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by Terry McNeill
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Symphony
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by Terry McNeill
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Chamber
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by Abby Wasserman
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Recital
ELEGANT VOCAL MASTERY AT ROSES SIGNATURE RECITAL
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Sunday, February 25, 2024
CHORAL AND VOCAL REVIEW

Organist Anne Laver

ORPHEUS OF AMSTERDAM'S MUSIC IN SCHROEDER ORGAN CHORAL CONCERT

by Sonia Morse Tubridy
Friday, January 10, 2020

“All over the map.” Sonoma Bach, directed by Bob Worth, has taken its audiences this season on journeys through many centuries and many lands. The programming is fresh and intriguing and the performers varied and creators of beauty and interest.

The January 10 program was centered on organ works by Sweelinck, performed by Anne Laver in Sonoma State’s Schroeder Hall.. This was Ms. Laver’s third Schroeder visit, and during her informative introductory remarks and organ demonstrations she explained the design of Schroeder’s Brombaugh was inspired by Sweelinck’s Amsterdam organ of the 1540s. The core principal sound is double piped and can have a human vocal quality. Sweelinck was a great organist and published both organ and choral arrangements in Amsterdam, copied then by students who preserved his scores.

Echo Fantasie in C was the opening piece of this concert, and as the name implies, this work makes much use of echo techniques in its contrapuntal style. Sweelinck’s Dutch organ and its rich tonal world inspired this echo technique in both instrumental and vocal works. The program continued with many alternating choral and organ selections. “Mein junges Leben hat ein End” started with choral unison, followed by organ variations and choral arrangements in harmonies and counterpoint. The organ sound began gently and simply, gradually adding bright tones, high bells, sprightly dancelike moments and finally multilayered orchestral complexity. The choral sections, sung by the Sonoma Bach Choir, were lovely in character and presentation.

The next organ set, Variations on Ballo del granduca (Ballet for the Duke), were connected to dance music of the period. First came a brassy theme, then much embellishment, rushing scales and passagework and duets on different manuals. This was exciting virtuoso composing by Sweelinck and virtuoso performing by Ms. Laver.


“Petite accipietas”  from 1619, from a collection of five-voice motets, was full of joy, using a basso continuo part, echoes and dancelike shifts to triple time. It ended with a satisfying and elegant Alleluia. Next was a presentation of Psalm 23, first for unison choir, then a vocal -sounding organ verse and settings from the Geneva Psalter interspersed with organ verses. Dutch sacred music was often based on adaptations of 150 psalms from the Geneva Psalter of the 1500s.

The second half commenced with Sweelinck’s Hexachord Fantasia. Based on an ancient six-note theme, the composer weaved contrapuntal ideas from Italy, Spain and England into a dynamic whole, increasing in complexity and tempo until a final grand stretto section where the hexachord theme enters in overlapping phrases. Unison choir initiated the traditional “Uns ist geborn ein kindllein,” a lilting Christmas melody, followed by arrangements featuring two part textures. Pavana Lacrimae, after Dowland’s “Flow my Tears”, was dark and gentle, and featured muted organ colors. The next selections were anonymous dances from a collection dated 1599 under the name Susanne von Sold, and notable as the first known collection of Dutch keyboard music. A pleasant scene portrayed in music followed, “Hodie beata Virgo Maria”, that was dignified and ornamented with echo and birdlike calls.

“Wie Schon leuchtet der Morgenstern”, one of the most beloved chorale melodies in music history, was played and sung in a variety of musical arrangements, including ones by Philip Nicolai and Dierck Sweelinck, son of Jan Sweelinck. The choir created a fine blend with the organ and they did indeed “let the sweet music ring out all rich in joy”.

This concert was inspired in concept and realization and seemingly brought peace and happiness to the 225 in the Hall.  Following applause, a lovely encore was presented: “All in a Garden Green”.