In line with the concert theme "Death and New Life," the 2001 program of the National Catholic Youth Choir begins with a musical reflection on the death of Jesus Christ. German Lutheran composer Heinrich Schütz was one of the most important musical predecessors of J.S. Bach (1685-1750). This piece of his is based on the text and melody of a popular vernacular congregational hymn dating back to the 14^th century. The congregational hymn is a reflection of medieval piety that reflected upon the saving death of Jesus on the cross and saw in it the story of any Christian suffering on earth. The text sounds a note of hopefulness, with the plea that we might enjoy the blessedness of Christ who rules with his Father in heaven.

(Darkness Covered Everything)

Michael Haydn was the younger brother of the more famous Haydn, Franz Joseph.  Michael Haydn was active as organist and music director in several important Catholic churches in Salzburg, Austria.  "Tenebrae" has become famous as the name of the liturgy of the Divine Office in Holy Week in which candles are gradually extinguished and all depart in darkness.  The name actually comes from the response sung after the fifth reading of Matins on Good Friday, which is the text sung in this program.  This text is inspired by the accounts of Christ's death in the four Gospels.  It is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, "For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth (60:2).

The word "requiem" is the first word of the entrance antiphon (introit) of the Mass of Christian Burial.  The word expresses one of the main themes of the funeral liturgy - that the deceased person might enjoy eternal rest.  "Pie Jesu" is from the end of the famous sequence formerly sung before the Gospel of  the funeral Mass, Dies Irae (Day of Wrath).  Fauré was a French composer who wrote in a Romantic style.  There is some doubt as to whether Fauré believed in Christian teachings about eternal life, but there can be no doubt that his setting of "Pie Jesu," with its gentle harmonies, is an apt expression of Jesus' love for he deceased.

This piece is essentially a setting for choir of three stanzas of a hymn.  The author of the text is Venantius Fortunatus, 6^th century bishop of Poitiers (now in France).  The hymn is for Vespers of Holy Week, hence the reference to "this Passiontide."  The hymn portrays the death of Christ on the Cross not as a bitter tragedy, but as a moment of triumph for a King who reigns.  The musical setting is by Anton Bruckner, a 19^th century Romantic Austrian composer.  Bruckner was a fervently pious Catholic originally from rural Austria; he raised eyebrows when he interrupted his music lectures at the University of Vienna at the sound of the noon Angelus bell to kneel down for the traditional prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bruckner was long active in Vienna, the hometown of NCYC conductor Axel Theimer.     

Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630), "Christ Lag in Todesbanden" (Christ Lay in Bands of Death)

Schein was a north German Lutheran composer of the early Baroque era.  His "Christ lag" is setting for three voices of a traditional congregational hymn.  In this setting, Schein employs the musical technique of "pre-imitation," in which the top two voices (females) playfully imitate and hint at the main melody before that melody itself appears in the bottom (male) part in emphatic extended notes.  The congregational hymn has an interesting history that reaches all the way back to the 12^th century.  A Latin sequence sung before the Gospel on Easter Sunday, "Victimae Paschali," became the textual and melodic source for a highly popular vernacular congregational hymn, "Christ ist erstanden" ("Christ is risen").  This vernacular hymn was sung by medieval Christians throughout Europe, in many different languages and local dialects, in the liturgy and elsewhere, from the 12^th century on.  In 1524 Martin Luther wrote the text and music of his famous hymn "Christ lag in Todesbanden," which is based on the well-known pre-Reformation congregational hymn.  Schein then wrote his little masterpiece based on the hymn that had quickly became widely used among the early Lutherans.  The extended Alleluias of Schein's setting are a celebration of the eternal life that is ours through the life-giving death of Christ.

Philips was a 16^th century Roman Catholic composer who, at a time of tragic fighting among Christians, had to leave England in 1582 to avoid persecution from the Church of England.  He first took a post as organist at the English College in Rome, and then he worked in Belgium.  His Easter piece "Surgens Jesus" recounts the appearance of the risen Lord to the disciples as recorded in the Gospel of John chapter 20.  At a time when the Baroque era had begun to introduce modern "functional" harmony, Philips wrote this piece in a rather conservative style typical of the Renaissance era.  Perhaps this is a sign of Philips' adherence to the traditional faith of his homeland.  Philips is creative, nonetheless, in his choral composition.  Note the word painting of the very opening phrase, in which the melody of each of the five voices in turn ascends the scale to suggest the "Surgens Jesus" ("Lord arising"), and note the dance-like treatment of "Gavisi sunt discipuli" ("The disciples rejoiced") in swinging rhythmic threes.

This year the National Catholic Youth Choir is singing a favorite from the pilot year of the program in 2000, "Doxology" by Kevin Vogt.  The piece is dedicated to the Trinity, as Trinity Sunday fell at the beginning of the 2001 season of the NCYC on June 10^th. Composer Kevin Vogt is currently music director at the Catholic Cathedral in Omaha, which is dedicated to the patron saint of music, St. Cecilia.  He studied music at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota before working at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Willmar and St. Paul Cathedral in St. Paul, Minnesota.  This setting is based on “mode 8” in the medieval numbering of the scale patterns in Gregorian chant.  The text, “Glory to the Father…” commonly comes at the end of psalms in the Liturgy of the Hours (Office), as well as concluding other prayers.  The verses are from the liturgy of Trinity Sunday.

Among the contemporary pieces sung by the National Catholic Youth Choir this season is this spirited piece by Marvin Curtis.  It was commissioned by the 1982 Grand Prairie, Texas, High School Chorale.  The text is not taken directly from any Bible passage, but it suggests and hints at several familiar Biblical themes.  The composer's harmonic vocabulary is intentionally contemporary in a "pop" sort of style, which lends an easy pleasantness to the piece.  The syncopated rhythms of this setting suggest the happiness of the blessed worshiping "the God who gave us life."

Fr. Bryan Hays is a monk of Saint John's Abbey since 1957.  From his Methodist background in Tennessee, Fr. Bryan acquired an ear for true "folk" music and congregational hymnody.  This setting is one of many of Fr. Bryan's original hymns that he has arranged for four-part choir.  For his text Fr. Bryan went to the great Anglican priest and poet George Herbert.  One aspect of Herbert's poetic genius is his clever use of internal rhymes ( breath / truth;  strife / life;  length / strength ).  The musical setting, with its gentle, lilting rhythms in three, suggests the mystical joy of those who long for the fullness of life at the heavenly banquet.

Richard Proulx is one of the leading Catholic composers in the United States.  He lives in Chicago, where he was formerly director of music at Holy Name Cathedral. In 1998, Saint John's University bestowed upon Proulx it's highest honor, the Pax Christi award, for his service to the Church.  "Blest are Those" was commissioned by Saint John's in 1999 and the composer dedicated his piece to Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB.  In liturgical use, the antiphon is given to the congregation to sing together during Holy Communion.  The clever functionality of the piece consists in the giving of the first three verses to cantors, to be sung while the choir members receive Holy Communion.  Then the choir members sing the last two verses as a way of building momentum.  In this way, the Communion song can commence right at the beginning of the distribution; involve cantor, congregation, and choir; and extend throughout the Communion rite.  The eucharistic theme of the piece is appropriate to the 2001 concert program of "Death and New Life."  Our "new life" in Christ is anticipated at Holy Communion of every Mass, and will be fulfilled when we will partake of the heavenly banquet to come.

This is the second piece from Fauré's Requiem in this year's program, along with "Pie Jesu."  The chant "In paradisum" comes at the end of the Mass of Christian Burial, as the casket is carried out of church to the cemetery.  The text is a gentle and trusting prayer that the deceased might enjoy new life in the Heavenly City of Jerusalem, and so be numbered among the choirs of angels.

Aaron Copland was an American composer who experimented with many compositional styles, including dissonant twentieth century styles.  In the mid-1930s he made a conscious decision to compose in a more popular and accessible style, and he began to employ traditional American folk themes in his compositions.  Copland is well known for his orchestral work "Appalachian Spring," which employs the Shaker tune "Simple Gifts."  His arrangement for choir of "At the River" is a setting of an American folk hymn originally by Robert Lowry.  The text provides yet another image of "new life" in heaven, one inspired by the Book of Revelation: the saints gather at the river flowing by the throne of God.

Suriano studied in Rome with the most famous of Catholic Renaissance composers, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.  He served as choirmaster at the Roman churches of Mary Major, St. John Lateran (the pope's cathedral church as bishop of the diocese of Rome), and St. Peter's Basilica.  Suriano is considered one of the most distinguished of Palestrina's successors.  "Regina caeli" is the antiphon to the Blessed Virgin Mary customarily sung at the end of Compline (night prayer) during Easter season, from Easter Sunday until Pentecost.  Its text shows that our devotion to the Mother of God flows from her role as the bearer of the Christ, and so our honoring of Mary leads us to her Son who is the center of the Church.  Mary is an image of the heavenly Church and a model for the earthly Church, for she now enjoys the eternal life which is the destiny of all humankind.

Dale Grotenhuis, "Song of Triumph"

The 2001 program of the National Catholic Youth Choir, "Death and New Life," closes with a grand and lively contemporary piece by Dale Grotenhuis.  The composer lends energy and interest to this setting by his use of unexpected time signatures such as 5/4 and 7/4.  The voice parts oftentimes split, and at times the piece is in 8-part harmony.  The harmonies are contemporary in a fresh and pleasant manner.  The text is from the Book of Revelation, 15:3-4.  It is the song sung by all the redeemed gathered round the heavenly throne of God.  May all who sing in the National Catholic Youth Choir, and also all those who hear it in liturgy or concert, someday be numbered in the choirs of the redeemed, as we all enjoy "new life" in God!

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© 2001 National Catholic Youth Choir

Saint John's Abbey and University,

Collegeville, Minnesota 56321

For information contact the choir founder and chaplain,

Fr.Anthony Ruff, O.S.B.

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This website was created and is maintained by Peter Habenczius

URL: http://www.catholicyouthchoir.org/2001/program_notes01.html

Last update: June 15, 2001