American Choral Review Archive

Handel's four famous anthems were written for the coronation of...

Handel's four famous anthems were written for the coronation of King George II and Queen Caroline in October, 1727. Having been entrusted with this task was an obvious honor as well as a very particular challenge to which Handel proved more than equal. In fact, one might say that the design of the Coronation Anthems shows Handel developing an extended choral and dramatic scope which contributed substantially to the rise of English oratorio.

Why is it that The Creation is performed so much...

Why is it that The Creation is performed so much more frequently in America than its "sister oratorio" The Seasons? While there may be a number of reasons for the preference of one oratorio over the other, there seem to be two major ones: The English translations currently available for The Seasons are, to various degrees, not suitable for today's singers and audiences; and the work is apt to be too long for modern listeners. Before discussing ways of dealing with these problems, we must look at some other facts and features of this masterpiece.

Four types of sources provide information about nineteenth-century choral societies....

Four types of sources provide information about nineteenth-century choral societies. Best and rarest are guides for founders and directors. While no literal "how-to" guide is available, there are useful philosophical writings by contemporary musicians who led choral groups. Additional information comes from records by society historians. Passing references to choral performances or meetings appear in memoirs by some of the literary musicians of the century. Finally, of course, music dictionaries offer articles and bibliographies.

The importance of a true concept of the "ideal" sound...

The importance of a true concept of the "ideal" sound for young tenors is paramount. This concept must encompass lyricism at its purest with energy and animation at its highest. One without the other will be fruitless.