The crafting ladies of Kleine Kammermusik (L to R): Stephanie Corwin, Becca Humphrey, Meg Owens.

ABOUT THE Author

Geoffrey Burgess combines musicological research with a career as Baroque oboist. His research focuses on the history of the oboe and French Baroque opera for which he developed a particular affinity through a twenty-year association with Les Arts Florissants. His recent publications include Well-Tempered Woodwinds: Friedrich von Huene and the Making of Early Music in a New World (Indiana Univ. Press, 2015), and a critical edition of Bruce Haynes’ Nachlass, The Pathetick Musician: Moving an Audience in the Age of Eloquence (Oxford Univ. Press, 2016).  Dr Burgess lives in Philadelphia and teaches at the Eastman School of Music.

About Kleine Kammermusik

Kleine Kammermusik is dedicated to bringing to life the wealth of chamber music for winds and continuo. With paired treble instruments (oboes and recorders) and a supportive continuo group of bassoon, cello, viola da gamba, and keyboard, the group comprises a versatile blend of instruments suited to music from a wide range of contexts,  from vivid outdoor celebrations and military fanfares to intimate chamber works. Learn more at www.kleinekammermusik.com/about/.

Geoffrey Burgess, oboe and voice flute
Meg Owens, oboe, oboe d’amore, oboe da caccia
Stephanie Corwin, bassoon
Becca Humphrey, cello
Leon Schelhase, harpsichord

Bach@7. Post-concert photo op with Kleine Kammermusik players: (L to R) Becca Humphrey, Leon Shelhase, Meg Owens, Geoffrey Burgess and Stephanie Corwin (May 16, the Chapel at S. Clement's Church). Photo: Inna Heasley

The featured harpsichord of the evening with Kleine Kammermusik: William Dowd Boston 1987. Made for the owner Martha Johnson and based in the Philadelphia Art Museum. Courtesy of Leon Schelhase. Photo: Inna Heasley

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Ahead of the Michael Korn Concert Tribute 2018, we present archival radio broadcast of a program dedicated to the memory of Michael Korn, founder of The Bach Festival of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Singers and Chorus America.   The First Art Productions program, aired in 1994, was recorded in June of that year in New York City, where many of Michael Korn's colleagues gathered for the 17th annual conference of Chorus America.  Here are the excerpts from the program: The program, hosted by the late Gene Parrish, features interviews with Korn's colleagues and recordings of The Philadelphia Singers conducted by Michael Korn.   ​ part 1: Introduction (5:37)

Part 2: Philadelphia, Summer of 1992, the 15th Chorus America Conference  (1:02)

Part 3: cont'd (1:33)

Part 4: ​Marion van der Loo recals (0:58)

Part 5: Brahms "Gypsy SongS," Op. 23 (excerpt), The Philadelphia Singers, Michael Korn conducting, October 1990 (5:12)

part 6: Conductors on Korn and story of founding of Chorus America (2:40)

Part 7: RCA Red Seal Recording. Handel "ROman Vespers", Dixit Dominus. Philadelphia Singers, Michael Korn conducting (6:11) 

PHOTO 1: Philadelphia Singers at the Walnut Street Theater, Korn conducting. Photo by Trudy Lee Cohen, 1985.

Photo 2: caption below

Photo 3: (l to r) Susan Bofinger (The Singers board member), Peggy King (pop singer), Benita Valente (met opera soprano), Michael Korn, Nancy Hemmenway (The Singers board member), Mrs. Eugene Ormandy. by Trudy Lee Cohen, 1991

Photo 4: Korn at the Choral Conductors Workshop. Musicologist Alfred Mann standing to the left. Drexel University, Summer 1978.

Photo 5: Korn (left) with Jack Pfeiffer (right), Susan Nowicki and Edward Polochik during recording of Handel's "Roman Vespers" on RCA. Photo by Trudy Lee Cohen, 1985.

Photo 6:  Caption Below

Photo 7: KORN WITH MRS. EUGENE ORMANDY (LEFT) AND MRS. SYLVIA MANN

Photo 8: Korn Conducting the Philadelphia Singers at the Independence Mall. July 4, 1978

One word -- uncompromising.  Michael was uncompromising when it came to his interpretation of the music.  This made him unique and put an individual stamp on his performances.  If there is one word to describe how Michael interpreted any and all music it was with DRAMA. From the simplest Shaw-Parker arrangements to the great works of Bach and Handel, there was always great drama and emotion in his interpretation of the music. But his drama and interpretation were never overdone or contrived.  It was a true reflection of his soul and his audiences always felt it deeply.

About the Author:

Janice Bryson has a B.M. in voice performance from the Philadelphia Musical Academy (now University of the Arts), a M.M. in music history from Temple University.  She completed all required course work and exams in musicology for a PhD at Bryn Mawr College, but did not complete a dissertation. Janice sang professionally in 1973-2000 with The Philadelphia Singers and the Opera Company of Philadelphia. She was also the Personnel Manager and Director of Development for The Philadelphia Singers in 1977-1995 and the Personnel Manager for the Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus in 1982-1992.  She was the soprano soloist at the Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr, PA in 1976-2002.  In 2002, Janice accepted a position as soprano soloist at St. Francis Xavier on the Parkway in Philadelphia where she still sings each Sunday.

Horses_of_Basilica_San_Marco.jpg via Wikimedia Commons

by Greg Ingles, Music Director of Dark Horse Consort Ahead of Choral Arts' performance of Claudio Monteverdi Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610) New Year's Eve, December 31, 2017 If one has the fortune to see a live performance of the Vespers of 1610, it is immediately apparent that the instruments double the vocal parts in 80% of the work. It may come as a surprise that these doublings are not notated in any of the various partbooks, but follow the renaissance practice of colla parte (with the part). Aside from the opening Dixit Dominus, the Sonata and a few instrumental obligato lines in the Magnificat, the lion’s share of the instrumental part is doubling the voices.

When deciding where to add instrumental doublings one should not choose passages arbitrarily. It takes careful consideration to make the added instrumental colors an effective addition, whether with a choir of 10 or 100. One can see that it makes far more sense to double the polyphonic settings such as Dixit Dominus and Laudate pueri rather than the soloistic settings of Nigra sum and Pulchra es amica mea. The soloistic motets are examples of the highest form of artistry and expression, and as such, are full of scalar runs, diminutions and other ornamentation. Monteverdi was one of the earliest composers to wrestle the use of ornamentation away from the performer, keeping control of the final product in the hands of the composer. It would be far too difficult to double a vocalist during elaborate passagi, and thus, these movements are best left to the singers alone.   In my mind, Text and Texture are the two most important elements when determining when and where instrumental doubling of vocal parts is appropriate. The most obvious case for including doubling is its use to accentuate the meaning of the text. Half way through the Audi cœli, the texture changes from a solo baritone voice to that of the entire polyphonic choir, all singing the word Omnes. This word, meaning everyone, is an ideal place to have the instruments join the singers. Having literally “everyone” come in at that point in the piece greatly adds to the contrasting full texture. Many of the Vespers sections similar to this one, with soloists merging into full choir, are ideal places to add the instruments.   When doubling a voice with an instrument it is exceedingly important to make sure that the articulations and phrasing match the voice exactly, supporting the vocal texture without obliterating the actual words. As an example, consider the text:   Ave maris stella                                 Hail, O Star of the ocean, Dei Mater alma                                  God’s own mother blest

Members of Dark Horse Consort

about the Author

Greg Ingles is the music director of Dark Horse Consort (on the far right, see photo above), the early music ensemble based in San Francisco and dedicated to unearthing the majestic late Renaissance and early Baroque repertoire for brass instruments. Inspired by the bronze horse statues in Venice’s famed St. Mark’s Basilica, the ensemble attempts to recreate the glorious sounds of composers such as Giovanni Gabrieli, Claudio Monteverdi and Heinrich Schütz. Dark Horse often expands to include vocalists and strings, which when combined recreates the rapturous kaleidoscope that was the sound of the early 17th century instrumental ensemble.
 
Dark Horse Consort has been featured on the San Francisco Early Music Series, the Boston Early Music Festival, the Renaissance and Baroque Society (Pittsburgh), in addition to multiple appearances throughout North America with vocal and instrumental groups such as The Toronto Consort, Blue Heron Choir (Boston), The Rose Ensemble (Minneapolis), Piffaro (Philadelphia), Tenet (NYC), Bach Collegium San Diego,  Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity Lutheran (NYC), and the Clarion Music Society (NYC).

From the Bach@7 Inaugural Welcome Message by Artistic Director Matt Glandorf: As Choral Arts is beginning to move from celebrating our 30th Anniversary towards the future, I take as my starting point this quote from Wolfgang Goethe:  “A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” I am sure you are much like me: every day is filled with a list of tasks, goals and accomplishments as well as demands that need to be met. Some may be more pleasurable than others. However, if Goethe is right, all of these things need to be put into perspective once in a while. That is why we are starting our "Bach@7" series.  These short, one hour concerts are designed as a respite, an "Art Break" to sit and listen to some of the most extraordinary music ever created: the Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach.  What I like about the Cantatas is that they were heard by an audience of nearly 9000 citizens in Leipzig, by rich and poor alike. And that in a population of only 30,000! So, come and take a break with us for an hour on Wednesdays at 7pm. And then please come back for the following programs, and help us spread the word! - (published in the Fall 2013 program book, edited by IHL)

Choral Arts and the Philadelphia Bach Collegium at the Bach@7 Inaugural performance. October 16, 2013. St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Inna Heasley

About the Author:

This post is contributed by Inna Lobanova-Heasley, choir member (alto) and director of marketing & communications
for Choral Arts Philadelphia and The Bach Festival of Philadelphia.

Top photo by Sharon Torello. St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Spring 2014.