Hole in the Sky Westminster Williamson Voices

James Jordan

Hole in the Sky

Music of Britten, Bruckner, Duruflé, Forrest, Gjeilo, Henson, LaVoy, Mendelssohn, Pärt, Paulus, Victoria and Whitacre

1. “The Spheres” from Sunrise Mass Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978) Text: Kyrie from the Ordinary of the Mass

2. She Weeps Over Rahoon Eric Whitacre (b. 1970) Text: James Joyce (1882–1941) Corey Everly, piano Nick Masterson, English horn Sopranos and Altos of Westminster Williamson Voices

3. As I Walk the Silent Earth Thomas LaVoy (b. 1990) Text: Thomas LaVoy, with a nod to Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll (1832–1898) Choir of St. Stephen’s

4. Pilgrims’ Hymn Stephen Paulus (1949–2014) Text: Michael Dennis Browne (b. 1940)

5. At the River arr. Aaron Copland (1900–1990) Text and Tune: Hanson Place, Robert Lowry (1826–1899) Corey Everly, piano Choir of St. Stephen’s

6. And Dream Awhile Blake Henson (b. 1983) Text: “The Sleeping Beauty” by Samuel Rogers (1763–1855)

7. Jubilate Deo Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) Text: Psalm 100 Peter Carter, organ

8. “Kyrie” from Officium defunctorum à 6 Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548–1611) Text: Kyrie from the Ordinary of the Mass

Westminster Williamson Voices

James Jordan, conductor

corey eVerly, accompanist

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9. Good Night, Dear Heart Dan Forrest (b. 1978) Text: Adapted by Mark Twain (1835–1910) from “Annette” by Robert Richardson (1850–1901) Corey Everly, piano

10. “Veni, Domine” from Drei Motetten für weibliche Stimmen mit Begleitung der Orgel, op. 39 Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809–1847) Text: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Moira Susan Gannon, alto Peter Carter, organ Sopranos and Altos of Westminster Williamson Voices

11. Da pacem Domine Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) Text: Latin hymn Choir of St. Stephen’s

12. Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal Alice Parker (b. 1925) Text and Tune: InIvtatIon Traditional Sara Munson, soprano Choir of St. John’s

13. Locus iste Anton Bruckner (1824–1896) Text: Latin Gradual for the Mass of the Dedication of a Church Choir of St. John’s

14. “Tantum ergo” from Quatre Motets sur des thèmes grégoriens, op. 10 Maurice Durufle (1902–1986) Text: From Pange Lingua by St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Choir of St. John’s

15. The Road Home arr. Stephen Paulus (1949–2014) Text: Michael Dennis Browne (b. 1940) Tune: ProsPect, Southern Harmony, 1835 Emily Rosoff, alto Choir of St. Stephen’s

Recorded January 2016 Bristol Chapel, Westminster Choir College,

Princeton, New JerseyWestminster Williamson VoicesJames Jordan, conductorCorey Everly, accompanist

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Every now and then, a line of text within a piece of music so deeply touches someone

that it is impossible to stop thinking about not only the words but their far-reaching implications. Within Thomas LaVoy’s choral work, “As I Walk the Silent Earth,” there is a line that reads, “I would tear a hole in the sky so I could pull out the heart of the moon for thee.” That image in words presents a dual perfect life analogy that enlightens and reminds us about vulnerability, honesty, and human compassion and care—which is perhaps what our lives are all about. I suppose that because the work was dedicated to this choir and its conductor, the text has an affixed connection anyway, at least for us. In many ways, it describes how our choir approaches every score we perform. But in reality, it speaks to what artists do. Music opens us to a more radiant and brilliant life through sounds and words.

There are certain pieces of music that, by their very nature, “tear a hole in the sky”—the “sky” of our spirits and souls. Certain music, certain composers, and certain performances have a way of “tearing a hole” into us and opening our spiritual core, which deepens our lives and perhaps even brings new meaning to what we do and how we live. Gerard Manley Hopkins called that place our “inscape.” The music for this CD has a common thread in that all the pieces, in some way, provide an illuminative hole, through both sound and text, into perhaps a deeper understanding of life and living.

This CD explores many choral sound worlds. From Ola Gjeilo’s “The Spheres,” to Mendelssohn’s stunning work for women’s choir, “Veni, Domine,” to “She Weeps Over Rahoon” of Eric Whitacre, to the joyful “Jubilate Deo” of Benjamin Britten, to the “Kyrie” from the Requiem of 1605 by Victoria, holes are torn not only into the sound worlds possible through choral singing, but also the “holes” that bore deeply into our spiritual “inscapes” by the marriage of sound and the texts of each work.

The Westminster Williamson Voices, a choir composed of two equally balanced chamber ensembles and named after the spaces we enjoy at The Choral Institute at Oxford (www.rider.edu/oxford), understand deeply the concept of that “hole in the sky.” Every rehearsal with this remarkable group of singers at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton tears a “hole in the sky” within each of us. In my twenty-fifth year of teaching at this remarkable place, I dedicate this CD to the Westminster Williamson Voices, this remarkable choir that has enriched my life beyond measure and taken me on journeys through that “hole in the sky.” Their way of being with one another not only gives composers their most honest voice, but also deepens their lives—and hopefully the lives of all those who hear us.

—James Jordan

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1. “The Spheres” from Sunrise Mass Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978) “The Spheres” is also the name of the first movement (Kyrie) from my 2008 mass for choir and string orchestra, Sunrise Mass. This performance is of the a cappella version of that movement. Many people have asked me why I used an English, seemingly unrelated, title for this setting of the Kyrie. Apart from the fact that I generally prefer to assign English titles to pieces with Latin text these days, it has to do with the initial idea behind the Sunrise Mass. I wanted the musical evolution of the setting to go from the most transparent and spacey to something completely earthy and grounded—from heaven to earth, so to speak. So, in “The Spheres,” I used a kind of overlapping fade-in/fade-out effect to give a sense of floating in space, in darkness and relative silence, surrounded by stars and planets light-years away. However, I don’t follow this idea throughout the entire movement, since it eventually gathers into a big crescendo and ends with a clear, chorale version of the theme that was presented very slowly and muddled in the first part. In a way, this movement is a microcosm of the entire mass, which also ends with a longer chorale in “The Ground” (Sanctus and Agnus Dei).

This a cappella version of “The Spheres” was premiered by the 2009 ACDA College Honor Chamber Choir with conductor Gary Graden in Oklahoma City; the piece is dedicated to Mr. Graden. Immediately after its premiere, James Jordan performed most of the early performances of the work across the United States. —Ola Gjeilo

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. 2. She Weeps Over Rahoon Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)“ S h e W e e p s O v e r R a h o o n ” w a s commissioned by Dr. Jocelyn Kaye Jensen in 1993. In typical composer fashion, it wasn’t even close to finished on the day of its premiere. The singers all had their parts and we all had the same number of measures. I had been accompanying the rehearsals, though, and would try different piano parts every time, so the premiere ended up being one big piano improvisation. I even had to go back and listen to the recording of the performance to transcribe some of my playing. Never again. Personally, I had a blast, but I think all of the other musicians were scared to death that I would play something wacky and we would all be over the cliff.

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The poetry, by James Joyce, is astonishingly beautiful. While writing this piece, I stumbled upon a choral effect that has become a favorite of mine: half of the singers sing the written pitches pianissimo, and the other half whisper the same text and rhythms. The effect is a haunting, breathless choral sound that always makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. —Eric Whitacre

She Weeps Over Rahoon

Rain on Rahoon falls softly, softly falling,Where my dark lover lies.Sad is his voice that calls me, sadly

calling,At grey moonrise.

Love, hear thou How soft, how sad his voice is ever calling,Ever unanswered, and the dark rain

falling,Then as now.

Dark too our hearts, O love, shall lie and coldAs his sad heart has lainUnder the moongrey nettles, the black mouldAnd muttering rain. —James Joyce, 1882–1941

3. As I Walk the Silent Earth Thomas LaVoy (b. 1990)

“As I Walk the Silent Earth” is dedicated to James Jordan and the members of the Westminster Williamson Voices. From 2011 to 2013, I had the great honor and privilege to hold a seat in this choir among some of the finest musicians I have ever worked with. During that time, I developed a strong sense of friendship and camaraderie with each member of the ensemble, as well as a profound respect for the individual talents they possessed and the legacy of the choir as a whole. This legacy has flourished under the guidance of James Jordan, whose leadership and devotion—not only to the world of choral music but to the well-being of each and every student who comes under his wing—have been an incredible source of inspiration for many. This piece is my attempt to represent musically the familial bonds that we as choristers form with one another when we sing together. These ties are strengthened by our mutual love of song and help to keep our minds and spirits safe in times of darkness. Since leaving Westminster Choir College (where, I maintain, there exists one of the highest concentrations of musical and spiritual bonds in the world), I have found that it is simply the memories of singing with my peers that have guided me, undamaged, through difficult times. These memories remind me constantly of the tremendous and elusive knowledge that can be gained through singing

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with others: lessons of humility, humanity, and finding one’s place in a community. —Thomas LaVoy

In each person there exists a voidto be filled with thoughts and wordsmeant only to shield us in the darknessand to guard us from harm.We fill that sullen emptiness with thoughtsof each soul who touched our hearts,who stood beside us through the dimand in the light of day.For we are all children in our Wonderlands.For we are all each other’s Hatters and our

Hares.

As I walk the silent earthI sing the songs that you taught me;those words so full of glorythat in reflection I can hardly speak.And I know that in being company with youI have found what I seek.I have found what I seek.For we are all dreamers in the depths of sleep.For we are all each other’s Keepers and our Kin.

If you would but remember me,how far would I go?I would tear a hole in the skyso I could pull out the heart of the moon for

thee. I will live out the life I must live with your song.Life, what is it but a dream?**The final line of Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass

4. Pilgrims’ Hymn Stephen Paulus (1949–2014)As Stephen Paulus was writing his opera in one act based on a church story of Leo Tolstoy, The Three Hermits, he called Michael Dennis Browne, the opera’s librettist, to have him listen to the conclusion of the second scene. Browne recalled the music as “haunting, memorable,” and asked if Paulus would consider using the same melody in the third scene with different text. As the writing process continued, Browne hummed the tune to himself, repeatedly, while meditating on the text of Matthew 6:7–8, which was the epigraph to the original story by Tolstoy: “And in praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” In the operatic score, Paulus changed the underlying texture and key of the melody and set Browne’s new text to it. This text is a meditation on a revelation of the Bishop, whose sole task in the opera is to save the titular three hermits on an island by teaching them the Lord’s Prayer. At the end of the opera, the Bishop realizes that his efforts toward perfection were misplaced—salvation does not lie within his hands, but in the hands of God. The result was music that would be extracted to become the “Pilgrims’ Hymn”. —Brian V. Sengdala

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Even before we call on Your nameTo ask you, O God.When we seek for the words to glorify You,You hear our prayer;Unceasing love, O unceasing love,Surpassing all we know. Glory to the Father, And to the Son, And to the Holy Spirit.

Even with darkness sealing us in,We breathe Your name,And through all the days that follow so fast,We trust in You;Endless Your grace, O endless Your grace,Beyond all mortal dream. Both now and for ever, And unto ages and ages. Amen. —Michael Dennis Browne, b. 1940

5. At the River arr. Aaron Copland (1900–1990)The hymn “Shall We Gather at the River” was written by the great American hymn composer, Robert Lowry (1826–1899). Lowry studied theology at Bucknell University, and was pastor and choirmaster of First Baptist Church in Lewisburg. While this hymn was written after Lowry’s time in Lewisburg, and is labeled as “Hanson Place” in the hymnody, that tune title reflects the church for which it was composed. It

is clear that Lowry’s hymn writing was reflective of his Baptist theological training and his work as a minister. The tune and text clearly reflects the calmness and width of the Susquehanna River, where Lewisburg is located. And indirectly, perhaps, the hymn reflects a broader theological metaphor for faith in one’s life. This piece holds special significance because many years later, I succeeded Lowry as Director of Music (my first conducting position) at this incredible church. This recording is dedicated to the memory of James Bates (my organist/classmate) and the people of that First Baptist Church Choir, who taught me more than I ever taught them. Copland’s adaptation of this Baptist hymn captures the spirit of the original tune and text, and broadens its musical footprint into a wider view of Americana and its American religious roots. —James Jordan

Shall we gather by the river, Where bright angels feet have trod, With its crystal tide foreverFlowing by the throne of God.Yes we’ll gather by the river,The beautiful, the beautiful river,Gather with the saints by the riverThat flows by the throne of God.Soon we’ll reach the shining river,Soon our pilgrimage will cease,Soon our happy hearts will quiver With the melody of peace.Yes we’ll gather by the river...

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6. And Dream Awhile Blake Henson (b. 1983)Samuel Rogers’ poem, “The Sleeping Beauty,” continues to amaze and inspire me with its ability to evoke a sense of childlike innocence despite the sorrow inherent within the story. To strike a similar balance within “And Dream Awhile,” I have chosen to weave the tune for the nursery rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” throughout the musical score. While some of the motives may seem obvious, others are quite veiled. While it is an interpretative point of view, the Rogers poem examined from a life perspective offers insight into a very Jungian idea that the issues in our lives are worked out not only in our sleep, but also, more importantly, in our dreams. The sound of the work allows for the creation of a dreamlike atmosphere that moves between floating and a very clear reality of what is being dreamed. The poem and the music cause one to consider the importance of dreams and the human experience. —Blake Henson

Sleep on, and dream of Heaven awhile.Tho’ shut so close thy laughing eyes,Thy rosy lips still wear a smileAnd move, and breathe delicious sighs!

Ah, now soft blushes tinge her cheeks,And mantle o’er her neck of snow.Ah, now she murmurs, now she speaksWhat most I wish—and fear to know!

She starts, she trembles, and she weeps!Her fair hands folded on her breast.And now, how like a saint she sleeps!A seraph in the realms of rest!

Sleep on secure! Above control,Thy thoughts belong to Heaven and thee!And may the secret of thy soulRemain within its sanctuary! 7. Jubilate Deo Benjamin Britten (1913–1976)Written in 1961 for the Duke of Edinburgh to be premiered at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, “Jubilate Deo” is meant to be a companion to Britten’s “Te Deum” of 1934. After a large repertoire of operas full of angst, the liturgical work harkens back to the simpler, more jovial works of Britten. The energy of the A sections, with the higher voices and lower voices in dialogue over a bubbling organ accompaniment, contrasts well with the more reflective B section. —Brian V. SengdalaO be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands;serve the Lord with gladness,and come before his presence with a song.Be ye sure that the Lord he is God;

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it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving,and into his courts with praise;be thankful unto him, and speak good of his

name.For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is

everlasting;and his truth endureth from generation to

generation.Glory be the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghost.As it was in the beginning, is now, and evershall be, world without end. Amen. —Psalm 100

8. “Kyrie” from Officium defunctorum à 6 Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548–1611)

“Kyrie” is taken from Victoria’s setting of the Officium defunctorum, or Office of the Dead, which was composed in 1605 for the funeral of Empress Maria, sister of King Felipe II of Spain. Throughout his career, Victoria published 11 volumes of choral music; however, the Officium defunctorum, constituting the 11th volume, is his only work published by itself. This particular setting of the Kyrie is separated into 3 distinct sections: section 1 features a full 6-part SSATTB choral texture, section 2 features

a smaller semi-chorus with the bass section tacet, and section 3 features a return to the full texture for the final section.

Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.

9. Good Night, Dear Heart Dan Forrest (b. 1978) In early October 2008, my brother and his wife found out that the four-month-old girl they were soon to adopt from Ethiopia was in the hospital. They had been making plans for her, staring endlessly at her picture, and loving her from across the ocean, so the news was devastating. Unable to help her in any physical way, they prayed ceaselessly and made appeals to speed up the legal process in Ethiopia. Initially, she made a turn for the better, but on October 13, they received the news that she had died. God’s plans were not for her to ever see the people who had loved her from halfway around the world, but for her to be taken instead to His loving arms. For me, life circumstances have never translated into musical inspiration; the two have always been separate. As a result of this tragedy, though, I found myself longing to pour out a musical elegy. My search for a suitable text led me all over the Internet that night, but amazingly, it ended with a picture from

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a cemetery in my hometown where the great American author Mark Twain and his family are buried. My brother and I, from our youth, have known the poem that Twain placed on the tombstone of his beloved daughter, Susy, when she died unexpectedly at age 24 and left him heartbroken. I was stunned by the bittersweet irony of this text being from our hometown, and in honor of a beloved daughter who died unexpectedly. —Dan Forrest Warm summer sun, shine brightly here, Warm Southern wind, blow softly here, Green sod above, lie light, lie light, Good night, dear heart; good night, good night.

—Adapted by Mark Twain, 1835 –1910, from “Annette” by Robert Richardson, 1850–1901

10. “Veni, Domine” from Drei Motetten für weibliche Stimmen mit Begleitung der Orgel, op. 39 Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)Mendelssohn’s source of inspiration for the Three Motets, op. 39 was a trip to visit the late-Renaissance church of the Santissima Trinità dei Monti, located in

Rome. This church is the responsibility of the French Republic. On December 20, 1830, Mendelssohn wrote a letter to his parents, Abraham and Lea: “The French nuns sing there, and it is wonderfully lovely.... Now, one should know one more thing: that one is not allowed to see the singers. Therefore, I have come to an unusual decision: I will compose something for their voices, which I remember exactly….” —William Sawyer

Veni, Domine! Veni! Et noli tardare!Relaxa facinora plebi tuae,et revoca dispersos in terram tuam.Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam,et veni, ut salvos nos facias.

Come, Lord! Come! And do no tarry!Redeem the sins of your people,and call back those scattered across your earth.Summon your power, Lord,and come and save us.

11. Da pacem Domine Arvo Pärt (b. 1935)This text derives from the ninth-century Latin prayer for peace. Pärt started composing the work a few days after the Madrid train bombings on March 11, 2004. This was Pärt’s personal tribute to the victims of this horrific

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attack. The conductor Paul Hiller describes the texture of the piece as “a near harmonic stasis in which each pitch is carefully in position like stones in a Zen garden.” The rehearsal letters in the score spell out the word AMEN to encompass the whole work as a universal prayer. —William Sawyer

Da pacem, Domine, in diebus nostris Quia non est alius

Qui pugnet pro nobis Nisi tu Deus noster.

Give peace, O Lord, in our time because there is no one else

who will fight for us, if not you, our God.

12. Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal arr. Alice Parker (b. 1925)“Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal” comes from William Hauser’s book of shape-note music, Olive Leaf, written in 1878. The system of musical notation was meant to be a read music that facilitated the communal singing of a whole congregation. Here, Alice Parker’s arrangement for mixed chorus celebrates the joviality of the hymn and also explores the journey of the eternal soul.

Hark, I hear the harps eternalRinging on the farther shore,As I near those swollen waters,

With their deep and solemn roar. Refrain: Hallelujah, hallelujah! Hallelujah, praise the Lamb! Hallelujah, hallelujah!Glory to the great I AM!

Souls have crossed before me, saintly,To that land of perfect rest;And I hear them singing faintlyIn the mansions of the blest. (Refrain)

And my soul, though stained with sorrow,Fading as the light of day,Passes swiftly o’er those watersTo the city far away.(Refrain)

13. Locus iste Anton Bruckner (1824–1896)

Locus iste a Deo factus est, inaestimabile sacramentum, irreprehensibilis est.This place was made by God, a priceless sacrament; it is without reproach.

14. “Tantum ergo” from Quatre Motets sur des thèmes grégoriens, op. 10 Maurice Durufle (1902–1986)

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“Tantum ergo” is the last motet in the Quatre Motets sur des thèmes grégoriens, op. 10, composed in 1960 for unaccompanied choir. The motets are based on Gregorian chant tunes. They are ideal companion pieces for Durufle’s Requiem. The piece begins by introducing the chant tune in the soprano part, which is then followed by the altos, tenors, and basses. The tenors have a similar line to the sopranos, but with slight differences that are somewhat ornamented from the original chant melody line. This gives the soprano and tenor parts a canonic relationship to one another. Durufle instructs the tenors in the score to stand out in the balance just a hair (un peu en dehors), while the altos and basses sing a simple accompaniment that is based on the harmony of the chant and the overall structure of the tune. —William Sawyer

Tantum ergo Sacramentum Veneremur cernui:

Et antiquum documentum Novo cedat ritui:

Praestet fides supplementum Sensuum defectui.

Genitori, Genitoque Laus et jubilatio,

Salus, honor, virtus quoque Sit et benedictio:

Procedenti ab utroque Compar sit laudatio.

Amen.

—From Pange linguaby St. Thomas Aquinas, 1225–1274

Let us therefore, bowing low, venerate so great a Sacrament;

and let the old Law give way to the new rite;let faith afford assistance to the deficiency of

the senses.To the Begetter and the Begotten,

let there be praise and jubilation, salvation, honor, power and blessing;and to One processing from both,

let there be equal praise. Amen.

15. The Road Home Stephen Paulus (1949–2014) In the Spring of 2001, I received a commission from the Dale Warland Singers to write a short “folk”-type choral arrangement…The tune is taken from The Southern Harmony Songbook of 1835. It is pentatonic, which is part of its attraction. Pentatonic scales have been extant for centuries and are prevalent in almost all musical cultures throughout the world. They are universal…It is just more evidence that the most powerful and beautiful message is often a simple one. —Stephen Paulus

Tell me, where is the road I can call my own, That I left, that I lost, so long ago?All these years I have wandered,

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Oh, when will I know there’s a way, There’s a road that will lead me home?

After wind, after rain, when the dark is done, As I wake from a dream in the gold of day, Through the air there’s a calling from far away, There’s a voice I can hear that will lead me

home.

Rise up, follow me, come away, is the call,With the love in your heart as the only song; There is no such beauty as where you belong, Rise up, follow me, I will lead you home. –Michael Dennis Browne, b. 1940

James JordanGrammy™-nominated conductor James Jordan has been praised from around the musical world as one of America’s pre-eminent conductors, music psychologists, writers, and pedagogical innovators in choral music. Jordan, the most published performing musician in the world, authored Evoking Sound, a book that The Choral Journal describes as a “must read.” His 40+ books explore both the philosophical and spiritual basis of musicianship as well as aspects of choral rehearsal teaching and learning. Jordan is Senior Conductor and Professor of Choral Conducting at the legendary Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey.

He is director of the acclaimed Westminster Conducting Institute and is Co-Director of the Choral Institute at Oxford (www.rider.edu/oxford). A comprehensive listing of Jordan’s publications and recordings can be found at www.giamusic.com/jordan.

Westminster Williamson VoicesThe Grammy®-nominated Westminster Williamson Voices, named for the founder of Westminster Choir College, John Finley Williamson, is lauded by reviewers and audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Founded by James Jordan in 2003, the ensemble has quickly distinguished itself in the choral world for its distinctive artistry and compelling sound, recordings, educational outreach, and passionate mission to perform new music and forge close relationships with composers. Reviewers are unanimous in their praise of the ensemble: “Intimate and forceful choral artistry,” with a tone that is “controlled and silken in sustained phrases as they are vibrantly sonorous in extroverted material.” “Exhilarating” and singing “with a precision and finesse normally found in the best of the UK’s large chamber choirs.” (Gramophone), “without peer,” (The American Record Guide). The Choral Journal has called the Westminster Williamson Voices an ensemble of “supreme artistry” and a choir that performs

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with “truth and precision.” The choir is one of the select ensembles at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, which is part of the College of the Arts of Rider University (www.rider.edu). The choir received a Grammy™ nomination for its recording of Annelies by James Whitbourn in 2013. The choir is in residence each summer at the Choral Institute at Oxford, one of the leading programs for the education of conductors in the world (www.rider.edu/oxford)

Westminster Williamson VoicesJames Jordan, conductorCorey Everly, principal accompanist William Sawyer, graduate assistant to the

conductorBrian V. Sengdala, graduate assistant to the

conductor

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Acknowledgments 1. The Spheres / Music © 2010 Walton Music Corp., a div.

of GIA Publications, Inc. 2. She Weeps Over Rahoon / Music © 1995 Walton Music

Corp., a div. of GIA Publications, Inc. 3. As I Walk the Silent Earth / © 2013 GIA Publications,

Inc. 4. Pilgrims’ Hymn / © 1997, 2003 Stephen Paulus and

Michael Dennis Browne 5. At the River / Arr. © 1954, 1964 The Aaron Copland

Fund for Music, Inc., admin. Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. 6. And Dream Awhile / Music © 2009 GIA Publications,

Inc. 7. Jubilate Deo / Music © 1961 The Britten Estate Ltd.,

admin. Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. 8. Kyrie / Edition © 2013 GIA Publications, Inc. 9. Good Night, Dear Heart / Music © 2009 Hinshaw Music,

Inc. 10. Veni, Domine / Edition © 2006 GIA Publications, Inc. 11. Da pacem Domine / Music © 2004 Universal Edition 12. Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal / Arr. © 1967 Lawson-

Gould Music Publishers, Inc., admin. WB Music Corp. 13. Locus iste / Public Domain 14. Tantum ergo / Music © 1960 Durand, admin. Universal

Music 15. The Road Home / Words and Arr. © 2002 Stephen Paulus

CD-995 © @ 2016 GIA Publications, Inc.7404 S. Mason Avenue • Chicago, IL 60638

www.giamusic.com All rights reserved. Produced in the USA.

SOPRANO* Liana Booker+ Micaela Bottari* Corinne Costell+ Megan Gallagher+ Katelyn Hemling* Marigrace Maley* Nicole Michel+ Kate Miksits+ Sara Munson* Megan Pendleton* Christina Regan+ Elizabeth Richter* Jessica

Stanislawczyk+ Esther Teh

ALTO+ Amanda Agnew* Kathleen Dunn* David Falatok* Amira Fuller* Moira Susan

Gannon+ Samantha

Goldberg+ Allison Griffiths+ Maclain Hardin* Lauren Lazzari* Alex Meakem+ Emily Rosoff* Caitlin Scharar+ Kristin Schenk+ Joslyn Thomas* Kathryn Trave

TENOR* Aldo Aranzulla+ Jesse Borower* John Burke+ Max Claycomb* Igor Correa* Victor Cristobal* Jonathon Feinstein+ Anthony Kurza* David Lawn* Christopher Nappa+ Benjamin Norkus+ Brian Pember* William Sawyer+ Tyler Smalling+ Austin Turner+ Dan Wells

BASS* Joshua Acampado+ Conner Allison+ Lawrence J. Besch* Holden Bihl* John Brewer* Peter Carter+ Corey Everly+ Storm Kowaleski+ Ryan Manni+ Colton Martin* Joshua Palagyi* Jose G. Proença* James Roman*+ Eric Roper* Robin Schott+ Brian V. Sengdala+ Hunter Thomas

+ Williamson Voices Chamber Choir of St. John’s* Williamson Voices Chamber Choir of St. Stephen’s

PRODUCTIONJames Whitbourn, producerJohn C. Baker, balance/recording engineerSam Ward, editing and mastering engineer; John C. Baker Recordings, LLC (Princeton, NJ)

Cover Photo:Mt Kobau Milky Way by Alan Dyerhttps://amazingsky.net