Wellesley Choral Society Our 76th Season, 2023-2024 Edward Whalen, Music Director Hisako Hiratsuka, Accompanist Celebrating 30 years Together The Old and the New: A Concert in Honor of Ted Whalen’s 30th Anniversary Beethoven’s Mass in C Major World Premiere: A Shakespearean Choral Fantasy and Sonnet 116 by Edward Whalen Sunday, May 12, 2024, 3:00 p.m. Prelude Concert 2:30 p.m. Wellesley Hills Congregational Church 207 Washington Street, Wellesley Hills, MA www.wellesleychoralsociety.org
2 Dedication Ted and Hisako: A musical collaboration 30 years in the making! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * In Memoriam We remember with love and gratitude Charlotte Sanner. A cherished chorus member who sang with this chorus for 46 years, beginning the 1974-75 season right through the 2019-2020. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
3 Dedication Our multi-talented music director wears many hats. These include: as educator (introducing and teaching us about all kinds of music both secular and classical, including some forgotten masterpieces such as the Gemelli Requiem), orchestrator (creating new arrangements and orchestrations for many pieces, including reorchestrating the Beethoven Mass in C for string quintet), composer (creating entirely new works for us to sing in world premieres, such as his Sonnet 116, the Shakespearean Choral Fantasy, and many more), conductor (leading us, soloists, and orchestras in our performances), singer (of solos and duets in cabaret and benefit concert performances), and fun loving cheerleader (drawing out the best in us through gentle encouragement and commitment to making singing a joyful and fun experience). And in his “free” time he has also mastered many different instruments (guitar, piano, bongos, etc.) Thank you, Ted, for 30 wonderful years! “Ted’s knowledge of the choral musical repertoire (from classical to secular) is amazing! He delights not only in creating new arrangements of old standards for us to sing, but also unearthing long lost gems.”
4 Birch Hill is proud to support Wellesley Choral Society’s 2023-2024 Season Personalized wealth management services for private clients, trusts, and endowments _______________________________________________ One International Place, Suite 770, Boston, MA 02110 617.502.8300 ● BHBoston.com
5 THE WELLESLEY CHORAL SOCIETY DEPENDS IN PART ON THE GENEROSITY OF ITS FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS. THE SOCIETY WISHES TO ACKNOWLEDGE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FOLLOWING DONORS AND TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR ANNUAL FUND CAMPAIGN OF NOVEMBER, 2022 – JANUARY, 2024 Anonymous (x 6) Irene Axelrod Kate and Gordon Baty Ellen Carita Patricia G. and Peter V. Cooper Giles and Diana Crane Rebecca Crane Christopher Crowley Francesca D'Arcangelo Sue D'Arcangelo Liz Dean Linda Derezinski Bruce and Harriet Dishman Elinor Dulit Wayne Everett Bob Feldman Ted and Anastacia Feldman Gail Fisher Carolyn Gayle Green's Hardware & Paint, Inc. Emily Gronlund Celeste Harring Linda Heffner Timothy N. Hill and Janet L. Schwaner Hisako Hiratsuka Linda Hirsch Max Hobart Sara Johnson Chloe King Stephen and Anne Kott Jettora Lundquist Luma Marcaccio Kate Meany Paul Merry Holly and Gary Mikula Gyongyi Molnar Ned and Donna Moore Nancy Nichols Bonny Nothern Lucy and Bob O'Mara Mary Anne Paradise Michele Petteruti Ellen Prottas Carolyn Pruyne Kathleen Rowe In Memory of WCS alumna and my aunt, Charlotte K. Sanner David Sheehan Lora Simon Benjamin Singer Carol and Danny Singer Katie Small Susan Rose Smith Tom Smith Giancarlo and Rosetta Solari Alexia Sontag Ellen Straus Melanie Tamura Corrie Whalen, honoring Ted Whalen's 30 years as Music Director Ted Whalen Ted and Jo Ann Wong
6 THE LAW OFFICES OF PAUL H. MERRY COUNSELORS AT LAW 18 BELAIR ROAD WELLESLEY, MA 02482 TEL: (617) 720-2400 FAX: (617) 742-1887 TDD ACCESS: (617) 720-2400 [email protected] PAUL H. MERRY, ESQ.
7 Wellesley Choral Society Our 76th Season, 2023-2024 Music Director, Edward Whalen Accompanist, Hisako Hiratsuka Chorus Leadership Jettora Lundquist, President Rebecca Crane, Vice -President Nina Moss, Treasurer Lora Simon, Treasurer-in-Training Carolyn Gayle, Secretary, Concert Flyers Linda Derezinski, Immediate Past President Carol Singer, Concert Management Robert Feldman, Advertising Drive Francesca d’Arcangelo, Annual Fund Nancy Nichols, Annual Fund Anastacia Feldman, Grant Writer Gyöngyi Molnár, Music Librarian Paul Merry, Music Committee Chair Chris Crowley, Social Media Coordinator Sandra Kuhn, Program Booklets Holly Mikula, Publicity Corrie Whalen, Membership/Communications Lane Johnson, Treasurer Emeritus The Wellesley Choral Society is a member of the Greater Boston Choral Consortium, a cooperative association of diverse choral groups in Boston and the surrounding areas. Honorary Board Wil Breden John Finney Max Hobart Leslie Holmes Sara L. Johnson The Wellesley Choral Society is a nonprofit organization, open to all singers, dedicated to studying and performing the world’s great choral music, both sacred and secular. The Society was founded in 1947 after several choruses in the town of Wellesley joined forces for a holiday festival. Edward Whalen became the Society’s tenth music director in 1994. WCS rehearses at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills, 309 Washington St., Wellesley, MA, on Monday evenings from September to May, performing three concerts every year. All singers of high school age and over are welcome! Wellesley Choral Society, P.O.Box 81060, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481-0001 http://www.wellesleychoralsociety.org Please LIKE our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wellesleychoralsociety/ This concert is supported in part by a grant from the Wellesley Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
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9 Edward “Ted” Whalen was appointed Music Director of the Wellesley Choral Society in 1994. During his tenure with the ensemble, he has led the chorus in a wide scope of repertoire including Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Handel’s Coronation Anthems, Mozart’s Requiem and Great Mass in c minor, Bloch’s Sacred Service, Rachmaninoff’s Sacred Vespers, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, requiems of Brahms, Fauré, and Duruflé, and Poulenc’s Gloria. In May of 2015 the chorus presented a program of Mr. Whalen’s own compositions including Dialogues, a piece written especially for the group. In Spring 2018, the ensemble premiered his composition Stars, written in honor of their 70th anniversary season, and for the Spring 2019 concert, held on Mother’s Day, the chorus premiered a special work entitled Love and Prayers in honor of Mr. Whalen’s mother, Janet Whalen. Ted is a graduate of New England Conservatory, University of Rhode Island, and studied at Tanglewood Music Center and the Aspen Music Festival. He has appeared as conductor with the Boston Aria Guild’s performances of Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel, the Wakefield Festival Chorus, King’s Chapel, Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra, Rhode Island Gilbert and Sullivan Society, University of Rhode Island, and other ensembles. He has prepared choruses for performances at Monadnock Music Festival and conducted gala celebration performances for Boston Baroque. As a vocal soloist, Mr. Whalen has performed with such groups as the Boston Lyric Opera, The Des Moines Metro Opera, Lake George Opera Festival, and Boston Aria Guild. He made his Boston Symphony Hall debut singing the role of Dancairo in the critically acclaimed Chorus proMusica performance of Carmen. Mr. Whalen also sang with Boston Baroque (Banchetto Musicale) for 25 years, appearing on all of the ensemble’s Grammy-nominated recordings. Since 1995, Ted has been the director of Upper School Choruses at Milton Academy. Hisako Hiratsuka joined the Wellesley Choral Society in 1990 as a singer and became our accompanist in 1993. She is a graduate of the Tokyo University of Arts and Music. Her teachers include Yasuko Tani and Victor Rosenbaum. Ms. Hiratsuka is an active chamber music player and accompanist. In recent years she has performed in the Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Boston areas as well as in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Zushi, Chiba, and Kamakura, Japan. She also has accompanied flutists for music festivals in Ecuador and Columbia. Ms. Hiratsuka has been a featured soloist with the WCS, performing such works as Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and the two-piano arrangement of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, accompanied by her daughter. Prior to coming to the United States in 1989, Ms. Hiratsuka taught piano in Japan. She currently teaches piano and coaches chamber music groups at Tufts University.
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11 Wellesley Choral Society 76th Anniversary SOPRANO ALTO Francesca D’Arcangelo Linda Derezinski Anastacia Feldman Emily Gronlund Celeste Harring Robin Ingalls Kat Lagasse Luma Marcaccio Rebecca Mayer Kate Meany Holly Mikula Gyöngyi Molnar Emily Myers Nancy Nichols Carol Singer Katie Small Rosetta Solari Irene Axelrod Kate Baty Ellen Carita Rebecca Crane Amanda Daiuto Liz Dean Elinor Dulit Jenn Edwards Carolyn Gayle Linda Heffner Linda Hirsch Sarah Hyman Chloe King Anne Kott Jettora Lundquist Lavonne McKeown Bonny Nothern Lucy O’Mara Michele Petteruti Ellen Prottas Kathleen Rowe Alice Shabecoff Lora Simon Sara Smith Susan Rose Smith Alexia Sontag Melanie Tamura Mandy Waddell Corrie Whalen Marlene Williamson "Ted often has us singing things I think we cannot possibly pull off, but we do! He always gets us to punch above our weight!" TENOR BARITONE/BASS Jason Chen Matthew Chernick Ted Feldman Gail Fisher Ellen Straus Bob Weaver Chris Crowley Robert Feldman Stephen Maack Paul Merry Ned Moore Robert O’Mara Tom Smith Ted, 1999
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13 The Old and the New Prelude Concert Ave Maria Franz Biebl (1906 – 2001) Even When He is Silent Kim André Arnesen (b. 1980) Concert Mass in C Major Opus 86 Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770 – 1826) Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus Benedictus Agnus Dei A Shakespearian Choral Fantasy Edward Whalen (b. 1961) Fie, on Sinful Fantasy The Merry Wives of Windsor O Mistress Mine Twelfth Night Orpheus with His Lute Henry VIII Tell Me, Where Is Fancy Bred The Merchant of Venice Spring Love’s Labour’s Lost Under the Greenwood Tree As You Like It Full Fathom Five The Tempest He That Has a Little Tiny Wit King Lear Come Away, Death Twelfth Night You Spotted Snakes A Midsummer Night’s Dream Sonnet 116 “for Corrie” Edward Whalen Mary Sullivan, Soprano Jennifer Webb, Alto Michael Calmés, Tenor Michael Meraw, Baritone Gigi Turgeon, Violin I Frank Graves, Violin II Francis Grimes, Viola Emmanuel Feldman, Cello Pascale Delache-Feldman, Bass Hisako Hiratsuka, Piano
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15 Program Notes Ludwig van Beethoven composed the Mass in C major, Op. 86, in 1807, on a commission from Prince Nikolaus Esterházy II. The Esterházy family, patrons of the arts, had over several generations built up an orchestra capable of performing major new works -- by Franz Josef Haydn, among others, whom the Prince employed as his Kapellmeister. From 1795 until the failure of his health in 1802, Haydn had composed a mass annually for the name day of the Prince’s wife Maria Josepha, and in 1807 the Prince commissioned Beethoven to do the same. Beethoven was well aware of the hard act he had to follow, writing the Prince of his “trepidation” in submitting a mass that would be compared with Haydn’s “inimitable masterpieces.” The mass’s performance, in one of the princely chapels, was a disaster. It was underrehearsed (as was infamously the 9th Symphony) – at the dress rehearsal only one of five altos in the chorus attended. But not only the performance values that affected the mass’s reception. The Prince is said to have remarked to Beethoven after the performance, “But, my dear Beethoven, what have you gone and done now?” Stage right: laughter from the current Kapellmeister, composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel, who was writing his own masses for the court. Stage center: a furious Beethoven (already affronted by the inferior quarters in which the Prince had lodged him) walked out in a huff. The performance has been called Beethoven’s greatest public humiliation. Ted in 1998… … and 2013 Continued on page 17
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17 Program Notes (cont’d from page 15) Poor Esterházy! He had expected, with good reason, something like another Haydn mass: elegant, tasteful, beautiful, even moving, but not placing too-great demands on the listener -- after all, this was a name day celebration – like one of today’s birthday parties. What he got was sudden vocal leaps, unexpected key changes, abrupt alterations in dynamics (i.e., volume of sound), and exalted, unheard-of harmonies -- far exceeding the limits of good taste! Esterházy wrote in a letter soon after the performance, “Beethoven’s mass is unbearably ridiculous and detestable, and I am not convinced that it can ever be performed properly. I am angry and mortified.” Now 1807 is too early for Beethoven’s “Late Period,” when he composed much more of this kind of music, music that critics for a long while considered symptoms of Beethoven’s illness. But the Mass in C has marks of that late style, and Beethoven knew he was writing something that broke the existing canon. We have the advantage today of two centuries’ learning to understand Beethoven, especially his later work. We have found that appreciation of his music requires multiple listenings; the advent of recordings at the opening of the twentieth century has greatly helped. (On a personal note – when I first listened to Beethoven’s final piano sonata, some fifty years ago, I remarked to my friend, “He’s joking!” Esterházy’s reaction, exactly! Repeated listenings were required before I began to understand the piece.) Our exposure to all the wild music from Beethoven’s time until now – both “classical” and “popular” – has diminished the shock value of his art. But be prepared! The Mass in C places demands on the listener. Listen carefully for the surprises this work has in store for you! - Ted Feldman A Shakespearean Choral Fantasy The texts for these pieces come from ten of Shakespeare’s stage works. It is most likely that the texts would have been sung during the performance of these works. They range in mood from tragic, to sublime, to silly. The work is scored for string quintet, piano, four vocal soloists and chorus. With each movement having a different combination of voices and instruments. Sonnet 116 “for Corrie” This piece was originally written for solo voice with piano accompaniment and expanded, at the dedicatee’s request, to include a chorus with strings, and a harp. The performance today is rescored for strings and piano. - Ted Whalen
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21 Music is an essential part of all our lives, and making music is an essential part of our community. The Wellesley Choral Society has been making music in Wellesley for 76 years! To contribute to the Wellesley Choral Society, please send your checks made out to: Wellesley Choral Society c/o Nina Moss, Treasurer 104 Sherbourne Place Waltham, MA 02451 Thank you so much for supporting the Wellesley Choral Society!
22 WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT CONCERT? All singers of high school age and over are welcome! The Wellesley Choral Society is a no-audition chorus, open to all who love to sing. Come visit us during open rehearsals and see if we are the chorus for you! REHEARSALS for our Fall concert will start on Monday, September 09, with Open Rehearsals continuing on 9/16 and 9/23. We rehearse on Monday nights from 7:00 – 9:00 in the UU Wellesley Sanctuary (participation via Zoom is also available). ALL VOICE PARTS ARE WELCOME. Please contact Jettora Lundquist, President, for more information: ([email protected]) Wellesley Choral Society, P.O.Box 81060, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481- 0001 http://www.wellesleychoralsociety.org We are proud to participate in Mass Cultural Council's Card to Culture program in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health's WIC Nutrition Program, the Massachusetts Health Connector, and hundreds of cultural organizations across Massachusetts by expanding cultural access for low-income and working families.
Morgan Stanley is proud to support Wellesley Choral Society © 2022 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. The Wellesley Horizon Group at Morgan Stanley Shaun Fitzpatrick CPWA® Portfolio Management Director First Vice President Financial Advisor 112 Worcester Street Wellesley, MA 02481 +1 781 416-2492 [email protected] https://advisor.morganstanley.com/the-wellesley-horizon-group SUP001 CRC 3942178 01/22 CS 258450_1997812 02/22
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25 OUR 2023-2024 Season . . . . . . and OTHER CONCERTS that may be of interest to you!
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27 Draw on Sweet Night Sat, June 1, 2024 - 7 pm: Firs Unitarian Church, Worcester Sun, June 2, 2024 - 4 pm: Trinity Parish of Newton Centre Enjoy a variety of composers meditating on the thoughts and emotions that arise between dusk and dawn, including Wilbye, Lasso, Aleotti, Palestrina, and more. We hope you join us for a glorious season of music! Sun, Nov 19, 2023 - 4 pm: All Saints Parish, Brookline Sun, Dec 3, 2023 - 4 pm: Firs Unitarian Church, Worcester Join us as we explore the dazzling polyphony of the Iberian Peninsula, featuring works by Victoria, Morales, and Guerrero O Quam Gloriosum Music of the Late Spanish Renaissance Music for a French Cathedral Sun, Feb 25, 2024 - 3 pm: Chris Church, Andover Sat, Mar 2, 2024 - 7 pm: Harvard Epworth Church, Cambridge Convivium will feature works by Dufay, Ockeghem and Josquin, including movements from Ockeghem’s Missa pro defunctis and Josquin’s beloved motet Déploration sur la mort d’Ockeghem. CONVIVIUM MUSICUM CHOIR FOR RENAISSANCE MUSIC Allegra Martin, music director For ticke s and sea on de ails, vi it www.convivium.org
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31 Please patronize our advertisers… Anderson’s Jewelers Andrews Pharmacy Back Bay Ringers Berkshire Choral International Birch Hill Investment Advisors Closet Exchange Convivium Musicum Dedham Choral Society Ellen Carita, Law Offices Greer McAllister Books Heritage Chorale Hirshberg Wozny Dental Group Hoffman Insurance Services Jindu Asian Cuisine Lasell Village Law Offices of Paul H. Merry Lexington Symphony MetroWest Subaru Morgan Stanley Smith Barney OGA’S Restaurant Old Time Garage / Auction Direct Posie’s of Wellesley Prottas Painting Reddish Dental Roche Bros. Sara Campbell, Ltd The Cat’s Hospital Volante Farms Wasik’s Cheese Shop Wellesley Dental Group Wellesley Mazda Wellesley Symphony Orchestra
32 Flowers for this afternoon’s concert generously provided by Posies of Wellesley