1980 Emory Henry College Homecoming Concert Choir Charles Davis Vinyl LP Record

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1980 Emory & Henry College Homecoming Concert Choir Charles Davis Vinyl LP Record
Record Grade per Goldmine Standard: VG
Candlelight concerts in the Governor’s Palace have been a regular attraction for visitors at Colonial Williamsburg since 1950. Conducted by Cary McMurran, seated at a pianoforte, the company of musicians has played more than thirty concerts annually for music lovers from all parts of the world. In 1954 this group had the distinction of playing a special concert at the Governor’s Palace for Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother of England. This recording was made in the candlelit ballroom by the quintet of strings that, with Mr. McMurran, comprises the Governor’s Palace Orchestra: Eliza- beth Chapman and Marguerite Carter, violins; Alan Stewart, viola; Frances Hooper, cello; and Roger Peters, bass. J. S. Darling, organist and choirmaster at Bruton Parish Church, is the organist and harpsichordist with the group, and Oscar McCullough, head of the Voice Department at Hollins College, is baritone soloist. The program for this concert recording is drawn from works of composers known to have been performed at Williamsburg in the eighteenth century. SIDE 1, A (13:55) Sonata in C major, by G. G. Ferrari (1763-1842) Allegro spiritoso; Andantino; Scherzo; Rondo This delightful sonata, long a favorite with Governor’s Palace audiences, is performed from photostats of an eight- eenth-century publication now in the music library of the British Museum. Its title page reads: 1 st Duett, for a Piano-Forte & Harp, or Two Piano Fortes. In this performance Messrs. Darling and McMurran use a harpsichord and an eighteenth-century pianoforte. Two such keyboard instruments were in the extensive collection of instruments owned by Lord Dunmore at the time he lived in the Palace as the representative of the British Crown in Virginia. SIDE 1, B (3:15) Fantasia No. 7 in G major, by Henry Purcell (1659-1695) Moderately; Slow; Brisk "Sometimes a hero in an age appears, but scarce a Purcell in a thousand years.” Thus wrote John Dryden in praise of the composer who is universally regarded as the greatest native composer yet produced by England. Purcell’s unique harmonic and melodic style set him apart as one of the most original musical minds of all time. The two books of fantasies for strings are among his most haunt- ingly beautiful works. SIDE 1, C (10:06) Concerto No. 1 in G major, by Charles Avison (1709-1770) Largo; Allegro; Adagio; Aria con affetto Avison’s Concerto No. 1 in G major is performed in this recording from an eighteenth-century publication now in the music library of Colonial Williamsburg. The solo organ part is played on an eighteenth-century bureau organ built in London by Abraham Adcock and John Pether. Mr. Darling pumps the instrument by means of a pedal, and the ensuing wheezes and squeaks give the performance remarkable au- thenticity. This rare instrument contains 265 pipes, ingeni- ously mounted in a beautiful mahogany, desk-like case. Tire concerto’s four movements, with their contrasting slow—fast- slow—fast sequence, are scored for organ and strings. Charles Avison, who spent all of his professional life in Newcastle-on-Tyne, probably received his entire musical training from his parents, who were both professional mu- sicians. There is an unsubstantiated story that he studied for a time with Geminiani in Italy; at any rate, his works show the influence of the Italian master in both form and content. In addition to being a successful organist and composer, Avison was a proficient harpsichordist and flutist. As a young man he organized some of the first public concerts given in England. From 1736 until his death he conducted subscription concerts "at the Assembly Room in the Great Market” and "at Mr. Parker’s Long-Room in the Bigg Market in Newcastle.” This is the first known recording of this beautiful work. SIDE 2, A (5:03) Overture to Euristeo, by Johann Adolph Hasse (1699-1783) Grave; Allegro assai; Grave; Allegro Hasse, though one of the most popular composers of his time, is not well known today. He and his wife, the cele- brated mezzo-soprano Faustina Bordoni, enjoyed an almost legendary fame in their lifetime. Fie is known to have composed 56 operas, many of them most successful vehicles for his wife. His operas, though lacking great originality, abound in flowing melodic writing in the popular Italian style of the time. Euristeo was first produced at Venice in the spring of 1732. The orchestral accompaniments for most of Hasse’s operatic works were scored for strings and continue, as is this overture. It is a fine example of the facile composer’s superabundant output. $ & $ Copies of this record may be obtained from AV Distribu- tion, Colonial Williamsburg, Box C, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185. SIDE 2, B (12:00) Cantata, Cuopre tai volta il cielo, by George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) Recitative: Cuopre tai volta il cielo Aria: Tuona, balena, sibila il vento Recitative: Cosi fiera procella da rio tormento Aria: Per pieta de miei martin Handel’s works are a cornerstone in the programs pre- sented in the. Candlelight Concerts, and this cantata is particularly effective for Mr. McCullough’s voice. The actual date of the writing of this composition is unknown, but it is an excellent product of Handel’s early period, showing his mastery of the Italian style in cantata writing. The influence of Alessandro Scarlatti is clearly in evidence. The opening recitative describes the approach of a storm— the black clouds and the rising wind that stirs up the streams and flattens the flowers. This is followed by an aria vividly expressing the terror inspired by the storm. The second recitative compares this storm with the storm in the lover’s soul when his beloved is indifferent to his pleas. In the final aria he implores her to relent and end the torment in his soul. SIDE 2, C (8:20) Sonata in E minor, by Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) Preludio; Allemanda; Sarabande; Giga Corelli is known to have been the favorite composer of Thomas Jefferson, who was a fine amateur violinist. While a student at the college of William and Maty, Jefferson occasionally participated in the informal musicales held in the governor’s stately house. In 1771 he wrote to Thomas Adams in London from Monticello: “I have since seen a Forte-piano and am charmed with it. Send me this instru- ment then instead of the clavichord. Let the case be of fine mahogany, solid, not veneered.” In this performance by Mrs. Chapman of Corelli’s well- loved violin sonata, the Clementi pianoforte owned by Colonial Williamsburg is used for the keyboard accompani- ment by Mr. McMurran.





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