Part I

O beatum et sacrosanctum diem………………………………………. Peter Philips (1561-1628)

A Spotless Rose……………………………………………………..Herbert Howells (1892-1983) soloists – Larry Richardson (12/20), Michael Bezruchka (12/21)

Ein Kind ist uns geboren…………………………………………….Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen….………………………………...Michael Praetorius (ca.1571-1621) Hugo Distler (1908-1942) Jan Sändstrom (b.1954)

solo quartet – Bethany Staats, Vanessa Bradford, Mike Grube, Frank Trujillo

Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul……………………Gustaf Nordqvist (1886-1946); piano arr. Dan Davison Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy (from The Nutcracker)....…Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Kristine Anderson, piano

Ave Maria……………………………………………………………………Javier Busto (b.1949) O magnum mysterium………………………………………………………David Childs (b.1969)

Hodie Christus natus est …………………………………………....Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)

INTERMISSION

Bellevue Chamber ChorusBellevue Chamber ChorusBellevue Chamber Chorus Fredrick Lokken, music director Fredrick Lokken, music director Fredrick Lokken, music director

PresentsPresentsPresents

The World The World The World

RejoicesRejoicesRejoices

Kristine Anderson, keyboardsKristine Anderson, keyboardsKristine Anderson, keyboards

Donors

The Bellevue Chamber Chorus is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization,

which means that all donations to the chorus are tax-deductible. Donations

are accepted at performances or via mail at:

Bellevue Chamber Chorus

P.O. Box 1714 Bellevue, WA 98009-1714

(425) 881-0445 www.BellevueChamberChorus.net

Maestro - $5000 +

Bellevue Arts Commission, Larry Richardson

Crescendo - $2500-4999

Louise Baldwin, Doug and Maria Bayer, Debra and Dennis Defotis

Virtuoso - $1000-2499

Douglas and Maria Bayer Foundation, Kristine Bryan, Richard Bulpin,

Fred Lokken and Marsha Thomas, Time/Warner*

Bravo - $100-249

Michael Bezruchka, Vanessa Bradford, Gordon Buck, Marta Chaloupka, Allan Chartrand, Laurie Dietz, Eric Eliason,

Mike and Melanie Grube, Marilyn Hande-land, Kim Hofer, Lee Huffman, Kara Hunt-

ley, Susan Liechty, Jerome Lyons, Jeni Merilatt, Deb Nielsen, Pat Rice, Shawna Shapiro, Bethany Staats, Frank Trujillo, Shannon Walch, Dave Williams, Pam

Younghans, ZymoGenetics*

Tutti - Up to $99

Paul Lester

Special thanks to Larson Escrow for the use of their color printer

* indicates corporate matching grants

Fundraiser Donors: “Art, Wine and Song”

Anthony's Home Port Restaurant

Union Square Grill DC Grill

Elliott's Oyster House Matt's

Spazzo’s Newport Bay Restaurant

Borders Books Patrick Rice

Debra Defotis Wallingford Cleaners

Frank Trujillo Maria Bayer

Wide World Books and Maps Boehms Chocolates

Debra Nielsen Jerome Lyons Kristine Bryan

Volunteer Opportunities:

The Bellevue Chamber Chorus is currently looking for volunteers to fill a variety of positions. For more information call (425) 881-0445.

Assistant Director ........................................................................................................... Frank Trujillo

Rehearsal Accompanist............................................................................................. Kristine Anderson

Rehearsal Midi File generation .................................................................................... David Williams

Sound Engineer ..................................................................................................................... Kim Hofer

Video Recording ........................................................................................................... Jennifer Chang

Volunteer Coordination .................................................................................................. Lee Huffman

Credits

Volunteers

Louise Ashley, Evana Block, Alyce Caldwell, Annie & Brian Carver, Katie Ginn, Sonja Handeland, Paul Heneghan, Hollis & Hal Ryan, Carrel & Garret Sheldon, John & Phyllis Sproul

Take Bellevue

Chamber Chorus home with you!

The 20th anniversary CD: Retrospective is available for purchase for $15 (see

our Info Table for details).

It features a delightful variety of choral music, from both live concert recordings and studio-

recorded tracks, all conducted by

Dr. Fredrick Lokken, with several accomplished guest artists featured

throughout, including the Andy Carr Trio!

April 25, 2009 — Crossroads, Bellevue

Come and learn more about our organization and other arts education opportunities in our community at the

2009 Eastside Arts Education Fair. There will be plenty of interactive opportunities for your children too.

Visit EastsideArts.org for details!

Eastside Arts Education Fair

TO PLACE YOUR AD in the Bellevue Chamber Chorus’

next concert program, please call (425) 881-0445 for in-formation and rates.

The Bellevue Chamber Chorus greatly appreciates the support of

our vendors. Please mention where you saw their ad when you patronize their businesses.

Part II Betelehemu………….…Nigerian carol; Via Olatunji, Wendell Whalum, arr. Barrington Brooks De Tierra Lejana Venimos……….……………………Puerto Rican carol, arr. Gary Fry (b.1955) It Came Upon the Midnight Clear………..Edmund Sears, Richard Willis, arr. Kristine Anderson

Kristine Anderson, piano

Hanukkah Blessings (Baruch Atah)…………………………………………..Ron Jeffers (b.1943)

Lo V’chayil………………………………………………………………………...Elliot Z. Levine S’vivon…………………………………………………….…………traditional, arr. Steve Barnett Winter Solstice Moon………………………………………………….David Frank Long (b.1966) Bun gând s-o gânditu……………………....traditional Romanian carol, arr. Tudor Jarda (b.1922)

Here We Come A-Wassailing………………… traditional English carol, arr. John Rutter (b.1945)

Special thanks to Ulrika Claesson and Susan Dolacky for Swedish language assistance, and Gabriel Dumitrescu for Romanian language coaching.

Welcome to The World Rejoices, a musical celebration of the diverse traditions of the holiday season. Our

program explores the joyous sounds and many moods of Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, and the New

Year around the globe.

We begin with music from English composers, both early and modern. Peter Philips fled his native London

at the age of 21 to escape persecution for his Catholic faith, settling in Antwerp and later Brussels. His jubi-

lant O beatum et sacrosanctum diem dates from 1612, and displays continental influence: dramatic, sec-

tional, and concise, filled with stark contrasts as opposed to fluid counterpoint. Note especially his exciting

word-painting at “in sono tubae” (with the sound of trumpets).

O blessed and most holy day

on which our Lord deigned to be born of the Virgin Mary for our sake:

Let the whole world therefore rejoice,

and let us sing to him with the sound of trumpets, strings, harp, and organ.

Let us rejoice with the numerous hosts of angels ceaselessly singing his praise.

Alleluia.

Herbert Howells was one of England’s great 20th century composers, particularly known for his large output

of Anglican church music, much of which was strongly influenced by Renaissance models. His lovely A

Spotless Rose (a setting of an anonymous 14th century text) is the most well-known of his three Christmas

Carol-Anthems written in 1919.

Moving across the channel to Germany, we perform first one of the wonderful Christmas motets by the great

17th century composer Heinrich Schütz. From his collection of “Kleine Geistliche Konzerte” (Little Sacred

Concertos) published in 1636, the lively Ein Kind ist uns geboren is marked by striking rhythmic contrasts,

mood changes, and the composer’s typical careful sensitivity to textual meaning and stresses.

About The Music…

Ein Kind ist uns geboren,

ein Sohn ist uns gegeben,

welches Herrschaft ist auf seiner Schulter;

und er heißt Wunderbar, Rat, Kraft, Held,

Ewig-Vater, Friedefürst.

Auf dass seine Herrschaft gross werden

und des Friedens kein Ende,

Auf dem Stuhle David, und seinem Königreiche, Dass er zurichte und stärke

mit Gericht und Gerechtigkeit

Solches wird tun der Eifer des Herren Zebaoth.

For unto us a child is born,

unto us a son is given;

and the government will be upon his shoulder;

and his name will be called Wonderful, Counsel-

lor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of

Peace. Of the increase of his kingdom and of

peace there shall be no end,

Upon the throne of David and his kingdom to establish and uphold it with justice and

righteousness.

The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9:6,7

The familiar German carol Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen (Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming) originated in the

15th or early 16th century. We perform it in three versions: the familiar chorale setting by Michael Praetorius

from 1609; a gently lilting setting by Hugo Distler (in his centennial anniversary year) from his 1933 cantata

Die Weihnachtsgeschichte (The Christmas Story); and a wonderfully mystical version by the

contemporary Swede Jan Sändstrom, in which the familiar chorale is slowed to half tempo over a

gradually shifting harmonic texture.

Biographies

Celebrating its 25th season, Bellevue Chamber Chorus consists of professional and avocational musicians

of diverse backgrounds, performing choral literature with varied accompaniment from all musical periods.

Among their recent accomplishments, they were awarded first prize in the Adult Mixed Choir category at the

prestigious Kathaumixw International Choral Festival in Powell River, B.C., this past July. The Bellevue

Chamber Chorus is a nonprofit organization, which receives its support from the generous donations of peo-

ple interested in fine musical experience on the Eastside.

Dr. Fredrick Lokken is in his ninth season as Music Director and Conductor of the Bellevue Chamber Cho-

rus. He received his doctoral degree in choral conducting from the University of Washington, where he stud-

ied under Abraham Kaplan and Joan Conlon. He has done further study with renowned choral conductors

Joseph Flummerfelt, Helmuth Rilling, and Jon Washburn, and spent several years in The Netherlands doing choral research and writing. Dr. Lokken also holds a degree in vocal performance from the University of

Wisconsin and sang with the professional Dale Warland Singers. In addition to his work with the Bellevue

Chamber Chorus, Dr. Lokken serves as Director of Choral Music and Instructor of Voice at Shoreline Com-

munity College.

Kristine Anderson graduated with a music degree from the University of Montana at Missoula. She is well-

known in the Puget Sound region for her artistic and sensitive work with singers as well as instrumentalists

ranging from from tuba to piccolo. Equally at home with jazz, pop, and classical, she can adjust her style

from Sondheim to Gershwin to Strauss. Her clients include winners in local and national competitions, in-

cluding the Seattle Young Artist Music Festival, Metropolitan Opera semifinals, and concerto contests. She

was music director for the Seattle Musical Theater, formerly known as Civic Light Opera, during their pro-

duction of High Society. In addition to holding two church-pianist positions in Seattle, she is the accompa-

nist for the Bellevue Chamber Chorus, and was featured on harpsichord when they joined the Bellevue Phil-

harmonic Orchestra for their annual presentation of Messiah earlier this month.

Bellevue Chamber Chorus Personnel TENOR

Eric Eliason

* Mike Grube

Kim Hofer

Lee Huffman

* Larry Richardson

David Williams

SOPRANO

* Maria Bayer

** Debra Defotis

Laurie Dietz

Kara Huntley

Jeni Merilatt

Deb Nielsen

Bethany Staats * Shannon Walch

ALTO

* Louise Baldwin

Vanessa Bradford

* Kris Bryan

Marta Chaloupka

Melanie Grube

Susan Liechty

Shawna Shapiro Pam Younghans

BASS

Michael Bezruchka

Gordon Buck

* Allan Chartrand

Dennis Defotis

* Jerome Lyons

Pat Rice

* Frank Trujillo

** Denotes Executive Director. * Denotes Board Member.

Community Board Member: Christine Beatty

We are currently searching for two community board members. If you are interested in serving on our board of directors,

please email or call us.

The practice of going house to house to sing songs, consume food and drink, and engage in general revelry

during the Christmas and New Year’s period is also an ancient custom, as described in our final two numbers.

Bun gând s-o gânditu (“A Good Idea”), from Tudor Jarda’s arrangements of Three Secular Christmas Car-

ols from Transylvania, depicts the old Romanian version of the ritual, called colindatul. Musically, the piece

demonstrates the constantly shifting asymmetrical meters of much of Eastern European folk music.

Finally, John Rutter’s sparkling arrangement of Here We Come A-Wassailing imitates the effect of the

wassailers’ approach from a distance and subsequent

departure, and also carries our good wishes for love,

joy, a little wassail, and a happy New Year to all of

you!

Come Sing With Us!

Are you interested in joining the Bellevue Chamber Chorus?

Auditions are held periodically throughout the year so call

(425) 881-0445 or email us at BellevueChamberCho-

rus@yahoo.com to let us know of your interest.

The winter solstice event has been celebrated for millennia across cultures as a rebirth of light and the forces

of nature. Los Angeles based composer David Long recognizes the event’s significance in Native

American cultures in his Winter Solstice Moon, whose text and music were inspired by Hopi sources.

Also from Sweden comes the beloved Jul, Jul, Strålande Jul, sometimes described as the Swedish Silent

Night. Published in 1921, the text reflects the recent horrors of WWI. Puyallup choral educator and

composer Dan Davison provides a delicate piano accompaniment to this traditional favorite.

Jul, jul, strålande jul, glans över vita skogar,

Himmelens kronor, med gnistrande ljus,

Glimmande bågar i alla guds hus,

Psalm som är sjungen från tid till tid,

Eviga längtan till ljus och frid.

Jul, jul, strålande jul, glans över vita skogar,

Kom, kom, signade jul, sänk dina vita vingar. Över stridernas blod och larm.

Över alla suckan ur människobarm.

Över de släkten som gå till ro.

Över de ungas vars dagar nu gro.

Kom, kom, signade jul, sänk dina vita vingar.

Shining Christmas, light above white forests,

The crowns of heaven with glistening lights,

Glowing bows in the houses of God,

Hymns that are sung from time to time,

Eternal desire of light and peace.

Shining Christmas, light above white forests,

Come, holy Christmas, lower your white wings. Above the blood and sounds of war.

Over the sighs from humankind.

Over the families who search for peace.

Over the young whose days go past.

Come, holy Christmas, lower your white wings.

We experience Christmas in Russia in a piano arrangement of the delightful Dance of the Sugarplum

Fairy from Tchaikovsky’s immortal Nutcracker ballet, composed the year before the composer’s death.

The first half of our program concludes with three settings of traditional Latin texts. Born in the Basque re-

gion of Spain, and initially trained as a physician, Javier Busto over the past twenty years has gained

international recognition as a choral conductor and composer, as evidenced by his sumptuous Ave Maria.

Ave Maria, gratia plena.

Dominus tecum.

Benedicta tu in mulieribus,

et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,

ora pro nobis peccatoribus,

nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen

Hail, Mary, full of grace!

The Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death. Amen

New Zealand-born and trained David Childs, now on the faculty of Vanderbilt University, is emerging as a

significant contemporary choral composer. His stunning version of O magnum mysterium recalls

medieval styles as it utilizes some of the original chant melody.

O magnum mysterium, et admirabile

sacramentum, ut animalia viderent Dominum

natum, jacentem in praesepio!

Beata Virgo, cujus viscera

meruerunt portare Dominum Christum. Domine, audivi auditum tuum

Et timui consideravi opera tua

Et expavi in medio duorum animalium.

O great mystery and wondrous sign,

that animals should see the birth of the Lord,

lying in the manger!

Blessed virgin, whose womb was worthy

to bear the Lord Jesus Christ: Alleluia.

Lord, I hear your instruction and considered

your works,

And I trembled in the midst of two animals.

Moving to the New World, De Tierra Lejana Venimos is a traditional Puerto Rican carol about the journey

of the Wise Men to the manger. Associated with the Feast of the Epiphany, the custom is for children to set

out food and drink for the Magi and their camels, for it is the Wise Men who will bring

them gifts. This arrangement was written for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in 1999 . Written in 1849 by Unitarian minister Edmund H. Sears (1810-1876), the text of It Came Upon the Midnight

Clear again reflects a period of international strife; revolution in Europe and the United States' war with Mex-

ico inspired the emphasis on the angels’ message of peace, especially in the less familiar later stanzas (“And

man, at war with man, hears not The love-song

which they bring: O hush the noise, ye men of strife,

And hear the angels sing.”) None of that tumultuous background is heard in the lyrical and elegant arrange-

ment played by Kristine Anderson.

Francis Poulenc’s rousing Hodie Christus natus est (from his “Quatre Motets pour le Temps de Noël” of

1952) shows the Frenchman at his idiosyncratic best, repeating brief phrases with slight variations,

unexpected harmonic dissonances and shifts, and a frequent disregard for normal textual stresses.

Hodie Christus natus est:

hodie Salvator apparuit:

hodie in terra canunt Angeli,

lætantur Archangeli:

hodie exsultant justi, dicentes:

Gloria in excelsis Deo! Alleluia!

Today Christ is born.

Today the Savior has appeared.

Today on earth the angels sing,

the archangels rejoice.

Today the righteous exult, saying:

Glory to God in the highest! Alleluia!

The exciting Betelehemu, written in the Yoruba dialect, gives us a taste of the joyous sounds and

rhythms of Christmas in Africa.

We are glad that we have a Father to trust and rely on.

Where was Jesus born? Bethlehem, the city of wonder.

That is where he was born for sure.

Praise be to Him. We thank you for this day, gracious Father.

Praise be to you, merciful Father.

The next set of pieces celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah (or Chanukah), which begins this year at

sundown on December 21. A relatively minor holiday in the Jewish calendar, it commemorates the rededica-

tion of the temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd century BCE. The festival is observed

by lighting the eight candles of the Menorah, one light for each night of the holiday, to remember the miracle

of the temple lamp which burned for eight days on only one day’s supply of oil. Oregon composer Ron

Jeffers’ majestic Hanukkah Blessings is a setting of the three blessings that are traditionally recited as the

Menorah is lit. Blessed are you (Baruch Atah), Lord our God, King of the universe,

who has sanctified us by your commandments,

and has commanded us to light the candle of Hanukkah.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe,

who has performed miracles for our ancestors

in the days of this season.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe,

Who has granted us life and has sustained us,

And has allowed us to reach this season.

Lo V’chayil is an excerpt from the book of Zechariah which is chanted during the Shabbat (Sabbath) of Han-

nukah, serving as an early rabbinical counterbalance to the model of Maccabean warrior priests. Elliot Z.

Levine (member of the a cappella vocal sextet Western Wind, which specializes in Jewish vocal

music) creates a simple but moving setting of the text.

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.

S’vivon is the Hebrew word for the four-sided top, more commonly known as a “draydle” (Yiddish), which

Jewish children traditionally play with during the Hanukkah season. On each face of the top is a Hebrew letter: N, G, H, or Sh, which stand for the words “Neis Gadol Haya Sham” (A great miracle

happened there.) Minnesota composer Steve Barnett gives us a very jazzy version of this traditional tune.

S'vivon, sov, sov, sov.

Chanukah hu chag tov.

Chag simcha hu la'am

Nes gadol haya sham

Little draydle, spin, spin, spin.

Chanukah is a joyous holiday.

This happy holiday is for all people.

A great miracle happened there.