In October 1891, Dvorak was appointed Director of the National Conservatory in New York, his duties to commence the following autumn.  His new employer commissioned him to write a cantata to mark the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of America, the text for which would be supplied in due course.   The promised text never arrived so, not wanting to let down this new employer before he took up his post, Dvorak turned to the great Latin hymn of praise Te Deum Laudamus and used the text from this instead.   During rehearsals, Neil has often referred to the English meaning of parts of the text to highlight the music score.   Tenor Richard Simon has kindly taken the whole text and laid it out in its full translation so that you can see the entire context.   Click here or on the image to the left for this.

 

As you will have seen from the first rehearsal, the vocal parts written in the Vespers don't match our typical vocal parts or ranges all the time so it is necessary to rejig them in a few places.   Neil has issued two sets of vocal allocations - one that designates which SATB vocal part sings which vocal line in the music and the other that distinguishes between the solo & chorus sections. Both items are available here.    Click on the two images on the left to download the two documents (one per image) and please make sure you have transferred all the instructions to your copy.   In addition to this, there are a few places in No2 (Dixit Dominus) that involves chanting on a single note.   Click here or on the image to the right to download the details for these as well.

 

Several members have asked about recommended recordings of the work.   Neil's selection is as shown below - any one of these will do as they are all equally as good.   Click on the one you wish to select and you will be taken directly to the Amazon page for this item should you wish to purchase it directly from Amazon.

 

Monteverdi Choir John Eliot Gardiner	The Sixteen Harry Christophers	The Gabrieli Consort Paul McCreesh

 

 

 

 

The following sound files may be useful when learning Chris Hutchings' Adeste Fideles, which we will be singing in the Christmas Concert.  Chris has created these sound files for us. For each part there are two versions - the first has just that particular voice part playing, the other has it with the other voices playing quietly in the background.   Just click on the relevant image to download the associated sound file.   Each one is about 3.5MB in size so may take a few seconds to download.   You may need to click on the downloaded file for it to play.

 

Voice Part	Alone	With
Soprano 1
Soprano 2
Alto 1
Alto 2
Tenor
Bass 1
Bass 2
All Parts

The following clips on YouTube may may useful when learning the items planned for the French Gothic concert.  Click on the adjacent YouTube icon to open a new window with the clip.

 

	Durufle : Notre Pere	Listen to the words only:
	Vierne : Messe Solennelle
	Martin : Notre Pere
	Poulenc : Exultate Deo
	Durufle : Requiem

The following clips on YouTube may may useful when learning the items planned for the Ikons concert.  Click on the adjacent YouTube icon to open a new window with the clip.

 

	Rachmaninov : All-Night Vigil ("Vespers") - 1*
	Rachmaninov : All-Night Vigil ("Vespers") - 2
	Rachmaninov : All-Night Vigil ("Vespers") - 3
	Rachmaninov : All-Night Vigil ("Vespers") - 4**
	Rachmaninov : All-Night Vigil ("Vespers") - 5
	Rachmaninov : All-Night Vigil ("Vespers") - 6
	Arvo Pärt : Bogoroditse Devo
	Gorecki : Totus Tuus
	John Tavener : Svyati
	Wood : Hail, Gladdening Light

* Ignore first 45 seconds of the track.   You'll hear why!

** Ignore first 10 seconds. 

 

A New Dawn