Director's Notes

Last Friday, I was asked to guest lecture in a class on Baroque and Classical music. Specifically, my charge was to talk about the vocal music of Franz Joseph Haydn. That, of course, meant spending a fair amount of time on pieces like The Creation (an amazing work!). But along the way, you know what happened? It happens to just about anyone who is preparing to teach something. I learned a few things myself! And here is one of the fun surprises!

Seems that Herr Haydn and some of his students wrote 400 or so pieces based on Welsh and Scottish texts! Imagine that! A man whose native tongue was German (and who, according to reports, wasn't all that great at his English) writing music to Welsh and Scottish texts! Well, here's the fun part: One of those settings is for the Welsh text Nos galans. Now, my guess is that, like me, you had never heard that title before. It's a song about New Year's, written about 1873 by John Ceiriog Hughes. And if you listen to it, you'll immediately hear that it is the tune we know as Deck the Hall. And complete with those fa-la-la's we all love to sing! The words we know enjoy at Christmas were put to this tune around 1881.

I don't know about you, but that just makes Deck the Hall a little more interesting to sing this Christmas! Oh, and by the way . . . that's just what the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale will do in our Christmas concerts Starry Night and Candlelight! And I think you'll like this arrangment by John Miller for choir and four-hand piano. Come check it out! Fa-la-la!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

How do you know you're a choral musician? When it's still October and you've just written the introductory remarks to your chorale's Christmas concert! That's what I found myself doing this morning, and I thought I'd share a portion of those words here. I hope you'll read them, find yourself drawn in to the wonderful season of Christmas, and consider joining the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale for one of our upcoming Christmas concerts! Merry Christmas (a bit early!) . . . .

Vincent Van Gogh's painting Starry Night has fascinated me for a long time. The Impressionistic swirls in the sky, the stars and moon with halos surrounding them, and all of these hovering mysteriously over what appears to be a sleepy little town—a village that is perhaps quite unaware of the wonders whirling above it. I think one of the reasons Van Gogh's masterpiece captivates me is that it seems to portray the touching of heaven and earth. A moment in which, as Edna St. Vincent Millay puts it, there comes a "truce between Earth and Ether." But the other wonderful thing about Van Gogh's painting is his use of light. The sky seems to be alive with light! The light doesn't just shine down on the little church and buildings below—it comes in fantastic swirls of luminescence!

Light has long been one of the primary symbols of the Christmas Festival. The Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale invites you to join with us as we marvel at that moment when heaven touched earth—the Incarnation—and all was light. In the words of one of the wonderful pieces you'll hear:

Before the marvel of this night/Adoring, fold your wings and bow,
Then tear the sky apart with light/And with your news the world endow.
Proclaim the birth of Christ and peace,/That fear and death and sorrow cease:
Sing peace, sing peace, sing gift of peace,/Sing peace, sing gift of peace.

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

Admittedly, the beginning of October is a rather strange time to ask a question about a favorite Christmas carol! On the other hand, if you're engaged in music making, October is a great time to ask such a question because you're in the thick of preparing a Christmas concert (in fact, it could be argued that waiting until October is actually a bit late!). If someone asked me this question today, I'd be hard-pressed to give a single definitive answer. But one title that would certainly be on my list is Silent Night, or for you who love original languages, Stille Nacht.

The story is familiar enough, if a bit apocryphal. Legend has it that, on that fateful Christmas Eve in the little Austrian village of Oberndorf, the organ was broken down (some versions of the story even add that a mouse had chewed through the organ's bellows). In reality, we're not really sure if the organ was on the fritz. What we do know is that the assistant pastor of the little church in Oberndorf had written the words to Stille Nacht in 1816. On Christmas Eve of 1818, Mohr asked his friend and choir director Franz Gruber to compose a tune to set these words, so that it could be sung that night at midnight Christmas Eve mass. The first performance of Stille Nacht was heard with Mohr and Gruber, backed by the church choir and a simple guitar accompaniment. The rest is history—and what a history it is, as this lovely Christmas carol has found its way around the world!

Why do I rank Silent Night among my favorite Christmas carols? First, it has a simplicity that is fitting for Christmas. Amidst all the tinsel and colored lights, the shopping and the cooking, the hurrying and scurrying, Silent Night assaults us with the message of heavenly peace. Second, the musical setting doesn't get in the way of that simple text and its message. It is elegant but understated. 

As part of our Christmas concerts this year, the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale will sing a wonderful setting of this old gem—one that re-captures the original style of an Austrian Landler, complete with Viennese-style strings. It's a bit different than the Silent Night you may sing this Christmas, and it is delightful! Why don't you plan to come and find out? Our Christmas concerts Starry Night and Candlelight are December 7 and 8. You'll find more details by looking around at this website!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

Why do we do what we do? Ever stop to ask yourself that question, a la Socrates, who told us that the unexamined life is not worth living? We can—and should—ask that question about many things: our jobs, our leisure activities, our attendance at church, the way we raise our kids, and on and on. But let me ask it about something we share on Tuesday evenings—those of us who are part of the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale. Why do we sing?

I've just read an article by Canadian broadcaster and writer Eric Friesen about the power of the human voice, especially in singing (you can hear Mr. Friesen in a radio commentary adaptation of the article here). If I were to summarize his thoughts, I think I'd put it this way: In a time when it's tempting to think that the impersonal has won the day, when Twitter, Facebook, and the iPhone have triumphed, the activity of singing reminds us that we still are human beings after all. What is more personal than the human voice? As I see students tromping through the conservatory schlepping their violins, trumpets, and trombones, it's a nice feeling to know that we singers carry our instrument with us all the time. And what a unique instrument it is! There are amazing nuances of tone color in the human voice that result in no two voices sounding quite alike.

So on Tuesday nights, approximately 55 of us get together in a choir rehearsal room and put those instruments to work. As Friesen points out in his article, there are times that we come having had a bad day at work, having fought the traffic to get there, and honestly, the last thing we want to do is spend two hours singing. Believe me, as a director, I feel it too! But then, an amazing thing happens. Vocal warmups remind us of that wonderful instrument that we call our singing voice. We begin to feel the tones resonating in our own bodies, and before long, we become aware that, wonder of wonders, my voice is joining with 50 others to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. It is an amazing thing! And as Friesen so aptly says, "As you sing, lift your voice to song, you can feel your shoulders lifting, free of the burdens. It's therapy, the cheapest and most dependable kind."

Yes. It is. And we haven't even talked about the joy of singing wonderful text joined to the music of gifted composers.

I like this thing called choral music. Count me in!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be back in session with the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale! Only two rehearsals into the season, and already I'm excited about the music-making. That is a testimony to the wonderful folks who make up this crew—the faithful souls (and voices!) who show up Tuesday after Tuesday to take part in this amazing thing we call choral singing.

It seems that every year, there is one piece of music that takes me by storm—that piece that reaches out and grabs my emotions in ways that are sometimes beyond explaining. Right now, it seems that that piece is Morton Lauridsen's Sure on This Shining Night. The text is from poet James Agee's 1934 collection Permit Me Voyage. Taken alone, the words are evocative and haunting. But the marriage of this text to the music of Morton Lauridsen is nothing short of breathtaking. There are moments in this setting that make me want to echo Agee's words: "I weep for wonder." Is it the words that are so moving, or is it the musical setting? The answer, I think, is "Yes." What would one be without the other?

And isn't that what choral music is all about? I sometimes remind my singers that, unlike violinists, flutists, and pianists, we choral musicians get the privilege—and the responsibility—of handling words. And what a privilege and challenge that is! Those of us who sing and conduct choral music have the awesome task of being the final link in a chain that began with a poet's words, continued with a composer's setting of those words, and comes to fruition in a performance meant to be heard. And who knows who will hear? Who knows who will be moved during that performance in ways that exceed explanation?

I like being a part of that kind of venture.

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

New beginnings can be exciting! The first day of school, a new job, or maybe the birth of a child or grandchild. There's something about the freshness of beginning again!

Last night was one of those fresh starts for those of us in the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale. After our summer hiatus, it was back to singing with old friends, and may I say, a good number of new friends too! As the person who has the privilege of the upfront vantage point, I must tell you how excited I was to hear the sounds I heard in that rehearsal room. There was a vibrancy of tone that was hard to miss! It all bodes well for what's ahead this year!

Last night it was music that ranged from the sentimental I'll Be Home for Christmas to the amazingly poignant sounds of Lauridsen's Sure on This Shining Night. Wow! This is going to be fun!

Thanks singers! You made my evening!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

It may be July and the mercury may be soaring, but Christmas is around the corner! And those of us who plan Christmas concerts are busy choosing music and getting ready for the most wonderful time of the year! If you're a singer who has been looking for a place to make music with a lot of other great folks, I hope you'll consider the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale. We're auditioning for all voice parts, and especially for tenors and basses. Take a look around our website, and if the Chorale looks like a place for you, we'd love to talk to you! Auditions are being held on August 14 and 21. Just fill out our audition form, or if you have questions, feel free to contact us and ask!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

Our childhood memories are often filled with wistful longing as we remember what it was like to see the world as a magical place, filled each day with wonder and adventure—just waiting for us to explore it.

In our 2012 Spring concert, Songs My Mother Taught Me, the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale hoped to reawaken some of those memories for you. Since the concerts fell on Mother's Day weekend, it seemed an obvious choice to take up the theme of parents and children. Whether we are parents or aging adults, we all listen with hearts and memories as children.

The concert music ranged from fun music of childhood (Puff, the Magic Dragon) to thoughtful music about what it means to care for our children (A Mother's Prayer). We were also reminded that many children around the world don't feel safe (Prayer of the Children). We hope that all of the concert music called us to think about what a special gift life is to each of us—whether parents or children.

As always, the Chorale is grateful to have had you in our audience. We hope you enjoyed the music, and that perhaps along the way, you glimpsed again a moment or two of magic from your childhood!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

I remember as a boy impatiently marking off days on a calendar until the long-anticipated arrival of Christmas! The excitement was almost more than my little sister and I could bear! Watching for the first snowfall, going on an expedition to find the perfect Christmas tree (never tall enough for my sister and me), and snooping mischievously in closets for presents. All of this was delicious anticipation for us as we awaited the arrival of that magical time called Christmas.

I don't think we adults are too much different—or at least I wish we were more like that. Christmas is a wonderful time to remember that something very amazing really did happen in this old world some two millennia ago! And that there is a reason that Christmas has captivated the imaginations of people, young and old, for centuries.

The Chorale's desire for our Christmas concerts is to invite you into that celebration. Conrad Susa's A Christmas Garland provided a perfect way to joyously welcome the season! This medley of carols was first performed in 1988 in memory of Susa's friend Nikos Kafkalis, who had just passed away. Susa himself describes the recurring Noel! in this piece as the "garland" that strings together the other carols. We hope you enjoyed being called upon to lend your own voice throughout this medley!

I hope that the Chorale's presentation of this Christmas concert served as a gateway into the season for you, helping you remember what Christmas is all about!

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale

Life, Love, and Eternity—those three words encompass the whole range of human existence. Certainly every one of us shares the common possession of life itself as we wake to each new day. Love—whether of a parent to a child, a friend to a friend, or the wonderful experience of falling in love—is a universal need. And then there is the question of eternity—what comes after all of these experiences?

Our Spring 2011 concert contained music that spoke to each of these facets of human existence. Some of it was lighthearted. Some was joyous and celebrative of life itself! And some, like the Requiem, asked the deepest questions a human can ask.

French composer Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) composed his Requiem during the years 1887-1888. Fauré's father had died in 1885 and his mother two years before that, but it is a bit unclear how much the death of his parents had to do with this composition. The work was first performed at the funeral service of a parishioner of the Church of the Madeleine in Paris, where Fauré was engaged as choirmaster.

Fauré's Requiem in its original form had only five movements, leaving out the Offertory and Libera me. These were added in a revision which was first performed in 1893. Perhaps more interesting is the fact that most of us today know the Requiem in its fully orchestrated form, with a rather lush Romantic orchestra. The fact is that this version did not materialize until 1900, and it is even a bit unclear whether Fauré prepared it, or delegated the duty to someone else. In any case, the version you heard in our concert was very close to Fauré's original, more intimate edition for voices and a chamber orchestra.

If you have heard other composers' Requiems, you will know that many of them draw on very dramatic musical devices to portray the terrors of death and final judgment (think of Verdi's work, or that of Berlioz). Fauré's Requiem takes a decidedly different tack, choosing for the most part to dwell on the more comforting portions of the Requiem text.

I hope you enjoyed our concert—and that you, along with us, were able to experience the full range of human emotion in Songs of Life, Love, and Eternity.

Greg Wheatley
Music Director, Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale