The Shedd Choral Society is a repertoire reading ensemble, focusing on great Western choral music in a traditional setting. Led by Shedd faculty member Amy Adams and accompanied by Bruce Haines, the ensemble explores works by Bach, Vivaldi, Brahms, Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Handel, and many others. Non-auditioned and open to adult choral musicians at any level, rehearsals focus on learning choral parts and conclude with an informal performance that is free and open to the public.
WINTER, 2016
Ave Verum (Opus 1 no. 2) and "O Salutaris" by Edward Elgar
The term-end performance will be Sunday, March 21, led by a guest conductor.
Though Elgar's music is often characterized as quintessentially English, he considered himself somewhat of an outsider - whether that was related to being Catholic in a largely Anglican society, or being critical of other English composers' work. Chiefly known to Americans as the composer of "Pomp and Circumstance", Elgar wrote great choral works as well ("The Dream of Gerontius" is considered by many one of the greatest English choral works ever written).
The E flat setting of "O Salutaris" is one of several by Elgar. Written in 1880, it is peaceful, gentle, and devout...simply lovely.
Elgar composed a "Pie Jesu" for soprano and organ for the St. George’s choir to sing at the funeral of a musical family friend, basing part of the melody on a "Kyrie" he had sketched the year before. (Interestingly, and somewhat poignantly, it was sung at Elgar's memorial as well). In 1902 he rearranged it as "Ave verum corpus" for full choir, expanding it by repeating each half and adding a coda. For SATB and organ, it is a simply set, winning, small scale melody, led by the trebles, each verse being repeated by the full choir. There is a short coda, with antiphonal effects between trebles and tenors and altos and basses. Elgar described it as “too sugary, I think, but it is nice & harmless & quite easy” - a modest review for a truly lovely work.