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.
SPRING, 2016
The Shedd Choral Society explores three choral works by Mendelssohn during spring term.
From his Four Songs ("Vier Lieder" op. 100) we will study "Andenken" ("Souvenir")
"Lob des Frühlings" ("Praise of Spring") and "Im Wald" ("In the Forest").
(And yes, that's just three out of the four.)
The term-end performance will be June 5 or 12 (tba), led by a guest conductor.
Mendelssohn once said: "It does seem the most natural of all music when four people are rambling
together in the woods, or sailing in a boat, and have the melody all ready with them and within
them."
These songs are utterly lovely works, bound to charm and reward anyone willing to undertake
some German poetry, with its sincerely heartfelt sentiment, and sing the magic music of the
great young composer.
In 2010, Gramophone Classical Music Guide reviewed a performance of these songs by the RIAS
Kammerchor conducted by Hans-Christoph Rademann (listen to samples or purchase recordings
here:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Harmonia%2BMundi/HMC901992#listen
“...Certainly Mendelssohn liked to take his singers out into the country and particularly
to the woods, the 'temple of harmony' as one of his part-songs has it. ...Even Wordsworth,
listening to the 'still, sad music of humanity', might not have been too put out; for these,
on the whole, are Wordsworthian poems, and the settings, however trim and cultivated, are
closer to Wordsworth's Nature than to the world of business and 'greetings where no kindness is'.
They are, in fact, kindly works, kindly on the ear and on the voices. Essentially homophonic
in their writing for unaccompanied choir, they never leave the individual parts without interest,
whether a point of harmony, an imitative phrase or a solo lead. Within the equable sameness of
the manner there are many variations and shades of expression."
As always, anyone willing able to work (at varying levels) on choral music repertoire with
nice people is welcome to join us. The number of people on a part is of little concern -
rather, we learn the music, and learn from the music, as well. Please join us!