Welcome to our concert of the Lutheran A Cappella Choir of Milwaukee, now in its 85th year. “It is Well With My Soul” is a theme that runs through our music today, featuring the Fauré Requiem and a collection of favorite anthems. Following tradition, there will be an opportunity for you to raise your voice in song as well.

A sub-theme of life everlasting is reflected in our concert opener Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal, a Sacred Harp tune arranged by Alice Parker. This familiar anthem strongly celebrates an eternal Christian life and is an upbeat preface to the Fauré Requiem, which is a reflective celebration of eternal life. Exciting rhythms, catchy melodies and energy are hallmarks of this piece, sung in many churches and schools.

Requiem, by Gabriel Fauré

As with many well-known large works, Requiem has had a long road of revisions and editions. The work is often heard performed with a large symphony orchestra. That edition was arranged for the 1900 Paris World Exhibition, and possibly involved the handiwork of some of Faure’s assistants. The genesis of the work stems from 1887, when Fauré began work on it in his own words, “for the pleasure of it,” possibly being given impetus by the death of his parents around the same time. The original version had five movements and was scored for an intimate chamber orchestra. In 1893, two additional movements were added, and the instrumentation grew in size, possibly due to what was available at the church he served, the Madeleine in Paris. This is the historical, more intimate edition we present today.

The form of the work very loosely follows the liturgical Requiem, as Fauré made a personal selection of texts, emphasizing the idea of rest and peace, and omitting strong themes of the Day of Judgement. Some of the thematic texts chosen are not even part of the prescribed Requiem liturgy. For this and other reasons, we find Requiem to be much better suited for the concert stage than as liturgical music.

I. Introit and Kyrie

Almost immediately, Fauré begins to creatively stray from the standard form of the Requiem liturgy. Following an initial and ponderous opening pleading for eternal rest, it is answered by one of many memorable and musically satisfying melodies found in the larger work. It is answered by a psalm in the treble voices and ends with the tri-part Kyrie eleison - Christe eleison - Kyrie eleison, a brief supplication and petition.

II. Offertory

Omitting the traditional Dies Irae movement that would follow the Kyrie, this 1893 edition moves to one of the non-original five movements. One can almost hear a more evolved and advanced harmonic style, compared to the other movements. The text for the Offertory was formerly a prayer that was recited for the sick who were about to die, as opposed to those departed. This movement features a baritone solo including text from the book of Genesis, a promise to “Abraham and his seed” forever. The choir returns with opening material and concludes with an Amen.

III. Sanctus

Featuring harp and violin solo, the Sanctus is a culmination of prayers of thanksgiving offered by a celebrant in the communion liturgy. Musical call and response is featured throughout, culminating in a dramatic brass moment. Theologically fitting the Requiem, “Hosanna” is literally translated as “save us” and is an expression of longing for life eternal in Christian faith.

IV. Pie Jesu

The fourth movement is exclusively a soprano solo, and features harp, muted strings and organ. Fauré was the organist at the Madeleine in Paris, so it is natural that the organ plays such a large role in the entire Requiem. Translated as “Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest,” it is the final couplet of the extended sequence “Dies Irae” that Faure chose to omit following the Kyrie.

V. Agnus Dei

Perhaps no melody is more beautiful in the entire piece than the countermelody led by the violas in the fifth movement. We typically hear this text as “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.” In the requiem liturgy, “have mercy on us” is substituted with “grant them rest.” Creative combination of text continues in this movement. Liturgy for the communion rite includes prayers for eternal light to be shown in communion with the saints. It also brings to mind the ancient custom of lighting candles for the dead, including a symbolic prayer for light. The opening movement is then quoted and in an amazing musical moment, Fauré revisits the Agnus Dei countermelody in the parallel major key.

VI. Libera Mei

Not part of the liturgical Requiem, the Libera Mei text is sung during the burial rite – at the grave – while the coffin is sprinkled with holy water, and incensed. Containing text from the Requiem, this has led many composers to include it when they choose to write a “Requiem” as a large work. The other of the not-original-five movements from 1888, it also features a baritone solo and exciting brass work as apocalyptic text is referenced.

VII. In Paradisum

At the time Fauré wrote and performed this at the Madeleine, his choir consisted of men and boys. The opening soprano line sounds as if it were custom made for the boy’s choir. Another case of not being a part of the traditional Requiem, this text is sung as the coffin is carried to the grave with one final bid for eternal rest.

INTERMISSION

The text for the familiar hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful was first published in 1848. It was penned by Cecil Frances Alexander, who also wrote Once in Royal David’s City. Contemporary composer John Rutter set it to a bright new melody, and we are “filled with the wonder of creation in plain but poetic words.” Originally written for a children’s choir, it was expanded to an SATB anthem following its success.

Following a broader theme of comfort, The King of Love My Shepherd Is, is a setting of Psalm 23 by LAC Artistic Director Tom Ajack. The anthem was written in 2006 in memory of Rev. Dr. Robert E. Buzza, dean of chapel at Carroll College (now Carroll University) for many years. A hymn setting with four distinctly styled verses, it mimics an anthem the Carroll Choir performed yearly while on tour, which Dr. Buzza accompanied as chaplain. Tom Ajack is a Carroll College graduate.

If there is a quintessential Lutheran A Cappella Choir selection, it might just be Beautiful Savior, arr. By F. Melius Christiansen. This anthem has been a part of countless traditional concerts though the years. In its simplicity, there is great power through soaring vocal lines, great theology and 8-part harmony. “Robed in flowers of blooming spring.,,” is our theme of rebirth.

Sing to the Lord is another Sacred Harp arrangement by Alice Parker. The Sacred Harp includes a singing tradition that originated in New England and carried on in the American South. The first Sacred Harp hymnal was published in 1844, and is characterized by music influenced by revivalist movements. The text of the hymn was written by Isaac Watts, who wrote many hymns, including Joy to the World.

It is Well With My Soul is an arrangement by Mack Wilberg, current director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, of the American Gospel song. American Gospel baritone and composer Phillip Bliss wrote the melody, set to Horatio Spafford’s text. Bliss is also known for the words and music to Wonderful Words of Life, and was a leading Gospel figure in the Chicago Gospel scene in the mid-1800’s before his untimely death in a train crash. Our concert draws its name from this hymn-anthem and continues the themes put forth in the Requiem. It was to be performed in the spring of 2020, at former artistic director David Mohr’s farewell concert; however, the event was canceled due to the pandemic.

Closing our concert is another Lutheran A Cappella staple, Praise to the Lord, arr. F. Melius Christiansen. Paraphrasing the notes in the score, this choral setting of the well-known hymn tune features a triumphant statement of the melody followed by an ever-broadening choral texture. The middle section features a flourish of melismatic “Hallelujahs” in the soprano and alto, while the tenors and basses declare the theme. This gives way to a strong eight-part harmony conclusion to the piece and our concert.

Thomas Ajack