William Byrd: Haec Dies
VOCES8
TEXT
Haec dies quam fecit Dominus:
exultemus et laetemur in ea,
alleluia.
TRANSLATION
This is the day which the Lord hath made:
let us be glad and rejoice therein.
Alleluia.
Scott Hostetler playing the Brahms Trio … simply gorgeous.
Down in the River, arr. J. Steenbrink
London Community Gospel Choir and Holland Baroque
Orlando Gibbons: O Clap Your Hands
VOICES8
I just received news that Henry Mollicone has died. Such sad news. I worked with Henry when he conducted musicals in San Jose (I think at that point the group was called American Musical Theater of San Jose but I’m not positive). I also had to joy of hearing his wonderful compositions, both with Opera San Jose and with San Jose Chamber Orchestra. I read that he was in the process of writing a new opera, and I do hope it will be completed.
And here is a documentary on his opera “The Face on the Barroom Floor”
When San Jose Symphony failed, Andrew Bales came to the rescue of the musicians in the orchestra. He formed Symphony Silicon Valley (now renamed to Symphony San Jose). We didn’t have as much work, and we didn’t have a resident conductor, but we HAD work, and I’m forever grateful. He added the movie series (a live orchestra playing the soundtrack while the movie played on the big screen), which included the Lord of the Rings trilogy — surely that weekend is one I’ll never forget! He scheduled weeks of “kiddie concerts” (and I even have a photo of him helping them cross the street to get to the theater). He did the Summer Pops concerts at San Jose State University. And when Covid struck he did what he could to provide income for us.
And now we enter a new era.
Andrew is leaving at the end of this season, and it is now announced that Robert Massey has been appointed as the new general director. I look forward to seeing what he will bring to our orchestra. I’m sure there will be changes, as there usually are and should be when a new GD takes the reins.
Here is an article about the appointment (I must say it is odd that Tito Muñoz is featured at the top of the article and Robert Massey is a smaller image below that, so he is pictured here for you, nice and large … you’re welcome. ?). Sadly the Mercury News hasn’t published a word. (But they also didn’t publish a review of last weekend’s concerts. It appears we don’t exist in their eyes.)
Update: NOW there is a Merc article.
So welcome, Robert Massey, and thank you, Andrew Bales, for all you’ve done!
Mendelssohn: Laudate Pueri
Maîtrise of Radio France; Sofi Jeanin, Conductor
Praise, o children, the Lord:
praise the Lord’s name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
from this time forth and for evermore.
Mouton: Salva nos, Domine
The Gesualdo Six and the Choristers of the Schola Cantorum of Tewkesbury Abbey
Salva nos domine vigilantes,
custodi nos dormientes,
ut vigilemus cum Christo,
et requiescamus in pace.
Save us, O Lord, waking,
and guard us sleeping,
that we may watch with Christ,
and rest in peace.
