The story of randall thompsons alleluia revisite j. Alleluia randall thompson randall thompson was one of our countrys great men of music. Thompsons father was an english teacher, and he was reared in an environment that emphasized excellence in matters of academics. Since 1940, this classic of classics has become one of the nations mostoften performed choral works. Ira randall thompson was born in new york city, april 21, 1899, and died in boston, july 9, 1984. The diversity of twentiethcentury vocal music is further exhibited in the sixtyseventh psalm by charles ives. Once youve mastered this, youll have truly stunning performance piece. In this lesson, youll have the chance to learn about the words history and meaning while. Alma thomas theater at southwestern university, georgetown, texas who. Alleluia randall thompson performed by octarium on vimeo. Jan 07, 20 recorded live october 2012 as part of the americanenglish masters concert location. Vreeman t hirty years after his death, randall thompson remains one of the united states most frequently performed composers. Alleluia by randall thompson 18991984 octavo sheet music. Ttbb choir unaccompanied sheet music book by randall thompson 18991984.
Celebrating the 71st anniversary of randall thompsons alleluia, first performed on july 8, 1940 at the berkshire music center at tanglewood under. Career randall attended the lawrenceville school, where his father was an english teacher. The craft of randall thompson, robert frost, and frostiana john c. Next to a handful of patriotic pieces including peter wilhouskys arrangement of the battle hymn of the republic, thompsons alleluia has sold more copies than almost any serious choral work ever written close to three million, and the testament of free. Alleluia is a popular religious word that many composers have set to music down through the centuries. A randall thompson tribute to enjoy in your home or car, or gift it to another music lover. The son of an english teacher, randall never strayed far from the academic environment. Here the composer showed that there was still plenty of great music to be written in the key of d major in 1940. But randall thompsons alleluia is almost the opposite of an alleluia. He then attended harvard university, became assistant professor of music and choir. The road not taken a documented biography of randall thompson, 18991984 by elizabeth k. Oct 31, 2006 listen to your favorite songs from alleluia. Randall thompson, composer of alleluia this week in july of 1940, one of the most loved and most sung choral works written by a composer living in philadelphia was premiered in western massachusetts.
Jul 06, 2015 randall thompson s alleluia, performed by voices of ascension, dennis keene, conductor, is featured on cd 2 in the wrti 60th anniversary classical 3cd set from randall thompson, then director of the curtis institute of music, serge koussevitzky wanted a choral fanfare, loud and festive, for the opening of the berkshire music center at tanglewood. Randall thompson april 21, 1899 july 9, 1984 was an american composer. It is a slow, sad piece, andhere it is comparable to the book of job. Although american composer randall thompson wrote two operas, three symphonies, and many other choral works, he is far and away best known for his alleluia for chorus. It is a slow, sad piece, andhere it is comparable to the book of job, where it is written, the lord gave and the lord has taken away. Provided to youtube by naxos of america alleluia american repertory singers randall thompson. Cookies allow us to personalize content and ads, to provide social mediarelated features and analyze our traffic. Based on extensive archival research, interviews, and a thorough knowledge of his compositions, it is the first fulllength study of the dean of american choral composers as he was affectionately known. To many music lovers, the name randall thompson 20 brings first to mind the. In his choral music especially, thompson was a monument of calm integrity in a musically turbulent halfcentury.
Randall thompson composer 18991984 play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site on the web. Randall thompson, composer of great popularity in the united states, notable for his choral music. His masterful compositions are all standards in the repertoire. Ssaa choir unaccompanied sheet music book by randall thompson 18991984. Alleluia a randall thompson tribute aca digital with the 26member, atlantabased michael oneal singers the peaceable kingdom and frostiana excerpts. The road not taken a documented biography of randall. A cappella a true masterpiece for a cappella chorus.
The masterful construction and simplicity of text alleluia, amen make the alleluia suitable for almost any choir for. Telegram from eugene ormandy to serge koussevitzky. Thompson s most famous work is his alleluia for a cappella chorus, written a few years before he joined the harvard faculty. The light of stars randall thompson cd gothic with choral arts northwest seattle directed by robert bode, includes the last invocation and alleluia. Schmidt, 9781576473085, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Written by randall thompsonpractice tracks are based on the sheet music. He trained at harvard university and eastman school of music and taught at various universities before completing his career as a professor of music at harvard. Nov 26, 2014 this feature is not available right now. Alleluia, a short a cappella choral work by the american composer randall thompson that premiered on july 8, 1940, at the berkshire music center now the tanglewood music center, the summer home of the boston symphony orchestra bso, near lenox, massachusetts. He taught for nearly twenty years at harvard university and infused a uniquely american element into classical music.
The story of randall thompson s alleluia revisited carl b. Alleluia is a piece for unaccompanied satb chorus by randall thompson. Randall thompson 18991984 was an american composer and professor particularly noted for choral works. Randall thompson americana concert performed by san gabriel. Another by the american composer randall thompson was, until recently, sung at one time or another by virtually all american high school and adult amateur choirs in the united states. Alleluia work by thompson britannica encyclopedia britannica. Randall thompson april 21, 1899 july 9, 1984 was an american composer, particularly noted for his choral works. Since its premiere in 1940, thompson s alleluia has been performed countless times by amateur and professional choirs, giving thompson a fair shot at being the most frequently performed of all american serious comp. He studied at harvard university and privately with ernest bloch, from whom he received an early and detailed exposure to polyphonic choral music.
Stream alleluia randall thompson sample, a playlist by from desktop or your mobile device. Since its premiere in 1940, thompsons alleluia has been performed countless times by amateur and professional choirs, giving thompson a fair shot at being the most frequently performed of all american serious composers. Seven parts 1st soprano, 2nd soprano, alto, read more. Jul 10, 2018 the road not taken a documented biography of randall thompson, 18991984 by elizabeth k. To many music lovers, the name randall thompson 20 brings first to mind the lofty sounds of his most famous anthem, based on the single word alleluia whether heard in church service, choral concert, or academic ceremony such as harvard commencement. To many music lovers, the name randall thompson 20 brings first to mind the lofty sounds of his most famous anthem, based on the single word alleluiawhether heard in church service, choral concert, or academic ceremony such as harvard commencement. Randall thompson began his higher education at harvard university in 1916. One of them is this e book alleluia satb, by randall thompson it is so normal with the printed ebooks. Randall thompsons alleluia, composed in 1940, quickly became one of the most popular pieces sung by american choirs. Composed over the first five days of july in 1940, it was given its world premiere on july 8th of that year at the berkshire music center at tanglewood under the direction of g. At the conclusion of his lecture, schmidt signed copies of his new book the story of randall thompsons alleluia revisited. Alleluia, the testament of freedom, the last words of david, requiem, frostiana, and the passion according to saint luke. Alleluia by randall thompson 18991984 octavo sheet.
Randall thompson was an american composer, particularly noted for his choral works. Alleluia is written by randall thompson and has been dubbed the greatest choral piece ever written. Randall thompson americana concert performed by san. Composed over the first five days of july in 1940, it was given its world premiere on july 8 of that year at the berkshire music center at tanglewood under the direction of g. This new hyperion recording by the excellent schola cantorum of oxford, conducted by james burton, features thompsons the peaceable kingdom, based upon religious texts drawn from the book of isaiah, as well as his mass, alleluia, the last invocation and fare well. Randall thompson s alleluia, composed in 1940, quickly became one of the most popular pieces sung by american choirs. He was one of the first to incorporate jazz into orchestral works, and his 1932 symphony no. It can be reasonably assumed that most choral conductors in the united states are at least familiar with the piece. The fascinating story of randall thompsonsalleluia from its conception to its development is engagingly told. He attended harvard university, became assistant professor of music and choir director at wellesley college, and received a doctorate in music from the university of rochester school of music. The history of music, which aimed to instill an ability to listen discriminately.
One refuge from this routine was the familys summer vacation home in vienna, me, where thompson took interest in an old parlor reed organ. The music in my particular alleluia cannot be made to sound joyous. Hughes s ince its first performance in 1959, randall thompsons frostiana has been a popular part of the american choral repertory. Alleluia cannot be made to sound joyoushere it is comparable to the book of job. Nonetheless, many individuals occasionally have no space to bring guide for them. Selections from frostiana and the peaceable kingdom. We also share information on the use of our site with our social media partners, advertising and analytics, which can combine them with other information you have provided to them or collected in your use of their services.
Original manuscript for randall thompsons alleluia enlarge occassionally, composers send manuscripts of pieces they were composing for the bso. Thompson studied at harvard university and later with the composer ernest bloch. His early musical pursuits began at an old reed organ on the family summer farm in vienna, maine. The music in my particular alleluia cannot be made to sound joyoushere it is comparable to the book of job, where it.
The story of randall thompsons alleluia revisited carl b. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite. A documented biography of randall thompson chronicles the extraordinary career of a composer, conductor, arts administrator, teacher, and reformer of music curricula. David polley randall thompson 18991984 was an american. Thompson s father was an english teacher, and he was reared in an environment that emphasized excellence in matters of academics. American composer randall thompson, best known for his choral alleluia, was born ira randall thompson in new york city. He taught at a number of universities and colleges and was director of the curtis institute of music, philadelphia. Randall thompsons alleluia, performed by voices of ascension, dennis keene, conductor, is featured on cd 2 in the wrti 60th anniversary classical 3cd set from randall thompson, then director of the curtis institute of music, serge koussevitzky wanted a choral fanfare, loud and festive, for the opening of the berkshire music center at tanglewood. The name randall thompson is as much a part of choral music as is the voice. Based on extensive archival research, interviews, and a thorough knowledge of his compositions, it is the first fulllength study of the dean of american. Recorded live october 2012 as part of the americanenglish masters concert location. Someone else also has a resource page on the piece with some great historical background check it out. Mary, mother of god, chinatown, washington dc singers. Rare is the church, school, community, or professional choir that has not sung it.
It is a slow, sad piece, andcomparable to the book of job, where it is written. Since that day in 1940, alleluia this classic of classics has become one of the nations mostoften performed choral works. The music of randall thompson canticle distributing. It was arranged by lewis buckley, director of the us coast guard band. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Alleluia, a short a cappella choral work by the american composer randall.
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