Gloriæ Dei Cantores

Gloriæ Dei Cantores (Latin for "Singers to the Glory of God") is a 40-voice choir based in Orleans, Massachusetts under the direction of artistic director and principal conductor Richard K. Pugsley.

History

"Gloriæ Dei Cantores" was founded in 1988 by Elizabeth C. Patterson^[1] who served as its Director/Conductor until 2012. It is based at the Church of the Transfiguration in Orleans, Massachusetts. The "Gloriæ Dei Cantores Schola" specializes in Gregorian chant.

The choir sings in 18 languages and has appeared on the concert stage and in recordings with such artists as Gerre Hancock, Keith Lockhart,^[2] John Williams, Samuel Adler, Mark O'Connor, Stephen Cleobury, George Guest, Daniel Pinkham, and Margaret Hillis.^[3] It has toured in 23 countries in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Highlights of the choir's career under Elizabeth Patterson and current artistic director and principal conductor Richard K. Pugsley include three invitational tours of Russia, the opening of the 900th anniversary of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy, live radio and television broadcasts with the BBC, film soundtracks, and the tree-lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Plaza.^{[citation needed]}

The choir's collaborative ventures have included ten Holiday Tours with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra, a sixteen-city US tour of Mozart's Requiem with Philippe Entremont, and the Munich Symphony Orchestra, and performances of Mozart's Requiem with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic in Russia.^{[citation needed]}

In October 2017, the choir and its associated Elements Theatre Company presented at the Church of the Transfiguration Vaughn Williams' opera, The Pilgrim's Progress, to celebrate 500 years of the Protestant Reformation.^[4]

Recent^[when?] concerts have featured Walton's The Twelve, Poulenc's Gloria Duruflé's Requiem, Mozart's Mass in C minor, and Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem, in collaboration with soloists Andrew Nolen and Jossie Pérez.

Discography

The choir has released several recordings on its Paraclete Recordings label.

Gordon Myers was Chairman of the Music Department, Columbia College, Columbia, South Carolina, from 1965 to 1968. He wrote a 90-minute choral work, "God's Trombones by James Weldon Johnson" as his doctoral thesis, subsequently published by Eastlane Music Corporation. In 1996, Paraclete Press, the publishing house of the Community of Jesus, acquired the copyright. It was recorded by "Gloriæ Dei Cantores" in the mid-1990s.^[5] Using the masters, Paraclete Records prepared them for re-release in 2018. The Gloriæ Dei Cantores choir serves as a chorus to Myers' baritone. C. Michael Bailey, writing for "All That Jazz" recommended the recording calling it, "...a very listenable collection of Bible tales..."^[6]

"Alan Hovhaness: From the Ends of the Earth" received a favorable review from Music Web International's Dan Morgan, who noted the acoustics of the Church of the Transfiguration.^[7] In reviewing Mozart Rare Choral Works, Michael Cookson said, "...although there are episodes of unsteadiness and one or two uncomfortable vibratos it is hard to find too much fault with their performances."^[8] Gregorian chant

The Chants of Angels
The Chants of Mary
The Chants of the Holy Spirit
The Chants of Easter
The Chants of Christmas
The Coming of Christ
The Beloved Son
I Am With You
Gregorian Requiem
The Chants of Transfiguration

Medieval c. 1150 – c. 1400

Sacred Songs of France (Vol. I: 1198–1609)

Renaissance c. 1400 – c. 1600

Masters of the Renaissance
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Baroque c. 1600 – c. 1750

Peace Be With You

Romantic c. 1830 – c. 1920

Mendelssohn and Brahms Sacred Motets
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger: Motets, Masses and Hymms
Faith of My Heart: Sacred Choral Music of Franz Liszt

20th – 21st centuries c. 1900 – today

Herbert Howells
Mandorla: Choral Masterworks of Frank Martin, Martin, Grieg, Hanson
Edmund Rubbra: The Sacred Muse
The Doctrine of Wisdom: Sacred Choral Music of William Mathias
Eclipse: The Voice of Jean Langlais
A Prophecy of Peace: The Choral Music of Samuel Adler
Appalachian Sketches
Leo Sowerby: American Master of Sacred Song
Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson: Sacred and Secular Choral Works

Spanish

Esperanza: A Gift of Spanish Song

Russian

All Night Vigil, Op.37
Unto Ages of Ages Sacred Choral Music of Georgy Sviridov, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky
Sacred Songs of Russia

Anglican psalmody

Thou Art My Refuge Psalms of Salvation and Mercy (Vol. I)
He Has Heard My Voice Psalms of Faithfulness and Hope (Vol. II)
His Love Endures Forever Psalms of Thankfulness and Praise (Vol. III)

American psalm settings

Make His Praise Glorious (American Psalmody Vol. I)
By the Rivers of Babylon (American Psalmody Vol. II)
The Lord Is My Shepherd (American Psalmody Vol. III)

Compilations and sets

Eternal Light
Joy and Gladness
Paths of Grace
Aliyah! Israel
Kaleidoscope: America's Faith in Song
The Essential Gregorian Chant Collection
Music of the Renaissance Set
American Psalmody of the 20th Century

Christmas

Keeping Christmas
Sing Noel
The Chants of Christmas

References

^ "Director Emeritus". Gloriæ Dei Cantores. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
^ Boston Symphony Orchestra. Boston Pops Holiday programs, 2000, Season 115. Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. Boston, Mass. : Boston Symphony Orchestra.
^ "Performance History Search". archives.bso.org. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
^ Keebaugh, Aaron (October 28, 2017). "Gloriae Dei Cantores offers an enterprising revival of Vaughan Williams' "Pilgrim's Progress"". Boston Classical Review. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
^ ""The Gordon Myers music and personal papers", American Music Research Center, University of Colorado at Boulder" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on September 5, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
^ Bailey, C. Michael (June 1, 2018). "Gloriæ Dei Cantores: James Weldon Johnson: God's Trombones album review". allaboutjazz.com. All About Jazz. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
^ Morgan, Dan (April 2018). "Alan Hovhaness Sacred Music - Gloriae Dei Cantores [DM] Classical Music Review". musicweb-international.com. Essex, UK: MusicWeb International. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
^ Cookson, Michael (July 6, 2006). "Mozart Rare Choral Works". musicweb-international.com. Essex, UK: MusicWeb International. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

External links

Official website

[1] "Director Emeritus". Gloriæ Dei Cantores. Retrieved July 19, 2022.

[2] Boston Symphony Orchestra. Boston Pops Holiday programs, 2000, Season 115. Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. Boston, Mass. : Boston Symphony Orchestra.

[3] "Performance History Search". archives.bso.org. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.

[BCR-4] Keebaugh, Aaron (October 28, 2017). "Gloriae Dei Cantores offers an enterprising revival of Vaughan Williams' "Pilgrim's Progress"". Boston Classical Review. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

[5] ""The Gordon Myers music and personal papers", American Music Research Center, University of Colorado at Boulder" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on September 5, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

[AAJ-6] Bailey, C. Michael (June 1, 2018). "Gloriæ Dei Cantores: James Weldon Johnson: God's Trombones album review". allaboutjazz.com. All About Jazz. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.

[MWI-7] Morgan, Dan (April 2018). "Alan Hovhaness Sacred Music - Gloriae Dei Cantores [DM] Classical Music Review". musicweb-international.com. Essex, UK: MusicWeb International. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2022.

[MWI_2019-8] Cookson, Michael (July 6, 2006). "Mozart Rare Choral Works". musicweb-international.com. Essex, UK: MusicWeb International. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2020.

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