THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 7:00 PMMontview Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia St., Denver

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 7:00 PMBethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E Hampden Ave., Cherry Hills Village

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 7:00 PMFirst United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 4:00 PMEdna Rizley Griffin Concert Hall, 1400 Remington St., Fort Collins

James Kim Founding Artistic Director

MessiahComplete Watkins-Shaw Edition

Handel’s

Program

PART ONE

1 Sinfonia (Overture)

2 Comfort ye my people - Recit.

3 Ev’ry valley shall be exalted - Air

4 And the glory of the Lord - Chorus

5 Thus saith the Lord - Recit.

6 But who may abide the day of his coming? - Air

7 And he shall purify - Chorus

8 Behold, a virgin shall conceive - Recit.

9 O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion - Air & Chorus

10 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth - Recit.

11 The people that walked in darkness - Air

12 For unto us a child is born - Chorus

13 Pifa ( ‘Pastoral Symphony’ )

14a There were shepherds abiding in the field - Recit.

14b And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them - Recit.

15 And the angel said unto them - Recit.

16 And suddenly there was with the angel - Recit.

17 Glory to God - Chorus

18 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion - Air

19 Then shall the eyes of the blind - Recit.

20 He shall feed his flock - Air

21 His yoke is easy, and his burthen is light - Chorus

Intermission

Handel’s Messiah Page1

PART TWO

22 Behold the Lamb of God - Chorus

23 He was despised - Air

24 Surely he hath borne our griefs - Chorus

25 And with his stripes we are healed - Chorus

26 All we like sheep have gone astray - Chorus

27 All they that see him laugh him to scorn - Recit.

28 He trusted in God - Chorus

29 Thy rebuke hath broken his heart - Recit.

30 Behold, and see if there be any sorrow - Air

31 He was cut off out of the land of the living - Recit.

32 But thou didst not leave his soul in hell - Air

33 Lift up your heads, O ye gates - Chorus

34 Unto which of the angels said he at any time - Recit.

35 Let all the angels of God worship him - Chorus

36 Thou art gone up on high - Air

37 The Lord gave the word - Chorus

38 How beautiful are the feet - Air

39 Their sound is gone out - Chorus

40 Why do the nations so furiously rage together? - Air

41 Let us break their bonds asunder - Chorus

42 He that dwelleth in heaven - Recit.

43 Thou shalt break them - Air

44 Hallelujah - Chorus

PART THREE

45 I know that my redeemer liveth - Air

46 Since by man came death - Chorus

47 Behold, I tell you a mystery - Recit.

48 The trumpet shall sound - Air

49 Then shall be brought to pass - Recit.

50 O death, where is thy sting? - Duet

51 But thanks be to God - Chorus

52 If God be for us - Air for Soprano

53 Worthy is the lamb that was slain - Chorus

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Program Notes“And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed.” First proclaimed by Old Testament prophetIsaiah, this call to action was a missional cause for eighteenth century scholar CharlesJennens. On July 10, 1741 he sat down to write a letter to poet Edward Holdsworth:Handel says he will do nothing next winter, but I hope I shall persuade him to set another scripture collection I have made for him ... I hope he will lay out his whole genius and skill upon it, that the composition may excel all his former compositions, as the subject excels every other subject. The subject is Messiah ...

It was some months before George Frederic Handel composed the music to accompanyJennens’s libretto and most of another year before the work was first performed.Though Jennens was not completely satisfied with the final product, few since wouldbe so bold as to suggest that Messiah demonstrates anything less than Handel’s “wholegenius and skill.” One of the most beloved works in the choral repertoire, Handel’sMessiah is perhaps the best known and most performed, studied, debated, and writtenabout composition in the history of Western art music. A staple now in concert hallsand church services during the Christmas and Easter seasons, its appeal is multifaceted. Unlike Handel’s previous oratorios, the story is not a narrative with a specific plot and well-defined characters singing solo roles. As such, the nearly two and a half hour work can be produced in its entirety or redacted for amateur choral societiesand church choirs in a la carte fashion to suit the needs of individual organizations. Itsmusic is accessible to both audiences and performers, and its original English text setsit apart from many large choral works of its era. Yet, it is Handel’s music that allowsthe text to transcend mere words, exemplifying “the mystery of Godliness,” a phraseinscribed by Jennens on the first production’s libretto.

Messiah was not Handel’s first oratorio. The twenty-five year old German composerfirst came to England in 1710 to offer up his first love to the London stage: Italian opera.Eventually he became the city’s preeminent producer of dramatic musical works.Unfortunately, in the 1730s ill health, changing public tastes, and a competing operacompany nearly put Handel out of business. That is, until the composer resurrected agenre he had broached several times before. Oratorio, an Italian genre developed in thesixteenth century, was similar to opera. It featured arias, recitative, and choruses thattold a dramatic story. However, oratorios were based on sacred subjects and performedwithout costumes and scenery, while operas were secular in nature and tookadvantage of all the forces of the theatrical stage. As such, oratorio was a much morefinancially efficient variety of theatre and fit Handel’s needs well. The oratorio Saul received favorable reviews in London upon its 1739 premiere and was revived by Handel frequently thereafter. Saul was soon followed by the oratorios Israel in Egypt, L’Allegro,il Penseroso, and Messiah.

Handel set Jennens’s Messiah text over the course of twenty-four days in August andSeptember 1741. The premiere took place in April 1742 in Dublin. Prior to the first performance, Handel shrewdly presented several concerts featuring his music, whetting the public’s appetite. He then opened up his dress rehearsal to select community members, further heightening anticipation of the event. That Messiah was to be a benefit performance for local charities only added to the effectiveness of planned pre-performance marketing ploys. The premiere sold out and was a rousing success.

The 1743 London premiere was not as highly regarded, partially because of resistanceto the presentation of such sacred material in a secular space. However, after several

Handel’s Messiah Page 4

more attempts, a highly acclaimed 1750 performance at the city’s Foundling Hospitalcemented Messiah’s place in the hearts of London music aficionados. Handel conducted several dozen performances of the work himself throughout the remainder of his career and would have been pleased that the 25th anniversary of his death was marked by a Messiah celebration at Westminster Abbey, the site of the great composer’s grave. The work has been performed there numerous times since.

Messiah is set in three acts, the standard operatic format that Handel adopted for hisoratorios. However, the source material for Messiah was different from the Old Testament stories the composer had previously set. The first act (or “Part the First,” asindicated in the score) recalls the prophesy of the coming of Christ and his nativity.Listen for the Pifa, in which the orchestra imitates the music of the shepherds who weretold of Christ’s birth. “Part the Second” presents the Passion story and the Resurrectionand ends with the work’s most famous selection, the chorus “Hallelujah.” The final partopens with the air “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth,” one of seven scriptural funeralsentences established in the Church of England’s first Book of Common Prayer (1549).It remains part of the Anglican burial service to this day. Settings of New Testamentverses that speak to Christ’s authority and victory over death follow. The oratorio concludes with a choral affirmation taken from the Book of Revelation, “Worthy is the Lamb that was Slain” and one of the most breathtaking “Amen” sequences ever written.

In the second half of the eighteenth century, composers such as Mozart began reorchestrating Messiah for a more standard classical orchestra. Since then, audiences have grown accustomed to performances with large instrumental ensembles and imposing choirs. Tonight’s Colorado Bach Ensemble presentation utilizes the musical score realized by Harold Watkins Shaw in 1959 and reissued in 1992, a more intimate setting that mirrors Handel’s Baroque vision.

Shaw was a twentieth century musicologist who devoted much of his career to carefuland thoughtful study of Messiah. His scholarly performance edition of the work wasbased on the two scores in Handel’s possession at the time of the Dublin premiere.The first was the composer’s original autograph, now held at the British Library.The second was a copied conducting score that Handel used in performances ofthe oratorio for the rest of his career (currently in the collection of Oxford’s BodleianLibrary). It would be logical, therefore, to assume that Shaw’s edition constitutes anauthoritative version for performers who want to present Messiah just as Handelmight have.

However, a definitive version cannot exist, as Handel himself adapted the work for eachperformance given, as indicated in his conducting score. Unsure of the forces availablefor the Dublin premiere, the composer originally wrote the work for chorus, strings,continuo, trumpets, and timpani. Soloists were chosen from among the choristers. Forlater London performances, Handel added parts for oboes, bassoons, and horns, andtransposed arias to fit different voice types. The Watkins Shaw edition, in an attemptto remain faithful to the composer, presents variants and alternate versions of specificpieces, along with editorial suggestions, allowing an artistic director to make choicesbest suited to his or her ensemble. Indeed, that was the course Handel himself followed.

Dr. K. Dawn GrapesAssistant Professor of Music History, Colorado State University

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The Colorado Bach Ensemble is dedicated to performing and promoting the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries with a special focus on Bach’s vocal masterpieces. Under the guidance of its artistic director, James Kim, the Colorado Bach Ensemble’s mission is to study and perform Bach’s music in the spirit and with the grace of the Baroque style, to grow the audience for Bach’s music through concerts, recording, and tours, and to cultivate a deep appreciation for Bach’s music through engaging educational programs.

As the artistic director of the Colorado Bach Ensemble, James Kim has dedicated himself to performing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries at the highest artistic level for American audiences. He has studied and worked with some of the greatest Bach interpreters of our time, such as Phillipe Herreweghe and

Helmuth Rilling, with whom he spent two years in Stuttgart, Germany. Building on the rich history of Bach scholarship and performance, James Kim brings his own approach and commitment to the music he performs in Colorado. A recent review captures Kim’s desire to perform and teach the music of Bach: “James Kim is one of the few conductors that I have ever known who has the stamina and courage to present a lecture concert… I am sure that this is extremely useful for the members of the audience at large who might not have been trained musicians. I know they appreciated it for they gave The Colorado Bach Ensemble a standing ovation. Both the lecture and the performance were superb.”

James Kim is also the Director of Choral Activities at Colorado State University.

James Kim Artistic Director

Soprano Mireille Asselin has been praised by Opera Canada as a “soprano that charms and brightens a room”. Opera Today described her as a singer with “a most refined singing technique, a lilting silvery tone, and poised delivery”. She is in great demand on both opera and concert stages in North America and England, and has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, the Glimmerglass Festival, the Boston Early Music Festival, the Edmonton Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, and Opera Atelier. She has sung the roles of Adele in Die Fledermaus, Nannetta in Falstaff, Sœur Constance in Dialogues des Carmélites, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Thérèse in Les mamelles de Tirésias, Phénice and Lucinda in Lully’s Armide, Frasquita in Carmen, Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffman. She also starred as Pamina in the Sullivan Entertainment feature film “Magic Flute Diaries”. Ms. Asselin completed her Master of Music degree at the Yale School of Music and her Bachelor of Music Degree at the Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She is a grateful recipient of a Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation Grant.

Mezzo Soprano Abigail Nims has quickly established herself as a musician of integrity and versatility through her performances of concert and opera repertoire from Bach, Handel, and Mozart through Crumb, Ligeti, and contemporary premieres. Her artistry has been celebrated on North American and European opera and concert stages, including with the San Francisco Symphony, the Boston Baroque, the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Mexico, the Portland Baroque Orchestra, São Paulo Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Florentine Opera (Milwaukee), Wexford Opera Festival, New York City Opera, and many others. She has been seen in recital at the prestigious Trinity Church, Wall Street, and can be heard singing Martin Bresnick’s song cycle, “Falling” on a compilation album of the composers works. Ms. Nims holds degrees from Yale School of Music, Westminster Choir College, and Ohio Wesleyan University. She was a Virginia Adams Fellow at the Carmel Bach Festival in 2009, an Apprentice Artist at the Santa Fe Opera in 2007-08, and a Young Artist with Opera North in 2005. Ms Nims is currently a member of the voice faculty at the University of Colorado – Boulder.

Mireille Asselin Soprano

Abigail Nims Mezzo Soprano

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Praised by the New York Times for his beautifully shaped and carefully nuanced singing, tenor Derek Chester has established himself as a talented and versatile performer who maintains a very active schedule as a concert, opera, and recital singer and master class teacher throughout North America and Europe. He has received critical acclaim throughout his career and has performed with such distinguished organizations as the Bach Collegium Stuttgart, the Oregon Bach Festival, the Carmel Bach Festival, Yale Schola Cantorum, the Boston Baroque, American Bach Soloists as well as many symphony orchestras. He has also enjoyed a successful career as a singer in opera and musical theater. He received his Master’s Degree from the Yale School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music, and his doctorate in Voice Performance and Opera Studies from the University of North Texas. Dr. Chester is Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Northern Colorado. He is also on the faculty of the Lutheran Summer Music Festival and is a featured soloist at the Staunton Music Festival.

Audiences at Colorado Bach Ensemble performances are, by now, familiar with the artistry of baritone Andrew Garland. Among his many accolades, Garland was saluted by Opera News for his “coloratura [which] bordered on the phenomenal as he dashed through the music’s intricacies... offering plenty of elegance and glamour in his smooth acting.” Opera engagements in recent seasons include the Atlanta Opera as Schaunard in La Bohème, Arizona Opera as Ping in Turandot, and Boston Lyric Opera as Starveling in a new production of A Midsummer Nights Dream. He sang the title role in Don Giovanni with Opera New Jersey, Dancairo in Carmen with Boston Lyric Opera, and Figaro in Il barbieri di Siviglia with Knoxville Opera. In addition, he recently portrayed Hermann in Las contes d’Hoffmann and The Gamekeeper in Rusalka, both with Boston Lyric Opera, as well as Dandini in La Cenerentola with the Fort Worth Opera and Opera Company of North Carolina, where he displayed “an attractive baritone and an adroit sense of timing.” Mr Garland is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Andrew Garland Baritone

Derek Chester Tenor

Handel’s Messiah Page 8

Chorus Members

Orchestra Members

Page 9 Handel’s Messiah

SopranoLaura ChesterRebecca L. Faust-FrodlElise Greenwood BahrJoAnn Gudvangen BrownSusan HochmillerSara Michael

AltoGenevieve BaglioGloria ChoiAmy MurphyTegan PalmerLee Ann ScherlongTara Mianulli U’ren

TenorKevin GwinnCody LaunTaylor MartinBlake Nawa’aWestin SorrelAnthony Weber

BassMiles CanadayStuart DameronDavid FarwigChristopher MaunuNathan PayantMatthew Weissenbuehler

First ViolinsMargaret Soper Gutierrez, ConcertmasterChris JusellDesiree Cedeño-SuarezNatalie Koob

Second ViolinsHee-Jung Kim, PrincipalChristine ShortJubal Fulks

ViolasBarbara Hamilton, PrincipalIsaac White

CellosCarole Whitney, PrincipalBecky Kutz OsterbergHannah Robbins

Double BassForest Greenough, Principal

OboesMiriam Kapner, PrincipalEuridice Alvarez

BassoonDavid Schwartz, Principal

TrumpetsAndrew Bishop, PrincipalBrian Brown

PercussionEric Hollenbeck, Principal

KeyboardKenrick Mervine, Principal

Board of DirectorsHoward Skinner, President • David Pyle, Secretary/Treasurer • Florian HildJohn Parfrey • Michelle Stanley • Michael Thaut • Tara Mianulli U’Ren • James Kim, ex officio

Our PatronsSeason SponsorDr. Donald Park II

Maestro’s Circle ($5,000 and up)Colorado State University, The Griffin Foundation, Dr. & Mrs. Howard Skinner.

Guarantors ($2,500 - $4,999)The Fort Fund, Stewart & Sheron Golden, Ken & Barbara Mervine

Benefactors ($1,000 - $2,499)Shane & Kaitlin Miles

Patrons ($500 - $999)Alan Clark, Fort Collins Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ron & Anada Guse, Dr. James Kim, James K Lane, Magnolia Music Studio, John & Mary Ann Parfrey, Dr. Michael Thaut, Tom Witzel.

Associates ($250 - $499)Armstrong Hotel , Janney C. Darby, Lauren Fortmiller & Pamela Thiele, Dan George,Dawn Grapes, Pamela Haglund, Grant & Grace Kim, David & Tina Pyle, Teresa Skinner-Berger, Dr. & Mrs. Edwin Smith

Fellows ($100 - $249)Frank & Elizabeth Amigo, Anonymous, Bethany Chancel Choir, Jodi Chamberlain, Vincent Chung, Garth W. England Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Conrad Faust, Inserco, Inc., Johannes Gessler, Michael Harr, Robert & Barbara Helmkamp, Florian Hild, Dr. & Mrs. Pui Shing Ho, Inkworks, Karen Lampke, Mr. & Mrs. James Pfeister, Susan Riebe, David & Kylie Schwartz, Matthew & Vicky Sheehy, George Splittberger, Fred & Jean Starr, Ward Swinson, Ken & Marty Tharp.

Friends (Under $100)Agnes Benedict, Rogene A. Buchholz, Gregg & Sharon Dameron, Loretta Darrow, Ursula K. Ehmann, Paul Falk, Barbara Hamilton, Robin Hause, Aaron & Lisa Klehr, Mr. & Mrs. W. J. Koester, James Mann & Phyllis Loscalzo, R. C. Michael CO., Andrea Parks, Ruth Peterson, Russell Pierce, Allen D. Pierson, Mr. & Mrs. Steven Ray, Mary Ann Ranney, Rick Schiller & Sue Ellen Klein, Dana & Cathy Rabenberg, Peter & Mary Shultz, Mary Beth Solano, John & Tracy Stackhouse, Mark & Michelle Stone, John Thompson, Elise F. Tom, Carl & Ann Wilmsen.

The Colorado Bach Ensemble extends its deepest thanks to all of our patrons for their generous support. To become a CBE Patron, complete donation form enclosed in this program, or give online at: www.coloradogives.org/CBE/overview (Click on “Donate Now”).

Handel’s Messiah Page 10

Upcoming ConcertsColorado Bach Festival June 5 - 14, 2015

Bach’s Six MotetsFriday, June 5, 7:30 pm – Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry Hills VillageSaturday, June 6, 7:30 pm – First Presbyterian Church, Fort Collins

Bach Vespers Services at BethanySunday, June 7, 5:00 pm – Cantata: Mein Herz swimmt (BWV 199)Sunday, June 14, 5:00 pm – Cantata: Gott ist mein Koenig (BWV 71)

Bach Cantatas & MagnificatJauchzet Gott in Allen Landen! (BWV 51), Ich habe genug (BWV 82), Magnificat (BWV 243)

Friday, June 12, 7:30 pm – Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry Hills VillageSaturday, June 13, 7:30 pm – University Center for the Arts, Fort Collins

Special ThanksThanks to Ken and Barbara Mervine for underwriting the cost of our Messiah Programs

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Grateful Thanks toDr. Howard Skinner, Charter Member of the CBE Board and its first President. We thank Howard for his wise counsel and the kind of strong leadership that has helped the Colorado Bach Ensemble take flight on a steady path. Deep thanks also go out to Beverly Skinner for putting her accounting skills to work on behalf of the organization. You will both be missed.

David Pyle, Charter Member of the CBE Board. David was there at the start, aided it tirelessly with his skill for marketing and supported it with his ideas and his wisdom. Thank you, David.

Shane Miles, who has applied his time and considerable talent to designing and compiling our programs and publicity throughout our first two seasons. Shane also created and managed our Web site and established our strong Facebook presence. Thank you, Shane.

We Need Your Help!Keeping our ticket prices low is only possible through the financial support of our patrons. ALL gifts, large and small, matter greatly.

Please consider making a tax deductible end-of-the-year gift to help the Colorado Bach Ensemble achieve its mission to bring the great sounds of Bach and the Baroque to every corner of our great state.

To donate online, go to: www.coloradogives.org/CBE/

Find (and Like) us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ColoradoBachEnsemble

Handel’s Messiah Page 12

The Four Elements November 7-8

The Story of Jephte January 9-11

Marie (with Wonderbound) February 14-22

Friends and Rivals May 16-17CYNTHIA MILLER FREIVOGEL LEADER-VIOLINIST

2014-15 SEASON

ADVANCE TICKETS AT: BCOCOLORADO.ORG

“...unflagging dedication to adventurous programming.” THE DENVER POST

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Interested in sharing your singing talent with the Boulder Chorale? Auditions for adults are January 20thAuditions for children will be held January 5th through 14thMore audition information - www.boulderchorale.org

e

q

qTo learn more about the Boulder Chorale visitwww.boulderchorale.org

49th Season2014-2015

OULDERHORALE

Tickets start at $13; Students $5—Choose all 3 concerts and save 10%! www.BoulderPhil.org · 303.449.1343 ext. 2

MICHAEL BUTTERMAN, MUSIC DIRECTOR

BOULDER

PHILHARMONIC

ORCHESTRA

Legends: The Spirit of Boulder2014-2015 SEASON

Beethoven’s “Emperor” ConcertoJAN. 17, 7:30 PM at MackyCONRAD TAO, PIANOBEETHOVEN Overture to The Creatures of PrometheusHAYDN Chaos from The CreationMILHAUD La création du mondeTAO PanguBEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”)

Legendary LoveFEB. 14, 7:30 PM at MackyPHILIPPE QUINT, VIOLINCORIGLIANO The Red ViolinWAGNER Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und IsoldeTCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture

Dvořák’s Cello ConcertoAPR. 25, 7:30 PM at MackyZUILL BAILEY, CELLOLIADOV The Enchanted LakeDVOŘÁK Cello ConcertoBARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra

Handel’s Messiah Page 14

PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR

For additional information and to purchase tickets, visit

CherryCreekChorale.org or call

303-789-5920

OCTOBER 3 & 4, 2014

Mendelssohn’s ElijahDECEMBER 12 & 13, 2014

I Heard the Bells on Christmas DayMARCH 13 & 14, 2015

Exploring the American SongbookMAY 8 & 9, 2015

Song and Dance!MAY 15, 2015

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9with the Arapahoe Philharmonic

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