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 then attended harvard university, became assistant professor of. 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. Since 1940, this classic of classics has become one of the nations mostoften performed choral works. Someone else also has a resource page on the piece with some great historical background check it out. He studied at harvard, at the time not a particularly great place for training composers or professional musicians of any sort, most notably with edward burlingame hill, and supplemented this. Alleluia randall thompson randall thompson was one of our countrys great men of music. The craft of randall thompson, robert frost, and frostiana john c. Mary, mother of god, chinatown, washington dc singers. Rare is the church, school, community, or professional choir that has not sung it. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
He taught for nearly twenty years at harvard university and infused a uniquely american element into classical music. Randall thompsons alleluia, composed in 1940, quickly became one of the most popular pieces sung by american choirs. The word alleluia has so many possible interpretations. 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 comp.
Based on extensive archival research, interviews, and a thorough knowledge of his compositions, it is the first fulllength study of the dean of american. 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. So, instead, thompson delivered something soft, slow, and mournfulsounding thompson himself said that it is. A randall thompson tribute by the michael oneal singers now. Thompson also wrote choral settings of a number of robert frosts poems frostiana. The alleluia is paired with the prokeimenon which preceded the reading of the apostle.
Thompsons father was an english teacher, and he was reared in an environment that emphasized excellence in matters of academics. 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. For the piece by randall thompson, see alleluia thompson. Randall attended the lawrenceville school, he attended harvard university, became assistant professor of music and choir director at wellesley college, received a doctorate in music from the university of rochesters eastman school of music. He taught at a number of universities and colleges and was director of the curtis institute of music, philadelphia. It can be reasonably assumed that most choral conductors in the united states are at least familiar with the piece. Based upon some encounters of lots of people, it remains in truth that reading this alleluia satb, by randall thompson could help them to make better option and also provide more encounter. The story of randall thompson s alleluia revisited carl b. Alleluia is written by randall thompson and has been dubbed the greatest choral piece ever written. Thompsons most famous work is his alleluia for a cappella chorus, written a few years before he joined the harvard faculty.
Randall thompson 18991984 was one of americas preeminent choral composers during his lifetime. Alleluia, for a cappella chorus play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site on the web. Thompson s father was an english teacher, and he was reared in an environment that emphasized excellence in matters of academics. 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. Hughes s ince its first performance in 1959, randall thompsons frostiana has been a popular part of the american choral repertory. His most popular and recognizable choral work is his anthem, alleluia, commissioned by serge koussevitzky for the opening of the berkshire music center at tanglewood. Alleluia randall thompson performed by octarium on vimeo. Alleluia by randall thompson 18991984 octavo sheet music. 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. Thompson composed three symphonies and numerous vocal works including americana, the testament of freedom, frostiana, and the peaceable kingdom, inspired by edward hickss painting. His notable students included samuel adler, leo kraft, and leonard bernstein.
More information about randall thompson can be found on wikipedia, thorpe music company, and harvard magazine. Ttbb choir unaccompanied sheet music book by randall thompson 18991984. American composer randall thompson, best known for his choral alleluia, was born ira randall thompson in new york city. Thompson also wrote choral settings of a number of robert frosts poems frostiana, and they would make for fine homeschool listening as well. The music of randall thompson canticle distributing. Alleluia, probably the best known and loved of all randall thompson compositions, was written for the opening of the berkshire music center in 1940.
Randall thompson april 21, 1899 july 9, 1984 was an american composer. Alleluia for christmas eve, with jubilus verse has been omitted. No work of thompson s, however, earned in equal measure the incredible celebrity accorded to his alleluia 1940. France had just fallen when thompson got the commission. The music in my particular alleluia cannot be made to sound joyous. Randall thompson was an american composer noted for his choral works.
A randall thompson tribute the michael oneal singers. If you wish to be among them, lets purchase this book alleluia satb, by randall thompson by downloading guide on web link download in this site. The story of randall thompsons alleluia revisited carl b. Alleluia is a piece for unaccompanied satb chorus by randall thompson. Celebrating the 71st anniversary of randall thompsons alleluia, first performed on july 8, 1940 at the berkshire music center at tanglewood under. 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 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 18991984, one of the twentiethcenturys most admired and frequently performed cho ral composers, also made significant contributions to instrumental music. He studied at harvard, at the time not a particularly great place for training composers or professional musicians of any sort, most notably with edward burlingame hill, and supplemented this tuition with private lessons from ernest bloch. Recorded live october 2012 as part of the americanenglish masters concert location. Buy thompson alleluia satb sheet music 1786 by randall thompson isbn.
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. The name randall thompson is as much a part of choral music as is the voice. Randall thompson, composer of great popularity in the united states, notable for his choral music. Oct 31, 2006 listen to your favorite songs from alleluia. He was one of the first to incorporate jazz into orchestral works, and his 1932 symphony no. Here the composer showed that there was still plenty of great music to be written in the key of d major in 1940. Alleluia by schola cantorum of oxford choir, chorus, james burton conductor online at alibris. What differs is the tone in which it is sung, and the stichera psalm verses which are intoned by the reader. Randall thompson s alleluia, composed in 1940, quickly became one of the most popular pieces sung by american choirs. Randall thompson, a composer, conductor and teacher known for choral works that evoke a folksy, patriotic vision of american history and heritage, died yesterday in.
Randall thompson choral composer biography cd recordings. Stream alleluia randall thompson sample, a playlist by from desktop or your mobile device. Jul 10, 1984 randall thompson, a composer, conductor and teacher known for choral works that evoke a folksy, patriotic vision of american history and heritage, died yesterday in massachusetts general hospital. Thompson wrote that the alleluia is a very sad piece. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. He was also noted educator, holding teaching posts at wellesley college, the curitis institute, and harvard university, among others.
In 1936 thompsons cantata the peaceable kingdom, inspired by the work of american primitive painter edward hicks, was premiered in cambridge and helped establish thompsons popularity as a composer. Ira randall thompson april 21, 1899 july 9, 1984 dropped the ira pretty quickly. A randall thompson tribute to enjoy in your home or car, or gift it to another music lover. A documented biography of randall thompson chronicles the extraordinary career of a composer, conductor, arts administrator, teacher, and reformer of music curricula. Once youve mastered this, youll have truly stunning performance piece. At the conclusion of his lecture, schmidt signed copies of his new book the story of randall thompson s alleluia revisited. But his was not the triumphant, celebratory d major of handels alleluia chorus from messiah. Why not wind everyone down for the evening with the beautifully peaceful alleluia of american composer randall thompson, born on this day 21 april in 1899. Randall attended the lawrenceville school, where his father was an english teacher. At the conclusion of his lecture, schmidt signed copies of his new book the story of randall thompsons alleluia revisited. Randall thompsons alleluia, performed by voices of ascension, dennis keene, conductor, is featured on cd 2 in the wrti 60th anniversary classical 3cd set.
Ii samuel xxiii 3,4 composed by randall thompson 18991984. In july 1940, american composer randall thompson was commissioned to write a special alleluia setting for the opening of the berkshire music center in tanglewood, ma. Expecting a piece that would be a joyful choral fanfare, the center received instead this masterpiece of introspection. There may be either one or two alleluias, depending upon the number of. His masterful compositions are all standards in the repertoire. Thompson studied at harvard university and later with the composer ernest bloch.
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