This CD
contains a variety of music ranging from Renaissance madrigals
and Baroque opera through contemporary compositions. As such,
it faithfully represents the musical repertoire - secular and
religious, old and new - which the St. Stephen's School Chorus
studies throughout the school year. In addition, this CD provides
a new recording of my own work, A Christmas Cantata. Performances
of portions of this work, most particularly "Mary's Lullaby",
have become somewhat of a tradition over the years at St. Stephen's
Christmas concerts, so I am particularly pleased to have this
opportunity to re-present the Cantata in its original and complete
form as composed in the summer of 1974. (Program notes about this
work follow this preface.)
Above all, however, this CD is a
showcase for the "St. Stephen's School Chorus, 2000 - 2001".
This is a talented group of young musicians who are equally at
home in the team-play required for ensemble work or as individual
soloists. In fact, in the course of this CD, you will hear 9 different
vocal soloists! Additionally, several members of the chorus are
also instrumental performers who have brought their musicianship
and individual accomplishments to the service of the chorus. Three
of these can be heard accompanying the Cantata with remarkable
self-assurance, control and musicality. Individually and as a
group, then, these young persons are passionate about music -
about the emotional adventures music can create and about the
unique pleasure which making music together can bring. Their enthusiasm
is contagious - in rehearsal and in performance - and it has been
my good fortune to have shared this with them. I am pleased that
this CD will allow us to relive that adventure in the future and
to share it with a wider audience as well.
A Christmas
Cantata is a work for four part youth chorus which was composed
in 1974 in celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of St. Stephen's
School in Rome and in honor of that School's founders, Rev. John
O. Patterson and Donald L. Stewart. Composed using a vernacular
musical style which is intended for the young musician, the music
is performed with guitar and piano and/or organ accompaniment.
The narrated text is taken from the Christmas story as recounted
in the Gospel according to St. Luke while the texts of the songs
were written by myself.
The Cantata was first performed on the 8th of December, 1974,
at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Rome. The second performance
took place three days later in the St. Stephen's School Auditorium.
A recording of that performance was issued by the school in 1975
as an "LP" record. In his preface written for that recording
Father John O. Patterson, the Founding Headmaster of St. Stephen's
School, had these words to say about the Cantata:
"The
celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of St. Stephen's School in
Rome was marked by many and varied activities - each in its way
an effort to show our gratitude for the loyalty, support and prayers
of hundreds of people whose concern and interest made the past
ten years possible. This recording is a particularly joyous part
of that Anniversary program.
A Christmas Cantata was written by Richard Trythall, the director
of St. Stephen's music program, specifically for the Anniversary
celebration. As performed by the St. Stephen's School chorus at
St. Paul's Within the Walls, the Episcopal Church in Rome, and
at the School, it proved to be one of the most interesting and
successful works of the Music Department. In these presentations,
the late F. D. L. Stewart, co-founder and chairman of the English
Department of St. Stephen's School, was the narrator. The many
persons who knew and respected Donald Stewart will value this
recording doubly.
As
Founding Headmaster, I feel confident that I speak
for the many alumni and friends of the School in expressing appreciation
for the work of the Chorus and Mr. Trythall."
It is most
fitting, then, that this new recording of A Christmas Cantata
- some 26 years later - follows a similar set of presentations:
the performance on December 7, 2000 in the St. Stephen's School
Auditorium and on December 17, 2000, at the Sunday morning service
of St. Paul's Within the Walls. It is fitting also that the narration
is now read by the chorus members themselves, each bringing his
or her unique voice and diction to the gospel text and thereby
adding the unmistakable imprint of a truly international school.
I am sure that both Father Patterson and Donald Stewart would
have been pleased to hear these performances and to learn from
them that, in truth, the more St. Stephen's has changed, the more
it has remained true to their founding vision.
In closing I wish to express my
appreciation to Philip Allen, present Headmaster of St. Stephen's
School, for his invaluable support and encouragement of the Arts
program at St. Stephen's and in particular for his help in making
this CD a reality.
Richard
Trythall