Mondays 10-12 Noon
September 29 through November 17, 2003
Hopkins Center - Lower Buck
Johann Sebastian Bach's setting of the St. Matthew Passion is a pinnacle of artistic creation. In this course we will approach this masterpiece, not only through hearing and discussing the work itself, but by learning about its historical context.
What is the background of passion music? Why did Bach set these words, and where did he find them? What were the circumstances of Bach's life and the world around him when he chose to write this passion? Who performed the work originally?
Listening closely to a variety of excellent performances, we will ask such questions as: How does the music illuminate the words? What types of musical settings did Bach use? Do choices made by performers change the music?
We will make a copy of the vocal score (Barenreiter) available for each participant. We ask that each class member obtain a recording, either one that you already have, or one selected from a list that we will provide.
Prerequisites are curiosity and eagerness to learn. The ability to read music is not required; nor, indeed, is any further musical background. When you are finished with this course, we hope you will have come to a greater understanding and appreciation of the St. Matthew Passion -- music meant for growth.
Class is limited to 24 participants.
Heywood Alexander is Professor Emeritus (music) at Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio. Trained at Princeton, Harvard, and Union Theological Seminary, New York (doctorate in sacred music), he served also as Director of Music at Trinity (Episcopal) Cathedral and then at The Church of the Covenant, in University Circle, Cleveland. He co-conducted a professional chorus, The Philharmonia Chorale, in the 1970s. He has just published a documentary history of America's music through W. W. Norton, New York (2002).
Patricia Norton sang with the Handel Society during the 1998 performance of the St. Matthew Passion. The lack of opportunity to sing it again led her to compose a passion setting of her own, which was premiered in the Lyme Congregational Church on Good Friday, 1999. (Text from Mark -- the shortest.) Much of Patricia's time is currently spent feeding her son (8) and styling her daughter's hair (11) -- but this will be the fifth course she has led through ILEAD. Officially she's a poet, composer, and minister of music at Thetford Hill Congregational Church.
