OCTOBER 2018
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGES
Rehearsals in the Trinity Church Chapel. MPRO’s rehearsals on October 24, 2018 and January 23, 2019 will be held in the Trinity Church chapel. Our usual rehearsal room is in one wing of an L-shaped building; the chapel is the octagonal structure at the end of the other wing. It adjoins a walkway from Laurel Street. Because there will be at least two other events at the church complex on the evenings that we use the chapel, MPRO members should plan to come early to find parking. Parking is available on Laurel and Pine streets, and in the SRI parking lot across Ravenswood Avenue from the church. The church has an agreement with SRI that allows overflow parking during non-business hours. The chapel will be unlocked at 7:00 p.m. If you are interested in carpooling to these or other rehearsals, you can use MPRO’s moderated members-only email list to contact others. All members who have email addresses are already subscribed to this list. Emails sent to mpro-members@googlegroups.com are archived at groups.google.com.
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News That Fits We Print. Please send any announcements, other news, or articles that you would like to have included in the next (November) issue of Upbeat to me, your friendly Acting Newsletter Editor, by the last week of October. Use the email address in the MPRO membership list, or see me at one of the October rehearsals. The Editor’s office is still officially vacant. If you would like to try your hand at it (or one the other vacant positions on the MPRO Board), please contact me for more information. Vacant offices are listed at the end of this newsletter.
CONDUCTOR’S CORNER
Dear members of the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra,
Listed below is the music for the next three meetings of the orchestra. Please note that the meeting on October 24 will take place in the Trinity Church Chapel, not Angus Hall. The Chapel is next to the church and across from Angus Hall. Please note as well that great bass and contrabass recorders as well as bass viola da gamba will be needed at all three meetings and that sopranino recorder and krummhorns are called for on October 24. Finally, everyone is asked to practice and become familiar with the scheduled music, particularly the new selections, and to make use of the midi practice files sent out this summer.
October 10
Anonymous: O Maria, virgo davitica/O maria, maris stella/ Veritatem
Koechlin: Assez lent
Schmelzer: Sonatina
Handel: Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 1
October 24
Trinity Church Chapel
Schmelzer: Sonatina
Janequin: Il estoit une fillette
Handel: Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 1
Koechlin: Assez lent
November 14
Anonymous: O Maria, virgo davitica/O maria, maris stella/ Veritatem
Koechlin: Assez lent
Schmelzer: Sonatina
Handel: Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 1
I look forward to seeing you at these upcoming meetings.- Sincerely,
Fred Palmer
MUSIC TRIVIA: THE AGINCOURT CAROL
October 25 is the anniversary of the 1415 battle of Agincourt. The battle was fought in northern France between an English army led by King Henry V and a much larger French force. The English won with relatively few casualties. The battle made King Henry a national hero (in spite of his unchivalrous order for the execution of French prisoners) and provided impetus for continuation of the Hundred Years War. A hymn of thanksgiving for the victory, known as the Agincourt Carol or Agincourt Hymn, was composed in the early 15th century.
The medieval meaning of “carol” evolved over time, ranging from a dance song to a popular religious song. Although most surviving English carols are related to Christmas, there were also carols for Easter and other situations. In 15th century England a carol involved stanzas alternating with a refrain. Often the stanzas and refrain were in different languages. There are two surviving 15th century manuscript versions of the Agincourt Carol. This is the version in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Agincourtcarol.jpg
There are several online recordings of the Agincourt Carol. This is a performance in the Tower of London for the 600th anniversary of the battle. It includes subtitles with the lyrics in modern English and a shawm accompaniment for the refrain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQZiW8zRSUY. In another recording, a krummhorn trio accompanies the singers who are using Middle English pronunciation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdvFfO-6vro
The melody of the Agincourt Carol is used as a hymn (with different lyrics) in some modern churches, and was arranged for organ by E. Power Biggs. It was also used by composer William Walton in the music for the 1944 film of Shakespeare’s Henry V starring Laurence Olivier. For a video of the film’s battle scene with Walton conducting his music in a 1963 orchestral performance, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvFY93WBPPY
MORE INTERESTING LINKS
The American Recorder Society publishes a free monthly “e-Mag,” Ars Nova. It is available by email subscription, and the archives are online at the ARS website. See:
https://americanrecorder.org/ars_nova_e-mag_archive.php
Each issue of Ars Nova focuses on a single topic. Archived issues include “Library Science” (suggestions for organizing your sheet music collection), and “ Expert Tips for Clogged Recorders.” “Rests for Your Recorders” has do-it-yourself ideas for thumb rests for smaller recorders, and suggestions for supporting larger instruments. “Using Technology to Enhance Your Recorder Playing” lists a variety of music-related “apps” for smart phones and tablets, including metronomes and tuners.
The Board: President: Judith Unsicker; Treasurers: Chantal Moser and Mary Ashley; Recording Secretary: vacant; Membership: Chris Flake; Publicity: vacant; Graphics: Mary Ashley; Newsletter Editor: vacant; Workshop Coordinator: vacant; Hospitality: vacant; Music Sales: Laura Gonsalves; Historian: vacant; Webmaster: Dan Chernikoff; Music Director: Fred Palmer; Assistant Music Director: Greta Haug-Hryciw. MPRO website: http://www.mpro-online.org
