Program
COSUSS Holiday 2025 program
Conductors: Sandra Babb, Steven Zielke
Gloria Fanfare – Jeffrey Ames
Combined Choirs
Nänie – Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
OSU Chamber Choir
Se Vuol Ballare – W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)
From Le Nozze di Figaro
Charlie DeRose, bass-baritone
Vedrai Carino – W.A Mozart (1756-1791)
From Don Giovanni
McKenzie Singiser, soprano
Smanie implacabili – W.A. Mozart (1756-1791) scene 9 #11
From Così fan tutte
Gracie Klemp, mezzo-soprano
L’Ultima Canzone- Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846-1916)
Toby Neighorn, tenor
The King Shall Rejoice – G.F. Handel (1685-1759)
Combined Choirs
1. The King shall rejoice
2. Exceeding glad shall he be
3. Glory and great worship
4. Allelujah
Intermission
Sleigh Ride – Leroy Anderson
The Snow, Op.26 No.1 – Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Bella Voce
Sleighing Song – Jacob Naverud
OSU Meistersingers
O Come, All Ye Faithful – arr. Dan Forrest
Combine Choirs
Christmas Singalong – arr. John Finnegan
Combined Choirs
Hallelujah Chorus – G.F. Handel (1685-1759)
Combined Choirs
Radetzky-Marsch, Op. 228, Johann Strauss I (1804-1849)
Translations
Translation. Nänie
The beautiful, too, must die! That which subjugates men and gods
does not stir the brazen heart of the stygian Zeus.
Only once did love melt the Lord of Shadows,
and just at the threshold, he strictly yanked back his gift.
Aphrodite does not heal the beautiful boy’s wound,
which the boar ripped cruelly in that delicate body.
Neither does the immortal mother save the divine hero
when, falling at the Scaean Gate, he fulfills his fate.
She ascends from the sea with all the daughters of Nereus,
and lifts up a lament for her glorious son.
Behold! the gods weep; all the goddesses weep,
that the beautiful perish, that perfection dies.
But to be a dirge on the lips of loved ones can be a marvellous thing;
for that which is common goes down to Orcus in silence.
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust, from the LiederNet Archive
“Vedrai carino” from Don Giovanni
Come, come; if that’s the worst, there’s no great harm done.
Come with me home to supper,
And give your faithful promise, you’ll nevermore be jealous;
Those bruises can be cured, where love is zealous.
Come, shall I tell thee,
How what befell thee,
Soon can be cured
By my potent charm?
No garden grows it,
Though it aboundeth,
Like furnace glows it,
Yet none ’twill harm,
All guard and cherish it:
Gold cannot buy it,
Say, wilt thou try it
Soft ’tis, and warm.
Has thy wit flown,
Hear, how it throbs within,
lays his hand on her heart
‘Tis all thine own,
Ah, ’tis thine only,
“Se vuol ballare” from Le Nozze di Figaro
Well done, my noble master!
Now I begin to understand the secret…
and to see your whole scheme clearly:
to London, isn’t it,
you go as minister, I as courier,
And Susanna…confidential attachée…
It shall not be: Figaro has said it.
If, my dear Count, you feel like dancing,
It’s I who’ll call the tune.
If you’ll come to my school,
I’ll teach you how to caper.
I’ll know how…
but wait, I can uncover his secret design
more easily by dissembling.
Acting stealthily,
Acting openly,
Here stinging,
There mocking,
All your plots I’ll overthrow.
L’ultima Canzone
They told me that tomorrow
Nina, you will be a bride.
Yet still I sing my serenade to you!
Up on the barren plateau,
down in the shady valley,
Oh, how often I have sung it to you!
Rose-petal
O flower of amaranth,
though you marry,
I shall be always near.
Tomorrow you’ll be surrounded
by celebration, smiles and flowers,
and will not spare a thought for our past love;
yet always, by day and by night,
with passionate moan
my song will sigh to you.
Mint-flower,
O flower of pomegranate,
Nina, remember
the kisses I gave you!
Ah! Ah!
“Smanie implacabili” from Così fan tutte
Ah leave me! Flee the dreadful effect
Of a distracted love!
Close those windows; I hate the light,
I hate the air I breathe, I hate myself.
Who mocks at my grief? Who consoles me?
Ah fly; leave me alone, for pity’s sake!
Implacable pangs which torment me,
Do not subside within my being
Until my anguish brings me death.
If I remain alive I will furnish the Furies
With a wretched example of tragic love
With the dreadful sound of my sighs.
Program Notes
PROGRAM NOTES
Jeffrey L. Ames (b. 1969) is an American conductor and composer known for his expressive choral writing that blends gospel choir influences with the American choral tradition, and is widely performed by academic and church choirs. Dr. Ames holds degrees in Choral Conducting and Choral Music Education, Vocal Performance, and Piano Accompanying, and is currently the Director of Choral Activities at Belmont University.
Brilliant brass and driving rhythmic energy create an exultant setting to the historic “Gloria” text in Gloria Fanfare. Expansive melodies and radiant harmonic writing build toward a thrilling climax, the perfect opening for a holiday concert.
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) is recognized as one of the major symphonic and choral composers of the Romantic period. He held great respect for older compositional styles (especially the counterpoint of Bach and the form of Classical Era composers) but also infused them with the effusive warmth, drama, and passion of the Romantic Era. His music often reflects both the beauty and the bittersweetness of life, as seen in Nänie (“Song of Mourning”).
Nänie premiered in December 1881, and is one of Brahms’ most tender choral works. Written in memory of close friend Anselm Feuerbach, the piece transforms philosopher Friedrich Schiller’s meditation on mortality into a tribute of grace and remembrance. Nänie offers a hushed, poignant reminder that celebration and reflection often exist side by side during the holiday season.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) was a gifted and prolific Austrian composer who left his mark upon the musical world during his short life. He moved effortlessly between opera, symphony, chamber music, and sacred works, and his oeuvre is a definitive example of the Classical style: balanced, expressive, and inventive. Mozart had a particular gift for bringing his operatic characters to life, as his music helped create larger-than-life personalities with ease and charm.
“Vedrai carino” (“You will see, dear one”) provides a refreshing respite from the darkness and deception that fill Don Giovanni. The sweet and tender aria is sung by the young peasant girl Zerlina, as she attempts to reassure her fiancé Masetto that her love for him will ensure that all ends well, despite the seductive and manipulative Don Giovanni.
Le Nozze di Figaro, also penned by Mozart, focuses on two couples: Figaro (the former Barber of Seville) and his fiancée Susannah, and the Count and Countess Almaviva. Almaviva’s roving eye has settled upon Susannah, and as her employer, he feels entitled to certain privileges with her on her wedding night. Figaro’s aria “Se vuol ballare” (“If you want to dance”) at first appears to be a courtly and amused jab at the Count, but its stately elegance quickly gives way to Figaro’s defiance and outrage at his employer’s audacity.
Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846–1916) is known for his late-Romantic Italian songs, steeped in elegance and reverent affection. His close work with singers throughout his life is apparent from the effortless and expressive vocal lines in his repertoire. Tosti’s songs were loved for their warmth and sincerity, making them widely popular in salons and concert halls.
L’ultima Canzone (“The Last Song”) by Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846–1916) is a heartrending serenade to a woman on the eve of her wedding to another man. Instead of bitterness, the singer offers this final song of devotion to his beloved. She may no longer be his, but the singer pledges to love her always.
Così fan tutte (“Women are like that”) is another opera by Mozart centering on couples and the games that men and women play with each other. Fiordiligi believes that her fiancé Guglielmo has been called away to war, and her despair and pain explode in the aria “Smanie implacabili” (“Implacable Torments”). Little does she know that her operatic distress is all for naught, as Guglielmo is merely setting a trap for her to prove a point about fidelity!
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) was German-born and later naturalized in England, where he built his legendary Baroque career. His operas, oratorios, and orchestral works (including Giulio Cesare, Messiah, and Music for Royal Fireworks) have stood the test of time for their theatrical flair and masterful counterpoint.
Handel composed The King Shall Rejoice for the 1727 coronation of King George II. This declamatory anthem balances majesty with jubilance, conveying the grandeur and optimism that accompany the beginning of a new monarch’s reign. Even outside its original context, the anthem exudes energy and pageantry.
Sir Edward Elgar (1857–1934) is often associated with larger orchestral works, but many of his most touching pieces are more compact. Many of these smaller-scale compositions are pastoral and contemplative, shaped by Elgar’s connection to his native English countryside and his own refined dignity. He is best known for his Enigma Variations, Cello Concerto, and the Pomp and Circumstance marches.
The Snow originated as a poem by Elgar’s wife, the Lady Caroline Elgar, which Elgar then set to music with gentle sensitivity. The music traces the calm descent of snowflakes while also hinting at the inner stillness that winter can bring. Subtle harmonic changes and long, flowing lines evoke both purity and resilience. The soft contemplation captures the tranquility of a winter landscape while also serving as a metaphor for quiet hardship, resilienc, and inner peace.
American composer Leroy Anderson (1908–1975) began his Ph.D. in German and Scandinavian Languages but his previous musical training and love of music prevailed, and Anderson left his doctoral program to become a full-time musician. His orchestral miniatures (many made famous by the Boston Pops) brim with personality and good humor, and often paint vivid scenes or capture everyday sounds through clever orchestration.
Sleigh Ride was conceived during an unusually hot summer as Anderson was digging trenches to locate old water pipes. This imaginative escape from the heat became his most famous work after it was premiered by the Boston Pops, and its merry tune, jingling bells, and well-known horse whinny (performed on the trumpet) have made it a holiday concert staple.
Jacob Narverud (b. 1986) is a contemporary choral composer, arranger, and conductor; his music is personal, hopeful, and engaging, and often centered around themes of unity and strength. Dr. Narverud is the founding Artistic Director of the Tallgrass Chamber Choir and holds degrees in Vocal Performance and Conducting).
Sleighing Song is a fun re-imagining of an old Christmas favorite, combining a rustic hoedown flavor with the spirit of a good old-fashioned winter romp. There are some additional surprises with its cheeky rhythmic twists and clever textures, and this contemporary version of “Jingle Bells” feels both fresh and familiar all at once.
The original hymn Adeste Fideles is credited to English composer and copyist John Francis Wade (ca. 1711–1786), whose manuscripts helped both preserve and popularize the now-famous tune. This time-honored hymn has become a beloved in the Christmas canon and has been arranged countless times. The rendition performed today is by American composer Dan Forrest (b. 1978), whose music has won numerous awards. Dr. Forrest holds degrees in Piano Performance and Composition, and is Vice President of Publications and Editor at Beckenhorst Press, as well as Composer-in-Residence at Furman University.
Forrest’s O Come All Ye Faithful layers rich harmonies and growing intensity, along with busy rhythms and textures that indicate Forrest’s pianist background. This new setting pays homage to the carol’s traditional character while giving it new emotional depth, feeling both regal and joyful at once.
John Finnegan (1926–2007) was an American conductor, educator, and arranger who had a particular gift for bringing holiday music to life. Finnegan attended Harvard University, then was a music educator for Massachusetts public schools, Salem State College, and Endicott College. After retiring, Finnegan founded Olde Salem Music to publish his arrangements and compositions for orchestra and band.
Finnegan’s Christmas Singalong has long been a part of the Corvallis–OSU Symphony’s holiday concerts, offering the audience a chance to raise their own voices. Through well-loved carols, festive orchestration, and voices joined together in song, the singalong draws everyone present into a special moment of community and cheer.
The Hallelujah Chorus from George Frideric Handel’s Messiah is one of the most iconic works in the choral repertoire, celebrated for its triumphant text and glorious music. King George II is said to have risen to his feet during the uplifting opening chords, and audiences have continued this custom ever since.
Johann Strauss I (1804–1849) was a major figure in both Austrian and Western music history. He laid the foundation for the Strauss family’s musical dynasty, and his music helped define Viennese march and dance pastimes which have lasted for generations. Though often overshadowed by his son Johann Strauss II (known as the “Waltz King”), Strauss Sr. remains a significant figure whose works continue to enliven concerts around the world.
Strauss wrote the Radetzky-Marsch to honor Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky; it is now one of the most famous marches in the Austrian repertoire. The lively clapping tradition adds an unmistakable sense of celebration to every performance…and who can forget Conductor Emeritus Marlan Carlson playfully sinking lower and lower to the ground as his conducting mirrored the dynamics of the piece? The Radetzky-Marsch is a much-loved Corvallis–OSU Symphony holiday tradition thanks to Marlan, and a moment that audience members look forward to each year.
Program notes by Lauren Servias
