Thanksgiving Choral Festival - 1993
Guest choirs:
Perrine Baptist Church, Joan Martins, director
Silver Palm Unit. Methodist Church, Norm Lindenblat, director
Host: Redlands Community Church Choir Michael Roy, director
Diane Maltby, accompanist
Thanksgiving Introit - Arr. MR; two beloved Thanksgiving hymns are being sung simultaneously: "Now Thank We All Our God" by the men, and "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" by the women. Jan is playing the first trumpet part in the brass section, and Diane is at the Yamaha midi-grand, playing piano and organ at once.
Now Let Us All Praise God and Sing - Gordon Young - A well-known and beloved choral favorite from the first rank of choral literature; A full 7- member brass choir joins the piano and organ in the accompaniment.
Jubilate Deo - David Ayers - This fine anthem was written by that person who influenced Michael Roy into becoming an arranger/orchestrator/composer; Dave and Michael were on national tour together for years with the evangelistic musical ensemble, "The Spurrlows."
He Leadeth Me - arr. Janelle Clark - (J. S. Bach) The old hymn of the church, "He Leadeth Me, " is here set against a Bach chorale in a provocative and fascinating arrangement.
One Holy Nation - Greg Davis - Katie Anderson, soprano; This melds the "One Holy Nation" melody with two hymn tunes; hear Katie's startling voice, the closest approach a soprano can make toward perfection.
The Majesty and Glory of Your Name - Arr. Tom Fetke - Festival Choir, Norm Lindeblad, director
How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place - (from "Requiem") Johannes Brahms - One of the giants of classical sacred choral music literature, the festival choir does well.
Praise Ye the Lord - Michael Roy - MR uses familiar scripture as his lyrics on this original anthem.
Holy, Holy, Holy - Arr. Bentley/Berry - Duet - Katie Anderson, organ; Diane Maltby, piano;
Come, Thou Fount - Flute trio - Arr. MR - Doris Hurwitt, 1st flute; Pam Swisher, 2nd flute; Michael Roy, flute and bass flute; Diane Maltby, piano.
Behold A Star From Jacob Shining - Felix Mendelssohn - from Christus - This familiar choral gem is from Christmas literature, and it is excellently presented by the festival choir.
Glorious Is Thy Name - Mozart - from Gloria - the 12th Mass - This is one of several on this program that is often performed by a large choir: the more the merrier on this kind of choral music.
Thanks Be to Thee - G. F. Handel - This soaring Handelian anthem of thanks is accompanied by piano, harpsichord, violas da gamba (bass viols), and a vintage mellophone (looks and sounds like an F horn), which can be heard playing the third of the scale on the last chord: it was played by Charles Gonzalez. It is owned by Jan (who can also play it!): she inherited it from her uncle who played it in a band in WWII.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Arr. E. Wilmington - Festival Choir and Maranatha Ringers Bell Choir, Joan Martens, director - Closing Remarks
Closing Remarks - 1st half - to Diane applause
Closing Remarks - 2nd half to end
Michael Roy's Closing Remarks
(after the last concert piece: "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty")
I want to thank the Maranatha Ringers for being with us tonight, from First Baptist of Perrine: Joan Martens, their director. Also I want to thank the choir from Silver Palm United Methodist Church, and Norm Lindeblad, their director, and Rev. Norton. And the choir from First Baptist, and Rev. Bill Baggett, which you’ll be seeing in just a few moments; and Joan Martens is also the director there.
And we thank our two viol players, Lynn and Jone, our ancient music friends,,.. and Pam Swisher, our harpsichordist. Diane Maltby, our pianist, and she worked hard on this concert, let me tell you, and she played (inaudible)…(applause)
And we also thank Joan for bringing to us some of these lovely brass players to augment, of course, Michael and Jan, and Charles, there, playing the plumbing!... hold that thing up, Charles!..(Jan’s round WWII era mellophone). Now hold up the real thing (an F horn); we call it the “poor man’s French horn”!
But anyway, we thank all these extra people for coming along, all friends and relatives of Joan.
We have pie,.. iced tea,.. in this concert has remained unmolested to this day!.. some of you for the gospel bluegrass concert realized that there wasn’t any refreshments left!... after the concert, but there is now!.. there’s cocoa, there’s coffee, there’s pie, and there’s lots of fellowship, so stay and meet the choir, meet the musicians, the instrumentalists,…