I was rehearsing What Child Is This? with a friend who is singing it as a solo in our Christmas program and he told me he doesn't know much music theory (me either!) but that the resolving note at the end of the song is called a "Picardy third." I guess you learn something new everyday.
Since I have been trying to write and arrange some of my own stuff, I'm sure the rest of this chord music theory pdf could come in handy. I have only perused it at this point, but I hope to read it more in-depth soon. It reminds me of my grandmother's BYU Master's thesis (Dorothy Jorgensen Brown), which I didn't get much out of when I tried to read it. She loved medieval music and ended up directing a successful high school choir in back-water Utah (we're talking Carbon county, Price, UT) and got to teach her choirs some of these beloved chords. Some of her students went on to Juilliard, which I think is pretty cool. Yay Grandma Brown! (And who was a Jorgensen before she was a Brown.)
The pdf link to some tasty music theory that I have yet to figure out. Music Theory FSU pdf.
Trying to move to a higher plane, improving everyday.
Sincerely,
Danelle
Ruby and Pearl Music
P.S. Well I wasn't having any luck finding her obit, she died when I was four (?), I have a few memories of her. But here's a snippet from a Carbon High School yearbook from 1964 when she was a teacher there. You go, Grandma!
"Mrs. Dorothy Brown kept busy working on her thesis on sixteenth century choral music and working in the music department of her church. Her husband and four children occupied most of her time."
P.P.S. This gives me the idea to put her CD of numbers her high school choir did up on Myspace! Free downloads! They had a wonderful, rich sound, and I loved their repetoire. My dad had some old vinyl records her choir did recordings on and had them remastered to CD!
P.P.P.S. Oh fun, I found another thing! This was posted in Dec 2009.
Source: Sun Advocate - Carbon County's local newspaper.
http://www.sunad.com/index.php?tier=1&article_id=17255
From what I've been told, my great aunt Eleanor (still living) used to sing solos in the Messiah concert they would put on, and I heard she had quite the voice, too!
"Carbon County's 61st annual presentation of Handel's Messiah in Price will take place on Sunday and Monday Dec. 6 and 7.
This traditional holiday celebration is being performed by the Price Civic Chorale and Orchestra and the College of Eastern Utah Chamber Singers, directed by Russell Wilson.
The choir boasts 90 members this year, with a full orchestra of 26 players, a larger group than in many previous years.
***Concertgoers should note that the event is being moved to Carbon High School this year, where for many years it was performed under the baton of Dorothy Brown, the extraordinary choir teacher who started this grand tradition just after World War II.
The ensemble has outgrown the smaller stage downtown, and is grateful to be invited to use the auditorium at the high school.
This two concerts feature several first-time soloists from the local area, including Ben Clements, Malcolm Howard, Ron Patterson and Farrah Nelson. Other soloists who are well-known to Price audiences in previous years include Lila Jameson, Kristi Ohlwiler, Tara Compagni and Jenna Rae Jepson.
Performances begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. and the performers respectfully request that attendance should be limited to those twelve and older.
A small donation will be requested at the door, to help cover growing costs of the performance."
P.P.P.P.S. Look at me, blathering on about my grandmother. But I didn't know that a building on USU - Eastern Utah campus was named after her and my grandfather, an excellent violinist. And more stuff about Handel's Messiah!
Nov 2011. The Eagle Online - USU - Eastern Utah paper.
http://eagle.ceu.edu/article/messiah-%E2%80%9Cgoodie%E2%80%9D-inspired-gf-handel
"Contributed by Nathan Manley
“Lend me your ears” so-called music lovers, you are in for a treat this Christmas season. Obviously, we’re not talking about Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, chocolate oranges, or my personal favorite, See’s Candies. Although there is no sugar in the “ear-candy” I speak of, there is nothing sweeter than the work of a musical genius.
The “goodie” I speak of is the inspired work of G.F. Handel, and his greatest oratorio “The Messiah.” This year marks the 64th production in Price. Before CEU choirs started taking on the daunting task of tackling this masterpiece, it started at Carbon High School.
***Conducted by Dorothy Brown, whose name we may or may not recognize on the front of the music building on USU-Eastern’s campus. After teaching at Brigham Young University (specializing in stringed instruments), and inspiring students at CHS, they honored her and her husband, Dean, by dedicating the music building to them.
The only student of Dorothy’s that I have met thus far was one of her ninth-grade French horn players. This student was USU Eastern’s vocal instructor, Russell Wilson. Being too young to sing in the choir, he had no other choice, but to accompany with the orchestra. Playing the French horn is no easy task, but this is especially the case for the horn parts written in “The Messiah.”
Wilson had the musical insight to pick up on Handel’s genius, and was hooked ever since. You might say that this first introduction to “The Messiah,” instilled in Wilson, the drive and passion for music and Handel’s most celebrated work.
At the time Handel wrote “The Messiah,” one would never have guessed it would be his crowning achievement. Being revered early on as a dramatic genius, after writing the twelve “Chandos Anthems” and “Acis and Galatea,” he achieved fame, riches and much success.
But this early onset of success acted as a dual-edged sword, leading him down a trench like rut of repetitious unoriginal music; harsh words for arguably the greatest composer of all time. But at this stage of Handel’s professional career, and in his personal life, he had slumped into a deep depression, writes Max Spicker in the G. Schirmer’s Edition of Oratorios and Cantatas, “The Messiah.”
In 1741, a young composer from Dublin backed out from composing an oratorio based on the life and death of Jesus Christ, otherwise known as the Messiah. They wanted Handel all along, and this wasn’t the first time he was asked to write such a work. He had previously turned down the offer four times. After writing flop after flop and losing most of his riches (millions by today’s standards), he agreed to compose in hopes of pulling himself out of his artistic depression, Spicker continues.
Twenty-three days later, it premiered in Dublin, Ireland. Wrap your heads around the fact that the greatest choral, orchestration, recititations, and piano (harpsichord) accompaniment were written and rehearsed in only twenty-three days. George-Fredericke Handel was truly an inspired master. It’s no wonder that he is held in such high esteem by the greats, both in his time and since, Spicker writes."
