University of Notre Dame Liturgical Choir

The University of Notre Dame Liturgical Choir, founded in 1973 as the Chapel Choir, is composed of approximately 65 singers drawn from all areas of the undergraduate and graduate student body. The Choir regularly ministers at the 10 AM Solemn Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, a French Gothic structure built in 1871 by University founder Fr. Edward Sorin. It has been renovated several times since, most recently in 1989. In addition, the Choir performs at Sunday Vespers, weddings, dedications, ordinations, Advent Lessons & Carols, and special University liturgies such as Junior Parents¹ Weekend and the Baccalaureate Mass. The highlight of the Choir¹s liturgical year is Holy Week, for which it sings Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday Tenebrae, the Good Friday Celebration of the Lord¹s Passion, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday Mass and Vespers.

The Choir is currently headed by director Dr. Gail Walton and assistant director Mr. Andrew McShane. They work together along with graduate assistants to put together and perform a repertoire drawing on the diverse traditions of a cappella and accompanied sacred music from the Renaissance through the twentieth century. Typically, the Choir rings in the new year by embarking on a tour to bring its ministry of music to a wider audience. In May 2003 the Choir made its second trip to Italy, visiting multiple Italian cities, and singing at a Papal Audience. In January 2002, the Choir ventured to Ohio, upstate New York, and parts of Quebec and Ontario, Canada. In May of 1999 the Choir traveled to France and sang concerts in Paris, Chartres and Reims. During this trip, the Choir also visited LeMans, home of the Congregation of the Holy Cross. In May 1995 the Liturgical Choir made its first international excursion to Italy. Past domestic itineraries have included the west coast, the southern states, Florida and the Great Lakes region. Over the course of its history the Choir has visited the majority of the continental United States.

Discography

Sing Unto God!

Exultate justi (Viadana) Christus factus est (Anerio) Ave Maria (Vittoria) O Vos Omnes (Vittoria) Jesu, Joy of Our Desiring (J.S. Bach) The Lord is My Shepherd (Matthews) And the Glory of the Lord from Messiah (Handel) Ave verum corpus (Mozart) There Shall a Star (Mendelssohn) Heilig (Mendelssohn) E'en So, Lord Jesus (Manz) My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (Thomson) I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me (Parry)

Sing Unto God! encompasses the Liturgical Choir's repertoire. From the intricate Baroque motets of Viadana and Victoria to the melodic twentieth century setting of Psalm 23 by Matthews, included are choral standards such as Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" and Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus." Other pieces, seasonally themed include a song for Epiphany "Heilig" by Mendelssohn and Victoria's plaintive setting of the Lenten "O Vos Omnes." The recording ends with Parry's "I Was Glad," one of the most famous cathedral anthems ever written.

7266 CD $15.98

Praise Thee Notre Dame

Messe Solennelle, Op. 16 (Louis Vierne): - Kyrie - Gloria - Sanctus - Benedictus - Agnus Dei Salvation is Created (Pavel Tschesnokoff) Ave Maria (Igor Stravinsky) Blazhenni yazhe izbral (Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky) I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light (Kathleen Thomerson) The King of Love (arr. Christiansen) Ain'a That Good News (arr. Dawson) Notre Dame, Our Mother (Casasanta)

Praise Thee, Notre Dame, the second recording from the Liturgical Choir, features a Mass, in five movements, written for two organs and choir by nineteenth-century French composer Louis Vierne, with organists Erik Floan and Heather Martin. The remainder of this collection is a cappella, including, "Salvation is Created" by Pavel Tchesnokoff, "Ave Maria" by Igor Stravinsky "Ain'a That Good News" arranged by William Dawson and "Notre Dame Our Mother," the University of Notre Dame alma mater.

7264 CD $15.98

Exultati Deo

Hail Gladdening Light (Wood) Cantique de Jean Racine (Faure) Ubi Caritas (Durufle) Tantum Ergo (Durufle) Rorate Coeli (Palestrina) Ego Sum Panis Vivus (Palestrina) Kyrie (Mendelssohn) Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe (Mendelssohn) Heilig (Mendelssohn) A Hymn to the Virgin (Britten) O Sacrum Convivium (Moore) Let This Mind be in You (Hoiby) Justorum Animae (Stanford) Coelos Ascendit Hodie (Stanford) Beati Quorum Via (Stanford) Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem (Stanford)

The third compilation of the Liturgical Choir's music, Exultate Deo, features mostly a cappella music, with sets by Duruflé, Palestrina, Mendelssohn, and Stanford. Highlights include Faure's tranquil "Cantique de Jean Racine"; Hoiby's contemporary organ exposition, "Let This Mind Be In You"; Palestrina's ageless "Sicut Cervus"; Mendelssohn's eight-voice German Mass segments; and Stanford's jubilant Easter anthem, "Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem."

7267 CD $15.98

Cantate Domino - Music From the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (With Women's Liturgical Choir)

Basilica Schola: Cantate Domino (Hans Leo Hassler) O Esca Viatorum (Heinrich Isaac) Salvator Mundi (Thomas Tallis) If Ye Love Me (Thomas Tallis) Rorate Coeli (William Byrd) Ego Sum Panis Vivus (William Byrd) Haec Dies (William Byrd) Women's Liturgical Choir: Ave Verum Corpus (Op.65, No.1) (Gabriel Faure) Maria, Mater Gratiae (Op.47, No.2) (Gabriel Faure) Tantum Ergo (Op.65, No.2) (Gabriel Faure( O Come Let Us Sing Unto the Lord (Martin How) Psalm 23 (Franz Schubert) My Song is Love Unknown (arr. Donald Busarow) A Song of Peace (Op. 113, No.4) (Charles Villiers Stanford) Psalm 150 (David Willcocks) Liturgical Choi: Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord (Kirke Mechem) Rise Up My Love (Healey Willan) Tenebrae Factae Sunt (Francis Poulenc) O Salutaris Hostia (Pierre Villette) Hymne a la Vierge (Pierre Villette) Psalm 46 (John Weaver)

The release, Cantate Domino (2000), is a combined effort of the University of Notre Dame Basilica choirs. It features a few of the contemporary pieces the Liturgical Choir prepared for their summer tour in Paris, including twentieth-century French composers Francis Poulenc and Pierre Villette. The thirteen voiced Basilica Schola sings Renaissance pieces by Hans Leo Hassler, Heinrich Isaac, Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. The Women's Litrugical Choir performs motets by Gabriel Fauré, Franz Schubert and Charles Stanford.

7268 CD $15.98

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