Description
Over 115 years ago, John Knowles Paine’s oratorio St Peter received its premiere in Boston’s old Music Hall and was immediately heralded as a masterpiece. Paine himself, at the time, was rapidly becoming recognized as the foremost figure in a blossoming American music scene, and he is remembered today as the first American composer of international significance.
After its initial performance though, St Peter inexplicably lapsed into obscurity until the efforts of Gunther Schuller and a dedicated group of assistants brought the oratorio to light again in the spring of 1989.
Realized here in all its magnificence by Boston’s Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and Back Bay Chorale, as well as four of America’s finest young singers, St Peter: An Oratorio speaks with a romantic eloquence and passion rarely equaled in American sacred music.
(Also by John Knowles Paine on GM Recordings, his Violin Sonata in B Minor.)
”"Schuller's recording is a major accomplishment, both in the resurrection of the work and in the excellent production."
—American Record Guide
PERFORMERS
Jeanne Ommerlé, soprano; D’Anna Fortunato, mezzo-soprano; Paul Austin Kelly, tenor; David Evitts, baritone; The Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston;
Gunther Schuller, conductor; The Back Bay Chorale; David Hodgkins, chorusmaster
Detailed Personnel Listing
Jeanne Ommerlé, soprano
D’Anna Fortunato, mezzo-soprano
Paul Austin Kelly, tenor
David Evitts, baritone
Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, ensemble
Gunther Schuller, conductor comprised of:
Kristina Nilsson, Maria Benotti, Judith Cohen Stanton, Mary Alice Groman, Harris Shilakowsky, Beth Cohen, Suzanne Gilman, Anne Hooper, Barbara Englesberg, John Emery, Laurence Gilbert, Sharon Gerwitz, Laura Schneider, violin
Anne Black, Gillian Rogell, Lynn Rilling, Carol Kapstein, viola George Seaman, Jolene Kessler, Reinmar Seidler, Lynn Nowels, cello
Henry Peyrebrune, Christopher Brandt, bass Suellen Herschman, Julie Scolnik, flute Lynda Jacquin, Ellen Sherman, oboe Lynda Jacquin, English horn
Julie Vaverka, Ian Greitzer, clarinet Richard Sharp, L Jonathan Saylor, bassoon
Katherine Gascoigne, Richard Hudson, Michael Weinstein, Bryan Bell, horn
Justin Cohen, David Killam, Jesse Levine, trumpet Maureen Horgan, Stephen Olans, trombone Glenn Proffit, bass trombone
Bradley Marshall, tuba Jeffery Fischer, timpani
Martha Moore, harp
Back Bay Chorale, ensemble
David Hodgkins, chorusmaster comprised of:
Karen Baart, Annie Baehr, Ann Benson, Cristina Bolleri, Carol Chin, Miriam Clifton, Ellen Dorian, Susan Earle, Carol Goodenough, Sophie Goodenough, Katherine Isaacs, Kathleen Keegan, Kimberley Kercheval, Ann Marie Lindquist, Sia Liss, Judith Marie, Patricia Ann Metzer, Tracey O’Rourke, Judith Pike, Marilyn M Ross, Julie Rubin, Diane M Stickles, Diana Stobart, Helen Wanderstock, Marcella Wojtkowski, soprano
Karen Anderson, April Austin, Karin Fromm Dodds, Jayne Thomas Forte, Lee Glenn, Nadja Gould, Ellen Gurwitz, Alice L Hageman, Nina E Harkrader, Anne Herman, Susan M Hill, Barbara B Johnson, Noelle Krupin, Susan Lanich, Nancy McGraw, Nancy E Miller, Susan Mintz, Cecily Morse, Eileen M O’Brien, Sarah Penniston, Morgan Paley Reed, Janet Shipman, Barb Siftar, Joan Soble, Anne Frey Ten Eyck, Andrea Vandeven, Mandy Waddell, Amy Weiner, Sonja Wiedenhaupt, Mary Wood, Lauren Sandler Zurier, alto
David Carlson, Judy Foreman, Diane Goldman, Byron Good, Phil Hess, Bill Jaeger, Peter Kelsey, Lance Levine, Martin G Maurais, Elliza McGrand, Bill Rochford, JoAnn Sardinha, Phil Sbaratta, Patrick Skerrett, Peter Smith, Gil Strickler, Mark J Tecca, Nancy Varner, tenor Marc Anderson, Bob Crabtree, David Farmer, David Hammond, Joel Hencken, Chuck Hornberger, George Jahn, John Jarcho, Robert Jay, John Kefferstan, Aaron Kercheval, Malachy Marrion, William Masek, Jonathan Ritter, Joel Schneider, Robert Weisskoff, bass
PROGRAM
Disc 1 67:23
“The Divine Call”
“The Denial and Repentance”
Disc 2 57:48
“The Ascension”
“Pentecost”
Detailed Track Listing
Disc 1
“The Divine Call”
1.1. Introduction 2:40
1.2. #1 Chorus 3:51
“The time is fufilled”
2. #2 Recitative-Tenor 1:05
“Now, as Jesus walked”
3. #3 Air-Soprano 4:08
“The spirit of the Lord is upon me”
4. #4 Recitative-Tenor 5:14
“And he called his twelve disciples”
5.#5 Chorus 1:26
“How Lovely shines the Morning Star!”
6. #6 Tenor solo & 12 male voices 2:29
“And he asked his disciples”
7. #7 Air-Bass 3:25
“My heart is glad”
8. #8 Chorus 3:43
“The Church is built”
“The Denial and Repentance”
9.1 #9 Recitative-Soprano 1:40
“And when Jesus and his disciples”
9.2 Arioso-Tenor 1:31
“All ye shall be offended”
10. #10 Air-Tenor 4:10
“Let not your heart be troubled”
11. #11 Quartet & Chorus 5:06
“Sanctify us through thy truth”
12. #12 Recitative-Contralto 1:04
“And lo! Judas came”
13. #13 Chorus 2:57
“We hid our faces from him”
14.1. #14 Recitative & Chorus 1:08
“But Peter followed him”
14.2. Chorus-The Servants 0:51
“Surely thou art one of them”
15.1. Recitative-Bass 0:52
“I know not this man”
15.2. #15 3:18
Lament (orchestral)
16. #16 Air-Bass 3:59
“O God, my God, forsake me not”
17.1. #17 Chorus of Angels 1:15
“Remember from whence thou art fallen”
17.2. “And he that overcometh” 2:00
18. #18 Air-Contralto 4:47
“The Lord is faithful”
19. #19 Chorus 4:20
“Awake, thou that sleepest”
Disc 2
“The Ascension”
1.1. #20 Chorus 1:58
“The Son of Man”
1.2. 1:09
“And on the third day he rose again”
2. #21 Choral 1:43
“Jesus, my Redeemer, lives”
3. 1. #22 Recitative and Solo-Tenor and Bass 3:46
“After that he was risen”
3.2 Arioso-Tenor
“Go ye and teach all nations”
4. #23 Recitative-Soprano 0:28
“And he lifted up his hands”
5. #24 Chorus 2:50
“If ye, then, be risen”
6. Recitative-Contralto 2:58
“And Peter, with the Eleven”
#25 Air-Soprano
“O man of God, be strong”
7. #26 Quartet
“Feed the flock of God” 5:18
“Pentecost”
8. #27 Recitative-Tenor 1:39
“And when the day of Pentecost”
9. #28 Chorus 3:36
“The voice of the Lord divideth the flames”
10.1. Recitative-Contralto 0:21
“Now when this was noised abroad”
10.2. #29 Chorus-“Behold, are not all these” 1:20
11. Recitative-Soprano 4:48
“But Peter, standing up”
#30 Air-Bass
“Ye men of Judea”
12. #31 Air-Contralto 3:31
“As for man”
13. #32 Recitative-Bass 1:22
“Ye men of Israel”
14. Recitative-Tenor 1:16
“Now, when they heard this”
#33 Chorus
“Men and brethren”
15. #34 Recitative and Twelve Male Voices-Bass 2:04
“Repent and be baptized”
16. Recitative-Tenor 0:36
“While Peter yet spake”
17. #35 Chorus 3:15
“This is the witness of God”
18. #36 Choral — “Praise to the Father” 1:06
19. Recitative-Soprano 4:02
“And Peter said”
#37 Bass Solo, Twelve Male Voices and Chorus
“Now as ye were redeemed”
20. Recitative-Soprano “Then they glorified God” 3:04
#38 Duet-Soprano and Tenor
“Sing unto God”
21. #39 Chorus 4:14
“Great and marvellous”
ALSO AVAILABLE
for downloads and streaming on Apple Music as well as other digital sites.
