April 16, 2010
(click on image to return)
The Shippensburg University Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers\March 27
A large and appreciative audience heard the superb Shippensburg University Concert Choir and its select subgroup, the Madrigal Singers, on March 27. The PA Consort’s Guest Artist Series has featured college singing groups for several years (the Juniata College Choir will appear next season), and we are geographically blessed to have many fine groups within driving distance. This concert was no exception.The Madrigal Group – 21 members of the larger choir – gave us the first half of the program, beginning with a very lyrical piece called “Speak to One Another”, based on biblical text from the books of Ephesians and John. Two motets on Gregorian chant themes, composed by contemporary composer Maurice Duruflé, sounded beautifully traditional, and the group’s blended tone was lovely, as it also was in the Fauré Cantique de Jean Racine. The last three pieces—particularly the tongue in cheek “No Words”—showed that Dr. Blaine Shover has trained these singers well in tone quality and precise diction
I was pleased that the Madrigal Group actually sang a brief madrigal at the end; Dr. Shover explained that he wasn’t fond of madrigals, but I am. It was a fine example.
After intermission the Concert Choir opened with a dramatic “Hymn of Praise” adapted from Psalms 90 and 150. A very intriguing trio of songs followed: three settings of the “Gloria” from Ordinary of the Mass. What a neat musical idea! Of the three, I thought that the Puccini was pretty but not profound; the Poulenc was harmonically lush and complex; and the Robert Ray gospel version was full of energy and originality.
The Concert Choir rendered one of my most favorite songs, John Rutter’s “All Things Bright and Beautiful” with perfect diction and sensitivity, almost as good as The Cambridge Singers’ version (and that’s high praise). Dr. Shover left the podium for the next selection to join Professor Fred Dade, the accompanist, at the piano, and it needed two pianists to be heard over the choir’s full voice singing the traditional spiritual “Ride on King Jesus.” Wow! The concert ended with a delightful medley from “Stop the World I Want to Get Off.”
With Dr. Shover acknowledging several choir alums in the audience, it was clear that this fine ensemble has deep roots in Bedford County. It was not the first appearance of the Shippensburg choir in Bedford County, and it will certainly not be the last.
Nancy MacRae, Schellsburg