Ring in the New — January 1, 2021

Derived from a range of outstanding choral music, my themed Playlists are designed to be like concerts, of about an hour in length.

Eric resumes his Playlist series with music to ring in the new year. The program includes a Bach cantata written for New Year’s Day, Jonathan Dove’s The Passing of the Year and Beethoven’s ebullient and form-shattering “Choral Fantasy,” considered by many to be the forerunner to his Ninth Symphony.

Listen on YouTube:

Listen on Spotify:

PROGRAM

Click the links for information on the pieces and texts/translations.

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm, BWV 171

Translation

Performed by Monteverdi Choir & English Baroque Soloists, Conducted by John Eliot Gardiner

 

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)

Am Neujahrstage (On New Year’s Day), Op. 79, No. 2

Lord, God, you are our refuge for evermore.
You are our God from age to age, from before the mountains were made,
and the lands and the world were created. Hallelujah!
                    Psalm 90: 1-2

Performed by Kammerchor Stuttgart, conducted by Frieder Bernius

 

Sven-David Sandström (1942-2019)

Singet dem Herrn: I

Sing unto the Lord a new song,
and his praise in the congregation of saints.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him.
Let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise his name in the dance,
let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
                    Psalm 149: 1-3

Performed by Swedish Radio Choir, conducted by Peter Dijkstra

 

Jonathan Dove (b.1959)

The Passing of the Year

Invocation
The narrow bud opens her beauties to the sun
Answer July
Hot sun, cool fire
Ah! Sun-flower
Adieu, Farewell earth’s bliss
Ring out, wild bells

Text

Performed by VOCES8

 

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Fantasia in C Minor (“Choral Fantasy”), Op. 80

Background and Translation

Performed by Monteverdi Choir, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Robert Levin, piano, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner