Alleluia (Thompson)

Alleluia (Thompson)

"Alleluia" is a piece for unaccompanied SATB chorus by Randall Thompson. Composed over the first five days of July in 1940, it was given its world premiere on July 8 of that year at the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood under the direction of G. Wallace Woodworth.

The work was written on a commission from Serge Koussevitzky, director of the Tanglewood Festival. Koussevitzky wanted a "fanfare" for voices to be performed at the opening exercises of the new Berkshire Music Center, and he asked Thompson to contribute such a piece. Instead of the joyous work expected of him, the composer produced a quiet and introspective piece. Thompson was inspired by the war in Europe, and the recent fall of France; given these events, he felt that to write a festive piece would be inappropriate.

The text of the work is simple; it consists of the word "Alleluia" repeated over and over again. The only other word in the text is "Amen", which is used once at the end. The end also divides the choir into seven parts.

Thompson once wrote that the "Alleluia" is

a very sad piece. The word "Alleluia" has so many possible interpretations. The music in my particular Alleluia cannot be made to sound joyous. It is a slow, sad piece, and...here it is comparable to the Book of Job, where it is written, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

The piece has become Thompson's most popular work, and is frequently performed today. Alleluia is one of 15 hymns recorded for "A Treasury of Hymns", a collaborative venture between Benny Hinn, Ralph Carmichael and the London Symphony Orchestra and Choir.

References

* [http://www.richmondsymphony.com/concerts/note_09_29_06.htm Richmond Symphony program notes]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Thompson, Randall — ▪ American composer born April 21, 1899, New York, N.Y., U.S. died July 9, 1984, Boston, Mass.  composer of great popularity in the United States, notable for his choral music.       Thompson studied at Harvard University and later with the… …   Universalium

  • Thompson, Randall — (21 April 1899, New York – 9 July 1984, Boston)    Composer especially renowned for choral repertory, whose sacred works include settings of the book of Isaiah in The Peaceable {}Kingdom (eight voices, 1936), a famous Alleluia (four voices, 1940) …   Historical dictionary of sacred music

  • Randall Thompson — Infobox Person name = Randall Thompson image size = caption = birth date = Birth date|1899|4|21 birth place = New York, New York death date = death date and age|1984|7|9|1899|4|21 death place = Boston, Massachusetts death cause = resting place =… …   Wikipedia

  • Randall Thompson — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Thompson. Randall Thompson Randall Thompson est un compositeur et pédagogue américain, né à New York le 21 avril  …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Randall Thompson — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Randall Thompson Información personal Nacimiento 21 de abril de 1899 Nueva York (Nueva York) Muerte …   Wikipedia Español

  • ИОАНН ИЗ ВИЧЕНЦЫ — [лат. Joannes Vicentinus] (ок. 1200, Виченца сер. 60 х гг. XIII в., Юж. Италия), итал. доминиканец, проповедник, политический деятель Сев. Италии. О деятельности И. из В. упоминается в итал. хрониках XIII в. (Салимбене, Роландина Падуанского и др …   Православная энциклопедия

  • Tridentine Mass — For the forms of the Mass liturgy prior to 1570, see Pre Tridentine Mass. Tridentine Mass in a chapel of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions …   Wikipedia

  • Biographies of musicians — INCLUDING STUDIES OF SPECIFIC WORKS ■ Bach, Johann Sebastian, and family Boyd, Malcolm, ed. J. S. Bach. Oxford Composer Companions. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. ■ Butt, John. Bach: Mass in B Minor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press …   Historical dictionary of sacred music

  • 2003 Dove Award Nominees — for the thirty fourth annual ceremony of the Dove Awards.Nomineesong of the Year# Above All ; Lenny LeBlanc, Paul Baloche; Integrity s Hosanna!Music, Len Songs Publishing (ASCAP) # Back In His Arms Again ; Mark Schultz; Mark Schultz Music (BMI) # …   Wikipedia

  • Joe Henry — Infobox musical artist | Name = Joe Henry | Img capt = Img size = Landscape = Background = solo singer Birth name = Alias = Born = Died = Origin = United States Instrument = Vocals, guitar Genre = Alt country, folk, jazz, soul Occupation = Singer …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”