In 2011, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Rockport, is celebrating an important milestone – the 125th anniversary of its 1886 founding as a parish church in the Diocese of Massachusetts. As part of our celebration, we have commissioned a new choral anthem, to be premiered by the St. Mary’s Choir during a Festive Choral Evensong Service on November 20th at 4 pm.
The anthem is in the form of a triptych, or a work in three distinct parts. (The number three is of central importance in terms of Christian doctrine and symbolism). Dr. Jeannette M. Lindholm, Professor of English at Salem State University, acclaimed hymn writer, and longtime member of the St. Mary’s Choir, was commissioned to write the poetry for the anthem. It is from Dr. Lindholm’s exquisite Mary-centered poem Tryptich that the text of Annunciation is drawn.
Our composer is Dover, New Hampshire resident and Boston Conservatory faculty member Kevin Siegfried. Acclaimed by the UK magazine Choir & Organ as writing music of “austere beauty” that exhibits the “pressure and presence of personal conviction,” Mr. Siegfried (b. 1969) is a composer with an emerging international voice. A passionate advocate for choral music and the expressive power of the human voice, Siegfried has devoted increasing attention to the composition of vocal music in recent years. His most recent work, Child of Earth, is a cantata for mezzo-soprano, choir, strings, and harp, and was commissioned by the Capitol Hill Chorale of Washington, D.C. It’s much anticipated premiere took place in early June to great acclaim.
Throughout the season of Lent 2011, the St. Mary’s Choir learned and sang a number of Mr. Siegfried’s arrangements of Shaker Songs during our Sunday liturgies. We have also sung several of his freely-composed choral anthems over the past several years, including “The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me”, (composed for the 2004 consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire), the Advent motet “There Is No Rose”, and “More Love” (which we sang for Bishop Tom Shaw’s visitation to St. Mary’s this past February).
St. Mary’s has a long-standing tradition for excellent choral music. David C. Pike has been Music Director for over 25 years. He is also the Executive Vice President and Tonal Director of C.B. Fisk Inc., Pipe Organ Builders in Gloucester.
Annunciation will be sung again soon as part of the Sunday liturgy at St. Mary’s on Advent IV, Sunday December 18th at 10:15 am.
Good Morning Gloucester 