Ave Maria was composed for the University of Kansas Choirs, and dedicated with appreciation to Simon Carrington (Kings Singers). It was premiered by the Oread Consort at Edington Priori Church in Wiltshire, England in May of 1997. The Gregg Smith Singers brought new life to this work at the 2000 Adirondack Festival of American Music in Saranac Lake, and followed with a recording on the Living Artist series. This piece was inspired by Gy?? Ligetis setting of Lux Aeterna (1966), as well as by Giuseppe Verdis Ave Maria, the scala enigmatica armonizzata a Quattro voci (1898). It is shaped by a series of breath-like harmonic swells leading to climactic homophonic statements of the text, with strident voice pairings yearning for resolution. New York writer Watson Bosler describes the work as an iridescent wash of color as an intricate web of interrelated melodic and rhythmic themesThis Ave hymns not the sugar-water Virgin of Gounod or Scott, but rather the powerful Goddess Yeats depicts: The

Composer: Andrew Bonacci

Of special significance are the qualities of vocal orchestration in this motet. The principle of contrasting high and low sonorities may be effected in this piece by grouping the top three and bottom three voices on opposite sides of the stage (or auditorium), thereby creating the antiphonal effect which is fundamental to this music. The publication contains scholarly performance notes with text and translation. Music is barred between the staves with accented syllabels of text in bold type.

Duration 3:00

Composer: Dale Jergenson

Special liturgy of St. Mark and peculiar to Venice. Scholarly performance notes with text and translation. Music is barred betweeen the staves with acented syllabels of text in bold type.

Duration 2:47

Composer: Dale Jergenson

Mostly traditional notation with sections of episodes of contrasting, yet complementary music. A welcome change from the traditional setting of the Pater Noster.

Duration 4:30

Composer: Vytutas Miskinis

Triple Chorus of Mixed Voices. Text includes phrases from several Psalms, e.g., Psalm 99 Clap your hands! Sing this psalm... Music is barred between the staves with accented syllables of text in bold type.

Composer: Dale Jergenson

"The Song of the Red Dove" was composed in the immediate aftermath of September 11; it is dated September 25, 2001. Often divisi, the choral writing is particularly intricate in the middle section with interweaving sixteenth note runs simulating the flames (that) stain the white moon red in what at times is an eight-part texture. The dynamics are varied throughout, but the only fortissimo comes at the vocal high point of the middle section (...through endless night...), and the opening and closing A sections describing the strange red dove are marked no louder than forte (in the opening measures) and piano (at the close). The text comes to us from the poet, Kim Rich. It was expressly written to commemorate the awful tragedy that was 9/11. Kim, working in a nearby building was an eyewitness to the monstrous event. She barely escaped with her life.

Composer: Dale Jergenson