Beach: Grand Mass In e Flat Major
Ray Bauwens (tenor), Margot Law (soprano), Martha Remington (mezzo-soprano), Joel Schneider (baritone), Stow Festival Chorus, Stow Festival Orchestra, Barbara Jones (conductor)
This performance was recorded live on January 22, 1995, at the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts. How does a performance like this happen? Genuinely dedicated people research the literature. They find music they feel worthwhile. They convince others of its worth and then rehearse and prepare it to the best of their resources. This is the only composition they work on. They perform it, make a tape and send it to Albany Records. We are impressed by the dedicated effort that has gone into the project, the musical integrity of the forces involved, and of the commitment of the musicians to the music. All this comes through in the performance. We then make the decision to bring it to you. The Beach Mass has only one other performance in the catalog and this Stow performance presents a very different approach to the music. The Grand Mass comes from Amy Beach's most productive period, the same period that produced the Gaelic Symphony and the wonderful Piano Concerto. Its premiere was in Boston on February 7, 1892. It was given by the Handel and Haydn Society and was the first time it had ever performed anything by a woman. In 1896, the Boston Symphony gave the premiere of her symphony. The Grand Mass is a large, romantic work, sure to appeal to a large audience. The forces on this disc do a great job of conveying the stature and magnitude of the music.
Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Mass in E Flat Major | Amy Beach | Stow Festival Chorus and Orchestra, Barbara Jones, conductor, Margot Law, soprano, Martha Remington, mezzo, Ray Bauwens, tenor, Joel Schneider, baritone |
Reviews
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"...Beach was one of the most successful composers of her time. Many of her songs and her Gaelic Symphony were performed quite often. She began the mass in 1886, and the premiere was given in Boston in 1892 by the Handel and Haydn Society, one of the oldest (and most conservative) choral groups in the country. The music is ambitious, rich, moving, and very melodic. Ample opportunities are given to the soloists and chorus; and there are few, if any, moments lacking in inspiration or technical accomplishment. This is a fine work that needs to be heard more often. This performance (recorded in concert) is adequate, more."
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