The Conductor

From 2007-8, Deanna L. Joseph was the Interim Director of Choral Activities at the University of Massachussets, Amherst, where she served as the Massachusetts State Representative for the National Collegiate Choral Organization. From 2004 untill spring of 2007, Ms. Joseph served as a conductor and lecturer at Smith College, leading the Smith College Chorus and Smith Chamber Choir.

Ms. Joseph received her Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in conducting where she studied with William Weinert. At Eastman, Ms. Joseph had the opportunity to conduct the Eastman Repertory Singers as well as to sing with a variety of specialty choral groups. Ms. Joseph returned to Eastman School of Music for doctoral studies in conducting in the fall of 2008.

A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Ms. Joseph earned her undergraduate degree from Duquesne University’s Mary Pappert School of Music, where she performed and toured Europe with the Duquesne University Chamber Singers under Brady Allred. She also has worked with Dr. Allred in conjunction with the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, as well with the Children’s Festival Chorus under Christine Jordanoff.

While in the Pioneer Valley, Ms. Joseph conducted the South Hadley Chorale, and performed as a soloist with the sextet Cantabile and the Arcadia Players.

The Chorus

Hodie is a select benefit chorus, brought together from throughout the Pioneer Valley and as far away as Connecticut and Vermont for several weeks of intense rehearsals. Singers range from the professional to the dedicated amateur. All of them sacrifice their time to benefit a cause they believe is truly worthwhile.

Under the baton of Deanna Joseph, Hodie acheives a clean, expressive and coherant sound. Here is a recording by Hodie member and audio engineer Jack Tozzi, from our December 2005 concert at Helen Hills Hills Chapel:

The Piece

(Notes courtesy of Barry Creasy, Collegium Musicum of London):

Mass in G Minor - Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958)

The early 1920's marked a pastoral interlude for Vaughan Williams. As well as the aforementioned opera, Sir John in Love, the period also saw the composition of The Lark Ascending, The Pastoral Symphony and The Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains. In 1921, the same year as the latter two pieces, Vaughan Williams also wrote his Mass in G minor. Its musical link with the pastoral works is unmissable, as the piece is full of the rich harmonies associated with the composer in his most 'English summertime' moments, but the origins of the piece are also, as with Howell's Requiem, in the revival of English polyphony and with Vaughan Williams' identification of his music with 'the imperishable glories of English prose'.

The piece is dedicated to Gustav Holst and the Whitsuntide Singers (Holst and Vaughan Williams were very close at this time), and it received its first performance on 6 December 1922 in Birmingham Town Hall. The first liturgical performance was at Westminster Cathedral under R R Terry, who took an instant liking to the work and, along with Holst, championed its liturgical use. The work is set for unaccompanied double choir and soloists. The success of the Mass in G minor as a liturgical work in post-war Britain, is best summed up in Terry's own words to Vaughan Williams: 'I'm quite sincere when I say that it is the work one has all along been waiting for. In your individual and modern idiom you have really captured the old liturgical spirit and atmosphere.'

Barry Creasy Chairman Collegium Musicum of London

Score and Practice Files

Mass in G minor - R. Vaughan Williams:

Score:
• PDF of the Curwen Edition

MP3 Files
• Kyrie
• Gloria
• Credo
• Sanctus
• Osanna I
• Benedictus
• Osanna II
• Agnus Dei

MIDI Files:
• Available at Cyberbass.com