From Requiem to Yee-Haw! Enjoy an afternoon of choral music with RiverChor Community Choir on Sunday, March 16th, 2pm at Zion Lutheran Church, 439 3rd Ave S, in Clinton, Iowa as they present their spring 2025 concert, “Mozart and Americana”. Admission is free, donations are welcome and appreciated.
RiverChor’s main focus this spring is Mozart’s Requiem. Mozart was quite ill in July 1791 when he received an anonymous commission for a Requiem. He threw himself into the work, completing the Requiem and Kyrie movements, and sketching out the vocal and bass parts for the rest when he passed that December at the age of 35. Completed by Joseph Eybler and Mozart’s pupil Süssmayer, Beethoven’s final word on the matter was: ‘If Mozart did not write the music, then the man who wrote it was a Mozart.’ For this March concert, the choir will perform a sampler of 4 of the 12 movements: “Requiem and Kyrie”, “Dies Irae”, “Recordare”, and “Lacrymosa”. Deanna Petersen, Kristen Jones, Brooke Logan, Noah Strausser, and Jim Schnitzmeyer are soloists. RiverChor will perform the entire work with the Clinton Symphony Orchestra on April 26 at Zion Lutheran Church, Clinton.
“Cry Out and Shout” by Knut Nystedt will open the second half, this contemporary anthem by the Norwegian composer is the most well known of his pieces. The choir will then take a mini tour of American composers and arrangers.
“Down to the River to Pray” was arranged by Mack Wilburg, Utah native and long time director of the Tabernacle Choir. The song has been described as a Christian folk hymn, an African -American spiritual, an Appalachian song, and a Southern gospel song. Maureen Pollpeter will join pianist Christine Holmer for this 4 handed arrangement.
Edwin Earle Ferguson, a native of North Dakota, gives us a glimpse into the worship style of the Shakers, a sect founded in England in 1747, then established in the American Colonies in 1780, with his setting of “Ye Followers of the Lamb”. The Shaker worship practice incorporated both singing and dance which would escalate to such a frenzy that participants would shout and convulse.
“Prayer” is Lloyd Pfautsch’s setting of a text written by Dag Hammarskjold who served as the second Secretary-General of the United Nations. The piece explores Hammarskjold’s spiritual struggle and subsequent formation of his personal faith. Pfautsch served on the faculty at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX from 1958 until his retirement in 1992.
“Children Will Listen” from the Broadway musical “Into the Woods” by Stephen Sondheim, has wise, poignant lyrics in this cautionary tale. The piece was arranged by Mark Brymer, native of Dallas, TX, who has collaborated with Disney, Six Flags, and Carnival Cruise as the head of WOW! Entertainment, Inc.
Rounding up the tour, the choir will be joined by violinist Kristen Jones and Bassist Bradley Shumake on “Old West Medley”, arranged by Mark Hayes of Kansas City, MO. Enjoy excerpts of “Old Chisholm Trail”, “Red River Valley”, “Home on the Range”, and. “The Yellow Rose of Texas”.
RiverChor Community Choir is celebrating 20 years of choral music. The group is directed by Karl Wolf, former director of choirs at Clinton High School. Christine Holmer, organist for Zion Lutheran Church and former director of music at Immanuel Lutheran Church, serves as pianist. For further information about the group, please visit their website: https://RiverChor.org