Misatango

Text and Translation

Kyrie

Kýrie, eléison.
Christe, eléison.
Kýrie, eléison.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Gloria

Glória in excélsis Deo. Et in terra pax homínibus bonæ voluntátis.

Laudámus te. Benedícimus te. Adorámus te. Glorificámus te. Grátias ágimus tibi propter magnam glóriam tuam. Dómine Deus, Rex cæléstis, Deus Pater omnípotens. Dómine Fili unigénite, Iesu Christe. Dómine Deus, Agnus Dei, Fílius Patris. Qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis. Qui tollis peccáta mundi, súscipe deprecatiónem nostram. Qui sedes ad déxteram Patris, miserére nobis. Quóniam tu solus Sanctus. Tu solus Dóminus. Tu solus Altíssimus, Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu: in glória Dei Patris. Amen.

Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise Thee.

We bless Thee. We adore Thee. We glorify Thee. We give Thee thanks for Thy great glory.

Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For Thou only art holy, Thou only art the Lord. Thou only art the most high, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Credo

Credo in unum Deum.
Patrem omnipotentem,
factorem caeli et terrae,
visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
Et in unum Dominum
Jesum Christum,
Filium Dei unigenitum,
Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine,
Deum verum de Deo vero.
Genitum, non factum,
consubstantialem Patri:
per quem omnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos homines
et propter nostram salutem
descendit de caelis.

Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
ex Maria Virgine
Et homo factus est.

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato:
passus, et sepultus est.

Et resurrexit tertia die,
secundum scripturas.
Et ascendit in caelum:
sedet ad dexteram Patris.
Et iterum venturus est
cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos:
Cujus regni non erit finis.

Et in Spiritum sanctum Dominum,
et vivificantem:
Qui ex Patre, Filioque procedit.
Qui cum Patre, et Filio simul adoratur,
et conglorificatur:
Qui locutus est per Prophetas.

Et unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.
Confiteor unum baptisma
in remissionem peccatorum.
Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum
Et vitam venturi saeculi.
Amen. 

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord,
Jesus Christ,
Only begotten Son of God,
Begotten of his Father before all worlds.
God of God, light of light,
Very God of very God.
Begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father:
by whom all things were made.
Who for us men
and for our salvation
came down from heaven.

And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost
of the Virgin Mary:
And was made man.

And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate:
suffered, and was buried.

And the third day He rose again
according to the scriptures.
And ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of the Father
And He shall come again
with glory to judge the living and the dead:
His kingdom shall have no end.

And (I believe in) the Holy Ghost, Lord
and giver of life:
Who proceedeth from the Father and Son.
Who with the Father and Son
together is worshipped and glorified:
Who spake by the Prophets.

And in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
I acknowledge one baptism
for the remission of sins.
And I look for the resurrection of the dead
And the life of the world to come.
Amen. 

Sanctus and Benedictus

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,
Dominus Deus Sabaoth:
Pleni sunt cæli et terra gloria maiestatis tuæ,
Hosanna filio David.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Hosanna in excelsis.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts,
heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Alicia Esmeralda Barry, mezzo-soprano

ALICIA ESMERALDA BARRY is a mezzo-soprano from Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. She recently earned a M.M. degree in Voice Performance and Literature at Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester where she studied with Katherine Ciesinski. Alicia received her B.M. degree in Voice Performance from Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ, where she studied under Sharon Sweet.

Alicia Esmeralda recently performed as the alto soloist with the Eastman-Rochester Chorus in the Ethel Smyth Mass in D under the direction of William Weinert. She has also frequently performed as a soloist with The Eastman Collegium Musicum. In 2022, she made her Carnegie Hall debut as a concert soloist in Weill Recital Hall performing selections from both Carmen and Cosí fan tutte. Last summer, she joined the Rochester Summer Opera for Opera Under the Stars in which she sang selections from Carmen. Earlier that summer she gave her debut performance as Carmen with the LAOS in Panama. In 2023, Alicia Esmeralda performed the role of Paula in Florencia en el Amazonas with Eastman Opera Theater. Her other notable roles include Ms. Todd in The Old Maid and the Thief, Gertrude in Hänsel und Gretel, and the Second Stepsister in The True Story of Cinderella, Carmen from Carmen, Dorabella from Cosí fan tutte, Hippolyta from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and later this year she will make her debut as Rosina from Il barbiere di Siviglia. Alicia Esmeralda also was a former singer with Vincerò Academy, Operanauts, Westminster CoOPERAtive Program, and the Lindsey Christiansen Art Song Festival of Westminster Choir College. In addition to her vocal artistry, Alicia Esmeralda is a classically trained flutist.

ROS Chorus

10 Year Member ♪ | 20 Year Member  ♪♪ | 30 Year Member  ♪♪♪ | 40 Year Member  ♪♪♪♪ | 50 Year Member ♪♪♪♪♪

SOPRANOS

Monica Amador, Laura Anders, Sara Anthony, Karen Bailey-Francois, Tania Beghini, Annika Bentley, Barbara Bissell-Erway ♪, Miriam Cowans, Beverly Cranston,  Karen Crummins, Lisa deBlieck ♪, Ash Deharder, Emilia Del Vecchio, Karen Dey ♪, Sharon Dumbleton, Amy Ewell ♪, Nancy Fink, Paulette Gissendanner, Liane Grasso, Kaleigh Green (Choral Scholar), Diane Hamilton, Erica Hoenig, X’zaya Ivy, Cora Jackson ♪♪♪, Rebecca Johnson, Jane Keller, Suzan Keng,  Katelynn Kochalski, Jo Ann Lampman ♪♪♪♪♪, Annette Leopard,  Sarah Miller, Leta Mueller ♪♪♪,  Wendy Nelson, Rebecca Paul, Kristina Phillips, Susan Reindel, Ann Robinson ♪, Pamela Rosen,  Judith Schewe, Katherine Schumacher ♪♪♪, Maura Slon ♪,  Sarah Stage, Mary Taylor-James, Cynthia Towler, Vicky Wadsworth, Katherine Walter, Julia Weston-Town, June White, Laura Wilks, Denise Yarbrough ♪

ALTOS

Dianne Bailey ♪, Donna Budgeon ♪, Jane Capellupo ♪♪♪♪♪, Jenifer Cheney ♪, Marissa DeFranco, Carol Elliott ♪♪♪♪♪, Sarah Engel, Sue Geier ♪, Maryellen Giese ♪♪, Susan Gilday, Michele Gingras, Kathleen Green ♪, Barbara Hellwig ♪♪♪, Jennifer Horn ♪, Carole Huther ♪♪♪, Lois Johnson, Margaret Kaminsky, Barbara Kassnoff, Julie Kirkwood, Nina Koski, Rev. Lisa Lancaster,  Sue Lione, Honey Meconi, Larisa Melder, Sandy Moncrief ♪, Dorothy Needler ♪, Virginia Payne ♪♪♪,  Molly Sanchez ♪, Ursala Scholz, Nancy Schreiber ♪, Grace Seiberling ♪, Mary Avis Seitz,  Deborah Sullivan, Robin Townell ♪, Cheri Trimble, Monica Tyne ♪, Patricia Van Dussen ♪♪♪, Susan Walders, Betty Wells ♪, Susan Woodhouse

TENORS

Evan Burnett, Mark Darling, Richard Gudgel, Richard Johnson, James Kirkwood, Greg Madejski, Daniel McInerney ♪♪♪, Charles Meyer ♪,  Jeffrey Moran,  Samuel Wersinger

BASSES

Brandon Bartlett, Philip Burke, Timothy Coleman ♪, Douglas Constable ♪♪♪♪, Scott Griswold, Harry Hellwig ♪♪♪, Frederick Jefferson, Stanley Jones, Alan Kaminsky, Roy Kirvan, Dean Latten, Roger Leighton, Robert Leopard, Eric Logan, David Prener, Robert Rees, Vicente Reyes, Stephen Schaefer, Robert Slon ♪, Steven Smith ♪♪♪, Ted White, Benjamin Willmott, Jeffrey Wright ♪♪

Orchestra

David Hult, Concertmaster
An-Chi Lin, Violin I
Jeremy Hill, Violin II
Margaret Leenhouts, Violin II
Joanne Lowe, Viola
Neil Miller, Viola
Sandra Halleran, Cello
Joan Kinsella, Cello
Erik Polenik, Bass
Mikhail Studenkov, Accordion

WILLIAM GRANT STILL (1895-1978) (www.williamgrantstillmusic.com)

Long known as the “Dean of African-American Classical Composers,” as well as one of America’s foremost composers, William Grant Still has had the distinction of becoming a legend in his own lifetime. On May 11, 1895, he was born in Woodville (Wilkinson County) Mississippi, to parents who were teachers and musicians. They were of African, Indian, Spanish, Irish, and Scotch descent. When William was only a few months old, his father died and his mother took him to Little Rock, Arkansas, where she taught English in the high school. There his musical education began with violin lessons from a private teacher, and with later inspiration from the Red Seal operatic recordings bought for him by his stepfather.

In Wilberforce University, he took courses leading to a B.S. degree, but spent most of his time conducting the band, learning to play the various instruments involved, and making his initial attempts to compose and to orchestrate. His subsequent studies at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music were financed at first by a legacy from his father and later by a scholarship established just for him by the faculty.

At the end of his college years, he entered the world of commercial (popular) music, playing in orchestras and orchestrating, working in particular with the violin, cello and oboe. His employers included W. C. Handy, Don Voorhees, Sophie Tucker, Paul Whiteman, Willard Robison, and Artie Shaw, and for several years he arranged and conducted the Deep River Hour over CBS and WOR. While in Boston playing oboe in the Shuffle Along orchestra, Still applied to study at the New England Conservatory with George Chadwick, and was again rewarded with a scholarship due to Mr. Chadwicks own vision and generosity. He also studied, again on an individual scholarship, with the noted ultra-modern composer, Edgard Varèse.

In the 1920’s, Still made his first appearances as a serious composer in New York, beginning a valued friendship with Howard Hanson, of Rochester. Extended Guggenheim and Rosenwald Fellowships were given to him, as well as important commissions from the Columbia Broadcasting System, the New York World’s Fair 1939-40, Paul Whiteman, the League of Composers, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Southern Conference Educational Fund, and the American Accordionists Association. In 1944, he won the Jubilee prize of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for the best Overture to celebrate its Jubilee season, with a work called Festive Overture. In 1953, a Freedoms Foundation Award came to him for his “To You, America!,” which honored West Point’s Sesquicentennial Celebration. In 1961, he received the prize offered by the U. S. Committee for the U. N., the N.F.M.C. and the Aeolian Music Foundation for his orchestral work, “The Peaceful Land,” cited as the best musical composition honoring the United Nations.

After moving to Los Angeles in the early 1930’s, citations from numerous organizations, local and elsewhere in the United States, came to the composer. Along with them came honorary degrees like the following: Master of Music from Wilberforce in 1936; Doctor of Music from Howard University in 1941; Doctor of Music from Oberlin College in 1947; Doctor of Letters from Bates College in 1954; Doctor of Laws from the University of Arkansas in 1971; Doctor of Fine Arts from Pepperdine University in 1973; Doctor of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music, the Peabody Conservatory and the University of Southern California.

Some of the awards that Still received were: the second Harmon Award in 1927; a trophy of honor from Local 767 of the Musicians Union A.F. of M., of which he was a member; trophies from the League of Allied Arts in Los Angeles (1965) and the National Association of Negro Musicians; citations from the Los Angeles City Council and Los Angeles Board of Supervisors (1963); a trophy from the A.P.P.A. in Washington D.C. (1968); the Phi Beta Sigma George Washington Carver Award (1953); the Richard Henry Lee Patriotism Award from Knotts Berry Farm, California; a citation from the Governor of Arkansas in 1972; the third annual prize of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters in 1982. He also lectured in various universities from time to time.

In 1939, Still married journalist and concert pianist, Verna Arvey, who became his principal collaborator. They remained together until Still died of heart failure on December 3, 1978. ASCAP took care of all of Dr. Still’s hospitalizations until his death.

Dr. Still’s service to the cause of brotherhood is evidenced by his many firsts in the musical realm:  Still was the first Afro-American in the United States to have a symphony performed by a major symphony orchestra. He was the first to conduct a major symphony orchestra in the United States when in 1936 he directed the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in his compositions at the Hollywood Bowl. He was the first Afro-American to conduct a major symphony orchestra in the Deep South in 1955, when he directed the New Orleans Philharmonic at Southern University. He was the first of his race to conduct a White radio orchestra in New York City. He was the first to have an opera produced by a major company in the United States when in 1949 his “Troubled Island” was performed at the City Center of Music and Drama in New York City. He was the first to have an opera televised over a national network. With these firsts, Still was a pioneer, but, in a larger sense, he pioneered because he was able to create music capable of interesting the greatest conductors of the day: truly serious music, but with a definite American flavor.

Still wrote over 150 compositions (well over 200 if his lost early works could be counted), including operas, ballets, symphonies, chamber works, and arrangements of folk themes, especially Negro spirituals, plus instrumental, choral and solo vocal works.

MARTIN PALMERI (1965 – )

Martín Palmeri, born 1965 in Buenos Aires, is an Argentine composer and conductor. He has trained in orchestral conducting, choral direction, composition, piano, and singing. The Misa a Buenos Aires, known as Misatango, is a setting of the mass in Latin. The music uses the style of the nuevo tango and its typical instrumentation, scored for mezzo-soprano, mixed choir and an ensemble of bandoneon, piano and strings. The world premiere was on 17 August 1996 at the Avenida Theatre in Buenos Aires. It has been performed and recorded internationally, often with the composer as the pianist, and it is regarded as his signature work.

Learn more about Misatango from the Choral Singers Companion at https://thechoralsingerscompanion.com/palmeri-misatango