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Programme Note

Composer’s Note:

The wonderful sound-world — created by the unique and beautiful color of their 12 sublime voices — allied to their abundance of technical skill makes Chanticleer my favorite ensemble. Love Songs is a 15 minute score made up of 7 songs composed specifically for this sound of their individual, extraordinary voices. Each of the men has at least one small solo which was precisely imagined and composed for his specific vocal color. The texts, all classic love poems, are set in a variety of ways ranging from lyrical to humorous to sensuous. I hope you enjoy the pieces because they were loads of fun for me to compose!

I. Eloise to Abelard, Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
Commissioned by Cathy Nicho for her husband, Raul

II. A Serenade, Edward Coate Pinckney (1802-1828)
Commissioned by Dianne Nolting for her husband, George Wolter

III. Cor Cordium, William Sharp (1856-1905)
Commissioned by Bert Dieringer for his wife, Janna Blanchard

IV. Jacqueline, Samuel Rogers (1763-1855), Stanza I
Commissioned by Peter Henschel for his wife, Kathy

V. Don Juan, Lord Byron (1788-1824), Stanza 199
Commissioned by Ron Barrington for his wife, Christine

VI. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Commissioned by Marshall Rutter for his wife, Terry Knowles

VII. Love, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
Commissioned by: anonymous

—Augusta Read Thomas