Brochure 5

Participants
Sarah Adams: “I’ve known Bill Appling since 1973, when I first
attended SME. Playing for Bill spoiled forever my experience of
playing the Messiah with any other conductor. Bill became a stand-in
for my father at major life upheavals. During a terrible divorce, Bill
and I would often talk. His message was always that I was better
than I knew. And that my kids would be ok. I am grateful for the
proximity to Bill for so many years of my life. I still hear his rich
laugh and giggle, and the lilt in his voice as he talked with me. I also
see his upturned face as he would intake his breath and bring in the
choir. There is magic in those moments.”
David Anderson: Three of David (and Sigrid) Anderson’s children
sang under Bill Appling when they were high school students at the
Western Reserve Academy. The ability of Bill to live inside music and to take others along on the journey - had a profound effect on the
entire family.
Patricia Oldham Appling is William Appling’s sister-in-law.
Matthew Donovan: At the age of 14, Matthew began studying piano
and voice with William Appling at Western Reserve Academy. Matt
attended Vassar during Mr. Appling’s tenure as Director of Choral
Activities; there, he often loitered in the choir basement, hoping Mr.
Appling would humor him with a bit of piano blues to accompany
his squawking on the tenor sax. Matt teaches creative writing and
literature in Santa Fe, where he lives with his wife and son.
Jim Hall: “Bill and I met at John Adams High School in Cleveland.
We took music classes together and did some piano/guitar
improvising for fun. Then we each went searching out our musical
identities and were out of touch for years. One evening I answered
our Greenwich Village telephone and the delightful voice said, ‘Hi,
Jim! This is Bill Appling…remember? I’m teaching up at Vassar
and I’d like you and Ron Carter to come play for us.’ Bill and I
were re-connected and I got to meet Diane, Trudy and Tiffany. The
concert was pretty good, too. Thanks, Bill, for all of this and thank
you, Diane for allowing me to give something back.”
Debra Lew Harder: “When I was 15 and 16, I attended Summer
Music Experience, a magical world for young musicians; Bill’s
influence began there but continued throughout my life. Through
him, I met my husband Tom, also an SME and WRA alum. No
one understood my decision to follow my degree in medicine with a
doctorate in music more than Bill, and no one was more delighted to
hear news about my daughters, especially when they began to study
viola and violin. Five years ago, Bill and Diane drove several hours
from Poughkeepsie to surprise me at a concert I gave at Haverford
College near Philadelphia. I feel blessed to have been connected
to the kindness, the creative intellect, and the laughter of this
wonderful man who embodied all that is great in music.”
Joseph Jennings sang in the Glee Club under William Appling’s
direction at Case Western Reserve University. Artistic Advisor to
Chanticleer, Joe was the ensemble’s Music Director for over two
decades. Joe is a prolific composer and arranger and has provided
Chanticleer with some of its more popular repertoire. Under his
direction, Chanticleer has released 25 critically acclaimed recordings
including the GRAMMY Award-winners Colors of Love and
Lamentations and Praises, and has performed at many of the world’s
most prestigious festivals and concert halls.
William McClelland’s freshman year at Western Reserve Academy
was also William Appling’s first year there as a teacher and the
beginning of 43 years of friendship. Bill Appling commissioned a
number of compositions from him, and when he came to Vassar
College, they collaborated on a number of concerts by William
Appling Singers & Orchestra in Poughkeepsie and New York City.
Bill McClelland also produced the four recordings by WASO on the
Albany and New World Records labels, including a recording of his
own choral works, “The Revenge of Hamish.” He lives in New Jersey
with his wife, Jean.
Rick Pogue first met Bill Appling at Glenville High School, where he
joined the chorus. Rick then studied piano with Bill at the Cleveland
Institute of Music. Bill would accept nothing but the highest
quality of performance in everything. After college, Rick returned to
Cleveland and re-joined Bill in Messiah sings and Gershwin concerts.
Over the years, their relationship evolved from teacher to mentor
to confidante to close friends. Rick is the chief human resource
executive at the largest health care system in Western New York.
David Ralph: “It was as a member of the Cleveland Institute of
Music Chorus that I met Bill Appling, if ‘met is the right word for
encountering a force of Nature. For over seven summers I was on
the SME staff. The lessons – and blessings – of that time are very
much living in me these many years later.” David is accompanist for
the New York Choral Society and the Oratorio Society of New York.
Ernest Shoemaker is William Appling’s son-in-law.
The Choir: Everyone who had ever sung with William Appling
was invited to sing. Alumni from Glenville High School, Cleveland
Institute of Music, Case Western Reserve University, Western
Reserve Academy, Summer Music Experience, Vassar College and
William Appling Singers & Orchestra have traveled from across the
country, London, and Italy to participate.
The Riverside Church
New York City
June 21, 2009
“Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied” BWV 225
All the Things You Are
Jim Hall, guitar
Jerome Kern
Welcome
Psalm 42
D. Eric Pogue
Motet “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied” BWV 225
Joseph Jennings, Conductor
J.S. Bach
David R. Anderson
Matthew Donovan
Sonata in F minor Op. 120, No. 1
Andante un poco Adagio
J. Brahms
Sarah Adams, viola
Debra Lew Harder, piano
Patricia Oldham Appling
William McClelland
Ernest Shoemaker Appreciation to Dr. Peter Wiernik
We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace
Spiritual/arr. William Appling
We shall walk through the valley in the shadow of death.
We shall walk through the valley in peace.
And if Jesus himself shall be our leader,
We shall walk through the valley in peace.
There will be no sorrowing there.
Moment of Silence
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
David Ralph, organ
Isaac Watts/William Croft
1. Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied,
die Gemeine der Heiligen sollen ihn loben.
Israel freue sich des, der ihn gemacht hat.
Die Kinder Zion sei’n fröhlich über ihrem Könige,
sie sollen loben seinen Namen im Reichen;
mit Pauken und Harfen sollen sie ihm spielen.
1. Sing to the Lord a new song,
let the congregation of believers praise Him.
Israel rejoices in Him that made him.
The children of Zion are joyful under their King.
Let them praise his name in the dance;
let them play to Him on the timbrel and harp.
Psalm 149, v.1-3
2. CHORALE (Choir 1):
Wie sich ein Vater erbarmet
über seine junge Kinderlein,
so tut der Herr uns allen,
so wir ihn kindlich fürchten rein.
2. CHORALE (Choir 1):
As a father is merciful
to his young infants,
so is the Lord to us all,
as long as we fear Him purely like a child.
Er kennt das arm Gemächte,
Gott weiß, wir sind nur Staub,
gleichwie das Gras vom Rechen,
ein Blum und fallend Laub!
He knows our frailty,
knows we are just dust,
like the grass and flower
and leaf under the rake.
Der Wind nur drüber wehet,
so ist es nicht mehr da,
also der Mensch vergehet,
sein End das ist ihm nah.
The wind just blows over it
and it is gone.
Thus man passes away,
his end is near.
ARIA (Choir 2):
Gott, nimm dich ferner unser an,
denn ohne dich ist nichts getan
mit allen unsern Sachen,
ARIA (Choir 2):
God, continue to care for us,
for without You
all our affairs come to nothing.
Drum sei du unser Schirm und Licht,
und trügt uns unsre Hoffnung nicht,
so wirst du’s fernermachen.
Be our shield and light,
and if our hope does not deceive us,
You shall continue to be so.
Wohl dem, der sich nur steif und fest
auf dich und deine Huld verläßt.
Happy is he who firmly and solidly
puts his trust in You and your bounty.
3. Lobet den Herrn in seinen Taten,
lobet ihn in seiner großen Herrlichkeit!
3. Praise the Lord for his acts.
Praise Him in his great might.
Psalm 150, v.2
Alles, was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn,
hallelujah!
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 150, v. 6
These translations are Copyright © 19952002 San Francisco Bach Choir. Used with
permission of the San Francisco Bach Choir.