It's been 30 years since I was privileged to sing this piece, and it still gives me goosebumps and brings on happy tears. Oh how I miss hearing this music at Mass!
Bless you my dear one!!! You get it !!!!! All the work that Bruce and I put in to keep up a tradition of only using the BEST sacred music at Mass!!! Enough said!
Thank you Doug, from the bottom of my heart. This one, and the Puccini Gloria are representations of the soul of the music making that took place at Holy Childhood for many decades, starting way back in the late 1940’s , before I was born, even the first orchestral Mass in the Twin Cities! Then evolving from Bruce Larsen’s leadership, to Richard Proulx, who I sang under for two years, than back to Larsen, who remained there until his retirement. I had the honor of taking over the reins, as it were, Bruce chose me , and I did my absolute best!!! If I may say so myself, our program flourished and grew and got better under my direction. I’m not one for bettering myself at the expense of others. Quite the opposite. There was a lot of fine music making- divinely inspired often- that took place week after week in my 22 years at H. C. In a director position, not to mention the years from 1966 - 1984 where I was an ardent singing member of the choir. Over those many years , countless renditions of great sacred music have been made manifest and touched the souls of so many individuals- too many to count- and so many are the truly touched but never let you know how much it means to them. The great ART of music , GREAT SACRED MUSIC, has the power ( when well executed and performed, up to the high level of the greatness inherent in the music), to touch and move souls to a higher sphere of being. Almost like being with the Angels. “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”!!!!!!
Yes , John Ness Beck wrote the descant and did the arrangement. Merritt Nequette did the fine orchestration!!! Bravo !!!! Merritt! After conducting this version so many times, always loving it, Merritt’s orchestration is great, especially the Timp. part winding up the setting. Yes , Hollywood ending to say the least, but ask any singer who sang it , or orchestra player who played it , or listener who heard it live, and they will tell you how truly good it was! Amen!
Patrick O’Neill was one of the early boy soprano soloist’s in HC musical history. The first was Thomas Schwartzbauer, in the 1950’s . He sang the first boy soprano version of Panis Angelicus, at HC. The next boy soprano of quality was Patrick O’Neill. He , under the direction of Richard Proulx, recorded Panis Angelicus, in the early 1960’s. Fine version. Leading to the 1970’s , when Jeff and John Jagoe, under the direction of Bruce Larsen, took boy soprano singing to a higher level!!!!! Those two brothers did things singing wise that were almost unbelievable!!!!’ Beautiful singing that shouldn’t be possible from such a young boy! But yet. They did it! All those that were there live, heard it . Witnesses to the incredible sounds they were hearing! Thank God for these videos, which give a bit of the moment, but in truth, can never truly capture the sound as it is heard live, unamplified!!!
Thank you for this lovely arrangement and presentation. I love this hymn and this is one of the best arrangements I’ve heard. Just beautiful! He is risen indeed.
It's been 30 years since I was privileged to sing this piece, and it still gives me goosebumps and brings on happy tears. Oh how I miss hearing this music at Mass!
Bless you my dear one!!!
You get it !!!!! All the work that Bruce and I put in to keep up a tradition of only using the BEST sacred music at Mass!!!
Enough said!
Thank you Doug, from the bottom of my heart. This one, and the Puccini Gloria are representations of the soul of the music making that took place at Holy Childhood for many decades, starting way back in the late 1940’s , before I was born, even the first orchestral Mass in the Twin Cities! Then evolving from Bruce Larsen’s leadership, to Richard Proulx, who I sang under for two years, than back to Larsen, who remained there until his retirement. I had the honor of taking over the reins, as it were, Bruce chose me , and I did my absolute best!!! If I may say so myself, our program flourished and grew and got better under my direction. I’m not one for bettering myself at the expense of others. Quite the opposite. There was a lot of fine music making- divinely inspired often- that took place week after week in my 22 years at H. C. In a director position, not to mention the years from 1966 - 1984 where I was an ardent singing member of the choir. Over those many years , countless renditions of great sacred music have been made manifest and touched the souls of so many individuals- too many to count- and so many are the truly touched but never let you know how much it means to them. The great ART of music , GREAT SACRED MUSIC, has the power ( when well executed and performed, up to the high level of the greatness inherent in the music), to touch and move souls to a higher sphere of being. Almost like being with the Angels. “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”!!!!!!
Yes , John Ness Beck wrote the descant and did the arrangement. Merritt Nequette did the fine orchestration!!! Bravo !!!! Merritt! After conducting this version so many times, always loving it, Merritt’s orchestration is great, especially the Timp. part winding up the setting. Yes , Hollywood ending to say the least, but ask any singer who sang it , or orchestra player who played it , or listener who heard it live, and they will tell you how truly good it was! Amen!
Patrick O’Neill was one of the early boy soprano soloist’s in HC musical history. The first was Thomas Schwartzbauer, in the 1950’s . He sang the first boy soprano version of Panis Angelicus, at HC. The next boy soprano of quality was Patrick O’Neill. He , under the direction of Richard Proulx, recorded Panis Angelicus, in the early 1960’s. Fine version. Leading to the 1970’s , when Jeff and John Jagoe, under the direction of Bruce Larsen, took boy soprano singing to a higher level!!!!! Those two brothers did things singing wise that were almost unbelievable!!!!’
Beautiful singing that shouldn’t be possible from such a young boy! But yet. They did it! All those that were there live, heard it . Witnesses to the incredible sounds they were hearing! Thank God for these videos, which give a bit of the moment, but in truth, can never truly capture the sound as it is heard live, unamplified!!!
It’s really easy to like something I sang the bass part for all those years ago. Thank you for digging these recordings up and posting them.
Thank you for this lovely arrangement and presentation. I love this hymn and this is one of the best arrangements I’ve heard. Just beautiful! He is risen indeed.
Indeed.
One of the things I've missed most this past year is singing hymns. Happy Easter!
Fantastic!!
Reminds me of "62, '63' and '64 when I was in the Schola.
Just to set the record straight, the arrangement and descant are by John Ness Beck, not David McK. Williams.
I don't know why I thought it was a McK. Williams descant, but I fixed it in the description. Thanks!