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US Premiere of Howard Goodall's Every purpose under the heaven

Apr. 01, 2015

US Premiere of Howard Goodall's <em>Every purpose under the heaven</em>

The music of English composer Howard Goodall comes to the United States in two major performances this month with the US premiere of his oratorio Every purpose under the heaven in Houston, and a performance of his signature choral work, Eternal Light: A Requiem at West Virginia University. Goodall has established himself as one of the leading choral composers in England. Eternal Light: A Requiem has received over 350 performances worldwide and earned him the 2009 Classical BRIT award for Composer of the Year.

With Every purpose under the heaven Goodall presents a biblical oratorio for soprano and tenor soloists, SATB chorus, and chamber orchestra. The forty-five minute work is the result of a 2012 commission from the United Church Schools Trust to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. The work receives its US premiere in Houston, Texas on April 26 with the Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church’s Sanctuary Choir under the direction of Dr. Charles Hausmann. 

The West Virginia University’s performance of Eternal Light: A Requiem takes place on April 18 at the University’s Creative Arts Center in Morgantown, West Virginia. This performance follows the choir’s March trip to Buffalo, New York, where they performed selections from the work at the Calvary Episcopal Church.

Details on the US premiere of Every purpose under the heaven can be found at mdpc.org.

For more information on Howard Goodall, please visit fabermusic.com

Howard Goodall
Every purpose under the heaven (2012)
The King James Bible Oratorio
text (Eng) from The King James Bible
for soprano, tenor, SATB chorus and chamber orchestra
0.0.0.0-0.1(or crt).0.0-timp.perc-hp.gtr(1-2 amplified, or 3-4 acoustic).pno(org)-str
45’

Eternal Light: A Requiem (2008)
text (Eng, Latin) from the Requiem Mass, Ann Thorp, John Henry Newman, Mary Elizabeth Frye, John McCrae and Phineas Fletcher
for soprano, tenor and/or baritone soloists, SATB chorus, and chamber orchestra
2kbd.hp(optional)-str
40’

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