The Columbia Orchestra,
Jason Love, conductor

Colleen Daly, soprano
Chrystal E. Williams, mezzo-soprano
Rolando Sanz, tenor
Trevor Scheunemann, baritone

Singers of St. Louis and St. Francis churches

The story of Mozart’s Requiem is a tangled tale, complete with a convoluted story line, the composer dying before he finished the piece, and a colorful cast of characters.  Compounding the situation further is a fair amount of uncertainty about how much of the Requiem is authentically Mozart and how much of it is by Francis Xaver Süssmayr, Mozart’s pupil who first completed the work and whose version has long been the standard for orchestras worldwide.

Things started simply enough in 1791, the year Mozart was commissioned to compose a Requiem. Although the composer was a busy man creating operas and orchestral works and performing publicly as a pianist, he was mired in debt.  During summer 1791 a “stranger in gray,” who represented Count Franz von Walsegg visited Mozart with a proposal.  The count’s 20-year-old wife Anna had died in February.  To honor his wife, the count wished to commission a requiem and would pay handsomely. There was, however, one non-negotiable stipulation: the identity of the composer was to be kept secret.  For the count, a music lover who dabbled in composing, this was typical behavior.  It would not be the first time that the count had commissioned another composer to write a piece of music and then claim authorship.  While that may well have been his intentions with the requiem, it has not been verified.

Mozart accepted the Requiem, likely accepted half the payment as an advance, and worked on the composition until November 20 when his health deteriorated suddenly and sharply.  From that point until Mozart’s death on it is uncertain exactly what work was done on the piece.  When Mozart died on December 5—seven weeks short of his 36th birthday—the unfinished Requiem lay on the bed beside him.

Now the situation becomes more complicated. Constanze, facing serious debt, needs someone to accept the unenviable task of finishing the Requiem so that she can deliver it to Count Franz von Walsegg and collect the remaining unpaid fee.  Her first candidate is Joseph Eybler, one of Mozart’s pupils, but he fails, handing the manuscript back to Constanze.  She eventually turns to Francis Xaver Süssmayr, who completes the piece under great time pressure. On January 2, 1793, the Requiem received its first public performance at a benefit concert for Constanze and her two young sons.

Debate continues over how much work—some would say, damage—Süssmayr actually did, but most scholars agree that he finished the Lacrymosa and added several sections (Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei). Regardless of the controversies and critical attacks on his work and abilities, Süssmayr performed a herculean task, enough to keep the work alive and beloved through the centuries. And enough to keep Constanze financially secure well into her old age.

sung by Rebecca Vanover

Laurie’s Song

Transitions and milestones are the demarcation lines of our human lives, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next. Graduation. Starting a new job. Moving to a new city.  Getting married.  Being ordained a priest. Retirement.

The lyrics of “Laurie’s Song,” from Aaron Copland’s opera The Tender Land, highlight new beginnings and chapters, as well as the beauty and uncertainty of transitions.  On the eve of her high school graduation, Laurie wonders “…Who knows what will now begin?” and marvels, “How fast the time could go.” 

The Promise of Living

“The Promise of Living” closes Act I of Aaron Copland’s only full-length opera, The Tender Land, which tells the story of a poor Midwestern farm family in the 1930s and the arrival of two itinerant workers into their lives. Singing the hymn—which Copland based on the revival spiritual tune “Zion’s Walls”—together, the principal characters express gratitude for life, the land, and the upcoming harvest.

O let us sing our song,
and let our song be heard.
Let’s sing our song with our hearts,
and find a promise in that song.
The promise of living.
The promise of growing.
The promise of ending is labor
and sharing our loving.

“The Promise of Living” opens our program’s tribute to Monsignor Luca, honoring his work and ministry to advance God’s kingdom in his more than 50 years of service. The lyrics invite us to recall the commitment of Monsignor Luca as he worked toward the promise of growing St. Louis parish on its physical campus, from the new church in 2006 to renovations on the 1855 (cemetery) and 1889 chapels, to the completion of the bell tower. When the pastorate of St. Louis and St. Francis of Assisi was formed in spring 2018—two years ahead of schedule because of circumstances—Monsignor Luca welcomed the promise of growing the communities together through sharing of each parish’s resources, strengths, talents, and programs.

Fresh water
for Gonaives

For the poverty-stricken families belonging to St. John the Evangelist in Les Gonaives, Haiti, the promise of living assumed a brighter outlook in 1997 when Monsignor Luca established the relationship.  Over the years, the partnership has blessed both communities, anchored by God’s love and witnessed through the dedication of volunteers at St. Louis and the staff at St. John’s.

The many outreach programs managed by St. Louis and St. Francis exemplify sharing our loving with those less fortunate.  Monsignor Luca encouraged his flock to act as Jesus did, reinforcing the bonds of community with neighbors through charitable works.

Many of the biggest moments in the history of St. Louis parish came about because of the vision of Monsignor Luca and his tireless efforts to see them through to fruition. He reminded us, through his actions and words, of living a life of commitment through service to God and to each other. Let our song—that of the Pastorate of St. Louis and St. Francis of Assisi—be heard on this day as we celebrate the communities shaped by Monsignor Luca’s labor, guidance, love, and fulfillment of promises to build God’s kingdom.

from Suite gothique, Op. 25,
by Léon Boëllmann

Movement 3. Prière à Notre-Dame
Movement 4. Toccata

Charles Higgs, organist

The past is very much present in today’s performance of Suite Gothique, written by French composer Léon Boëllmann in 1895.  Two pieces from Boëllmann’s work —“Prière à Notre-Dame” and “Toccata”—are presented here.

The first connection with the past goes back to the installation of the Rodgers organ, unveiled with the opening of the new St. Louis Church in 2006—both important milestones in the parish’s history.  Monsignor Luca, a great appreciator of classical music, championed the installation of the organ, viewing it as integral not only to the church’s music ministry, but also for sharing it with the community through the Concert Series.

Charles Higgs, who is performing today, was at St. Louis in 2006 when the organ was installed.  Charles performed at the inaugural program (May 7, 2006) of the Concert Series, which celebrated the new organ and church. Now a Georgia resident, Charles was purposely invited to return for today’s concert, thus offering another connection between the organ’s church and concert debuts and the concert you’re attending now. 

It also is no coincidence that we selected to perform a French work for a parish with a French patron saint—of course Louis IX, King of France. Each year Monsignor Luca used the occasion of Saint Louis’s feast day on August 25 to educate parishioners about King Louis’s upbringing and reign, both anchored on his Catholic faith. 

Suite Gothique showcases the vast, colorful resources of the Rodgers organ, an important consideration in selecting today’s repertoire.  The lyrical “Prière à Notre-Dame,'' which uses the softer, orchestral, and soloistic stops of the organ, is truly “a prayer to Our Lady.” It was selected to recognize Monsignor Luca’s loving devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The “Toccata” showcases the dramatic, fiery reeds and grander stops of the organ, ending with the full resources of the instrument. 

Now, as you listen to Charles Higgs perform and have a fuller appreciation of the music and organ’s history, you, too, are part of the narrative that has unfolded since the first performances on this “king of instruments” 15 years ago. 

EXTRA CREDIT READING: Léon Boëllmann tragically died from tuberculosis just two years after he composed Suite Gothique, at the age of 35.  In his short life, he managed to write 150 compositions.  Most of Boëllmann’s works are for the organ, but he also wrote motets and art songs, in addition to chamber and orchestral compositions.

Boëllmann lived during the rebuilding of France’s rich organ tradition, which was dealt a severe blow by the country’s long-lasting political turmoil.  During the French Revolution, about 20 percent of the country’s organs were destroyed, while others were abandoned, vandalized, and repeatedly relocated over the next several decades.  In the 1840s, recovery began in earnest and by the end of the century, French organists and composers stood at the forefront of their professions. At the same time, innovations in organ building expanded the potential of the instrument inspiring the imaginations of a new generation of French composers and performers—among them, Léon Boëllmann.

Sung by Rolando Sanz

Today’s is an encore performance of "Non Ti Scordar di Me” (Do Not Forget Me), written by Italian composer Ernesto de Curtis.  The St. Louis Church Concert Series first featured the song at the 2015 “Spring at St. Louis” concert, dedicating it to Monsignor Luca for his support.

The song’s lyrics—”Do not forget me; my life is connected to you—beautifully convey the sentiment felt by many for Monsignor Luca. Past, present, and future, Monsignor Luca and his work will be inextricably linked to his flock, one that sprawled beyond parishioners and the school’s students and staff to members of the community.  Through the power of faith and spiritual guidance, efforts to build structures for worship and fellowship, outreach programs, and many other activities conducted during his time at St. Louis, Monsignor Luca connected himself to others. The blessings of his service and leadership will remain with us forever.

Written in 1912, “Non Ti Scordar di Me” was the title song in the 1935 movie that starred well-known Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli.  It has since become a staple of the tenor repertoire, performed by Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, and Jonas Kauffman, among others. 

“Make Our Garden Grow”

The emotional and poignant “Make Our Garden Grow” closes the curtain in Leonard Bernstein’s operetta Candide, with the characters vowing to build a positive future out of their imperfect world.  For today’s performance, Carole Graham Lehan, theatrical director, educator, playwright and St. Louis parishioner, altered the lyrics to reflect on Monsignor Luca’s work to make the Pastorate’s spiritual garden grow.

Monsignor Luca sowed the seeds of the Gospel and nourished the soil of the Pastorate’s garden through many different methods.  Each week, in “our eight minutes together” from the pulpit, Monsignor shared his reflections on the readings, educated congregants on people and issues, promoted the work of local charitable organizations, and encouraged all listening to embrace and spread the values of the Gospel.  Faith formation and renewal programs and retreats sponsored by St. Louis instilled in participants a deeper understanding and love of the church and fueled a more personal relationship with Christ.  The Lenten and Advent little books made available each year offered a starting point for daily reflection on Scripture lessons and meaningful prayer. 

When the church doors were shuttered by the pandemic last spring, Monsignor Luca quickly found solutions to meet the needs of the moment. Daily videotaped messages and lessons, evening reflections sent in emails, and live-streamed masses connected the parish community when it could not physically assemble in the church and social hall.  Drive-through confessions made the sacrament of penance available.  Amidst uncertainties, Monsignor Luca ensured that the work of the parish went on, so that the sweetest flowers and fairest trees would still be grown in solid ground. 

An avid supporter of the Concert Series, Monsignor Luca also lovingly cultivated the blooms in its garden through 15 seasons of performances. In his own words, “The church believed…and still does… that the beauty (of the arts) lifts us to this God who is all powerful, but also to this God who created beauty and wonder.  It is through music that people’s hearts are touched.”

Across the Pastorate and Concert Series, Monsignor Luca created abundant gardens, richly varied in texture and color.  The spectacular displays of the gardens’ plants and flowers—viewed through the prisms of faith, grace, ministries, fellowship, and musical expression—represent the culmination of years of planting, watering, weeding, and nurturing.  Thanks to Monsignor’s boundless devotion, these gardens will long continue to bloom and bring beauty to all those who walk along their paths.

EXTRA CREDIT READING: The lyrics for “Make Your Garden Grow” and other songs from Candide were penned by Richard Wilbur (2017).  Wilbur was an esteemed translator of French, Spanish, and Russian works (especially of plays by Molière); earned two Pulitzers for his poetry, and in 1987 was appointed as the country’s second poet laureate by the Library of Congress. Wilbur’s childhood upbringing in rural New Jersey immersed him in the natural world, lessons from which he would incorporate into his poetry and lyrics.