Remember: 130 Years of Canadian Choral Music Toronto Mendelssohn Choir & Jean-Sébastien Vallée

• Stephen Chatman (b. 1950): Two Rossetti Songs, No. 2:
• 1 Chatman: Two Rossetti Songs, No. 2: Remember 03:48
• Augustus Stephen Vogt (1861 - 1926): Jesus, Lover of my Soul (Arr. for Choir by Jonathan Oldengarm):
• 2 Vogt: Jesus, Lover of my Soul (Arr. for Choir by Jonathan Oldengarm) 04:43
• Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847): Three Psalms, Op. 78 No. 2:
• 3 Mendelssohn: Three Psalms, Op. 78 No. 2: Richte mich, Gott, MWV B 46 04:00
• Anonymous: Five Songs of the Newfoundland Outports, No. 4:
• 4 Anonymous: Five Songs of the Newfoundland Outports, No. 4: She's Like the Swallow (Arr. for Choir by Harry Somers) 08:06
• Blanche comme la neige (Arr. for Choir by Ernest MacMillan):
• 5 Anonymous: Blanche comme la neige (Arr. for Choir by Ernest MacMillan) 07:32
• Christopher Ducasse: O nata lux:
• 6 Ducasse: O nata lux 05:45
• Srul Irving Glick (1934 - 2002): Haleluya:
• 7 Irving Glick: Haleluya 01:20
• Andrew Balfour (b. 1967): Music Is Vibration:
• 8 Balfour: Music Is Vibration 05:03
• Imant Raminsh (b. 1943): Ave verum corpus:
• 9 Raminsh: Ave verum corpus 06:39
• Anonymous: Of the Father's Love Begotten (Arr. for Choir by Peter-Anthony Togni):
• 10 Anonymous: Of the Father's Love Begotten (Arr. for Choir by Peter-Anthony Togni) 03:42
• Jocelyn Morlock (1969 - 2023): Io, Io:
• 11 Morlock: Io, Io 07:19
• Stuart Beatch (b. 1991): a boy & a boy:
• 12 Beatch: a boy & a boy 06:42
• Healey Willan (1880 - 1968): An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts:
• 13 Willan: An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts 09:04
• Shireen Abu-Khader: I Forgive:
• 14 Abu-Khader: I Forgive 06:20
• Stephanie Martin (b. 1962): Nothing Gold Can Stay:
• 15 Martin: Nothing Gold Can Stay 04:04
• Total Runtime 01:24:07

Info for Remember: 130 Years of Canadian Choral Music

2024 marks the 130th anniversary of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, one of Canada's oldest, largest, and most recognized choral ensembles. Currently under the direction of Jean-Sebastien Vallee, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is proud to celebrate its anniversary with the release of the album Remember.

Many of the works featured on this double album set are pieces of Canadian choral music history that have a symbolic or special meaning for the choir. They include Richte mich, Gott, a setting of Felix Mendelssohn's Psalm 43, which was performed at the choir's inaugural concert on January 15, 1895.

The music selected for this album reflects the country's musical diversity and includes traditional songs like Blanche comme la neige from Quebec and She's Like the Swallow from Newfoundland. The album also celebrates Canada's rich tradition of choral composition spanning more than a century, from Healey Willan's An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts, to Srul Irving Glick's 1988 Haleluya. Yesterday's music rubs shoulders with recent commissions like Andrew Balfour's 2022 Music Is Vibration, alongside pieces by contemporary composers including Imant Raminsh, Jocelyn Morlock, Christopher Ducasse, Shireen Abu Khader, Stephanie Martin, and Stuart Beatch.

Through its performances, educational programs, and community engagement, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir aspires to introduce its audiences to choral masterworks from the past and present. TMChoir includes 24 professional singers and over 130 auditioned and experienced volunteer choristers. The smaller professional ensemble, the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers (TMSingers) is one of Canada's leading professional chamber choirs and was created to deliver more intimate, nimble repertoire.

Currently serving as artistic director of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and professor of music and director of choral studies at McGill University's Schulich School of Music in Montreal, Jean-Sebastien Vallee is a sought-after conductor and pedagogue. He previously served as director of choral studies at California State University, Los Angeles, and was on the choral faculty of the University of Redlands.

Recorded at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in Toronto in 2023, the album embodies the Choir’s commitment to artistic excellence, community, and the celebration of Canada’s rich choral tradition.

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
Toronto Mendelssohn Singers
Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor

No biography found.

Booklet for Remember: 130 Years of Canadian Choral Music