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World Premiere Recording
of a majestic 19th century oratorio!
"EASTER CONCERT"
for Soloists, Chorus and PianoMusic by Edwin Arthur Jones (1853-1911)
"one modest man who knows the power of music."
-- Edward Everett Hale
- Premiere Performances of "Easter Concert"
- World Premiere of a cantata
- Stoughton's Two Musical Societies
- Praise from a famous Boston author
- Multimedia DVD
- Sources
- Related Links
Performances of "Easter Concert"
World Premiere Performance:
"There have been concerts in this town which would, possibly, equal the concert Monday evening, but never in the history of the town was there gathered an audience on such an occasion as this. To celebrate such an event, listen to original music, the work of our own home composer, to hear it produced by our own ancient Society, and our own local orchestra, was, indeed, something of marked importance. The night was a beautiful one, and all seemed favorable to the success of the affair."
--The Stoughton Sentinel newspaper, April 16, 1887.
This newspaper story was on the front page with a large print picture of "Mr. Edwin A. Jones." The story describes the premiere of a majestic oratorio, then titled Easter Anthem, which was the largest work ever composed by Jones. His oratorio was modeled on the Baroque era works of J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel.
It was retitled as Easter Concert (Op. 28) and published in a piano-vocal score by White-Smith Music in Boston in 1890.
Jones was a friend of one of Boston's most respected musicians, B.J. Lang, who attended the first performance of the Jones oratorio in Stoughton on April 11, 1887. Lang spoke briefly at the intermission and called the oratorio "a beautiful and grand affair." He went on to say that he wished he could transport the whole chorus and orchestra of 150 members to his city twenty miles away, "to give the people of Boston an idea of what Stoughton could do!"
Easter Concert was modeled on Handel's Messiah and is in three parts, ending with a majestic fugal movement, "Great God of Nations," for vocal quartet and chorus.
The orchestral score was thought to be lost. But in February 2020 it was discovered
at the Stoughton Historical Soicety by John Carabatsos.Here is the cover from the original orchestral score
and the first page of the chorus, "Hail! All Triumphant Lord" (listening example below):
After his program, "E.A. Jones: Stoughton's Man of Music" on February 9, 2020,
Roger Hall donated his multimedia DVD-ROM with music by E.A. Jones
to SHS President, Dwight MacKerron.
Two modern day performances of the oratorio:
The first modern day performance of this major Jones oratorio was performed
on April 26, 1981 by the Old Stoughton Musical Society five soloists and chorus,
with David Hanson, organist and Roger Hall, Conductor.
This oratorio was performed again in Stoughton on May 6, 1984 with these performers:Soloists:
Marion Hollis and Linda Brookfield, sopranos
Nancy Davis and Ethel Wallace, altos
Michael Duarte, tenor
David Benjamin, bassThe Old Stoughton Musical Society Chorus:
Sopranos:
June Alfano, Linda Brookfield, Doris Emery, Lynn Feingold,
Marion Hollis, Whilma Jones, Elizabeth Maraglia, Geraldine Meadows,
Catherine Mootos, Gertrude Scheibel, Karen SeigenbergAltos:
Nancy Davis, Ursula Duganiero, Gail Hall, Nancy Ivaldi,
Elizabeth Lief, Polly Savicki, Myrtle Thompson, Ethel Wallace, Mildred WilsonTenors:
Kenneth Nlaisdell, Michael Duarte, Paul Dufresne, Edward Ivaldi,
Paul Larivee, Sally MacKerron, Richard Major,
Charles Snowdale, Howard WallaceBasses:
G. Carl Anderson, David Benjamin, Gordon Brookfield Jr, Roger Hall,
George Rolt, Robert SnowdaleEdward Wood, piano; Earl Eyrich, conductor.
The complete 1984 concert performance is now available on
an AMRC CD.These are the sections of the oratorio --
click on the links to hear samples (for listening only):
PART ONE
1. Prelude: Edward Wood, piano
2. Recitative and Air: "Now is Christ risen" & "Rouse thee! O Zion!" - David Benjamin
3. Soprano and Chorus: "Sing we to the Lord" - Marion Hollis
4. Soprano Recitative and Air: "O Death, where is thy sting?" &
Quartet: "Thanks be to God" - Quartet: Linda Brookfield, Nancy Davis,
Michael Duarte, David Benjamin
5. Chorus: "Lord God of Hosts! by all adored" (Soloist: Linda Brookfield)
PART TWO
6. Prelude: Edward Wood
7. Choral: "Behold what matchless tender love" - Chorus
8. Quartet: "O Thou that hearest prayer" - Linda Brookfield, Nancy Davis,
Ethel Wallace, Michael Duarte
9. Recitative and Air: "He was oppressed" &
"Greater love hath no man" - Michael Duarte
10. Chorus: "We trust alone in Thee"
11. Quartet: "In heavenly love abiding" - Marion Hollis, Nancy Davis,
Michael Duarte, David Benjamin
12. Air: "Saviour like a shepherd lead us" - Nancy Davis
13. Chorus: "now may He who from the dead"PART THREE
14. Prelude: Edward Wood
15. Recitative and Air: "Mighty is Thine arm" & O Lord most high" - David Benjamin
16. Chorus: "The Lord is King! Let all rejoice"
17. Soprano Air & Quartet: "Praise the Lord" & "To Jesus, our exalted Lord" -
Linda Brookfield, soprano; Nancy Davis; Michael Duarte; David Benjamin
18. Chorus: "Hail! All Triumphant Lord!"
19. Recitative & Air: "And when all things shall be subdued" &
"Immortal honor, endless fame" - Michael Duarte
20. Finale Chorus & Vocal Quartet: "Great God of Nations! Mighty King!"© American Music Recordings Collection (AMRC 0030)
To order the complete oratorio,
EASTER CONCERT for Soloists, Chorus and Piano
(Total playing time = 78:59),
payable by credit card to PineTree Productions
for $18.00, through safe and secure PayPal,
click on the button below.
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World Premiere of a Cantata
In 1881, E.A. Jones completed a dramatic cantata, Song of Our Saviour.
It was his masterpiece and is a work that deserves to be heard again.
This important 19th century masterpiece was discovered at the Stoughton Historical Society by musicologist, Roger Hall, in 1980.
It was edited for performance by Dr. Raymond Fahrner.Read about the World Premiere concert performance in 1992 of
this majestic work and hear music samples from a CD with the complete cantata (AMRC 0029)-- click here
Stoughton's Two Musical Societies
Jones was a member of the two choral societies in town:
The (Old) Stoughton Musical Society -- founded in 1786 and now the oldest choral society in the United States. Jones joined this society in 1871. For this musical society's Centennial in 1886, Jones was the lead violinist and director of the orchestra.
The Musical Society in Stoughton -- founded in 1802 and Jones joined in 1881. This society was disbanded in 1982. Jones composed a special commemorative piece for the Musical Society in Stoughton in 1886. It was in the style of 18th century New England music, and he titled it simply:
"Old Stoughton."
Praise From A Famous Boston Author
The distinguished writer and clergyman, Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909), wrote the following description of a Sunday concert:
For two hours an orchestra, such as he had seldom heard, rendered with dignity and feeling some of the best music of the noblest composers...more than fifty years ago the musical society of this village was gathered and incorporated. That has probably helped in building up the taste of this town. But in our generation one modest man who knows the power of music has organized this grand orchestra.
Nobody pays them, nobody pays him, except the good God. ..This man was the leader, whom you saw. If he had not been too modest, you would have heard one of his own compositions. I dare say you have heard them in New York or in Cincinnati. I wanted you to see this, so soon as you asked what was possible in a community of five hundred people.
He then explained what his fictional description was based on:
I have here attempted to describe the interesting musical service which is carried on in the town of Stoughton, in Norfolk County, in Massachusetts ...I have but described in this chapter, as well as I can, the service which the people of this town render regularly under the leadership of Mr. Edward [Edwin A.] Jones.
-- Edward E. Hale, Mr. Tangier's Vacations (Boston, 1888), pages 45-46.
Multimedia Disc
"How beautiful upon the mountains" -
Music by E. A. Jones (1853-1911)
compiled and edited by Roger Hall- 01 Audio 1: Song of Our Saviour Cantata -
World Premiere Performancxe in Stoughton in 1992- 02 Audio 2: Sacred and Chamber Music (1874-90)
- 03 Booklet: E.A. Jones - His Life and Music
- 04 Research Information
- 05 Video 1: Centennial tribute to E.A. Jones (1987)
- 06 Video 2: 150th Birthday Party at Stoughton Historical Society (2003)
To order this multimedia DVD-ROM playable on computer, go to the CAMP Store (AMRE No. 9) -
click here
Sources
The information on this page was compiled from the following articles and books all of them by E.A. Jones biographer, R.L. Hall, who has studied his music for the past four decades:
- E.A. Jones: His Life and Music (1984)
- "Jones, Edwin Arthur" in The New Grove Dictionary of American Music, Volume Two (Macmillan Press,1986)
- Music in Stoughton: A Brief Survey (1989)
- Multimedia DVD: OLD STOUGHTON -
Singing Meetings and Concerts, 1762-1962
- Singing Stoughton: Highlights from America's Oldest Choral Society (1985)
- Ten Town Tunes - Music From Stoughton, 1770-1990. Stoughton: PineTree Music, 1998. Includes "Old Stoughton " chorus and "Farewell Waltz" by E.A. Jones.
See other recordings available from AMRC
Related AMP Links
Stoughton Music Heritage Series
World's Columbian Exposition Concerts - Chicago, 1893
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