Wheaton College Vespers, 2025

rs pe s e V orale & h C n o t a Whe s r Singer uctor Chambe , cond

utkevich L a r d n a Alex

December 3, 2025 7:00 p.m.

Cole Memorial Chapel | Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts

Notes to the Audience: Please help us maintain the spirit of the Vespers tradition: •

Please reserve all applause until following Garrett’s Earth Song toward the end of the program.

•

Kindly silence your cell phones

•

During the carols, please stand as you are able and join us in singing!

Thank you!

Vespers

Wheaton has celebrated the holidays in song and verse for more than eighty years. Over the decades, the Vespers concert has evolved with the increasing diversity of the college to include a wide range of music and writings, both sacred and secular, from varied cultures and traditions. In recent years, our Vespers concerts have featured music from six continents and ten centuries.

This year, we are pleased to present pieces and poetry to you centered on the theme of love, in both the most intimate and most broad senses.

We hope that you enjoy the program, and wish you a wonderful holiday season.

Thanks to:

All of the musicians and readers who joined us in performance this evening, Jessica Kuszaj, Kristina Kalogeras and the Arts Office for help with programs, publicity and logistics, George Lane for their tireless work as Chorale Assistant, and a huge thank you to Yuri Son, our amazing collaborative pianist, for her guidance and extensive work with the students.

Chorale:

Chamber Singers:

Emily Bellows Amanda Bergeron Marin Binder Jaxson Borges Mia Boudreau Jill Brown Mallory Canning Caleb Cascio Pierce Connolly Hayla Davis Lucy Dibble Owen Dietrich Aud Dodge Loic Ebelle Leo Edwards Sydney Esper Maggie Gould Lily Hazelbaker Gareth Jones Dorothy Joseph George Lane Annabel Morris El Parks Kira Powell Susana Quintas Bosz Aidan Strovnik Fern Tamagini-O’Donnell Serafina Velazquez Anna Willi Reymond Woessner Anya Yigit

Marin Binder Mia Boudreau Mallory Canning Caleb Cascio Pierce Connolly Leo Edwards Jacob Goldman Lily Hazelbaker George Lane Annabel Morris Aidan Strovnik Fern Tamagini-O’Donnell Reymond Woessner Alexandra Lutkevich, director

Instrumentalists: Yuri Son*, piano Juan Mesa*, organ Sheila Falls-Keohane*, violin *indicates Wheaton faculty

Readers: Jonathan Millen Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Michaele Whelan President, Wheaton College

Suite “Euterpe” from Musicalischer Parnassus Johann K. F. Fischer (1656–1746) Praeludium Allemande Menuet Chaconne —Juan Mesa, college organist

Angels We Have Heard On High Music: Gloria, arr. Edwin S. Barnes (1887–1958) Text: Les Anges dans nos campagnes, French carol tr. James Chadwick (1813–1882)

Insanae et Vanae Curae Music: Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) Text: Unknown

I Would Like to be Deaf to the World’s Noise Vittoria Colonna (1490–1547) —Jonathan Millen, reader

I Love All Beauteous Things Music: Judith Weir (b. 1954) Text: Robert Bridges (1844–1930) Insanae et vanae curae invadunt mentes nostras; saepe furore replent corda, privata spe.

Insane and useless worries invade our minds; often fury fills the heart, deprived of hope.

Quid prodest O mortalis conari pro mundanis, si coelos negligas.

Sunt fausta tibi cuncta, si Deus est pro te.

What good, O mortal, to strive for worldly things, if you neglect the heavens?

All things work in your favor, with God on your side.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear Music: Richard Storrs Willis (1819–1900) Text: Edmund Sears (1810–1876)

Sure on This Shining Night Text: James Agee (1909–1955) Music: Samuel Barber (1910–1981)

The Coolin from Reincarnations, Op. 16 Text: James Stephens (1880–1950), after the Irish of Raftery Music: Samuel Barber (1910–1981)

Nearness of the Beloved (Nähe des Geliebten) Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) tr. Richard Wigmore —Jonathan Millen, reader

Quartette, Op. 92 Music: Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) 1. O schöne Nacht Text: Georg F. Daumer (1800-1875)

O lovely night! tr. Emily Ezust

O schöne Nacht!

Am Himmel märchenhaft Erglänzt der Mond in seiner ganzen Pracht; Um ihn der kleinen Sterne liebliche Genossenschaft.

O lovely night!

In the heavens, the moon gleams magically in all its splendour; about it, the sweet comradeship of tiny stars.

Es schimmert hell der Tau Am grünen Halm; mit Macht Im Fliederbusche schlägt die Nachtigall; Der Knabe schleicht zu seiner Liebsten sachtO schöne Nacht!

The dew glimmers brightly on the green blades of grass; with great power, the nightingale sings out in the elder-bush; the young man steals quietly to his sweetheartO lovely night!

2. Spätherbst Text: Hermann Allmers (1821–1902)

Late Autumn tr. Emily Ezust

Der graue Nebel tropft so still Herab auf Feld und Wald und Heide, Als ob der Himmel weinen will In übergroßem Leide.

The grey mist drops down so silently upon the field, wood and heath that it is as if Heaven wanted to weep in overwhelming sorrow.

Die Blumen wollen nicht mehr blühn, Die Vöglein schweigen in den Hainen, Es starb sogar das letzte Grün, Da mag er auch wohl weinen.

The flowers will bloom no more, the birds are mute in the groves, and the last bit of green has died; Heaven should indeed be weeping.

3. Abendlied Text: Frederich Hebbel (1813–1863)

Evening Song tr. Emily Ezust

Friedlich bekämpfen Nacht sich und Tag. Wie das zu dämpfen, Wie das zu lösen vermag!

Peacefully does night struggle with the day: How to muffle it, how to dissolve it.

Der mich bedrückte, Schläfst du schon, Schmerz?

Was mich beglückte Sage, was war’s doch, mein Herz?

That which depressed me, are you already asleep, o Pain?

That which made me happy, say, what was it, my heart?

Freude wie Kummer, Fühl’ ich, zerrann, Aber den Schlummer Führten sie leise heran.

Joy, like anguish, I feel has melted away, but they have gently invoked slumber instead.

Und im Entschweben, Immer empor, Kommt mir das Leben Ganz, wie ein Schlummerlied vor.

And as I float away, ever skyward, it occurs to me that life is just like a lullaby.

4. Warum?

Text: J.W. von Goethe (1749–1897)

Why? Tr. Emily Ezust

Warum doch erschallen Himmelwärts die Lieder?

Zögen gerne nieder Sterne, die droben Blinken und wallen, Zögen sich Lunas Lieblich Umarmen, Zögen die warmen, Wonnigen Tage Seliger Götter Gern uns herab!

Why then do songs Resound heavenward?

They would gladly lure down The stars, which Gleam and wander above; They would entice Luna’s Lovely embraces, And invoke the warm, Blissful days Of blessed godsGladly would they do this!

Rock of Ages, Let Our Song Music: Maoz Tsur, German synagogue melody Text: Chanukah text, Leopold Stein (1810–1882)

On the Beach Mary Oliver (1935–2019) —President Michaele Whelan, reader

Five Hebrew Love Songs Music: Eric Whitacre (b. 1970) Text: Hila Plitmann (b. 1973) 1. Temuna ‫תמונה‬ Temuná belibí charutá; Nodédet beyn ór uveyn ófel: Min dmamá shekazó et guféch kach otá Usaréch al paná’ich kach nófel.

A Picture A picture is engraved in my heart; Moving between light and darkness: A sort of silence envelops your body, And your hair falls upon your face just so.

2. Kala Kalla ‫קלה כלה‬ Kalá kallá Kulá shelí.

U’vekalút Tishák hí lí!

Light Bride Light bride She is all mine, And lightly She will kiss me!

3. Larov ‫ובלר‬ “Laróv,” amár gag la’shama’im, “Hamerchák shebeynéynu hu ad; Ach lifnéy zman alu lechán shna’im, Uveynéynu nishár sentiméter echád.”

Mostly “Mostly,” said the roof to the sky, “the distance between you and I is endlessness; But a while ago two came up here, and only one centimeter was left between us.”

4. Eyze Shelleg! ‫שלג איזה‬ Éyze shéleg!

Kmo chalamót ktaním Noflím mehashamá’im.

What Snow!

What snow!

Like little dreams Falling from the sky.

5. Rakut ‫רכות‬ Hi haytá kasha.

Vechól káma shenistá lehishaér kach, Pashút, uvlí sibá tová, Lakách otá el toch atzmó, Veheníach Bamakóm hachí, hachí rach.

Tenderness He was full of tenderness; She was very hard.

And as much as she tried to stay thus, Simply, and with no good reason, He took her into himself, And set her down in the softest, softest place.

—Caleb Cascio, tambourine

—Mallory Canning, soloist

Invitation to Love Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) —President Michaele Whelan, reader

The Lesson Music: Marques L.A. Garrett (b. 1984) Text: Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906)

An Earth Song Music: Marques L.A. Garrett Text: Langston Hughes (1901–1967)

On This Day, Earth Shall Ring Text: Piae Cantiones 1582, tr. Jane M. Joseph (1894–1929) Music: Personent hodie, melody from Pies Cantiones, 1582

In dulci jubilo (BWV 729) J. S. Bach (1685–1750) —Juan Mesa, college organist