Articles Tagged with Gregory Mercer

We Are Innocent, op. 94

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cantata on letters of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg, 1987-88, 45’30”

for baritone (or tenor), soprano, and optional chorus, with piano or orchestra

in 12 movements, prelude & 2 interludes.

First complete performance by Helene Williams and Peter Schlosser,

with composer at piano, on “Meet the Composer” grant,

at Bryant Library, Roslyn 6/14/88;

also perf. at Museum of Fine Art (Roslyn)10/6/88,

Community Church of Boston, 12/11/88, WESPAC (Ardsley, NY) 12/22/88;

prem. with (Metropolitan Philharmonic) Chorus

at Community Church of NY 6/19/88

also perf. WQXR-AM, NY (“The Listening Room”) 12/8/88

#2, 1, 7 & 4 perf. at Weill Recital Hall benefit for Ezrath Nashim 6/14/89

and at Temple Sinai of Roslyn 8/20/89

prem. w/Soloists, Chorus & Orchestra:

Metropolitan Philharmonic Chorus & Orch, cond. by composer

[Associate Conductor: Bill Grossman]

Marymount Manhattan Theater 6/11/89;

video on YouTube as indicated below:

audio recording: OPUS ONE #145

other perfs w/Helene Williams, Ronald Edwards & Chor:

Plandome Unitarian Church 6/19/93;

w/Helene Williams, Gregory Mercer & Chor:

6/15/03 Puffin Cultural Forum, Teaneck NJ;

6/18/03 Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, Manhattan

Prelude

1) Childhood Memories (Julius)

2) The Shofar (Ethel [+Chorus])

3) Together (Julius & Ethel)

4) We Are Innocent (Julius & Ethel [+Chorus])

5) How Sad I Was To Leave You (Ethel) + Interlude

6) How Much You Have Given Me (Julius)

7) The Astounding Spectacle (Ethel & Julius [+Chorus])

7A) Interlude

8) A Visit From Mother (Ethel)

9) Of Course It Isn’t Easy (Julius)

10) “Mercy”?

11) On the Threshold of Death (Julius)

(Variations on a theme by Edith Segal, used by permission)

12) To Michael & Robert (Ethel & Julius [+Chorus])

Ma Adam (What Is Man?), op. 103

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in Hebrew or in English, for tenor & organ

text from Psalms, translation by composer

for Cantor Charles Osborne 9/89

premiered by him & composer, Temple Emanuel, Newton MA

9/29/90 (Yom Kippur)

also performed by Gregory Mercer & composer,

Temple Judea, Manhasset, NY 4/3/03

Smoking Glasses, op. 120 #3

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#3 of Three Completions of Songs Begun by Marc Blitzstein

completion of 1938 musical sketch for voice & piano, 7/95

recorded by Gregory Mercer & Leonard Lehrman,

Original Cast Records OC 4441,

and published in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v.2

(Boosey & Hawkes, 2001)

Wooing, The, op. 158

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one-act opera for SATB (24’07”)

libretto by Lewis Allan (Abel Meeropol), originally for Elie Siegmeister,

one-act opera after Anton Chekhov’s Medved’, premiered by

Helene Williams, Tara Venditti, Gregory Mercer, Gregory Rahming

conducted by composer, Queens College, 2/23/03

recorded on Original Cast Records CD 6055

The Abel Meeropol Centennial Concert

What Is God?: An End to War, op. 180

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Ode from Euripides’ Helen (2’30”) for 2 voices & piano

in Greek or in English translation by composer

(with thanks to Elizabeth Horton & Paul Rapoport) Autumn 2006

premiered by Helene Williams, Gregory Mercer & composer,2007

by Helene Williams, Katherine Wieckhorst & composer, 2008