Famous Performers (Conductors and Singers). Учебное пособие по английскому языку для студентов дирижерских факультетов музыкальных вузов

UNIT 5

Vienna Boys’ Choir

Boys have been singing at the court in Vienna since the 14th century. In 1498, more than half a millennium ago, Roman Emperor Maximilian I moved his court and his court musicians to Vienna. He gave instructions that there were to be six singing boys among his musicians. The boys came from different parts of the Roman Empire, from the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and Austria. Historians have settled on 1498 as the foundation date of the Vienna Chapel Imperial, and in consequence, the Vienna Boys’ Choir. Until 1918, the choir sang exclusively for the imperial court, at mass, concerts and on state occasions.

Musicians like Heinrich Isaac, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Salieri, Christoph Willibald Gluck, and Anton Bruckner worked with the choir. Composers Jacobus Gallus, and Franz Schubert were themselves choristers. Brothers Joseph Haydn and Michael Haydn were members of the choir of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and frequently sang with the imperial boys’ choir.

In 1918, after the breakdown of the Habsburg Empire, the Austrian government took over the court opera, its orchestra and the adult singers, but not the boys’ choir. There was not enough money to pay for the boys’ upkeep, and the choir started to give concerts outside of the chapel in 1926, performing motets, secular works, and — at the boys’ request — children’s operas. The impact was amazing. Within a year, the choir performed in Berlin, Prague and Zurich. Athens and Riga followed, then Spain, France, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the United States, Australia and South America. Since 1926, the choir has clocked up close to 1000 tours in 100 different countries.

Today there are 100 choristers from 30 different nations between the ages of ten and fourteen, divided into four touring choirs. Each group spends nine to eleven weeks of the school year on tour. They visit virtually all European countries, and they are frequent guests in Asia, Australia and the Americas.

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Together with members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the men of the Vienna State Opera Chorus, the Vienna Boys’ Choir maintains the tradition of the imperial musicians. They provide the music for the Sunday Mass in Vienna’s Imperial Chapel, as they have done since 1498. In 2012, the choir participated for the fifth time in the New Year’s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Mariss Jansons.

The choir’s repertoire includes everything from medieval to contemporary and experimental music. Motets and lieder for boys’ choir form the core of the touring repertoire, as do the choir’s own arrangements of Viennese music, waltzes and polkas by Lanner and Strauss.

The Vienna Boys’ Choir performs major choral and symphonic works, sometimes with other orchestras and men’s choirs. They are regularly asked to supply soloists for large choral and orchestral works. In recent years, they have performed with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic. Choristers also appear as three boys in Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

I. Fill in the gaps with derivatives of the words in brackets:

1.In 1498, more than half a millennium ago, Roman Emperor Maximilian I moved his court and his court ________ (music) to Vienna.

2.He gave ________ (instruct) that there were to be six singing boys among his musicians.

3.Until 1918, the choir sang ________ (exclude) for the imperial court, at mass, concerts and on state occasions.

4.Brothers Joseph Haydn and Michael Haydn were members of the choir of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and ________ (frequent) sang with the imperial boys’ choir.

5.In 1918, after the breakdown of the Habsburg Empire, the Austrian ________ (govern) took over the court opera, its orchestra and the adult ________(sing), but not the boys’ choir.

6.There was not enough money to pay for the boys’ upkeep, and the choir started to give concerts ________ (out) of the chapel

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in 1926, performing motets, secular works, and — at the boys’ request — children’s operas.

7.Since 1926, the choir has clocked up close to 1000 tours in 100

________ (differ) countries.

8.They visit ________ (virtual) all European countries, and they are frequent guests in Asia, Australia and the Americas.

9.The choir’s repertoire includes everything from medieval to contemporary and ________ (experiment) music.

10.Motets and lieder for boys’ choir form the core of the touring repertoire, as do the choir’s own ________ (arrange) of Viennese music, waltzes and polkas by Lanner and Strauss.

11.The Vienna Boys’ Choir are ________ (regular) asked to supply soloists for large choral and ________ (orchestra) works.

II. Use the appropriate verb form to fill each of the gaps:

1.In 1498, more than half a millennium ago, Roman Emperor Maximilian I ________ (move) his court and his court musicians to Vienna.

2.He ________ (give) instructions that there were to be six singing boys among his musicians.

3.The boys ________ (come) from different parts of the Roman Empire, from the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and Austria.

4.Historians ________ (settle) on 1498 as the foundation date of the Vienna Chapel Imperial, and in consequence, the Vienna Boys’ Choir.

5.Musicians like Heinrich Isaac, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Salieri, Christoph Willibald Gluck, and Anton Bruckner

________(work) with the choir.

6.In 1918 the Austrian government ________ (take) over the court opera, its orchestra and the adult singers, but not the boys’ choir.

7.There was not enough money to pay for the boys’ upkeep, and the choir started to ________ (give) concerts outside of the chapel in 1926, performing motets, secular works, and — at the boys’ request — children’s operas.

8.The impact ________ (amaze). Within a year, the choir performed in Berlin, Prague and Zurich.

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9.Athens and Riga ________ (follow), then Spain, France, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the United States, Australia and South America.

10.Since 1926, the choir _______ (clock) up close to 1000 tours in

100different countries.

11.Today there are 100 choristers from 30 different nations between the ages of ten and fourteen, ________ (divide) into four touring choirs.

12.Each group ______ (spend) nine to eleven weeks of the school year on tour.

13.Together with members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the men of the Vienna State Opera Chorus, the Vienna Boys’ Choir ________ (maintain) the tradition of the imperial musicians.

14.They ________ (provide) the music for the Sunday Mass in Vienna’s Imperial Chapel, as they ________ (do) since 1498.

15.In 2012, the choir participated for the fifth time in the New Year’s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, ________

(conduct) by Mariss Jansons.

16.The choir’s repertoire _______ (include) everything from medieval to contemporary and experimental music.

17.The Vienna Boys’ Choir ________ (perform) major choral and symphonic works, sometimes with other orchestras and men’s choirs.

18.They regularly ______ (ask) to supply soloists for large choral and orchestral works.

19.In recent years, they have performed with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic. Choristers also ________ (appear) as three boys in Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

III. Insert prepositions where necessary:

1.Boys have been singing ________ the court ________ Vienna since the 14th century.

2.________ 1498, more than half a millennium ago, Roman Emperor Maximilian I moved his court and his court musicians

________ Vienna.

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3.He gave instructions that there were ________ be six singing boys among his musicians.

4.The boys came ________ different parts ________ the Roman Empire, ________ the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and Austria.

5.Historians have settled ________ 1498 as the foundation date

________ the Vienna Chapel Imperial, and ________ consequence, the Vienna Boys’ Choir.

6.Until 1918, the choir sang exclusively ________ the imperial court, ________ mass, concerts and ________ state occasions.

7.Musicians like Heinrich Isaac, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Salieri, Christoph Willibald Gluck, and Anton Bruckner worked ________ the choir.

8.Brothers Joseph Haydn and Michael Haydn were members

________ the choir ________ St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and frequently sang ________ the imperial boys’ choir.

9.________ 1918, ________ the breakdown ________ the

Habsburg Empire, the Austrian government took ________

the court opera, its orchestra and the adult singers, but not the boys’ choir.

10.There was not enough money ________ pay ________ the boys’ upkeep, and the choir started ________ give concerts outside

________ the chapel ________ 1926, performing motets, secular works, and — ________ the boys’ request — children’s operas.

11.________ a year, the choir performed ________ Berlin, Prague and Zurich.

12.Since 1926, the choir has clocked ________ close ________ 1000 tours ________ 100 different countries.

13.Today there are 100 choristers ________ 30 different nations

________ the ages ________ ten and fourteen, divided ________

four touring choirs.

14.Each group spends nine ________ eleven weeks ________ the school year ________ tour.

15.They visit virtually all European countries, and they are frequent guests ________ Asia, Australia and the Americas.

16.Together ________ members ________ the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the men ________ the Vienna State Opera Chorus,

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the Vienna Boys’ Choir maintains the tradition ________ the imperial musicians.

17.They provide the music ________ the Sunday Mass ________

Vienna’s Imperial Chapel, as they have done since 1498.

18.________ 2012, the choir participated ________ the fifth time ________ the New Year’s Concert ________ the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted ________ Mariss Jansons.

19.The choir’s repertoire includes everything ________ medieval

________ contemporary and experimental music.

20.Motets and lieder ________ boys’ choir form the core ________

the touring repertoire, as do the choir’s own arrangements

________ Viennese music, waltzes and polkas ________ Lanner and Strauss.

21.The Vienna Boys’ Choir performs major choral and symphonic

works, sometimes ________ other orchestras and men’s choirs.

22.They are regularly asked ________ supply soloists ________

large choral and orchestral works.

23.________ recent years, they have performed ________ the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic.

24.Choristers also appear as three boys ________ Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

IV. Fill the gaps with the words below:

ago, also, asked, breakdown, but, came, consequence, date, impact, large, money, more, moved, outside, own, started, themselves, up, virtually, worked

1.In 1498, ________ than half a millennium ________, Roman Emperor Maximilian I ________ his court and his court musicians to Vienna.

2.The boys ________ from different parts of the Roman Empire, from the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and Austria.

3.Historians have settled on 1498 as the foundation _______ of the Vienna Chapel Imperial, and in _______, the Vienna Boys’ Choir.

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4.Musicians like Heinrich Isaac, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Salieri, Christoph Willibald Gluck, and Anton Bruckner

_______ with the choir.

5.Composers Jacobus Gallus, and Franz Schubert were ________

choristers.

6.In 1918, after the ________ of the Habsburg Empire, the Austrian government took over the court opera, its orchestra and the adult singers, ________ not the boys’ choir.

7.There was not enough ________ to pay for the boys’ upkeep, and the choir ________ to give concerts ________ of the chapel in 1926, performing motets, secular works, and — at the boys’ request — children’s operas.

8.The ________ was amazing.

9.Since 1926, the choir has clocked ________ close to 1000 tours in

100different countries.

10.They visit ________ all European countries, and they are frequent guests in Asia, Australia and the Americas.

11.Motets and lieder for boys’ choir form the core of the touring repertoire, as do the choir’s ________ arrangements of Viennese music, waltzes and polkas by Lanner and Strauss.

12.They are regularly ________ to supply soloists for ________

choral and orchestral works.

13.Choristers ________ appear as three boys in Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

V.Fill the gaps with suitable fragments:

a)and orchestral works

b)they have performed with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

c)the choir sang exclusively for the imperial court

d)since the 14th century

e)wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

f)and experimental music

g)more than half a millennium ago

h)and frequently sang with the imperial boys’ choir

i)as the foundation date of the Vienna Chapel Imperial

j)and Michael Haydn were members of the choir of St

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Boys have been singing at the court in Vienna (1) ________. In 1498, (2) ________, Roman Emperor Maximilian I moved his court and his court musicians to Vienna. Historians have settled on 1498

(3) ________, and in consequence, the Vienna Boys’ Choir. Until 1918, (4) ________, at mass, concerts and on state occasions. Musicians like Heinrich Isaac, (5) ________, Antonio Salieri, Christoph Willibald Gluck, and Anton Bruckner worked with the choir. Composers Jacobus Gallus, and Franz Schubert were themselves choristers. Brothers Joseph Haydn (6) ________. Stephen’s Cathedral, (7) ________.

The choir’s repertoire includes everything from medieval to contemporary (8) ________.

They are regularly asked to supply soloists for large choral (9)

________. In recent years, (10)________, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic.

VI. Mark the following statements true or false:

1.Boys have been singing at the church in Vienna since the 14th century.

2.The choir was founded in 1498 by the Roman Emperor Maximilian I.

3.The boys came to the choir from the Roman Empire only.

4.Until 1918, the choir sang exclusively for the imperial court, at mass, concerts and on state occasions.

5.Many important musicians and composers worked with the choir.

6.In 1918 the Austrian government took over the boys’ choir.

7.The choir started to give concerts outside of the chapel because there was no money to keep it.

8.They performed only sacred music.

9.The choir performed in Berlin, Prague, Zurich and other countries.

10.Today there are 100 choristers from 30 different nations between the ages of ten and fourteen.

11.The boys spend nine to eleven months of the school year on tour.

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12.The choir’s repertoire includes everything from medieval to contemporary and experimental music.

13.The Vienna Boys’ Choir never performs major choral and symphonic works with other orchestras or men’s choirs.

14.Choristers sometimes appear as three boys in Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

VII. Answer the following questions on the text:

1.When did the Vienna Boys’ Choir start?

2.Who founded the choir?

3.Who did the boys have to sing for until 1918?

4.Which composers frequently sang with the imperial boys’ choir?

5.When did the boys’ choir start to give concerts outside of the chapel?

6.What music did they perform?

7.How many countries does the choir regularly visit since 1926?

8.How many choristers are there in the choir at present?

9.Which famous collectives do they perform with?

10.What does the repertoire of the choir include?

11.What are they regularly asked to supply soloists for?

12.In what roles do the choristers also appear in Mozart’s The Magic Flute?

VIII. Retell the text aboutVienna Boys’ Choir.

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