Musical Musings

The Schnell Concert

Long ago, in 1971, when I was a junior at Northern Illinois University and spent most of my free time in the music department, there was a group of graduate students and faculty who got together and formed a choral ensemble. They called themselves the "Schnell Chorale," having been inspired by the Reinhardt Schnell Memorial Hangar, which I can't find on Google. But I believe it, because the translation for Schnell from German to English goes something like this: rapid, expeditious, fast, hurry. quick, quickly, rapidly, speedily, swiftly---and they were anything but. They were witty, ironic people; also, stately, elegant, and magical, with voices like spun silk. I only remember a few of the names: Curt G. Schmitt was the director. Margaret (Marge) Willing the soprano. There was a Marvin Wooten, I believe. And they gave a concert - just one concert, a jewel I will never forget. I will have to go back to my college scrapbooks and try to find the program of the Schnell Concert.

The Schnell Concert was given at St. Mary's Catholic Church in DeKalb, before the fire that took out their rose window and the magnificent Howell organ. Late afternoon sun slanted through the stained-glass windows as I sat, entranced, in a pew in the center of the sanctuary. I remember the pieces they sang- perhaps not in this order:

Mass No. 2 in G Major, D. 167 -- Franz Schubert

Graduale in F, "Sancta Maria, mater Dei" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

"Laudate Dominum" from "Vesperae solenne de Confessore", K. 339, for soprano solo and string quartet-- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Motet in D, "Ave verum Corpus" - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Dr. Robert H. Reeves played the organ. The concert took my breath away. It was a short concert, and it was perfect. I can still hear Marge Willing's voice soaring as she sang the Laudate Dominum.

I did find that program, and I burned those pieces onto a CD-- so I have replicated the Schnell Concert. I wish I had the names and addresses of all the people who made it happen. I'd send them each a copy.

Laudate dominum
Omnes gentes
Laudate eum
Omnes, omnes populi
Quoninam confirmata est
Super nos misere cordia ejus
Et veritus, veritus Domini
Manet, manet in aeternum
Amen, amen