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Catherine and William Gorman Madison Diocesan Choir Spring Concert Theme: Be Thou My Vision |
MADISON — With voices raised heavenward, the Madison Diocesan Choir will present a free Spring Concert on Friday, May 8, at the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center with the classic Irish hymn Be Thou My Vision as the centerpiece and theme of a special program unlike any of the choir’s previous spring concerts.
The extraordinary program by director Patrick Gorman will feature Dublin-born tenor George Breadon of Monroe singing the hymn’s first two verses in Gaelic.
Following his solo, the choir will sing in English a John Rutter arrangement of the hymn for choir and harp. Mary Ann Harr, principal harpist of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, will accompany the choir in its performance of Be Thou My Vision as she did recently at the diocesan Chrism Mass.
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 8. Located at 702 S. High Point Rd., the Bishop O’Connor Center is wheelchair accessible. While the concert is free, the choir appreciates freewill offerings in support of its music ministry.
The choir has more than 70 active members from parishes throughout the diocese. Gorman has been its director for nearly 25 years. He is also director of the Diocese of Madison’s Office of Worship. Glenn Schuster is the choir’s assistant director, accompanying the choir on piano and organ.
Different format
In a departure from past spring concerts, the evening performance will include readings, similar to the choir’s Lessons and Carols liturgical service during the holidays.
Between sets, the audience will hear guest lectors read from the writings of Pope Francis.
Also drawing on the Lessons and Carols format, the audience can join the choir in singing other hymns from the Emerald Isle.
In memory of mother
The concert is a celebration of all things Irish. It is also in remembrance of Gorman’s mother, Catherine, who passed away on February 23, 2014, at the age of 88 in Wooster, Ohio, following a lengthy illness.
Long a favorite of the Irish, Be Thou My Vision now has added significance for the Gorman family, as it was the hymn on her lips in her final days. With offerings given at her services, Gorman purchased the Rutter arrangement, donated it to the choir in her loving memory, and has dedicated the concert to her.
As Gorman tells the story, a minister at the Wooster care center stopped by his mother’s room to visit with her and her husband, William.
Said Gorman, “This was about three or four days before my mom passed away, and he said, ‘Can I sing you a song?’ Oh, she loved music. So he sang the first verse of Be Thou My Vision. And my dad said she was like a little kid. She said, ‘Do it again! Do it again!’ And by the fourth or fifth time, she sang it with him a few times.”
The family asked the minister to sing the hymn at her funeral, and in the weeks that followed, Gorman sought an arrangement for the choir. Although Be Thou My Vision is a popular hymn, the Rutter arrangement for choir and harp proved hard to find. After a number of phone calls, Gorman succeeded in purchasing the music.
Memories of his parents
In an interview, Gorman spoke lovingly of his mother and his father, who survives her.
“They both were from Irish families, very Catholic families,” he said. “Both of their mothers died very young. And so they have a lot of similarities. And mom especially had this kind of old Irish wisdom.”
Both were born in 1925, grew up during the Great Depression, and began their lives as young adults at the time of World War II.
“One of the reasons that was the greatest generation is because they went through some hard times, and so they know about gratitude for people who helped them,” he said.
“They know about not overspending, and not needing so much to be happy, and they know a lot about sacrifice. They had friends who never came back from the war, or if they did, came back and they weren’t the same person.”
Gorman’s father, William, served as an Army medic in World War II and took part in the liberation of the Mauthhausen Nazi concentration camp in Austria.
Harpist to perform
Gorman said he was pleased to have harpist Mary Ann Harr perform with the choir. Harr in turn said she was honored to be part of the concert in memory of his mother. At Gorman’s request, she will also perform a solo.
“Of course, I will have a concert grand harp for the concert, perhaps my electric blue one,” she said.
Soloist to sing in Gaelic
Early in the planning stages, Gorman also discussed the program with Breadon, who offered to sing a verse or two in Gaelic. The verses in Gaelic will be included in the program.
“It’s fascinating, the text and translation, and George sings it with that little Irish lilt,” Gorman said. “It’s so lovely. So I’m looking forward to that, too.”
Breadon, a retired physician and choir member since 1999, said he thoroughly enjoys singing.
“In grade school, we were required to participate in choir as a subject,” he said. “I enjoyed it and sang as a boy soprano with the Palestrina Boy Choir at Dublin’s Cathedral until my voice broke and I was fired.”
Breadon said he remembers the Gaelic Be Thou My Vision from his early years in Ireland and in recent years has sung the hymn at funerals.
Other selections
Among other selections that the choir will perform are Christ Hath a Garden by Near, God is Love by Carter, Mendelssohn’s How Lovely Are the Messengers, and a number of spirituals, including Fountain’s Deep River. The congregational hymns include The King of Love My Shepherd Is.
Taken together, the choir selections, congregational hymns, and writings of Pope Francis promise an uplifting concert and liturgical service.
“Since I started working for the diocese, we’ve had three popes, each with their unique gifts,” Gorman said. “Over time, I have included papal writings in many presentations and a few concerts. I feel like my faith has grown through the different perspectives they have given us.”
Added Gorman, “Pope Francis seems as if he is pastor of the world, a good shepherd who knows his sheep. He is a tangible reminder of how much God loves every person as his own child.
“His perspective is completely different than a western approach to things, which gives him different priorities. Pope Francis has challenged us all just as Jesus continually challenges us. If we listen carefully, his words prick our consciences and make us reflect on the status quo of our faith lives.”