Philharmonic Chorus of Madison
When the Philharmonic Chorus was organized in July, 1946, with the temporary name of The New Madison Choral Society, it had no regular director, no money, no reputation, and no concert schedule; it did have eight determined singers who saw a need for an independent community chorus, one that was self governing and self supporting.
The organizing director was Dr. Kunrad Kvam, who soon thereafter left the Madison area. When The Philharmonic Chorus of Madison became a permanent organization (with its new name) of some eighty members in the fall of 1946, Professor Bjornar Bergethon, director of the University Men's Chorus, became its first regular director. Rehearsals were Monday evenings at the YMCA. Professor Bergethon conducted the Chorus in its debut concert on Sunday, February 16, 1947, in the auditorium of the First Congregational Church.
Being self governing was a fundamental issue for the Philharmonic founders; they wanted a chorus that was not "an extension of a vocational school class." They also believed there was a place in Madison for a group that specialized in a variety of a cappella music and short compositions requiring only light accompaniment, a group that utilized local soloists and fostered music among community youth.
Being self supporting, not tax supported, was another major issue for the organizers, depending upon the voluntary support of members, concert goers, advertisers and patrons. In 1951 the Chorus became the beneficiary of a gift from the bequest of Professor Frederick Austin Ogg, distinguished professor of the University of Wisconsin's Department of Political Science. A few years later an anonymous benefactor provided another generous gift. For many years the spring concert has been free to the public, so patron support has become increasingly important. Another source of income since 1972 has been the opportunity to provide music for the annual Tudor Holiday Dinner Concerts at Wisconsin Memorial Union's Great Hall.
The repertoire presented in concert is varied and extensive. The Philharmonic has sung the masterpieces of Palestrina, Victoria, Di Lasso, Schütz, Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, and many other classical composers, as well as modern and contemporary music by Hindemith, Dello Joio, Britten, Copland, Vaughan Williams, Alfred Burt, Edwin Fissinger, Francis Poulenc, John Tavener, Jean Berger, John Rutter, and others. The Chorus has always taken a special interest in folk music, not only American, but English, Irish, French, Slovak, Russian, Italian, African, and more.
The Chorus has been able to premier a number of works.
Chorus members have always recognized the obligation of social service to the community. They have sung Christmas music for hospitals and nursing homes and have presented several benefit concerts. In 1948 they sang at Wisconsin’s State Centennial. In 1970 they sang at the memorial service of Robert Fassnacht, the victim of the Sterling Hall bombing; Bob was a member of the Philharmonic. Through the years the Chorus has performed in other Wisconsin communities. The Philharmonic is also pleased to continue its scholarship program for young singers to the Summer Music Clinic on the Madison campus.
Sharing the love of choral music, members are admitted by audition and come from all walks of life; both "town and gown" meet in harmony. University faculty, staff, and students join with housewives, public school teachers, business people, and other Madison area residents. While some student members may sing only one or two years, many other members have belonged for more than 25 years.
Since the summer of 1995 the Philharmonic Chorus has enjoyed the expertise of Dr. Patrick Gorman as director. In June, 2002, the Chorus took a two-week performing tour of the British Isles with five scheduled concerts, including St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin and St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, and several impromptu sings. They shared an evening of song with a men's chorus in Mold, Wales.
The Philharmonic Chorus began more than 50 years ago. Joining with patrons, friends, and listeners, the Chorus looks to a fresh, rich future.
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More information about CARDUCCIANA by Oskar Hagen
In 1948, only two years after the Philharmonic Chorus was organized, Oskar Hagen, professor of art history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wrote this choral collection which was dedicated to Dr. Bjornar Bergethon and the Philharmonic Chorus of Madison. Professor Hagen was a gifted man. Llewellyn Pfankuchen, professor emeritus of the political science department and former "Philly," says that Oskar Hagen was THE art history department at the time.
Oskar Hagen was born on October 14, 1888, at Wiesbaden, Germany. He received his doctorate from the University of Halle and subsequently became professor of art history at the University of Goettingen. As Carl Schurz visiting professor, he came to Wisconsin, where his unique talents and impressive accomplishments gained him an invitation to stay. In 1925 Professor Hagen established the Department of Art History and served as its chairman for 22 years.
Being more than an art historian in the strictest sense, Oskar Hagen loved music. It was love of this art form that led him, while still in Germany, to the revival of the operas of George Frederick Handel and their adaptation for the modern musical stage. For this outstanding contribution to the world of music he was honored many times, most notably by election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Art, London, in 1937. In later years he turned to musical composition and from this creative effort came the "Concerto Grosso," "Choral Rhapsody," "Wisconsin Summer," and other works honored in their performance by both American and European musical organizations.
Professor Hagen was the author of a great number of art history books, among them ART EPOCHS AND THEIR LEADERS, THE BIRTH OF THE AMERICAN TRADITIION, and PATTERNS AND PRINCIPLES OF SPANISH ART. At the time of his death, October 5, 1957, he was working on a manuscript for ART HISTORY OF THE THEARE. (Speaking of theatre, his daughter is actress Uta Hagen.)
CARDUCCIANA is a collection of three poems by Giosue Carducci (1835-1907), who was professor of literary history at the University of Bologna. In 1906 Carducci won the Nobel Prize "not only in recognition of his wide learning and critical research, but also as a tribute to the vitality and lyrical grace that distinguish his poetic masterpieces." The three Carducci poems that Oskar Hagen chose were "Maggiolata" ("May Song"), "Serenata" ("Evening Greeting"), and "Mattinata" ("Morning Greeting").
The Philharmonic Chorus performed CARDUCCIANA as part of its spring concert in May of 1949. A reception was held in the Waubesa Room at the Park Hotel honoring Mr. and Mrs. Hagen and Mr. and Mrs. Bjornar Bergethon. This was the last concert "Bergie" would direct, for Dr. and Mrs. Bergethon moved to Ridgewood, N.J., the following summer. On June 7th, 40 members selected by Dr. Bergethon (to obtain the best possible blending of voices and balance of parts) worked with him for two hours on the difficult spots of the CARDUCCIANA and then broadcast it over station WHA-FM. As part of the program Professor Hagen read the English translation of the text of each of the three numbers before it was sung. A recording was made of the program as it was broadcast; the Philharmonic Chorus library has the recording.
NB: This text is based on the article by Marie LaFontaine from the March 29, 1988, edition of Demi Semi Quavers.
A. Kunrad Kvam Originally director of the Madison Civic Chorus Organizing director, July, 1946 Bjornar Bergethon UW Madison School of Music 1946 – 1949 Robert G. Petzold UW Madison School of Music 1949 – 1952 Bernhardt H. Westlund Chairman, Department of Music Milton College 1952 – 1960 Samuel M. Jones UW Madison School of Music 1960 – 1961 Michael B. Petrovich UW Madison Department of History 1961 – 1963 Samuel M. Jones UW Madison School of Music 1963 – 1966 Vance Y. George UW Madison School of Music 1966 - 1967 Samuel M. Jones UW Madison School of Music 1967 – 1994 Margaret H. Hadley (Interim Director) Music Department Madison West High School Spring, 1995 Patrick Gorman Diocese of Madison Fall, 1995 -- Present
In 1972, the first year The Philharmonic Chorus of Madison performed the Tudor Dinner Concerts, alto Marie Ellingson prepared a history of the Tudor programs by beginning with the following text written by Mrs. Raymond Dvorak and printed in a 1967 Tudor Singers dinner program:
TUDOR SINGERS (1933-1967)The Tudor Singers were organized in October of 1933 as a social group singing for fun. Eight students in the University of Wisconsin School of Music led by Florence Hunt (Mrs. Raymond Dvorak) and Katharine Lee (Mrs. Edward Schantz) asked the late Professor Edgar B. Gordon to be their leader. The name Tudor Singers was chosen because they wanted to sing madrigals of the Tudor period. The original intention of the group was not to give public performances, but they were persuaded to sing a Christmas program at the University Club and a week later at the Wisconsin Union in December, 1933.
Since that time, the group has annually presented the Tudor Dinner Concert in December as well as concerts of non-seasonal repertoire throughout the year. Professor Gordon was the beloved director until 1959 when Professor J. Russell Paxton took over the leadership. In 1962 the Tudor Singers became a student group as a School of Music course for credit. Since 1965 when Professor Paxton retired, their director has been Mr. Vance George. Under Mr. George’s direction the group has performed Chamber Music from all periods. This year the Tudor Singers for the first time recreate the atmosphere of a banquet in Tudor England with the addition of period costumes through the generous cooperation of Wisconsin Players.
The spirit, imagination, love of music, and performances of Tudor Singers 1967 is a continuum of Tudor Singers of 1933.
Marie Ellingson continues by saying that after Vance George departed from Madison, the 1971 Tudor Dinners were under the direction of Mr. Lawrence Roebler, choral conductor of the School of Music staff.
In 1972 Professor Samuel M. Jones directed The Philharmonic Chorus of Madison at Tudors; the Chorus performed only four nights, using a 'platoon' system of singers. In 1973 the event was called the Tudor Holiday Dinner Concert (sic) and the Chorus performed six nights. The holiday occasion became known as the Tudor Holiday Dinner Concerts in 1977. In 1979 the Chorus was performing seven nights, in 1981 with Monday night breaks. Professor Jones led the Philharmonic through the Tudor Dinners of 1994, after which he retired as director.
In 1995 Dr. Patrick Gorman became the director of The Philharmonic Chorus of Madison and has continued the performances at the Wisconsin Union Tudor Holiday Dinner Concerts to the present.
Please direct any comments or questions about the Chorus or about this webpage to the
Philharmonic Chorus Webpage group.
Last updated March 9, 2007.