Notre Dame Chorale Concludes Winter Tour in Louisville

By Henry C. Mayer

Imagine being on the road singing every night for seven straight stops; that was the rigorous schedule that Dr.Alexander Blachly and his Notre Dame Chorale set prior to their Louisville stop.

In existence for nearly a quarter of a century, the Notre Dame Chorale brought thirty-two talented students from Notre Dame and St. Mary's, along with accompanist Mark Harris to Louisville for an unforgetable evening of music both inspiring and beautiful. The ensemble included Harlan, Kentucky native Ms. Tara Grieshop.

Their program had three distinct parts:Carols, some of which are not always heard frequently;Anthems, basically religious music featuring works by the Englishman William Byrd, the Italian, Palestrina and three Germans: Heinrich Schutz, Johann Christoph Bach and Johannes Brahms; andChoruses and Solos from Handel'sMessiah. Mastro Blachly reminded us that theMessiah, now a specialty of the Chorale, was composed in a mere twenty-one days.

He graciously shared the mike with a number of students who handled it with poise.

The performance was well received and the music was a stirring and unforgetable close to the Christmas Season.