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The Mendelssohn Glee
Club of New York City was founded in 1866, celebrating its
150th anniversary in 2016. Named for composer Felix
Mendelssohn, the Club has presented at least two free
concerts in every year since its founding. The nonprofit
organization is the oldest noncollege-affiliated men’s
chorus in the country and the second oldest independent
musical organization (after the New York Philharmonic).
The Club gives two major performances a year,
in May and December.
Repertoire
We are always adding to our eclectic library of over 1,600
male choral pieces. Our repertoire includes art songs,
ballads, spirituals, hymns, seasonal works, operatic
choruses, lieder, barbershop songs, and selections from
musical theater.
Historic
highlights
The glee club
received accolades from Sir Arthur Sullivan and Arturo
Toscanini and sang at the dedication of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in 1888. Its
conductors have included Joseph Mosenthal, Edward
MacDowell, Frank Damrosch, Cesare Sodero, Emerson Buckley,
and John Royer Bogue. Guest soloists have included Victor
Herbert, Helen Traubel, Aprile Millo, and Emily Pulley.
Click here to see detailed history.
Benefit recitals and
special performances
The
Club serves the community by performing at local hospitals and
senior centers and singing at special events.
We
welcome the opportunity to share our joy of singing. If you would be
interested in having the Club perform for your organization, please
contact us.
Documentary about MGC
Men Who Sing: The
56-minute documentary follows the Club from rehearsals
through performances over two years, providing glimpses of
the singers and conductor at work and at play, and features
interviews with both members and others connected to the
chorus.
Click here to order DVD from Amazon.com.
About Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn was
born on February 3, 1809, in Hamburg, Germany. His best-known works
include A Midsummer Night's Dream (with the famous "Wedding March");
his four symphonies (especially the "Italian"
and the "Scottish"); a violin concerto; piano pieces entitled
Songs Without Words; and the oratorio Elias (a
large-scale work for chorus, orchestra, and soloists).
Mendelssohn inspired the creation
of many choral clubs -- amateur and professional -- including the
Mendelssohn Glee Club of New York City, founded in 1866.
The
Mendelssohn name was adopted in recognition of the composer's
important role, historically, in choral music. Not the least of his
contributions to European and world culture was his crusade to bring
attention to the choral works, genius, and deserved preeminence of
Johann Sebastian Bach. |
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In 2016 the Mendelssohn Glee Club celebrated its 150th
anniversary with two gala concerts.
An Opera Slam was presented at Merkin Concert Hall
on May 10, 2016. The guest soloists, eight artists from the
world of opera, included Met stars soprano Aprile Millo and
tenor Barry Banks.
The Club performed works from its extensive
repertoire and new music, with a premiere by celebrated
composer Mohammed Fairouz.
WQXR morning host Jeff Spurgeon emceed the event,
local politicians presented proclamations and
plaques, and the Club was honored to have a vice
president of the New-York Historical Society, Dr.
Valerie Paley, give a brief talk about the cultural
life of New York City in the1860s.
see video below
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