Baroque music | Kile Smith • composer

Vespers for a Bach orchestra

by Kile Smith | Dec 16, 2017 | Baroque music, Choral music, new music, Orchestral Music, Vocal music

Vespers selections: (1) Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, (7) Psalm 113, (10) Magnificat, (13) Deo gratias. Re-orchestrated for the instrumentation of the J. S. Bach Cantata No. 1, Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern: 2 Oboes da caccia, 2 Horns, Organ, Strings....

The Symphony’s Declaration of Independence

by Kile Smith | Oct 3, 2017 | Baroque music, Classical music, Radio, WRTI

Discoveries from the Fleisher Collection, Saturday, Oct. 7th, 5 to 6 pm… Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) is the “Father of the Symphony” in the same way that George Washington (born the same year) is the “Father of our Country.” Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration...

Three More Things I Learn from Bach

by Kile Smith | Sep 28, 2016 | Baroque music, Broad Street Review, Classical music

[First published 27 September 2016 in the Broad Street Review. Edited and reprinted here by permission.] A while back I considered three things I learned from Bach. I’ve wanted to add to them ever since, partly because there are more, and partly because I just saw a...

Nobility of Women in Chamber Music America

by Kile Smith | Jan 8, 2015 | Baroque music, CDs, Chamber Music, new music

The Baroque/New music group Mélomanie is featured in the current Chamber Music America magazine, coinciding with the release of their new CD Excursions. The CD includes my work for them, The Nobility of Women (with guest-artist Priscilla Herreid), and the article...

Bach Secular and Sacred

by Kile Smith | Dec 3, 2014 | Baroque music, church music, Classical music, liturgical music, Lutheran, Radio, WRTI

On Discoveries from the Fleisher Collection, Saturday, December 6th, 5-6 pm. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht, BWV 211, “Coffee Cantata” (c.1735) Bach: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 (1716, rev. 1723), excerpts...

The Taste of Bach and Harpsichords

by Kile Smith | Oct 29, 2014 | Baroque music, Fleisher Collection, WRTI

Discoveries from the Fleisher Collection, Saturday November 1st, 2014 at 5 pm Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Concerto for Flute, Violin, Harpsichord in A minor, BWV 1044. Andrew Manze, violin (conductor), Rachel Brown, flute, Richard Egarr, harpsichord, Academy of...

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At a glance

May. Kile Smith and April Showers, paper by Anthony Zogaib, History of Western Music, Case Western Reserve University

12 May. I Want to Write a Book of Praise from The Arc in the Sky. Chor Leoni and The Leonids, Erick Lichte. Vancouver, BC, Canada

12 May. The Consolation of Apollo. Westminster Choir College, James Jordan

13 May. “I Want to Write a Book of Praise” from The Arc in the Sky. Chor Leoni and The Leonids, Erick Lichte. Vancouver, BC, Canada

14 May. You Are Most Welcome. Nexus Vocal Ensemble, Lennie Cottrell, Portland OR

22 May. New arrangements for treble voices and harp of Psalm 113 from Vespers, and Monstra te essem matrem from Ave Maris Stella. iSing Girlchoir, Jennah Delp. Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph San Jose CA, 4:00

28 May. Sometimes It Happens So. Presentation by Nell Flanders and Kile Smith, Bryn Mawr College

5 Jun. Grandmother’s Garden. Gleeksman-Kohn Children’s Choir, Settlement Music School, Rae Ann Anderson. First United Methodist, Germantown, Philadelphia

11 Jun. A Child’s Afternoon. Anna Meyer, flute, Erik Meyer, organ. The 10th Annual Kimmel Center Organ Day, American Guild of Organists—Philadelphia Chapter

29 Jun. Where Flames a Word. Classical Discoveries, Marvin Rosen, WPRB

1 Jul. Alleluia. Serenades Choral, David Hayes, Noto, Chiesa di Santa Chiara, Italy

2 Jul. Alleluia. Serenades Choral, David Hayes, Siracusa, Chiesa di San Filippo Apostolo, Italy

3 Jul. The Dawn’s Early Light. Modern Notebook, Tyler Kline, WUSF, Tampa FL

3 Jul. Alleluia. Serenades Choral, David Hayes, Ragusa Ibla, Duomo San Giorgio, Italy

Recent CDs

The Bremen Town Musicians. English Symphony Orchestra, Gemma Whelan, narrator, Kenneth Woods, conductor. Fiddles, Forests, and Fowl Fables.

The Arc in the Sky. The Crossing. 2020 Grammy nomination, Best Choral Performance

Canticle and Alleluia. Vocal Arts Ensemble. 2020 Grammy, Classical Producer of the Year, Blanton Alspaugh

In This Blue Room, other songs. Lyric Fest

A Child’s Afternoon. Fantasmagoria. Anna K. Meyer, flute, & Erik Meyer, organ

The Nobility of Women. Mélomanie

The Stars Shine, from The Consolation of Apollo. The Same Stream

Vespers. Piffaro, the Renaissance Band, and The Crossing

Where Flames a Word. The Crossing

Where Flames a Word. Voces Tallinn. 2020 Estonian Recording of the Year

Where Flames a Word. Khorikos

Where Flames a Word. Chicago Chamber Choir

Selected publications

The Star-Spangled Banner. SATB, piano, opt. cello, 5’30”. Hal Leonard

Alleluia. SATB, 6′. Hal Leonard

The Consolation of Apollo. SATB, perc, 35′. MusicSpoke

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. SATB, bells, 3′. Hal Leonard

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. SATB, org, 3′. Concordia.