97-513: The Polyphonic Spree is an American choral rock band from Dallas, Texas that was formed in 2000 by singer/songwriter Tim DeLaughter . The band's pop and rock songs are augmented by a large vocal choir , and instruments such as flute , trumpet , french horn , trombone , violin , viola , cello , percussion , piano , guitars , bass , drums , electronic keyboards , and EWI . DeLaughter's previous group, Tripping Daisy , came to an abrupt end in 1999 when guitarist Wes Berggren died of
194-482: A basso continuo "for harpsichord or lute".) His pupil Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672) (who had earlier studied with Giovanni Gabrieli ) introduced the new style to Germany. Alongside the new music of the seconda pratica , contrapuntal motets in the stile antico or old style continued to be written well into the 19th century. Choirs at this time were usually quite small and that singers could be classified as suited to church or to chamber singing. Monteverdi, himself
291-520: A basso seguente , a part on a single staff containing the lowest sounding part (the bass part). A new genre was the vocal concertato , combining voices and instruments; its origins may be sought in the polychoral music of the Venetian school . Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643) brought it to perfection with his Vespers and his Eighth Book of Madrigals, which call for great virtuosity on the part of singers and instruments alike. (His Fifth Book includes
388-433: A chorale or chorus (from Latin chorus , meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music , in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words is the music performed by the ensemble. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which spans from the medieval era to the present, or popular music repertoire. Most choirs are led by
485-443: A conductor , who leads the performances with arm, hand, and facial gestures. The term choir is very often applied to groups affiliated with a church (whether or not they actually occupy the quire ), whereas a chorus performs in theatres or concert halls, but this distinction is not rigid. Choirs may sing without instruments, or accompanied by a piano , accordion, pipe organ , a small ensemble, or an orchestra . A choir can be
582-423: A piano may also be done with musical theatre pit orchestras . Communication is typically non-verbal during a performance (this is strictly the case in art music , but in jazz big bands or large pop ensembles, there may be occasional spoken instructions). However, in rehearsals , the conductor will often give verbal instructions to the ensemble, since they generally also serve as an artistic director who crafts
679-499: A bass instrument (e.g., violone ). Baroque vocal music explored dramatic implications in the realm of solo vocal music such as the monodies of the Florentine Camerata and the development of early opera . This innovation was in fact an extension of established practice of accompanying choral music at the organ, either from a skeletal reduced score (from which otherwise lost pieces can sometimes be reconstructed) or from
776-408: A cappella motets. The amateur chorus (beginning chiefly as a social outlet) began to receive serious consideration as a compositional venue for the part-songs of Schubert, Schumann , Mendelssohn, Brahms, and others. These 'singing clubs' were often for women or men separately, and the music was typically in four-part (hence the name " part-song ") and either a cappella or with simple instrumentation. At
873-568: A challenge to teaching this age range. Nationally, male students are enrolled in choir at much lower numbers than their female students. The music education field has had a longtime interest in the "missing males" in music programs. Speculation as to why there are not as many boys in choir, and possible solutions vary widely. One researcher found that boys who enjoy choir in middle school may not always go on to high school choir because it simply does not fit into their schedules. Some research speculates that one reason that boys' participation in choir
970-432: A choir director. Most often choirs consist of four sections intended to sing in four part harmony, but there is no limit to the number of possible parts as long as there is a singer available to sing the part: Thomas Tallis wrote a 40-part motet entitled Spem in alium , for eight choirs of five parts each; Krzysztof Penderecki 's Stabat Mater is for three choirs of 16 voices each, a total of 48 parts. Other than four,
1067-428: A church, opera house, school or village hall. In some cases choirs join up to become one "mass" choir that performs for a special concert. In this case they provide a series of songs or musical works to celebrate and provide entertainment to others. Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as a choral concert , by way of visible gestures with the hands, arms, face and head. The primary duties of
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#17327760541901164-399: A drug overdose. The Polyphonic Spree was formed, in part, in reaction to Berggren's death. In 2000, DeLaughter collaborated with 12 other musicians to put together a sound that reflected the music he grew up with. He wanted to explore the orchestral palette and pop sensibility of The Beatles , The Association , The 5th Dimension , Wings , Electric Light Orchestra and The Beach Boys and
1261-430: A full orchestra of 70 to 100 musicians; for rehearsals a piano or organ accompaniment is often used, even if a different instrumentation is planned for performance, or if the choir is rehearsing unaccompanied music. With the new prevalence of electronic devices, small groups can use these together with learning tracks for both group rehearsals and private practice. Many choirs perform in one or many locations such as
1358-474: A medal, and a document confirming the prize amount. The money awarded varies over time, depending on the profitability of the Nobel bequest's investments and the exchange rate to the recipient's local currency. Around 2020, typical awards were on the order of roughly 10 million SEK , which translated to roughly 1 million USD. Since 1990, the ceremony has taken place at Oslo City Hall . From 1947 to 1989,
1455-490: A prize category. As he was a trained chemical engineer, the categories for chemistry and physics were obvious choices. The reasoning behind the peace prize is less clear. According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, his friendship with Bertha von Suttner , a peace activist and later recipient of the prize, profoundly influenced his decision to include peace as a category. Some Nobel scholars suggest it
1552-485: A singer, is documented as taking part in performances of his Magnificat with one voice per part. Independent instrumental accompaniment opened up new possibilities for choral music. Verse anthems alternated accompanied solos with choral sections; the best-known composers of this genre were Orlando Gibbons and Henry Purcell . Grands motets (such as those of Lully and Delalande ) separated these sections into separate movements. Oratorios (of which Giacomo Carissimi
1649-440: A small amplified band to accompany the singing, and Roman Catholic Churches may use, at their discretion, additional orchestral accompaniment. In addition to leading of singing in which the congregation participates, such as hymns and service music, some church choirs sing full liturgies, including propers (introit, gradual, communion antiphons appropriate for the different times of the liturgical year ). Chief among these are
1746-428: A small number of Norwegian academics with expertise in subject areas relating to the prize. Advisers usually have some months to complete reports, which are then considered by the committee to select the laureate. The Committee seeks to achieve a unanimous decision, but it is not always possible. The Nobel Committee typically comes to a conclusion in mid-September, but occasionally the final decision has not been made until
1843-406: A smaller ensemble. In the 2010s, most conductors do not play an instrument when conducting, although in earlier periods of classical music history, leading an ensemble while playing an instrument was common. In Baroque music from the 1600s to the 1750s, conductors performing in the 2010s may lead an ensemble while playing a harpsichord or the violin (see Concertmaster ). Conducting while playing
1940-434: A subset of an ensemble; thus one speaks of the "woodwind choir" of an orchestra, or different "choirs" of voices or instruments in a polychoral composition. In typical 18th century to 21st century oratorios and masses , 'chorus' or 'choir' implies that there is more than one singer per part, in contrast to the quartet of soloists also featured in these works. Choirs are often led by a conductor or choirmaster/mistress or
2037-495: A substitute for each voice, Joshua Rifkin concludes that Bach's music was normally written with one voice per part in mind. A few sets of original performing parts include ripieni who reinforce rather than slavishly double the vocal quartet. Composers of the late 18th century became fascinated with the new possibilities of the symphony and other instrumental music, and generally neglected choral music. Mozart 's mostly sacred choral works stand out as some of his greatest (such as
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#17327760541902134-545: A tenth track ("Section 10 – Long Day"). The album was intended to serve as a demo recording for booking the band for live performances. As a result of the attention they received from the press and other industry pundits after performing at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas , the band was invited to perform at London's Meltdown Festival curated by David Bowie in 2002. They opened for The Divine Comedy at
2231-767: A variety of performing forces, from the soloists of the Chandos Anthems to larger groups (whose proportions are still quite different from modern orchestra choruses): Yesterday [Oct. 6] there was a Rehearsal of the Coronation Anthem in Westminster-Abby , set to musick by the famous Mr Hendall: there being 40 voices, and about 160 violins , Trumpets , Hautboys , Kettle-Drums and Bass' proportionable..! Lutheran composers wrote instrumentally accompanied cantatas , often based on chorale tunes . Substantial late 17th-century sacred choral works in
2328-420: Is a well known, but possibly apocryphal, story that in 1888, after the death of his brother Ludvig, several newspapers published obituaries of Alfred by mistake. One French newspaper condemned him for his invention of military explosives and this is said to have brought about his decision to leave a better legacy after his death. The obituary stated, Le marchand de la mort est mort ("The merchant of death
2425-456: Is also of interest as the earliest Christian music . Of the Roman drama's music a single line of Terence surfaced in the 18th century. However, musicologist Thomas J. Mathiesen comments that it is no longer believed to be authentic. The earliest notated music of western Europe is Gregorian chant , along with a few other types of chant which were later subsumed (or sometimes suppressed) by
2522-472: Is both the only person who refused to accept the Nobel Peace Prize and as of 2024, the only Vietnamese who has won the prize. Some commentators have suggested that the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded in politically motivated ways for more recent or immediate achievements, or with the intention of encouraging future achievements. Some commentators have suggested that to award a peace prize on
2619-611: Is dead"), and went on to say, "Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday." However, it has been questioned whether or not the obituary in question actually existed. It is also unclear why Nobel wished the Peace Prize to be administered in Norway, which was ruled in union with Sweden at the time of Nobel's death. The Norwegian Nobel Committee speculates that Nobel may have considered Norway better suited to awarding
2716-449: Is much more significant in boys. A lot of literature in music education has been focused on how male voice change works and how to help adolescent male singers. Research done by John Cooksey categorizes male voice change into five stages, and most middle school boys are in the early stages of change. The vocal range of male and female students may be limited while their voice is changing, and choir teachers must be able to adapt, which can be
2813-545: Is probably suitable only for the grandest ceremonies due to its length, difficulty and large-scale scoring. He also pioneered the use of chorus as part of symphonic texture with his Ninth Symphony and Choral Fantasia . In the 19th century, sacred music escaped from the church and leaped onto the concert stage, with large sacred works unsuitable for church use, such as Berlioz 's Te Deum and Requiem , and Brahms 's Ein deutsches Requiem . Rossini 's Stabat mater , Schubert 's masses, and Verdi 's Requiem also exploited
2910-597: Is so low is because the U.S. does not encourage male singers. Often, schools will have a women's choir, which helps the balance issues mixed choirs face by taking on extra female singers. However, without a men's choir also, this can make the problem worse by not giving boys as many opportunities to sing as girls. Other researchers have noted that having an ensemble, or a workshop dedicated to male singers, can help with their confidence and singing abilities. British cathedral choirs are usually made from pupils enrolled in schools. There are various schools of thought regarding how
3007-495: Is that of ancient Greece , of which the 2nd century BC Delphic hymns and the 2nd century AD. hymns of Mesomedes are the most complete. The original Greek chorus sang its part in Greek drama , and fragments of works by Euripides ( Orestes ) and Sophocles ( Ajax ) are known from papyri . The Seikilos epitaph (2c BC) is a complete song (although possibly for solo voice). One of the latest examples, Oxyrhynchus hymn (3c)
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3104-585: Is undoubtedly that Mahatma Gandhi never received the Nobel Peace Prize. Gandhi could do without the Nobel Peace prize, whether Nobel committee can do without Gandhi is the question." In 1948, following Gandhi's death, the Nobel Committee declined to award a prize on the ground that "there was no suitable living candidate" that year. Later, when the Dalai Lama was awarded the Peace Prize in 1989,
3201-507: The Choralis Constantinus of Heinrich Isaac and the contrapuntal techniques of his serial music may be informed by this study. The Baroque period in music is associated with the development around 1600 of the figured bass and the basso continuo system. The figured bass part was performed by the basso continuo group, which at minimum included a chord-playing instrument (e.g., pipe organ , harpsichord , lute ) and
3298-477: The American Airlines Center . The free outdoor concert was attended by a crowd of over 40,000, who gathered for the annual New Year's Eve event. Perhaps because of the 35 °F weather, the choir wore matching winter ponchos, while other musicians wore pajamas. DeLaughter's headgear resembled a Fred Flintstone Grand Poobah lodge hat (tall fur with buffalo horns). Covers included Wings' "Band on
3395-456: The Anglican and Roman Catholic churches; far more common however is the performance of anthems or motets at designated times in the service. One of the main classifications of choirs is by gender and age since these factors have traditionally been thought to affect how a choir sounds and what music it performs. The types are listed here in approximate descending order of prevalence at
3492-504: The European Union have all been the subject of controversy. The 1973 award to Henry Kissinger and Lê Đức Thọ may have been the most controversial, with two members of the selection committee resigning in protest and widespread derision in the press. Foreign Policy has listed Corazon Aquino , Mahatma Gandhi , Eleanor Roosevelt , U Thant , Václav Havel , Ken Saro-Wiwa , and Fazle Hasan Abed as people who "never won
3589-578: The Granada Theater in Dallas followed on August 9, and the band toured in support of the album worldwide. A live DVD was released in October 2013, and the band played their famous Holiday Extravaganza in Dallas, Texas on December 21. In 2014 the band released the studio album Psychphonic . The Polyphonic Spree headlined the 2015 Big D NYE party, December 31, 2014, at Dallas's Victory Park at
3686-551: The Magnificat and the cantatas. A point of hot controversy today is the so-called "Rifkin hypothesis," which re-examines the famous " Entwurff " Bach's 1730 memo to the Leipzig City Council ( A Short but Most Necessary Draft for a Well Appointed Church Music ) calling for at least 12 singers. In light of Bach's responsibility to provide music to four churches and be able to perform double choir compositions with
3783-557: The Nobel Peace Prize Concert, honoring Wangari Maathai before a worldwide television audience. 2005 saw the release of Thumbsucker , a feature film by Mike Mills , with a score composed by Tim DeLaughter and performed by The Polyphonic Spree. On June 19, 2007, the band released their third complete album, The Fragile Army , produced by John Congleton. On their 2007 tours The Polyphonic Spree replaced their robes with black army outfits while continuing to don
3880-626: The Renaissance , sacred choral music was the principal type of formally notated music in Western Europe. Throughout the era, hundreds of masses and motets (as well as various other forms) were composed for a cappella choir, though there is some dispute over the role of instruments during certain periods and in certain areas. Some of the better-known composers of this time include Guillaume Dufay , Josquin des Prez , Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina , John Dunstable , and William Byrd ;
3977-543: The Royal Festival Hall the same year. In early 2003, they were dropped by their record label, 679 Recordings , for "lack of record sales". About this time, the band began to break into pop culture. The song " Light and Day " was used in a joint Volkswagen Beetle / iPod tie-in advertising campaign, appearing on television commercials nationwide in 2004. The same song was used in a tribute to Bill Walsh during an NFL football preseason special, in an episode of
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4074-513: The motet (most notably the isorhythmic motet), which, unlike the Renaissance motet, describes a composition with different texts sung simultaneously in different voices. The first evidence of polyphony with more than one singer per part comes in the Old Hall Manuscript (1420, though containing music from the late 14th century), in which there are apparent divisi , one part dividing into two simultaneously sounding notes. During
4171-489: The "Great" Mass in C minor and Requiem in D minor, the latter of which is highly regarded). Haydn became more interested in choral music near the end of his life following his visits to England in the 1790s, when he heard various Handel oratorios performed by large forces; he wrote a series of masses beginning in 1797 and his two great oratorios The Creation and The Seasons . Beethoven wrote only two masses, both intended for liturgical use, although his Missa solemnis
4268-529: The "Palestrina style" to this day, especially as codified by the 18th century music theorist Johann Joseph Fux . Composers of the early 20th century also wrote in Renaissance-inspired styles. Herbert Howells wrote a Mass in the Dorian mode entirely in strict Renaissance style, and Ralph Vaughan Williams 's Mass in G minor is an extension of this style. Anton Webern wrote his dissertation on
4365-608: The 20th century. Secular choral music in the United States was popularized by groups such as the Dale Warland Singers throughout the late 20th century. The Big Choral Census online survey was established to find out how many choirs there were in the UK, of what type, with how many members, singing what type of music and with what sort of funding. Results estimated that there were some 40,000 choral groups operating in
4462-584: The Catholic Church. This tradition of unison choir singing lasted from sometime between the times of St. Ambrose (4th century) and Gregory the Great (6th century) up to the present. During the later Middle Ages, a new type of singing involving multiple melodic parts, called organum , became predominant for certain functions, but initially this polyphony was only sung by soloists. Further developments of this technique included clausulae , conductus and
4559-478: The Holidays, Vol. One was released in 2012, featuring an original introduction, outro and Polyphonic Spree cover versions of classic Christmas songs including " Happy Xmas (War Is Over) " and " Let it Snow ". On August 6, 2013, the band played a sold-out concert at London's Village Underground to mark the release of their album Yes, It's True . The performance was broadcast live on Vimeo . A US release show at
4656-794: The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony was held in the Atrium of the University of Oslo Faculty of Law , a few hundred meters from Oslo City Hall. Between 1905 and 1946, the ceremony took place at the Norwegian Nobel Institute . From 1901 to 1904, the ceremony took place in the Storting (Parliament). The medal for the Peace Prize was designed by the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland in 1901. Vigeland's profile sculpture of Alfred Nobel differs from Erik Lindberg 's profile of Nobel on
4753-412: The Nobel Peace Prize has, for most of its history, been the subject of numerous controversies . The 2024 prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo from Japan, an organisation formed by survivor groups of atomic bomb victims "for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again". According to Nobel's will,
4850-689: The Norwegian Nobel Committee specifically invites qualified people to submit nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. The statutes of the Nobel Foundation specify categories of individuals who are eligible to make nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. These nominators are: The working language of the Norwegian Nobel Committee is Norwegian; in addition to Norwegian the committee has traditionally received nominations in French, German, and English, but today most nominations are submitted in either Norwegian or English. Nominations must usually be submitted to
4947-629: The Palestinians, we say to you today, in a loud and a clear voice; Enough of blood and tears. Enough!" — Yitzhak Rabin , who was given the award in 1994, said on behalf of the Israeli people after the historical handshake with Yasser Arafat . The Nobel Peace Prize ( Swedish and Norwegian : Nobels fredspris ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel , along with
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#17327760541905044-539: The Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who in the preceding year "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses". Alfred Nobel's will further specified that the prize be awarded by a committee of five people chosen by the Norwegian Parliament. Nobel died in 1896 and he did not leave an explanation for choosing peace as
5141-851: The Polyphonic Spree performed three songs: "Light and Day / Reach for the Sun", "Soldier Girl", and "Light to Follow", at Oscar de la Renta 's Spring 2008 Fashion Show for New York Fashion Week . They recorded the opening track to the Showtime series Weeds for season 2 (episode 9), and also contributed to the Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Nightmare Before Christmas tribute CDs. UK channel Sky Sports used "Running Away" to advertise their spring and summer cricket coverage. UK supermarket Sainsbury's continues to use "Light and Day / Reach for
5238-738: The Purwa Caraka Music Studio Choir of Indonesia began the trend when they covered children's songs in a choral arrangement for the film Surat Kecil untuk Tuhan . Apart from their roles in liturgy and entertainment, choirs and choruses may also have social-service functions, including for mental health treatment or as therapy for homeless and disadvantaged people, like the Choir of Hard Knocks or for special groups such as Military Wives . Databases Professional organizations Resources Media Reading Nobel Peace Prize "We who have fought against you,
5335-789: The Run" and the Thunderclap Newman hit "Something in the Air". The band occasionally paused to sync with television cues, as the concert was broadcast live to a regional television audience of over 12 million in Texas and surrounding states. Afflatus was released on April 16, 2021. Afflatus is a cover album featuring songs by bands such as INXS , The Bee Gees , and Rush . On November 17, 2023, The Polyphonic Spree released their eighth studio album, Salvage Enterprise. Choir A choir ( / ˈ k w aɪər / KWIRE ), also known as
5432-564: The Spree's second album, Together We're Heavy , in Japan on June 30, Europe on July 12, and North America on July 13, 2004. The band was featured on Scrubs on April 20, 2004, in the episode " My Choosiest Choice of All " (season 3, episode 19); and on the TV show Las Vegas on November 29, 2004, in the episode "Silver Star" (season 2, episode 10). In December 2004, the Polyphonic Spree performed at
5529-526: The Sun" for its advertising campaign. It became the most-used song in advertising in the United Kingdom. In 2009, the band wrote and performed the opening sequence to Showtime's new show The United States of Tara , which stars Toni Collette as a woman with multiple personality disorder. They first performed the song live on their Australian tour, in Adelaide . "Light and Day / Reach for the Sun"
5626-498: The Swedish parliament, mocking the (serious but unsuccessful) nomination of Neville Chamberlain . Nominations from 1901 to 1971 have been released in a database. Nominations are considered by the Nobel Committee at a meeting where a shortlist of candidates for further review is created. This shortlist is then considered by permanent advisers to the Nobel institute, which consists of the institute's Director and Research Director, and
5723-696: The TV series Scrubs , in Murderball , a documentary about the U.S. wheelchair rugby team, and as the end music for the first series of the BBC Radio 7 sci-fi comedy Undone ; the song's video was adapted for the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (the DVD features a clip). Also during this time the band was invited to be an opening act for Bowie's Reality Tour and again performed at South by Southwest . In 2004, Hollywood Records released
5820-450: The UK and over 2 million people singing regularly in a choir. Over 30 percent of the groups listed described themselves a community choirs, half of the choirs listed sing contemporary music although singing classical music is still popular. Most choirs are self funding. It is thought that the increase in popularity of singing together in groups has been fed to some extent in the UK by TV progammes such as Gareth Malone 's 'The Choir'. In 2017,
5917-413: The academic community. Criticisms that have been levelled against some of the awards include allegations that they were politically motivated, premature, or guided by a faulty definition of what constitutes work for peace. The awards given to Mikhail Gorbachev , Yitzhak Rabin , Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat , Lê Đức Thọ , Henry Kissinger , Jimmy Carter , Barack Obama , Abiy Ahmed , and
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#17327760541906014-495: The back and the women in front; some conductors prefer to place the basses behind the sopranos, arguing that the outer voices need to tune to each other. More experienced choirs may sing with the voices all mixed. Sometimes singers of the same voice are grouped in pairs or threes. Proponents of this method argue that it makes it easier for each individual singer to hear and tune to the other parts, but it requires more independence from each singer. Opponents argue that this method loses
6111-436: The basis of unquantifiable contemporary opinion is unjust or possibly erroneous, especially as many of the judges cannot themselves be said to be impartial observers. Further criticism holds that the Nobel Peace Prize has become increasingly politicized, in which people are awarded for aspirations rather than accomplishments, which has allowed for the prize to be used for political effect but can cause perverse consequences due to
6208-401: The chemistry, literature, physics, and physiology or medicine medals. The dies for Vigeland's peace medal were made by Lindberg as Vigeland was not an engraver. The reverse of the medal features three men in a 'fraternal bond' and the inscription " Pro pace et fraternitate gentium " ("For the peace and brotherhood of men"). The edge of the medal is inscribed with the year of its awarding, with
6305-435: The choir is singing a piece for choir and orchestra. They may also attend to organizational matters, such as scheduling rehearsals, planning a concert season, hearing auditions , and promoting their ensemble in the media. Historically, the sung repertoire divides into sacred or religious music and secular music . While much religious music has been written with concert performance in mind, its origin lies in its role within
6402-494: The committee by the beginning of February in the award year. Nominations by committee members can be submitted up to the date of the first Committee meeting after this deadline. In 2009, a record 205 nominations were received, but the record was broken again in 2010 with 237 nominations; in 2011, the record was broken once again with 241 nominations. The statutes of the Nobel Foundation do not allow information about nominations, considerations, or investigations relating to awarding
6499-417: The conductor or choirmaster/mistress are to unify performers , set the tempo , execute clear preparations and beats ( meter ), and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble. In most choirs, the same individual acts as musical director (responsible for deciding the repertoire and engaging soloists and accompanists), chorus master/mistress (or répétiteur) (responsible for training and rehearsing
6596-549: The context of liturgy . Most Eastern Orthodox Christian churches, some American Protestant groups, and traditional Jewish synagogues do not accompany their songs with musical instruments. In churches of the Western Rite the accompanying instrument is usually the organ, although in colonial America , the Moravian Church used groups of strings and winds. Many churches which use a contemporary worship format use
6693-493: The criteria that the committee uses when they choose a recipient of the prize; and that the adherence to Nobel's will should be more strict. In the article, Norwegian historian Øivind Stenersen argues that Norway has been able to use the prize as an instrument for nation-building and furthering Norway's foreign policy and economic interests. In another 2011 Aftenposten opinion article, the grandson of one of Nobel's two brothers, Michael Nobel, also criticised what he believed to be
6790-657: The emerging German tradition exist (the cantatas of Dietrich Buxtehude being a prime example), though the Lutheran church cantata did not assume its more codified, recognizable form until the early 18th century. Georg Philipp Telemann (based in Frankfurt) wrote over 1000 cantatas, many of which were engraved and published (e.g. his Harmonische Gottesdienst ) and Christoph Graupner (based in Darmstadt) over 1400. The cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) are perhaps
6887-452: The ensemble's interpretation of the music. Conductors act as guides to the choirs they conduct. They choose the works to be performed and study their scores , to which they may make certain adjustments (e.g., regarding tempo, repetitions of sections, assignment of vocal solos and so on), work out their interpretation, and relay their vision to the singers. Choral conductors may also have to conduct instrumental ensembles such as orchestras if
6984-539: The glories of Renaissance polyphony were choral, sung by choirs of great skill and distinction all over Europe. Choral music from this period continues to be popular with many choirs throughout the world today. The madrigal , a partsong conceived for amateurs to sing in a chamber setting, originated at this period. Although madrigals were initially dramatic settings of unrequited-love poetry or mythological stories in Italy, they were imported into England and merged with
7081-576: The grandeur offered by instrumental accompaniment. Oratorios also continued to be written, clearly influenced by Handel's models. Berlioz's L'enfance du Christ and Mendelssohn's Elijah and St Paul are in the category. Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Brahms also wrote secular cantatas, the best known of which are Brahms's Schicksalslied and Nänie . A few composers developed a cappella music, especially Bruckner , whose masses and motets startlingly juxtapose Renaissance counterpoint with chromatic harmony. Mendelssohn and Brahms also wrote significant
7178-423: The institutions in which they operate: Some choirs are categorized by the type of music they perform, such as In the United States, middle schools and high schools often offer choir as a class or activity. Some choirs participate in competitions. One kind of choir popular in high schools is show choir . During middle school and high school students' voices are changing. Although girls experience voice change , it
7275-565: The last meeting before the official announcement at the beginning of October. The Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee presents the Nobel Peace Prize in the presence of the King of Norway and the Norwegian royal family on 10 December each year (the anniversary of Nobel's death). The Peace Prize is the only Nobel Prize not presented in Stockholm . The Nobel laureate receives a diploma,
7372-481: The more dancelike balletto , celebrating carefree songs of the seasons, or eating and drinking. To most English speakers, the word madrigal now refers to the latter, rather than to madrigals proper, which refers to a poetic form of lines consisting of seven and eleven syllables each. The interaction of sung voices in Renaissance polyphony influenced Western music for centuries. Composers are routinely trained in
7469-580: The most common number of parts are three, five, six, and eight. Choirs can sing with or without instrumental accompaniment. Singing without accompaniment is called a cappella singing (although the American Choral Directors Association discourages this usage in favor of "unaccompanied", since a cappella denotes singing "as in the chapel" and much unaccompanied music today is secular ). Accompanying instruments vary widely, from only one instrument (a piano or pipe organ) to
7566-454: The most recognizable (and often-performed) contribution to this repertoire: his obituary mentions five complete cycles of his cantatas , of which three, comprising some 200 works, are known today, in addition to motets . Bach himself rarely used the term cantata. Motet refers to his church music without orchestra accompaniment, but instruments playing colla parte with the voices. His works with accompaniment consists of his Passions , Masses ,
7663-757: The name of its recipient and "Prix Nobel de la Paix". As of October 2023 , the Peace Prize has been awarded to 111 individuals and 27 organizations; 19 women have won the Nobel Peace Prize, more than for any other Nobel Prize. Only two recipients have won multiple Prizes: the International Committee of the Red Cross has won three times (1917, 1944, and 1963) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has won twice (1954 and 1981). Lê Đức Thọ
7760-487: The neglect of existing power politics, including the breakdown of fragile peace processes. In 2011, a feature story in the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten contended that major criticisms of the award were that the Norwegian Nobel Committee ought to recruit members from professional and international backgrounds, rather than retired members of parliament; that there is too little openness about
7857-697: The other choir in a musical dialogue. Consideration is also given to the spacing of the singers. Studies have found that not only the actual formation, but the amount of space (both laterally and circumambiently) affects the perception of sound by choristers and auditors. The origins of choral music are found in traditional music , as singing in big groups is extremely widely spread in traditional cultures (both singing in one part, or in unison , like in Ancient Greece, as well as singing in parts, or in harmony , like in contemporary European choral music). The oldest unambiguously choral repertory that survives
7954-418: The politicisation of the award, claiming that the Nobel Committee has not always acted in accordance with Nobel's will. Author Christopher Hitchens called the Nobel Peace Prize "a huge bore and a fraud" in his memoir Hitch-22 . Military cemeteries in every corner of the world are silent testimony to the failure of national leaders to sanctify human life. Nobel Peace Prize controversies often reach beyond
8051-401: The prize to be made public for at least 50 years after a prize has been awarded. Over time, many individuals have become known as "Nobel Peace Prize Nominees", but this designation has no official standing, and means only that one of the thousands of eligible nominators suggested the person's name for consideration. Indeed, in 1939, Adolf Hitler received a satirical nomination from a member of
8148-560: The prize, as it did not have the same militaristic traditions as Sweden . It also notes that at the end of the 19th century, the Norwegian parliament had become closely involved in the Inter-Parliamentary Union 's efforts to resolve conflicts through mediation and arbitration. The Norwegian Parliament appoints the Norwegian Nobel Committee , which selects the Nobel Peace Prize laureate . Each year,
8245-586: The prize, but should have." The omission of Mahatma Gandhi has been particularly widely discussed, including in public statements by various members of the Nobel Committee. The committee has confirmed that Gandhi was nominated in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947, and, finally, a few days before his assassination in January 1948. The omission has been publicly regretted by later members of the Nobel Committee. Geir Lundestad , Secretary of Norwegian Nobel Committee in 2006 said, "The greatest omission in our 106-year history
8342-495: The prizes in Chemistry , Physics , Physiology or Medicine , and Literature . Since March 1901, it has been awarded annually (with some exceptions) to people who have "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses ." The Oxford Dictionary of Contemporary History describes it as "the most prestigious prize in
8439-466: The professional and advanced amateur or semi-professional levels. The all-female and mixed children's choirs tend to be professionally less prevalent than the high voiced boys' choirs, the lower voiced men's choruses, or the full SATB choirs. This is due to some extent to lack of scholarships and other types of funding, and a lack of professional opportunities for women such as that of being lay clerks or musical directors. Choirs are also categorized by
8536-457: The robes during encores. In July 2007, the song "Running Away" was featured on the Sci-Fi network in commercials for its upcoming season. In the autumn of 2007, Adidas commissioned artists to write theme songs for MLS teams as part of a campaign called "MLS Represent", and the Polyphonic Spree was chosen to write a song for FC Dallas . The result was the song "H-O-O-P-S Yes!" In September 2007,
8633-533: The same time, the Cecilian movement attempted a restoration of the pure Renaissance style in Catholic churches. In the United States, development of mixed choirs was pioneered by groups such as The St. Olaf Choir and Westminster Choir College . These groups were characterized by arrangements of hymns and other sacred works of christian nature which helped define the choral sound of the United States for most of
8730-493: The singers), and conductor (responsible for directing the performance). However, these roles may be divided, especially when the choir is combined with other forces, for example in opera . The conductor or choral director typically stands on a raised platform and he or she may or may not use a baton ; using a baton gives the conductor's gestures greater visibility, but many choral conductors prefer conducting with their hands for greater expressiveness, particularly when working with
8827-704: The spatial separation of individual voice lines, an otherwise valuable feature for the audience, and that it eliminates sectional resonance, which lessens the effective volume of the chorus. For music with double (or multiple) choirs, usually the members of each choir are together, sometimes significantly separated, especially in performances of 16th-century music (such as works in the Venetian polychoral style ). Some composers actually specify that choirs should be separated, such as in Benjamin Britten 's War Requiem . Some composers use separated choirs to create "antiphonal" effects, in which one choir seems to "answer"
8924-412: The various sections should be arranged on stage. It is the conductor's decision on where the different voice types are placed. In symphonic choirs it is common (though by no means universal) to order the choir behind the orchestra from highest to lowest voices from left to right, corresponding to the typical string layout. In a cappella or piano-accompanied situations it is not unusual for the men to be in
9021-428: The vocal style of Ozzy Osbourne from Black Sabbath . Within two weeks, The Polyphonic Spree created a 30-minute set, donned their signature white choir robes and performed with Grandaddy and Bright Eyes . Shortly after their first show, 12 more musicians joined the band, and they recorded The Beginning Stages of ... The Polyphonic Spree , which contained all nine songs (sections) written for their first show plus
9118-604: The world." In accordance with Alfred Nobel's will, the recipient is selected by the Norwegian Nobel Committee , a five-member committee appointed by the Parliament of Norway . The prize award ceremony is held in Oslo City Hall since 1990, previously in the assembly hall of the University of Oslo (1947–1989), Norwegian Nobel Institute (1905–1946), and the Parliament (1901–1904). Due to its political nature,
9215-516: Was Nobel's way to compensate for developing destructive forces. His inventions included dynamite and ballistite , both of which were used violently during his lifetime. Ballistite was used in war and the Irish Republican Brotherhood , an Irish nationalist organization, carried out dynamite attacks in the 1880s. Nobel was also instrumental in turning Bofors from an iron and steel producer into an armaments company. There
9312-542: Was a pioneer) extended this concept into concert-length works, usually based on Biblical or moral stories. A pinnacle of baroque choral music, (particularly oratorio), may be found in George Frideric Handel 's works, notably Messiah and Israel in Egypt . While the modern chorus of hundreds had to await the growth of Choral Societies and his centennial commemoration concert, we find Handel already using
9409-584: Was also featured on the "Your UQ" advertising campaign for the University of Queensland . On July 11, 2011, the band released Bullseye, an interactive music video app for iOS devices featuring the first single from a collection of songs. "Light and Day / Reach for the Sun" was featured in the movie trailer for the 2012 animated film The Lorax . On October 11, 2012, the band launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their next studio album, tour, live album, and concert DVD. They reached their funding goal of $ 100,000 on November 28. The band's Holidaydream: Sounds of
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