Yesterday afternoon I attended “A Concert for Ukraine,” a benefit presented by Hawai‘i Vocal Arts Ensemble, conducted by Timothy Carney with special guest, baritone Leon Williams at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. It was the second benefit concert by the group—the first was held at St. John Lutheran Church the night before.

The chorus was made up of singers from several groups: Hawai‘i Vocal Arts Ensemble, Hawai‘i Masterworks Chorus, Oahu Choral Society, Windward Choral Society, St. John Lutheran Church choir and the Hawai‘i Opera Theatre Chorus.

We all stood as the concert opened with the Ukraine National Anthem. Here is the program order:

National Anthem of Ukraine (Mykhailo Verbytsky)
Verleih’ uns Frieden (Felix Mendelssohn)
Sure on this Shining Night (Morten Lauridsen)
How Can I Keep From Singing? (Quaker Hymn arr. Gwyneth Walker)
Alleluia (Randall Thompson)
My Lord, What a Mornin’ (Arr. Harry Burleigh)
Dirge for Two Veterans (Kurt Weill)
Prayer for Ukraine (Mykola Lysenko)
“Anthem” from Chess (Tim Rice, Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus)
Over the Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, arr. Justin Kaupu)
The Ground (Ola Gjeilo)
Dona Nobis Pacem (J. S. Bach, Mass in B Minor)
Ave verum corpus (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
You’ll Never Walk Alone (Rodgers and Hammerstein)

As you can see, it was an eclectic mix of old and new, classical and popular. Two members of the Ukrainian community in Hawaii got up and expressed their heartfelt gratitude for these concerts, and how touched they were by the outpouring of love and support they have received from people in Hawaii. There is even a Facebook group called “Hawaii Stands With Ukraine.” Tim Carney announced they were close to meeting their goal of $10,000 to donate to four organizations: Care, Save the Children, International Rescue Committee, and Lutheran World Relief.

What made the biggest impression on me, however, was not the Ukrainian National Anthem, which was sung not only at the beginning, but also at the end of the concert. It was the “Dona Nobis Pacem,” the final movement of the Bach’s Mass in B Minor. It seemed Tim Carney was looking straight at me, as he explained that the entire Mass was sung here at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, conducted by Carl Crosier on his retirement.

I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness as I recalled that moment eleven years ago when we finally got to this movement and the whole place just shook with elation, with the choir and full orchestra … that glorious moment when the timpani comes in on the last page and signals the triumph of it all. I remember Carl saying to me when we got to that final page, thinking to himself, “This is it … the END! Let’s make it good!”

The “Dona Nobis Pacem” was also one of the pieces we played for Carl on his deathbed, and he was visibly moved by it. (See my post, “Bach to the end” for the complete details):

I felt like I was a “deathbed deejay,” as I tried to find sound files on YouTube that Carl might enjoy. Here are some of the pieces I played for him, all Bach:

Cello suite no. 1, prelude
Cantata BWV 150, Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (we have performed this for funerals many times)
From the St. Matthew Passion, Erbarme dich (Andreas Scholl, countertenor)
From the Mass in B minor, Agnus Dei (Andreas Scholl, countertenor)

At that point, we didn’t know he could hear any of the music. But after I played this next selection for him, Carl’s sister said to me, “He must know that piece!” It was the Dona nobis pacem from Bach’s B-Minor Mass! the last piece, Carl conducted in concert. After the triumphant conclusion of the piece, Carl was visibly moved and we saw tears come down from his eyes.

Here is the Bach Collegium Japan’s performance of this piece. Masaaki Suzuki was Carl’s favorite conductor for the Bach works.