Three American Chorales (2011)

Phil Kline (b. 1953) — Three American Chorales (2011) for organ

1) Northport
2) Wondrous Love
3) Chatham

“Three American Chorales” (2011) was co-commissioned by Portland Ovations and the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ. The music is based on American hymn tunes. “Northport” and “Wondrous Love” use early American shape note hymns that appear in Kline’s choral mass “John the Revelator” (2006). “Chatham” is based on an original hymn tune, named for the town in New York where Kline has lived.

American composer Phil Kline (b. 1953) was born in Ohio and moved to New York City to attend Columbia University and Mannes College of Music. Kline became active in NYC’s “downtown” experimental music scene and rock scene. He founded the band Del-Byzanteens with filmmaker Jim Jarmusch and painter James Nares. Since then, Kline has written numerous works in many genres and his music has been widely performed throughout the world. Notable works include the outdoor soundscape performance piece “Unsilent Night” (1992), which has been performed yearly worldwide in numerous cities, and the cycle “Zippo Songs” (2003), based on texts inscribed by American GIs on their lighters during the Vietnam War. (philkline.com)