Jonathan L. Chenette (1954- ),
Music, 1978-1996,

Biographical Note
Jonathan Chenette received his Master of Music from Butler University and his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He began teaching at Grinnell College in 1983 and was promoted to Associate Professor of Music in 1989. He has served as Composer-in-Residence with the Cedar Rapids Symphony. As a composer and librettist he has also worked with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and has had works performed by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Symphony, and the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. He has received grants, awards, and fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center in Italy, the American Music Center, the Iowa Arts Council, Grinnell College, and the Grinnell Area Arts Council.

Provenance:
Print materials and recordings were donated to the Archives by the composer from 1984 to the present.

Quantity: 4 boxes and one folder; 1 linear foot.

Scope and Content Notes:
The musical scores (and recordings of performances) were composed for a variety of institutions and occasions. A number of vocal and instrumental pieces were composed for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (Grinnell, Iowa) and St. John’s Catholic Church (Indianapolis, Indiana).

The composition of the opera Eric Hermannson’s Soul (begun in 1986-87 and completed in 1993) was supported with fellowships from Grinnell College and the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. The opera was first performed in Grinnell on September 11, 1993 and in Iowa City on September 24, 1993.

Oh Millersville, based on the poetry of Grinnell College alumnus James Norman Hall, was first performed on February 29, 1992 in Herrick Chapel with Amy Johnson, soprano, and Richard Gordon, piano. The 1991 orchestral version was commissioned by the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and was performed on February 22 & 23, 1992 with Kristie Tigges, soprano.

Out of the land premiered at the inauguration of Pamela A. Ferguson as the 11th President of Grinnell College, October 12, 1991. Text was by Associate Professor Paula V. Smith and by Grinnell President George F. Magoun. The Grinnell Singers performed the piece, conducted by John Stuhr-Rommereim.

Broken Ground was commissioned by the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, the Iowa Sesquicentennial Commission, and Grinnell College to honor the 150th anniversaries of the state of Iowa and of Grinnell College in 1996. The texts were composed by Iowa poets Michael Carey, Edward Hirsch, Dan Hunter, Paula V. Smith, Mary Swander, and Ray Young Bear. The world premier was in May 1996, performed by the Des Moines Symphony and The Grinnell Singers.

Related materials:
There are posters, programs, and newspaper articles regarding productions of Chenette’s work in the Archives (52 pC421 and 45.41 1992).

Suggested citation: Jonathan Chenette papers, Grinnell College Libraries, Department of Special Collections, Grinnell, Iowa. Ms.01.37.

Box Listing:
Box 1:
Musical scores--Vocal music:
Broken ground; for choir and orchestra. Texts by Ray Young Bear,
Michael Carey, Paula V. Smith, Edward Hirsch, Dean Hunter,
and Mary Swander. Choral-piano score and choral-
orchestral score. 1996.
Eric Hermannson’s soul; vocal-piano score and vocal-orchestral score. Opera. c1993.
Eric’s salvation; scene 1 from the opera, Eric Hermannson’s soul.
Based on a story by Willa Cather. 1986-1988.
Glory to God (Gloria in Excelsis); music for Episcopal worship. 1991.

Box 2:
Musical scores--Vocal music:
Idyll. Text from John Hawkes’ novel The blood oranges. [1981]
Jazmines; on a poem by Juan Ramon Jimenez for baritone, harp,
woodwind and string quartets. 1979.
Oh Millersville! 14 slices of small town life for soprano and piano.
Texts by Fern Gravel (a.k.a. James Norman Hall). c1990.
Oh Millersville! 9 slices of small town life for soprano and orchestra.
Orchestration commissioned by the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. [1991]
Out of the land; for solo baritone, choir, and organ. Text: From “The
past of our college” by Paula V. Smith and George F. Magoun.
1991.
The prayer of St. Francis. 1978.
Posthumous Orpheus; for mezzo-soprano and lute. Text by Edward
Hirsch. 1995.
Musical scores--Instrumental music:
Duo variations. 1991
Fantasy and fugue on Bach; piano trio. 1985.
Frenzy; for string quartet (work in progress). 1981/86.
Invocation; for harp and organ. 1984.
Liberty from the tyranny of 12 equal tones; suite in 19 note equal
temperament for 4 synthesized horns. 1989.
Triple feature; for chamber orchestra. 1994.
Oversized folder: Musical score--Instrumental music:
Chamber symphony; for 31 instruments. 1983.

Box 3:
Audiocassettes of performances of:
Broken ground
Performed by the Des Moines Symphony and Grinnell Singers,
1996.
Chamber symphony; for 31 instruments
Performed by Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra, 1985.
Duo variations for double bass & harp
Performed by John Chiego (double bass) and Jeanmarie Chenette
(harp), 1991.
Eric Hermannson’s soul (2 tapes) Four character pieces; for flute and piano
Performed by Claudia Anderson (flute) and Richard Gloss (piano)
1992.
Idyll
Performed by Leslie Morgan (soprano), Margaret Linnan (flute), and
Jeanmarie Chenette (harp), 1982.
Jazmines
Performed by ten performers including Jeanmarie Chenette, Ken
Goldsmith, and Terry King, 1986.
Oh Millersville!
Performed by Kristie Tigges (soprano) and Elizabeth Mollison
(piano), 1992.
Oh Millersville!
Performed by Amy Johnson (soprano) and Richard Gordon (piano),
1990 and orchestral version performed by Kristie Tigges (soprano)
and the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra.
Liberty from the Tyranny of 12 equal tones
1989.
Out of the land
Performed by the Grinnell Singers, 1992.
Posthumous Orpheus
Performed by Catherine King, mezzo-soprano, and Jacob
Heringman, lute, 1995.
Triple feature
Performed by the Cedar Rapids Symphony Chamber Orchestra, 1994.
Note: Copies of these recordings that may be listened to are available in the Listening Room, Burling Library.

Box 4:
Prairie voices; compact disc demo recording. 1995.
[Note: a copy is available in the Listening Room,
Burling Library.]
Programs, published reviews
Eric Hermannson’s soul
Oh Millersville
Broken Ground
Photographs of Swander, Carey, Hunter

COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS
These materials may be used in the Iowa Room only. Jonathan Chenette retains the copyright for all of his work, so no photocopies may be made of any scores. To obtain copies, consult Mr. Chenette. These materials may not be loaned on interlibrary loan unless permission has been given by the composer.

Processed by Leslie Czechowski, October, 1996; January 1997.