 |
Taste of VeniceSunday 18 April, 2pm
|
Gabrieli and Monteverdi |
Motets and Canzona |
Edward Elgar Psalm 48 |
Woolston Brass |
Flamboyance with choir, organ and brass at Cathedral. The sounds of Renaissance flamboyance will fill ChristChurch Cathedral for the Christchurch City Choir’s A Taste of Venice concert on 18 April.
The short Sunday afternoon concert has proved popular in past years, allowing the audience to enjoy the excellent acoustic and beautiful venue with music heard less often. This concert combines the massed sound of the Choir, the Cathedral Organ and Woolston Brass Quintet and sackbuts. Music Director Brian Law has selected Italian and an English composer for this concert. “The Cathedrals’ vaulted rafters will be filled with the sounds of brass and choir as would have filled St Mark’s Venice in the 17th century,” Brian Law said.“Along with the music of Gabrieli, and his contemporaries, the majestic organ will be featured in the quintessentially English music of Sir Edward Elgar in “Great is the Lord”, his setting of Psalm 48 for choir and organ, written for performance in Wells Cathedral.” The other Elgar work is his Second Organ Sonata, a piece that is rarely heard although the composer’s popularity and standing is now increasing and he is considered the first truly great English-born composer since Henry Purcell (1659-95).
The Sonata will be played by the young Cathedral organist, Gil Simpson Assistant Organist, Jeremy Woodside, who has already recorded a number of CDs playing in this venue.
The Choir has previously performed Elgar’s “The Dream of Gerontius” and “Sea Pictures” as well as the inclusion of his Pomp and Circumstance pieces for The Last Night of The Proms.
Singers will be placed in several parts of the Cathedral for Gabrieli’s Jubilate Deo, Gloria and In ecclesiis.
Gabrieli (1554-1612) was the most prominent Renaissance composer and many of his works were written for the galleries of St Mark’s Cathedral (Venice) and used cornets, sackbuts and string instruments.
Choir, brass and organ were popular in Renaissance Venice and the sackbut sound was characteristic. It’s an early form of the trombone and is one of the musical instruments mentioned in the Bible, Daniel 3:5:”That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer and all kids of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.”
For the third year, the Choir will include City Choir Scholars, high school singers who rehearse and join the choir for training and performance opportunities. This year there will be 15, from Christchurch Girls, Burnside, Avonside Girls and Cashmere High Schools.
The Choir and Woolston Brass (formed 1891) have performed together in several concerts over recent years, including an Anzac Concert and Spring Fever last October.
Tickets are $25.00 General Admission and seating is limited to 650.
Book at Ticketek 377 8899 or www.ticketek.co.nz
Door sales available.
For more information contact:
Jenny Jamieson 366 6927 or citychoir@xtra.co.nz