Transcending the Conventions of Choral Music:
Chosen for the first European tour of the Cambridge Madrigal Singers, the music in this concert features some of the most exciting and unusual moments in the history of choral music. The repertoire was primarily sacred, with respect for the historic sacred cathedrals and churches where we performed the European concerts, but this music clearly shows how sacred themes do not necessarily limit a composer's expressive palette. From the stylistic innovations of Ockeghem and Handl to the sweeping romanticism of Wolf's devotionals, these are works that challenge a listener to hear both the music and the deep meaning underlying their texts. This concert also featured the first composition written by music director Raymond E. Fahrner specifically for the Cambridge Madrigal Singers ('Reasons for Music'), based on a text by Archibald MacLeish. The chorus performed this concert twice in Switzerland (Roggwil and Herisau), in the Providenzkirche in Heidelberg, and as part of an evening mass in the ornate Michaelskirche in Munich. The concert was repeated twice in the Boston area, and the chorus is currently recording selections for a future digital release.
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October 17-21, 1994
Germany and Switzerland
Saturday, November 5, 1994
Harvard-Epworth Church
Harvard Square
Sunday, November 6, 1994
St. Peter's Church
Weston |
