Last night I attended the RPC fall concert accompanied by the symphony. The program was titled "Joy to the World" and the concert started by the audience singing along in that Christmas carol. The acoustics are amazing in the large Knox-Met church building with the sounds of the choir, soloists, the symphony and pipe organ.
The program had two classical pieces both of with were "joyful" (not the requiems or funeral music.) They were Beethoven's Mass in C, and Bach Magnificat. Of course both were sung in Latin but I was following along in the translations.
The Mass in C had standard movements that I am getting to know from other classical pieces: Kyrie (Lord have mercy ...), Gloria (Glory be to God), Credo (I believe in one God ...), Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy), Benedictus ( Blessed is He ...), Agnus Dei (Lamb of God.) It was sung joyfully with some real life and power.
Bach Magnificat was quite appropriate for Christmas. It was based on the words of Mary in Luke 1:46 - 55 "My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. .... " The music director said it is one of his favourite pieces of classical choral music, and I can see why.
I really enjoyed this concert, and now a I am looking forward to the annual performance of Handel's Messiah on December 17.
2 comments:
I envy you the priviledge of going to hear them. Especially when they sing something wonderful, not funereal.
Blog Fodder: I don't know how you ended up with daughters who prefer singing the funereal Latin stuff. (And who mock me for having been in a show choir!)
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