Chorus pro Musica Begins 63rd Concert Season With Works By Brahms, Kodály, Dove, Tallis and more

Oct. 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Boston, MA--Chorus pro Musica, Boston’s historic chorus known for its continuing tradition of excellence under the leadership of Music Director Betsy Burleigh, proudly launches its 63rd concert season, Chiaroscuro: From Darkness To Light, with a concert on Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 3:00 pm in Old South Church [Copley Square, 645 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116].  

“Our first concert is a microcosm of our season theme, From Darkness to Light,” says Dr. Burleigh.  “Just as we will 'progress' this spring from Britten's powerful but devastating War Requiem to Haydn's ebullient Creation, so within the first concert we move from a wrenching opening to music of light and hope.”  

Chorus pro Musica’s November 6 program will feature music for chorus and organ seeking, celebrating, and holding fast to the light. Those works include Johannes Brahms’s celebrated motet, Warum ist das Licht gegeben, which moves from the darkness of the biblical Job’s despair to a consoling light, and Zoltán Kodály’s Missa Brevis, a virtuoso work for soloists, chorus and organ subtitled Tempore belli ("In time of war"), because it was completed in the cellar of a Benedictine convent in Nazi-occupied Budapest and premiered in a cloak room of the Opera House during the grim Soviet siege of the city.  Featured in this piece will be the amazing Skinner Op. 308 organ and organist George Sargeant who is also Associate Organist at Old South.  Additional works on the program will be Jonathan Dove’s Ecce beatam lucem, Thomas Tallis’s O nata lux, Morten Lauridsen’s O nata lux, Ko Matsushita's O lux beata Trinitas and William Walton’s Jubilate Deo.

“We start with the Brahms setting of the anguished words of Job and then move through Kodály's heart-felt mass setting written while he was in hiding during World War II,” Burleigh continues.  “In the second half,  I love the contrast of two O nata lux settings, one by 16th century Thomas Tallis, the other by living (and popular) composer Morten Lauridsen.  I'm particularly happy to be conducting what may be two Boston premieres -- Jonathan Dove's Ecce beatam lucem and Matsushita's O lux beata Trinitas.  Both create stunning images of light in sound, Dove with a glimmering organ accompaniment and Matsushita with rhythmically sparkling vocal effects.”

Concert tickets for the November 6, 2011 performance at Old South Church are $25, $35 and $45, with discounts available on selected seats for groups, students, seniors and WGBH members.  Reserved seats may be selected and tickets purchased at www.choruspromusica.org, or by phone (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) at 800-658-4CPM (800-658-4276).  For wheelchair-accessible seats, call 617-267-7442.

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