Sydney Philharmonia Choirs presents:
Fauré Requiem
Saturday, 31 October 2020, 2PM and 5PM
St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
Gabriel Fauré composed his Requiem in D minor, Op. 48, between 1887 and 1890. The choral-orchestral setting of the shortened Catholic Mass for the Dead in Latin is the best-known of his large works.
The focus of Fauré Requiem is on eternal rest and consolation. It depicts peace and beauty of the heavenly afterlife. It restores the spirit and heals the soul.
Sydney Philharmonia Choirs sings again! They've continued to do so under the challenges of COVID-19 – zooming in from their homes each week to rehearse and share their music-making with us in the digital realm.
But we all know – and you know – it’s simply not the same as real-life concert-giving.
As restrictions begin to lift, they're excited to bring this live concert in the vaulted space of St Andrew’s Cathedral.
In putting this concert together, their choices have been practical: they’re featuring music for small choir and just four instrumentalists – music that will allow them to keep distance accordingly. Music they know and love.
But, as conductor Brett Weymark points out, the constraints have resulted in a program that is satisfying and consoling. Imagine: from silence a single line emerges singing of charity, love and gathering together to forget the frictions in our lives and experience true joy. That’s the Latin prayer of Duruflé’s Ubi caritas. Then the sheer beauty of Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine – a song of hope in which we literally ‘break the silence’. And we reprise Fauré’s Requiem, not in its grand symphonic version, but in an arrangement that restores its original conception as something intimate and restful. If 2020 has left us feeling drained and exhausted, then Fauré’s Requiem will restore spirits and heal souls.
Indeed, a joy to sing again. 
Program:
Ubi caritas, Op. 10
Maurice Duruflé
Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11
Gabriel Fauré
(arr. by David Hill)
Published by Novello & Co Ltd
By kind permission of Wise Music Australia
Artists:
Brett Weymark, conductor
Ross Cobb, organ
Fiona Ziegler, violin
Anthea Cottee, cello
Owen Torr, harp
CHAMBER SINGERS
VOX
Orlando Lennon, treble soloist from St Andrew’s Cathedral Choir
Benoît Deney, baritone soloist from Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
Brett Weymark, SPC Music and Artistic Director
Elizabeth Scott, SPC Music Director VOX
Claire Howard Race, SPC Assistant Chorus Master and Rehearsal Pianist
The 5pm performance will be recorded by Fine Music Sydney for future broadcast.
Concert duration: 50 minutes, no interval
General Admission $50
Ubi Caritas
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Timeamus et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero, sincero.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Amen
Suggested Videos for Listening:
1. Duruflé: Ubi caritas.
2. Gabriel Fauré's "Cantique de Jean Racine" Choir of King's College, Cambridge (London 17.07.2016). Orchestraof the Age of Enlightenment Leitung: Stephen Cleobury. YouTube, uploaded by Chor Gesang - Das Musikmagazin. Accessed October 22, 2020.
And give the Martyrs (In tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres),
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem.
When Lazarus once poor, (Et cum Lazaro quondam paupere),
When Lazarus, once poor, (Et cum Lazaro quondam paupere).
have eternal rest; (æternam habeas requiem),
have eternal rest. (æternam habeas requiem).
4. Gabriel Fauré - Requiem Op. 48 (Introduced by Sir John Gielgud) YouTube, uploaded by EuroArtsChannel. From the Winchester Cathedral. Winchester Cathedral Choir English Chamber Orchestra Martin Neary - conductor Thomas Allen - baritone Dominic Harvey (soloist at Pie Jesu) James Lancelot - organist. 4:35 I. Introit and Kyrie 12:00 II. Offertoire 20:48 III. Sanctus 24:32 IV. Pie Jesu 28:42 V. Agnus Dei et Lux aeterna 35:18 VI. Libera me 40:24 VII. In Paradisum. Accessed October 22, 2020.
Resources:
Cantique de Jean Racine (Chant by Jean Racine), Op. 11. en.wikipedia.org.
Breaking the Silence(Sydney Philharmonia Choirs). Limelight Magazine. Written by Harriet Cunningham. Accessed Nov. 2, 2020. "The restrained but heartfelt emotion of Fauré’s Requiem cut through the downpour with reassuring harmony and warmth. While the echoing expanse of the cathedral helped, no doubt, the sound was outstanding for its grounded heft and unanimity. Conductor and Artistic Director Brett Weymark drew a dynamically varied, infinitely subtle response from ensemble. Lennon rejoined the choir for a pristine Pie Jesu and baritone soloist Benoit Deney’s Libera Me – ‘set me free’ – came from the heart. Reader, I cried."
For COVID-19 SAFETY
Note from Sydney Philharmonia Choirs:
- We will be limiting the number of people in the Cathedral in accordance with current Public Health Orders and ensuring appropriate physical distancing at all times.
- Hand sanitiser will be available and audience members over the age of 12 are required to wear masks.
- To minimise unnecessary contact, we will be distributing a digital program book, available in advance.
DETAILS ABOUT OUR COVID-19 SAFETY PLAN
(c) October 22, 2020. Updated October 29, 2020. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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