January 7, 2009
“The Motet Project” Offers Retrospective of Sacred Choral Music
La Jolla, Calif. (Jan. 7, 2009) — The La Jolla Symphony and Chorus (LJS&C) presents and performs The Motet Project – a series of six motets that surveys sacred choral music from the Renaissance to 20th century – at San Rafael Parish Catholic Church, Rancho Bernardo, on Sunday, February 22 at 4:00 pm.
“Of all the musical forms, the motet is perhaps the most consistent barometer of musical styles in sacred choral music,” says Choral Director David Chase. “The program focuses on European composers whose genius added new dimensions to motet idiom in successive eras.”
The 90-minute concert begins with a unique example of 16th-century polyphony by Thomas Tallis and ends with a startling 20th-century motet by Brengt Hambraeus. The 90-minute concert features the following six works.
Spem in Alium (ca. 1567), by English composer Thomas Tallis, is an a capella motet for 40 voices in eight choirs that will be performed with choruses surrounding the audience. Laetatus Sum by Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi is described as “…a splendid torrent of sound…a wealth of colour and a continual vivacity.” This work was composed for St. Mark’s in Venice circa 1640 and employs six solo voices and large chorus, solo strings, trombones, harpsichord and organ. Singet dem Herrn (1722) is a monumental and rarely heard work for double chorus by Johann Sebastian Bach. Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Mühseligen? (1877) is an inspiringly beautiful a capella motet for six-part chorus by Johannes Brahms.
Two motet examples by 20th-century composers complete the program with For lo, I raise up (1914) for chorus and organ by Irish composer Charles Stanford and Motetum Archangeli Michaelis (1967) for chorus and organ by Swedish composer Bengt Hambraeus
Tickets are $8-$15. For advance tickets or for more information, call the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus at 858-534-4637. San Rafael Parish Catholic Church is located at 17252 Bernardo Center Drive in Rancho Bernardo. Tickets will be available at the door.
The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, San Diego’s oldest and largest community orchestra and chorus, is a non-profit musical performing group dedicated to inspiring San Diego with the joy of music. The choral and orchestra ensembles are known for performing groundbreaking music along with traditional favorites from the classical repertoire. The organization is currently celebrating its 54th season under Music Director Steven Schick and Choral Director David Chase.
