Volume 4 Issue 6 - March 1999
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
1 0<br />
M-Bxc••' '99<br />
. Toronto's Contemporary Music Calendar<br />
MARcH'S NEW MUSIC RUNS THE GAMUT (LIKE TilE WEATI-IER)<br />
BY DAVID G. H. PARSONS .<br />
The new music scene could be<br />
said to encompass both the lions<br />
and lambs of <strong>March</strong>, plus a range<br />
of wildlife in between. There is<br />
a little something for everyone<br />
this month. Once again, Hear &<br />
Now offers several advance<br />
listening suggestions for concerts<br />
listed in the column. (Canadian<br />
titles can be acquired at the<br />
Canadian Music Centre, where<br />
you can also explore repertoire in<br />
the Library's listening rooms.)<br />
The Toronto Children's<br />
Chorus is celebrating its 20tlt<br />
rumiversary tlus year, marking<br />
tlte occasion by a series of<br />
exchanges witlt choirs from<br />
· around the world. On <strong>March</strong> 5<br />
and 7 tlte TCC Chrunber Choir<br />
combines forces witlt tlte Srut<br />
Francisco Girls Chorus and tlte<br />
Amabile Youtlt Singers for a<br />
programme titled "California<br />
Drerunin" at tlte Gleim Gould<br />
Studio. Canadian composers<br />
Eleanor Daley, Harry Freedman,<br />
Jolm Govedas, Stephen Hatfield,<br />
Ramona Luengen, David<br />
Macintyre, and Healey Willan are<br />
featured by the TCC and Amabile<br />
choirs; while the American group<br />
presents works by many contemporary<br />
composers, including a<br />
number of their compatriots:<br />
Conte, Holmes, Karai, Macha,<br />
Mellnas, Rautavaara, and<br />
Schickele. All three ensembles<br />
join forces for pieces by Gustav<br />
Holst, Michael Hurd, Randall<br />
Thompson and Howard Cable.<br />
"The Srut Francisco choir is also<br />
celebrating their 20th," says<br />
Heather Wood, TCC general<br />
manager, "and they are one of the<br />
best treble choirs in the world.<br />
This just seemed a wonderful<br />
opportunity to get together." The<br />
TCC is well represented on disc,<br />
and their recent title "My Heart<br />
Soars" (Marquis Classics) is a<br />
superb collection of their best<br />
Cru1adian repertoire. In addition,<br />
composers Hatfield (Missa: Our<br />
Lady of t11e Snows) and Daley<br />
(Requiem) can be heard on<br />
"Awake, My Heart: A Gallery of<br />
Canadian Choral Music" by tl1e<br />
Bell' Arte Singers ofToronto.<br />
One of tl1e great operas of the<br />
20th century gets a welcome<br />
hearing on <strong>March</strong> 5, 6, 12 ru1d 13<br />
when the Opera Division at tl1e<br />
. Faculty of Music, University of<br />
Toronto presents Poulenc's<br />
staggering Dialogues des<br />
Cannelites. This moving tale of<br />
the order of nuns sent to the<br />
guillotine during the Reign of<br />
Terror is conducted by Stephen<br />
Ralls and directed by Michael<br />
Patrick Albano. Concert goers<br />
encountering tl1e tragic and<br />
bloodthirsty work for the first<br />
time cru1 check out two available<br />
CDs - but the older EMI recording<br />
starring Rita Goer (who<br />
appeared as the old prioress in<br />
the COC's 1997 production), not<br />
to mention the radiant Regine<br />
Crespin, is especially fine.<br />
It's "All New" - the Esprit<br />
Orchestra on <strong>March</strong> 9 presents