conservative, playing it safe with conventional sounds. His work oftentook melodies and obvious chord changes and nudged the musicallanguage sideways into areas that no one could anticipate or expect.A lot of mid-century music that is more simplistic – or more experimental— has dated more obviously than the best of Britten’s work.While Britten will likely be most remembered for his operas — whichcontain stunning choral sections, notably in Peter Grimes, Billy Buddand Death in Venice — his music also furthered the English cathedralchoral tradition.English choral music of the Renaissance and early Baroque wasbrilliant and accomplished, but then languished in the decades thatfollowed until the end of the 19th century, when it was revitalized bythe the work of composers such as Holst, Elgar and Vaughan Williams.Britten further enlivened this tradition in the 20th century withoratorios and anthems that balanced immediate appeal with inventivenessand innovation. Several concerts take place in the comingweeks that will give choral audiences a chance to hear some of thesecompositions.Toronto Mendelssohn Choir performs a Britten double billNovember 20, with his Saint Nicolas (1948) and <strong>The</strong> Company ofHeaven (1937). Saint Nicolas, of course, is the fourth-century Greekbishop and saint whose legendary exploits form the basis for themodern Santa Claus. But Britten’s cantata is thankfully free of anykind of cutesiness or sentimentality, and instead presents a portrait ofNicolas as vulnerable, dynamic and conflicted.Because the cantata was written to be performed in part by schoolchildren,the music is also both mischievous and exuberant, especiallyin the choral sections. St Nicolas has wonderful moments — anexciting musical depiction of a storm at sea which Nicholas calmswith prayer (“He Journeys to Palestine”), and a grisly but entertainingsequence in which children eaten by starving villagers are broughtback to life (“<strong>The</strong> Pickled Boys”).This work is great fun for children and youth to perform and attend,especially when staged. It really ought to be a Christmas perennial, afamiliar favourite on the level of other choralworks regularly performed at that time of year.Unfortunately, a performance of St. Nicolasis relatively rare, and a performance of his1937 <strong>The</strong> Company of Heaven is even rarer. Ihave never actually heard this piece live, andam looking forward to attending this concert.<strong>The</strong> theme of the cantata is of angels — the“company of heaven” — and their metaphysicalbattle with evil. Britten assembled poetry onthis theme from diverse sources ranging fromthe Bible to Christina Rossetti and WilliamBlake. Some of the poetry is set to music,some is recited. Britten combines his ownmusic with a setting of the hymn “Ye watchersand ye holy ones,” a standard of the Anglicantradition, and one that would have had deepresonance for a nation on the edge of war.Orpheus: Another opportunity to hearBritten comes courtesy of the Orpheus Choirof Toronto, which performs his 1938 cantataWorld of the Spirit on November 5. Britten wasa life-long pacifist whose loathing of cruelty,especially involving children, is a theme thatrecurs in many of his compositions. Brittenlived briefly in America during the beginning of WWII, in partbecause his pacifist leanings were not well received in pre-war Britain.World of the Spirit, a piece that draws on varied texts that express love,hope and tolerance, is both manifesto and plea. This performance isthe Canadian premiere of this rare work, so attending the concert is achance to take part in a bit of Britten’s own ongoing history.This concert also features a very special event. John Freund, a greatlover and supporter of music in Toronto, is also a survivor of the Naziconcentration camps Terezin and Auschwitz. He will read from hisLYDIA ADAMSCONDUCTOR and ARTISTIC DIRECTORoURseasonGet the Christmas seasonoff to a great start. Enjoythe TMC’s annual concertof festive music and stories—this year with specialguest Ben Heppner.Dec. 11, 2013 | 7:30 pmYorkminster Park Baptist Church1585 Yonge StreetNoel Edison conductorBen Heppner tenorJames Bourne pianoMichael Bloss organFestival BrassSING WITH THE ANGELS!Sat. Dec. 14, 2013 • 7:30 pmYorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge Street, Toronto(at NE corner of Yonge and Heath, just North of St. Clair)A Special Tribute to the Ontario Arts Council on its 50th AnniversaryBenjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols," works by J. Rutter, E. Daley, D. Willcocks,M. Wilberg and the winning compositions from the 27th Annual Amadeus SeasonalSong-Writing Competition.Featuring: Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto • Lydia Adams, ConductorBach Children’s Chorus • Linda Beaupré, ConductorErica Goodman, harp • Eleanor Daley and Shawn Grenke, piano and organTickets!$15.– 40.FESTIVALOF CAROLS416-446-0188 www.amadeuschoir.comMEDIA PARTNERBOx OFFICE416-598-0422 ext. 221tmchoir.org/carolstickets seniors Vox tix$35– $ 76 $ 35– $ 70 $ 25 for 30 & under$ 120 VIP seatIng & post-concert reception with Ben heppner22 | Novemberr 1 – December 7, 2013 thewholenote.com
Toronto Mass Choir. See Quick Picks, Nov 16.memoir I Was One of the Lucky Few: <strong>The</strong> Story of My Childhood. <strong>The</strong>readings will be interspersed with choral music and visual imagery,in the kind of multimedia presentation that has become an OrpheusChoir specialty.I hope I’ve persuaded those unfamiliar with Britten to considerhaving a listen at some point this year. But I’m conscious that I’veneglected other groups in doing so, especially since the number ofchoral concerts taking place increases exponentially as the end of thecalendar year approaches. Here are “quick pick” listings for some ofthewholenote.com November 1 – December 7, 2013 | 23
- Page 1 and 2: PRICELESS!Vol 19 No 3CONCERT LISTIN
- Page 3 and 4: Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir
- Page 5: Volume 19 No 3 | November 1 - Decem
- Page 8 and 9: CONVERSATIONS @ THE WHOLENOTEIgota
- Page 10 and 11: y taking piano lessons, singing in
- Page 12: All we need is for 0.1 percent of t
- Page 15 and 16: !!Recitals at Rosedale presents “
- Page 17 and 18: gamelan degung sounds of the ECG. I
- Page 19: Beat by Beat | Early MusicOld Made
- Page 24 and 25: the other choral offerings availabl
- Page 26 and 27: home, space, land, migration, love
- Page 28: The work, Korngold’s only operett
- Page 32 and 33: The WholeNote listings are arranged
- Page 35 and 36: Kevin Mazutinec and spoken word by
- Page 38 and 39: Dance No.2; and other works. Michae
- Page 40 and 41: cantatas. Lesley Bouza, soprano; Co
- Page 42 and 43: Harry Warren and more. Caroline Spe
- Page 44 and 45: Celestial JourneyFRISMARCINKUSHENDR
- Page 46 and 47: aritone; vocal students from Fr. Jo
- Page 48 and 49: Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Buildin
- Page 50 and 51: ●●7:30: St. Michael’s Choir S
- Page 52: Wednesday November 13●●2:30: Se
- Page 55 and 56: Tribute w/ James Keelaghan, Ariel R
- Page 57 and 58: Four. Nov 12 7:30pm Aurochs; 10pm S
- Page 59 and 60: Classified Advertising | classad@th
- Page 61 and 62: SEEING ORANGE | ALLAN PULKERBuildin
- Page 63 and 64: University SettlementMusic and Arts
- Page 65 and 66: KEN WAXMANArrivals/Departures - New
- Page 67 and 68: song cycle he commissioned from Jac
- Page 69 and 70: Bach - Keyboard WorksHank KnoxEMCCD
- Page 71 and 72: the disc, as is Jalbert, a top solo
- Page 73 and 74:
wondering, was later re-titled “C
- Page 75 and 76:
disc was on pieces such as “Tnoon
- Page 77 and 78:
SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORNOVEMBER C
- Page 79 and 80:
HANNAFORD STREETSILVER BANDWELCOMEC
Change language