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Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale & The Chamber Orchestra—Together!
The beauty of the pure and youthful voices of the Colorado Springs Children’s
Chorale and the exquisite instrumental voices of The Chamber Orchestra of the
Springs join in a concert featuring music by widely celebrated composer John
Rutter on March 3 (8:00 p.m. at Broadmoor Community Church) and March
4 (2:30 p.m. at First Christian Church). Rutter’s Mass for the Children will
be preceded by Felix Mendelssohn’s Sinfonia No. 8 in D Major. Tickets for this
concert are $15 for adults, and $10 for seniors and students, and will be
available at the door, or by calling 633-3649.
Sinfonia No. 8 in D Major was composed by Mendelssohn during a prolific period
of his youth, beginning at age 11 when he composed a series of a dozen string
symphonies in the space of three years, as practice for writing full symphonies
in the future. This “sinfonia” was revisited later, and was re-scored for full
orchestra. Mendelssohn apparently never intended this work to be published, but
his family carefully preserved the manuscripts following his untimely death at
the age of 38, and eventually the Sinfonia No. 8 was published. This work has
all the characteristic grace and melodiousness of Mendelssohn, and even displays
a remarkable grasp of symphonic structure and orchestration. It’s a mature work
from the hand of a young genius.
When the inspiration of joining the Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale voices
with the Chamber Orchestra arose, the choice in repertoire for this concert was
somewhat limited. It didn’t take long, however, for both organizations to agree
that John Rutter’s Mass of the Children was the right choice for this
collaboration. The composition was first performed in New York in February 2003,
at Carnegie Hall. Rutter comments, “As a boy soprano in my school choir I had
been thrilled whenever our choir took part in adult works with children’s choir
parts, such as the Mahler Third Symphony and the Britten War Requiem, and years
later I remembered this experience and wanted to write something that would give
children a similar opportunity to perform alongside adult professionals.” The
work combines the text of a standard Latin Missa brevis with several relevant
English poetic texts, fitting the whole in a framework of a complete day, from
waking to sleeping. Soprano Lori Bammesberger and baritone Charles Schnetzer
will join the ensemble as soloists.
For more information about the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, contact David
Ball at (719) 332-5462.
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