Shrewsbury Choral Society’s concert on Saturday 19th June at 7:30pm promises to be a real baroque treat. The music of Antonio Vivaldi (who is one of the most popular of all Baroque composers) will form the concert taking place at St Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury and which will feature the ever-popular ‘Gloria’, ‘Magnificat’ and ‘Summer’ from the Four Seasons.
The concert will be performed by the SCS and orchestra and will be conducted by Martin Schellenberg. The Choir will be joined by Sarah Westwood and Colette Todd (Sopranos) and Harriet Goodwin (Alto) and the orchestra will be lead by Paul Bramwell who will also play the solo part in ‘Summer’. Tickets are £12 full price, £10 concessions and £5 children, and are available for sale on-line at www.shrewsburychoral.org.uk or from Art Framing, Mardol, or on the door on the night. Further information from 01743-443146 or www.shrewsburychoral.org.uk
Martin Schellenberg, Conductor and Musical Director for Shrewsbury Choral Society said: “‘The wonderfully sunny nature of the Vivaldi’s music with its distinctive melodies and rhythms, gives it an immediate and universal appeal. The Gloria has become the most popular of Vivaldi’s choral works since its modern revival in Siena in 1939.The Gloria dates from around 1715 and has a memorable opening with trumpet, oboe and a string orchestra. The whole piece is expressive with vocal layers which gradually build with considerable harmonic intensity. There is lively duet for two sopranos, and a contrasting movement with a lilting soprano and alternating oboe solo. The work ends in a grand and wonderful way.
The Magnificat is a lesser-known, but very appealing work. It also has movements for choir and soloists and the arias each have the name of the intended performer when Vivaldi was working at the Pietà: Apollonia, la Bolognesa, Chiaretta, Ambrosina and Albetta. All five arias display stylistic features typical of Vivaldi’s operatic music. The addition of this florid virtuosic writing to the more solid choral movements makes this Magnificat a splendid example not only of the way in which Vivaldi could adapt his own works, but also of the variety inherent in so much of his best music.
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons need no introduction. Out of 500 composed concertos, one of them is bound to be a hit! You’ve heard many movements in movies and if you stop and listen, chances are it’s playing somewhere. Its enduring popularity has been based to a great degree on its nature as descriptive or programmatic music, an area in whose orchestral division Vivaldi was a major pioneer. The orchestra will be joined by soloist Paul Bramwell who will play the ever-popular ‘Summer’.
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