The centrepiece of Gloucester Choral Society’s final concert of the season was Rheinberger’s Mass in E flat for double choir. I’d actually previously sung this with two other choirs, the Erleigh Cantors (alongside another current GCS member) and Priory Voices. Although as these had all been liturgical performances I’d never sung the Creed, and I think I’d only done the Kyrie once before, so there were some dots to master. Rheinberger was a prolific composer of church music, but I believe this is his only Mass for double choir.<\/p>\n
Bach motets seem to be very much in vogue at the moment and the concert was bookended with two: Lobet den Herrn<\/i> and Der Geist hilft<\/i>. I’ve sung both quite recently so they slotted into place nicely.<\/p>\n
This left time for a couple of pieces that were really new to me. Russell Hepplewhite’s piece Leaving<\/i> sets words by Pam Ayres (rather more poignant than the flippant verse I remember from years back). It was not very difficult to learn but still distinctive with plenty of rhythmic and melodic interest. The composer came along to hear our performance.<\/p>\n
And then there were two of Parry’s Songs of Farewell<\/i>: the familiar My soul there is a country<\/i> and the shorter I know my soul hath power to know all things<\/i> which I’d never come across before.<\/p>\n
That ended Gloucester Choral Society’s concert season in Gloucester, but not the entire season, as the next post will make clear.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The centrepiece of Gloucester Choral Society’s final concert of the season was Rheinberger’s Mass in E flat for double choir. I’d actually previously sung this with two other choirs, the Erleigh Cantors (alongside another current GCS member) and Priory Voices. … Continue reading