NYCHORAL presents Roads Less Traveled, a concert featuring the works of Randall Thompson and Franz Schubert
St. Francis Xavier Church New York, NY
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Music Director David Hayes brings together NYCHORAL, soprano Gabriella Reyes de RamÃrez and pianist Zalman Kelber for an evening of choral music that pairs Thompson's FROSTIANA with Schubert's MIRJAMS SIEGESGESANG, DER 23. PSALM, and WIDERSPRUCH. Our program takes its inspiration from the text of FROSTIANA and some of Schubert's rarely performed, but extraordinary, works. This dynamic marriage of poetry and music performed in an intimate setting, similar to how these pieces would have originally been heard, will delight choral music enthusiasts and poetry lovers alike.
In Franz Grillparzer's poem MIRJAMS SIEGESGESANG, Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron, sings a triumphal song that describes the parting of the Red Sea and the swallowing up of Pharaoh's army. Schubert tells the story through virtuosic writing for soprano soloist, mixed chorus and piano accompaniment. For DER 23. PSALM, Schubert turned to Moses Mendelssohn, grandfather of composer Felix Mendelssohn, for the translation from Hebrew to German of the text of the 23rd Psalm (The Lord is my Shepherd). For women's chorus, this delicate piece is an ethereal gem, like the music of angels. WIDERSPRUCH (Contradiction), for men's chorus, sets the poetry of J. G. Seidl. Schubert employs the popular romantic device of using descriptions of nature to reflect human emotions. Franz Liszt said Schubert was "the most poetic musician who ever lived."
Randall Thompson is possibly the most frequently performed choral composer of the twentieth century. For FROSTIANA, Thompson selected poems by the great American poet Robert Frost. The pairing of Frost and Thompson is magical. There is a deceptive simplicity in Frost's poetry and Thompson composed seven exquisitely crafted movements that perfectly reflect the meaning and cadence of the poetry. Frost preferred not to have his poetry set to music, but at the conclusion of the premiere performance he is reported to have leapt to his feet, applauding and shouting "Sing it again!."
Gabriella Reyes de Ramirez and Zalman Kelber appear by kind permission of The Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.
Location
St. Francis Xavier Church (View)
46 West 16th Street
New York, NY 10011
United States
