On Saturday, April 23, 2022, the Bloomington Chamber Singers will conclude its 52nd season with two masterworks of the choral literature: Wolfgang Mozart’s “Great” Mass in C minor, K. 427, and Johannes Brahms’ sublime elegy, “Nänie.” op. 82. Conducted by musical director Gerald Sousa, the concert will take place at 7:30pm at Christ Community Church (503 S. High St., Bloomington, IN).
Mozart’s Mass in C minor (K. 427) stands alongside the Requiem (K. 626) as his most remarkable church composition. It holds a unique position first because of its monumentality, which is unique in Mozart’s sacred vocal music, and second because, like the Requiem, it partakes of the aura of the unfinished and mysterious. Following the tradition of large-scale masses, the greatest example of which is Bach’s “Mass in b minor,” Mozart expanded the movements to encompass double choruses, solos, and ensembles, and employed brilliant coloratura vocal writing for the soloists. Indeed, the delicate and deeply moving soprano solos of the “Christe eleison” in the “Kyrie” and, perhaps most famously, the “Et incarnatus est” in the “Credo” are widely considered as love offerings by the composer to his soprano wife, Constanze. The hour-long Mass is universally considered one of the pinnacles of Classical musical achievement.
Johannes Brahms composed Nänie, op. 82, in 1881, late in his life, thirteen years after Ein deutsches Requiem. Brahms set the words of Schiller, whose poem opens with the words “All must die, even beauty must die.” Schiller then recounts the untimely deaths of Eurydice, Adonis, and Achilles, giving expression to the transitory nature of life. At the end, the poem concludes with a blessing: “Even to speak the name of the departed is glorious,” suggesting that we accept death as a part of life. Brahms sets Schiller’s words to some of the most beautiful music ever written—dramatic depictions of the mythological characters and transcendent melodies reflecting beauty and the nature of life. The orchestral colors are quintessential Brahms: polyrhythmic pizzicato and harp, soaring oboes and plaintive horns. The choral writing is among Brahms’ finest—overwhelming sweeping arches of sound and gentle weaving melodies.
Focusing on authentic performance practice, the Chamber Singers’ passionate connections to the music shine through every performance. An auditioned group of about 45 singers now in its 52nd season, the choir is committed to attaining the highest standards of choral music, and to safe public performances. Monroe County COVID-19 protocols will be followed.
Location: Christ Community Church (503 S. High St., Bloomington, IN)
Saturday, April 23 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $25 General Admission
In-person tickets are available online or available at the door. Doors open 45 minutes prior to performance.
Livestream tickets are available online. On April 23, purchasers will receive an email that contains a link to the livestream.
