Sue Gould
Gabriola Chamber Ensemble
As spring awakens on Gabriola, Director Brad Shipley and the Gabriola Chamber Ensemble – a community group of seven orchestra members and 19 choristers – are thrilled to be coming together again to make beautiful music. They will be joined by special guests, The Gabriola Brass.
“Awakening” brings you a blend of classical music, including selections from Gabriel Faure’s Requiem, the moving and best-known of his large works, and Hans Leo Hassler’s Dixit Maria, set in typical Renaissance style, plus a collection of madrigals and “Habanero” from the opera Carmen.
The Requiem, completed in 1900, is scored for soprano and baritone soloists, mixed choir, orchestra and organ. The selections performed by the GCE are dominated, in Faure’s words, “from beginning to end by a very human feeling of faith in eternal rest.”
Dixit Maria, like much of Hassler’s music, is written in secular style, with an attractive melody starting with the characteristic canzona rhythm, and simple, clear counterpoint.
A spring concert would not be complete without madrigals. Now is the Month of Maying by Thomas Morley (1595), Of All the Birds by John Bartlet (1606) and Farewell, Dear Love by Robert Jones (1601) capture the light-hearted harmonies that tell of love, longing and the urges of spring. Pange Lingua, a motet by Anton Bruckner (1868), has been described as “full of mystic atmosphere.”
Randall Thompson’s more contemporary Alleluia (1940) was commissioned as a fanfare, but Thompson was inspired by the war in Europe and the recent fall of France, and he felt compelled to write something more serious and introspective.
On the other end of the spectrum, Habanera from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet is based loosely on a Cuban folk song. L’amour est un oiseau rebelle (Love is a rebellious bird) is the entrance aria of the title character, and has been a crowd favourite since its introduction. The orchestra will also perform Pavane Op.50 by Gabriel Faure (1845-1924) arranged for string quartet by Michael Rose, and Morgenstimmung (Morning Mood) by Edverg Grieg (1843-1907) arranged for saxophone quartet by Diehardt Stecher.
Special guests, the Gabriola Brass, will perform Sonata for horn, trumpet and trombone by Francis Poulenc (1899-1963).
The Chamber Ensemble will perform at 2 pm on April 28, 2024 at Christ Church Gabriola (2600 South Road).
Masks are recommended and will be available at the door. Thanks for wearing them. Doors open at 1:30 and tickets are $20 at the door.
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