Sing Choirs of Angels:
Christmas in an Italian Convent
Music
Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Orlando Lassus, Chiara Margherita Cozzolani, Alessandro Grandi
Performing forces
4-5 singers, organ, chitarrone and/or harp
Celestial Sirens female voice choir (optional)
Workshop
Half/full day workshop for a local female voice choir to allow participation in performance
Fee: £300 or £400 (including music)
Description
Offered as a full-length concert; optional participation of our amateur female-voice choir Celestial Sirens, or a local female-voice choir that we will coach on the day
Convent choirs were flourishing in Italy long before nuns began regularly to publish their music. This atmospheric programme combines convent arrangements of popular Christmas motets by Palestrina, Victoria and Lassus and haunting Christmas chants with two delightful Christmas cantatas by the 17th century nun composer Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, and two haunting advent motets by Alessandro Grandi.
This programme, originally broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in 2001, can be adapted to give greater scope for participation by local female voice choirs: more details on request.
Listen to music
Alessandro Grandi: Innova Domine signa