Music Director: Grace Rossiter
Registered Charity No. 265563
Press Release: 4 May 2010
Italian splendour
Finchley Choral Society’s summer concert will feature an all Italian programme with works by Monteverdi, Vivaldi and Domenico Scarlatti’s masterpiece Stabat Mater.
Domenico Scarlatti, son of Alessandro Scarlatti, was a contemporary of Handel and Bach. The Stabat Mater is perhaps Scarlatti’s best-known choral work and was written in 1715 before he left Rome. An extensive work, the Stabat Mater is written for ten voice parts and reflects the late Venetian polyphonic style. The austerity and reflective quality of the work stand out against the bel canto mode prevalent at the time and convey the composer’s spiritual intentions to the full.
Without doubt, Monteverdi was the greatest of the Italian Renaissance composers. He revolutionised the music of the theatre and the church with his dramatic and imaginative use of instruments and voices. Beatus Vir, a setting of Psalm 112, was probably composed in 1630 and is a superb example of Monteverdi’s dramatic style.
Grace Rossiter will conduct Finchley Choral Society. They will be joined by members of the Florian Chamber Orchestra and the choir’s accompanist Richard Harvey on the organ.
FCS was founded over one hundred years ago to give local people the opportunity to take part in high quality music making. It is now a firmly established part of the musical life in North London. The choir will be singing for the first time at St Anne’s Church, Highgate.
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Saturday 19th June 2010 at 7.45pm
St. Anne's, Highgate West Hill, London N6 6AP
Scarlatti Stabat Mater
Monteverdi Beatus vir
Vivaldi Beatus vir
L'estro harmonico Op.3 No.4
Members of the Florian Chamber Orchestra
Richard Harvey organ
Grace Rossiter conductor
Tickets £13.00 | £1 students/children
Tickets are available from the FCS box office (020 7263 3358) FCS members or at the door. Tickets can also be purchased from Les Aldrich Music, 98 Fortis Green Road, N10 3HN or call 020 8883 5631.
