For Immediate Release: Toronto, November 23, 2005 –Toronto’s Exultate Chamber Singers continue their 25th anniversary season with their always-popular holiday concert. This year, the event spans five centuries of Italian choral music. An Italian Christmas celebrates the mystery of the Incarnation through the music of Palestrina and Respighi. Buon Natale!
The program spotlights two masterpieces of the Italian repertoire: Palestrina’s motet and mass Hodie Christus natus est; and Respighi’s Lauda per Nativita del Signore (Laud to the Nativity). The award-winning Exultate Chamber Singers, under the direction of John Tuttle, will be accompanied by a chamber orchestra.
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525/6 - 1594) - Palestrina (his name derived from his probable place of birth) was one of the principal composers of the late 16th century. His musical language represents the climax of musical achievement of the period. Palestrina's music was universally recognized as a model of clarity and balance. His music is often considered "perfect" sacred music and it is no surprise that his contemporaries often called him "The Prince of Music." Palestrina’s motet Hodie Christus natus est for double choir is based on the text of the Magnificat antiphon at Second Vespers on Christmas Day, interspersed with the traditional Christmas cries of ‘Noe, noe’. This is a wonderful piece of writing which brilliantly exploits the possibilities of effective contrast. Palestrina’s double-choir Missa Hodie Christus natus est is closely based on the motet just described. Like the motet, the mass is characterized by its brilliant and striking character. It is an impressive work which exhibits all the excitement, clarity and sparkle of its model together with a certain sense of breadth and grandeur.
Respighi, Ottorino (b Bologna, 1879; d Rome, 1936) - Respighi was a gifted composer, conductor, string-player, pianist, and teacher. Though his music is based on classical forms, he was influenced by the brighter colours of Rimsky-Korsakov (his former teacher) and Strauss, and his symphonic poems are notable for their brilliant and luscious scoring. In his operas he reacted against Puccinian ‘realism’, but they are more impressive orchestrally than vocally. Some of his most tender and exquisite work is to be found in his shorter vocal pieces. Laud to the Nativity, uses a text written by Jacopone de Todi, a 13th century Franciscan monk who had dedicated his life to writing praise poetry (laude) after the tragic loss of his pious wife. As with much of Respighi’s symphonic composition, this work reaches into the past to include forms of madrigal, chant, and melodic forms similar to those of three hundred years earlier.
Exultate [egg-zool-TAH-teh] has established a reputation for performing a broad range of fine music – sacred and secular, ancient and modern – at a very high standard. "This is a serious choir with a serious director", commented John Terauds in The Toronto Star (May 17, 2004). In April 2004, Exultate repeated its 2000 triumph at the CBC Competition for Amateur Choirs, taking TOP HONOURS in the Chamber Choir category and also being awarded the Canada Council's Healey Willan Grand Prize for the best performance of the competition across all categories.
Praised for its sensitive, precise and seamless performances, the group has produced four recordings. A Choral Flourish; Make We Joy!; and The Present Time. Exultate’s brand new recording, All Around The Circle was released a few weeks ago. Recorded last summer at Glenn Gould Studio (CBC) in Toronto, the album is a collection of Canadian choral gems, and spotlights the group’s clear sound, impeccable ensemble and fine musicianship – qualities that have earned John Tuttle and his award-winning choir superlative reviews and accolades over the years.
Conductor John Tuttle founded the Exultate Chamber Singers in 1981. He is also organist and choirmaster of Saint Thomas's Anglican Church in Toronto and adjunct associate professor of organ at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. In September 2005, John was awarded an honorary Doctor of Sacred Letters degree from Trinity College, University of Toronto.
An Italian Christmas
Exultate Chamber Singers with orchestra
John Tuttle, conductor
Friday, December 9 at 8PM
St. Thomas's Anglican Church: 383 Huron Street
Tickets: Regular $25; Senior $20; Student $15
Tickets may be ordered by calling 416-971-9229
or purchased at the door on the night of the concert.
