Carolina Gold Announces 2009 Program

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2009 Program – "Requiem"
"Dies Irae" from Requiem by Guiseppe Verdi
³Mass² by John Mackey
"Agnus Dei" from Mass by Leonard Bernstein
"Lux Aeterna" from Requiem for a Dream by Clint Mansell
"Joy" from Awakening by Joseph Curiale

About Our Show

Re€qui€em (ˈre-kwē-əm also ˈrā- or ˈrē-), n.
1: a mass for the dead
2 a: a solemn chant (as a dirge) for the repose of the dead b: something that resembles such a solemn chant
3 a: a musical setting of the mass for the dead b: a musical composition in honor of the dead

The Requiem mass contains a wealth of meaning and serves well as a commentary of humankind’s complex and challenging search for meaning and purpose in life. The contrasting texts lead us through supplication (outright begging!); fear and anger; exalted praise; and, ultimately, acceptance, peace, and joy. The website "Online Guide to the Requiem" provides concise descriptions of a requiem:

Requiem Mass…is a variant of the Mass, named after the beginning of the Latin of the Introit, "Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine " (Grant them eternal rest, O Lord). The polyphonic composition for the requiem mass differs from the normal mass in that it not only includes certain items of the ordinary mass, but also contains the Introit and Gradual from the Proper. A tract, followed by the sequence Dies irae, is substituted for the Alleluia and often is a major dramatic element in the composition.

There were numerous different versions of the Mass for the Dead, and it was not until 1570 that Pope Pius V established the form that is still valid today. Only the Dies irae sequence was abandoned in 1972, since it was felt that its words, which include a graphic account of the terror of the Last Judgement, were no longer appropriate from a theological point of view. The Requiem Mass is sung on All Souls’ Day, November 2, in memory of the faithful departed, but may also be celebrated on other days in memory of a particular individual.

Carolina Gold’s 2009 repertoire treats the Requiem as a diverse context and form in which numerous composers have expressed powerful emotions, thus yielding some of the greatest pieces ever written. Our musical product will center around this unique musical journey from dark to light. We will explore the emotional, intellectual, and aesthetic relationships among the vibrant works we perform. And we will provide a moving experience that will entertain and excite audiences everywhere we perform.

Posted by on Sunday, December 7th, 2008. Filed under DCA News.