June 2012. Wings of Song
Saint James Church, Lower Hutt. Saturday, 9th June, 7:30 pm.
Review
Our musical director, Brent Stewart is also musical director of the premier girls choir Cantala of Wellington East Girl's College. The concert followed only a month after the Opera and Concerto concert, as Cantala are off to Europe shortly and Brent of course is going with them. We wish them well at Summa cum Laude in Vienna. They are a superb choir and will be a credit to New Zealand.
Orchestral pieces
The
concert had a mixture of orchestral pieces and choir.
The solely orchestral pieces were the ever popular Finlandia and also a suite based on the Magic Toyshop.
The Sibelius Finlandia never fails to be a pleasure to listen to. Ever since it was tied into the images of the Southern Alps with its use in the film track of "This is New Zealand" back in the 70s, we have come to accept a landscape affinity with Finland.
The second 'orchestra only' set was the Respighi/Rossini La Boutique Fantasque (The Magic Toyshop). Ottorino Respighi wrote the music for the 1919 ballet based on piano pieces by Rossini. (Hence the dual composers)Cantala
 |
The choir is giving concerts in London, Paris and Vienna and another coming back through Singapore. Here the choir are giving a rousing performance of Haere Mai, showing the complex interweaving of part singing and traditional action song. |
 |
Most of the pieces the choir sang were selected for a German tradition audience. Ave Maria by Biebl, two Mendelssohn pieces. Herbstlied and Maiglockchen und die Blumelein. A contrast was the modern "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele. |
 |
Finale: combined orchestra and Cantala.
|
Supported
by the Hutt City Council
©2012
Anton Erasmuson.