Belton, Texas – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339 will be performed by the Bell Civic Choral with orchestra on Monday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Manning Chapel in the Meyer Christian Studies Center at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. The concert is free and open to the public.
The Bell Civic Chorale is under the baton of Dr. Michelle Roueche, director of Choral Studies at UMHB. This performance will feature as soloist Michelle Martin, soprano; Kathleen Shelton, mezzo-soprano; Matthew Crosby, tenor; and David M. Thomas singing the baritone solo.
Little is known of the circumstance behind the composition of Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore beyond the fact that it was written in Salzburg, probably in August 1780, for some saint’s day. Composed for four soloists, mixed choir, and an orchestra that includes trumpets, trombones, and timpani, the work is a setting of five psalms - numbers 110, 111, 112, 113, and 117 – plus a grandiose concluding “Magnificat.”
Perhaps the most striking feature of Vesperae solennes is the uniquely expressive and distinctive melodies Mozart creates for the five psalms. The melodies project the particular meaning and character of the individual texts with amazing insight and understanding.
Two settings deserve special mention. The music for the fourth psalm, “Laudate, pueri,” is fugal throughout, archaic in sound, and very much in the style of the older Baroque polyphony. The fifth psalm, “Laudate Dominum,” a stark contrast to what has come before, features a warm, affecting solo soprano line gently floating over the choir and orchestra.
The Bell Civic Chorale is dedicated to serving the community through powerful performances of great choral music. To this end, we endeavor to present repertoire of the highest quality, to promote the cultural heritage of choral music, and to sing at our utmost level of excellence to glorify God through our service.
To learn more about the Bell Civic Chorale or to obtain concert information please call the UMHB Conservatory of Music office at (254) 295-4686 or visit www.umhbconservatory.org.
