There is nothing better to blow off the winter cobwebs than a good spring concert. With an eclectic range of bands and choirs in the St. Albert area, there is something for almost every taste and sensibility.
• Tonight Jubiloso! Bells of Concordia and Festival City Winds Intermediate Band join ranks to feature a Potpourri of Music at the Robert Tegler Centre.
“The combination of handbells and wind instruments is a unique experience. The Jubiloso! ringers are so special. People are always amazed at their style and expertise,” says guest conductor Joy Berg.
Both Berg and Wendy Grasdahl conduct the ensemble while founding conductor Dr. John Hooper is on sabbatical.
During the 90-minute concert, Festival City will perform Gustav Holst’s March from the Moorside Suite. Both ensembles combine forces for American Tapestry, a three-movement work that blends jazz/ragtime, a spiritual and a march.
A Large Day rings with a Celtic feel and Prairie Psalm is slower with many moments of rhythmic integrity. And the meditative Crossroads poses a serious challenge to the ringers. “It has a slow melody with quick notes underneath to keep the melody moving.”
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $12 and are available by calling 780-420-1757, visiting www.tixonthesquare.ca or at the door.
• On a more sombre note, the Richard Eaton Singers close their season with a sacred Easter concert at the Winspear Centre on Sunday.
Joining RES are special guests Alberta Baroque Ensemble and Cantilon Chamber Choir for a special presentation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Matthäuspassion or St. Matthew Passion.
In addition to the two ensembles, conductor Leonard Ratzlaff has invited several featured soloists to sing in this masterpiece of classical music. They are soprano Jolaine Kerley, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Turnbull, tenor Ben Butterfield, bass Daniel Lichti, Lawrence Wiliford as the evangelist and Nathanial Watson in the role of Jesus.
In some cultures it has been a long-standing tradition to mount Matthäupassion. on Palm Sunday since it deals with the entire holy week prior to the resurrection. A lush work just under three hours, it demands two choirs, two orchestras and six soloists.
Ironically Matthäupassion was not often played during Bach’s lifetime. “When Bach was at his prime, the trend was to simpler music. His style, a very rich, very dense style in its contrapuntal variety, was going out of favour,” Ratzlaff explains.
A hundred years later Felix Mendelssohn rediscovered the piece and produced a more compact version. “It was considered revolutionary. He paid attention to the expressive gesture of the music. It caught the attention of the people and was a huge success.”
The music and text is a sprawling work that invites the listener to sit and consider the importance of the story. While passages dealing with the Last Supper are more reflective, the angry crowd scenes are mirrored with turbulence.
Although sung in German, English surtitles will be available. The concert is at 3 p.m. Tickets are $22 to $27. Call 780-428-1414 or purchase online at www.winspearcentre.com.
