Pro Coro concert reflects on the Latin mass

For the past 34 years, Pro Coro Chamber Choir has given annual performances of some of the world’s most glorious sacred works.

Once again those 24 exquisitely tuned throats return tomorrow with Missae II, a 500-year reflection on the spirituality of the Latin mass.

Conductor Michael Zaugg noted that Missae II is the second in a five-part multi-year series where the mass is presented with different treatments.

Long respected for its beautiful tone and true pitch, the professional choir will sing five compositions, three that are world premieres.

Their characteristic sound often described as “angelic” or “floating” is the perfect vehicle to debut Jason Noble’s Missa Remissionem Pecatorum as well as two new smaller compositions. Both are titled Sanctus. One is the work of Jeff Enns, the other of Jeff Smallman.

While the first half of the program serves as an introduction to all new works, Zaugg has programmed William Byrd’s Mass For 4 Voices and Franz Liszt’s 30-minute spiritual Missa Choralis in the second portion.

Canadians are proud of their choral traditions, however they have long looked to European composers for the bedrock of their repertoire. Since his arrival three years ago, Zaugg has displayed a fresh energy highlighting Canadian or new composers and providing a platform for their works.

Noble’s commissioned composition, Missa Remissionem Pecatorum, is a “substantial 30-minute work” notes Zaugg.

“I worked with him in Montreal. He was a singer in one of my choirs, Voce Borealis. I was familiar with his work and I like how he writes. It’s very intelligent. It’s fitting for our time, but not kitschy like some contemporary composers.”

The other main work presented in the second half is Liszt’s Missa Choralis. It is a work he knows intimately having sung it as a young tenor in Europe.

“Liszt was a famous pianist, a rock star in his time. But he abruptly changed and became a priest. At the time he wrote this, he was in Rome waiting to become part of the lowest order. He wrote it to occupy himself with the Gregorian chant. He wrote this mass coming out of a very spiritual time.”

St. Albert soprano Carol Kube, a Pro Coro singer for 13 years, sings an ensemble solo in Missa Choralis.

“The mass is beautiful. It has lots of energy and is big in range and you definitely need good vocal stamina,” said Kube.

Under Zaugg, Kube is at times pushed to the limits of her comfort zone. Of Zaugg, she says, “He demands a lot of us which is wonderful. The choir was getting complacent and he has pushed the choir to bigger and better things.”

The final work is Byrd’s Mass For 4 Voices, a work that is more than 500 years old.

“It’s very structured. The rules were very strict at the time, but within the structure there was freedom. The harmonic language is not as advanced as it is now, but at the time it was considered new and different.”

Michael Kurschat, who just moved to St. Albert this year, sings bass in the quartet along with Adrienne Sitko, Caleb Nelson and Jordan van Biert.

“Michael is a very good singer. He has such sonority that it fills the hall. They all do,” Zaugg said.

Kube, who is also first soprano for Schola, a newly formed choir at St. Joseph’s Basilica, encourages people to sample the concert.

“There is so much to experience in this concert. Perhaps it will get people in the mood to reflect in preparation for the Christmas season. We are also becoming a stronger and more unified ensemble and this will be an exciting concert.”