Behold a mystery… A rose blooms in the cold of mid-winter; candles remain lit for eight days with just a one-day supply of oil; animals witness the birth of a savior called Emanuel. The Vermont Choral Union sings of such wonder and mystery on Sunday evening, December 4 at 3:00 pm at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in downtown Burlington. From medieval song to the intimacy and intricacy of a cappella music from Renaissance times to the present, the 36 singers in the Choral Union give voice to historical narratives and carols.
The program includes songs from 15th-century British manuscripts and 16th-century motets by William Byrd and J. P. Sweelinck. The choir presents three unique settings of the traditional Latin text “O magnum mysterium” (O great mystery): a beloved Renaissance choral work by Tomás Luis de Victoria, a magnificent score for double chorus by Giovanni Gabrieli, and a haunting arrangement by American composer Z. Randall Stroope.
From 19th-century Germany and 20th-century Russia, the choir gives voice to joyful works by Mendelssohn and Rachmaninoff. In contrast, the singers present Sir John Tavener’s gentle lullaby, “The Lamb,” on a classic text by William Blake, and English composer Will Todd’s “Softly” that tells of shining light against the cold. VCU premieres a “Meditation on the Chanukkah Lights” by Minnesota composer Michael Reid Winikoff. The program features captivating arrangements of the carol texts “There is no rose of such vertu” and “A spotless rose” by Scandinavian composers Fredrik Sixten and Ola Gjeilo. A playful 17th-century Latin American villancico by Juan de Araujo, a Spanish-born priest and composer, encourages everyone to sing, dance and leap to God, as “God has leapt from eternal to mortal!”
Conductor Jeff Rehbach directs these performances of the Vermont Choral Union, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017. Instrumentalists from the Champlain Consort join in, with the unique sounds of early instruments such as viola da gamba, recorders, and sackbuts.
This annual holiday performance is presented by Cathedral Arts. $20 adults, $15 seniors/students, $40 family at the door or in advance at FlynnTix.org. Details at www.vtchoralunion.org or 802.989.7355.