Fauré, Saint-Saӫns, Franck and Dvorak

Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine is loved by both singers and audiences for its beautiful melodies and harmonies that reflect the text. First performed in 1866, it won a prize for composition and was dedicated to César Franck. The original version of Saint-Saëns Requiem, first performed in Paris in 1878 with Widor playing the organ, requires an extensive, expensive orchestra. We are delighted to be performing a later version for choir, soloists and organ. Still in Paris, we have Franck’s short setting of Psalm 150, urging us to Praise God with many types of musical instrument. Stepping away from Paris, we will sing Dvorak’s Mass in D, again with soloists and organ accompaniment. In this case, the mass was originally composed for only singers and organ because it was commissioned for a small private chapel in the patron’s castle. The music is both joyful and dramatic, reflecting the Czech countryside.