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Praulins' Message for Missa Rigensis

Uģis Prauliņš’ Missa Rigensis: Here we go again!

On 16 March 2013, The Learners Chorus presented the Asian premiere of Missa Rigensis, an a cappella mass by Latvian composer Uģis Prauliņš, written in 2002 for the Riga Cathedral Boys Choir.  Back then, we performed the piece at the School Hall of Sheng Kung Hui Tang Shiu Kin Secondary School in Wan Chai, in our concert titled “Masters for the Choir“.  Mr. Prauliņš graciously wrote us a little note for that occasion.

Five years has since passed and the choir has grown.  Our numbers has certainly increased.  In the Masters for the Choir concert we sang as a group of 38, including just 6 tenors, barely scraping by considering the mass calls for 3 part divisi for tenors at some point!  Now we will be performing as a group of over 80 singers.  The venue will be more favourable.  Instead of a school hall with thin windows and clunky central air-conditioning, we will be performing at the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall with better acoustics.  Most importantly, true to the Learners name, we have been learning and improving.

So, on 30 September 2018, we will again be performing Missa Rigensis, hopefully to better bring out the nuances of Mr. Prauliņš’ great work, which combines the traditional polyphonic masses with modern harmonies and rhythmic devices.

Come hear us!

Of course, Missa Rigensis will only be one of the pieces to be performed in our upcoming concert.  Come hear us sing this beautiful mass along with Gounod’s St Cecilia Mass and Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms in our upcoming concert on September 30 at HK City Hall Concert Hall!

Tickets now available at URBTIX outlets or online at  https://ticket.urbtix.hk/internet/zh_TW/eventDetail/35837

Proceeds, after deducting necessary expenses, will be donated to Hong Kong Christian Council’s School Building Project in Myanmar to build the Kyawt Ogh Village School.

 

Symphony of Psalms dedication

Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms: A messy premiere situation

This symphony composed to the glory of GOD is dedicated to the “Boston Symphony Orhcestra” on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary

– thus was Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms dedicated.

The Symphony was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra for their 50th anniversary project, for a sweet US$6,000 (in 1930 dollars. Adjusting for inflation that would be roughly $90,500 in current US dollars, or just north of $710,000 HK dollars). Naturally, if you have paid such a large sum to have a piece written, you must be premiering it, right?

Not quite. Stravinsky has stipulated into the contract that if the BSO didn’t premiere the piece by late November 1930, it would be premiered by a European orchestra instead – and that’s exactly what happened.  Rather unfortunately for the BSO, Koussevitzky, music director of the orchestra who suggested the commission and who was scheduled to premiere the piece, fell ill and was unable to conduct the originally scheduled premiere.

The Symphony of Psalms, now one of Stravinsky’s best known works, was therefore premiered in Brussels by the Société Philharmonique de Bruxelles under the baton of conductor Ernest Ansermet, followed by the BSO and Koussevitzky just a few days afterwards.

Come hear us!

Of course, there is way more to the Symphony of Psalms than this messy premiere situation.  Come hear us perform this very interesting symphony along with Gounod’s St Cecilia Mass and Praulins’ Missa Rigensis in our upcoming concert on September 30 at HK City Hall Concert Hall!

Tickets now available at URBTIX outlets or online at  https://ticket.urbtix.hk/internet/zh_TW/eventDetail/35837

Proceeds, after deducting necessary expenses, will be donated to Hong Kong Christian Council’s School Building Project in Myanmar to build the Kyawt Ogh Village School.