Fate, detiny or fortune? All we be considered in this year's Stewkley Singers Spring Concert.
Carl Orff’s celebrated “Carmina Burana” with its catchy, repeated melodies, and vigorous rhythms connects the past and present, by transporting early medieval poetry into the present day and discovering the universality of human experience in the process. The work is full of drama and colour, conjuring up depictions of nature, love, lust, and above all, fate and fortune. It is one of the most vibrant and exciting works in the modern choral repertoire with sparkling orchestration and many sections which will be familiar to you from their use in popular culture, including, of course, the famous “O Fortuna”, so often used on television and in advertising campaigns.
In contrast, Brahms’ utterly beautiful “Song of Destiny” is full of wistful nostalgia, lament and quiet reassurance. Sometimes dubbed the “little requiem”, this lyrical, shorter work considers “the futility of man’s destiny in a storm-tossed world.” With all the rich harmonies and memorable melodies one would expect from Brahms, this little gem of the choral repertoire does not disappoint.
The Stewkley Singers will be joined by the Wigmore Chamber Orchestra and a trio of well-known soloists and we are delighted to welcome the Leighton Buzzard Young Singers who will be performing as the children’s chorus in Carmina Burana.
A local review of the Singers’ concert last May said “The choir… gave one of those once in a lifetime performances that was so full of sheer musicianship that it was difficult to believe they were amateur singers.”
