Berlioz REQUIEM-a look in the mirror

Wow! There's really just no other word for it. The experience of presenting this awesome, majestic, inspiring, thrilling work...this "Grande Messe des Morts" by French composer Hector Berlioz. It's been one of the most amazing experiences of my career as conductor of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir.

To the singers, to the orchestra, to audience...THANK YOU. YOU brought this ambitious project to fruition. Your energy helped the work to soar to the heavens last Saturday night.

A few days before our performance, members of the Symphonic Choir gathered at the end of rehearsal for a champagne toast, a sippable salute to the 75th anniversary of the Choir. Assistant Artistic Director Michael Davis and I led a couple of toasts. And then we invited the singers to contribute their own one or two word summary of what it means to sing in a choir like this. Their words filled the lobby of Circle Theater as they called them out...the very energy of the ideas whizzing about from left and right, in front and behind. You can read those words in the graphic at the top of this blog entry.

What a week!

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER-BERLIOZ REQUIEM PRODUCTION WEEK EDITION

First off, where would all the chairs come from?

For our first combined Berlioz Requiem choral rehearsal last night, the urgent matter needing our attention was a simple one: how to seat such a huge number of singers?

Scheduled to meet in Butler University's Lilly Hall, we knew we'd have to borrow from somewhere. University maintenance brought us some, and we "raided" an empty adjacent classroom for some others. Whew!

Nearly 200 singers, all gathered in one place, turning their intellect, their vocal strength, their spirituality to one purpose. Cool.

It was an amazing rehearsal last night...we easily made it through the entire (90-minute long) work in our 2.75 hr rehearsal.

Such power...the "Tuba mirum" of the Dies irae, and the "Lacrymosa" are going to be simply stunning in their reverberant glory.

Such sensitivity...Berlioz gives us one of choral music's most sublime and nuanced motets of all time in the fifth movement of the Requiem, the "Quarens me." Set for a cappella chorus, its soaring, fervent lines convey both humility and hope. To lead such talented singers in such beautiful music was, well, let's just say that's going to be one of my favorite parts of the performance on Saturday.

The last time there was a performance of the Berlioz Requiem in Indianapolis was in the late 1970's. The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir brings this to you, our community, for the first time in over 30 years.

This coming Saturday, May 5, 2012. 8 pm at Hilbert Circle Theater (tickets and more info at www.indianapolissymphony.org)

One Week to Go!

In-Choir-ing Minds attendees explore the unique features of Hector Berlioz's "Grand Messe des Morts" with my pal (and ISC Keyboard Artist) Kris Sanchack

We are just one week away! Next Saturday, May 5, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir presents the magnificent Berlioz Requiem at 8 pm at Hilbert Circle Theater in Indianapolis (Words on Music begins at 7:05 with Dr. Michael Sells). It's hard to believe...after years of planning and preparations...we are so close to this thrilling event!

When composed in 1837 (exactly 100 years before the founding of the ISC), Berlioz had grand spaces in mind. The Chapel at Les Invalides in Paris afforded him the opportunity to dream on a massive scale scale. Good thing too, since a listing of the required instrumentation reads like an encyclopedia of orchestra instruments:

4 flutes

2 oboes

2 english horns

4 clarinets

8 bassoons

12 horns

8 pairs of timpani

2 bass drums

4 gongs

10 pairs of cymbals

50 violins

20 violas

20 cellos

18 doublebasses

Plus brass off-stage

16 trumpets

16 trombones

6 tubas

And a chorus of

80 sopranos

60 tenors

70 basses

Consequently, four brass choirs, placed in the four corners surrounding the performers and audience, provided a unique chance to depict musically the "wondrous trumpet" calling to all creation.

The last Indianapolis performance of this work was over 30 years ago. The Symphonic Choir is proud to share this powerful, moving work with our community. See you at the concert!

Checking out the view from the Theater Side Box, "home" to one of the off-stage brass choirs for our May 5 performance of the Berlioz Requiem