Saturday 22nd March 2025 7.30pm, St John’s Church, St Johns Road, Harpenden AL5 1DJ
Martines: Dixit Dominus
Marianna Martines was a prominent composer in the Classical era, and her “Dixit Dominus” is considered one of her masterpieces. It’s a significant piece in the history of women in classical music, showcasing her talent and contribution to the genre.
The composition itself is a grand motet, setting Psalm 110 for choir, soloists, and orchestra. It’s known for its rich vocal writing, intricate ornamentation, and powerful fugues. The music is both beautiful and expressive, demonstrating Martines’ mastery of counterpoint and harmony.
Mozart composed the Solemn Vespers K339 in 1780. He was constrained by Archbishop Colloredo’s strictures and expectations regarding the form of music for performance in Salzburg Cathedral; nevertheless, his characteristic melodic beauty, harmonic richness, and masterful orchestration are unmistakable.
While it’s a “solemn” vespers, the work isn’t uniformly monumental. There are moments of great power, balanced by passages of delicate beauty and lyrical expression, especially the Laudate Dominum solo for soprano voice
Michael Haydn was a prolific composer who wrote over 800 works, including 40 symphonies and 36 masses. His Missa Sancti Francisci Seraphici in C major is one of his most celebrated works, and it is considered to be one of the finest examples of the Classical mass.
The mass is a setting of the traditional Latin text of the Ordinary of the Mass. The music is reverent, and joyful, and utilises attractive melodies accompanied by effective orchestration.
Although it is a masterpiece, the Missa Sancti Francisci Seraphici is not as well-known as some of Michael Haydn’s other works. It deserves to be heard by a wider audience.
Saturday 21st June 2025, 7.30pm, Joanna Forbes L’ Estrange: A Season to Sing and works by Bach, Ireland, Bruckner and Vaughan Williams, St Nicholas’ Church, Harpenden, AL5 2TP.