Maria
The Figure of Mary in Renaissance Music
J. Clemens non Papa, G. P. da Palestrina, J. Desprez
Terry Wey – countertenor
CAPPELLA MARIANA (Czech Republic)
Vojtěch Semerád – tenor, artistic director
Tomáš Lajtkep – tenor
Tomáš Král – baritone
Timothy Scott Whiteley – bass
Monday 3. 8. 2015, 8.30 pm
The Church of Saint Mary of the Snow
Jungmannovo náměstí 18, Praha 1
In collaboration with the Österreichische Kulturforum Prag and the Parish of Our Lady of the Snows in Prague.
The feast of the Assumption of Mary had its prelude this year in the musical celebration which took place at the church of Saint Mary of the Snows in the heart of historical Prague. The ardent adoration of the Mother of God was rendered by the male part of the Cappella Mariana vocal ensemble with its artistic leader Vojtěch Semerád and in collaboration with the brilliant countertenor Terry Wey and the sonorous bass of Timothy Wey. The programme was built around the biblical Song of Songs and Palestrina’s collection of motets on the same theme. It may seem odd to speak of snow in August when the performance took place. Yet, the Queen of Heaven is sometimes mentioned with that attribute because she miraculously sent snow on Rome in the middle of the summer heat.
Concert Programme
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–1594)
Cantica Salomonis
Jean l’Heritier (?1480 – ?1551)
Nigra sum sed Formosa
Jacob Clemens non Papa (?1510 – ?1555)
Ego flos campi
Nicolas Gombert (?1495 – ?1560)
Quam pulchra es
Heinrich Isaac (?1450 – 1517)
Tota pulchra es
Josquin Desprez (?1440–1521)
Ave Maria/Virgo serenata
Robert Fayrfax (1464–1521)
Magnificat O bone Jesu
The Song of Songs in the Church of Our Lady of the Snows
Opera PLUS, 4. 8. 2015, Jan Baťa
On this occasion, Cappella Mariana appeared in an all-male line-up. Three of the core members (Vojtěch Semerád, Tomáš Lajtkep a Tomáš Král) were joined by guests from the Cinquecento ensemble – Terry Wey and Tim Scott Whiteley [...]. The sonorous bass of Whiteley provided a solid base, the bright middle voices were beautifully rounded up by the mellow countertenor of Terry Wey.
The aforementioned mood was only transformed towards the end of the night in Isaac's two-part motet Tota pulchra es. Galvanized by the tension between spiritual and sensual rapture, it was a true highlight of the whole concert.
