'It's as if Janáček, Górecki and Monteverdi have settled on a universal language.' (Rob Cowan, BBC Radio 3). Slovak composer Vladimír Godár's haunting Magnificat for female voice, SATB choir and chamber orchestra is premiered in the US this month.
The Slavic Chorale, a new professional choir from Sacramento (Music Director, Pavel Kravchuk), include it in their launch season, with performances in Sacramento (19 December) and Seattle (8 January). Godár's Magnificat first came to the attention of Western audiences when it was included on the ECM Records CD release "Mater", featuring Iva Bittova as soloist. View the score here.
Looking ahead, 2011 sees the CD release of a new Godár oratorio, Querela pacis (The Complaint of Peace), from the same team that made the ECM 'Mater' album under the baton of UK conductor Andrew Parrott. Originally a 25-minute cantata premiered at the 2009 Europa Cantat in Utrecht, Godár has recently extended it into a 75-minute work for soloists, choir and chamber orchestra, setting texts in Latin and English. More info to follow.
Meanwhile, his uplifting Regina coeli (also on the 'Mater' album) is now in print in a version for SATB choir and organ.
The Slavic Chorale, a new professional choir from Sacramento (Music Director, Pavel Kravchuk), include it in their launch season, with performances in Sacramento (19 December) and Seattle (8 January). Godár's Magnificat first came to the attention of Western audiences when it was included on the ECM Records CD release "Mater", featuring Iva Bittova as soloist. View the score here.
Looking ahead, 2011 sees the CD release of a new Godár oratorio, Querela pacis (The Complaint of Peace), from the same team that made the ECM 'Mater' album under the baton of UK conductor Andrew Parrott. Originally a 25-minute cantata premiered at the 2009 Europa Cantat in Utrecht, Godár has recently extended it into a 75-minute work for soloists, choir and chamber orchestra, setting texts in Latin and English. More info to follow.
Meanwhile, his uplifting Regina coeli (also on the 'Mater' album) is now in print in a version for SATB choir and organ.