Arcadia in the Cathedral: Virtuosic Choral Music of the Italian Baroque

Arcadia in the Cathedral: Virtuosic Choral Music of the Italian Baroque

Followed by a Buffet of Italian Pastries & Coffee

Antonio Lotti, Crucifixus for 8 Voices
Arcangelo Corelli/Antonio Tonelli, Salve ReginaArcangelo Corelli, Sonata da chiesa Op. 1 in C minor & Op. 3 in C MajorPietro Baldassare, Il Goder un bel sembiante for Soprano & Two ViolsDomenico Scarlatti, Stabat Mater for 10 Voices

Special Guests:

TENET Vocal Artists

Jolle Greenleaf, Laura Heimes, Elizabeth Bates, Megan Chartrand, sopranos

Elisa Sutherland and Clifton Massey, altos

James Reese and Donald Meineke, tenors

Enrico Lagasca and Steve Hrycelak, basses

Ars Antiqua

Jörg-Michael Schwarz & Karen Marie Marmer, Baroque Violin

Mark Kramer, & Motomi Igarashi, Viola da gamba

Daniel Swenberg, Theorbo

Michael Sponseller, Organ

The magnificent cathedrals of Italy, with their monumental domes, marble spires and elaborately gilded interiors, provided a sublime backdrop for baroque sacred music. Choral works of Lotti and Scarlatti resonated throughout the heavenly architecture as ancient sculptures of saints and luminous paintings by Tiepolo, Caravaggio and Cortona looked down upon the faithful. Sensational and dramatic, it was a wondrously theatrical setting for the virtuosic music of baroque composers whose work glorified and reaffirmed the emotional depths of Catholic faith. Through Corelli, the pastoral imagery and poetical escapism of Arcadia came knocking at the Cathedral doors and resounded high into the vaulted ceilings of Italy’s churches. Corelli’s music, with its stunning suspensions and rhythmic dynamism, inspired Antonio Tonelli who transformed the master’s trio sonatas into sublime sacred vocal works of ravishing beauty.