a cappella ancient music contemporary

Carlo Gesualdo en Pomponio Nenna madrigals
Joost Kleppe Passávamos
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Surge propera amica mea
Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur Le cantique des cantiques
Orlando di Lasso Veni in hortum meum
Tomás Luís de Victoria Veni sponsa Christi

Nederlands Kamerkoor
Peter Dijkstra chief conductor

With Song of Songs we can witness the Nederlands Kamerkoor doing one of the things it does best: performing notoriously difficult music in a small solo line-up. The main feature of the programme is Daniel-Lesur’s highly acclaimed contemporary choral work Le cantique des cantiques. A great experience for fans of French choral music – under the direction of chief conductor Peter Dijkstra the choir consists of twelve soloists, which ensures an unprecedentedly transparent listening experience.

The works in the programme are all based on Solomon’s Song of Songs, one of the most sensual texts to be found in the Bible. Solomon’s song hovers between the earthly and the heavenly, singing not only about the passion of two lovers, but also the love between the believer and God. The Nederlands Kamerkoor juxtaposes the poignant musical setting of Daniel-Lesur’s Song of Songs in beautiful contrast with the polyphonic interplay of lines by Renaissance masters like Di Lasso and De Victora, who where equally inspired by the richness of Solomon’s song.

Before the intermission the choir performs a composition by the Dutch composer Joost Kleppe, which was rewritten to a version for 12 solo voices for this occasion. Passávamos is based on texts by the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa, praising love and imagination. In combination with a number of madrigals by Gesualdo and Nenna, this programme is brilliant ode to human love.

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