Evening Song

WORKS FOR CHOIR AND ORGAN

This concert programme combines choral music and organ works spanning five centuries to create a varied musical journey through the history of sacred music. The focus is on the interplay between the human voice and the sound of the organ – two forms of expression that complement, contrast with and enrich one another. The renowned choral conductor Stephen Layton is making his debut with the Zürcher Sing-Akademie and has put together an entertaining yet deeply moving programme for choir and organ.

HYMNS AND EVENING MUSIC

The Renaissance works by Palestrina and Monteverdi demonstrate the clarity and balance of early vocal polyphony. Schütz continues this tradition with German linguistic vigour and sonic conciseness. In these compositions, the pure choral sound takes centre stage: transparent, agile and directly linked to the text.

In Johann Sebastian Bach’s Fantasy in G major, the organ emerges as a concert instrument in its own right. Its tonal diversity and architectural power form a fascinating counterpoint to the vocal works and open up new musical perspectives within the period – and the programme.

EMOTION AND INTIMACY

The Romantic period expands the expressive possibilities of the choir and organ to include warmth, dynamism and emotional depth. Mendelssohn, Rheinberger, Hensel and Brahms combine sacred texts with rich harmonies and choral settings that often possess the subtlety of chamber music. The quieter works of the second half of the programme, in particular, create a focused, introspective atmosphere.

With César Franck’s Chorale No. 3 and the works of Pierre Villette, the programme extends into the 20th century. Here, traditional sacred forms and a modern musical language come together in a fascinating way.

STEPHEN LAYTON CONDUCTS THE ZÜRCHER SING-AKADEMIE FOR THE FIRST TIME

With the Zürcher Sing-Akademie and organist Tobias Willi, under the baton of Stephen Layton, a concert is created that brings to life the diverse possibilities of choral and organ music: from a cappella-style vocal arrangements to the organ’s full sonic splendour, from the Renaissance to the modern era.