Choral Society performs Fauré "Requiem" March 14 and 15

The Orcas Choral Society presents the “Requiem” by Gabriel Fauré  on Sat. March 14 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, March 15 at 3 p.m. at the Orcas Island Community Church.

Directed by Catherine Pederson, the group of 50 singers will open the concert with the 16^th century  hymn, “All Praise to Thee” by Thomas Tallis  and will also sing “Oseh Shalom — Hebrew Prayer for Peace” by Vancouver composer, Joan Beckow and “Consecrate the Place and Day” by Lloyd Pfautsch.

Marianne Lewis will accompany the choir on the organ throughout the concert as well as perform a solo work.  In keeping with the French Impressionist music of Gabriel Fauré, she will perform as soloist Cesar Franck’s well beloved “Prelude, Fugue and Variation.”

Franck (1822 -1890), noted composer and organist who lived and worked in France, was one of the great figures in Romantic music whose music preceded Fauré’s by a generation.

Ms. Lewis performs frequently as organist and harpsichordist in the Portland and Seattle areas and is organist at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Orcas Island.   She appeared last May as harpsichordist with the Choral Society.

The Choral Society Chamber Choir will sing another of Fauré’s oft-performed works, “Cantique de Jean Racine,” composed when Fauré was 19 years old.  The text is a poem written by the French dramatist, Jean Racine.

Members of the Choral Society Chamber Choir are: Sopranos Denise Babcock, Catherine Ellis, Caroline Scott , and Penny Sharp Sky; altos Helen Bee, Karen Ecklund, Lisa Heisinger, and Pam Evans; tenors David Ecklund, Carl Lewis, Victoria Parker, and Jim Shaffer-Bauck; and bass-baritones Wally Logan, Herlwyn Lutz, Stan Miller, and Phil Weatherspoon.

“Requiem” is Faurés best know work and was composed in 1888. It is interesting to note that this is during the same time that Vincent Van Gogh painted “The Starry Night.”

“Requiem” has seven sections beginning with the tender plea of the Introit and Kyrie and ending with the other-wordly “In Paradisum.” Fauré wrote the Requiem “for the pleasure of it” he said but began it two years after the death of his father. Fauré was born in 1825 and “Requiem” was actually played at his own funeral in 1924.

This will be the third performance by the Orcas Choral Society of Faurés “Requiem.”  They last performed the work in 2003. Cellist Ritambhara Tyson will join the Choral Society and Marianne Lewis on “Requiem.”  Soloists are Soprano Margaret Doyle-Stevens and Bass/Baritone Eric Gourley.

The Orcas Island Community Church is located at 176 Madrona Street, Eastsound. The admission to the concert is free but donations are welcome and can be made at the door.