400th anniversary of Carlo Gesualdo's "Tenebrae Responsoria"

by Scott
(Seattle)

SEATTLE This concert marks the 400th anniversary of
Carlo Gesualdo's "Tenebrae Responsoria" with a performance of the entire work over the three nights leading to Easter Sunday. For the first time in The Esoterics history, the ensemble will be presenting these Responsories as if they are in a service, with supertitles and candlelight, and with different music on each evening.

On Maundy Thursday, The Esoterics will be joined by the Cornish Chamber Singers and Chorus, who will sing Paul Crabtree's "Tenebrae on songs by Bob Dylan" (2011), which will be interpolated with the Nocturnes by Gesualdo.

Carlo Gesualdo, also known as Gesualdo da Venosa (March 8, 1566 September 8, 1613) published the "Tenebrae Responsoria" in 1611. This collection is his most famous sacred work, written in the madrigali spirituali style. (Madrigals setting sacred texts.) As in his well-known books of madrigals, Gesualdo uses sharp dissonance and sometimes shocking chromaticism to tone paint the text of the Passion of Christ, illustrating the isolation of Christ's suffering, or the poignancy of Peter's betrayal.

Juxtaposing the Gesualdo will be three works of composer Paul Crabtree (b. 1960): Nine Tenebrae Responses on Songs by Bob Dylan, Nine Antiphons for the Tenebrae Service, and Asperges Me. Crabtree is an English-born composer currently living and working in the United States. His style is influenced by pop culture and modern mythology, and he writes choral, vocal, and orchestral music. His work has been performed by The Esoterics before, and he is considered a regular contributor to their repertoire.

Join the Esoterics and the Cornish College of the Arts Choruses for three different nights of music: Please Note: Your admission to this concert is good for all performances. Please retain your ticket stub for admission on all three nights.

*Thursday 21 April 2011 8:30 pm Seattle Responsories for Maundy Thursday (The Esoterics with Cornish College)
All Pilgrims Church 500 Broadway East**

*Friday 22 April 2011 8:30 pm Seattle Responsories for Good Friday (The Esoterics) All Pilgrims Church 500 Broadway East

Saturday 23 April 2011 8:30 pm Seattle Responsories for Holy Saturday (The Esoterics) All Pilgrims Church 500 Broadway East

Ticket prices are $20 at the door, $18 in advance, and $15 for students, seniors, the un(der)employed, and the differently-abled. The ticket price for groups of five or more is $12 per person. Active singers of any choral group may attend for only $10.

If you have additional questions about *OBSCURITA* or The Esoterics, please contact Scott Kovacs, scott@theesoterics.org