Irish Chamber Orchestra Presents: Arias & Advent
Monkstown Parish Church, Dublin – 12 December
St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick – 13 December
Katherine Hunka – Director
Robin Tritschler – Tenor
Albinoni – Adagio in G minor reconstructed by Remo Giazotto (Choreography/Diane Daly)
Finzi – Dies Natalis Op. 8
Elgar – Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op. 20
Handel – The Lord preserveth all them that love him from Chandos Anthem No. 5a HWV250a
Handel – Allegro from Concerto Grosso in D Major, Op 6, No. 5 HWV 323
Christmas Carols.
The tender yet radiant cantata Dies Natalis, is a setting of poems by Thomas Traherne and is Finzi’s finest work. Tenor, Robin Tritschler aptly reflects the joy and wonder of a newborn child’s innocent perspective on the world. This richly textured work carries the music naturally forwards in a unity of spirit with the lyrics – a hallmark of Finzi’s art.
Tritscher sings some festive carols alongside an aria from Handel’s beautiful, intimate settings written for the First Duke of Chandos – one of his best loved choral works. The ICO performs Albinoni’s Adagio, a breathtakingly beautiful piece of stately baroque brilliance.
Elgar’s gem – his much loved Serenade was a personal favourite and one of his final works recorded back in 1933. Handel’s Allegro is from one of a series of twelve dashing and elegant concerti grossi in which he explores kaleidoscopically the shifting relationships among orchestral string instruments.