Grex Vocalis – programma musicale Festival

PROGRAMMA   Orlando di Lasso: (1532 – 1594) Jubilate Deo G.P. da Palestrina: (1525 – 1594) Sanctus from «Missa Papae Marcelli» G.P. da Palestrina: Super flumina Babylonis Thomas Weelkes: (ca. 1576 – 1623) When David heard that Absalom was slain Andrew Smith: (1970 - ) Stabat Mater ca 5’, soloist: Kjell Viig, tenor Trond Kverno: (1945 - ) Ave maris stella conductor: Mick A. Melby Giuseppe Verdi: (1813 – 1901) Pater noster conductor: Mick A. Melby Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Hebe deine Augen auf zu den Bergen (1809 – 1847) conductor: Mick A. Melby Francis Poulenc: (1899 – 1963) Salve Regina conductor: Carl Høgset Arne Nordheim: (1931 – 2010) Converte nos, Lamentation nr. 3 Ola Gjeilo: (1978 - ) Tota pulchra es Edvard Grieg: (1843 – 1907) The Son of God has set me free Hymn 2, opus 74 soloist: Mick Aspen Melby, bariton Javier Busto: (1949 - ) O magnum mysterium Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Richte mich, Gott (1809 – 1847) In alcuni concerti l’Inno nr. 2 di Edvard Grieg verrà sostituito con il nr. 1 How thou art beautiful con il baritono solista Herman Styri Myhren.  

Grex Vocalis (The Singing Flock) was formed in 1971. The repertoire spans from renaissance to contemporary Norwegian music. The choir has been awarded Spellemannsprisen (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Award) for three of its fourteen albums, and won 1st prizes in national and international contests: Arezzo, Gorizia, Tolosa and Marktoberdorf. Grex Vocalis has three times reached the finals of the BBC contest “Let the Peoples Sing”. Over the years Grex Vocalis has commissioned and premiered works by major Norwegian composers including  Knut Nystedt, Trond Kverno and Arne Nordheim, but also performed baroque oratorios such as Handel: Messiah; Bach: Mass in B-minor, Christmas Oratorio; Rameau: In convertendo, Quam dilecta; Charpentier: Te Deum; Lully: Te Deum; Delalande: Te Deum. Performances of Brahms’s Requiem, Penderecki’s Passion of St. Luke and Verdi’s Quattro Pezzi Sacri are also part of the choir’s portfolio. The first Norwegian recording of Händel’s Messiah was released in 1997 featuring Greg Vocalis and Oslo Baroque Orchestra. Grex Vocalis four latest CD releases: ”Crux” (presenting Norwegian music from the 20th century), ”Liberté” (a compilation of works by Francis Poulenc), “Magnum Mysterium” and “Edvard Grieg: Choral Music” are highly acclaimed both home and abroad.  Grex40 is a collection of highlights through the choir’s 40 years history, including new releases of Sverre Berghs: And death shall have no dominion, Heinrich Poos: Auferstehn, and the beautifulIrish blessing arranged by James Moore.

Prizes:

• 1975    1st prize, The Norwegian Radio National Contest for Choirs
• 1977    1st prize, Folksongs, Arezzo, Italy
• 1977    2nd prize, Polyfonic music, Arezzo, Italy
• 1982    1st prize, Polyfonic music, Gorizia, Italy
• 1982    2nd prize, Folksongs, Gorizia, Italy
• 1992    1st prize, Polyfonic music, Tolosa, Spain
• 1993    1st prize, Marktoberdorf, Germany
• 1999    1st prize, Polyfonic music, Arezzo, Italy
• 1999    Grand Prize, Il Gran Premio Città di Arezzo
• 2010    Guidoneum Award, Guidoneum Festival Arezzo
• 2012    1st prize, Festival Internacional de Música de Cantonigròs, Vic, Catalonia/Spain