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Friday, November 6, 2015

“SPEM IN ALIUM” OPEN REHEARSAL LED BY DR. PHILIP CAVE

SPEM IN ALIUM OPEN REHEARSAL

WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 8, 5-8 p.m.
WHERE: Grace Lutheran Church is at 65 E Main St, Mendham,
ADMISSION:  $15 which includes NJ teacher Professional development certificate if requested in advance.
www.harmonium.org/paypal.shtml or call 973-538-6969.

Philip CaveHarmonium Choral Society is working to present the monumental 40-voice Renaissance motet Spem in Alium in their upcoming concerts December 12 & 13 in Morristown. To this end, they will offer a lecture/open rehearsal to interested choral singers, teachers and conductors at Grace Lutheran Church. The clinician for this workshop will be Dr. Philip Cave (left), a well-known early music specialist and founding member of the Tallis Scholars.

Dr. Cave has performed with most of the leading vocal ensembles in the UK and currently teaches voice and music history at The College of New Jersey.

Written by English Tudor composer Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585), Spem in alium, a 40-voice motet for eight five-part choirs was recently “performed” as a recorded art installation at The Cloisters in New York City and is also recently found in popular culture as a favorite work of literary character Christian Grey.

It is rare to hear it live, and Harmonium will present it as the opening work of its concerts at St. Peter’s Church in Morristown Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 13 at 3, in surround sound. (For more information or tickets, visit http://www.harmonium.org/index.shtml)

Attendees at this open rehearsal will hear a discussion of background on the work and its performance practices by Dr. Cave, who recorded it on the LINN label with his professional early music group, Magnificat. Dr. Cave and Artistic Director Dr. Anne Matlack will then rehearse the 100 voices of Harmonium who have been preparing since September.

Funding has been made possible in part by funds from Morris Arts through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.