Madeleine choir celebrates 25th season

Friday, Oct. 24, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — When the Choir of the Cathedral of the Madeleine began performing 25 years ago, they offered one concert at Christmas and another in the spring. Over the years, their offerings have expanded; this year’s calendar has seven concerts, including the ever-popular Christmas Carol Service and the Ceremony of Carols.

The concerts began as part of the cathedral’s outreach to the community, said Gregory Glenn, the cathedral’s director of liturgy and music. “Cathedrals have always been places that have nurtured and celebrated the arts, and in particular, music,” he said, adding that the Catholic Church has “such an incredible treasury of sacred music,” from pieces composed in the ninth century to those being created today. 

Showcasing this variety of music has been one aspect of the choir concert series, Glenn said. For example, last year they performed J.S. Bach’s “St. John Passion” from the 18th century, while a few years ago they featured Olivier Messiaen “Trois petites liturgies de la présence divine,” which was composed in 1944, a piece that Glenn describes as “this phenomenally modern piece that employs a very modern electronic instrument called the ‘Ondes Martenot.’ … I remember the symphony players, they were just absolutely blown out of their mind by this piece, but that’s part of our Catholic treasury of music.”

From that vast treasury, “we have lists of all the things we want to do,” Glenn said, adding that for the concert series each year they try to include music from different periods. 

The audience responds to the variety, Glenn said; last March, when the Bach “Passion” was performed, “It was packed. People were sitting up around the marble steps, like they are for Christmas, and it was just shocking to me, but it does tell you that there’s a hunger for this kind of thing about our community.”

One unchanging standard each year is Benjamin Britten’s “A Ceremony of Carols,” which has “become such a strong tradition,” Glenn said.

The Choir of the Cathedral of the Madeleine features the Choristers of the Madeleine Choir School; the orchestra is comprised of players from various chamber groups. Soloists can be from the choir itself or brought in from outside. 

Among the highlights of the 25th anniversary year will be the Memorial Concert, featuring Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem,” and the Founders’ Day Concert, which will feature Felix Mendelssohn’s “St. Paul” under the direction of Craig Jessop. 

Fauré composed his piece for the Madeleine Church in Paris, “so we have this ‘from the Madeleine to the Madeleine’ thing,” Glenn said. 

Coincidently, this year also marks the 100th anniversary of the death of the Right Rev. Lawrence Scanlan, the first Bishop of Salt Lake. As a tribute to him, the choir will perform Charles Gounod’s “Messe solennelle de Sainte-Cécile,” which Bishop Scanlan chose for the opening of the Cathedral of the Madeleine in 1909.

Looking back over the past 25 years, Glenn said believes God’s providence has been at work with the choir, and he often thinks “how very fortunate we are that we are able to do this. … I’m very grateful for all the very kind support we get from our benefactors to make it possible.”

The clergy, his “incredible colleagues,” and parents from the school have worked to make it possible, he said. “It’s been really a labor of love by so many people.” 

 

In addition to the International Performance Tour, Nov. 7-17 in Italy, the Choir of the Cathedral of the Madeleine’s 2014 concert series will include the following local performances:

Memorial Concert – Oct. 26, 8 p.m.

Christmas Carol Service – Dec. 17 & 18, 8 p.m. and Dec. 24, 4 p.m.

A Ceremony of Carols – Dec. 22 & 23, 12:15 p.m.

Founders’ Day Concert – 8 p.m.

Good Friday Choral Meditation – 3 p.m.

Madeleine Festival Concert – 8 p.m.

All performances are at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, 309 E. South Temple. They are free and open to the public; for complimentary seating passes, visit utmcs.org or call 801-994-4663.