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Australian Chamber Choir: Mozart’s Requiem

by Julie McErlain 12th April, 2018
by Julie McErlain 12th April, 2018

I always look forward to hearing the Australian Chamber Choir, one of my favourite ensembles, whose repertoire excites, stimulates and revives our souls. This program of golden sacred music opened with Palestrina’s sublime setting of the Stabat Mater. The magnificent stained glass window backdrop in the Macedon Church of the Resurrection added pictorial colourful hues befitting this blessed program. An excellent setting – but perhaps the venue space didn’t allow for the physical separation of the double choir of eight voices, which could have enhanced the wondrous baroque tonality of the sound. Douglas Lawrence masterfully held the rhythm, melody and harmony in equal importance throughout, with no voice ever being overstated, and there were many peaks in final cadences.

I was just a little surprised then by the hasty tempo of the rather dynamic opening – “At the cross her station keeping, Mary stood in sorrow weeping,” where I wanted to be immersed in the sublime meditation to follow. I did not feel the resignation, gentle lamentation and calm introspection of Mary’s sorrow. The full ensemble settled into a more even blend and balance as the tempo steadied and the performance flowed with strength, forwardness and musical precision. Where the text spoke of anguish, pleading and torment, the ACC lifted in united energy and awe through the glorious triads and suspensions.

Impeccable pitch and articulation of the text are a feature of the ACC’s performances, and throughout, the tempered contrasts of dynamics in response to the text was scholarly and splendid. It is a joy to hear the Stabat Mater – and with the grand final cadence “While my body here decays, May my soul your goodness praise, Safe in heaven eternally,” the ensemble affirmed a celestial height.

The Melbourne Baroque Orchestra led by prominent lead violinist David Irving provided a consistently sympathetic accompaniment in Mozart’s Requiem. From the opening lines of the Introitus the ensemble embraced this quasi-symphonic work with full dramatic fervour and choral richness. The Kyrie was an exciting demonstration of precise rhythmic enunciations and fugal entries, with individual instruments enhancing the vocal phrases with counterpoint and sympathetic phrases.

In Dies Irae the soloists – Elspeth Bawden, Elizabeth Anderson, Timothy Reynolds and Oliver Mann – ably demonstrated a rich and colourful delivery of the intertwining texts, and the ACC gave us the full range of dynamic contrasts with unified control and sensitivity. The Offertorium was joyful, the Sanctus – Benedictus expressed a deeper spirituality with the choral basses shining with their “Osanna in Excelsis”, and Lawrence was in command of seamless tempo changes. Again with the Agnus Dei, I was hoping for more calming, peaceful twilight tones, more gentleness and mystery, and a more restrained tempo with less declamation.

This performance, with uplifting solos, splendid fugues, and professional delivery from a choir whose sound can appear to come from over a hundred voices in their final cadences, was highly applauded by a packed house in a splendid venue.

Julie McErlain reviewed the Australian Chamber Choir with the Melbourne Baroque Orchestra on April 8, 2018, at the Macedon Church of the Resurrection.

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Julie McErlain

Julie McErlain has a passionate love of and involvement with many kinds of music. Classically trained, she completed a bachelor of Music at the University of Melbourne with Honours in Piano and Composition, also studying oboe, percussion and guitar, and completing a sub-major in English. She supported herself as a student playing at Ballet Victoria and Australian Ballet schools, in musical theatre groups and in the wider entertainment industry as a solo pianist, and in a wide variety of classical, popular, folk and jazz ensembles. She has an active involvement in performing regularly in classical music concerts, jazz and contemporary music, also playing the saxophone and creating the first Women & Jazz festival and workshop series in Melbourne in 1981. Always a music teacher, conductor, concert and festival goer, Julie was Music Concert Reviewer for the Warrnambool STANDARD for three years, covering all styles of major music performances, promoting local music and reviewing major Australian artists and companies. She loves having the opportunity to hear new music, be inspired and challenged to use her creative writing skills, and contribute to promoting unique musical performances.

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Events Calendar

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  • August 2022

Calendar of Events

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F Fri

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S Sun

2 events, 1

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Songmakers Australia: Schwanengesang

August 1 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Songmakers Australia: Schwanengesang

Program Franz Schubert Schwanengesang D 957 Songmakers Australia Schubert’s last song cycle was published after his untimely death at the age of…

Free
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Seraphim Trio – Gallic Charm

August 1 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Seraphim Trio – Gallic Charm

A performance of cherished works and Gallic beauty. About the artists Seraphim Trio is as much a lifelong friendship as a…

$40 – $50

0 events, 2

1 event, 3

11:30 am - 12:40 pm

Mostly Mozart – Musical Mavericks

August 3 @ 11:30 am - 12:40 pm

Mostly Mozart – Musical Mavericks

Riveting passion balanced with delicate lyricism. About the artists Scottish born James Crabb is widely regarded as one of the world’s…

$42 – $49

0 events, 4

0 events, 5

1 event, 6

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Ray Chen

August 6 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Ray Chen

World-renowned violinist Ray Chen makes his long-awaited return to Australia with some of the most demanding, impressive, and emotionally riveting works…

$65.55 – $159

2 events, 7

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Flinders Quartet Concert 2

August 7 @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Flinders Quartet Concert 2

Join Flinders Quartet for the sumptuous romanticism and grandeur of Brahms, and the ingenuity and wit of Haydn. Thibaud Pavlovic-Hobba -…

$29 – $38
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Corpus Medicorum Concert #3

August 7 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Corpus Medicorum Concert #3

Corpus Medicorum Rebirth 2022 Concert Series. Artists Charlotte Miles cellist Keith Crellin OAM conductor Program Edward Elgar Cello Concerto, Op.85 Antonín Dvořák Symphony No.7…

$10 – $60

1 event, 8

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Stewart Kelly – Schubert’s Swansong

August 8 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Stewart Kelly – Schubert’s Swansong

A journey to the corners of human experience with Schubert’s Schwanengesang. About the artists Stewart Kelly is one of Australia’s most sought-after…

$40 – $50

0 events, 9

0 events, 10

1 event, 11

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Melbourne Guitar Quartet – Flow My Tears

August 11 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Melbourne Guitar Quartet – Flow My Tears

Innovative arrangements, technical flair and superb playing. About the artists Melbourne Guitar Quartet have carved out a reputation for curating utterly…

$40 – $50

1 event, 12

7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Recurring

Stravinsky’s Ballets

August 12 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Recurring

Stravinsky’s Ballets

Wicked magicians, unrequited love, and human sacrifice for a bountiful spring – these ballets have it all! The MSO travels through…

$64 – $119

1 event, 13

7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Recurring

Stravinsky’s Ballets

August 13 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Recurring

Stravinsky’s Ballets

Wicked magicians, unrequited love, and human sacrifice for a bountiful spring – these ballets have it all! The MSO travels through…

$64 – $119

4 events, 14

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The Lieder Society of Victoria: Erwartung – Markus Matheis & Dean Sky-Lucas

August 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The Lieder Society of Victoria: Erwartung – Markus Matheis & Dean Sky-Lucas

"Erwartung" Markus Matheis & Dean Sky-Lucas In this recital ERWARTUNG (expectation) Markus Matheis and Dean Sky-Lucas present a concert which chronicles…

$20 – $25
3:00 pm - 4:15 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

August 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

Now firmly established as one of Australia’s most prestigious singing events, the RMP Aria is Australia’s pre-eminent competition for oratorio soloists.…

$25 – $56
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

August 14 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

The University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s third concert of the year takes us through works by Benjamin Britten, Don Bank, and…

Free
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

August 14 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

Now firmly established as one of Australia’s most prestigious singing events, the RMP Aria is Australia’s pre-eminent competition for oratorio soloists.…

$25 – $56

0 events, 15

0 events, 16

0 events, 17

2 events, 18

6:30 pm - 7:20 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harold in Italy

August 18 @ 6:30 pm - 7:20 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harold in Italy

The prose of Lord Byron provides the artistic inspiration behind this large-scale symphonic poem by Berlioz. MSO Principal Viola Christopher Moore…

$55 – $95
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Guitarra – Paco Peña and The Grigoryan Brothers

August 18 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Guitarra – Paco Peña and The Grigoryan Brothers

A perfect merger of two musical worlds in one performance. About the concert Paco Peña, described by Guitar Player magazine as the ‘world’s…

$79 – $110

1 event, 19

7:30 pm - 9:35 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Poetry in Music – Berlioz and Tchaikovsky

August 19 @ 7:30 pm - 9:35 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Poetry in Music – Berlioz and Tchaikovsky

The prose of Lord Byron provides the artistic inspiration behind two large-scale symphonic poems by Berlioz and Tchaikovsky. MSO Principal Viola…

$69 – $119

2 events, 20

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Sheku Kanneh-Mason & the Kanneh-Mason Family

August 20 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Sheku Kanneh-Mason & the Kanneh-Mason Family

Sheku Kanneh-Mason shot to global fame after his mesmerising performance at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.…

$59 – $119
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Real and Right and True – Lotte Betts-Dean and Calvin Bowman

August 20 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Real and Right and True – Lotte Betts-Dean and Calvin Bowman

"Real and Right and True" - a celebration of the art song tradition of Australia and the United Kingdom. Lotte Betts-Dean,…

$10 – $35

2 events, 21

11:00 am - 11:45 am

Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra – Romantic Adventure

August 21 @ 11:00 am - 11:45 am

Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra – Romantic Adventure

Be swept up the whirlwind of love in Romantic Adventure. Coruscating works make up this scintillatingly curated program, with each piece…

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

MYO – The Dancing Orchestra

August 21 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

MYO – The Dancing Orchestra

Melbourne Youth Orchestra welcomes popular, Vienna based Australian conductor Warwick Stengaards to the podium for The Dancing Orchestra. Vivacious music by Khachaturian,…

$15 – $30

1 event, 22

7:30 pm

Great Performers 2022: Yeol Eum Son

August 22 @ 7:30 pm

Great Performers 2022: Yeol Eum Son

Yeol Eum Son’s graceful and timeless interpretations have moved audiences all over the world. Highly regarded as a brilliant virtuoso, she…

$49 – $119

1 event, 23

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Selby & Friends Twilight Series – In the Shadow of War

August 23 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Selby & Friends Twilight Series – In the Shadow of War

The surprising connection between these works is that of wartime conflict and how it impacted each composer. Program Matthew Hindson -…

$55 – $57

0 events, 24

1 event, 25

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

ELISION – The Aesthetics of Disappearance

August 25 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

ELISION – The Aesthetics of Disappearance

ELISION is an experimental classical music ensemble focused upon pushing sonic and instrumental boundaries in search of visceral expressive experiences. The Aesthetics…

$30 – $37

0 events, 26

0 events, 27

0 events, 28

0 events, 29

0 events, 30

0 events, 31

0 events, 1

0 events, 2

0 events, 3

1 event, 4

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Wanderlust

September 4 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Wanderlust

The Friends of the Auburn Tower Inc presents Wanderlust, featuring Elyane Laussade, piano, and Luke Severn, bass baritone, in a musical…

$20 – $35
August 1
August 1 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Songmakers Australia: Schwanengesang

August 1 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Seraphim Trio – Gallic Charm

  • There are no events on this day.
August 3
August 3 @ 11:30 am - 12:40 pm

Mostly Mozart – Musical Mavericks

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
August 6
August 6 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Ray Chen

August 7
August 7 @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Flinders Quartet Concert 2

August 7 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Corpus Medicorum Concert #3

August 8
August 8 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Stewart Kelly – Schubert’s Swansong

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
August 11
August 11 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Melbourne Guitar Quartet – Flow My Tears

August 12
August 12 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Recurring

Stravinsky’s Ballets

August 13
August 13 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Recurring

Stravinsky’s Ballets

August 14
August 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The Lieder Society of Victoria: Erwartung – Markus Matheis & Dean Sky-Lucas

August 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

August 14 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

August 14 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

Rutter’s Requiem and the 16th RMP Aria Final

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
August 18
August 18 @ 6:30 pm - 7:20 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Harold in Italy

August 18 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Guitarra – Paco Peña and The Grigoryan Brothers

August 19
August 19 @ 7:30 pm - 9:35 pm

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Poetry in Music – Berlioz and Tchaikovsky

August 20
August 20 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Sheku Kanneh-Mason & the Kanneh-Mason Family

August 20 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Real and Right and True – Lotte Betts-Dean and Calvin Bowman

August 21
August 21 @ 11:00 am - 11:45 am

Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra – Romantic Adventure

August 21 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

MYO – The Dancing Orchestra

August 22
August 22 @ 7:30 pm

Great Performers 2022: Yeol Eum Son

August 23
August 23 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Selby & Friends Twilight Series – In the Shadow of War

August 25
August 25 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

ELISION – The Aesthetics of Disappearance

September 4
September 4 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Wanderlust

August 20
August 20 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Sheku Kanneh-Mason & the Kanneh-Mason Family

August 20 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Real and Right and True – Lotte Betts-Dean and Calvin Bowman

August 21
August 21 @ 11:00 am - 11:45 am

Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra – Romantic Adventure

August 21 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

MYO – The Dancing Orchestra

August 22
August 22 @ 7:30 pm

Great Performers 2022: Yeol Eum Son

August 23
August 23 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Selby & Friends Twilight Series – In the Shadow of War

  • There are no events on this day.
August 25
August 25 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

ELISION – The Aesthetics of Disappearance

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
September 4
September 4 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Wanderlust

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