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Artscene I and disciples. It is really a dialogue with different textures, so there is variety within the work itself." The Schütz Passion is a prime example of t will be a musical marathon for the singers of the Oakville Chamber the ability of music to enhance a story, Potvin Ensemble as they embark on an a cappel- said. "One thing I find with this Passion, where la performance of two early choral masterin other Passions it sounds like the good guys pieces next weekend. The 16-member choir will present and the bad guys, I think Schütz has a way to Heinrich Schütz's St. Matthew Passion and make the story alive and make it more human Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina's Stabat by the way of his writing," he said. One of the soloists for St. Matthew Passion Mater on Sunday, March 15. It will be demanding, both mentally and is choir member Michael Taylor, who is taking physically, for the musicians, but they are up on the role of the evangelist. "He (Michael) comes to rehearsals and for the challenge, according to artistic direcknows his music so well and he has a beautitor Stéphane Potvin. "For lots of choirs and singers, being able ful voice," Potvin said. "Michael's voice really to stay perfectly in tune from beginning to end sits well, because the evangelist is not as perwhile singing a cappella is always a challenge, sonally involved as Jesus, for example, and especially when there is no break," he said. Michael has the ability to make his voice fit "You can do a piece that is three or four min- that role so perfectly." Taylor is a Toronto-based lyric tenor and utes long and you get a new pitch for the next piece, and it isn't such a big deal. But when St. Michael's Choir School alumnus. As a you sing for an hour, non-stop, without get- graduate of the University of Toronto in ting a new pitch, you really have to focus very music, drama, and psychology, he said he hard and make sure those intervals are pure. enjoys performing in both musical and theatrical events. The St. That demands a lot of work Matthew Passion has ele- MUSIC MEN: Lyric tenor Michael Taylor, and concentration. I consid- "I think Schütz has a way of ments of both. above, is one of the St. Matthew Passion soloists er myself very lucky to have making the story alive and "Singing the part of under conductor Stéphane Potvin. the singers in this choir make it more human by the the evangelist is a great because they are excellent." challenge for me," Taylor The centerpiece of the way of his writing." said. "A plainchant part, it concert is St. Matthew relies on the singer to Passion. The work was writ- Stéphane Potvin bring to life the greatest ten between 1664 and 1666 Artistic director of Oakville story ever told, bridging by the composer. Many Chamber Ensemble the parts sung by other music scholars consider Schütz to be a leading composer of the 17th performers with beautifully intricate polycentury, with some referring to him as the phonic settings that Henry Schütz is famous dominant German composer before Johann for." Despite the popularity of Bach's St. Sebastian Bach. Schütz's best-known work is his sacred Matthew Passion, Taylor said that people will music, which ranges from pieces for solo voice form an attachment to Schütz's work. He said with instrumental accompaniment to a cap- introducing rare musical gems is thrilling. "Bringing to the audience a lesser-known pella choral music. A Passion in the musical realm is the story masterpiece brings immense excitement and of Christ's Passion, as recorded in the four satisfaction to everyone on board," he said. Taylor added that the compositional style gospels, set to music. Transcripts of musical settings of the Passion first appeared in the of the work will enchant audiences. "The famously sublime texture of Schütz's Middle Ages and have continued to be written polyphony in the Passion is extremely appealby various composers through to today. "Most people know the later Passions, like ing as it is set not within the customary form Bach's St. Matthew Passion and St. John of plainchant, but a more free-flowing, unacPassion, but Schütz's is much earlier and in companied style (of chant)," Taylor said. the earlier tradition," he said. "Basically it is a "Appropriately performed during the mixture of solo singing and choral singing. In Christian season of Lent, it conveys the story "Because it is a Lenten concert, the Stabat the solo parts, you've got several people, like of the ultimate sacrifice of God, and it acts as Mater is about Mary at the foot of the cross the evangelist, who tells the story, as well as the perfect precursor to the celebration of and is about the pain the mother feels when Jesus, Pontius Pilot, Judas, Peter and a few Easter." she sees her son on the cross," he said. "It fit Keeping with the sacred theme, well with the Passion." other people and they all sing off each other. Then you have the choir, who plays a number Palestrina's Stabat Mater was an ideal addiThe Italian Renaissance composer is of roles, like the chief priests, false witnesses tion to the program, Potvin said. renowned for his stunning vocal works. OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF · FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2009 22 Chamber choir celebrating Lent with Passion By Tina Depko Stabat Mater is no exception, said Potvin. "Palestrina is probably one of those composers that every chorister wants to sing," he said. Palestrina composed Stabat Mater around 1590 for Pope Gregory XIV. It was soon established as one of the most admired pieces in the repertory of the Pope's private chapel. It was traditionally sung in the Sistine Chapel at the offertory on Palm Sunday by the 17th century. The piece is written for double choir. The placement of the choirs next Sunday will fully display the complexity of the composition. "There's going to be eight voices on one side and eight voices on the other side and they will be physically separated by at least a few feet so that the audience can really hear the double chorus responding to each other," Potvin said. Although the works are sacred in nature, Potvin said the beauty of the music transcends categorization. "I think for anyone who is a churchgoer, there is an added bonus because it (St. Matthew Passion) is really related to the faith, but even for those people who are not churchgoers, the story is very human," he said. "You don't need to be a churchgoer or anyone of faith to be able to appreciate the dilemma that a person faces when he is being betrayed. Then there's the pure beauty of the music and the singing." Potvin said he is hoping to enhance the concert-going experience by displaying artwork on stage. "We are talking with some local visual artists to have some paintings displayed during the concert," he said. "It is not necessarily going to be all sacred art. I'm trying to put myself in the audience's shoes. For those who don't know the Schütz and are hearing it for the first time, it is in German and it is beautiful music, but for some people it might be unusual and I just thought that having visuals there will enhance the experience." Besides enriching the musical fabric of the Oakville's cultural scene, the ensemble is also working towards helping Mother Earth. The concert reception has a green focus, with filtered, rather than bottled, tap water, biodegradable cups and homemade desserts. The Oakville Chamber Ensemble presents Passion on Sunday, March 15 at 3 p.m. at St. Simon's Anglican Church, 1450 Litchfield Rd. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $15 for seniors and students and $5 for youths 15 and under. Tickets are available at the door, or in advance by calling 905-825-9740 or by e-mailing info@oakville-ensemble.ca. For information, go online to www.oakville-ensemble.ca.