Season 16 - “Renaissance Voices: Faith, Joy, Love, Play & Prose”
We're very excited to announce our 16th Season for 2019-2020 under our new Music Director, Don Scott Carpenter and Assistant Music Director, Liesl McPherrin. “Renaissance Voices: Faith, Joy, Love, Play and Prose,” will delight you with rarely-performed musical treasures from the Renaissance, our popular annual free family concert A Festival of Lessons & Carols returns, and we end our new season with a surprise finale!
We're very excited to announce our 16th Season for 2019-2020 under our new Music Director, Don Scott Carpenter and Assistant Music Director, Liesl McPherrin. “Renaissance Voices: Faith, Joy, Love, Play and Prose,” will delight you with rarely-performed musical treasures from the Renaissance, our popular annual free family concert A Festival of Lessons & Carols returns, and we end our new season with a surprise finale!
Taize for Peace in the World
August 14 - 7:30 pm- CANCELLED due COVID-19
The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
1750 - 29th Avenue, San Francisco
August is International Peace Month and was founded on August 16, 1926, at the Democratic Peace Conference in Germany. In commemoration of the month, delegates to the conference voted to encamp in tents upon the battlefields of France through August 29. We join the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, our host as Artists-in-Residence for a service of prayer and music in the meditative Taize style to celebrate this tradition. We'll perform several pieces as part of the service. One of our most popular events, this event is free to all and no reservations are required.
August 14 - 7:30 pm- CANCELLED due COVID-19
The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
1750 - 29th Avenue, San Francisco
August is International Peace Month and was founded on August 16, 1926, at the Democratic Peace Conference in Germany. In commemoration of the month, delegates to the conference voted to encamp in tents upon the battlefields of France through August 29. We join the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, our host as Artists-in-Residence for a service of prayer and music in the meditative Taize style to celebrate this tradition. We'll perform several pieces as part of the service. One of our most popular events, this event is free to all and no reservations are required.
The World Beyond the Renaissance
Beethoven's Christus am Ölberge
(Christ on the Mount of Olives), Op. 85
August 15 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to COVID-19
The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
1750 - 29th Avenue@Noriega, San Francisco
August 22 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to COVID-19
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church
2005 Berryman Street, Berkeley
Ludwig von Beethoven’s (1770-1827) Christ on the Mount of Olives is a dramatic oratorio rather than a religious choral Mass or a dramatic opera, and is considered a much more humanistic portrayal of the Christ passion than other settings, such as those by Bach. It concludes at the point of Jesus personally accepting his fate, placing the emphasis on his own decision rather than the later Crucifixion or Resurrection. It is Beethoven’s only oratorio and his first major work to be performed in America. After its premiere in 1803 the work was performed four times in 1804, and repeated every year, always drawing full houses, until it was banned in 1825 by the Hofmusikgraf and is rarely performed today. Part of Sunset Music & Arts Beethoven 2020 Project celebrating the 250th birth anniversary of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
CONCERTS ALREADY PERFORMED or CANCELLED AS PART OF 2019-2020 SEASON
Beethoven's Christus am Ölberge
(Christ on the Mount of Olives), Op. 85
August 15 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to COVID-19
The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
1750 - 29th Avenue@Noriega, San Francisco
August 22 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to COVID-19
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church
2005 Berryman Street, Berkeley
Ludwig von Beethoven’s (1770-1827) Christ on the Mount of Olives is a dramatic oratorio rather than a religious choral Mass or a dramatic opera, and is considered a much more humanistic portrayal of the Christ passion than other settings, such as those by Bach. It concludes at the point of Jesus personally accepting his fate, placing the emphasis on his own decision rather than the later Crucifixion or Resurrection. It is Beethoven’s only oratorio and his first major work to be performed in America. After its premiere in 1803 the work was performed four times in 1804, and repeated every year, always drawing full houses, until it was banned in 1825 by the Hofmusikgraf and is rarely performed today. Part of Sunset Music & Arts Beethoven 2020 Project celebrating the 250th birth anniversary of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
CONCERTS ALREADY PERFORMED or CANCELLED AS PART OF 2019-2020 SEASON
The World at Birth - A Festival of Lessons & Carols
December 21, 2019 - 4:00 pm - free event
The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
1750 - 29th Avenue, San Francisco
We join our host as Artists-in-Residence, The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in San Francisco, for our annual Festival of Lessons & Carols as we re-create the service that originated in 1918 at King’s College (England) celebrating the season as well as the end of World War I. Featured will be a variety of motets and carols, as well as a specially commissioned work by Bay Area composer Emily Shisko. And as always, there will be plenty of carols for you to sing along with us. Not only is it a free event but one of our most popular offerings, so be sure to come early to get a good seat - don't miss it! (Note: Reservations are requested as this was a standing room only event last year; click on the link above.)
December 21, 2019 - 4:00 pm - free event
The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
1750 - 29th Avenue, San Francisco
We join our host as Artists-in-Residence, The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in San Francisco, for our annual Festival of Lessons & Carols as we re-create the service that originated in 1918 at King’s College (England) celebrating the season as well as the end of World War I. Featured will be a variety of motets and carols, as well as a specially commissioned work by Bay Area composer Emily Shisko. And as always, there will be plenty of carols for you to sing along with us. Not only is it a free event but one of our most popular offerings, so be sure to come early to get a good seat - don't miss it! (Note: Reservations are requested as this was a standing room only event last year; click on the link above.)
The World at Prayer and Play
February 21 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to AB5
The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
1750 - 29th Avenue, San Francisco
February 29 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to AB5
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church
2005 Berryman Street, Berkeley
Join us for this delightful, eclectic concert featuring William Byrd's (c1540-1623) Mass for Four Voices along with Jubilate Deo à 8 by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594), Hosanna to the Son of David by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), and Super Flumina Babylonis by Philippe de Monte (1521-1603) among others. The concert ends with a collection of joyous English madrigals.
February 21 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to AB5
The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
1750 - 29th Avenue, San Francisco
February 29 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to AB5
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church
2005 Berryman Street, Berkeley
Join us for this delightful, eclectic concert featuring William Byrd's (c1540-1623) Mass for Four Voices along with Jubilate Deo à 8 by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594), Hosanna to the Son of David by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), and Super Flumina Babylonis by Philippe de Monte (1521-1603) among others. The concert ends with a collection of joyous English madrigals.
The World in Conflict
Music inspired by the Field of the Cloth of Gold
April 18 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to AB5 & COVID-19
Lakeside Presbyterian Church
201 Eucalyptus Drive @ 19th Avenue, San Francisco
April 25 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to AB5 & COVID-19
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church
2005 Berryman Street, Berkeley
The Field of Cloth of Gold was a spectacular meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting lasted from the 7th June to 24th June 1520 and was one of the most impressive, lavish meetings to ever be held between the two Kings. The meeting was held between the English stronghold of Guînes and the French town of Ardres, on a piece of land which was referred to as the Field of Cloth of Gold.
The purpose of the meeting between these two mighty Kings was to solidify the Treaty of London. Over the course of seventeen days, various events and entertainments were held in attempt to display the skill and splendour of each country. These events included jousting, archery, wrestling, displays of singing, exotic and magnificent feats, and the exchanging of lavish and extravagant gifts. Moreover, their meeting was filled with dancing and music composed just for the occasion by William Cornysh for the English and Jean Mouton for the French.
The Renaissance drinking song L’homme Armé has provided the tune basis for more masses than any in history. Although Guillame Dufay composed his parody mass, Missa L’homme Armé (Mass of the Armed Man) using this tune over 100 years before the Field of Cloth of Gold, it seems a fitting addition to this concert which will also feature Dufay's Ecclesia militantis, Antoine Busnois' In Hydralis and music by Cornysh, Mouton and de Sermisy.
Music inspired by the Field of the Cloth of Gold
April 18 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to AB5 & COVID-19
Lakeside Presbyterian Church
201 Eucalyptus Drive @ 19th Avenue, San Francisco
April 25 - 8:00 pm - CANCELLED due to AB5 & COVID-19
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church
2005 Berryman Street, Berkeley
The Field of Cloth of Gold was a spectacular meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting lasted from the 7th June to 24th June 1520 and was one of the most impressive, lavish meetings to ever be held between the two Kings. The meeting was held between the English stronghold of Guînes and the French town of Ardres, on a piece of land which was referred to as the Field of Cloth of Gold.
The purpose of the meeting between these two mighty Kings was to solidify the Treaty of London. Over the course of seventeen days, various events and entertainments were held in attempt to display the skill and splendour of each country. These events included jousting, archery, wrestling, displays of singing, exotic and magnificent feats, and the exchanging of lavish and extravagant gifts. Moreover, their meeting was filled with dancing and music composed just for the occasion by William Cornysh for the English and Jean Mouton for the French.
The Renaissance drinking song L’homme Armé has provided the tune basis for more masses than any in history. Although Guillame Dufay composed his parody mass, Missa L’homme Armé (Mass of the Armed Man) using this tune over 100 years before the Field of Cloth of Gold, it seems a fitting addition to this concert which will also feature Dufay's Ecclesia militantis, Antoine Busnois' In Hydralis and music by Cornysh, Mouton and de Sermisy.