Want to be moved this weekend?
"It takes a village." We've heard it so many times it's become a bit trite.
It certainly takes a community. In this instance, a community of musicians - over 60 choral voices, an 11 member chamber orchestra, two professional soloists, and Artistic Director Andrew Jonathan Welch. People who love to sing, to play instruments, to bring something out of nothing, lofting melodies into the air, in passing moments, for the sheer rich enjoyment of the experience.
I had opportunity last evening to attend the final full rehearsal of the Falmouth Chorale, accompanied by chamber orchestra and soloists, as they prepared to present Brahms Requiem, more specifically, in the original German form, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, in two performances this weekend.
I watched as the empty performance venue at Falmouth Academy was transformed, brought to life by those engaged in the creative process.
First in was the chamber orchestra, combined talents from multiple musical organizations both on Cape and north to the south shore and Boston. A relatively small group of musicians taking on what is more often a huge orchestral work.
Then the members of the Falmouth Chorale filed in to their places. Every singer with a unique story we might never know of how they got here. Of why they were willing to spend every Tuesday evening since mid-January in rehearsal. And to give up an entire weekend for Friday evening dress rehearsal, and Saturday and Sunday afternoon performances.
Unassuming in their entrance to seats in the front row entered the soloists. Ah, the soloists. Baritone Richard Giarusso whose deep, rich tones fill the room with what appeared to be an effortless embodiment of sound, though we know for certain it is anything but effortless. Soprano Carley DeFranco's musical entrances have the feeling of riding on fine satin. Her pitch matches with the supporting instruments in a manner that that they join as one exquisite sound. Indeed sweet music to the ears.
Much has already been written about the Requiem, both its history, and context. I will not endeavor into that here, as there are excellent program notes written by the Falmouth Chorale's new artistic director Andrew Jonathan Welch. I quote simply the following excerpt from his notes: "Brahms wrote this piece for us, a community chorus, celebrating and maintaining his composition in a country he likely knew little about and a year he probably couldn’t imagine. More universally, he wrote this piece for us, the living, so that we might contemplate, or mourn, or be comforted. We present it to you today as an echo of the same generosity of spirit that first led Brahms to set pen to paper in the first place, that you might find solace, wonder, and comfort in it, too. (If you'd like a copy of the full program notes, please email me at mimi@mimisart.com and I will send to you as PDF.)
Following one of the more dramatic choral movements of the piece, Director Welch said to the group, "You sound phenomenal. If I wasn't so busy, I'd be deeply moved." They laughed. Though the moment wasn't lost on me.
How often do we miss opportunities to be moved as we get caught up in our own busyness?
This weekend, I invite you, no, more strongly, I encourage you to drop your busyness for a bit of time one afternoon to attend this fine performance, either at 4pm on Saturday, March 18 or at 3pm on Sunday, March 19, at the Simon Center for the Arts at Falmouth Academy. Tickets may be purchased at the door for $30.
Allow yourself to be deeply moved.
