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Chilliwack Symphony presents Mozart's Requiem

One of Mozart’s greatest works, Requiem, will be presented by Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra and Chorus on March 26.
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Members of the Chilliwack Symphony Chorus rehearse with the orchestra at Sardis Secondary on Wednesday night.

One of Mozart’s greatest works, Requiem, will be presented by Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra and Chorus on March 26.

The evening will begin with the gorgeous sounds of the Chilliwack a cappella singers singing 3 Graduals by Anton Bruckner and will be followed by Franz Biebl’s Ave Maria.

"There is no sound as beautiful as the sound of a cappella voices," says resident conductor Paula DeWitt-Krause.

"These pieces leave you emotional. They touch your soul profoundly. They will move you, as will the Requiem."

The soloists for the Requiem are soprano Tracey Satterfield, mezzo soprano Caroline Harder, tenor John Arsenault and bass Angus Bell.

The Requiem Mass in D minor (K. 626) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composed in Vienna in 1791 and left unfinished at the composer's death.

"It is one of the most enigmatic pieces of music ever composed, mostly because of the myths and controversies surrounding it, especially around how much of the piece was completed by Mozart before his death," she offers.

The CSO's 65-voice chorus will be joined by two other Vancouver-based chamber groups directed by Natalia Manolov, including The West End Chamber Choir and the Varna Chamber Choir.

The West End Chamber Choir was founded in January 2009 by Natalia Manolov.  Its repertoire is comprised of songs of the great choral tradition , from Bach and Mozart to the best contemporary composers.

In its first season the choir had the honour and pleasure to sing Ode to Joy with other choirs and Sinfonia Orchestra.

The Varna Chamber Choir was founded in Vancouver in 2004 by Natalia Manolov , the Varna Chamber Choir is a dynamic ensemble committed to musical excellence. It performs music in several languages and has a diverse repertoire that spans from the Renaissance to the 21st century including Bulgarian Folk songs.

The autograph manuscript shows the finished and orchestrated introit in Mozart's hand, as well as detailed sketches of the Kyrie and the sequence Dies irae as far as the first nine bars of "Lacrimosa", and the vocal parts of the offertory. It cannot be shown to what extent Süssmayr may have depended on now lost "scraps of paper" for the remainder; he later claimed the Sanctus and Agnus as his own.

The concert, with no intermission, will be conducted by Principal Conductor Maestro Clyde Mitchell and Resident Conductor Paula DeWitt-Krause.

Requiem, March 26, 7:30 p.m. at First Avenue Christian Assembly, tickets at the Chilliwack Progress, Chilliwack Long and McQuade or Kings Music Abbotsford or 604-858-0216.  Ticket prices $15, General, $20 Orchestra and $25 Dress Circle.