Rheinberger’s Mass in A major is a truly beautiful work for upper voice choirs. The organ accompaniment supports the voices and expands the three-part texture to four parts. The charm and at the same time the challenge lies in the lyrically tender character of the composition. Even the chromatic lines, seventh and ninth chords, and many modulations can be mastered effortlessly if all the choral singers practise their parts so they can sing them blindfold, and can devote themselves fully to the overal choral sound. The vocal parts in the organ version match those in the orchestral version; both can therefore be practised with the app.
Simply practice. Anytime. Everywhere.
Whether at home on your tablet or PC or on the road on your smartphone: with carus music, the Choir Coach, you always have your choral works with you to practice! With the carus music choir app, you can listen to your score together with a first-class recording on any device and easily practice your own choir part with a coach. With carus music, your concert preparation is easy, efficient and fun to master!
Performers: Vocalensemble Rastatt – Thomas Berning (organo) – Holger Speck
Contents
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Composer
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger
| 1839-1901During the second half of the 19th century Rheinberger, who was born in 1839 in Vaduz (Liechtenstein), was a major figure of European stature. In demand as a teacher of composition and esteemed as a composer, this professor at the Munich Conservatoire and Bavarian Court Kapellmeister made his mark on a whole generation of musicians. The fact that many of his compositions were no longer performed after his death in 1901, despite their high musical qualities, was largely a result of external circumstances. The change of aesthetic orientation which began about the turn of the century led to a radical move away from the conservative-classical ideals to which Rheinberger – like Brahms – had felt himself committed. It was also a fact that Rheinberger never publicized his own works vigorously. The Josef-Rheinberger-Archiv and Carus published a complete edition of works by Josef Gabriel Rheinberger for the first time. The edition, concluded in 2009, has contributed significantly to the fact that the music of this composition teacher and Bavarian Court Kapellmeister from Munich can once again be heard around the world today. Personal details
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Choir
Vocalensemble Rastatt
Alongside its dedication to a core repertoire of composers such as Monteverdi, Schütz, Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, and Brahms, the Vocalensemble Rastatt & Les Favorites frequently explore new terrain with premiere performances. On the heels of its successes in national and international choir competitions, the ensemble has taken part in numerous internationally acclaimed CD recordings as well as radio, and television productions for SWR, Radio France, Deutschlandradio Kultur, and Deutschlandfunk. The Vocalensemble Rastatt & Les Favorites have performed in the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the Musikfest Bremen, the Kölner Philharmonie, the SWR RheinVokal Festival, the Europäisches Musikfest Stuttgart, the Schwetzinger Festspiele, the Deutschlandradio Kultur Wartburgkonzerte, the Internationale Musiktage im Dom zu Speyer, the Philharmonie in Mulhouse, and the Centre de Musique “Les Dominicains” in Guebwiller, France, among other venues. The flexible choir does not shy away from excursions into the world of opera, having performed Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and Bellini’s Norma with Edita Gruberova, and Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte with Rolando Villazón. Together with Klaus Maria Brandauer and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the choir also performed Mendelssohn’s Sommernachtstraum at the Musikfest Bremen. The ensemble is sponsored by the German state of Baden-Württemberg in co-operation with its “Kunst 2020” program, as well as by its home city of Rastatt. Personal details
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Conductor
Holger Speck
Holger Speck is founder and artistic director of the Vocalensemble Rastatt & Les Favorites. He has developed a distinguished international reputation as a charismatic musician who is capable of bringing to life the aesthetic details of the sound particular to different periods, while communicating emotive content to the listener. His keen sense of sound assures the unmistakable tonal quality of his ensembles. His compelling, lively, and profound interpretations are regularly praised in specialist publications. He has conducted at famous festivals and concert halls such as the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, the Philharmonie Mulhouse, the Händelfestspiele Karlsruhe, the Europäische Musikfest Stuttgart, the Schwetzinger Festspiele, the Festival Europäische Kirchenmusik Schwäbisch Gmünd, and the SWR RheinVokal Festival. Holger Speck has won prizes at both national and international competitions with the Vocalensemble Rastatt. His CD recordings have met with international acclaim (Gramophone Magazine, American Record Guide, Fanfare, Fono Forum, L’Orfeo, Pizzicato, Diapason, Classicstoday etc.). He frequently collaborates with artists such as Anne Le Bozec (Piano), Reinhold Friedrich (Trumpet), Wolfgang Meyer (Clarinet), and Veronika Skuplik (Violin). Holger Speck is also in demand as a singer, as a guest conductor, and as a lecturer at seminars for conducting and interpretation. He teaches at the Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe. Personal details