Resoundingly Rutter

Celebrating the music of John Rutter, England’s foremost composer and arranger of choral music, gives the Tauranga Civic Choir an opportunity to present to the audience a performance of some of the most beautiful music written in the twentieth century.
In the first half of the programme the choir will sing four shorter pieces by John Rutter and Elaine Wogan will perform two English songs.
Programme:
Look at the World                                                                   John Rutter
A Prayer of St Patrick                                                             John Rutter
Orpheus with his Lute    (soloist)                                         Ralph Vaughan-Williams
Love’s Philosophy   (soloist)                                                 Roger Quilter
Open Thou Mine Eyes                                                            John Rutter
When the Saints Go Marching In                                         John Rutter
(Alan Withy: clarinet; Joe Thomas: Trombone)

Interval

Magnificat                                                                                John Rutter
Magnificat is a poetic outpouring of praise, joy and trust in God, ascribed by Luke to the Virgin Mary on learning that she was to give birth to Christ. It has always been one of the most familiar and well-loved of scriptural texts. In addition to the Magnificat text, Rutter uses three texts: an anonymous 15th century English poem on Marian themes, Of a Rose, a lovely Rose; part of the Sanctus; and a prayer to Mary.
 
Magnificat by John Rutter was first performed in New York in 1990, a performance conducted by the composer himself. Since then it has become one of the most frequently performed large-scale choral works. Magnificat is in seven movements; each movement explores a different musical style, from medieval chant to Latin American rhythms. The choral texture is greatly enhanced with the addition of our soprano soloist, Elaine Wogan, and pianist, Leon Gray.