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Chestnut Street Singers presents Axis of Medieval

Presented by Chestnut Street Singers at First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia

November 6, 2011

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The Chestnut Street Singers, Philadelphia’s only cooperative chamber chorus, will perform a free concert entitled “Axis of Medieval.”  Last spring, Tom Purdom of The Broad Street Review lauded the ensemble’s inaugural season, heralding the group’s “strong voices, good harmony, close coordination, and astute selections.” This sophomore year will begin with the highlights of the so-called “Dark Ages.” Reaching all the way to the very origins of polyphony, “Axis of Medieval” will feature quintessential early works—both those whose composers have been lost to time and those by such familiar names as Guillaume de Machaut (1300–1377) and Thomas Tallis (1505–1585)—and their contemporary counterparts, from Samuel Barber (1910–1981) to Abbie Betinis (1980–). The program draws from a vast range of sources—sacred and secular music spanning a millennium and several countries—but we hear echoes across the centuries, bringing medieval chant and contemporary art song into the same voices and the same spirits.