Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Jean-Sebastien Vallee
PRE-ORDER: This item will be shipped with the aim to deliver on release day.
Release Date: 25 October 2024
Label: Atma Classique
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 2
Barcode: 722056288224
Description
2024 marks the 130th anniversary of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, one of Canada's oldest, largest, and most recognized choral ensembles. Currently under the direction of Jean-Sebastien Vallee, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is proud to celebrate its anniversary with the release of the album Remember.
Many of the works featured on this double CD set are pieces of Canadian choral music history that have a symbolic or special meaning for the choir. They include Richte mich, Gott, a setting of Felix Mendelssohn's Psalm 43, which was performed at the choir's inaugural concert on January 15, 1895.
The music selected for this album reflects the country's musical diversity and includes traditional songs like Blanche comme la neige from Quebec and She's Like the Swallow from Newfoundland. The album also celebrates Canada's rich tradition of choral composition spanning more than a century, from Healey Willan's An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts, to Srul Irving Glick's 1988 Haleluya. Yesterday's music rubs shoulders with recent commissions like Andrew Balfour's 2022 Music Is Vibration, alongside pieces by contemporary composers including Imant Raminsh, Jocelyn Morlock, Christopher Ducasse, Shireen Abu Khader, Stephanie Martin, and Stuart Beatch.
Through its performances, educational programs, and community engagement, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir aspires to introduce its audiences to choral masterworks from the past and present. TMChoir includes 24 professional singers and over 130 auditioned and experienced volunteer choristers. The smaller professional ensemble, the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers (TMSingers) is one of Canada's leading professional chamber choirs and was created to deliver more intimate, nimble repertoire.
Currently serving as artistic director of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and professor of music and director of choral studies at McGill University's Schulich School of Music in Montreal, Jean-Sebastien Vallee is a sought-after conductor and pedagogue. He previously served as director of choral studies at California State University, Los Angeles, and was on the choral faculty of the University of Redlands.
Tracklisting
Orchestre Symphonique de Laval, Alain Trudel
Arion Orchestre Baroque, Mathieu Lussier, Magali Simard-Galdes, Nicholas Scott, Melisande McNabney
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Jean-Sebastien Vallee
Quatuor Molinari
Ensemble ArtChoral; Matthias Maute
Cameron Crozman; Les Violons du Roy
Elisabeth Pion; Arion Baroque Orchestra
Karina Gauvin; Quatuor Molinari; Pentaedre
Vocalensemble Rastatt; Les Favorites; Holger Speck; Miriam Feuersinger; Terry Wey; Florian Sievers; Sebastian Noack
Kammerchor Stuttgart; Frieder Bernius; Florian Pedarnig
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Jean-Sebastien Vallee
Graindelavoix; Bjorn Schmelzer
Heinrich-Isaac-Ensemble; ensemble officium
William Vann, Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, Derek Welton, Iain Burnside
Basler Madrigalisten; Raphael Immoos
Proteus Ensemble; Stephen Shellard
