Presenter: Orphei Drangar Choir
Conductor: Cecilia Rydinger Alin
Duration: approximate 95 mins (intermission included)
Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Concert Hall
Dates: Oct. 14, 2010 19:30
Price: VIP 380 280 180 120 80 RMB
Programme Introduction
Elin Rombo, soprano
Folke Alin, piano
Jacob Risberg, presenter
Cecilia Rydinger Alin, conductor
"A violinist carries his instrument in his hands, but a singer has his placed mid-way between the brain and the heart."
Hugo Alfven (OD's conductor, 1910-1947)
Orphei Drangar Choir
The male-voice choir is an instrument with very special and unique modes of expression. Both in Sweden and abroad, OD has distinguished itself by developing and fine-tuning this instrument. Many speak of the unique fusion of young, lighter voices with the older, more mature ones, creating a sound all of its own. Intonation, phrasing and purity are other words which are often used to describe OD's sound.
A cappella songs remain the most important facet of the choir's work. But OD willingly goes beyond this to push back the accepted boundaries of how a choir should sound. There are numerous forms of expression. The choir is as much at home performing with a symphony orchestra as accompanying a dramatic composition or a ballet. The concerts the choir presents are varied. The spring concert in April may be said to be the musical high point of the year, providing a showcase for the first performance of many newly written works and laying the foundation for musical standards. The serenade concert in June provides a peaceful interlude, often bringing together quiet beautiful melodies and beautiful words, recited by a specially invited guest. And the Caprice in December is a concert which breaks down the barriers; a musical caper and OD's most public concert. The word "caprice" means precisely "whim" and "fancy".
One of OD's main characteristics is the size of its repertoire. The choir has always sung romantic Swedish pieces and Scandinavian lyrical choral music. Under the leadership of Hugo Alfvén and Eric Ericson, the range of works was extended from romantic, national works and lyrical Scandinavian choral music. Today, OD represents a cross-section of choral music from Europe and other continents, from romantic quartets to modern, atonal compositions. All sung in the original language. Nowadays, it is mainly a case of handpicking interesting composers, both well-known and promising, young composers who can make their mark in malevoice choir music through the medium of specially composed material.
Conductor: Cecilia Rydinger Alin
Cecilia Rydinger Alin has been OD's principal director since 2008 and is one of Sweden's leading musical personalities, with a broad palette of activities, including choral and orchestral conducting as well as teaching.
Cecilia Rydinger Alin had her breakthrough in 1991 when she won the Royal Opera's competition for young Swedish conductors. Between 1994 and 1998 she was principal conductor at Värmland Opera House and is today in great demand as a guest conductor of prominent orchestras, choirs, and opera houses both in Sweden and abroad.
As a choral director, Cecilia Rydinger Alin started her career as artistic director of the choir Allmänna Sången in Uppsala in 1988. Since then, besides concertizing and touring, that choir has recorded CDs for the BIS label, participated in a number of TV and radio broadcasts, and scored major successes in several international contests. In 2005 the choir garnered the European Grand Prix title in Varna, Bulgaria, and that same year they provided the entertainment at the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm City Hall. Cecilia Rydinger Alin continues to hold the post as artistic director of Allmänna Sången through June 2009.
What's more, she often serves as a jury member in international choral competitions. Cecilia Rydinger Alin also has a great deal of experience as a teacher. She has been in charge of the orchestral conducting program at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm since 1998, and in 2007 she was appointed professor of orchestral conducting. In 2006, together with Professor Eric Ericson, she led a master class at the International Choir Festival in Lund, Sweden. Cecilia Rydinger Alin has been a member of the Royal Academy of Music since 2004. She is currently active in the working group for composers within the Swedish Arts Grants Committee. In 1999 Cecilia Rydinger Alin was awarded the Johannes Norrby Medal for promoting Swedish choral activities, and in 2005 she was conferred the Litteris et Artibus Medal by H.M. King Carl XVI Gustav for her work in the field of tonal arts.
Program
Hör, I Orphei Drängar Carl Michael Bellman
Aftonen Hugo Alfvén
Il Brivido M. Enrico Bossi
Der Gondelfahrer Franz Schubert
Helletused Veljo Tormis
A Cradle Song Anders Hillborg
From Marits visor Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
I Kom bukken till gutten
III Holder du af mig
Ave Maria Franz Biebl
Tending fields Paula af Malmborg Ward
——Intermission——
Quatre petites prières de St Francois d'Assise Francis Poulenc
The Singing Apes of Khao Jan Sandström
Dido's lament from Dido and Aeneas Henry Purcell
Elviras aria from I Puritani Vincenzo Bellini
Buvons from Compte d'Ory Gioacchino Rossini
We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information, however the hours, prices, and program details may vary due to last minute changes.
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