Harmonies of Humanity

Ashtead Choral Society

This concert explores the choral music inspired the rich variety of musical styles, rhythms and tonalities of the world, discarding the tonal world around which the vast majority of classical choral music is conceived. Instead, it is united by modal harmonies, global traditions and above all an expression of unity between peoples, their faiths and their music.

African Sanctus is an unorthodox setting of the Latin Mass, blending beautiful choral writing with unique and rare recordings of traditional African music, collected by the composer himself on journeys taken on the River Nile between 1969 and 1973. This recorded music is woven into the live performance, which also includes the choir, soprano soloist, percussion ensemble and instrumentalists. David Fanshawe described his African Sanctus as a celebratory work expressing unity between peoples, their faiths and, above all, their music. Its message is ‘One Music – One God.’
Old Buddhist Prayer is one of the last works of turn of the century French composer Lili Boulanger, who tragically died at the age of 24. The text of this work is from a Buddhist daily prayer for the universe, calling all people to attain peace and joy. Like much of her writing, this work is rich and luscious, and shows what an incredibly mature composer she was. Several melodies throughout are centered on the whole tone scale, giving it a sublimely hypnotic feel.
Rollo Dilworth’s Gloria sets the familiar Latin text to a bluesy groove, with a fun gospel texture. A marvellous piano accompaniment provides support for rhythmic choral parts, which are written with richly satisfying harmonies.

There will also be perfomances of
Psalm 6 by Fernandus Franco
Hymn to the Sun by Lili Boulanger
Psalm 24 by Lili Boulanger