Concert - Music from the Americas
Sat, 6 Jul 2024
Inspired by the proximity to the Fourth of July, Reading Bach Choir presented Music of the Americas.We traced a line from the Renaissance, when Spanish-born Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla travelled to modern-day Mexico and became the “master of music of New Spain” to dominant musical figures of the 20th century, such as the Brazilian, Heitor Villa-Lobos and the Argentinian, Alberto Ginastera. There was music from up-and-coming Canadian composers, the Haitian-American, Sydney Guillaume, and Pulitzer Prize-winning Caroline Shaw from the United States.
The evening was a colourful mosaic honouring the diversity of the Americas from top to bottom and East to West. A multitude of languages were represented, from Latin to Portuguese and Spanish to the native Nheengatu, expressing sacred stories, folk tales, and brilliant poems by the likes of Emma Lazarus and Pablo Neruda.
"Congratulations on an exciting evening with incredible vitality and variety" - Peter
"Bravo to the Reading Bach Choir for last night’s performance! An unusual, varied selection of music from the Americas, which both the choir and the audience seemed to enjoy! I’m already looking forward to the next concert" - Cath
"What a thrilling concert! So much fascinating new music. Thank you! " - Alison
