Our inaugural choral program of the season pairs settings of the Latin text for Psalm 110 by Lotti and Handel, two composers for which choir director Ivars Taurins has a special affinity.
An important baroque composer whose name has been all but lost in the march of musical history, Antonio Lotti has become a favourite of Tafelmusik Chamber Choir. With its expressive contrasts and fluid vocal lines, the Italian master’s music clearly influenced the young Handel.
Composed in Rome when he was just 22 years old and eager to impress a new public, Handel’s setting of Dixit Dominus unleashes the full power of his youthful vigour, making considerable technical demands on both the vocal and instrumental forces.
Tafelmusik Chamber Choir has been praised for its clarity, nuance, and brilliance— qualities that enhance the many textures of this choral program. “There’s something quite magical in the perfect blending of the different voices, soothing, ethereal yet incisive and quicksilver when needed” (Ludwig van Toronto).