Lukáš. Vičar. Janáček
The Professed House, a historic Baroque building in Prague's Lesser Town, was originally built for the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) between 1674 and 1691. It houses a beautiful Baroque refectory, now used for chamber concerts.
Standard tickets: CZK 450
Senior tickets (65+): CZK 350
GENTLEMEN SINGERS, vocal ensemble
Guests:
Lucia Fulka Kopsová — violin
Ivan Hoznedr — drum
Leoš Janáček
Echoes of Folksongs
1. True Love, JW IV/8 / 2. I Wonder at My Beloved, JW IV/5 / 3. The Drowned Wreath, JW IV/6
Bohuslav Martinů
Brigand Songs I, II (selection), H 361
Zdeněk Lukáš
Spring Is Coming for violin and male choir
1. Spring Is Coming / 2. When the Lilac Blooms, So Do the Grapes / 3. That’s Why I Bought the Violin / 4. The Little Dew is White and Pretty / 5. Maypole, Green Maypole
Jan Vičar
Love Sweet Love / Vejr / Gorale for violin, drum and vocal ensemble
Veljo Tormis
Martinmas Songs
1. Martinmas Beggars behind the Door / 2. Greeting / 3. Words of Blessing / 4. Dance / 5. Casting a Spell / 6. Begging for Gifts / 7. Thanking / 8. Wishes / 9. Ending
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Na Bahia Tem
Ethan Sperry
Ramkali
Jonathan Quick
Loch Lomond
Michael McGlynn
Dúlamán
Jonathan Rathbone
Waltzing Matilda
The acclaimed vocal ensemble Gentlemen Singers has accepted an invitation to our special concert in May. In the opening notes of Echos of Folksongs by Leoš Janáček, we can hear the young composer influenced by folk music, his travels in Moravia and his first experiences as a choirmaster.
In stark contrast there are the Brigand Songs commissioned from Bohuslav Martinů at the end of his life by the Prague Teachers’ Choir (I) and the Moravian Teachers’ Choir (II).
For the May concert, Gentlemen Singers, together with the violinist Lucia Fulka Kopsová, will also perform Zdeněk Lukáš’s song cycle Spring is Coming, whose choral works are inspired by folk motifs and are characterized by melodic inventiveness, rhythmic vitality and ability to express strong emotions.
One of the composers who write directly for Gentlemen Singers is Jan Vičar; his choral arpeggio arrangement of the song Love Sweet Love is quite unique. Vejr [Eagle Owl] is a musical pun spontaneously inspired by this ensemble.
The second half of the concert is entitled On the Road. Martinmas Songs [St. Martin’s Day Songs] by the Estonian composer Veljo Tormis is a song cycle drawing from Estonian folk music. The program concludes with audience-pleasing pieces based on the folk music of Scotland, Ireland, India and Australia.
