A Not-for-profit 501(c)3 Organization

5112 Westminster Place

Saint Louis, Missouri, 63108

http://cvsl.wordpress.com

*  *  *  Press Release  *  *  *

            For immediate release:            January 18, 2012

            Contact:                                     Bruce Carvell, CVSL Artistic Director

(314) 650-3817, bcarvell@earthlink.net

The Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis to Perform

“Faith under Fire: Four Sacred Cantatas of J S Bach”

St. Louis, Missouri – The COLLEGIUM VOCALE OF SAINT LOUIS is proud to present “Faith under Fire: Four Sacred Cantatas of J S Bach,” a concert of Baroque sacred music on Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. The concert will be presented at the First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis, 7200 Delmar (at Midland). The concert will be preceded by an introductory lecture by Artistic Director, Bruce Carvell, Ph.D., at 2:30 p.m. Free-will offering; free accessible, lighted parking.

J. S. Bach, a towering figure in Western music history and the supreme composer of Lutheran church music, wrote a vast amount of music in both vocal and instrumental forms. While in Leipzig during a three-year flurry of activity, he composed a cantata each week for use in the services at the Thomaskirche. These wonderful and varied compositions range from those composed for a single voice to magnificent settings of choral and instrumental splendor. The program will feature three of his Leipzig cantatas: Cantata 157, “Ich lasse dich nicht,” Cantata 124, “Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht,” and Cantata 9, “Es ist das Heil uns kommen her,” and Cantata 150, “Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich,” Bach’s first cantata from his Arnstadt period (1704-08). The Collegium Vocale will be accompanied by a highly respected ensemble of local baroque wind and string players. They will be joined by Joyce Alper, of Boston, Massachusetts, playing the baroque oboe d’amore, a rarely heard cousin to the modern oboe that was unique to Germany in the early 1700’s.

First Presbyterian is one of the oldest continuously operating Protestant congregations west of the Mississippi. Its rich history is deeply rooted in the fight for social justice. 7200 Delmar Boulevard is the congregation’s fourth home since 1817. St. Louis architects LaBeaume & Klein designed the resonant Gothic Revival sanctuary in 1927.

Who: The COLLEGIUM VOCALE OF SAINT LOUIS — one of St. Louis’ premier vocal chamber music ensembles specializing in historically informed performance of music of the Baroque period

What: “Faith under Fire: Four Sacred Cantatas of J S Bach”, a concert of Baroque music featuring Cantatas 150, 157, 124, and 9; and an introductory lecture presented by Bruce Carvell, Ph.D. at 2:30 p.m. Free-will offering; free accessible, lighted parking

First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis

When: Sunday, February 5, 2012

Concert at 3:00 p.m.

Introductory lecture at 2:30 p.m.

Where: First Presbyterian Church

7200 Delmar Boulevard (at Midland)

University City, Missouri, 63130

The COLLEGIUM VOCALE OF ST. LOUIS is proud to present ”Johann Sebastian Bach, Four Sacred Cantatas” a concert of Baroque sacred music on Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 3:00 p.m..  The concert will be presented at the First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis, 7200 Delmar, (at Midland).  Admission is free.  The concert will be preceded by an introductory lecture by Bruce Carvell, Ph.D. at 2:30 p.m.

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the towering figures of Western music history.  He composed a vast amount of music in both vocal and instrumental forms.  While he was in Leipzig, he composed a cantata a week for three years.  These wonderful and varied compositions range from those composed for a single voice through magnificent settings of splendor.  Our program will feature three of his Leipzig cantatas: Cantata 157, “Ich lasse dich nicht,” Cantata 124, “Meinen Jesum laß ich nicht,” and Cantata 9, “Es ist das Heil uns kommen her,” as well as Cantata 150, “Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich,” Bach’s first cantata, from his Arnstadt period (1704-08).  The Collegium Vocale of St. Louis will be accompanied by an ensemble of top local baroque wind and string players, who will be joined by Joyce Alper, of Boston, MA, playing baroque oboe d’amore, a rarely heard cousin of the oboe that was cultivated solely in Germany during the first half of the 18^th century.

The COLLEGIUM VOCALE OF ST. LOUIS is an ensemble devoted to presenting historically informed performances of a diverse and wide-ranging repertory of seventeenth and eighteenth century music for voices and instruments.

Pilgrim Congregational Church, St. Louis

PRESS RELEASE – For Immediate Release

Contact:        Bruce Carvell, CVSL Artistic Director

bcarvell@earthlink.net

http://cvsl.wordpress.com/

Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis to perform

Unto us a Child is Born: Baroque Music of the Christmas Season

Sunday, December 18, 3:00 pm

Pilgrim Congregational Church

826 Union Blvd – St. Louis 63108

St. Louis, Missouri  – The COLLEGIUM VOCALE OF ST. LOUIS is proud to present “Unto us a Child is Born: Baroque Music of the Christmas Season”. Drawing upon the rich traditions of the 17th and early 18th centuries, and illustrating the many sides of the Christmas season, this program features works of Johann Sebastian Bach, Heinrich Schütz, Michael Praetorius, along with motets by Alessandro Grandi and Giovanni Gabrieli. Of special interest are two motets for eight voices: “O magnum mysterium” of Giovanni Gabrieli and “Angelus ad pastores agit” of Michael Praetorius, presented in editions prepared especially for this concert. This is a unique opportunity to hear these moving and expressive masterpieces in the glorious and resonant space of Pilgrim Congregational Church, Saint Louis, Missouri.

The Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis was founded in 1996 with the goal of providing the St. Louis community an opportunity to hear and enjoy vocal chamber music of the 17th and 18th centuries, performed on historic instruments, in a historically informed manner. A core group of six singers, all soloists in their own right, perform both as an ensemble and in various combinations with historic instrumentalists. Each concert, organized around a topical theme, illuminates and entertains by presenting music of well-known composers such as J. S. Bach, Claudio Monteverdi, and Antonio Vivaldi, and of their lesser-known contemporaries, thus, creating a portrait in sound of a bygone time and place.

WHO:           The Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis — one of St. Louis’ premier vocal chamber music ensembles specializing in the performance of music of the Baroque period accompanied by historic instrumentalists.

WHAT:         “Unto us a Child is Born: Baroque Music of the Christmas Season”, featuring works of J. S. Bach, Heinrich Schütz, and Michael Praetorius; motets of Alessandro Grandi and Giovanni Gabrieli. Free admission.  Free-will offering.

WHEN:        Sunday, Dec 18, 2011 at 3:00 pm

WHERE:     Pilgrim Congregational Church

826 Union Blvd – St. Louis 63108

Free secure lighted parking

Contact:        Bruce Carvell, CVSL Artistic Director

bcarvell@earthlink.net

http://cvsl.wordpress.com/

Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis

presents

MUSIC AT THE COURT OF EMPEROR JOSEPH I, 1705-1711

Sunday, October 16, 3:00 pm

St. Anselm’s Church / St. Louis Priory Chapel

530 South Mason Road, Creve Coeur

WHAT:         “Music at the Court of Emperor Joseph I, 1705-1711”

WHO:           The Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis — one of St. Louis’ premier vocal chamber music ensembles specializing in the performance of music of the Baroque periodaccompanied by historic instrumentalists

WHEN:        Sunday, Oct 16, 3:00 pm

                        Admission $10; seniors & students $5

WHERE:     St. Anselm’s Church / St. Louis Priory Chapel

                        530 South Mason Rd, Creve Coeur, just north of I-64

Skolnik, Horsley, Martinez, Noonan, Carvell rehearsing in St. Louis Priory Chapel

The COLLEGIUM VOCALE OF ST. LOUIS is proud to present “Music at the Court of Emperor Joseph I, 1705-1711,” featuring music of court of the Hapsburg Emperor Joseph I, who reigned as Holy Roman Emperor from 1705 until his death in 1711. This concert will feature music of Joseph and his court composers, as well as the U.S. premiere of a cantata by Francesco Bartolomeo Conti, newly edited for this performance. Also noteworthy are excerpts of Johann Joseph Fux’s poemetto dramatico Iulo Ascanio, Rè d’Alba (Julius Ascanius, King of Alba), first performed to celebrate Joseph’s Name Day in 1708.

The Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis was founded in 1996 with the goal of providing the St. Louis community an opportunity to hear and enjoy vocal chamber music of the 17th and 18th centuries, performed on historic instruments in an historically informed manner. A core group of six singers, all soloists in their own right, perform both as an ensemble and in various combinations with historic instrumentalists.

The St. Louis Priory Chapel, a serene mid-century architectural masterpiece designed by Helmuth, Obata & Kassabaum of St. Louis, affords the Collegium resounding acoustics in which to perform the music of these Baroque masters.

5112 Westminster Place, St. Louis, Missouri 63108

http://cvsl.wordpress.com

September 2011

Dear Friends and Supporters of Collegium Vocale,

The Collegium Vocale of St. Louis is pleased to announce its 13th season and invites you to attend our 2011-2012 concert series. While St. Louis hosts a number of fine early music groups, CVSL’s primary focus on vocal chamber music of the 17th and 18th centuries makes it unique. Also, the CVSL tradition of performing in historically and architecturally significant venues further enhances the musical experience. To ensure that these enriching efforts may continue, please consider initiating or renewing your generous financial support.

This year we have chosen programs that illuminate several aspects of Baroque music. In October we turn our attention to the court of the Hapsburg Emperor Joseph I, who reigned as Holy Roman Emperor from 1705 until his death in 1711. This concert will feature music of Joseph and his court composers, as well as the U.S. premiere of a cantata by Francesco Bartolomeo Conti, newly edited for this performance. Our February concert will present sacred cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach, featuring Joyce Alper, a Baroque oboist from Boston. In May we will present English songs of Henry Purcell, William and Henry Lawes, and Tobias Hume.

This year we are pleased to add to our schedule a December concert of Christmas music of the Baroque. Look for further details of this special seasonal event.

During these trying economic times, arts programs and grant-making organizations continue to struggle with funding. Several grants that previously supported Collegium Vocale have been cut or are on hold until the economy improves. This means we must rely on individual contributions more than ever to ensure the continuation of our concert series and to enable us to bring early music specialists to St. Louis from other cities for our series.

Our exciting 2011-2012 Concert Schedule:

• Sun, Oct 16, 2011, 3:00 p.m. “Music at the Court of Emperor Joseph I, 1705-1711”

St. Anselm’s, 530 South Mason Rd., Creve Coeur

Enjoy the music of Lotti, Caldara, Conti, and Fux.

• Sun, Dec 18, 2011, 3:00 p.m. “A Baroque Christmas”

Pilgrim Congregational Church, 826 Union Blvd., St. Louis

A special sampling of seasonal offerings.

• Sun, Feb 5, 2012, 3:00 p.m. “Sacred Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach”

First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis, 7200 Delmar Blvd., University City

Hear the moving music of one of the towering giants of Western art.

• Sat, May 5, 2012, 7:30 p.m. “’Tis Nature’s Voice: An Evening of 17th-Century English Song”

Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust St., St. Louis

Our Flower Festival concert features music of Purcell, Hume, and William and Henry Lawes.

We are confident that our 2011-2012 series will be one of our best. We look forward to your generous donation and to seeing you at the concerts. Please tell others who enjoy early music performances to join us for this year’s concert series as well. Thank you again for your interest and support.

Sincerely,

William Seibert, President

Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis – Board of Directors

W. G. Seibert, President, David Berger, Vice-president, Evvy Cobb, Treasurer, Dr. Bruce Carvell, Artistic Director

Elizabeth Horsley, Leif Johnson, Nancy Luetzow, Dr. Stephen Mager

The COLLEGIUM VOCALE OF ST. LOUIS is proud to present “Sacred Music of the German Baroque, 1636-1753,” a concert featuring motets and cantatas drawn from the rich repertory of German sacred music of the 17th and early 18th centuries.  The concert will be presented on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust Street. Admission is free.

Between the towering masters of German sacred music, Heinrich Schütz and Johann Sebastian Bach, a very large number of extremely talented and accomplished composers produced a body of music remarkable for its high quality and inventiveness.  Some were organists, like Nicholas Bruhns, Franz Tunder, and Matthias Weckmann; some were singers, like Christoph Bernhard, but all were working musicians who were steeped in the traditions of their predecessors and well-schooled in the new styles coming out of Italy.  In addition to works of these composers, our program includes a cantata by Johann Christoph Graupner, a well-regarded contemporary of J. S. Bach, whose music is enjoying a renaissance after two hundred years of obscurity.  Also, works of Johann Pachelbel, Andreas Hammerschmidt, and Giovanni Ristori will be performed.

Christ Church Cathedral Tower

The venue of this concert is a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture, complete with a belfry tower flanked by gargoyles. The church’s most impressive feature, however, is found inside behind the high altar, an area graced by intricate carved screens called reredos made of stone mined outside Beer, England. It is the seat of the oldest Episcopal parish established west of the Mississippi River and is a National Historic Landmark listed in the National Register of Historic Places. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Church_Cathedral_(St._Louis,_Missouri)

The cathedral is located across from the main library in downtown St. Louis. In anticipation of its annual Flower Sunday activities on May 8th, the cathedral will be adorned with flowers and plants at the bequest of Henry Shaw, founder of Missouri Botanical Garden in celebration of nature’s beauty and bounty. Concert-goers are encouraged to explore this glorious space during the intermission.

Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Sacred Music of

Marc-Antoine

Charpentier

(1643-1704)

Sunday, February 20, 2011

4:00 PM

Second Presbyterian Church

4501 Westminster Place

St. Louis, MO

Free admission

The Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis is proud to present a program of the sacred music of Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704). Charpentier, one of the towering giants of the French Baroque period, was especially esteemed for his sacred compositions. The program features a performance of the dramatic motet, Le reniement de St. Pierre, (The Denial of St. Peter), an intensely expressive telling of Peter’s relationship with Jesus from their first meeting up to Peter’s denial. Written for six voices and continuo accompaniment, this work is notable for its deep expression of Peter’s shame and sorrow. The remainder of the program includes several motets illuminating the range of Charpentier’s mastery in this field.
The Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis was founded in 1996 with the goal of providing the St. Louis community an opportunity to hear and enjoy vocal chamber music of the 17th and 18th centuries, performed on historic instruments, in an historically informed manner. A core group of six singers, all soloists in their own right, perform both as an ensemble and in various combinations with historic instrumentalists.

Performed by Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis:

An introductory lecture will be provided by Dr. Bruce Carvell one half-hour prior to the concert.

Made possible by generous support from: Edward Chase Garvey Memorial Foundation and Regional Arts Council

The program for this concert can be downloaded by clicking on the first link in this text. It is in a compatible Microsoft Word (.doc) format.

Second Presbyterian Church

St. Louis, Missouri and nearby navigable rivers

CONTACT US

Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis

5112 Westminster Place

St. Louis, Missouri 63108

OUR MISSION

The mission of Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis is to provide the St. Louis community and nearby communities in Missouri and Illinois with an opportunity to learn about and to enjoy the rich and varied repertory of solo vocal music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, performed with the accompaniment of historic instruments and in a style appropriate to its time.

OUR SUPPORTERS

Collegium Vocale is supported by the generosity of individual donors and grants from the Edward Chase Garvey Memorial Foundation, the Missouri Arts Council, and the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis.

Your financial contribution helps us continue our mission. Please consider making a donation.

CVSL is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax-deductible.

18th Century chamber musicians

Collegium Vocale of Saint Louis was founded late in 1996 by nine musicians.

On February 17, 1997, its first concert was presented as The Cantata Concert at the noonday series of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  On the program was J. S. Bach’s “Coffee Cantata” and G. P. Telemann‘s “Jauchzet, ihr Christen.” The concert was enthusiastically received, and the performers resolved to continue as a group.  On October 27, 1997, the organization was incorporated under its present name and has given three or four concerts every year since that time.

CVSL enjoys presenting historically informed vocal chamber music of the 17th and 18th centuries for St. Louis areaaudiences. The core group of six singers performs with historic instrumentalists in architecturally significant spaces. 

21st Century chamber musicians at the St. Louis Priory

JOIN US AT OUR NEXT CONCERTS

Music in the Court of Emperor Joseph I (1705-1711)

October 16, 2011, 3:00 p.m., St. Louis Abbey Church

Ξ

A Baroque Christmas

December 18, 2011, 3:00 p.m., Pilgrim Congregational Church

 Ξ

Sacred Cantatas of J. S. Bach

February 5, 2012, 3:00 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis

 Ξ

‘Tis Nature’s Voice’: An Evening of 17th Century English Song

May 5, 2012, 3:00 p.m., Christ Church Cathedral