‘Alleluia’ – The Colombo Philharmonic Choir in concert on 17 November

Colombo’s oldest performing choir, the Colombo Philharmonic, will present a program of sacred classical music titled ‘Alleluia’, this November after regrouping under the baton of its new conductor –Harin Amirthanathan. The performance will take place on Saturday, 17 November, at St. Michael and All Angels Church, Polwatte, Colombo 3.

The Colombo Philharmonic Choir was formed in the year 1955 under the baton of then Principal conductor Dr. Gerald Cooray, and recently celebrated 60 years of glorious classical singing in Colombo, as well as being the oldest choir around still in active existence. 

Recent notable performances include Rutter’s Requiem, Maunder’s Olivet to Calvari and Vivaldi’s Gloria as well as collaborations with the Orchestra of the Chamber Music Society of Colombo on many occasion. 

Manilal Weerakoon – the immediate past conductor handed over the baton last year and it is with a fresh new start that the choir embarks on this new season under the able guidance of its enthusiastic and vibrant conductor Harin Amirthanathan. Denham Pereira will provide the accompaniment at the organ for this performance. The main feature of this performance is the French composer Louis Vierne’s ‘Messe Solennelle’ which was originally written out for Double Organ in the year 1899 and later adapted for single organ. In this work Vierne builds on models by his teacher Widor and of César Franck, but adds more development of themes and “imaginative expression”. He uses repeated rhythmic figures in the accompaniment.  The Kyrie opens with “awesome solemnity”, while the “mysterious antiphonal harmonies of the Benedictus” were new sounds in French church music, and the Agnus Dei ends, after antiphonal exchange between choir and great organ, serenely in C-sharp major when praying “dona nobis pacem” (Grant us peace). The choir will also perform William Byrd’s Haec Dies for six parts as well as two works of the more contemporary American composer – Randall Thompson. Haec Dies is from the third of Byrd’s published collections of Cantiones Sacrae. The setting from Psalm 117: 24, a joyful and extrovert Easter text, expresses the exultation of the day through a triad elaborated by quick, stepwise motion.

Randall Thompson’s works to be performed would be ‘Last Words of David’ and his most popular ever written – The ‘Alleluia’. This work was written on a commission from Serge Koussevitzky, director of the Tanglewood Festival who really wanted a “fanfare” for voices to be performed at the opening exercises of the new Berkshire Music Center, but got a quiet and introspective piece in which the composer used inspiration from the war in Europe at the time and the recent fall of France.  

The choir will also perform some more popular classical works including Hubert Parry’s ‘I was glad’ and Thomas Tallis’ ‘If ye love me’. The choir hopes to breathe new life into some of these well-known works and give to its audience a lasting interpretation.

The performance will begin at 7 p.m. and entrance will be by Program, which can be purchased by calling 0777702642 and making a reservation. Programs will also be available at the door. To contact the Colombo Philharmonic, send them a message on facebook (@ColomboPhilharmonic) or email Sharmini (President, Colombo Philharmonic) on [email protected].