The traditional Spring Concert presented by the Chancel Choir and soloists of The Congregational Church of Manhasset will be held in the church’s sanctuary on Sunday, April 24, 2016, at 3 P.M. The featured works are Requiem, Op. 48 by the French composer, Gabriel Faure (1845-1924) and Messe Solennelle, Op. 16 by the French composer, Louis Vierne (1870-1937). Both pieces will be sung in Latin with English translations included in the program. The concert is under the direction of Craig Tocher. Organ accompaniment will be provided by Daniel Beckwith, current Organist at St. Ignatius Loyola on Park Avenue in Manhattan.
Gabriel Faure is one of the most influential French composers linking the end of Romanticism with the beginnings of the modern era. Among his major compositions, and one of the works for which he is most famous and best remembered, is his Requiem, Op. 48, which remains among the most-loved classical pieces. The Requiem, first performed in 1888 at La Madelaine in Paris, is a radiant masterwork affirming the composer’s belief in the afterlife, following the recent deaths of his parents. What sets Faure’s Requiem apart from those of other composers is its emotional effect, stylish and elegant melody, and distinctive harmony. Louis Vierne’s Messe Solennelle, Op. 16, first performed in 1906, exemplifies the composer’s elegant, harmonious and romantic style of writing. His music, like that of Faure, inspired many 20th-century composers.
The community is extended a cordial invitation to attend the free concert and the reception in the church’s Parish Hall following the performance. The Congregational Church of Manhasset is located at 1845 Northern Boulevard, Manhasset. All areas are handicapped accessible and there is ample parking. For additional information, please call (516) 627-4911 or visit the church’s website at uccmanhasset.org.
