The stage of the auditorium at West High tonight was packed with all 4 choirs at West, Treble Choir, Woman’s Chorale, Bass Choir, and Concert Choir. This concert known as the Masterworks concert is put on by the choir department with the help of some band and orchestra students every year in the beginning of February. The Masterworks concert this year was made up of 6 pieces from Joseph Haydn’s Nelson Mass taken from the Latin Mass of the Catholic Church.
The 1st movement is Kyrie (Lord have mercy) which reflects an atmosphere of terror and confusion. Bryn Hedlund ’12 took center stage as she sang the soprano solo to this movement.
The 2nd movement, Gloria (Glory to god in the highest), is the exact opposite of Heydn’s Kyrie. This piece compares to the 1st because it shows that even though the world had dangers and terrors it is still full of miracles and happiness. This movement contains soloist Elizabeth Shirazi ’12, soprano, Sam O’Brian ’12, baritone, Josh Fortmann ’12, tenor, and Hannah Rublaitus ’12, mezzo-soprano. This movement also contained Qui tollis and Quoniam tu solus with an extra soloist, Justin Huang ’12, bass.
The 3rd movement is Credo (I believe or the Nicene creed), its like a canon because of how the altos and basses repeat the same music sung by the sopranos and tenors. This movement contains drama of the New Testament and the Christmas story and all that follows that.
Then came the 4th movement Sanctus, meaning Holy in English, started off very slow and progressed in speed as the movement went a long. The 5th movement was Benedictus (Blessed) but was not sang by the Choir tonight.
The 6th and final movement is Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) which is a prayer appealing to a personal God through Jesus for personal blessings. The phrase “miserere nobis” is used very frequently through out this piece and means have mercy upon us. This piece also contains 4 soloist who take over most of it, Ruchira Laroia ’12, mezzo soprano, Soeun Kim ’12, soprano, Alex Spragle ’12, bass, and Emerson Grow ’12, tenor. This movement and the Mass end with peace and joy in Dona nobis pacem (grant us peace).
