Post by erik on Apr 13, 2024 17:16:15 GMT -5
Puerto Rican-born Roberto Sierra is in this week's Classical Albums Spotlight with a very modern Latin-American version of the traditional Latin Mass.
Roberto Sierra: MISSA LATINA “PRO PACE”
Soprano: HEIDI GRANT MURPHY
Baritone: NATHANIEL WEBSTER
Milwaukee Symphony Chorus
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra/ANDREAS DELFS (Naxos]
Besides the influence of African-American composers, the influence of Latin-American composers was greatly enhanced during the final three decades of the 20th century and the first three of the 21st. One of the latter exponents was Roberto Sierra, a Puerto Rican-born composer whose orchestral works reflected the lush and exotic Latin rhythms of his native land. Ironically, many of his first studies were done in Hamburg, (then West) Germany under the aegis of the Hungarian avant-garde master Gyorgy Ligeti. His first major composition for orchestra, “Jubilo”, got its first two performances under the direction of Zdenek Macal, first with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, and then with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (the latter was where Sierra became a composer-in-residence). One of his best-known works is his highly exotic setting of the Latin Mass, “Missa Latina”, sub-titled “Pro Pace” (For Peace).
Structured in seven movements (Introitus; Kyrie; Gloria; Credo; Offertorium; Sanctus; Agnus Dei), “Missa Latina” got its first public performance in February 2006 with the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington D.C. and the Washington Choral Artists under Leonard Slatkin, and was instantly acclaimed. Two years later, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, under music director Andreas Delfs, made a highly acclaimed recording for the low-budget label Naxos, with Heidi Grant Murphy and Nathaniel Webster as the vocal soloists. The combination of the traditional Latin liturgy along with Mr. Sierra’s exotic orchestration makes the work come off as a celebration of life and love; and it was wisely nominated for a Grammy for Best Choral Performance in 2009.
Roberto Sierra: MISSA LATINA “PRO PACE”
Soprano: HEIDI GRANT MURPHY
Baritone: NATHANIEL WEBSTER
Milwaukee Symphony Chorus
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra/ANDREAS DELFS (Naxos]
Besides the influence of African-American composers, the influence of Latin-American composers was greatly enhanced during the final three decades of the 20th century and the first three of the 21st. One of the latter exponents was Roberto Sierra, a Puerto Rican-born composer whose orchestral works reflected the lush and exotic Latin rhythms of his native land. Ironically, many of his first studies were done in Hamburg, (then West) Germany under the aegis of the Hungarian avant-garde master Gyorgy Ligeti. His first major composition for orchestra, “Jubilo”, got its first two performances under the direction of Zdenek Macal, first with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, and then with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (the latter was where Sierra became a composer-in-residence). One of his best-known works is his highly exotic setting of the Latin Mass, “Missa Latina”, sub-titled “Pro Pace” (For Peace).
Structured in seven movements (Introitus; Kyrie; Gloria; Credo; Offertorium; Sanctus; Agnus Dei), “Missa Latina” got its first public performance in February 2006 with the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington D.C. and the Washington Choral Artists under Leonard Slatkin, and was instantly acclaimed. Two years later, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, under music director Andreas Delfs, made a highly acclaimed recording for the low-budget label Naxos, with Heidi Grant Murphy and Nathaniel Webster as the vocal soloists. The combination of the traditional Latin liturgy along with Mr. Sierra’s exotic orchestration makes the work come off as a celebration of life and love; and it was wisely nominated for a Grammy for Best Choral Performance in 2009.