A Classic Encounter with XRT’s Terri Hemmert

We had a great time last Thursday, the first of April, at Symphony Center for Classic Encounter.  Unlike my days as a student, I tend now to “over prepare”, so we thought it would be cool for me to post the you tube links to videos used in the program, so you could see the whole video….or for those who weren’t there, to get turned on to some fantastic music (that’s my job!) 

Click “more” to read on & watch the videos.

Our composer of the evening was Sir Michael Tippett, an English composer born 1905 and died in 1998.   The first clip is Sir Michael himself conducting a youth orchestra in England, in 1965. 

One of Tippet’s outstanding pieces was A Child Of Our Time, composed in response to the crystal night against Jews in Germany in 1938.  It was inspired by Bach’s passion oratorios.  Here is one of the St. Matthew Passion choral pieces performed by the DePaul Community Chorus.

Tippett arranged five spirituals including Steal Away.

Here is another movement set to news reels of Nazi concentration camps.

The Concerto For Double String Orchestra, which the CSO performed that evening, is a good example how fluid the strings can sound.  That has been an influence on the following:  John Lennon’s Imagine Watch here

Roxy Music’s version of Lennon’s Jealous Guy Watch here

And Peter Gabriel’s new cover version of David Bowie’s Heroes.  This performance was featured on a benefit show for Haitian relief. 

And the last video played was in honor of the evening, Maundy Thursday, the first evening of Holy Week liturgies leading up to Easter.  This is a piece by Durufle that your d.j. used to sing in her choir days.  Ubi Caritas.  It’s as close as one can get to can get to heaven without checking out.