Missa Salisburgensis
H. I. F. Biber – Missa Salisburgensis
28. 10. 2018
An extraordinary concert to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Czechoslovak Republic in the St. Vitus Cathedral
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Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber composed his magnificent Missa Salisburgensis in 1682 on the occasion of the 1100th anniversary of the founding of the Salzburg diocese. To this day, this work amazes with its sound diversity and is considered to be the largest in terms of cast size baroque score. Jean-Baptiste Lully’s Te Deum is a prime example of the French genre of the grand motet of the time of the Sun King Louis XIV. Both works represent two different worlds of baroque music, connected by the noble splendor of an unusually rich instrumentation and the compositional mastery of their creators.
H. I. F. Biber — Missa Salisburgensis à 53 voci
J.-B. Lully — Te Deum LWV 55
Collegium 1704 & Collegium Vocale 1704
Václav Luks | conductor
Missa Sanctissimae Trinitatis
Missa Santissimae Trinitatis ZWV 17
13. 11. 2019
The confrontation of the music of J. S. Bach and J. D. Zelenka always offers very interesting comparisons.
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Zelenka’s Mass of the “Holy Trinity” from 1736 stands at the beginning of Zelenka’s peak creative stage and already anticipates all the important features of his late Masses. Bach’s Mass in A major, belonging to the four so-called Lutheran Masses, dates from about the same time as Zelenka’s Mass. However, Bach’s work contrasts with Zelenka’s ostentatious music with its extraordinary intimacy and simplicity of expression.
J. S. Bach — Missa in A BWV 234
J. D. Zelenka — Missa Santissimae Trinitatis ZWV 17
Collegium 1704 & Collegium Vocale 1704
Václav Luks | conductor
Christmas oratorium
J. S. Bach – Weihnachtsoratorium
11. 12. 2019
A collection of six cantatas by J. S. Bach intended for services between the first holiday of Christmas and the holiday of the Three Kings
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The cantata ensemble is known collectively as the Christmas Oratorio and is one of the most famous works by its creator. Only exceptionally, however, is there an opportunity to listen to all six cantatas in one concert and enjoy the wonderful music of this cycle in all its beauty. In addition, the performance of Bach’s oratorio will be extraordinary with a performance by the Dutch conductor Peter Dijkstra and his Nederlands Kamerkoor, who will introduce themselves to the Prague audience for the first time.
J. S. Bach — Weihnachtsoratorium BWV 248
Elizabeth Watts | soprano
Maarten Engeltjes | countertenor
Benedikt Kristjánsson | tenor
Thomas Olimans | bass
Collegium 1704 & Nederlands Kamerkoor
Peter Dijkstra | conductor
Venetian Vespers
Antonio Vivaldi
New Year’s Eve concert December, 2018
Antonio Vivaldi is generally perceived as the author of brilliant instrumental music.
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In the field of vocal music, however, in addition to operas, he also left an unmissable legacy through a long line of spiritual works. His set to music for the texts of the solemn psalms is proof that Vivaldi understood the human voice as well as instrumental stylization and was able to make full use of the possibilities of this most perfect instrument.
Antonio Vivaldi
Dixit Dominus RV 807
Confitebor tibi Domine RV 596
Beatus vir RV 795
Laudate pueri RV 600
Magnificat RV 610
Collegium 1704 & Collegium Vocale 1704
Václav Luks | conductor
Serenads
W. A. Mozart and A. Dvořák
7. 2. 2019
Two great serenades of two great composers, representatives of different stylistic epochs.
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In their works for wind instruments, however, both authors went far beyond the original meaning of determining the entertaining genre of the serenade and created works with supreme artistic ambitions.
W. A. Mozart — Gran Partita in B KV 361/370a
A. Dvořák — Serenata in d op. 44
Collegium 1704
Václav Luks | conductor
Israel in Egypt
G. F. Händel – Israel in Egypt
12. 3. 2019
In the oratorio, Händel develops his fantasy of sound painting and captivating musical expression against the background of biblical texts.
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Extensive and extremely refined choral areas full of contrasts and vocal virtuosity stand at the center of the work, which with its drama does not deny the great master of opera.
G. F. Händel — Israel in Egypt HWV 54 oratorium
Hannah Morrison | soprano
Benno Schachtner | alt
Krystian Adam | tenor
Collegium 1704 & Collegium Vocale 1704
Václav Luks | conductor
St. Matthew Passion
J. S. Bach – Matthäus-Passion
Easter concert April 9, 2019
St. Matthew Passion not only belong to the peaks of German baroque music, but also represent one of the peaks of European music in general.
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The legendary introduction of this work by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in 1829 marked the beginning of a renaissance of interest in the music of the Leipzig cantor. For almost two centuries, this admirable work has been considered the greatest example of perfect musical beauty.
J. S. Bach — Matthäus-Passion BWV 244
Eric Stoklossa | tenor
Jan Martiník | bass
Collegium 1704 & Collegium Vocale 1704
Václav Luks | conductor
