THE WHOLE NOTE

VOCAL AND CHORAL

’Twas But Pure Love – Ottawa Bach Choir; Lisette Canton

Written by Dianne Wells

Category: Vocal and Choral

Published: 28 November 2017

’Twas But Pure Love
Ottawa Bach Choir; Lisette Canton
Canto 2016 (ottawabachchoir.ca)

The splendid choral offerings on this recording range from Renaissance to contemporary works and it was recorded just in time for the holiday season last year in celebration of the Ottawa Bach Choir’s 15th anniversary. It includes recording premieres for two Canadian works. The first, Sailor’s Carol by Matthew Larkin (director of music, Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa), is based on a text by Cornish poet Charles Causley. With a lovely harp intro and simple chordal accompaniment, three descriptive verses lead to the chant Ave maris stella, creating a sense of great awe at the everlasting guidance of a star. The Darkest Midnight in December by Kelly-Marie Murphy again features lovely passages by harpist Caroline Léonardelli, while the women of the choir present a gentle, yet sublimely shimmering interpretation of a 1728 text by Irish priest, Fr. William Devereux. Early works performed beautifully by the full choir include Tomás Luis de Victoria’s O magnum mysterium, an unaccompanied motet realized in all its haunting splendour. Bach’s Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden, BWV 230 provides a lively contrast with its double-fugue passages, showcasing each of the choirs’ sections and their superb tonal and rhythmic agility, as well as deftness of hand (and foot) by organist Jonathan Oldengarm.

To purchase CD: https://ottawabachchoir.ca/en/product/twas-but-pure-love-3/

The Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC) presents the first concert of its sixteenth season of magnificent choral music: Nativity, on Saturday, December 2, 2017, 8:00PM, at Christ Church Cathedral, 414 Sparks Street, Ottawa. In honour of Canada’s sesquicentennial, the concert features Christmas repertoire from Canada, including a new work by Outaouais composer, Marc Langis, as well as other beloved works by composers from Ottawa, including Nicholas Piper, Kelly-Marie Murphy and Matthew Larkin, and some of the OBC’s favourite works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods for the season. This spectacular and unique presentation also showcases organist Matthew Larkin and harpist Caroline Léonardelli.

“We are thrilled to highlight Canada’s 150th anniversary with beautiful music by some of the Ottawa area’s finest composers, as well as other choral favourites for the Christmas season,” says Founder and Artistic Director Lisette Canton. “This concert spans the gamut, beginning with chant-inspired music right through to Contemporary selections that will inspire, delight, and instill the spirit of Christmas in us all. Come join us for a festive celebration!”

The OBC recently celebrated the release of its new CD, ‘Twas But Pure Love, for the choir’s 15th anniversary, featuring two Canadian recording premieres by Ottawa composers Kelly-Marie Murphy and Matthew Larkin, with harpist Caroline Léonardelli and organist Jonathan Oldengarm. It includes ethereal music from the Renaissance to the Contemporary periods from Spain, Italy, England, Germany, France and Sweden.

Nativity

with organist Matthew Larkin and harpist Caroline Léonardelli

Saturday, December 2, 2017, 8PM: Christ Church Cathedral, 414 Sparks Street, Ottawa

Tickets: Reserved $45, Adult $35, Senior $30, Student $15, Children 12 and under are free

Tickets are available online: www.ottawabachchoir.ca, or at the following outlets:

The Leading Note, 370 Elgin Street, Ottawa; Compact Music, 206 & 785 1/2 Bank Street, Ottawa

Information: info@ottawabachchoir.ca

(The choir will also present the same concert on Friday, December 1, 2017, 8PM, at Saint-Joseph Cathedral, 245 Boulevard Saint-Joseph, Gatineau: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/billets-la-nativite-au-profit-de-centraide-39298652327)

In the spirit of Oktoberfest, the Ottawa Bach Choir, in collaboration with Ars Nova and the German Embassy, presents a concert and special event on Saturday, September, 30, 2017, 7 PM, at St. Bartholomew’s Church, including an evening of beautiful music by Johann Sebastian Bach and his Baroque contemporaries, local beer brewed by Kichesippi Beer Co., German Red Wine, delectable delights by Par Toutatis, hors d’œuvres and sumptuous desserts. Enjoy an evening of delightful company, inspiring music by the OBC and organist Matthew Larkin, along with delicious food and drink. 

The OBC recently celebrated the release of its new CD, ‘Twas But Pure Love, for the choir’s 15th anniversary, featuring two Canadian recording premieres by Ottawa composers Kelly-Marie Murphy and Matthew Larkin. It includes ethereal music from the Renaissance to the Contemporary periods from Spain, Italy, England, Germany, France and Sweden.

Founded in 2002 by Dr. Lisette Canton, the OBC offers a wide range of choral music from all historical periods, featuring some of Canada’s top choristers. With the combination of a scholarly and emotional approach, the OBC provides an unforgettable experience of choral music at its best.

The OBC has toured extensively in Canada, the United States, and Europe, and was invited to perform as Canada’s choral representative in the prestigious Meet in Beijing arts festival in Beijing, China, in April 2016. In 2014, the choir completed a two-week tour of Venice, Leipzig, Lübeck, Groningen, and Amsterdam, and had the honour of being the first Canadian choir ever to be among the performers in the world’s most prestigious international Bach festival, the Bachfest Leipzig 2014.

For its 15th anniversary season, the choir released its 6th CD, ‘Twas But Pure Love, with music for Christmas from the Renaissance, Baroque and Contemporary periods, with two recording premieres by Kelly-Marie Murphy and Matthew Larkin, accompanied by harpist Caroline Léonardelli and organist Jonathan Oldengarm. The first concert saw the launch of the CD, followed by Rossini: Sacred and Profane, featuring his Petite Messe Solennelle for two pianos and harmonium, along with works for solo ensembles, and Jesu, meine Freude, including German Baroque motets by Bach and his contemporaries.

This season saw the OBC perform Bach’s Mass in B Minor, in Ottawa and Toronto, Songs for Chamber Ensemble, with works by 19th and 20th century masters, including Ottawa’s Nicholas Piper, and two French masses – Charpentier’s Messe pour quatre chœurs and Langlais’ Messe solennelle. In April, the choir was invited to tour in China for the first time, performing as Canada’s choral representative in the prestigious festival, Meet in Beijing 2016, with concerts in Beijing and Shanghai.

In this 13th season, the choir’s Subscription Series featured a performance in the Shenkman Arts Centre series in Orleans, Ontario, with the OBC singing Christmas Around the World, and it performed two other concerts, the masterpiece by Orlando di Lasso, Lagrime di San Pietro, and Now is the Month of Maying, highlighting madrigals and part-songs by Renaissance masters as well as Haydn’s 13 Part-Songs. The second Venetian Carnival gala performance also took place in February, and the choir was also featured in Schafer’s Apocalypsis in the Sony Centre in Toronto in June, along with 11 other professional choirs from Ontario.

Dear Music Lover,

It is my distinct pleasure, as Founder and Artistic Director, to invite you to subscribe to the Ottawa Bach Choir’s sixteenth season of magnificent choral music. Over the last 15 years, the professional ensemble has travelled the world and received national and international recognition. The choir released its 6th CD, ‘Twas But Pure Love, last season to critical acclaim, and returned from China in 2016, where it was invited to perform as Canada’s choral representative in the prestigious festival, Meet in Beijing 2016. In 2014, the OBC completed its 4th European tour, which included an invitation to perform in the Bachfest Leipzig 2014 at the Thomaskirche, in Leipzig, Germany, as the first Canadian choir ever to be invited.

Performances this season include a Subscription Series, the recording of the choir’s 7th CD, several Special Events and a concert at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. The season opens with a special concert and event, Bach & Beer, at St. Bartholomew’s Church, in collaboration with Ars Nova, the German Embassy and several local businesses.

The Subscription Series offers three spectacular concerts:

Nativity – December 1-2, 2017, 8 PM

Victoria: Officium defunctorum – March 10, 2018, 8 PM

Baroque Passion – May 4, 2018, 8 PM

The Ottawa Bach Choir is pleased to offer its audiences a subscription series for a limited time only. Get the entire 2017-2018 concert season for 10% less than regular ticket prices. This offer ends on November 30, 2017.

Come discover the best that choral music has to offer!

Lisette Canton
Founder and Artistic Director

The Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC) would like to invite you to one of the magnificent events in its Intimate Concert Series, Bach on the Water, on Sunday, June 4th, 2017, 2:30-4:30 PM. Patrons Shirley Fulton-Deugo and Al Potvin host this glorious afternoon in their stylish home, at 38 Carss Street, just downstream from Almonte, built on the crest of a hill 22 meters above the Mississippi River with a spectacular view! Enjoy delightful company and inspiring music by the Ottawa Bach Choir, with delicious food catered by Jessica’s Syrian Food from Almonte (jessicassyrianfood.com), mouth-watering maple treats from Fulton’s, wine and soft drinks.

Founded in 2002 by Dr. Lisette Canton, the Ottawa Bach Choir offers a wide range of choral music from all historical periods, featuring some of Canada’s top choristers. With the combination of a scholarly and emotional approach, the OBC provides an unforgettable experience of choral music at its best. Now completing its fifteenth season, the professional ensemble has travelled the world and received national and international recognition. Last year, the choir journeyed to China, where it was invited to perform as Canada’s choral representative in the international festival, Meet in Beijing 2016, in Beijing and Shanghai. In 2014, the OBC was the first Canadian choir to perform at the prestigious annual Bach festival in Leipzig, Germany, Bachfest Leipzig 2014.

The OBC recently celebrated the release of its 6th CD, ‘Twas But Pure Love, in honour of the choir’s 15th anniversary. It features ethereal music from the Renaissance to the Contemporary periods from Italy, Spain, England, Germany, Sweden and Canada, with two Canadian recording premieres by Kelly-Marie Murphy and Matthew Larkin.

Tickets for Bach on the Water are $75 (a $50 tax receipt is available upon request). Parking is available on the driveway or on the street. Attendance will be limited to 30 guests, so get your tickets fast!

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the website at www.ottawabachchoir.ca, or contact the Ottawa Bach Choir at info@ottawabachchoir.ca, or 613-270-1015.

Ottawa (Canada) – The Ottawa Bach Choir (OBC) presents the second subscription concert in this season of magnificent choral works: Rossini: Sacred and Profane, Saturday, March 4th, 2017, 7:30PM, at Southminster United Church 15 Aylmer Avenue, Ottawa as a feature in the Southminster United Church “Concerts by the Canal” Concert Series.

“We are looking forward to an intimate evening of choral music in a beautiful setting” says Founder and Artistic Director Lisette Canton. “This concert contrasts the charming Petite Messe Solennelle for two pianos and harmonium along with secular choral works for solo ensembles, both accompanied and a cappella.”

The OBC recently celebrated the release of its new CD, ‘Twas But Pure Love, for the choir’s 15th anniversary, featuring two Canadian recording premieres by Ottawa composers Kelly-Marie Murphy and Matthew Larkin. It includes ethereal music from the Renaissance to the Contemporary periods from Spain, Italy, England, Germany, France and Sweden.

The Ottawa Bach Choir was founded in 2002 by Dr. Lisette Canton and offers a wide range of choral music from all historical periods, featuring some of Canada’s top choristers. With the combination of a scholarly and emotional approach, the OBC provides an unforgettable experience of choral music at its best.

The OBC has toured extensively in Canada, the United States, and Europe, and was invited to perform as Canada’s choral representative in the prestigious Meet in Beijing arts festival in Beijing, China, in April 2016. In 2014, the choir completed a two-week tour of Venice, Leipzig, Lübeck, Groningen, and Amsterdam, and had the honour of being the first Canadian choir ever to be among the performers in the world’s most prestigious international Bach festival, the Bachfest Leipzig 2014.

For interviews and information, please contact:

Erin Binks, Managing Director 613-806-6895 erin.binks@ottawabachchoir.ca

Dr. Lisette Canton, Founder & Artistic Director 613-222-1882 lisette.canton@ottawabachchoir.ca

Listing information:

Ottawa Bach Choir

Dr. Lisette Canton, Conductor                                                                      

Rossini: Sacred and Profane

Mélisande Sinsoulier, piano; Helen Becqué, piano; Roland Graham, harmonium

Saturday, March 4th, 2017 | 7:30PM (7 PM Pre-Concert Chat)

Southminster United Church, 15 Aylmer Avenue, Ottawa

Tickets: Reserved $40, Adult $30, Student $10, Children 12 and under are free

Tickets are available online: www.ottawabachchoir.ca, by phone: 613-270-1015, or at the following outlets:

The Leading Note, 370 Elgin Street, Ottawa; Compact Music, 206 & 785 1/2 Bank Street, Ottawa

Information: info@ottawabachchoir.ca or 613-270-1015

The Ottawa Bach Choir has launched its 6th and newest CD, ‘Twas But Pure Love, in honour of its 15th anniversary. A superb recording featuring music for Christmas from the Renaissance to the Contemporary periods, from Italy, Spain, England, Germany, Sweden and Canada, with two Canadian recording premieres by Kelly-Marie Murphy and Matthew Larkin. Harpist Caroline Léonardelli and organist Jonathan Oldengarm accompany the choir.

The CD will be available online on the choir’s website, as well as at The Leading Note in Ottawa, and online through CD Baby and iTunes.