Scholars Baroque Aotearoa
Concert I - 14/15 June 2025 Tauranga & Matamata
J. S. BACH - Mass in A Major, BWV 234
A. VIVALDI - GLORIA, RV 589
Book your tickets below!
FEATURED SOLOISTS
Elizabeth Mandeno | SOPRANO
Iain Tetley | TENOR
Charlotte McDonald | ALTO
Blake Scanlen | BASS
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Few composers have shaped Western music as profoundly as Johann Sebastian Bach. A master of harmony, structure, and counterpoint, his works continue to inspire musicians and audiences alike. Yet, in his own time, he was better known as an organist than as a composer, and much of his music was forgotten after his death—until Felix Mendelssohn reignited the world’s appreciation for his genius in the 19th century. Today, Bach’s legacy is undeniable, and his choral music remains a cornerstone of the classical tradition.
Among his many sacred works, the Missa Brevis in A Major, BWV 234 is a true gem. One of four short masses he composed, it is a work of grace and elegance, filled with luminous textures and intricate vocal lines. Unlike some of his more monumental choral pieces, this setting is refreshingly concise, yet no less rich in detail. The inclusion of two flutes—a rare feature in his masses—adds a distinctive pastoral quality, evoking images of shepherds’ flutes on a quiet hillside.
Bach was a composer who never let a great melody go to waste, and this mass is no exception. Many of its movements originated in his earlier cantatas, carefully reworked to fit the sacred mass structure. This creative recycling was common practice in the Baroque era, but Bach elevated it to an art form. His ability to seamlessly transform pre-existing music into something entirely new is part of what makes his compositions so endlessly fascinating.
The six movements of this mass offer a stunning interplay between chorus and soloists, each section bringing a new colour to the work. The Gloria is a highlight, with solo voices intertwining in dialogue with the choir. The arias are exquisite in their variety—a shimmering soprano aria with flute accompaniment, an intimate alto solo with strings, and a bold bass aria supported by a solo violin. The final movement brings all voices and instruments together in a joyful and triumphant conclusion, reminding us why Bach’s music remains as powerful today as it was centuries ago.
For those who love choral music at its most exhilarating, this is not a performance to miss. Bach’s Missa Brevis in A Major is a work of unmatched beauty, full of warmth, vitality, and deep musical insight. We can’t wait to share it with you!
Vivaldi’s Gloria: A Venetian Masterpiece
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) may be best known today for The Four Seasons, but his sacred choral works are equally thrilling, and his Gloria in D Major, RV 589 remains one of the most celebrated of them all. Written around 1715 for the Ospedale della Pietà, a Venetian institution that provided musical training for girls, this joyous and uplifting work reflects both the virtuosity of the performers for whom it was composed and Vivaldi’s own genius for melody and drama.
The Ospedale della Pietà was no ordinary orphanage. It was, in many ways, one of Europe’s finest musical conservatories, boasting an exceptional choir and orchestra trained to a professional standard. Vivaldi, a priest, violin virtuoso, and composer, spent much of his career there, crafting both instrumental concertos and sacred works to showcase the remarkable talents of the young musicians under his direction.
The Gloria presents the traditional Latin text in a series of twelve beautifully contrasting sections, almost like a mini-cantata. From its bold, trumpet-laden opening to its radiant conclusion, the piece brims with infectious energy, lyrical elegance, and Vivaldi’s unmistakable rhythmic drive.
A creative imagining of what a meeting between Bach and Vivaldi might have looked like.
The opening movement, Gloria in excelsis Deo, bursts into life with jubilant choral fanfares, while the gentle, flowing lines of Et in terra pax evoke a moment of deep reverence. The bright, dance-like duet Laudamus te showcases the soprano soloists, a testament to the vocal agility expected of Vivaldi’s singers.
Throughout the work, Vivaldi’s dramatic contrasts and inventive orchestration keep the listener engaged. The tender aria Domine Deus pairs a soaring soprano melody with a graceful violin solo, while the alto solo Domine Deus, Agnus Dei unfolds as a poignant musical dialogue between voice and choir. The final movement, Cum Sancto Spiritu, brings everything together in a magnificent double fugue, a thrilling and triumphant ending to this remarkable work.
Like many of Vivaldi’s compositions, the Gloria lay forgotten for over two centuries, rediscovered only in the 1920s among a treasure trove of his manuscripts. After its first modern performance in 1939, it quickly gained the recognition it deserves—today, it is one of the most frequently performed Baroque choral works, beloved for its exuberance, lyricism, and sheer joy.
Few composers capture the spirit of devotion and celebration like Vivaldi and Bach. In this programme, we bring together their distinct yet complementary voices—Vivaldi’s Gloria, bursting with vibrant colour and radiant joy, and Bach’s Missa Brevis in A Major, a work of grace and refined beauty. With our friends from Opus Orchestra joining us, this performance will illuminate the timeless brilliance of these two Baroque giants.
SINGERS WANTED
Tauranga’s Premiere Chamber Choir are auditioning singers
The Scholars Baroque Aotearoa are a chamber choir dedicated to informed performances of period music (often baroque) with an emphasis on stylistic excellence and superior choral sound.
The Scholars have availability for TENORS and BASSES to join them for 2023.
The choir seeks singers with previous choral experience. Although not a requirement, the ability to read music at sight is an asset.
The choir also offers several scholarships for all voices of $1,000 on an annual basis which are available to high school, polytechnic or university students. Scholarship recipients are expected to be pursuing some form of study in music (e.g. private tuition, secondary/tertiary study; voice or other instrument/s). This is a golden opportunity for good musicians who have fine voices, the commitment to be part of a close-knit team, and a desire to develop first class sight-reading skills.
For more information about the Scholars Baroque Aotearoa, please go to our Scholarships page.
To make further inquiries, arrange an audition, or for more information about choral scholarships, please contact the Artistic & Musical Director at scholars@scholarsbaroque.com
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