Join Choir of the Earth for the fourth instalment of our A Cappella Wonders series as we explore four beautiful unaccompanied choral works spanning more than three centuries of music.
What we will learn
A Cappella Wonders 4 brings together four very different works:
Johann Kuhnau - Tristis Est Anima Mea
Usually attributed to Johann Kuhnau, J. S. Bach’s predecessor as Cantor at St Thomas’s Church in Leipzig, Tristis Est Anima Mea is a five-part setting of words associated with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Its interweaving vocal lines, expressive chromatic writing and gently dissonant harmonies create music filled with sorrow and tension.
Antonio Lotti - Crucifixus à 5
Lotti wrote several settings of the Crucifixus for different combinations of voices. For A Cappella Wonders 4, we will learn his five-part Crucifixus à 5.
Its closely woven vocal lines and expressive harmonic writing give this short setting remarkable intensity. Dissonances and suspensions repeatedly create tension around the words of the Crucifixion before resolving into moments of greater stillness, making it a compact but deeply expressive piece of Baroque choral writing.
Jan Dismas Zelenka - Sepulto Domino
Sepulto Domino forms part of Zelenka’s Responsoria pro Hebdomada Sancta, a collection of music written in 1723 for Holy Week.
Beginning quietly and gravely, the piece uses rich harmony and expressive shifts of texture to depict the sealing and guarding of Christ’s tomb. It is compact, atmospheric music from one of the Baroque period’s most distinctive composers.
Thomas Weelkes - When David Heard
Written for six voices, When David Heard sets King David’s lament on hearing of the death of his son Absalom.
Weelkes uses repetition, silence, shifting harmony and expressive word-setting to turn a small amount of text into an intensely moving musical lament. It remains one of the most powerful examples of English Renaissance choral writing.
Taken together, these four works offer a wonderful opportunity to explore the particular skills of unaccompanied singing: tuning, blend, balance, independence and close listening across the choir.
About the composers
This course takes us from the English Renaissance through the German and Italian Baroque, bringing together four composers with very different musical voices.
Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722) was a composer, organist and writer who served as Cantor of St Thomas’ Church in Leipzig immediately before Johann Sebastian Bach.
Antonio Lotti (1667-1740) spent much of his career at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice and became particularly admired for his sacred vocal music.
Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623) was one of the leading English madrigalists and church composers of his generation.
Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) was a Bohemian composer who worked for much of his career at the Dresden court. His music is increasingly celebrated today for its unusual harmonies, rhythmic vitality and highly individual style.
Our teaching and resources
The course will be directed by Choir of the Earth Musical Director Ben England, who teaches the music note by note and voice part by voice part through a programme of online rehearsals. Each week begins with a full choir rehearsal, followed by separate sessions focusing on individual voice parts. Rehearsals are usually around an hour long and, if you cannot attend live, every session is recorded, so you can catch up when it suits you best.
You will also have access to high-quality voice part louder rehearsal tracks to help you learn the music between rehearsals. Separate tracks are provided for each voice part, with your part louder than the other voices so that you can hear it clearly while you learn. These are the same tracks used during our rehearsals, so as Ben teaches the music you can hear exactly what you need to replicate - not only the notes and rhythms, but also the phrasing, dynamics, pronunciation and other musical details that bring each piece to life.
You can attend as many rehearsals as you like, learn more than one voice part if you wish, and take the course at your own pace. There is no requirement to record: some singers simply enjoy the teaching, while others submit their voice from home to become part of our final performance.
Scores for all four works will be provided free of charge as part of your course resources.
Join us!
Everyone is welcome to join Choir of the Earth. There are no auditions - just sign up as a member and you’re already in!
Sign up now to become a member of Choir of the Earth. Access ongoing courses, recording opportunities, superb teaching, a thriving international community of choral singers, plus lots of other exclusive resources, content and benefits, including access to our new choral resources library! Yearly members save 12% (that's 6 weeks of singing absolutely free!).
Hear us in action
Please enjoy our previous A Cappella Wonders concerts below. Will you be part of our next recording? 🎶