Those who have been lucky enough to sing Joseph Haydn's 'Nelson' Mass often describe it as a highlight of their choral journey, with Haydn biographer H. C. Robbins Landon calling it, “arguably Haydn's greatest single composition.”
Its official name - Missa In Angustiis (or “mass for troubled times”) - seems as appropriate in early 2024 as when it was composed in 1798, and we hope its stirring beauty can help bring light to the lives of singers around the world this winter.
Choir of the Earth invites absolutely everybody to join us as we explore every note of this triumphant work with our marvellous Musical Director Ben England.
Over 6 weeks, Ben will teach each choral movement line by line at interactive sectional and full choir rehearsals held on YouTube. Join in live to share the experience with your fellow singers and Team COTE in the live text chat, or fit us in around your busy schedule by catching up with any session’s recording later when it suits you best.
Practise using our exceptional learning tracks, recorded especially for Choir of the Earth by the fantastic Fieri Consort. These tracks are mixed so you hear your voice part louder than the rest of the choir - our choristers say it’s like standing next to the strongest singer in your section, no matter where or when you rehearse. These, a digital score and many other useful resources are ready and waiting in our exclusive Members’ Area, available to all monthly and yearly subscribers.
At the end of the course’s teaching, you will have the opportunity to take part in an international recording of the work. You don’t need any fancy equipment - just follow our useful guides to learn how to record your voice at home using your smartphone! Even our most technophobic members say it’s easy to do.
Then it’s over to our brilliant audio engineers to combine all our voices in the recording studio. When the final recording is ready, we will hold a special concert performance on YouTube where Ben will premiere it and conduct it live. We will also premiere a stunning concert film, pairing your performance with beautiful imagery to help tell the story of the music. These concerts will be free on YouTube, so you can easily share your performance with family and friends, no matter where they are.
It all begins on Monday 8 January 2024 at 17:00 UK time with the course launch stream, which is open to the public as a taster of what we have to offer.
Don’t miss out - become the latest member of our choral family today and join us for this unique musical experience!