Combine them, and you have the Utah Master Chorale's spring concert, "Of Praise & Poetry", set to be held May 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bountiful Community Church, 100 North 400 East. The concert will feature both hymns and Renaissance poetry that has been set to music.
"Our goal is always to provide an inspirational performance so that people can leave feeling like they've had an artistic, enjoyable experience," said Cameron Rose, director of the chorale. "It's a musical enlivening of the spirit."
The selection of poetry the chorale intends to give voice to includes Robert Burns' "My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose" and George Herbert's "Vertue." And, since no collection of verse is complete without Shakespeare, the concert will also include a musical version of the sonnet "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day."
On the more spiritual side, the chorale will perform "Praise the Lord of Heaven," as well as Rose's own compositions of "The Lord Is My Shepherd," and "Where Can I Turn for Peace." One set of music, based on scriptural text, will be sung entirely in Latin.
"The chorale is coming to the end of their second year, and they've really evolved in their abilities to do certain pieces," said Rose. "Renaissance poetry is very pretty, but very difficult to sing. So being able to perform them is very rewarding for us."
Though it doesn't fit in as neatly with the program's theme, the concert will also include folk songs such as "Shenandoah" and "Homeward Bound." Something of a staple at chorale concerts, the group has performed these songs from Hill Air Force Base to the University of Utah.
"Sometimes the first and second halves of the concert seem like they are totally different," said Suzanne Adair, a soprano with the chorale. "But when it comes time for the performance it all blends together."
Though the chorale includes performers from Ogden all the way to South Jordan, the group is based in Davis County. According to Rose, the Bountiful church is one of their favorite places to perform.
"The acoustical sound is just outstanding," said Rose. "A fair amount of our music is performed a cappella, and it's helped nicely by the reverberation from the high ceilings."
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. For more information, visit www.utahmasterchorale.org.
jwardell@davisclipper.com
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