Since then, we have all talked about how it was one of those mountain top experiences that was so powerful it has stayed with us ever since. I was in the Master Chorale in 1996 when the group sang the European premiere of this piece. It was the perfect setting and these were the perfect voices for Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium. Rows of ancient pews marched away into the vast expanse of the cathedral nave. As the opening chords were sung, the theatre faded away and in its place I was in England at Kings College Chapel, the soft lights illuminating immense buttresses, jewel-toned stained glass and sixty-foot fan-vaulted ceilings. I had goosebumps, and that would have been enough for me, until their performance of the piece that holds a special place in my heart – the one where words fail to explain what it does to your soul when you hear it. Each left a bittersweet ache as it invoked memories of Christmases past with family and loved ones. It was clear this would be no ordinary performance as the music immersed its listeners in a vision of heaven opening to let light into our dim, ordinary little world.Įach cherished song the group sang was a precious gift unwrapped for this special season. I closed my eyes at the beauty of the sound and let it wash over me. The choir joined her for the second verse, cherubim complementing seraphim. A single solo soprano voice began to float the first verse of “Once in Royal David's City,” as if she were the angel herself announcing the birth of the Holy One. As it turned out, I was unprepared for the emotional impact this perspective would bring.ĭr. I could fully appreciate the group's ability to skillfully render these pieces, and listen to them without the distractions of performing. A “practical” career had upstaged my commitment to making beautiful music, but, I reasoned, so much the better that I was here as an audience member. These were numbers that were among my favorites, and I was delighted that they would be heard again this evening.Īlthough I never admitted it, I think I missed being a part of the Chorale, but that may have been partial motivation for purchasing the tickets in the first place. I had been a member of The Master Chorale more than a decade earlier and recalled my participation in many of the group's holiday concerts. Perusing the program, I noticed that several of the pieces were settings I had performed before. As we took the two remaining seats in the Tampa Theatre's center section, I had no idea that dinner would be only the first course in a magical journey spun by an old friend, which just happened to be the area's premiere choral organization. I was wondering if it would be possible for the sum of any evening to equal the amazing meal we had just finished at a local Tampa restaurant, but if anything could, it would be The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay in its holiday offering on December 14, 2015.
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