Music from Gregorian chant to ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’
By Peter Alexander
“Happiness and Cheer,” the 2015 edition of Ars Nova Singers’ annual holiday concert, will offer music from Gregorian chant to A Charlie Brown Christmas.
And at least five centuries of music in between.
Ars Nova — the name means “New Art” and is taken from a style of music that was new in the 14th century — has been performing music from both ends of the historical spectrum for 30 years.
“We’ve prided ourselves on the fact that we do early music as well as contemporary music,” says Thomas Edward Morgan, the group’s founding director. “Our Christmas concert, when we reach our widest audiences, is meant to give them a range of what we do.”
Chronologically, that range runs from the 13th-century “Song of the Nuns of Chester,” through music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, to 20th-century Christmas pieces by Rachmaninoff, Poulenc and Holst, and ending with music and arrangements by Morgan. Almost all will be new to the audience.
There will be four performances of the program, in Englewood (Dec. 12), Denver (Dec. 13) and Boulder (Dec. 17–18). Ars Nova will sing unaccompanied under Morgan’s direction, with oboist James Brody appearing as a guest artist for a portion of the program. (Note: Other Holiday concerts are listed here.)
Read more at Boulder Weekly.
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Happiness and Cheer: Christmas with Ars Nova
Ars Nova Singers, Tom Morgan, director, with James Brody, oboe
•2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden Blvd., Englewood
•3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1600 Grant St., Denver
•7:30 p.m. Thursday & Friday, Dec. 17 & 18, St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1419 Pine St., Boulder
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A selected listing of classical-music Holiday events in the Boulder area can be found here.
NOTE: Edited on 3 Dec. to correct typos and errors introduced by copying from one format to another.
Sharps & Flatirons 