Magnificent Magnificats

Description

The two Magnificats presented at this concert reflect the compositional creativity of two very different composers: the Baroque master, Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) and the contemporary English composer, John Rutter (b. 1945). Both works are typical of their national origin and their time in history. Vivaldi treats the text in cantata style, dividing it into nine separate movements of contrasting key, tempo, style, affective character and vocal forces required. Rutter, on the other hand, has crafted a modern, lyrical, and very colorful setting of this text that is enhanced by several additions to the liturgical text. Rutter’s Magnificat was composed in 1990 and first performed on May 26, 1990 in Carnegie Hall, New York.