Aurora Chamber Singers Spring 2026 Concert

Sunday May 3^rd 2026
Cameron Brownell, Conductor

College Street Congregational Church
265 College St, Burlington, VT 05401

This spring, Aurora Chamber Singers presents two monumental works of sacred choral music—Palestrina’s Missa Brevis and Handel’s Dixit Dominus. Written more than a century apart, these pieces offer contrasting visions of devotion and musical expression: one rooted in the serene clarity of Renaissance polyphony, the other charged with Baroque theatrical intensity. Together, they illuminate how sacred texts continue to inspire composers across eras and traditions.

Palestrina — Missa Brevis

Although titled a “short mass,” Palestrina’s Missa Brevis is not defined by brevity so much as by its elegant restraint and clarity. First published in the late 16th century, the four-voice setting exemplifies Palestrina’s role in shaping liturgical music during the Counter-Reformation. Flowing imitative counterpoint alternates with unified choral textures, maintaining transparency of text while creating a luminous harmonic palette.

The Kyrie introduces a graceful melodic contour that threads through the work, while the Gloria and Credo balance intricate counterpoint with declamatory passages that allow words to shine through. The closing Agnus Dei brings a gentle expansiveness, adding voices to heighten the final sense of peace. The result is sacred music that feels contemplative, balanced, and spiritually grounded—an ideal representation of Renaissance choral art.

Handel — Dixit Dominus

Composed in 1707 during Handel’s early years in Italy, Dixit Dominus (HWV 232) sets Psalm 110 with extraordinary dramatic force. Scored for five soloists, five-part chorus, strings, and continuo, the work unfolds in multiple contrasting movements that reveal the young composer’s emerging mastery: virtuosic vocal writing, bold harmonic tension, and a theatrical sense of pacing that reflects the operatic culture of Rome.

The opening movement erupts with rhythmic urgency, establishing a tone of proclamation and authority. Throughout the piece, solo passages and choral sections trade intensity: rapid melismas, fierce contrapuntal exchanges, and hushed lyrical episodes that provide momentary repose. The final doxology draws together the work’s themes in a triumphant conclusion. Taken as a whole, Dixit Dominus is fiery, commanding, and emotionally expansive—an exhilarating counterpoint to the serene clarity of the Missa Brevis.