True Concord

Arizona has many musical treasures and among them is Tucson-based True Concord Voices and Orchestra with their music director, Eric Holtan. Fans of Arizona Encore have heard many performances by True Concord on our programs, and their artistry in both classic and new choral works is truly unparalleled.

Our program explores the world of 18th century choral music by composers who shaped the landscape of classical music with an influence that is still felt today.

The life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was cut short at the age of 35, leaving us to wonder what might have been had he lived longer. His output seemed to get better and stronger with every passing year, and his final composition was his Requiem, written in 1791, the year of his death. Mozart left the Requiem unfinished—he completed only two movements—but even in completions by other composers, it is both one of the greatest works of western music, but a piece that has provided comfort in the face of loss.

The longevity of George Frideric Handel’s anthem Zadok the Priest is remarkable. Ever since it was first performed at the coronation of King George II in 1737, it has been sung at the coronation of every British sovereign since that time, including, most recently at the coronation of King Charles III. Its exuberant text from the Bible’s book of I Samuel—“God save the King! Long live the King!—continues to thrill audiences who frame the nobility of the music with the sense of occasion it invokes.

The program concludes with the Mass in B-flat major, the “Theresienmesse,” of Joseph Haydn. Haydn’s compositional output was staggering. He wrote over 450 pieces including 104 symphonies, 78 string quartets, 29 string trios, 14 masses, and 3 oratorios. Nicknamed “Papa Haydn” because of his longevity (he died in 1732 at the age of 77) and his mentorship of young composers including Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven, it is notable that Mozart’s Requiem was performed at Haydn’s funeral.

For more information about True Concord Voices and Orchestra, visit trueconcord.org.org.