The 18th Easter Religious Music Festival in the Canary Islandswill offer around twenty concerts in the temples and parishes across seven islands from February 15 to March 17, with the novelty being its extension to local neighbourhoods this year
The performances, all of which are free until full capacity, and with different schedules, will start with the Stabat Mater Haydn which the festival’s artistic director, Gregorio Gutiérrez, described as “a pinnacle religious work” by the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, to be performed with soloists, choir and orchestra.
The piece will debut on February 15 at the church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán in the capital of Gran Canaria before traveling to La Laguna on February 17 and Icod de los Vinos in Tenerife on February 18. “Haydn is of utmost importance in classical music,” he commented. “In fact, a line can be traced from Haydn to Beethoven to Mahler to Shostakovich in the treatment of the orchestra and the sarcastic humour and surprises they contain.”
Gutiérrez made these statements in a presentation where he was accompanied by the Culture Councillor of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Adrián Santana and the Culture Councillor of the City Council of Villa de Moya, Octavio Suárez, at an event also attended by the delegate of the Historical Heritage of the Diocese of the Canaries and dean of the cathedral of Las Palmas, José Lavandera López.
Stabat Mater Haydn will be performed by Tania Lorenzo (soprano), Gabriel Alvarez (tenor), Anna Tobella (mezzo-soprano) and Augusto Brito (baritone), alongside the Mateo Guerra Chamber Choir and the Festival Orchestra, under the direction of Gregorio Gutiérrez.
The second work, Visions de L`Amen’ is a “rare piece for two pianos,” to be presented on February 23 in Moya (Gran Canaria) and on February 24 and 25 in La Laguna and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, respectively. Its author, Olivier Messiaen, “was deeply Catholic” and clearly represents the trend in French music to give more importance to colour, unlike the Germans who emphasise structure. “It begins with a thankful amen from all living beings just for the fact of existing,” he assured. “Followed by seven others with a tonal structure that sometimes becomes atonal,” he said.
A cappella
The third work, O lux beata, which is interpreted by the Ainur Chamber Choir, presents a program of religious mysticism a cappella focusing on three different periods: 16th-17th centuries; 19th century and 20th century, offering “intense content through beautiful harmonies and melodies clearly grounded in different historical contexts”. The piece will be performed on February 28 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and on March 2 and 3 in Gáldar (Gran Canaria) and in El Paso (La Palma), respectively. The ensemble will also perform on March 8, 9 and 10, in El Sauzal (Tenerife); Arrecife (Lanzarote) and Antigua (Fuerteventura), respectively.
Next, the group Piacere dei Traversi, with their program Divine Ecstasy, propose an interpretation from a feminine perspective of the most spiritual Spanish musical Renaissance, with Antonio de Cabezón, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Cristóbal de Morales, Francisco Guerrero, etc., contextualised with the work of a distinguished creator of the Golden Age: Saint Teresa of Jesus (1515 – 1582). “A concert dedicated to a woman and crafted by women,” he said. It will take place on March 7, 8 and 9 in Santa Cruz de La Palma; Valverde (El Hierro) and Gran Tarajal (Fuerteventura), respectively.
Finally, the “complex” Sonatas del Rosario, by composer H. I. Biber, will serve as the closing piece with a selection of 15 virtuoso violin pieces performed by the master of this instrument Andoni Mercero alongside the Musica Boscareccia ensemble, a musician “emerging, of whom we will hear much more” in the coming years. The concerts will take place on March 15, 16 and 17, in Telde (Gran Canaria); Los Silos (Tenerife) and San Sebastián de La Gomera, respectively.
Gutiérrez emphasized that the festival maintains its commitment to value religious music in “its original context” and involves parishioners, patrons, musicians, enthusiasts, and the community to create “a joint effort”. The artistic director also expressed his gratitude for the support of the authorities in facing the challenges of the event.
