The Chapel of the Incarnate Word is kicking off its 2023-24 season of Caritas Concerts, with a free concert “Sacred Song,” this Friday. Mezzo-soprano Jacquelyn Matava and organist Samuel Gaskin joined us to talk a bit about the concert, and share some recent recordings, starting with "Dawn," a Hindu-inspired work by Gustav Holst, and culminating with "Pray for Piece" by Francis Poulenc, both of which were recorded in the Chapel and carry its unaccountable aura.
Matava says, "It's a program of great variety," noting there will be pieces for just voice and just organ, as well as both — and will reflect music from many different faiths. A look at the program — Vierne’s "Les Angélus," Holst’s "Vedic Hymns" Book I, selections from Darius Milhaud’s "Poèmes juifs," improvisations, and other works by Purcell, Dove, and more – shows these two have ambition.
And it hasn't gone unnoticed. Matava was just recently named the winner of The American Prize for Women in Art Song for a performance she and Gaskin did last year. (You'll hear a piece from that concert as well in this interview.)
Says Gaskin, "As an organist, a lot of our repertoire is associated with Christianity." But with this program they "took it as a kind of challenge" to branch out. Along with music from the composers listed above, "I also composed a piece, based on a poem of my grandfather, which references Buddhism," he says. You'll get to hear some new music from the talented composer/arranger Gaskin (who arranged the Holst piece as well). "We've really tried to expand the repertoire of what one might expect to hear in a sacred voice-and-organ concert."
