Sinfonia and Commonwealth Youthchoirs present Haydn's "The Heavens are Telling" from The Creation

Philadelphia Sinfonia and Commonwealth Youthchoirs present a collaborative virtual performance of Haydn’s “The Heavens are Telling” from The Creation. Our ensembles have been meeting virtually most of the year due to the pandemic, so our students recorded each of their parts separately at home and we put it all together in this stunning virtual performance! Coached by Sinfonia conductor Gary D. White, CY Conductor Elizabeth Parker, and CY Conductor Larry Hoenig, all these young musicians came together online last spring for an in-depth learning session about the piece, providing a creative opportunity for our singers and instrumentalists to work together virtually.
Philadelphia Sinfonia Percussionist Raphael Englander, entering 11th grade, wrote the following program notes for the Haydn:
“The Creation,” composed by Franz Joseph Haydn between 1797 and 1798, is an oratorio in three parts that describes God’s creation of the world as told in the Book of Genesis. “Die Himmel erz hlen die Ehre Gottes,” or “The Heavens are Telling,” depicts the conclusion of the fourth day and completes the oratorio’s first part. “The Heavens are Telling” is based on Psalms 19:1-3. Like the rest of part one, the soloists - soprano, tenor, and bass, represent the archangels Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael, respectively. Part one begins in the key of C minor, so Haydn’s transition to the brighter C Major during “The Heavens are Telling” denotes the triumph of light over darkness.
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Instead of concert tickets, we invite you to consider making gifts to Philadelphia Sinfonia and Commonwealth Youthchoirs to support this video production. We rely on the generosity of donors more than ever, so if you enjoy the performance and can make a gift to cover our normal ticket price of $10-$25, we would be very grateful. Every donation large or small goes a long way to keep both of our music programs vibrant, so thank you! Donate at:
philadelphiasinfonia.com/support
cychoirs.org/donate