'Celestial Voices': A heavenly finale for Music of the Baroque's Emerald Anniversary Season

As its milestone Emerald Anniversary Season draws to a close, Music of the Baroque offers a transcendent finale with Celestial Voices, a choral program that promises to envelop audiences in sound, history, and atmosphere on May 17 and 18.

Under the direction of Chorus Director Andrew Megill, the ensemble’s celebrated chorus takes center stage in a program that spans centuries of vocal brilliance, performed in intimate candlelit settings that heighten both the music’s emotional resonance and its spiritual depth.

The repertoire traces the evolution of choral music, beginning with the intricate textures and daring harmonies of medieval masters like Guillaume de Machaut and Johannes Andrieu. Their works give way to the rich sonorities of the Renaissance, with selections by Johannes Ockeghem, Josquin des Prez, and William Byrd.

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A highlight of the program is Spem in alium by Thomas Tallis, a breathtaking 40-part motet that surrounds listeners in a tapestry of sound rarely experienced live. The journey continues with the expressive madrigals of Claudio Monteverdi before culminating in the profound spirituality of Johann Sebastian Bach, whose Komm, Jesu, komm and Jesu, meine Freude remain among the most moving works in the choral canon.

Performances will take place in two architecturally and acoustically stunning venues:

• Saints Faith, Hope, and Charity Catholic Church on Sunday, May 17 (191 Linden St., Winnetka)
• Fourth Presbyterian Church on Monday, May 18 (126 E. Chestnut, Chicago)

With availability already limited, particularly for the Winnetka performance, early ticket purchase is strongly encouraged.

Blending centuries of masterworks with the warm glow of candlelight, Celestial Voices offers a fitting and unforgettable conclusion to a season celebrating artistic excellence and musical legacy. (For tickets/more info, click here)