Famed French composer Cesar Franck composed his setting of “The Seven Last Words of Christ” in 1859 for a Paris concert that was never consummated.
The La Cañada Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir and Orchestra will present this recently discovered multi-movement work for choir and full orchestra on Sunday, April 2, at 2 p.m. at the LCPC sanctuary.
This moving work interprets Christ’s seven last words in musically poignant ways and adds commentary that illuminates the meaning of each.
The musical event will feature soloists Rebecca Sjöwall, Matthew Thomas, Sal Malaki and Mark Beasom.
For lovers of film music, the concert will also include the familiar music of “Exsultate Justi” by John Williams from the Stephen Spielberg film “Empire of the Sun,” “You Raise Me Up” from the “The Lion King,” the “Theme from Exodus,” from the movie of the same name, featuring Kemp Smeal on piano, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s entrancing “Pie Jesu” from his Requiem. All will be accompanied by video excerpts.
And for opera fans, the concert will include favorite musical excerpts from the opera “Nabucco” by Giuseppe Verdi and “Cavalleria Rusticana” by Pietro Mascagni, including the Easter Hymn.
Prior to the show at 1:30 p.m. in the church sanctuary and online, the LCPC music director Jack Lantz will discuss the background of the musical works on the concert and their connection to Holy Week.
The La Cañada Presbyterian Church is located at 626 Foothill Blvd. For those who cannot attend in person, the concert and pre-concert lecture will be livestreamed at live.lacanadapc.org.
First published in the March 30 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
