How do you imagine the winter solstice 1,200 years ago? Let’s think about it together and imagine it. No electricity, little heat, only large semi-stone houses heated by fireplaces. No television, radio, or the information media that fill our world today.
There are candles, there is a calendar fixed by priests, and there is faith. Yes, there is faith and the teaching of the cyclical nature of the year. There is faith that after the winter solstice, which hid the sun in darkness, the sun will come, the light will come, and a new year will be born. The days will begin to grow longer, there will be more light every day, and the world around us will begin to fight and resist darkness and fervor, death and destruction, in order to come to life. As in ancient times, so now, at this time they begin to sing carols – sacred songs reminiscent of the singing of birds, the sound of a stream, the rustling of trees and, most importantly, accompanied by a special ritual proclaiming the beginning of a new year and the arrival of light, spring and warmth.
Now imagine today, 1,200 years later, with the stage of Jeanne Lamon Hall at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre (427 Bloor St W) illuminated by candlelight, and the Toronto Consortium Choir once again collaborating with outstanding students from the Schola Cantorum of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music on “The Flawless Rose: 1,200 Years of Christmas Carols,” an inspiring series of Christmas carols.
An action that takes us back 1200 years or vice versa, an action that revives for us Christmas, the birth of a new light from darkness, preserved and reverently restored carols that announce the most terrible and dark day and call for light and sun that will conquer the darkness.
As a consistent admirer of everything the Toronto Consort does, I would like to commend this evening as a wonderfully orchestrated collaboration between two talented conductors.Les Arts Florissants’ co-director of music, Paul Agnew, has joined Daniel Taylor as conductor of ensemble.
It was a play of darkness and light, a choir in the dark and a choir in the light. Two wonderful conductors. It was wonderful, as the wonderful singing of carols by the wonderful soloists was complemented by the stage interpretation of the action. And it was so beautiful, dynamic, subtle, and refined. This is that love of culture, that tradition of passing on ancient heritage. There were many young people in the audience, many students from the University of Toronto.
Vichel Praetorius,Orlando Gibbons,Nicolas Gombert,Gustav Holst,Benjamin Britten,Herbert Howells music was playing.
A time of night’s dominance, when the day seems shrouded in shadows. The sun recedes to its furthest distance and seems to freeze in the silence of death: in these difficult times, it is difficult to understand that this is Sol Invictus, the Invincible Sun. A candlelit carol ceremony. A reflection on birth and rebirth, the importance of these concepts for transmission to the next generation.
….Perfection is achieved,not when there isnothing more to add,but when there is nothing left to take away….
( Antoine se Saint-Exupery)
I look forward to the next meeting with Toronto Consort.