Question and Answer Session |
Fast-rising stars on the classical music scene, the male vocal quartet
New York Polyphony garnered praise for a “rich, natural sound that’s larger
and more complex than the sum of its parts” (National Public Radio). They
make their Mondavi Center debut with Faith and Reason, a program of
ancient and modern a capella works. The centerpiece is the Missa Charles
Darwin, a daring new work composed by Gregory Brown in cooperation
with New York Polyphony. The work is a modern mass setting that replaces
the standard sacred texts with excerpts from Charles Darwin’s On the Origin
of Species and Descent of Man. The vocal ensemble’s refined musicianship
and interpretive detail will be on full display as they add a reflective and
modern touch to a program that ranges from austere medieval melodies
to cutting-edge contemporary works.