Salisbury Musical Society: Poulenc Gloria Elgar The Music Makers

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Poulenc's Gloria and Elgar's The Music Makers: Choral Masterpieces Not to be Missed
Salisbury Musical Society will be performing Poulenc's Gloria and Elgar's The Music Makers, in Salisbury Cathedral on Saturday 20th June at 7:30pm.
First performed in 1961, Poulenc's Gloria is a celebration; it is immediately appealing and emotionally engaging. Poulenc described himself as "half monk, half rascal," a phrase that perfectly captures the blend of playfulness and solemnity in this work. Setting the ancient Latin text of the Mass (words sung in churches for centuries) he reimagines them with vibrant rhythmic energy and mischievous vitality, while moments of serene devotion reveal the music's profound spiritual depth.
Poulenc's Gloria demonstrates the composer's gift for balancing radiant exuberance with lyrical beauty. Bright, celebratory moments, such as the Gloria in Excelsis Deo, bursts forth with brilliant brass fanfares, ringing chords, and buoyant rhythms, creating a mood of irrepressible joy. In contrast, the fifth movement, Domine Deus, contains one of the work's most exquisite passages, where the soprano soloist sings a long, soaring melodic line above a gentle flute solo and softly shimmering strings. The effect is simply breathtaking.
Elgar's sublime The Music Makers forms the second half of the concert. This is a deeply moving cantata: it glows with sweeping lyricism and rich orchestral colour as it celebrates the imagination and creative spirit of the artist. The text opens with the famous line:
'We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams'
emphasizing how creative individuals shape the world through their art. The music Makers is based on an ode by Arthur Saughnessy and Elgar closely identified himself with the '…dreamers of dreams'.
Composed later in his career, at the pinnacle of his musical success, the work is cherished for its poignant glimpse into Elgar's inner world. It is sometimes interpreted as a personal farewell, his personal requiem. Both intimate and uplifting, it is a stirring cantata that speaks straight to the heart.
For Salisbury Musical Society, Poulenc's Gloria and Elgar's The Music Makers are deeply rewarding works to perform. The choral writing in both pieces is rich and expressive, demanding precision, sensitivity, and a wide emotional range. It is a tremendous challenge which is relished by Salisbury Musical Society.