O f B a r r e l s a n d B l o s s o m sVOX CAPE TOWN

VOX Cape Town was founded in 2015 to create mesmerising, imaginative choral experiences to enrich the musical life of the Mother City. Since then, the ensemble has presented scores of immersive performances in venues ranging from the intimacy of the UCT Irma Stern Museum and the Tasting Cellar at Groot Constantia to the breathtaking grandeur of the Norval Foundation and St George’s Cathedral. Their flagship performances have spanned millennia, juxtaposed the classical and the contemporary, and even included a

voyage to the mystical Northern Lights.

Peter Borchers, Suzanne Buchanan, Margot Dower, Casey Driver, Elinor Driver, Shaun February,Matthew Ferrandi, Christina Goodall, Tessa Gawith, Karen Hahne, Simon Hartley, Carelize Jacobs,

Lesley Jennings, Aaron Juritz, David Langford, James Lister, Maryke Louw, Jennifer Matlock,Robyn McKechnie, Maryanne McLachlan, Thembi Nyathi, Kyle Paulssen, Chloë Reeler, John Rennie,

Owen Rogers, Fi Smit, Bernice Taljaard, Stefan van der Westhuizen,Jenni van Doesburgh, Anthea van Wieringen, Jean Westwood

Founder and Director: John WoodlandManager: Kyle Paulssen

One of VOX Cape Town’s signature events is a multisensory pairing of wine and choral music atGroot Constantia, the oldest wine-producing estate in South Africa. Nicknamed “ViniChoral”, these presentations offer guests an exceptional mingling of the senses as a selection of the estate’s renowned wines is paired with a miscellany of choral masterpieces from across the centuries.

In the candlelit atmosphere of the historic Tasting Cellar, Karen Woodcock, an estate specialist, guides guests through seven of the estate’s finest wines ranging from theCap Classique to the famous Grand Constance described in novels by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Madrigals, folk songs and contemporary choral works to accompany the tastings are introduced in inimitable style by Rodney Trudgeon fromFine Music Radio. As one guest remarked:

Selecting the music for a ViniChoral performance is not a trivial task, but whom better to ask than our own singers? Happy afternoons were spent at Groot Constantia tasting the fine wines on offer. With pen in one hand and glass in the other, we mulled over mouthfeels, adjectives, varietals and styles to select the music for these exclusive evenings of sophistication and synaesthesia – careful to remember the advice expressed on the very first track of this CD: “In (too much) wine lies the truth!”

V I N I C H O R A L

It was such an

imaginative concept and worked so

beautifully – an innovative combination of sound, sense and sensitivity, perfectly blended like

the wonderful wines.

In July 2019, VOX Cape Town presented three performances of botanically-inspired choral music at the UCT Irma Stern Museum. These recitals, entitled “Flower Songs”, coincided with the museum’s annual winter exhibition, Tipping Point: Threatened Plants of Southern Africa,

curated by Mary van Blommestein.

Irma Stern (1894-1966) was a major South African artist. Her home and studio now comprise a permanent collection of her art and artefacts that were acquired during her travels in Europe and Africa.

The first half of our morning recital, which took place in the downstairs living room, comprised two wistful ballads based on traditional folk tunes from the British Isles, especially adapted for our

singers and clarinet obbligato by local composer Matthew Dennis. They were followed by the vivid depictions contained within the Five Flower Songs by Benjamin Britten, ranging from the fleeting nature of daffodils (a metaphor for life) to the rollicking, rags-to-riches Ballad of Green Broom.

For the remainder of the programme, guests were invited upstairs to the exhibition space. Switching from flora to fauna, VOX presented the first performance of

a new choral work by Nicky Schrire, Caged Bird, based on a poem by Maya Angelou. The recital concluded

with a botanical blessing by Petrus Lemmer entitled Rooi Disa. As the final words –

“Geloof, Hoop en Liefde” – faded into silence, guests were invited down to the garden to enjoy a glass of wine in the winter sunshine.

Tim Povall, a South African origami artist currently based in Vancouver, was commissioned to create a striking and original work of art to accompany these recitals. Drawing on his own observations of blue and red disas on Table

Mountain, one of his favourite hiking spots, Tim used Origamido abaca paper to fold the flowers. In performance,

each singer proudly pinned one of these iridescent orchids against her or his white attire.

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O f B a r r e l s a n d B l o s s o m sVOX CAPE TOWN

In vino veritas Paul Gibson (b. 1952) 3:19 Ubi Caritas Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978) 6:22 Piano: Clinton Claasen Now is the month of Maying Thomas Morley (c. 1557-1602) 1:52 There are some men Philip Glass (b. 1937) 3:07 Caged Bird Nicky Schrire (b. 1986) 3:55 Vocals: Nicky Schrire

Two Pastoral Ballads Matthew Dennis (b. 1991) Clarinet: Matthew Ferrandi Down by the Salley Gardens 2:52 The Sprig of Thyme 2:38

Five Flower Songs Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) Readings: Fi Smit Poem: To Daffodils Robert Herrick 0:44 To Daffodils 1:41 Poem: The Succession of the Four Sweet Months Robert Herrick 0:35 The Succession of the Four Sweet Months 2:02 Poem: Marsh Flowers George Crabbe 1:03 Marsh Flowers 2:34 Poem: Evening Primrose John Clare 0:54 The Evening Primrose 2:32 Poem: Ballad of Green Broom Anonymous 1:24 Ballad of Green Broom 2:12

Rooi Disa Petrus Lemmer (1896-1989) 3:11 Clarinet: Matthew Ferrandi

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