Miserere, a choral presentation to mark Holy Week

St. Cecilia's choir of St. Joseph's College, Colombo 10 will present Miserere tomorrow at 6.30 p.m. at the chapel of St. Joseph's College, to commemorate the Holy Week.

According to the organisers the program will include Gregory Allegri's exquisite Miserere, Mozart's fiery Dies irae and the melodious tacrimosa, as well as Palestrina's motet Adoramus te, Giovanni Battista's mournful Stabat mater, and Handel's much acclaimed "Worthy is the Lamb" and "Hallelujah Chorus".

Adding depth to the line-up will be the polyphonic Regina Coeli and Richard Wagner's "Pilgrim's Chorus" sung by the mature Bass/Tenor sections of the Josephian choristers.

Joining the 70-strong Cecilia's choir of St. Joseph's College will be the choristers of Good Shepherd Convent, students of Maris Stella College, Negombo and the 60-member primary choristers of St. Joseph's. Over 250 singers will participate.

The Palm Sunday Gregorian chant Pueri Hebreorum will open the program followed by Lauda Jerusalem. The other selections will include: Gethsamane arranged by the legendary musician Jerry Crake and sung by the Shepherdians, who will also vocalise "Harken my people" composed by the late Bishop Edmund Peiris, the modern composition "Above all power" and the motet "Adoramus te."

"Were You There", the much loved Afro American spiritual as well as Regina Coeli, the Easter anthem in honour of Mother Mary will be featured by the senior Josephian singers in accapella style.

The popular hymns "Softly and tenderly", "Old rugged cross", "Jesus Christ is risen today" will be congregational.

So too will be the Sinhala hymn Kalvariye and the Tamil chant Arathanai.

There will be reflections interspersed on the events of the Holy week and Christ's resurrection to take the participants on a journey back in time to enable them face the harsh realities of our age with unwavering faith, the organisers said.