On Saturday, August 12, 2023, at 7:30pm, the critically-acclaimed vocal ensemble His Majesty's Men (website, Facebook) will once again perform at the historic and beautiful St. John Cantius Church in downtown Chicago.
Their program, "The Flower of Beauty," will feature two newly-commissioned works on Marian themes, composed by two traditionalist Catholics: a setting of the Ave Maris Stella by HMM's composer-in-residence Mark Nowakowski, and a setting of the Stabat Mater by Peter Kwasniewski. Both composers will be present at this concert.
Also featured will be several motets by the Tudor brilliant composer William Byrd, who died in 1623 and could be said to be the greatest English composer before Henry Purcell. Marian themes continue in "Ave Maris Stella" by the 15th-century French composer Guillaume Dufay. There will also be several audience favorites, notably "A Cloud Enveloped Them" by Chad McCoy, which made a huge impact last year. And we will once again present the13th-century "Seacht nDolás na Maighdine Múire", the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary, sung in Irish Gaelige in Chris Crilly's beautiful arrangement.
There will be a reception after the concert in the Cafe San Giovanni. The musicians and the composers Dr. Nowakowski and Dr. Kwasniewski are greatly looking forward to meeting attendees.
Tickets available here:
To read more about the group and its mission, read this interview at the National Catholic Register: "Evangelists for the Beauty of Sacred Music."
Performers:
Richard Childress, countertenor
Matthew Dean, tenor
Joe Labozetta, baritone
Nathaniel Adams, baritone
Ian Prichard, bass
