Nigra Sum

  • Composer: Pablo Casals 
  • Publisher: Tetra/Continuo Music Group
  • Canadian Work: No
  • Duration: 4:40
  • Sample Track:

Conductor Notes:

Simply one of the most ravishing works for women’s choir and piano ever written. Casals’ lyricism and expressivity are in full force here, with gratifying lines for all voices. The textures vary from unison to 3-part writing.

Elektra has performed this masterpiece many times in its original piano version. In the spring of 2016, with the Borealis String Quartet on hand, we performed Toronto-based composer Sheldon Rose’s orchestration for string quintet and harp. We didn’t have a harp or bass, so Sheldon incorporated those two parts into an organ part that played with the string quartet. The result is very successful. Contact Sheldon directly to inquire about this string version.

References:

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