On Sunday evening September 19th at 5pm, Chanticleer performed at the gorgeous San Francisco Conservatory of Music, about a block over from their Hayes Valley headquarter offices. It was the second concert in that space and the fourth concert on their “Out of This World” tour.

“Out of This World” features pieces across vocal musical history from Gregorian chant to Eric Clapton that speaks of the earth, stars, planets and the heavens. What is so brilliant about this programming is the variety of ways the celestial bodies are used in description and representation depending on the genre and era.

For example, the medieval compositions chosen sing of angels, Mary, Queen of the Heavens and the light of Jesus Christ while the Italian madrigals compare the “earthly” love of another human to that of the stars. Romantic poets describe inner heaven and modern compositions literally describe the earth from an orbiting spaceship, mechanical satellites and star clusters. Exploring how poets have perceived "outer space" in the last five hundred years is such a fun and interesting way to organize a concert of vocal music!

Lyrically themed programs like "Out of This World" offer the audience compositions by famous composers that are not heard as often such as “An die Sterne” by Schumann and “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen” by Mahler, a piece that was originally writen for voice and piano, known in orchestral form and recently arranged for chorus in 1983.

I always enjoy the pieces performed by lesser known composers, like Berkeley-based composer-DJ Mason Bates in his world premiere (with choreography!) about transmissions to outer space entitled “Observer in the Magellanic Cloud,” in which the distant past meets the distant future when music made by the ancient Maoris is picked up in outer space by a passing satellite.

Also featured is a piece called “Past Life Melodies” that includes a section exploiting the overtone series, treating the ear to special sounds that only a skilled ensemble like Chanticleer can nail in a concert setting.

Bay Area tours are very special for Chanticleer as they have in the last year performed on three continents, 13 countries and 17 American States. These shows are always full of enthusiastic friends and family. I always have a warm-hearted chuckle when I am reminded of the fabulous handlebar mustache of Chanticleer veteran of bass Eric Alatorre and mohawk of soprano Michael McNeil. I am glad to know that the gentlemen of Chanticleer are not only ambassadors of the United States, but of the Bay Area.

Please visit the new and improved Chanticleer website that has been digitally vamped up with an interactive timeline of the ensembles history as well as the new project called CLIC: Chanticleer Live in Concert making years of live recordings available to fans.

Remaining shows on the “Out of this World” Bay Area Tour

Thursday, Sept. 23, 8 pm- Mission Santa Clara
Saturday, Sept. 25, 8 pm - Napa Valley Opera House
Sunday, Sept. 26, 5 pm - St. Francis Church, Sacramento
 
Tickets:  $20 - $44 (Special Discounts for Groups, Students and seniors)
BOX OFFICE:  415/392-4400 or 800/407-1400 or www.chanticleer.org