Chor Leoni’s first-ever performance 25 years ago was a Remembrance Day concert. The celebrated men’s choir will continue that tradition this year with One Last Song.
“The commitment to this has been very steadfast and I’m just so pleased to be able to continue this tradition with the men,” artistic director Erick Lichte told the Courier.
With the 100th anniversary of the First World War commemorations starting in 2014, Lichte said the concerts over the last few years have with this year marking the centenary of the battle at Vimy Ridge, the program of songs and readings focuses on its place in Canadian history.
In April 1917, the Canadian corps was ordered to seize Vimy Ridge in northern France, which was under the control of Germany. Other attempts by French forces had previously failed and produced significant casualties — more than 100,000 were killed or injured.
The battle was the first time all four Canadian divisions attacked together — more than 15,000 Canadian infantry stormed the ridge in the early morning hours of April 9, 1917 and, after three more days of battle, declared a victory. It was, however, at a heavy cost — 3,598 Canadian soldiers died and another 7,000 were wounded.
The Canadians’ victory has long been seen as an important factor in the development of a distinct identity for the new nation.
The battle was “an occasion when the entire Canadian Corps, under a Canadian commander (Gen. Arthur Currie) succeeded where others had failed,” said historian Peter Moogk in an email to the Courier.
“It was unquestionably a Canadian achievement and, by 1917, the proportion of Canadians in the corps was greater than it had been at the war’s beginning, when most volunteers were British-born men,” he said. “The victory aided the development of a Canadian identity, distinct from the British connection.”
Lichte said the idea for this year’s program started with the song “Vimy Ridge” by Alberta singer-songwriter Lizzy Hoyt, who wrote the song after visiting the Vimy Ridge Memorial in 2005. The song embodies the more personal side of war, told from the perspective of a woman who lost her love in the battle.
“It’s really interesting taking this song that was written for a woman’s voice and from a woman’s perspective and setting it for a men’s choir,” Lichte said. “I think people are going to be really, really taken with that piece.”
He adds that he aims to maintain a delicate balance when designing the Remembrance Day performances.
“I think the other thing that I struggle with, and I am proud when we get it right, is trying to figure out ways, as a choir, to honour those that have served, and especially those that have fallen, and try to find ways to do that without glorifying war and making it seem like some sort of romantic notion,” Lichte said.
“We have done a good job, and we will do a good job, of balancing the message of honouring our soldiers with the hope and promise for peace. It’s an enormous, enormous challenge to try and manage both.”
The concert brings together a range of songs and readings.
“We’ve got a number of great readings, mainly from World War I poets, but also including poet Mary Oliver,” Lichte said. “The music is really spanning all sorts of genres and times — our earliest piece is a 15th century motet by the Renaissance master Josquin Desprez, Absalon fili mi. It’s King David’s lament for his son who died in battle.”
Lichte added that the Remembrance Day concert is also unique because it is the only performance that does not allow applause between the songs.
“It’s quite a treat to just be in communion in silence with the audience in that way,” he said. “We share, I think, a much more profound experience than if we allowed applause in between the songs.”
Chor Leoni will put on two performances of One Last Song: Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at West Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»United Church and at 8 p.m. at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church downtown.
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