Ensemble Leonardo: The Vanity of Vanities, direction Nicolas Fink

Description

"The Vanity of Vanities" - Ensemble Leonardo, vocal ensemble conducted by Nicolas Fink – Concerts: Eglise des Cordeliers Fribourg, January 31, 2026, 8 PM - Dreifaltigkeitskirche Bern, January 25, 2026, 6 PM – Grosse Kirche Fluntern Zurich, February 1, 2026, 5 PM. Swiss premiere of the choral symphony "The Vanity of Vanities" by Granville Bantock (1868-1946) and works by Robert Lucas Pearsall (1795-1856), Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924), John Stainer (1840-1901), and Hubert Parry (1848-1918). "The Vanity of Vanities" - The work composed in February 1914 in Liverpool experiences its Swiss premiere with Ensemble Leonardo. Granville Bantock transfers orchestral means to a large a cappella choir, creating a new genre. In this "Choral Symphony" – a cappella for twelve-voice choir in 7 movements (duration approx. 35 min.) - Granville Bantock sets selected verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes of the Old Testament to music. The contrasts of the text unfold their complexity in the intricate polyphony of the twelve voices. Granville Bantock (London, 1868-1946) composed a variety of works. Influenced by romantics like Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss, he is primarily recognized as a melody composer and master of timbre. Before World War I, he was considered a daring composer. Later, he was criticized for clinging too much to his romantic ideals, which came from a world that had since collapsed. Today, Granville Bantock has largely been forgotten. Ensemble Leonardo sees itself as a meeting place for skilled singers from various backgrounds. United from all Swiss language regions, they share a joy in singing together, as well as a commitment to deepening different choral works. The ensemble diligently strives to achieve a homogeneous choral sound and a harmony of text, sound image, and music. Nicolas Fink has no qualms when it comes to sound development and the lively experience of choral music. His rehearsal work is shaped by his long-standing experience with leading professional choirs across Europe (WDR Rundfunkchor - chief conductor until 2024), Rundfunkchor Berlin, MDR Rundfunkchor Leipzig, Choeur de Radio France, Coro Casa da Mùsica in Porto, among others). As a music educator, he has been the choral director of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival since 2014. Since 2018, he has been the artistic director of the Swiss Youth Choir as a national top ensemble of youth from all backgrounds, promoting talented singers and conductors. Since 2022, he has also been leading the Landesjugendchor NRW.

Highlights

• Swiss premiere of Granville Bantock's "The Vanity of Vanities"
• Conducted by Nicolas Fink
• Performances in Fribourg, Bern, and Zurich

General Information

Ensemble Leonardo will perform the Swiss premiere of the choral symphony "The Vanity of Vanities" by Granville Bantock, along with works by other notable composers. Concerts are scheduled for January 25, 31, and February 1, 2026, in various Swiss cities.

Location

Rue de Morat 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland

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