‘Modern’ choral works

We will look at some of the major choral compositions of the 1930s and 1940s. In 1931, William Walton's "Belshazzar's Feast" made a very strong impression; some were dismayed by its modernity, but it is now in the standard repertory. In 1938, Artur Honneger's oratorio "Joan of Arc at the Stake" stirred audiences with its dramatic force. We will hear music from both these modern choral works.