The creation of the piece came about as Burchell was searching for a "jubilant, brief and snappy" modern choral work to include alongside works by Baroque and Classical composers Bach, Mozart, Rheinberger, Telemann, and Scheidt in the concert, to be held next Saturday, April 22, from 7.30pm at Knox Church.
"As I was looking through various works, I started having hallelujahs going around in my head in little shapes," Burchell said.
The text of O Sons and Daughters is well known, telling the Easter story from the excitement and terror of the discovery of Jesus’ open grave to the doubts of Thomas, and a statement of modern belief.
"It makes a nice dramatic shape," Burchell said.
Leaving the traditional melody behind, he created a tune that rises up through the unaccompanied choir to highlight the excitement of the events depicted.
"I’m really quite pleased with it, and things are going well in rehearsals, so I’m hoping it will come across well in the concert."
In making his selections of works to perform in the "Alleluia! Music for Eastertide" concert, Burchell looked beyond the usual repertoire inspired by the crucifixion story, and looked to the "wealth of beautiful music" celebrating Christ’s resurrection and the events that followed.
First on the programme is the lively Surrexit Christus Hodie (Christ is risen today) by Samuel Scheidt, a 17th-century German composer, organist and teacher.
"This work has a very catchy little tune, which I think will create a bright and breezy opening," he said.
The centrepiece of the concert is one of J.S. Bach’s earliest surviving church cantatas Christ lag in Todesbanden (Christ lay in death’s bonds), based on a hymn by Martin Luther, which reflects on Christ’s death and resurrection.
Mozart’s joyful Regina Coeli sets the text of the Latin hymn to Mary celebrating Christ’s resurrection, and features an operatic soprano solo to be sung by Caroline Burchell.
The concert will feature another unaccompanied work, Josef Rheinberger’s Osterhymne, which divides the choir into eight parts to create organ-like sounds.
"This piece creates a fascinating texture, and I thought it would be a good challenge for the choir to perform it," Burchell said.
One of the most prolific composers in history, Georg Philipp Telemann — a contemporary of Bach, will also feature in the concert with the performance of one of his 1000 cantatas Zwei Junger gehn nach Emmaus.
The choir’s performance will be accompanied by a 20-strong ensemble of Dunedin Symphony Orchestra players, and will feature vocal soloists Caroline Burchell (soprano), Erin Connelly-Whyte (mezzo soprano), Brendon Shanks (tenor), and Edward Smith (bass).
