The Dudley Birder Chorale of St. Norbert College Palm Sunday concert

April 1, 2007

From St. Norbert College, March 20, 2007
by Mike Counter, mike.counter@snc.edu, (920) 403-3089

Due to the success of last year's presentation, an idea conceived by conductor Dudley Birder will be reprised when The Dudley Birder Chorale of St. Norbert College returns to present Theodore DuBois' choral masterwork "The Seven Last Words of Christ" at the Weidner Center Palm Sunday afternoon April 1 at 3 p.m.

The concert, the first of its kind in local history, will again be performed as an ecumenical event, bringing together several distinguished local clergy along with area Christian communities and the 150-member Dudley Birder Chorale to commemorate the beginning of Holy Week.

DuBois' famous sacred cantata, composed in 1867, enjoys the distinction of being second only to Handel's Messiah in popularity, as judged by the number of performances presented over the years throughout the world. The text of the work, drawn from the Gospel of St. Matthew, relates the events surrounding the Seven Last Words as spoken by Jesus on the Cross.

Each of the Seven Words (or movements) will be preceded by a short reflection or meditation presented by one of the participating clergy. Participating will be: