Concert Stream – Quince: love fail

Quince vocal ensemble: 4 women standing next to each other wearing elegant gowns

May 21, 2021 | 9:00PM
Online

$15 | $20 with reception | Free for UChicago Students

This concert premieres at 7 pm CDT on Friday, May 21 and will be available until 11:59 pm CDT on Sunday, May 23.

David Lang: love fail

It may seem strange that Quince, a vocal ensemble specializing in contemporary music, would take up repertoire written for an ensemble whose focus was the medieval period. That is exactly the case with David Lang's love fail after Anonymous 4, the group that commissioned the work, retired in 2016.

If Lang's open vocal harmonies provide the connective tissue for early music lovers, it is the composer's treatment of text that makes this piece thoroughly contemporary. With words and poetry drawn both from centuries-old manuscripts and new miniature short stories by Lydia Davis, Quince shapes love fail into a stunning, contemporary reflection on modern love.

This concert is supported by the Don Michael Randel Ensemble-in-Residence Fund.