Whitsuntide Concert: Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass & More

Celebrate Whitsuntide — the ancient Christian feast of Pentecost — with an evening of choral and instrumental masterworks spanning four centuries of sacred and folk music. The Choirs of Christ Church Cathedral, under the direction of Robert Simpson and with Valentina Huang at the organ, present a program as varied as it is magnificent: from the imperial grandeur of Haydn's Vienna to the haunting folk songs of the Acadian tradition, from Renaissance polyphony to Mozart's dramatic keyboard writing.

The evening culminates in one of the most electrifying works in the choral canon: Joseph Haydn's Missa in Angustiis — the Lord Nelson Mass — composed in 1798 against the backdrop of Napoleon's conquests and Admiral Nelson's victory at the Battle of the Nile. Haydn poured into it a dramatic urgency and devotional fire that still grips audiences more than two centuries later.

Whether you are a lifelong lover of choral music or encountering these works for the first time, this concert offers something rare: a single evening that ranges freely across time, language, and tradition, bound together by the expressive power of the human voice.

Joseph Haydn — Te Deum for Empress Maria Theresa A blazing ceremonial work written for the Habsburg court, showcasing Haydn's gift for writing choral music of irresistible energy and momentum.

Igor Stravinsky — Three Peasant Songs (from Four Peasant Songs) Sung in Russian Stravinsky's spare, hypnotic folk settings strip choral texture down to its essentials — earthy, rhythmically alive, and unlike anything else in the repertoire.

Isabella Leonarda — Ave Regina Celorum Sung in Latin | Soloists: Lark Perry, Carmela Batuigas, Cordelia Furr, and Thea Hakel | Cello: Eric Hakel A gem of the Italian Baroque by one of its most prolific and unjustly overlooked composers. Leonarda's writing for solo voices is intimate, ornate, and deeply expressive.

Angèle Arsenault (arr. Hart Rouge) — Vichten Soloist: Arna Green | Percussion: David Furney A celebrated Acadian folk song given new life in a vibrant choral arrangement. Arna Green brings this distinctive voice from French Canada into the heart of the evening's program.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Fantasie in F minor, K. 608 Originally composed for a mechanical organ, this brooding, architecturally ambitious work gives Valentina Huang a showcase moment at the cathedral organ — bridging the concert's two halves with drama and depth.

Joseph Haydn — Missa in Angustiis in D minor, Hob. XXII:11 ("Lord Nelson Mass") The crown of the evening. Haydn's most dramatic Mass setting unfolds across six movements of extraordinary range — from the taut urgency of the Kyrie to the luminous Benedictus and the sweeping, affirmative close of the Agnus Dei.

• I. Kyrie — Soprano solo and Choir
• II. Gloria — Gloria in excelsis Deo · Qui tollis · Quoniam tu solus
• III. Credo — Credo in unum Deum · Et incarnatus · Et resurrexit
• IV. Sanctus — Choir
• V. Benedictus — Soloists and Choir
• VI. Agnus Dei — Soloists and Choir

Robert Simpson — Conductor Valentina Huang — Organ

Soloists Sara Dacon, soprano Kanade Motomura, alto Sean Stultz, tenor Jadon Campos, bass

The Treble Choir of Houston Marianna Parna-Simpson, Artistic Director

During the performance, we will share exciting details about an upcoming milestone event: our Tour Farewell Evensong, scheduled for Saturday, July 11 at 2:00 PM. Mark your calendar — you won't want to miss what we have planned.

Christ Church Cathedral 1117 Texas Ave, Houston, TX 77002

Admission is free. No tickets required — simply arrive and be seated before 5:00 PM. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The cathedral welcomes all.

The Choirs of Christ Church Cathedral are committed to making sacred choral music accessible to the whole community. We hope to see you on May 24.

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