An uplifting vocal celebration featuring the Barrocada Orchestra, the Israeli Vocal Ensemble and soloists, conducted by Andres Mustonen.

Two masterpieces of the sacred vocal repertoire come together in a festive concert at Kiryat Ye’arim Church: Heinrich Schütz’s Musikalische Exequien – “Musical Funeral Rites” and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de Confessore – “Solemn Vespers.”

The concert will open with Heinrich Schütz’s powerful Musikalische Exequien – “Musical Funeral Rites” (SWV 279–281), composed in 1636 for a funeral service and regarded as one of the crowning achievements of 17th-century German vocal music.

The work, composed in three parts, combines solo voices, choir and richly textured polyphonic writing. In its final section, a moving dialogue unfolds between the soloists and a distant choir, creating an extraordinary sense of space, echo and spiritual transcendence. Schütz brings together the German musical tradition and the colourful Venetian style, creating music of profound humanity, intimacy and consolation

The second half of the concert will feature one of Mozart’s most beloved and radiant vocal works, Vesperae solennes de Confessore – “Solemn Vespers.”

Written for choir, soloists and orchestra, the work combines Classical clarity, harmonic richness and moments of spiritual exaltation. Filled with light, movement and elegance, it presents Mozart at his finest. Among its movements is the celebrated and deeply moving “Laudate Dominum,” one of the most beautiful lyrical passages the composer ever wrote.

Performed by the Barrocada Orchestra, the Israeli Vocal Ensemble and soloists, both works will take on new life in the church’s unique acoustics. This musical journey moves from the spiritual depth and intimacy of Schütz to the radiance and sublime joy of Mozart — an encounter between two eras and two magnificent ways of expressing faith, consolation and transcendence.