Neither small nor especially solemn, the ironically titled ‘Petite Messe Solennelle’ is the last major work of the 19th century Italian composer Gioachino Rossini, better known both then and now as an exponent of the secular opera buffa. Rossini himself queried on the final page of the manuscript: ‘Have I just written sacred music, or rather, sacrilegious music?’

While he did later orchestrate the piece, the composer was known to prefer this original chamber version, scored unusually for piano, harmonium, four solo singers and small chorus, which brings the theatrical flair and colour of his operatic works to the sacred text of the Latin mass.

Songmakers Australia
Soprano | Merlyn Quaife
Mezzo | Christina Wilson
Tenor | Christopher Watson (guest artist)
Bass | Nicholas Dinopoulos
Piano | Andrea Katz

Polyphonic Voices
Artistic Director | Michael Fulcher

Harmonium | Donald Nicolson