Vocal concert illuminates Jesus as bridegroom

Cecilia Engbert
Assistant Editor

A sacred music student performed a voice concert consisting of a wide variety of musical pieces that reflected the relationship between the soul and Jesus Christ as a thesis project Monday at 4:30 p.m.

Students filled the Gentile Gallery for an hour to hear senior Amelia Slemp sing 15 different pieces of music written by a range of composers and compiled by Slemp to surround the theme of “Christ the Bridegroom.” She was accompanied on piano by senior Maylee Brown.

Slemp began by singing “Viens! Les gazons sont verts!” by Charles Gounod. The piece, which means “Come! The grass is green!,” interpreted Christ finding the soul as she wanders through everyday life, calling her to join him, Slemp said.

Slemp was joined on Dieterich Buxtehude’s “Vulnerasti cor meum” by senior Gabriella Carrizales, soprano, and senior Sam Shadle, bass.

Slemp sang pieces which mainly consisted of a call and response between Christ and the soul. They emphasized themes of the soul’s return to sinful ways, rejection of Christ, dissatisfaction with the emptiness of the world, suffering and betrayal and a second call from Christ, Slemp said.

Slemp said the performance of “Ave suavis dilectio, Op. 6, No. 5” by Isabella Leonarda, near the middle of the concert, emphasized the growth of union and strength between the soul and Christ through the Eucharist. The performance featured violin accompaniment from sophomore Dominic Engbert and freshman Kyra Faragasso.

The concert culminated in the performance of “Du Ring an meinem Finger, Op. 42, No. 4” by Robert Shumann, which Slemp said reflected the return of the soul and Christ to their original journey, now as “bridegroom” and “beloved.”

The concert concluded with the German piece “Der Hint auf fem Felson, D. 965” by Franz Schubert, a piece that told of the soul and Christ looking back on their journey together.

Slemp said she chose to theme her recital around Christ the bridegroom to show her audience members Christ’s individual love for each of them.

“He is pursuing you as an individual,” she said. “Even when we turn away from him over and over, he still pursues us. That is how great his love is. … I think this is a journey we are all living, at one stage or another.”

Junior Grace Lamb said, “It was very beautiful and she did a great job.”

The concert was co-sponsored by the sacred art program and Mary, Spouse of the Spirit household.