»Come, ye Sons of Arts« – The Purcells’ Ceremonial Odes

Collegium Cantorum Köln is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The choir is planning its jubilee concert with outstanding, but rarely performed works of the English Baroque with choir, soloists and baroque ensemble "Exquisite Noyse," which plays on original instruments. Daniel and Henry Purcell’s Ceremonial Odes are performed in Cologne on Friday 21 September and on Sunday 23 September 2012.

Besides lovers of early music we want to achieve also to find new audience who let themselves be fascinated by this rarely performed works. Purcell's ceremonial odes celebrated Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, but also secular parties such as the birthday of Queen Mary. Also, we want to crown our anniversary year with a festive concert and thank for the many exciting and beautiful musical experiences in our twenty years of music making.

Show your enthusiasm for early music and culture and support the performance of this extraordinary music. For the little-known Daniel Purcell Ode for St. Cecilia this concert is the German premiere. With your support, you allow a live recording and you can enjoy the music even after the concert! Purcell's odes are unique, but rarely performed. They share the fate of many great works - when the big party is over, the music has died away, the decorations are removed, and the scores disappear. With your support we can get this great music to sound again.

We have to pay the participating professional vocal soloists and members of the highly specialized baroque orchestra playing on replicas of historical original instruments, as they would have sounded in Purcell's time. In addition, we fund a professional live recording of the concert, which will then appear as a CD. The initiators of the project, the musical director, the choir and all other contributors take part on a volunteer basis.