BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Summertown Choral Society - ECPv6.17.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Summertown Choral Society X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Summertown Choral Society REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20020331T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20021027T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20030330T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20031026T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20040328T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20041031T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20050327T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20051030T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20060326T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20061029T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20070325T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20071028T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20080330T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20081026T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20090329T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20091025T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20100328T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20101031T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20110327T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20111030T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20120325T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20121028T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20130331T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20131027T010000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20120512T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20120512T193000 DTSTAMP:20230325T141941Z CREATED:20200427T031854Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230325T141941Z UID:16034-1336851000-1336851000@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:The Stanford Songs of the Sea DESCRIPTION:“A friend took me to your concert – and what a treat… The Stanford Songs of the Sea were a joy and really suited the choir… I almost expected Duncan Saunderson to turn round and ask us all to sing…  Everyone in the choir looked happy\, well-rehearsed. My friend and I went home relaxed. Thank you all again.” \nThus wrote an appreciative audience member after our concert on May 12th\, a concert celebrating English poetry set to music. The highlight was the song cycle Frostiana\, Randall Thompson’s setting of seven of Robert Frost’s poems\, performed in its entirety for the first time to a UK audience. Featuring soloists Giles Underwood\, Inigo Jones (Head chorister\, New College Choir\, Oxford)\, Stephen Taylor\, Ben Durrant and Julian Littlewood\, the programme also included music by Britten\, Vaughan Williams\, Stanford and Finzi. \n  \n\n\n\n\n\nClick for Full programme or Poster \nExcerpts from the Concert\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n My Spirit Sang All DayChoose Something Like a StarLet All the World \n \n \n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n  \n \n  \n \n  \n \n  URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/the-stanford-songs-of-the-sea/ LOCATION:St Andrew’s Church\, Oxford\, Linton Rd\, Oxford\, OX2 6UG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DSC6599.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20120204T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20120204T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T050918Z CREATED:20200427T032519Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T050918Z UID:16036-1328383800-1328383800@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:Bach's Mass in B Minor DESCRIPTION:Bach’s Mass in B Minor \nDuncan Saunderson conductor \nHelen Ashby\, soprano\nKate Ashby\, soprano\nStephen Burrows\, countertenor\nGuy Cutting\, tenor\nGeorge Coltart\, bass \nwith the Summertown Players\non period instruments\, led by Simon Jones \nFull programme… \n\n\n\n\nClick here for Oxford Times review \nExcerpts…\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n KyrieSanctusPleni sunt coeliDona nobis pacem URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/bachs-mass-in-b-minor/ LOCATION:St Andrew’s Church\, Oxford\, Linton Rd\, Oxford\, OX2 6UG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Bachs-Mass-in-B-Minor.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20110702T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20110702T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T051101Z CREATED:20200427T033003Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T051101Z UID:16042-1309635000-1309635000@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:50th Anniversary Concert DESCRIPTION:2 July 2011 ~ Sheldonian Theatre\n50th anniversary concert\nHandel: My Heart is Inditing\, Foundling Hospital Anthem\nMendelssohn: Ave Maria\nBrahms: movements from Ein Deutsches Requiem\nPhilip Moore: Three Oxford Songs (new commission) \nand part-songs by\nTippett\, Parry\, Brahms\, Copland and Grayston Ives \n~*~ \nDuncan Saunderson conductor \nCarys Lane soprano\, Helen Parker soprano\,\nStephen Burrows countertenor\,\nJames Gilchrist tenor\, George Coltart bass \nwith the Summertown Players led by Simon Jones \nand Julian Littlewood & Ben Holden piano \nFull Programme \n\n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\nTo celebrate their half century\, Summertown Choral Society took their audience on a journey through England’s choral tradition on Saturday night – a journey that also reflected the incredibly varied repertoire they have tackled over the years… \n…this was an interesting wander down memory lane\, and a triumphant way to mark their anniversary. \nNicola Lisle\, Oxford Times – read the full review here \n\n\n\n\nPhotos…\nPhotos courtesy of John Seymour. \nA beautiful summer’s evening at the Sheldonian\n  \nAll assembled and ready for the off…\n  \n…a triumphant performance concluded!\n  URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/50th-anniversary-concert/ CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/scs-50th-anniversary.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20110205T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20110205T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T033641Z CREATED:20200427T033526Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T033641Z UID:16044-1296934200-1296934200@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:Handel's Messiah DESCRIPTION:Handel’s Messiah \nDuncan Saunderson conductor \nCarys Lane soprano\, Stephen Burrows countertenor\,\nBen Alden tenor\, George Coltart bass \nwith the Summertown Players\non period instruments\, led by Caroline Balding \nFull programme… \n\n\n\n\nExcerpts…\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Messiah - Glory To God (Handel)Messiah - Surely he hath borne our grieves (Handel)Messiah - All We Like Sheep (Handel) \n \n \n\n \nPhotos…\nPhotos courtesy of\, and copyright to Malcolm Chandler. \n  \nFinal rehearsal – Julian at the harpsichord\n  \nTenors and basses rehearsing (and err\, not watching the conductor fully!)\n  \nThe soloists get put through their paces\n  \nEnd of the concert – Duncan and the four soloists take their applause URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/handels-messiah/ LOCATION:St Andrew’s Church\, Oxford\, Linton Rd\, Oxford\, OX2 6UG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/handel-messiah-poster.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20100515T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20100515T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T034243Z CREATED:20200427T034243Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T034243Z UID:16046-1273951800-1273951800@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:Stanford\, Purcell\, Parry DESCRIPTION:15th May 2010 ~ St. Michael’s Church\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPurcell\nJehova\, quam multi sunt hostes mei\n\n\nFuneral Sentences for Queen Mary II\n\n\nThou knowest Lord\n\n\nVoluntary in G (Organ)\n\n\nStanford\nHeraclitus\n\n\nParry\nMy Delight and Thy Delight\n\n\nOde on St. Cecilia’s Day\n\n\n\nDuncan Saunderson (conductor) \nCarys Lane (soprano) Stephen Burrows (countertenor)\nGuy Cutting (tenor) Tom Edwards (bass)\nJulian Littlewood (piano & organ) \nFull programme here… \n\n\n\n\nExcerpts from the concert recording…\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Parry: My DelightPurcell: Thou knowest LordParry: By the streams that ever flow URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/stanford-purcell-parry/ LOCATION:St Michael and All Angels Church\, Lonsdale Road\, Oxford\, OX2 7ES\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/15-5-2010-poster.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20100123T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20100123T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T034948Z CREATED:20200427T034948Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T034948Z UID:16048-1264275000-1264275000@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:23rd Jan 2010 ~ St. Barnabas Church DESCRIPTION:Monteverdi\n1610 Vespers – Deus in Adjutorium\, Ave Maris Stella\, Magnificat\n\n\nHandel\nNisi Dominus\n\n\nThe King shall rejoice\n\n\nDering\nFactum est Silentium\n\n\nHumfrey\nHear O Heavens\n\n\n\n\nDuncan Saunderson (conductor) \nSally Dunkley & Carys Lane (soprano)\nStephen Taylor (countertenor)\nGuy Cutting & Nick Hewlett (tenor)\nGeorge Coltart (bass)\nwith\nThe Summertown Players led by Janet Froomes \nFull Programme \n\nExcerpt from Monteverdi’s Vespers \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Monteverdi Gloria \n \n \n\n \n  \nPhotos…\nPhotos courtesy of\, and copyright to Malcolm Chandler. \n  \nFinal rehearsal at St. Barnabas Church.\n  \nChoir one to the right…\n  \n…and choir two to the left.\n  \nStaging helps to ‘raise’ the voices!\n  \nThe concert begins\n  \nChoir up close!\n  \nThe two tenors – Guy Cutting & Nick Hewlett\n  \nThe two sopranos – Sally Dunkley & Carys Lane together with bass – George Coltart\n  URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/23rd-jan-2010-st-barnabas-church/ LOCATION:St. Barnabas Church\, St Barnabas St\, Oxford\, OX2 6BG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/23-1-2010-poster.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20090516T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20090516T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T035645Z CREATED:20200427T035645Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T035645Z UID:16050-1242502200-1242502200@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:16th May 2009 ~ St. Andrew's Church DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, 16th May 2009 at 8.00pm\nSt Andrew’s Church\n\n\n\n\nMozart\nGreat Mass in C minor\n\n\nIves\nSongs of Ariel (Premiere)\n\n\nBach\nAgnus Dei from the Mass in B minor\n\n\nHaydn\nThe Heavens are Telling\n\n\n\n\nDuncan Saunderson (conductor) \nJane Sherriff & Catherine Young (soprano)\nStephen Burrows (countertenor)\nChris Watson (tenor)\nTom Edwards (bass)\nwith\nThe Summertown Players led by Janet Froomes \n\nExcerpt from Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Mozart Mass in C \n \n \n\n \n\nReview\nby Nicola Lisle of The Oxford Times\nSummertown Choral Society’s recent concert was something of a landmark occasion… \nIves’s settings of three songs from The Tempest … were pleasingly adventurous and evocative\, and delivered by the choir with style and flair... read more \n  \nPhotos…\nPhotos courtesy of\, and copyright to Malcolm Chandler. \nThe Venue – St Andrew’s Church\n  \nThe pre-concert rehearsal\n  \nWho’s watching the conductor?!\n  \nThrough the archway!\n  \nA glowing performance?\n  \nUp close!\n  \nMembers of the orchestra.\n  \nThe full ensemble – including soloists. URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/16th-may-2009-st-andrews-church/ LOCATION:St Andrew’s Church\, Oxford\, Linton Rd\, Oxford\, OX2 6UG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/16-5-2009-poster.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20090131T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20090131T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T040255Z CREATED:20200427T040211Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T040255Z UID:16052-1233430200-1233430200@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:31st Jan 2009 ~ St. Margaret's Church DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, 31st January 2009 at 8.00pm\nSt Margaret’s Church\, North Oxford\n\n\n\n\nBrahms\nEin Deutsches Requiem\n\n\nSchubert\nThe Lord is my shepherd\n\n\nSchumann\nWidmung (arr. Saunderson)\n\n\n\n\nSusan Young (soprano)\nTom Edwards (bass)\nJulian Littlewood and Jack Ridley (piano)\nDuncan Saunderson (conductor) \nFull Programme \nPhotos…\nReady for the off – all smiles!\n  \nIn full voice\n  \nTom Edwards – bass\n  \nSusan Young – soprano\n  \nThe interval – the near sell-out audience stretch their legs\n  \nOne piano\, three people\, five hands!\n  \nFlowers for Susan\, Tom and Duncan…\n  \n…and for Julian and Jack\n  URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/31st-jan-2009-st-margarets-church/ CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/31-01-2009-poster.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20080517T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20080517T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T040606Z CREATED:20200427T040606Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T040606Z UID:16055-1211052600-1211052600@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:17th May 2008 ~ St. Andrew's Church DESCRIPTION:Handel\nChandos Anthem No 9\n\n\nHaydn\nSpring\, from The Seasons\n\n\nBritten\nFive Flower Songs\n\n\n\nSusan Piggott (soprano)\nStephen Taylor (countertenor)\nNick Hewlett (tenor)\nTom Edwards (bass)\nThe Summertown Players \nWith Julian Littlewood on harpsichord and piano \nFull Programme… \nConcert recordings\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n BrittenGod of Light URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/17th-may-2008-st-andrews-church/ LOCATION:St Andrew’s Church\, Oxford\, Linton Rd\, Oxford\, OX2 6UG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/17-05-2008-poster.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20080119T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20080119T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T041010Z CREATED:20200427T041010Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T041010Z UID:16057-1200771000-1200771000@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:19th Jan 2008 ~ St. Margaret's Church DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, 19th January 2008\nSt Margaret’s Church\, North Oxford \n\n\n\nHaydn\nWinter (from The Seasons)\n\n\nWalton\nJubilate\n\n\nBritten\nTe Deum in C\n\n\nMendelssohn\nVerleih uns Frieden\n\n\nBrahms\nGeistliches Lied\n\n\n\nKate Ashby (soprano)\nDaniel Turner (tenor)\nTom Edwards (bass) \nWith Julian Littlewood on organ and piano \nConcert review\n“First up was Britten’s Te Deum in C major\, delivered with confidence and eloquence by the choir\, under the measured control of conductor Duncan Saunderson … Finally\, there was a joyful rendition of Walton’s Jubilate Deo\, which brought the evening to a magnificent and uplifting close.” \nYou can read the rest of the review of this concert on the Oxford Times website. \nConcert recordings\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Britten - Te Deum in CMendelssohn - Verleih' uns FriBrahms - Geistliches Lied URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/19th-jan-2008-st-margarets-church/ CATEGORIES:Archives END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20070519T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20070519T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T041427Z CREATED:20200427T041427Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T041427Z UID:16059-1179603000-1179603000@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:19th May 2007 ~ St. Barnabus Church DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, 19th May 2007\, 8pm\nSt Barnabas Church\, Jericho\, North Oxford \nMozart Ave Verum Corpus\nStravinski Mass\nStravinski Pater Noster\nTavener Funeral Ikos\nMozart Laudate Dominum\nPearsall Requiem\nPearsall O who will o’er the downs so free\nPitoni Cantate Domino \nHelen Ashby (soprano)\nStephen Taylor (alto)\nAlastair Putt (tenor)\nTom Edwards (bass) \nWith Summertown Players \n\nProgramme Notes \nOur programme this evening covers three centuries of church music from the late 17th to the late 20th centuries\, drawing on earlier traditions of polyphonic choral writing and the sacred music of the Orthodox church. In the first part\, works by Stravinsky and Tavener evoke the Orthodox tradition\, in the appropriate setting of a mid-Victorian church echoing the apse and decorative murals of a Byzantine basilica. In the second part of the programme the main work by the Victorian English composer Pearsall looks back to renaissance polyphony. Short works by Mozart\, Pearsall and the Italian 17th/18th century composer Pitoni open and close the programme. \n  \nMozart: Ave verum corpus\, Laudate Dominum \nWolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) is not considered primarily as a composer of sacred music\, but these two pieces\, both sacred\, are among his best known minor works\, and both reveal a reverence which is perhaps unexpected in Mozart. \nThe motet Ave verum corpus was written in June 1791\, six months before his death in Vienna\, at the request of Anton Stoll\, choirmaster of the church at Baden. The text\, dating from the 14th century\, occurs at a central point in the Catholic Mass\, and has been set to music by several composers. \nPsalm 117 Laudate Dominum is one of six psalms used in the evening service of Vesperae solennes de confessore. Mozart wrote this setting\, for soprano solo and chorus\, in 1780 during one of the intermittent periods of paid employment of his somewhat turbulent life\, when he was organist at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg from 1779 to 1781. \nStravinsky: Mass\, Pater Noster \nIgor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was born near St Petersburg in 1882 and died in New York in 1971. Though he took a law degree at St Petersburg in 1907\, his enthusiasm was for music and in 1902 he had begun studying musical composition under Rimsky-Korsakov. In 1910\, following a visit to Paris for the first performance of his ballet The Firebird\, he moved to Switzerland. The First World War and the Russian Revolution precluded his return to Russia\, and in 1920 he moved to France taking citizenship in 1934. At the start of the Second World War he was in the United States\, and there he remained taking citizenship in 1945 and making it his home for the rest of his life.\nStravinsky’s work covers the whole range of musical form: opera and ballet\, orchestral and instrumental works\, songs and chamber music\, and choral and religious works. His musical style\, as characterised by the scholars\, developed from his Russian period\, up to the early 1920s when he moved to France\, to the Neo-Classical period\, and finally in the early 1950s to his Serial period\, which built on Schoenberg’s twelve-note chromatic system. Pervading characteristics of his writing are dissonance and irregular rhythm\, and these feature strongly in his Mass.\nStravinsky was a deeply religious man\, brought up in the Russian Orthodox Church\, but strongly influenced by the Roman Catholic faith of his father. His Mass\, written during the years 1944 to 1948 and first performed in Milan in 1948 and then in New York in 1949\, was (in his own words) “partly provoked by some Masses of Mozart ….. As I played through these rococo-operatic sweets-of-sin\, I knew I had to write a Mass of my own\, but a real one”\, and “I wanted my Mass to be used liturgically\, an outright impossibility as far as the Russian Church was concerned\, as Orthodox tradition proscribes musical instruments in its services”. \nThe Mass is scored for chorus and double wind quintet\, with short passages for soloists in the Gloria and the Sanctus. Stravinsky notes that “children’s voices should be employed” for the treble/soprano and alto parts\, but in concert performances these are generally given to adult singers. Each movement stands on its own allowing it to fit easily into the structure of the church service\, and the text runs through without elaboration. There is little thematic material in the music. The colourful solo passages in the Gloria and the Sanctus contrast withthe choral sections of the Gloria and the firm statements of the Credo\, which echo the recitation of Orthodox liturgical chant in a succession of marching chords (Stravinsky’s words again: “one composes a march to facilitate marching men\, so with my Credo I hope to provide an aid to the text. …. There is much to believe.”).\nBetween the Gloria and the Credo the soloists will sing Stravinsky’s setting of the Pater Noster (the Lord’s Prayer)\, written in 1926\, which again reflects the chanting of Orthodox liturgy. \nClive Williams URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/19th-may-2007-st-barnabus-church/ LOCATION:St. Barnabas Church\, St Barnabas St\, Oxford\, OX2 6BG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20070127T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20070127T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T042026Z CREATED:20200427T042026Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T042026Z UID:16061-1169926200-1169926200@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:27th Jan 2007 ~ St. Barnabas Church DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, 27th January 2007\, 8pm\nSt Barnabas Church\, Jericho\, North Oxford \nHaydn Maria Theresa Mass\nBeethoven Mass in C \nGhislaine Morgan (soprano)\nStephen Taylor (alto)\nAdrian Lowe (tenor)\nSimon Whiteley (bass) \nWith Summertown Players \nFrom the Oxford Times review (Nicola Lisle\, 2 February 2007): \n“An exceptionally well-drilled choir\, their crisp entries were faultless\, their intonation spot on\, and their enthusiasm couldn’t be doubted for a moment.” \n“The orchestra played with energy and brilliance throughout.” \n“There was some thrilling work from the four soloists\, whose voices blended exceptionally well – despite the fact that bass Simon Whiteley had stepped in at short notice to replace an indisposed Tom Edwards.” \n  \nPerformance at St Barnabas\n  \nConcert Recording\nA recording of this concert is now available to choir members. To obtain a copy\, ask any member of the committee or send your request via email to: webmaster@summertownchoral.org.uk. \nHighlights \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Beethoven-C-(Gloria)Beethoven-C-(Agnus Dei) \n \n \n\n \nSummary of the Programme Notes \nBoth the Masses were commissioned by Haydn’s patron\, Prince Nikolaus Esterházy II\, to celebrate the name-day of his wife\, Princess Maria Hermenegild. \nThe ‘Maria Theresa’ Mass was the earlier work\, first performed on 8th September 1799 and the fourth of the six masses written by Haydn during the years 1796-1802 to celebrate the Princess’ name-day. It appears to have acquired its nickname (Theresienmesse in the German) after a performance a few years later at the court chapel in Vienna of Francis I\, Emperor of Austria\, in which his wife the Empress Maria Theresa was the soprano soloist.\nThe Mass in C was first performed on 13th September 1807 and was written during Beethoven’s middle period of prodigious musical activity. Haydn\, the most distinguished living composer\, died in 1809\, and the depth and fullness of his last six masses must have invited critical comparison with the Mass in C. Beethoven himself regarded it highly\, but it was not well received by the Count and the musical circles of Vienna\, a reaction which is perhaps not surprising in the light of the early reviews of\, for example\, Beethoven’s 1st and 2nd Symphonies\, first performed in 1800 and 1803\, which were variously described as ‘inventive’\, ‘difficult’\, ‘completely extraordinary’\, ‘richly furnished with detail’. \nThe liturgical text of the Mass imposes itself on the structure and style of the music in two ways. The six main elements of the liturgy require a structure of six separate movements for the work as a whole; at the same time the contrasting moods of different sections of the text\, particularly in the Gloria and the Credo\, demand to be reflected in contrasts of musical colour and mood. The musical contrasts can be so sharp that the sections stand separate from each other within the movement\, or they can be marked by gentle modulations from major to minor key and changes in tempo with only a pause in the flow of the music. \nThe two Masses show this difference of approach. In the ‘Maria Theresa’ Mass the longer movements have clearly contrasting separate sections\, conforming to the sections of the text as set out in the synopsis. In the Mass in C\, whose synopsis shows the same divisions in the text save for one difference in the Gloria\, these movements have similar contrasts of musical mood and colour\, but the flow of the music is uninterrupted. Both composers use the soloists to mark the start of a new section\, both Masses have fugues at the end of the Credo\, and both have strikingly lyrical movements\, the Gratias in the ‘Maria Theresa’ Mass\, the Benedictus in the Mass in C.\nPerforming the two Masses alongside each other offers the opportunity to judge how close was any affinity between the work of Haydn and Beethoven. The Viennese audience of 1807 may have been more loyal to the familiar and more comfortable music of Haydn. We\, who know the Missa Solemnis of 1824\, may feel that with the Mass in C Beethoven was closer to Haydn than he was to his own tormented self in his later work. \nClive Williams URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/27th-jan-2007-st-barnabas-church/ LOCATION:St. Barnabas Church\, St Barnabas St\, Oxford\, OX2 6BG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/scsjan07.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20060513T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20060513T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T042612Z CREATED:20200427T042511Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T042612Z UID:16063-1147548600-1147548600@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:13th May 2006 ~ St. Barnabus Church DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, 13th May 2006\, 8pm\nSt Barnabas Church \, Cardigan Street\, Jericho\, Oxford \nFauré Requiem\nVierne Messe Solennelle\nFauré Cantique de Jean Racine\nDuruflé Tota Pulchra Es\, Notre Père \nTom Edwards baritone\nOtta Jones treble\nHead Chorister\, Choir of New College\, Oxford \nJulian Littlewood organ \nConcert Recording\nBelow are some of the highlights of the recording made of the concert. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Vierne BenedictusFaure OffertoriumDurufle Notre PereFaure Pie Jesu \n \n \n\n \nProgramme Notes\nFauré (1845-1924)\, Vierne (1870-1937) and Duruflé (1902-1986) are among the most prominent in a line of 19th and 20th French composers and organists which began with César Franck (1822-1890). All three of them passed through the Paris Conservatoire\, as pupil and teacher or professor (Vierne and Duruflé)\, or as teacher and director (Fauré). Duruflé was deputy to Vierne as organist at the cathedral of Nôtre Dame. \nGabriel Fauré\, born in 1845\, began his musical schooling in 1854 at the École Niedermeyer in Paris. On leaving here in 1865 he took up a succession of posts as organist. He joined the staff of the Paris Conservatoire as teacher of composition (one of his pupils was Ravel) and in 1905 was appointed its director\, a post he held until 1920. The last years of his life until his death in 1924 were marked by growing deafness and failing health.\nDuring his early years in Paris Fauré was little recognised in musical circles\, but from the 1890s his growing reputation as organist and composer came to be publicly recognised\, and he was acclaimed in the grand salons of Paris and other cities in Europe\, including London. His chamber music covered a wide range of works for piano and strings\, and his three collections of songs\, published in 1879\, 1897 and 1908\, have led to him being described as ‘the greatest master of French song’. His other writing included sacred music and small-scale operatic and orchestral works\, but it is the Requiem which\, little noticed when first performed in Paris in 1888\, is his best-loved work in the popular repertoire. \nLouis Vierne\, born in 1870\, suffered from bad eye-sight\, poor health\, and financial problems for most of his life. In early 1890 he entered the Paris Conservatoire to study the organ under César Franck\, and in 1894 won first prize in a competition and was taken onto the teaching staff. In 1900 he was appointed organist at Notre Dame\, a post which he held with distinction and renown until his death in 1937. But in spite of wide-spread recognition of his outstanding technique as an organist\, he was twice passed over for appointment as professor of organ at the Conservatoire.\nBetween 1898 and 1930 Vierne wrote six symphonies for organ which are regarded as the pinnacle of 20th century organ music\, high in the organist’s repertoire. He was also a master of smaller musical forms: piano sonatas\, works for solo organ including a group of 24 songs without words\, and more than 60 songs for the voice\, but only a few choral works of which the Messe Solennelle is the most important. \nMaurice Duruflé\, born in 1902\, received his early musical training in the tradition of choral plainsong at the Rouen choir school. In 1920 he went on to the Paris Conservatoire\, where he won five first prizes (in organ\, harmony\, accompaniment\, fugue and composition)\, and where one of his teachers was Vierne. From 1927 he was Vierne’s deputy as organist at Nôtre Dame\, and in 1930 he moved to St Etienne-du-Mont\, another Paris church\, where he stayed as organist until his death in 1986. He toured widely in Europe and America\, and from 1943 to 1970 he was professor of harmony at the Paris Conservatoire.\nThough not a prolific composer\, Durufle’s was a distinctive voice in the French 20th century repertoire as an exponent of plainsong and\, following Vierne and others\, in the use of modal harmonies and polyphonic structures. His first published work came out in 1924\, and his Requiem\, written in 1947\, like Vierne’s stands alongside Fauré’s in musical importance if not in concert popularity. \nVierne: Messe Solennelle\nVierne wrote the Messe Solennelle in 1900\, the year in which Fauré published the full orchestral score of his Requiem. It is scored for chorus and organ and has five movements\, omitting the Credo:\nKyrie Sanctus Agnus Dei\nGloria Benedictus\nIt is a work of considerable power. Solennelle is a fitting title and Vierne’s musical directions are maestoso and risoluto. He makes extensive use of the semitones of the 12 note chromatic scale\, producing dissonances and modulations into related keys which now seem deceptively easy to the ear\, but in 1900 must have been remarkable if not outrageous. This is especially marked in the Kyrie and Gloria\, in which great blocks of sound\, particularly suited to the organ\, contrast with quiet melodic phrases sung by one part on its own. The last two movements are more reflective\, though the resounding Hosannas of the Sanctus are repeated in the Benedictus\, and the work ends with the closing bars of the Agnus Dei moving confidently into the major key. \nFauré: Cantique de Jean Racine\nShortly before he left École Niedermeyer in 1865 Fauré won first prize in the school competition for musical composition with this piece\, a setting of a hymn translated by the French poet and dramatist Jean Racine (1639-1699) from the Latin of the Roman Breviary (the daily order of service). It is a simple meditative piece offering a foretaste of the calm and peace of the Requiem on which he started work 12 years later. \nDuruflé: Tota Pulchra Es\nIn 1960 Duruflé published four short motets based on plainsong Gregorian chant. Three of these are written for full four-part mixed choir and the fourth\, Tota Pulchra Es\, for three-part choir of women’s voices only. Each part follows its own plainsong line with no hint of a fugal structure\, and all three lines are woven together into one harmonious whole. \nFauré: Requiem\nIntroit and Kyrie Pie Jesu In Paradisum\nOffertorium Agnus Dei\nSanctus Libera me\nFauré started work on the Requiem in 1877\, not specifically for any person or occasion\, but ‘for the pleasure of it’. Its first performance was not given until 1888\, and this first version\, scored for organ and small chamber orchestra\, had only five movements. Two more movements\, the Offertorium and the Libera me\, were added for a performance in 1893\, and it was not until 1900 that Fauré completed the full orchestral version for the first concert performance. The original organ part provides a full accompaniment\, to which the score for chamber orchestra provides no additional material\, and tonight we use no orchestra. The Pie Jesu is sung solo by the soprano and the baritone joins the chorus in the Offertorium and Libera me.\nThis Requiem is a reflective and gentle work\, making no reference to the stern and judgemental aspects of the conventional Requiem Mass\, apart from a few bars in the Libera me which have the text of the Dies irae but are hardly dark and foreboding. It conveys Fauré’s view of death as ‘a joyful deliverance\, an aspiration towards happiness beyond the grave’\, fully expressed in the calmness of the In Paradisum. \nDuruflé: Nôtre Père\nAfter the peaceful close to the Requiem\, the evening’s programme comes quietly to an end with a simple setting by Duruflé of the Lord’s Prayer\, sung in French. \nClive Williams \n  \nTranslation of Latin and French Texts\nSections to be sung by the choir are in bold. \nI INTROIT – KYRIE – choir \nRequiem aeternam dona eis Domine:\nEternal rest grant unto them\, Lord\, \nEt lux perpetua luceat eis.\nAnd may light everlasting shine upon them. \nTe decet hymnus\, Deus in Sion :\nA hymn should be sung unto Thee\, O God in Sion: \nEt tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem;\nAnd unto Thee shall a vow be made in Jerusalem; \nExaudi\, exaudi orationem meam\,\nHear\, oh hear my prayer\, \nAd te omnis caro veniet.\nUnto Thee all flesh shall come. \nKyrie eleison\, Christe eleison.\nLord have mercy\, Christ have mercy.\n \nII OFFERTORIUM – choir + baritone solo \nO Domine Jesu Christe\, rex gloriae\,\nO Lord Jesus Christ\, King of glory\, \nLibera animas defunctorum\nDeliver the souls of the departed \nDe poenis inferni\, et de profundo lacu :\nFrom the torments of Hell and from the deep abyss: \nO Domine Jesu Christe\, rex gloriae\,\nO Lord Jesus Christ\, King of glory\, \nLibera animas defunctorum\nDeliver the souls of the departed \nDe ore leonis\, ne absorbeat tartarus :\nFrom the jaws of the lion lest Hell swallow them up: \nO Domine Jesu Christe\, rex gloriae\,\nLord Jesus Christ\, King of glory\, \nNe cadant in obscurum.\nLest they fall into darkness. \nHostias et preces tibi Domine laudis offerimus;\nSacrifices and prayers of praise we offer unto Thee\, Lord; \nTu suscipe pro animabus illis\,\nReceive them for the sake of their souls \nQuarum hodie memoriam facimus:\nWhom we commemorate today: \nFac eas\, Domine\, de morte transire ad vitam\,\nGrant them\, Lord\, from death to pass into life\, \nQuam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus.\nAs once Thou didst promise to Abraham and to his seed. \nIII SANCTUS – chorus \nSanctus\, sanctus\, sanctus\, Dominus Sabaoth.\nHoly\, holy\, holy\, Lord God of Hosts. \nPleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.\nThe heavens and earth are filled with thy glory. \nHosanna in excelsis. Sanctus.\nHosanna in the highest. Holy.\n \nIV PIE JESU – soprano solo \nPie Jesu Domine\,\nHoly Lord Jesus\, \nDona eis requiem\, sempiternam requiem.\nGrant unto them rest\, eternal rest.\n \nV AGNUS DEI – chorus \nAgnus Dei\, qui tollis peccata mundi\,\nLamb of God\, who takest away the sins of the world\, \nDona eis requiem\, sempiternam requiem.\nGrant unto them rest\, eternal rest\, \nLux aeterna luceat eis\, Domine\,\nMay everlasting light shine upon them\, Lord\, \nCum sanctis tuis in aeternum\,\nTogether with your saints throughout eternity\, \nQuia pius es.\nFor thou art good and merciful. \nRequiem aeternam dona eis Domine:\nEternal rest grant unto them\, Lord : \nEt lux perpetua luceat eis.\nAnd may everlasting light shine upon them. \nVI LIBERA ME – baritone solo + choir \nLibera me\, Domine\, de morte aeterna\,\nDeliver me\, Lord\, from eternal death\, \nIn die illa tremenda\, in die illa:\nOn that terrible day\, on that day: \nQuando coeli movendi sunt et terra:\nWhen the heavens shall move and the earth \nDum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem.\nAs thou shalt come to judge the world by fire. \nTremens factus sum ego\, et timens\,\nI am made trembling and fearful\, \nEt timeo dum discussio venerit\, atque ventura ira.\nAnd I fear as the sifting comes upon us\, and the wrath to come. \nDies illa\, dies irae\, calamitatis et miseriae\,\nThat day\, the day of wrath\, calamity and wretchedness\, \nDies illa\, dies magna et amara valde.\nThat day\, the great day\, and truly bitter. \nRequiem aeternam dona eis Domine\,\nEternal rest grant unto them\, Lord\, \nEt lux perpetua luceat eis.\nAnd may light everlasting shine upon them.\n \nVII IN PARADISUM – choir \nIn Paradisum deducant Angeli :\nInto Paradise may the Angels lead you : \nIn tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres\,\nOn thy arrival may the martyrs receive thee\, \nEt perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem.\nAnd bring thee to the holy city of Jerusalem. \nChorus Angelorum te suscipiat\,\nMay the choir of Angels receive thee\, \nEt cum Lazaro quondam paupere\nAnd with Lazarus\, once a poor man\, \nAeternam habeas requiem.\nMay thou have eternal rest. \nMAURICE DURUFLÉ : MOTET “TOTA PULCHRA ES”\n– sung by sopranos and altos \nDuruflé set the Latin words of an ancient motet\, traditionally sung in the Catholic Church to celebrate the Feast of the Conception of the Virgin (in December). \nTota pulchra es\, Maria\,\nThou art all fair\, Mary\, \nEt macula originalis non est in te\,\nAnd original sin is not upon thee\, \nVestimentum tuum candidum quasi nix\,\nThy clothing is as pure as snow\, \nEt facies tua sicut sol.\nAnd thy face shines as the sun. \nTota pulchra es\, Maria\,\nThou art all fair\, Mary\, \nEt macula originalis non est in te\,\nAnd original sin is not upon thee\, \nTu gloria Jerusalem\,\nThou art the glory of Jerusalem\, \nTu laetitia Israel\,\nThou art the delight of Israel\, \nTu honorificentia populi nostri\,\nThou art worthy of the respect of our people\, \nTota pulchra es\, Maria.\nThou art all fair\, Mary. \nGABRIEL FAURÉ – CANTIQUE DE JEAN RACINE – choir \nIn 1866\, at the age of twenty\, Fauré composed this setting of a canticle\, for the occasion of the blessing of the organ at the Church of Saint-Sauveur in Rennes (where he was then organist). The words were a translation from a Latin original into French by the great poet and playwright Jean Racine\, who had published them in 1687 as part of his version of the Latin Breviary. Interestingly\, Fauré set only the first three of the four verses of Racine’s lyrical rendering of this canticle for Tuesday Matins. \nVerbe égal au Très-Haut\,\nO Word equal to the Almighty\, \nNotre unique espérance\,\nOur one hope\, \nJour éternel de la terre et des cieux\,\nEternal light of earth and of the heavens\, \nDe la paisible nuit\,\nThis peaceful night’s \nNous rompons le silence\, Divin Sauveur.\nSilence we break\, Divine Saviour\, \nJette sur nous tes yeux\, Divin Sauveur\,\nCast your eyes upon us\, Divine Saviour\, \nRépands sur nous le feu de ta grâce puissante.\nBestow upon us the fire of thy powerful grace. \nQue tout l’enfer fuie au son de ta voix\,\nMay all Hell flee at the sound of thy voice\, \nDissipe le sommeil d’une âme languissante\nDispel the slumbers of a tardy soul\, \nQui la conduit à l’oubli de tes lois.\nWhich leads it to forget thy laws. \nO Christ\, sois favorable à ce peuple fidèle\nO Christ\, show favour to this faithful people \nPour te bénir maintenant rassemblé.\nTo bless Thee now gathered together. \nReçois les chants qu’il offre\,\nAccept the hymns they offer \nA ta gloire immortelle\,\nTo thy immortal glory\, \nEt de tes dons qu‘il retourne comblé.\nAnd may they return blessed beyond measure with thy gifts. \nTranslated by Valerie Worth / February 2006 URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/13th-may-2006-st-barnabus-church/ LOCATION:St. Barnabas Church\, St Barnabas St\, Oxford\, OX2 6BG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20060121T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20060121T193000 DTSTAMP:20200427T043201Z CREATED:20200427T043201Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T043201Z UID:16067-1137871800-1137871800@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:21st Jan 2006 ~ St. Andrew's Church DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, 21st January 2006\, 8pm\nSt Andrew’s Church\, Linton Road\, North Oxford \nVivaldi Gloria\nHandel Utrecht Te Deum\nBritten Jubilate\nJ. S. Bach Lobet den Herrn \nGhislaine Morgan (soprano)\nSue Young (soprano)\nStephen Taylor (countertenor)\nBen Linton (tenor)\nTom Edwards (bass) \nWith Summertown Players \nAntonio Vivaldi\, “Il Prete Rosso” (“The Redhaired Priest”) was one of the greatest Italian baroque composers and his “Gloria” written for a Venetian girls’ orphanage is\, alongside “The Four Seasons”\, one of his most popular works. He was a highly prolific composer. As well as a huge amount of vocal music and solo instrumental music\, he wrote 230 violin concertos and 120 concertos for other instruments. He died a pauper in Vienna and it is only over the last 50 years or so that his music has become highly popular again although his joyful and immediately recognisable style and his use of scales and arpeggios has prompted comments such as Stravinsky’s “….he had not written 100s of concertos but one concerto\, repeated hundreds of times.” \nThe German baroque giant Handel travelled extensively in Italy\, the home of opera\, oratorio\, the concerto and the sonata and eventually settled in London where his operas were extremely popular. In 1713 he composed his magnificent Utrecht “Te Deum” and “Jubilate” for a service in St. Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the Peace of Utrecht\, which had put an end to the War of the Spanish Succession. The style of the “Te Deum” is grand and opulent\, much like his great Coronation Anthems written for Westminster Abbey. \nBritten’s “Jubilate Deo” in C was written in 1961 for St. George’s Chapel\, Windsor Castle at the request of H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. It sparkles with the flair one would expect from the greatest British composer of the 20th century. \n  \nPerformance at St Andrew’s\n  \nConcert Recording\nA recording of this concert is available to choir members. To obtain a copy\, ask any member of the committee or send your request via email to webmaster@summertownchoral.org.uk \nHere are some samples from the CD. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Mozart Mass in CWe Praise Thee O God-HandelJubilate-Britten \n \n \n\n \nProgramme Notes \nVivaldi: Gloria \nAntonio Vivaldi was born in Venice in 1648. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1703\, but within a year took up a post teaching music at the Ospedale della Pietà\, the most prestigious of four charitable institutions for orphaned girls in Venice. Apart from a break of two years from 1709 to 1711 he remained in this post until 1717\, and then left Venice to work in several other cities in Italy including Rome\, spending two years in Germany and Bohemia (1729-1731). During these years of travel and varied employment he maintained his links with Venice and the Ospedale della Pietà and\, though he had a somewhat chequered relationship with its governors\, they retained him as composer and Maestro de’ Concerti from 1723 to 1740. In 1740 he moved to Vienna where he died in poverty in 1741. \nVivaldi was one of a number of Italian violinist-composers who were playing and writing for the new four-string violin family of instruments\, which during the later 17 th and early 18 th centuries was replacing the more cumbersome six-stringed viol family. (At the same time\, the instrument makers of Cremona\, among them Stradivari and the Amati family\, were perfecting the design and qualities of the new instruments.) Vivaldi’s musical output was prodigious and the full corpus of his recognised works\, which has come to light only during the last 60 years or so\, now numbers well over 700. The great majority of these\, some 600\, are instrumental works for the new violin family: sonatas for individual instruments\, sinfonias for string band\, and concertos for solo instrument and string orchestra (for example TheFour Seasons). In many of them he added the contrasting tonal colour of a wind instrument\, often oboe or trumpet. \nVivaldi’s vocal works included operas\, oratorios and sacred music in the form of masses\, psalm settings\, motets and cantatas. It is not known when he wrote this setting of the Gloria\, but 1725 has been suggested. The work is in 12 movements\, some only a few bars long\, for soprano\, alto\, chorus\, and string orchestra with the support of trumpet and oboe. The style and mood of the music are well suited to the text of each movement\, joy and praise contrasting with solemnity and contemplation\, perhaps most strikingly in the contemplative dialogue between alto and chorus in the Domine Deus which follows the joyful vigour of the chorus in the Domine Fili Unigenite. \nChorus   Gloria in excelsis       Chorus     Domine Fili Unigenite \nChorus   Et in terra pax         Alto\, Chorus Domine Deus\, Agnus Dei \nDuet     Laudamus te          Chorus     Qui tollis peccata \nChorus   Gratias tibi agimus       Aria     Qui sedes ad dexteram \nChorus   Propter magnam gloriam   Chorus     Quoniam tu solus sanctus \nAria     Domine Deus         Chorus     Cum Sancto Spiritu \n\nJ S Bach: Motet ‘Lobet den Herrn’ \nJohann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685 and from his early school days showed exceptional musical ability. His first appointment as organist and choirmaster\, at Arnstadt\, came in 1704 when he was not yet 20\, and by 1708 his growing reputation as organist and composer had brought him a post at the ducal court at Weimar and in 1717 the position of kapellmeister to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. In 1723 he was appointed kantor of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig\, a post which he held in spite of acrimonious disputes with the authorities and his colleagues until he died in 1750. \n   To his contemporaries Bach was renowned more as organist and keyboard player than as composer. His death passed almost unnoticed\, unlike that of Handel only nine years later\, and it was not until the 19 th century that he came to be recognised as one of the great composers of choral\, keyboard and instrumental works. During his years at Arnstadt he was already writing church cantatas (for solo voices and chorus) alongside works for clavier and organ. The new Italian music and the development of the concerto as a musical form was attracting attention among German patrons and musicians\, and Bach arranged 16 of Vivaldi’s violin concertos for clavier and three for organ. Much of his instrumental music was written while he was at Cöthen\, including some of the best known such as the Brandenburg Concertos (1721) and the 48 preludes and fugues of the Well-tempered Clavier (1722). His great choral works\, the St Matthew Passion (1729) and the B Minor Mass (from 1733 on)\, and some 300 church cantatas (though only 200 or so survive) came during his tenure at the Thomaskirche. \n   Bach wrote six motets (works for chorus only). It is not known when he wrote them\, but five were not published until 1803 and the sixth Lobet den Herrn only in 1821. It has been said that he composed for instruments rather than for voices. The long flowing musical lines and fugal structure of much of his writing\, including this motet\, sit more easily with instruments than with voices and certainly suggest this. The motet\, in which the chorus is supported by organ and cello continuo\, is in three parts. The first flows busily and steadily without a break into the more stately second part\, in which each voice in turn holds a long note through several bars as the other voices move against it. After a short pause comes the final joyful Alleluia. The text is from Psalm 117\, and we sing in German. \nLobet den Herrn\, alle Heiden;     Praise the Lord\, all ye nations; \nPreiset ihn\, alle Völker;         Praise Him\, all ye people; \nDenn Seine Gnade und Wahrheit     For His grace and mercy \nwaltet über uns in Ewigkeit.       watch over us for ever. \n   Alleluia                 Alleluia \n\nHandel: ‘Utrecht‘ Te Deum \nGeorge Frederic Handel was born in 1685 at Halle near Leipzig\, and from an early age his main interest was music. In 1702\, when he was 17\, he was appointed organist at Halle Cathedral and in the following year joined the orchestra of the Hamburg opera. Both here and at Halle he came under the influence\, as did J S Bach\, of the new Italian style of music whose popularity had been spreading steadily through northern Europe during the late 17 th century\, and in 1706 he moved to Italy where he built up a considerable reputation as a keyboard player and composer of Italian opera. \n   In 1710 Handel returned to Germany and was appointed to a post at the court of the Elector of Hanover\, who in 1714 was to become King of England as George I. He made frequent visits to London\, and in 1713 he moved there and began to establish himself on the musical scene under the patronage of some of the leading families. In 1720 he accepted a commission from the newly founded Royal Academy of Music ‘to secure a constant supply of operas by Handel to be performed under his direction’\, a commission he fulfilled through the production of Italian operas. But the RoyalAcademy closed in 1728 and musical fashion began to tire of the Italian style. Handel remained a popular composer of church music\, especially for state occasions\, but repeated artistic and financial failures\, aggravated by illness\, forced him to abandon Italian opera and turn to oratorio. It was these\, in particular but not only the Messiah\, which were the basis of his popularity and fame as a composer during his lifetime. He died in 1759. \n   In 1713 Britain\, France and Spain signed the Treaty of Utrecht bringing to an end the War of the Spanish Succession\, and Handel wrote this Te Deum and a Jubilate for the Thanksgiving service in St Paul’s Cathedral. It is scored for soprano\, alto\, tenor and bass soloists\, chorus\, organ and orchestra\, and is in nine movements of varying length\, five for soloists and chorus and four for chorus alone. The affinity with the vivacious Italian style of Vivaldi’s Gloria and the contrast with flowing lines of the Bach Motet are abundantly clear from the opening bars. \n1 We praise thee\, O God           6 Day by day we magnify thee \n2 To thee all angels cry aloud         7 And we worship they name \n3 The glorious company of the Apostles      8 Vouchsafe\, O Lord \n4 When thou took’st upon thee         9 O Lord\, in thee have I trusted \n5 We believe that thou shalt come \n\nBritten: Jubilate Deo \nThe last work in this evening’s programme provides a striking contrast to the other three: a work written by an English composer over 200 years later\, when English composers had re-established themselves on the European musical scene after a long eclipse since the pre-eminence of Purcell at the end of the 17 th century. Benjamin Britten was born in 1913 and\, apart from the years 1939 to 1942 when he was in the United States\, spent all his life in England. He died in 1976. Much of his work is vocal and choral\, though his most widely known piece is probably the instrumental work Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell – The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. His two best known operas\, Peter Grimes and Billy Budd\, are on a grand scale\, likewise the War Requiem composed for the consecration in 1962 of Coventry Cathedral re-built amid the devastation wrought by German bombing in November 1940. But much of his writing is on a smaller\, simpler scale such as his chamber operas\, which are scored for a band of 12 players\, and his children’s operas such as Noye’s Fludde (1958). \n   A good example of Britten’s simpler writing is this Jubilate\, a short anthem written in 1961at the request of the Duke of Edinburgh for St George’s Chapel\, Windsor\, for four-part chorus and organ. Lively and tuneful sections contrast with quiet yet intense passages. Although it was written 250 years after Handel’s ‘Utrecht’ Te Deum\, the musical style of the two anthems would sit together easily\, if unconventionally\, in the liturgy of the Anglican prayer-book service of Matins. \nClive Williams \n  \nTranslation of Vivaldi Gloria (RV589) \nThe words of Vivaldi’s Gloria are an expanded version of the Gloria which forms part of the usual setting of the Mass. Sections 3\, 6 and 10 are sung by the soloists alone; the other sections are sung by the choir / by the choir and soloists. \n1. Gloria\nGloria in excelsis deo\nGlory to God in the highest \n2. Et in terra\nEt in terra pax hominibus\nAnd on earth peace to people \nBonae voluntatis\nOf good will \n3. Laudamus te\nLaudamus te\,              benedicimus te\,\nWe praise thee\,          we bless thee\, \nAdoramus te\,               glorificamus te.\nWe worship thee\,       we glorify thee. \n4. Gratias agimus\nGratias agimus tibi\nWe thank thee \n5. Propter magnam\nPropter magnam gloriam tuam\,.\nFor thy great glory\, \n6. Domine Deus\nDomine Deus\,             rex coelestis\,\nLord God\,                      Heavenly King\, \nDeus pater omnipotens\,\nAlmighty God and Father\, \n7. Domine Fili unigenite\nDomine fili unigenite Jesu Christe\,\nLord Jesus Christ the only-begotten Son \n8. Domine Deus\, Agnus Dei\nDomine Deus\,       agnus Dei\,         filius patris\,\nLord God\,               Lamb of God\,    Son of the Father\, \nQui tollis peccata mundi\,\nWho takest away the sins of the world\, \nMiserere nobis.\nHave pity on us. \n9. Qui tollis\nQui tollis peccata mundi\,\nThou who takest away the sins of the world\, \nSuscipe deprecationem nostram\nHear our prayer. \n10. Qui sedes\nQui sedes ad dexteram patris\,\nThou who sittest on the right hand of the Father\, \nMiserere nobis.\nHave pity upon us. \n11. Quoniam tu solus\nQuoniam tu solus sanctus\,                    Tu solus Dominus\,\nFor thou alone art holy\,                          Thou alone art the Lord\, \nTu solus altissimus\,                                 Jesu Christe\,\nThou alone art the Highest\,                  Jesus Christ\, \n12. Cum sancto spiritu\nCum sancto spiritu\,                       in gloria Dei patris\,\nWith the Holy Spirit\,                     in the glory of God the Father\, \nAmen. \nTranslation by Valerie Worth (October 2005) URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/21st-jan-2006-st-andrews-church/ LOCATION:St Andrew’s Church\, Oxford\, Linton Rd\, Oxford\, OX2 6UG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Jan06cd.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20050521T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20050521T193000 DTSTAMP:20250528T085112Z CREATED:20200427T043722Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250528T085112Z UID:16069-1116703800-1116703800@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:21st May 2005 ~ St. Margaret's Church DESCRIPTION:Saturday 21st May 2005\, 8.00 pm\nSt. Margaret’s Church\, St. Margaret’s Road\, Summertown \nTo celebrate the centenary of Sir. Michael Tippet’s birth in 1905\, the choir interspersed his famous settings of spirituals from “A Child Of Our Time” with Father Guido Haazan’s “Missa Luba”\, based on African melodies and rhythms and accompanied by drumming. The Sanctus features in the 1968 film “If”. Mozart’s “Requiem” was also performed. Mozart died before completing the work at the age of 35 and the mystery surrounding the piece is dramatised in the film “Amadeus”. \nSir Michael Tippet  Five Spirituals (Child of Our Time)\nGuido Haazen (arr.)  Missa Luba\nMozart Requiem Mass\nAaron Copland The Boatmen’s Dance\, Long Time Ago\, Simple Gifts\nR. Vaughan Williams Linden Lea\, The Turtle Dove \nConductor:\nDuncan Saunderson \nSoloists:\nTara Overend (soprano)\nStephen Burrows (countertenor)\nBen Alden (tenor)\nTom Edwards (bass) \nAccompanist:\nJulian Littlewood (piano) \nConcert Recording\nA recording of this concert is available to choir members. To obtain a copy\, ask any member of the committee or send your request via email to webmaster@summertownchoral.org.uk \nHere are some samples from the CD. \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n NobodyKnowsMissa_Luba_BenedictusTurtleDoveLindenLeaCumSanctisTuis \n \n \n\n \n  \n\n\n\n\nProgram Notes\nFolk Music\nThe first part of tonight’s programme is\, in essence\, a programme of folk music. Not all of it was written as such: Tippett’s Five Spirituals are from his oratorio A Child of Our Time and the Missa Luba is a Congolese setting of the Catholic Mass. But the words and the style of the musical settings are those of traditional folk music. \n\n\n\n1 Steal Away Tippett\n7 By and By Tippett\n\n\n2 The Boatmen’s Dance Copland\n8 Agnus Dei Missa Luba\n\n\n3 Nobody Knows Tippett\n9 Linden Lea Vaughan Williams\n\n\n4 Sanctus\, Benedictus Missa Luba\n10 Deep River Tippett\n\n\n5 Go Down\, Moses Tippett\n11 The Turtle Dove Vaughan Williams\n\n\n6 Long Time Ago Copland\n\n\n\n\nTippett: Five Spirituals\nTippett’s oratorio A Child of Our Time was inspired by the assassination in Paris in 1938 of a German diplomat by a young Polish Jew (leading to the Kristallnacht pogrom of 1938)\, and was first performed in 1944. Tippett used the Five Spirituals in the oratorio as Bach used the chorales in his settings of the Passions\, and his publishers persuaded him to arrange them for unaccompanied chorus. He did so in 1958 with some reluctance\, but later wrote that in this setting ‘they became\, as it were\, the huge voice of a crowd of folk singing together.’ He heard this for himself at a performance in Georgia\, the home of the spiritual in the Deep South\, when the whole audience joined in together in singing them. \nMissa Luba\nThe Missa Luba is a Congolese folk mass. With its strict rhythmic tom-tom beat and the simple repeated melody lines of African traditional music\, it is not a formal musical composition\, but in the words of Fr Guido Haazen who arranged the music\, ‘the product of a collective improvisation’ by himself and the Congolese choir with whom he worked. The mass was originally recorded by tenor solo and choir of men and boys\, and published in written notation in 1964. Tonight we are singing only three movements of the full mass\, the Sanctus\, Benedictus and Agnus Dei. \nCopland\, Vaughan Williams: Folk Songs\nCopland and Vaughan Williams were\, arguably\, the two composers of the 20 th century who were most influenced by the traditions of folk music. \nAs a young man Copland studied in Paris\, but his compelling interest was to develop a distinctively American style of music\, and his success in doing so comes through clearly in three popular ballet scores\, Billy the Kid\, Rodeo and Appalachian Spring. His setting of The Boatmen’s Dance is of a song first dated to 1843. \nThe influence of folk song on Vaughan Williams was more direct. During his thirties he spent 10 years building up a collection of over 800 songs and their variants from Norfolk\, Surrey\, Sussex\, Herefordshire and other counties\, establishing him as the leader of the English folksong movement. The last verse of Linden Lea expresses something more forceful than the simple rural idyll. \nFive Spirituals\nSteal Away \nSteal away\,\nsteal away\,\nSteal away to Jesus;\nO steal away home\,\nI han’t got long to stay here. \nMy Lord\, He calls me\nHe calls me by the thunder\,\nThe trumpet sounds within-a my soul\,\nI han’t got long to stay here. \nSteal away\, steal away\,\nSteal away to Jesus;\nO steal away home\,\nI han’t got long to stay here. \nGreen trees a-bending\,\nPoor sinner stand a-trembling\,\nThe trumpet sounds within-a my soul\,\nI han’t got long to stay here. \nSteal way\,\nSteal away to Jesus;\nO steal away home\,\nI han’t got long to stay here. \nNobody Knows \nNobody knows the trouble I see\, Lord\,\nNobody knows the trouble I see\,\nNobody knows the trouble I see\, Lord\,\nNobody knows like Jesus. \nO brothers\, pray for me\,\nAnd help me to drive old Satan away. \nNobody knows the trouble I see\, Lord\,\nNobody knows the trouble I see\,\nNobody knows the trouble I see\, Lord\,\nNobody knows like Jesus. \nO mothers\, pray for me\,\nAnd help me to drive old Satan away. \nNobody knows the trouble I see\, Lord\,\nNobody knows the trouble I see\,\nNobody knows the trouble I see\, Lord\,\nNobody knows like Jesus. \nGo down\, Moses \nGo down\, Moses\, way down in Egypt land;\nTell old Pharaoh to let my people go. \nWhen Israel was in Egypt land\,\nLet my people go; tell old Pharaoh.\nOppressed so hard they could not stand\,\nLet my people go; tell old Pharaoh. \n“Thus spake the Lord\,” bold Moses said\,\nLet my people go; tell old Pharaoh.\n“If not\, I’ll smite your first-born dead.”\nLet my people go; tell old Pharaoh. \nGo down\, Moses\, way down in Egypt land;\nTell old Pharaoh to let my people go. \nBy and by \nO by and by\,\nI’m going to lay down my heavy load. \nI know my robe’s going to fit me well\,\nI’ve tried it on at the gates of Hell. \nO by and by\,\nI’m going to lay down my heavy load. \nHell is deep and a dark despair\,\nO stop\, poor sinner\, and don’t go there. \nO by and by\,\nI’m going to lay down my heavy load. \nO by and by\,\nI’m going to lay down my heavy load. \nDeep river \nDeep river \, my home is over Jordan \,\nLord\, I want to cross over into camp ground. \nOh chillun! Oh don’t you want to go\nTo that gospel feast\,\nThat promised land\, where all is peace.\nWalk into heaven and take my seat\,\nAnd cast my crown at Jesus’ feet.\nDeep river \, my home is over Jordan \,\nLord\, I want to cross over into camp ground. \nMozart: Requiem Mass\nMozart was working on the Requiem Mass when he died in Vienna on 5 December 1791 at the age of 34\, leaving it unfinished. The original commission appears to have been anonymous in a letter signed by ‘a devotee of your art’. For these two reasons\, since the time of Mozart’s death there has been debate\, at times heated\, on the detailed authenticity and the artistic merit of parts of the work (for example\, the brief and somewhat thin writing of the Osanna and its weak repetition). \nNevertheless\, it is now accepted that the Requiem was commissioned by Count Franz Walsegg-Stuppach in memory of his wife who died in February 1791\, and that it was Mozart’s widow\, Constanze\, who ensured its completion by asking Mozart’s pupils and friends\, in particular Franz Süssmayer\, to undertake the task. (Süssmayer says in a letter of September 1800 that\, before he was approached\, several composers were asked to finish the work.) The first movement\, finished by Mozart\, was performed at his memorial service on 10 December 1791. Süssmayer finished his completion by the end of spring 1792\, and the first performance of the full work with Süssmayer’s completion was given in January 1793 at a benefit concert for Constanze and her children. \nThe original scores of the Requiem are in two volumes in the keeping of the Austrian National Library. The first volume contains the complete score as presented to Count Walsegg by Constanze\, with the autograph manuscript of the Introit and much of the Kyrie in Mozart’s own hand and the rest of the work in Süssmayer’s hand. The second volume contains the draft in Mozart’s hand of the vocal parts and figuring of the instrumental bass for all the movements of the Sequenz and the Offertorium. In a letter of February 1800 to the Leipzig publishers of the first edition Süssmayer says that the Lacrimosa from bar 9 (the first eight bars having been written by Mozart)\, the Sanctus\, Benedictus and Agnus Dei were his work. In a letter of March 1799 Constanze says that repetition of the material of the opening Introit and Kyrie for the closing Lux Aeterna was suggested by Mozart just before he died\, and in another letter of March 1827 she says that Süssmayer had use of material sketched out by Mozart for the missing movements. \nClive Williams \n\n\n\n\nTRANSLATION OF MOZART’S REQUIEM\n\n\n\n\nThe Requiem in D-minor\, unfinished at the time of Mozart’s death (1791) and completed\, in part from Mozart’s drafts\, by Sussmayer\, used the full Catholic liturgy for a Requiem Mass for the dead. The words of the opening movement (Requiem aeternam) are loosely based on Psalm 65 v.1-2 and on an Apocryphal passage from Esdras (ch.2 v. 34-35). The 47-line poem of the Dies irae (sections 2-7 below) was incorporated into the Mass in the 14 th-century\, and is often attributed to the Franciscan Thomas of Celano; it has various Biblical sources\, but is in part a meditation on Luke 21\, v. 25-36. The Offertorium (Domine Jesu and Hostias\, sections 8 and 9 below) originated as prayers recited for the sick and dying. The final movements (Sanctus\, Benedictus\, Agnus Dei\, sections 10-12) accompany the consecration in all standard settings of the Mass. \nThe sections to be sung by the choir are in bold. \n1. Requiem aeternam – chorus and soloist \nRequiem aeternam dona eis\, Domine\,\nEternal rest grant unto them\, Lord\, \nEt lux perpetua luceat eis.\nAnd may light everlasting shine upon them. \nTe decet hymnus\, Deus\, in Sion\,\nA hymn should be sung unto Thee\, O God\, in Sion\, \nEt tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem.\nAnd unto Thee shall a vow be made in Jerusalem. \nExaudi orationem meam\,\nHear my prayer\, \n Ad te omnis caro veniet.\nUnto Thee shall all flesh come. \nRequiem aeternam dona eis\, Domine\,\nEternal rest grant unto them\, Lord\, \nEt lux perpetua luceat eis.\nAnd may light everlasting shine upon them. \nKyrie eleison! Christe eleison! Kyrie eleison!\nLord have mercy! Christ have mercy! Lord have mercy! \n2. Dies irae – chorus \nDies irae\, dies illa solvet saeclum in favilla\,\nThe day of wrath\, that day shall dissolve the mortal world in ashes\, \nTeste David cum Sybilla.\nAs prophesied by David together with the Sibyl. \nQuantus tremor est futurus\nHow great a trembling there shall be \nQuando judex est venturus\,\nWhen the judge shall come \nCuncta stricte discussurus.\nAnd shall judge all things strictly. \n3. Tuba mirum – soloists \nTuba mirum spargens sonumPer sepulcra regionum\,\nThe trumpet spreading its awesome sound Across the graves in all lands \nCoget omnes ante thronum. Mors stupebit et natura\,\nShall assemble all befiore the throne. Death shall be stunned and so shall nature\, \nCum resurget creatura\, Judicanti responsura.\nWhen humankind shall arise To answer before the judge. \nLiber scriptus proferetur\, In quo totum continetur\,\nThe written book shall be brought forth In which is contained everything \nUnde mundus judicetur. Judex ergo cum sedebit\,\nBy which the world shall be judged. And so when the judge shall take His seat\, \nQuidquid latet apparebit. Nil inultum remanebit.\nWhatever is concealed shall appear. Nothing shall remain unpunished. \nQuid sum miser tunc dicturus ? Quem patronum rogaturus\,\nWhat am I\, a wretch\, then to say ? On which advocate shall I call\, \nCum vix justus sit securus ?\nWhen even the righteous is scarcely safe? \n4. Rex tremendae – chorus \nRex tremendae majestatis Qui salvandos salvas gratis\nO King of dreadful majesty Who freely saves those who are to be saved \nSalve me\, fons pietatis.\nSave me\, O fountain of goodness. \n5. Recordare – soloists \nRecordare\, Jesu pie\, Quod sum causa tuae viae :\nRemember\, good Jesus\, That I am the reason for Thy pilgrimage : \nNe me perdas illa die. Quaerens me\, sedisti\, lassus\,\nAbandon me not on that day. In seeking me\, Thou didst sink down\, weary\, \nRedemisti crucem passus ; Tantus labor non sit cassus.\nThou didst save me by suffering the cross; Let not such toil be in vain. \nJuste judex ultionis\, Donum fac remissionis\nJust judge of vengeance\, Grant the gift of forgiveness \nAnte diem rationis. Ingemisco tanquam reus\,\nBefore the day of reckoning. I groan as though guilty \nCulpa rubet vultus meus; Supplicanti parce\, Deus.\nMy face reddens with guilt ; Spare a suppliant\, O God. \nQui Mariam absolvisti\, Et latronem exaudisti\,\nThou who didst absolve Mary Magdalene And didst hear the prayer of the thief\, \nMihi quoque spem dedisti. Preces meae non sunt dignae\,\nTo me also hast Thou given hope. My prayers are not worthy\, \nSed tu\, bonus\, fac benigne\, Ne perenni cremer igne.\nBut Thou\, all good\, show mercy\, Lest I burn in everlasting fire. \nInter oves locum praesta\, Et ab hoedis me sequestra\,\nAmong the sheep grant me a place\, And from the goats separate me\, \nStatuens in parte dextra.\nSetting me on Thy right hand. \n6. Confutatis maledictis – chorus \nConfutatis maledictis Flammis acribus addictis\,\nWhen the damned have been confounded and consigned to the bitter flames\, \nVoca me cum benedictis. Oro supplex et acclinis\nCall me together with the blessed. I pray\, a suppliant on my knees\, \nCor c ontritum quasi cinis\, Gere curam mei finis.\nMy heart contrite as ashes\, Safeguard my end. \n7. Lacrimosa – chorus \nLacrimosa dies illa\, Qua resurget ex favilla\nWeeping shall mark that day On which there rises from the ashes \nJudicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce\, Deus :\nThe guilty man who shall be judged\,. Then spare him\, O God: \n Pie Jesu Domine : Dona eis requiem. Amen.\nO merciful Lord Jesus : Grant unto them rest. Amen. \n8. Domine Jesu – chorus and soloists \nDomine\, Jesu Christe\, Rex gloriae\nLord Jesus Christ\, King of glory \nLibera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum\nDeliver the souls of all the faithful departed \nDe poenis inferni et de profundo lacu.\nFrom the torments of Hell and from the deep abyss. \nLibera eas de ore leonis\nFree them from the jaws of the lion \nNe absorbeat eas tartarus ne cadant in obscurum ;\nLest Hell swallow them up or lest they fall into darkness. \nSed signifer sanctus Michael repraesentet eas in luem sanctam\,\nBut let the standard bearer Saint Michael bring them back into blessed light\, \nQuam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini eius.\nAs once Thou didst promise to Abraham and to his seed. \n9. Hostias – chorus \nHostias et preces tibi\, Domine\, laudis offerimus;\nSacrifices and prayers of praise we offer unto Thee\, Lord; \nTu suscipe pro animabus illis\, quarum hodie memoriam facimus.\nReceive them for the sake of those whom we commemorate today. \nFac eas\, Domine\, de morte transire ad vitam.\nGrant them\, Lord\, from death to pass into life. \nQuam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini eius.\nAs once Thou didst promise to Abraham and to his seed \n10. Sanctus – chorus \nSanctus\, sanctus\, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth !\nHoly\, holy\, holy\, Lord God of Hosts! \nPleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.\nThe heavens and earth are filled with Thy glory \nHosanna in excelsis !\nHosanna in the highest! \n11. Benedictus – soloists \nBenedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.\nBlessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord \nHosanna in excelsis !\nHosanna in the highest! \n12. Agnus dei – chorus and soloist \nAgnus Dei\, qui tollis peccata mundi\,\nLamb of God who takest away the sins of the world\, \nDona eis requiem. Agnus Dei\,\nGrant unto them rest. Lamb of God\,  \nQui tollis peccata mundi\, dona eis requiem aeternam.\nWho takest away the sins of the world\, give unto them eternal rest. \nEt lux perpetua luceat eis\,\nAnd may everlasting light shine upon them\, \nCum sanctis tuis in aeternum :\nTogether with your saints throughout eternity: \nQuia pius es.\nFor Thou art good and merciful. \nTranslated by Valerie Worth: February 2005. URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/21st-may-2005-st-margarets-church/ CATEGORIES:Archives END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20050129T200000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20050129T200000 DTSTAMP:20200427T044154Z CREATED:20200427T044154Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T044154Z UID:16072-1107028800-1107028800@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:29th Jan 2005 ~ St. Michael's Church DESCRIPTION:Saturday 29th January 2005\, 8.00 pm   \nSt Michael’s Church \nMusic by Bach\, Purcell and Vaughan-Williams. Bach’s “Magnificat in D” was written for his new employers at Leipzig for a grand Christmas service in 1723. Purcell’s “My Heart Is Inditing”\, his most opulent anthem\, was written for the coronation of James II at Westminster Abbey in 1685. Vaughan-Williams’s “Five Mystical Songs” are set to words by George Herbert 1593-1633 and first performed at the Worcester Festival in 1911. \nJ.S. Bach Magnificat\nHenry Purcell  My Heart is Inditing\nSoloists:\nJulie Cooper (soprano)\nGhislaine Morgan (soprano)\nStephen Taylor (countertenor)\nMatthew Vine (tenor)\nChris Hodges (bass) \nRalph Vaughan-Williams Five Mystical Songs\nSoloist:\nNicholas Clapton (countertenor) \nSummertown Players\nConductor: Duncan Saunderson \n\nConcert Recording\nBelow are some of the highlights of the recording made of the concert. Enjoy the elegant singing of the soloists in the Purcell\, the interplay between soloist Nicholas Clapton and choir in the first of the Mystical Songs\, and the beautiful duet between oboe and soloist Ghislaine Morgan in the Magnificat\, chased up by the dramatic outburst of the chorus Omnes Generationes. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Purcell - My Heart is InditingVaughan Williams - Rise HeartQuia respexit humilitantem-Omnes generationes \n \n \n\n \n  \n\n\n\n\nProgram Notes\nPurcell: My Heart is Inditing\nHenry Purcell (1659-1695) was born the year before the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 at the start of a strong revival of English music after the staid\, even repressive\, years of the Commonwealth\, a revival actively encouraged by Charles II through the Chapel Royal. Purcell’s prolific output as a composer provides ample evidence of this. Having been a boy chorister of the Chapel Royal\, he was appointed ‘composer for the king’s violins’ in 1677\, organist of Westminster Abbey in 1679 and of the Chapel Royal in 1682\, and ‘keeper of the king’s wind and keyboard instruments’ in 1683. By the time of his early death he was already acknowledged as the foremost English composer of his time\, having written a wide range of music both secular and sacred: chamber music for violin and harpsichord\, incidental songs\, anthems for church services\, vocal and choral works for royal birthdays and ceremonial occasions\, and music for the theatre\, both incidental music for stage plays and six dramatic operas including Dido and Aeneas. \nIn church music some of the main changes now introduced were to the style and structure of the anthems. ‘Full’ anthems\, written for full four-part choir and organ\, were joined in the repertoire by ‘verse’ anthems\, in which solo voices hold a dialogue with the choir\, four-part or eight-part\, and overture\, interlude and accompaniment are provided by a small string orchestra with organ continuo. \nMy Heart is Inditing is a notable example of the vigour and liveliness of a verse anthem which retains the depth and dignity of a full anthem. It was composed for the coronation of James II in 1685 and was sung during the crowning of the Queen. Written for soloists\, eight-part choir\, string orchestra and organ\, it is in seven movements. The text is taken from Psalms 45 and 147 and the book of Isaiah. \nVaughan Williams: Five Mystical Songs\nRalph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) has been described as the first truly national English composer since Purcell’s predecessors in the 16th century. Purcell himself was influenced by Italian music\, and in the 18th century the popularity of Bach\, Handel (especially) and Haydn overshadowed English composers. It was not until the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries that Elgar and Vaughan Williams restored English music to prominence in the international musical world. Vaughan Williams’ output was as varied as Purcell’s\, ranging from his enthusiastic revival of English folk songs to many orchestral and choral works\, symphonies\, operas\, ballets and incidental music for stage and film. \nThe Five Mystical Songs were written in 1911 and first performed at the Worcester Three Choirs Festival that year. Vaughan Williams was a Christian agnostic\, but these are settings of deeply religious poems (see over) by the metaphysical poet George Herbert (1593-1633)\, who entered the Anglican priesthood in 1630 after an academic career at Cambridge and\, briefly\, as an MP. The songs were written to be performed together as one work. The first four are personal mystical meditations\, particularly the third\, in which the soloist takes the lead and the chorus has a supporting role. The fifth song is a triumphant hymn sung by the chorus alone. \nJ S Bach: Magnificat in D\nJohann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was best known to his contemporaries as an organist\, no doubt for the very good reason that nearly all the posts he held during his career were those of organist and kapellmeister. From 1723 until his death he was kantor of the Thomaskirche and the other town churches in Leipzig. His first major composition in this post was the Magnificat in E flat written for the Christmas services\, when it was customary to include in the Magnificat Laudes or Songs of Praise. Some 10 years later\, around 1732-1735\, he revised this work by omitting the Laudes and transposing it down to D major\, an easier key for trumpets and timpani. This is the version now performed most frequently. \nThe work has 12 movements. Five are given to the chorus with full and vigorous orchestral accompaniment\, with between them gentler solo arias\, a duet and a trio accompanied by one or more obligato instruments and organ continuo. \nClive Williams \n\n\n\n\nTranslation of Latin Texts\n(The Latin text of the Magnificat used by Bach is taken from Luke I. 46-55. The sections sung by the whole choir are in bold\, those by the soloists in normal type. However\, you will see that some phrases run over several movements\, so the translation below is adapted to suit this!) \n1 Magnificat anima mea Dominum \n    My soul doth magnify the Lord \n2  Et exultavit spiritus meus              in Deo              salutari meo \n    And my spirit hath rejoiced               in God              my Saviour \n3  Quia respexit                       humilitatem ancillae suae \n     For he hath regarded           the lowlines of His handmaiden \n    Ecce enim    ex hoc                          beatam me dicent \n     For lo\,         from henceforth            I shall be called blessed by \n4 Omnes generationes. \n    All generations. \n5  Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est                     \n   For he who is mighty hath done great things for me \n    Et sanctum nomen ejus. \n    And holy is His name. \n6  Et misericordia progenie in progenies                                           timentibus eum. \n     And his mercy is on those from generation to generation                   who fear him. \n7 Fecit potentiam in brachio suo                              dispersit superbos \n   He hath showed strength with his arm                   he hath scattered the proud \n  Mente cordis sui \n  In the imagination of their hearts \n8 Deposuit potentes de sede                                        et exultavit humiles \n   He hath put doen the mighty from their seat    and  hath exalted the humble \n9 Esurientes implevit bonis                                         et divites dimisit inanes. \n   The hungry he hath filled with good things                   and the rich he hath sent \n                                                                                    empty away. \n10 Suscepit  Israel puerum suum                    recordatus misericordiae suae \n     He hath holpen his servant Israel                  in remembrance of His mercy \n11  Sicut locutus est               ad patres nostros                    \n      As it was spoken              to our forefathers \nAbraham et semini ejus                     in secula. \nAbraham and his seed                       for ever. \n12 Gloria Patri\,                      gloria Filio\,                et gloria Spiritui Sancto \n   Glory be to the Father        glory to the Son          and glory to the Holy Spirit \nSicut erat in principio                       et nunc                        et semper\nAs it was in the beginning                  is now                          and ever shall be \nIn secula seculorum.              Amen. \nFrom ages to ages.         Amen. \nTranslation by Valerie Worth \nOctober 2004 URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/29th-jan-2005-st-michaels-church/ LOCATION:St Michael and All Angels Church\, Lonsdale Road\, Oxford\, OX2 7ES\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20040626T200000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20040626T200000 DTSTAMP:20200427T044448Z CREATED:20200427T044448Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T044448Z UID:16074-1088280000-1088280000@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:Saturday\, 26th June 2004 at 8pm St. Peter's College Chapel\, Oxford DESCRIPTION:In conjunction with Stanmore Choral Society \nConducted by David Gould and Duncan Saunderson \nHandel\, Zadok the Priest\, Let the Bright Seruphim\nMozart\, Ave Verum\, Laudate Dominum\nGibbons\, This is the Record of John\nBach\, Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring\nSchubert\, Ave Maria\nHaydn\, Insanae et Vanae Curae\nBruckner\, Locus Iste\nMendelssohn\, Hear my Prayer\nElgar\, Give Unto the Lord\, Ave Verum\nStanford\, Te Deum\nStainer\, God So Loved the World\nWise\, The Ways of Zion Do Mourn\nParry\, I Was Glad \nSoloists: John Pilgrim\, Treble; Christine BrownSoprano; David Gould Counter Tenor; Duncan Saunderson Bass; Gerald Ruddock Trumpet; Julian Littlewood Organ \n  \n \nDavid Gould and Duncan Saunderson at rehearsal with the combined choirs in St Peter’s College chapel \n  \nTranslation of Latin Works for the June 2004 Concert\nMOZART: Ave verum\n(The words of this Eucharistic hymn are of unknown origin\, but sometimes attributed to Pope Innocent II who died in 1342. ) \nAve\, ave verum Corpus      natum de Maria Virgine:\nHail\, hail the true Body   born of the Virgin Mary: \nVere passum\,               immolatum in cruce         pro homine:\nIn truth having suffered\,  sacrificed upon the cross  for mankind: \nCuius latus perforatum    unda fluxit         et sanguine:\nWhose side once pierced   flowed with water   and with blood: \nEsto nobis    praegustatum   in mortis examine.\nBe for us     a foretaste    in death’s hour of trial. \nELGAR: Ave verum\n(The words are the same as those set by Mozart\, with the addition of the final line given below. Note that the English words under the Latin in the Brian Kay edition are a free adaptation\, not a translation – and in places the theological sense of the original Latin is altered significantly.) \nO clemens\, O dulcis Jesu\, Fili Mariae.\nO merciful\, O sweet Jesus Son of Mary. \nHAYDN: Insanae et vanae curae\n(The words of an anthem) \nInsanae et vanae curae        invadunt mentes nostras\,\nFoolish and groundless cares  assail our minds\, \nSaepe furore        replent corda\,         privata spe\,\nOften with madness  they fill our hearts\,  which are bereft of hope\, \nQuid prodest             O mortalis     conari pro mondanis\,\nWhat does it profit you  O mortal man   to strive after earthly things\, \nSi coelos negligas.\nIf you neglect those of Heaven. \nSunt fausta tibi cuncta \,           si Deus est     pro te.\nAll things are favourable to you    if God is       with you. \nBRUCKNER: Locus iste\n(Words to be sung at a Mass for the dedication of a church) \nLocus iste     a Deo factus est\,\nThis place     has been created by God\, \nInaestimabile sacramentum\,     irreprehensibilis est\nA priceless sacrament\,         faultless it is. \nMOZART: Laudate Dominum\nMozart used this setting of Psalm 117 as the fifth Psalm in the service of Solemn Vespers of a Confessor (K.V. 339)\, composed for the Archbishop of Salzburg. The words of the Psalm are sung by the soloist; the choir joins the soloist in the doxology. \n(Soloist) \nLaudate Dominum      omnes gentes\,              Laudate eum   omnes populi\, \nPraise the Lord             all nations\,                    Praise him         all peoples\, \nQuoniam confirmata est super nos miericordia eius\, \nFor his mercy is established over us\, \nEt veritas Domini manet\,                    manet in aeternum. \nAnd the truth of the Lord endures\,     it endures for ever. \n(Choir) \nGloria patri\,                      et filio                    et spiritui sancto\, \nGlory be to the Father\,      and to the Son\,       and to the Holy Ghost\, \nSicut erat in principio             et nunc           et semper \nAs it was in the beginning        is now            and ever shall be \nEt in saecula saeculorum.       Amen. \nEven to ages of ages.             Amen. \nTranslation by Valerie Worth-Stylianou March 2004 \n  URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/saturday-26th-june-2004-at-8pm-st-peters-college-chapel-oxford/ CATEGORIES:Archives END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20040127T200000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20040127T200000 DTSTAMP:20200427T045034Z CREATED:20200427T045034Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T045034Z UID:16076-1075233600-1075233600@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:Scenes From the January 2004 Concert DESCRIPTION:The concert at St. Barnabas was one of the most successful ever given by the Society. This was in no small measure thanks to the presence of James Bowman\, whose reputation ensured a lively interest in the event and a full-to-overflowing church on the night of the performance. But credit is due to the soloists\, the orchestra\, the conductor\, and the choir\, all of whom gave superb performances. Duncan showed off his versatility by performing the triple role of conductor\, soloist in the Byrd Anthem\, and flautist in the song Strike the Viol  by Purcell. \n  \nSoloists\, left to right: Tom Edwards (bass)\, Stephen Taylor (countertenor)\, William Rolls (tenor)\, James Bowman (countertenor) and Julie Cooper (soprano)\n  \n \n  \n \n  \nThe choir and orchestra in The King Shall Rejoice\n  \n \n  \nThe choir takes a bow\n  \nApplause for the soloists\n  \nBelow are a few pictures taken during the afternoon rehearsal\, showing everyone in more informal attire\, but still hard at work. \n  \n \n  \nNote the ceaseless motion of the conductor’s hand even when joining in the singing\n  \nRoyal Music\nBoth Henry Purcell (1659-1695) and George Frederic Handel (1685-1759) can perhaps be regarded as ‘composers laureate’. (The post of poet laureate already existed and in Dryden’s time was held by Nahum Tate\, the librettist for Dryden’s opera\, Dido and Aeneas.) Both men were regarded as the foremost composers of their day\, their reputations made in the writing of both religious and secular music\, particularly for the stage. Both received royal patronage\, but it was on the basis of their popular reputations as much as royal patronage that they were called upon to compose music for royal and state ceremonial occasions. \nPurcell was appointed ‘composer for the king’s violins’ in 1677\, organist of Westminster Abbey in 1679 and of the Chapel Royal in 1682\, and ‘keeper of the king’s wind and keyboard instruments’ in 1683. From about 1680 he began writing incidental music for the theatre and in the last years of his life from 1689 wrote five ‘dramatic operas’ (spoken dialogue linked by musical sequences) and the full opera Dido and Aeneas. The whole corpus of his instrumental\, vocal and choral music was prodigious. With the arrival of William and Mary on the throne in 1689 royal patronage of music declined\, but Purcell\, by then established as the finest English composer of his day\, continued to be called upon for many formal ceremonial and religious occasions. \nHandel entered court circles when he was appointed in 1710 to the post of Kapellmeister at the court of the Elector of Hanover\, who in 1714 became King of England as George I. Handel moved to London in 1713\, where he was already known as a composer of Italian opera\, a reputation built up during four years in Italy before his appointment to the court of Hanover. In 1723 he was granted a stipend as Composer of Music at the Chapel Royal\, and in 1727 he became an Englishman by Act of Parliament. In addition to the church music written in his official capacity at the Chapel Royal and many vocal and instrumental compositions\, his main business during the 1720s and 1730s was the promotion of Italian opera on the London stage. But the popularity of this declined and\, after several artistic and financial failures\, he turned to a form of musical drama which enhanced his popularity yet more and for which he is now best known\, the English oratorio. \nWilliam Byrd (1543-1623) also received the royal patronage\, being appointed by Queen Elisabeth in 1572 jointly with Thomas Tallis to the post of organist at the Chapel Royal\, after nine years as organist of Lincoln cathedral. His writing included secular music\, madrigals\, songs and instrumental works for strings\, but his reputation both then and now rests primarily on the beauty and power of his church music. \n\nThe Coronation Anthems\nGeorge I died in 1727 and Handel\, known personally to the new King and his Queen\, was commissioned to write four new anthems for the coronation service. The four\, namely the two in our programme tonight\, My heart is inditing and The King shall rejoice\, Let thy hand be strengthened and Zadok the Priest\, which has been sung at every coronation service since 1727\, were written to stand alone and for no especial occasion in the service. It appears that in the event all did not go smoothly. A contemporary account by the Archbishop of Canterbury records of The King shall rejoice ‘The Anthem in Confusion: All irregular in the Music’. Other works by Purcell and Orlando Gibbon were included\, but Handel’s anthems confirmed him as a leading composer of ceremonial church music. \n\nThe Programme\nMy heart is inditing\nThis anthem was sung at the moment of the Queen’s coronation after the coronation and enthronement of the King. It is in four sections with the text taken from Psalm 45 and the book of Isaiah: \nMy heart is inditing of a good matter \nKings’ daughters were among thy honourable women \nUpon thy right hand did stand the Queen \nKings shall be thy nursing fathers and queens thy nursing mothers \n\nOde for the Birthday of Queen Anne\nThe practice of marking royal birthdays with musical celebrations was customary in Purcell’s time and continued until the late 18 th century and the reign of George III. One of Handel’s early commissions after his move to London was to compose an ode for the 48 th birthday of Queen Anne in 1713\, the year before she died. The ode also celebrated the signing in 1713 of the Treaty of Utrecht which ended 11 years of war against France and Spain. The words\, written by a contemporary playwright\, one Ambrose Philips\, appear to us now\, though no doubt not so at the time\, as mindless banality\, but Handel has produced in a piece of barely 30 minutes duration a work of musical richness and imagination. It has nine movements with a refrain\, celebrating both the royal birthday and the Peace of Utrecht\, which provides the text for two of the movements and ends five of the seven other stanzas: \nThe day that gave great Anna birth\, \nWho fix’d a lasting peace on earth. \nThe variety of settings for this refrain and their contrast with the preceding music in each stanza is one of the delights of the work. Much of the solo writing is given to the alto or counter-tenor. \n1 Eternal source of light divine                 6 Kind health descends on downy wing \n2 The day that gave great Anna birth        7 The day that gave great Anna birth \n3 Let all the winged race with joy             8 Let envy then conceal her head \n4 Let flocks and herds their fear forget      9 United nations shall combine \n5 Let rolling streams their gladness show \n\nThe King shall rejoice\nThis anthem was sung at the formal recognition of the King soon after the start of the coronation service. It also has four sections\, written for choir only\, with the text taken from Psalm 21: \nThe King shall rejoice in thy strength\, O Lord \nExceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation \nGlory and worship hast thou laid upon him \nAlleluia \n\nO Lord\, make thy servant Elisabeth\, our Queen\nThis is one of the many anthems Byrd wrote during his tenure at the Chapel Royal\, and his regarded as one of his finest. It is scored for soprano\, tenor\, bass and two alto parts\, and is sung this evening by our soloists. Composers in the time of Byrd\, writing music for cathedral services and religious occasions\, did not distinguish between a single voice to each part and a choir with several voices to a part. This was to come later\, particularly as Bach and Handel developed a more dramatic style of musical writing\, contrasting solo roles with roles played or comments offered by a chorus. \n\nCome Ye Sons of Art\nAmong the ceremonial occasions for which Purcell continued to write after the departure of the Stuarts in 1688 were royal birthdays\, particularly those of Queen Mary who was considerably more popular among their subjects than was her husband. Come Ye Sons of Art\, the sixth of such odes composed by Purcell\, was written for her 33 rd birthday in 1694. (She died of small-pox in December of that year.) The author of the words is not known\, but as with the Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne\, to our ears at least they are singularly unmemorable and uninspiring. It is Purcell’s music which makes this a work of celebration\, with vigorous writing particularly for the counter-tenor duet in the third movement\, for trumpet\, and for oboe\, which joins the soprano in a duet in the seventh movement. There are nine movements: \n1 Overture                                 6 The day that such a blessing gave \n2 Come\, come\, ye Sons of Art   7 Bid the Virtues\, bid the Graces \n3 Sound the trumpet                   8 These are the sacred charms \n4 Come\, come\, ye Sons of Art    9 See\, Nature rejoicing \n5 Strike the viol\, touch the lute \n\nClive Williams URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/scenes-from-the-january-2004-concert/ LOCATION:St. Barnabas Church\, St Barnabas St\, Oxford\, OX2 6BG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20030501T200000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20030501T200000 DTSTAMP:20200427T050329Z CREATED:20200427T045556Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200427T050329Z UID:16078-1051819200-1051819200@www.summertownchoral.org.uk SUMMARY:May 2003 Concert DESCRIPTION:Petite Messe Solennelle by G. Rossini\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\nThe concert\, conducted by Duncan Saunderson\, was given by a choir of about 80 singers\, with piano and harmonium accompaniments by Julian Littlewood and Gareth Williams. The soloists were Penelope Martin-Smith (soprano)\, Nicholas Clapton (countertenor)\, Mark Milhofer (tenor) and Tom Edwards (bass). \nA recording of the concert\, benefiting from the glorious acoustics in St Michael’s Church. was made for private distribution to members of the choir\, many of whom now have the CD to remind them of their compelling performance. Below are some samples from the CD (much reduced in quality for fast downloading). \n  \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cum Sancto SpirituAmenAgnus Dei \n \n \n\n \n  \nProgramme Notes\nGioacchino Antonio Rossini\nRossini was born in 1792 in the small Italian seaside town of Pesaro (which now holds an annual festival of his operas)\, and died in Paris in 1868.  His father was a horn player and his mother a singer\, and from an early age he was a competent player of violin and harpsichord\, sang at public performances\, and was beginning to write chamber and religious music.  In 1806 he was admitted to the Liceo Comunale in Bologna and in 1812 wrote the first of the Italian operas\, La Scala di Seta\, which were to make his name as a composer.  Over the next 12 to 15 years he wrote the majority of his operas\, which were performed in Rome\, Milan\, Naples and London\, and in 1829 perhaps his most famous work\, Guillaume Tell\, was given its first performance. \n                In 1824 Rossini was appointed director of the Italian Theatre in Paris.  In 1836 he left to take charge of the Liceo in Bologna\, whose status he raised to eminence\, moved to Florence in 1847\, and returned to Paris in 1855 where he stayed until his death in 1868.  After his return to Paris he produced a large volume of work\, 14 volumes to be precise\, which he entitled Péchés de ma Vieillesse (Sins of my Old Age)\, collections of vocal\, piano and instrumental pieces for children and adults.  His two main sacred works\, the Stabat Mater and the Petite Messe Solennelle he wrote in 1841 and 1863 respectively. \nPetite Messe Solennelle \nThe Mass was first performed in March 1864 at the dedication of the private chapel of a friend of Rossini’s\, the Countess Louise Willet-Pill.  It was scored for four soloists\, a four-part chorus with two voices to each part\, harmonium and two pianos\, though the second piano only reinforced the first when needed.  Rossini asked on the score for ‘twelve singers of three sexes\, men\, women and castrati’\, harking back to the place of castrati in earlier Church music and their popularity in early Italian opera of the 17th and 18th centuries.  However\, the soprano and alto parts were written for the Marchisio sisters\, two of the foremost singers in the salons of Paris and the salon of the Rossini household. \n                There is a certain deliberate irony in the title chosen by Rossini\, as he noted at the time: ‘here is this poor little Mass\, finished at last.  Have I written truly sacred music or just damned bad music?’.  The Mass is not little and not particularly solemn\, but its style and atmosphere are not on the scale of the cathedral or the concert hall.  Nevertheless\, there is a contrast between much\, though not all\, of the writing for the soloists\, which suits the intimacy of  the chapel\, and the much grander scale of the long sections for chorus\, though even these were scored for only two voices in each part.  The scoring for piano and harmonium is critical for the colour and character of the Mass\, but in 1867 Rossini wrote an orchestral score for it in order to stop other composers from doing so (this version was first performed in 1869). \n                The work follows the conventional form of the Mass with two additions\, the Preludio Religioso played on the piano which precedes the Sanctus\, and a Latin hymn O Salutaris for soprano solo which follows the Sanctus. \n                Kyrie                                                      Credo \n                Gloria    Laudamus                                             Crucifixus \n                                Gratias                                                  Et resurrexit \n                                Domine Deus                        Preludio religioso \n                                Qui tollis                               Sanctus \n                                Quoniam                               O Salutaris \n                                Cum Sancto Spiritu            Agnus Dei \n                The central section of the Kyrie\, the unaccompanied Christe\, echoes 17th century sacred music.  The Gloria and the Credo stand in contrast to each other.  After the chorus opens the Gloria\, the soloists take up the succeeding sections handing on to each other until the chorus brings the movement to a close with the Cum Sancto Spiritu.  The Credo\, on the other hand\, is given largely to the chorus with the soloists joining in\, and only the Crucifixus is a solo aria sung by the soprano.  The first and third sections of the Credo are linked in the chorus part by the repeated affirmation of belief\, ‘Credo\, credo’.  The Cum Sancto Spiritu and the closing section of the Et resurrexit\, in other words the conclusions to the Gloria and the Credo\, are both double fugues of considerable power worthy of J S Bach. \n                The Sanctus is meditative in tone with the chorus commenting on the soloists’ ‘Hosannas’ until the final triumphant choral ‘Hosanna’.  Similarly in the Agnus Dei the chorus answers the somewhat anguished alto soloist with quiet two bar phrases until the final confident demand of ‘Dona nobis pacem’. \nClive Williams URL:https://www.summertownchoral.org.uk/concert/may-2003-concert/ LOCATION:St Michael and All Angels Church\, Lonsdale Road\, Oxford\, OX2 7ES\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Archives END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR