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Willcocks: Great is the Glory [1995-11-11]

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Willcocks: Great is the Glory
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1995
Date:
November 11th, 1995
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i

(GUILDFORD
PHILHARMONIC
1995/ 1996 SEASON AT GUILDFORD GIVIC HALL

A proud tradition gained over many years is a valuable asset
for an Orchestra or an Industrial Company.
Yet in the eyes (and ears) of our respective audiences, past
achievements are no substitute for present day
performance.

BOC Gases and the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra have
traditions spanning 109 years and 51 years respectively.
May the way we both perform — today and for many years
to come — continue to attract and satisfy those customers
and concert goers whom it is our privilege to serve.
Head Office:

BOC Gases, The Priestley Centre, |10 Priestley Road,
The Surrey Research Park, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 5XY
Phone: 01483 579857. Fax: 01483 505211
Local Agent:

J.T. Warsop Jnr & Co. Ltd, Delta Works,

Midleton Industrial Estate, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 5XW
Phone: 01483 34222. Fax: 01483 304 347

) BOC GASES

"If music be the food of love,
play on"

(Twelfth Night)

If you want sound professional advice
please contact us for a free initial consultation.
Your call would be music to our ears:-

MORISON STONEHAM
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Personal Financial Planning

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Morison Stoneham
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Epsom Road

Surrey

GU1 3JW

Tel: 01483 571656
GUILDFORD

LONDON

Guildford

Fax 01483 301583

SWINDON

CHELMSFORD

Friends of the

Sing with the

Guildford

Guildford

Philharmonic

Philharmonic Choir!

Guildford has one of the finest

Season 1995/96

professional orchestras in the

South East of England and
has now an exciting new,
young dynamic conductor —

Parry

Blest Pair of Sirens

Willcocks

Great is the Glory

Dvorak

Stabat Mater — with the

Watson

O Captain! My Captain!

Verdi

Requiem

Freiburger Bachchor

+Carols for Christmas and a Summer

En Shao

To ensure the continuance of
music of the highest standard
become a FRIEND of the
GUILDFORD PHILHARMONIC

‘Opera Hits’ Concert
Jonathan Willcocks
Hans Michael Beuerle
Edward Warren

Grant Llewellyn

Also help launch our sponsored
young player at the outset of their

Jeremy Backhouse (chorus director)

career

Kathleen Atkins

For further information contact: Peter and Iris Bennett,

General Administrators of the Guildford Philharmonic Society,
Applegarth, The Drive, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7LY.
Tel. 01483 276131

Details from;

Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra/Choir

Millmead House
Guildford GU2 5BB
Phone 01483 444666 Fax 444732

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GUILDFORD
PHILHARMONIC
JONATHAN WILLCOCKS
Conductor
JAMES OXLEY

Tenor

ALEXANDER BAILLIE

Cello

GUILDFORD PHILHARMONIC
The GUILDFORD PHILHA

CHOIR

RMONIC ORCHESTRA ackn

owledges with grateful thanks

the

generous support of
its SPONSORS and
CORPORATE MEMBER
S:

BOC GASES
ENGLISH SPEAKING UNI

ON
HART BROWN SOLICITOR
S
LLOYDS BANK

MORISON STONEHAM

RECORD CORNER
UNIVERSITY OF SURREY
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
All concerts in the current seas

with financial assistance from

on are funded by [&§ GUILDF

ORD BOROUGH

“ South East Arts Board the

the South East Music Trust and

Guildford Philharmonic Socie

the fi Musicians’ Union.

ty,

Jonathan Willcocks was born in Worcester and,
after being a chorister at Kings College

Cambridge and an Open Music Scholar at
Clifton College, took an Honours degree in
Music from Cambridge University where he
held a choral scholarship at Trinity College.

He combines his role as Director of the Junior
Academy, Royal Academy of Music in London,

1995/96,

including

further appearances

at

Carnegie Hall, New York, where he made his
debut in 1990. He is closely associated with the
Southern Pro Musica with whom he appears in
annual orchestral concert series.

As a composer, Jonathan Willcocks’s music 1s
published principally by Oxford University

with extensive freelance work as a conductor

Press in England and by Lorenz in USA. Major
choral works in addition to ‘Great is the Glory’

and composer. He is conductor and musical
dirertor of the Portsmouth Choral Union and of
the Chichester Singers and appears regularly as

Choirs

a guest conductor, both of his own music and of
the general choral and orchestral repertoire.
This work has taken him recently to France,
Belgium, Germany, Australia and USA, where

he will be returning on several occasions in

include ‘Voices of Time’, ‘Images of Youth” and
‘“Worcester Mass’ (commissioned by the Three

Festival) while other works have
included such diverse music as a Brass Quintet,
‘The Theatre Ghost’ for symphony orchestra
and narrator, la cappella’ choral works for the
Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir and the Open

University.

Overseas

Baillie

regularly

visits

Germany,

France, Austria, Scandinavia, the Far East and the

Americas. Last year he spent a month in the Far
East including a British Council appearance in
Beijing with Elgar’s concerto, a visit to Hong
Kong and a rare guest appearance in Indonesia.

His committment to contemporary music is well

documented. During the last decade his visits to
the BBC Proms have included premiéres of Colin
Matthews concerto (1984) and Henze’s Sieben

Liebeslieder

(1988).

In

1989

he

played

Takemitsu’s “Orion and Pleiades”. A recently

released CD on the NMC label features premiere
recordings of works by Colin Matthews, Gordon

Crosse,

Alexander

Goebhr,

Roger

Smalley,

Michael Finnissy and Mark Anthony Turnage.
He is a visiting guest professor at the R.C.M.
London and Professor at the Musikhochschule,
Bremen, Germany.

JAMES OXLEY - Tenor

James Oxley trained initially as a ‘cellist at the
Royal College of Music and he later read Music at
Oxford. In 1992, he won First prize at both the

ALEXANDER BAILLIE - Cello

Alexander Baillie began playing the cello aged
twelve as a result of seeing the BBC’s memorable

documentary about the late Jacqueline du Pre.
Inspired by her playing he left school early and
studied at the Royal College of Music, London

with Joan Dickson and Anna Shuttleworth. He
continued

his

Navarra.

Formative

musicianship

studies

have

in Vienna

with Andre

influences

been

the

music

on

at

his

the

Aldeburgh festivals during 1970’s.
Baillie

regularly

Orchestras.

appears

Conductors

with
with

Mary

whom

he

has

worked include Simon Rattle, Sir Charles Groves,

and

the

Great

Grimsby

prize at the renowned International Vocalisten

Concours at ‘s- Hertogenbosch.
While continuing his studies with Rudolf Piernay,

James has pursued an increasingly demanding

solo career as a singer. In 1991, he made his solo
debut at the Royal Albert Hall under the baton of

Sir David Willcocks; in the following year he
sang Les Illuminations at St Johns’s Smith Square

and

major British

Garden

International competitions and in 1994 took First

he

was

a

soloist

in

Roger Norrington’s

Brahms Experience on the South Bank. He has

appeared in concerts all over the country, notably
in the Cathedrals of Chichester, Hereford and

Sir John Pritchard, Vernon Handley, Mark Elder,

Canterbury,

Andrew Litton, Roberto Benzi, Richard Hickox

Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool and at the
Edinburgh Festival.

and Matcus Stenz. He can frequently be heard as

soloist and recitalist and with different ensembles
around

the country.

During summer

1993

he

visited the Edinburgh, Blair Atholl, Fishguard and
Harrogate festivals. Apart from the main cello
repertoire he is often heard playing less familiar

works such as K.H.Gruber’s Concerto and the

Sonata Notturna by Nicholas Maw. Last year he
gave the world premiére of a concerto by the
octogenarian composer Minna Keal.

at

Symphony

Hall,

Birmingham,

1993

Recent engagements include Messiah with the

City

of

Birmingham

Symphony

Orchestra,

Handel’s Alexander’s Feast with the Brandenburg
Consort at the Three Choirs Festival, Hereford,

Gounod’s Messe Solennelle with the Bach Choir
at

the

Royal

Festival

Hall,

Handel’s

Dixit

Dominus and Bach’s Cantata 147 with the Israel

Camerata and Messiah at St John’s Smith Square,
London.

choir specializes in twentieth century British music and

this has led to recordings of Gerald Finzi’s Intimations
of Immortality with the Guildford Philharmonic and
Patrick

Hadley’s

Philharmonia

The

Trees

Orchestra,

So

both

High

with

recordings

the

being

conducted by Vernon Handley.
The Choir is conducted by some of the most eminent
musicians, and as well as giving frequent concerts in

Guildford, the Choir occasionally visits other British
cities.

In

1988

the

Guildford

Philharmonic

Choir

visited Paris, in 1990 joined forces with the Freiburger
BachChor in Freiburg Munster and in November 1993
gave

an

outstanding

performance

of Brittens

War

Requiem

also with the Freiburger BachChor under

Neville

Creed.

Jeremy

Backhouse

was

appointed

Chorus Director in January of this year, succeeding
Neville Creed who held the post for seven years.

e =teDEC =

——

BLEST PAIR OF SIRENS (At a Solemn Music)

Parry (1848-1918)
Parry’s setting of “Blest Pair of Sirens” for eight-

part chorus and orchestra was written for the Bach

Choir in 1887 and dedicated to C. V. Stanford.
Parry had been very impressed by Milton’s works
He has appeared frequently in opera, playing

and in 1867 had set the opening of the ode, “At a

Tamino in Durham Independent Opera’s Magic

Solemn Music”, for men’s voices in four parts.

Flute, Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Rodolfo in La

The

Bohéme and Alfredo in La Traviata. He recently

opening section embraces the first sixteen lines of

took the title role in Kent Opera’s production of

the ode; the second section, beginning “That we

Britten’s Prodigal Son and this Spring makes his

debut with Le Concert Spirituel in performances
of Purcell’s King Arthur in

Paris, Dijon and

Orleans.
Plans

performances

of

Messiah

in

Halifax, Leicester and Hereford and with the
Sicilian Symphony and Ulster Orchestras, the role
(Barber of Seville)

in

Southern

England, Tippett’s Child of our Time in Oxford

and Sweden, Bach’s St Matthew Passion with Le
Concert Spirituel and performances of Britten’s
Les Illuminations with the BT Scottish Ensemble.

sentence, and the final section, which unites the

two

previous

sections,
by

opens

strings

with

alone,

sopranos,

stating

the

beautiful melody heard at the outset of the work.
(1)

Blest pair of Sirens, pledges of heav’n’s joy.
Sphere-born harmonious sisters, Voice and

Verse,
Wed your divine sounds, and mixed pow’r

employ,
Dead things with inbreathed sense able to

pierce.

And to our high-raised phantasy present

GUILDFORD PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

That undisturbed song of pure content,

Vernon Handley (President)

Aye sung before the sapphire-coloured

Jeremy Backhouse (Chorus Director)

throne

Jeremy Filsell (Accompanist)

To Him that sits thereon,

The Guildford Philharmonic Choir was formed by

The

on earth,” continues to the end of Milton’s first

accompanied

include

of Almaviva

work falls into three main sections.

With saintly shout and solemn jubilee;

Guildford Borough in order to perform the major choral

Where the bright Seraphim in burning row,

repertoire with the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra.

Their loud, uplifted angel-trumpets blow,

As well as performing well-known choral works, the

And the cherubic host in thousand quires,

Touch their immortal harps of golden wires,

With those just Spirits that wear victorious

palms.
Hymns devout and holy psalms

Singing everlastingly:
(i1) That we on earth with undiscording voice
May rightly answer that melodious noise;
As once we did, till disproportioned sin
Jarred against nature’s chime, and with
harsh din
Broke the fair music that all creatures made

To their great Lord, whose love their motion
swayed

In perfect diapason, whilst they stood

In form the Concerto is unusual, having four
movements instead of the usual three, and is

considered one of the finest ’cello concertos ever
written. It is certainly in the repertoire of every

solo “cellist of note. Unlike most other works for
this instrument, it is a very personal and almost

introvert work, although the introversion is not
self-pitying, but rather more an honest inspection
of the serious side of the composer, just as the
finale of the Enigma Variations is an inspection
of the more optimistic Elgar. It is also a very
original piece technically and there are pages
which defy the hunter of influences.

In first obedience, and their state of good.
(ii)) O may we soon again renew that song,
And keep in tune with Heav’n, till God ere
long

INTERVAL

To His celestial concert us unite,

To live with Him, and sing in endless morn

of light.

s 0o—
T

John Milton.

’CELLO CONCERTO IN E MINOR

Elgar 1857-1934
Adagio - Moderato

Lento - Allegro molto

Adagio
Allegro ma non troppo
This work is judged by many critics to be
amongst Elgar’s finest, ranking with the

Introduction and Allegro for Strings and the

Symphonic Study “Falstaff”. Certainly no work
that he wrote is more penetrating and although it
has, of course, the thumbprint of the popular
marches, it stands apart from the other works in

style.
It was written in 1919, the year before Lady

Elgar died, and after she died he wrote nothing
of note. He died in 1934. The work was first
performed by Felix Salmond and the London
Symphony Orchestra at a Queen’s Hall Concert

in London. The public found it a strange work,
though beautiful, glimpsing the Elgar that they

knew from the slow movement of the First

GREAT IS THE GLORY
Jonathan Willcocks

‘Great is the Glory’ was commissioned and first
performed

by

the

Chichester

Chichester

Cathedral

with

Philharmonic Orchestra in July 1991. The text is

singing the daily services as a boy chorister at

Kings College, Cambridge.
The work is arranged in three movements and is
scored

for

tenor

deeply moving.

mixed

choir

and

which anticipates some of the harmonic features
to

come,

the

opening

setting

of “Hear

my

prayer” makes use of the augmented interval,

with its resultant mild dissonance, to convey the
anguish of the text. This contrasts strongly with
the first three verses of Psalm 105, “O give
thanks unto the Lord” in which syncopated
rhythm is a more dominant musical feature.

The second movement, drawn from psalms 3, 22

and

music and had found a tranquility that was

soloist,

symphony orchestra. After an orchestral prelude

accompaniment

follows it, Elgar was looking back over his

which the

composer came to know and love in the course of

surprised by the passion of the slow section of
and in the echo of the third movement which

in

Guildford

drawn from the Psalms of David,

Symphony and parts of the Violin Concerto, but

the last movement. It seems that in this section

Singers

the

23,

sets

the

tenor

against

a

soloist

with

simple

homophonic

string

choral setting of “The Lord is my shepherd”.

Rhythmic muscularity returns for the settings of
excerpts from the triumphant psalms 130 and 138

which sing the praises of the Lord. Although
predominantly

a

choral

movement,

the tenor

soloist, with the plea “Lord, hear my voice”,

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the

joins to lead the singers to the climax ‘“Yea, they

shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art

shall sing that great is the glory of the Lord”

with me, thy rod and thy staff comfort me.

from which the work takes its title.

Tenor: Psalm 22

Jonathan Willcocks

My God, my God, look upon me, why hast thou

Psalm 102 (v.1-3, 9-12)

forsaken me:and art so far from my health and

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying come

from the words of my complaint?

unto thee.

O my God I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest

Hide not thy face from me in the time of my

not; and in the night season also I take no rest.

trouble; incline thine ear unto me when I call O

Choir:

hear me and that right soon.

Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them

For my days are consumed away like smoke: and

that trouble me: thou hast anointed my head with

my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand.

oil, and my cup shall be full.

For I have eaten ashes as it were bread: and
mingled my drink with weeping.
And that because of thine indignation and wrath:
for thou hast taken me up and cast me down.
My days are gone like a shadow:

and I am

withered like grass.
But thou, O Lord shalt endure for ever: and thy

rememberance throughout all generations.
Psalm 105 (v.1-3)

O give thanks unto the Lord and call upon his
name: tell the people what things he hath done.
O let your songs be of him and praise him: and let

your talking be of all his wondrous works
Rejoice in his holy name: let the heart of them

Tenor: from Psalm 3 (v5-8)
I rose up again; for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the

people; that have set themselves against me round
about.
Up, Lord, and help me O my God: for thou
smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek bone.

Salvation

belongeth

unto

the Lord:

and

thy

blessing is upon thy people.
Choir:
But thy loving kindness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the

house of the Lord for ever.

rejoice that seek the Lord.
MOVEMENT 2
Tenor solo:

Psalm 3, vv 1-5.
Lord, how are they increased that trouble me:

many are they that rise against me.
Many one there be that say of my soul, there is no

MOVEMENT 3
Psalm 138 (v.1-5)

Choir:
I will give thanks unto thee O Lord, with my
whole heart: even before the gods will I sing
praise unto thee.

help for him in his God.

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise

But thou, O Lord art my defender; thou art my

thy name because of thy loving kindness and

worship, and the lifter up of my head.

truth: for thou hast magnified thy name, and thy

I did call unto the Lord with my voice, and he

word above all things.

heard me out of his holy hill.

When I called upon thee, thou heardest me: and

I laid me down and slept.

enduest my soul with much strength.

Choir:

Tenor: Psalm 130 (v. 1)

Psalm 23.

The Lord is my shepherd; therefore can I lack

Out of the deep have I called unto thee O Lord:
Lord hear my voice.

nothing.

Choir:

He shall feed me in a green pasture: and lead me

All the kings of the earth shall praise thee O Lord:

forth beside the waters of comfort.

for they have heard the words of thy mouth.

He shall convert my soul: and bring me forth in

Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: that

the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

great is the glory of the Lord.

RECORD CORNER
Pound Lane, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1BX.

TOM & SUE BRIGGS (GPO Supporters for 25yrs)
invite Concertgoers to take advantage of:-

A SPECIAL OFFER
With this programme you need pay no more than
£12.99 each maximum for ANY number of standard full price CDs.

(£8.99 Mid price).

Also stocked:- 100s of Second Hand and New CDs for £7 and below.

Wide Selection of Classical Tapes.
We offer friendly advice on ALL kinds of music.

Easy Parking nearby or Mail Order on 01483 422006
9.15 — 5.15 Monday to Saturday

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

University of Surrey

Promoting Excellence in Education and Research
e

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BURCHATTS
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The Department promotes regular concerts,

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AWARgEgEg&GBRAFfNFORED

celebrity recitals, masterclasses and workshops,

AT STOKE PARK, GUILDFORD,

all of which are open to the public.

SURREY
THE IDEAL VENUE FOR:

Major diary dates for the 1995-96 academic year:
5 October 8 pmn

farm

e

FUNCTIONS

\

CONFERENCES

The outstanding Russian pianist, Nikolai Demidenko,

RECEPTIONS

plays Brahms & Schumann
26 November 7.45 pm

University Symphony Orchestra
Mahler Symphony No 4 & de Falla Three Dances

® Scats up to 70 for formal dinner
® Range of conference facilities

® Modern kitchen equipped for commercial catering

17 February 7.30 pin Guildford Cathedral

® Patio and marquee

University Symphony Orchestra & Choir

® Car parking and access for the disabled

Orff Carmina Burana

® Competitive hire prices

WedneSday Lunchtime Recitals

weekly student performances starting at 1.15 pm

(admission free).

For full details on Burchatts Farm Barn contact
Miss ] Boothroyde

Guildford Borough Council, Millmead House, Millmead,
Guildford, Surrey GU2 5BB. Telephone 01483 — 444701

Please call the Department for further details

or if you would like to be placed on our mailing list:
01483 259317

5

GUILDFORD
BOROUGCG H

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