Financially assisted by
—
-J
GUILDFORD BOROUGH
@
a candlelit concert
MOZART
HAYDN
BRUCKNER
MAHLER
Saturday
“ 1t March 2008
Guildford Cathedral
www.VivaceChorus.org
ANNA ARTHUR & ASSOCIATES
SOLICITORS
EVERY SUCCESS FOR THIS EVENING
FIERI FACIAS HOUSE, HIGH STREET
RIPLEY, SURREY GU23 6AF
TEL: 01483 222499 — FAX: 01483 222766
- Vivace
Chorus
"Viennese Masters'
Haydn
Insanae et Vanae Curae
Mozart
Ave Verum Corpus K618
Bruckner
Motets: Ave Maria, Os Justi, Ecce Sacerdos
Mahler
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Mozart
Mass in C minor K427
Claire Seaton
Soprano
Nina Bennet
Soprano
Christopher Diffey
Tenor
Kongseok Choi
Bass
Brandenburg Sinfonia
conductor
Jeremy Backhouse
Vivace Chorus
This will start at 6.30pm in the Chapter House of the Cathedral.
The speaker will be Robert Porter, Artistic Director of
the Brandenburg Sinfonia.
| Robert (Bob) Porter began studying the bassoon aged 11. By the age
. of 14 he had been accepted as a Junior Exhibitioner at the Royal |
. Academy of Music, and 2 years later joined the National Youth
| Orchestra. Since then he has played with every major professional §
| orchestra in London and was appointed Sub-Principal in the London |
' Mozart Players in 1987.
He has taught in the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music
- since 1973, and as Head of Wind since 1985. He is also Associate |
Music Director of Central Festival Opera.
' As Artistic Director of the Brandenburg orchestras since their inception
§
in the early 1980s, Bob Porter has shaped the musical ethos of the
orchestras and built a unique musical entity, recognised internationally. ;
- He was made a Freeman of the City of London in 1991 for services to |
- music.
'
Please note: Members of the audience who wish to attend the talk and
| do not already have reserved seating can reserve their concert seats §
beforehand in the appropriate unreserved areas of the Cathedral. The i
Vienna, the Austrian imperial capital and a major cultural centre, has
long been a magnet for musicians. Many composers found work and
inspiration there and this concert presents music from some of the city’s
most illustrious inhabitants — Haydn and his young friend Mozart, and
from a later period, Bruckner and Mahler, both usually more associated
with their monumental symphonies than with the exquisite pieces to be
performed this evening.
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 — 1809)
Haydn was born in Rohrau, a tiny Austrian village, and showed an early
musical talent. He spent many years living in Vienna, from the age of
eight, when he served as a choirboy in the Cathedral of St Stephen, then
4
Vivace Chorus
subsequently became a freelance musician. In 1761, he entered the
service of the Esterhazys, the richest and most powerful of the
Hungarian nobility. He remained in their service for nearly 30 years,
meanwhile becoming immensely popular all over Europe. In 1795, he
returned to Vienna, where he remained until his death in 1809, aged 77,
during an attack on the city by the French army under Napoleon.
Insanae et vanae curae
Haydn's motet Insanae et vanae curae was adapted from a 'storm’
chorus that had been inserted for a 1784 revival of his oratorio // ritorna
di Tobia (1775). It contrasts forceful Sturm und Drang with more
reflective and tender passages.
Insanae et vanae curae
invadunt mentes nostras,
Mad and groundless cares
invade our minds,
Saepe furore replent
corda, privata spe.
Madness often fills
the heart, bereft of hope.
Quid prodest O mortalis
conari pro mundanis,
si coelos negligas.
What does it profit you O mortal man,
to strive for worldly things,
if you should neglect the heavenly?
Insanae et vanae curae
invadunt mentes nostras,
saepe furore replent
corda, privata spe.
Mad and groundless cares
invade our minds,
Madness often fills
the heart, bereft of hope.
Sunt fausta tibi cuncta,
si Deus est pro te.
All things are favourable for you
if God is with you.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 — 1791)
Mozart was born in Salzburg, at that time an autonomous city-state with
a Prince-Archbishop who provided both temporal and spiritual
leadership. Mozart's father, Leopold, was a musician and composer in
the Archbishop's court, and provided Mozart's only formal teaching in
music. Leopold, quickly recognizing his son's prodigious gifts,
supplemented his meagre income by touring throughout Europe with
Mozart and his sister, displaying their talents before the nobility.
Following in his father's footsteps, Mozart's first position was with the
musical establishment of the Archbishop of Salzburg — beginning with an
Vivace Chorus
5
unpaid appointment as Konzertmeister in 1769, which became salaried
1772. However, the world traveller soon felt restricted under the
in
musical limitations of provincial Salzburg and throughout
adolescence and early twenties, he sought posts elsewhere.
his
late
In 1781 Mozart moved to Vienna, working as a freelance composer and
musician. He quickly ingratiated himself with the music connoisseurs
among the nobility. He spent the next 9 years working as a teacher,
pianist, concert promoter, and composer of some of the most sublime
pieces in the history of Western music.
Of all the Viennese Masters, Mozart was undoubtedly the most versatile,
being outstanding as both a performer and a prolific composer of all
forms of music. His vocal output included over 20 opera scores (comic
as well as serious) and music composition for dramas; also sacred
music, including masses, litanies, vespers, oratorios and cantatas. His
output was
no
less prolific,
including
more than
50 symphonies, over 30 concertos for piano or violin, serenades and
instrumental
divertimenti, chamber music and sonatas.
However, despite his genius, Mozart was never fully appreciated during
his own lifetime and was better known as a performer than a composer.
He died in relative poverty in 1791, at the tragically early age of 35. After
this short life of genius, marked by a service at St Stephen's in Vienna,
he was then buried in a Vienna suburb, with little ceremony and in an
unmarked grave, in accordance with prevailing custom.
Ave Verum Corpus, K618
This sublime miniature was written in a single day (17 June 1791) by way
of
returning
a
favour
to
Mozart's
friend
Anton
Stoll,
the
village
schoolmaster and choir director at the spa of Baden bei Wien. The music
seems to encompass a universe of feeling in 46 short bars.
Ave, ave verum corpus
Hail, hail true body,
natum de Maria virgine,
born of the virgin Mary,
vere passum immolatum
who truly suffered and was sacrificed
in cruce pro homine.
on the cross for mankind.
Cuius latus perforatum
Whose pierced side
unda fluxit et sanguine,
flowed water and blood:
esto nobis praegustatum
Be a foretaste for us
in the trial of death.
in mortis examine.
6
Vivace Chorus
Anton Bruckner (1824 — 1896)
Bruckner was born in Ansfelden, Austria and his father, who was a
schoolmaster and organist, was his first music teacher. Bruckner studied
at the Augustinian monastery in St Florian, becoming an organist there in
1851. He continued his studies until he was 40.
In 1868, Bruckner
accepted a post at the Vienna Conservatoire, where he taught music
theory
and
organ
performance.
Mahler,
who
called
"forerunner”, was in attendance during this time.
accepted
a post at the Vienna
University.
In
In
Bruckner
his
1875, Bruckner
addition
to
his
nine
symphonies, Bruckner wrote masses, motets and other sacred choral
works.
He was a very simple man and,
unlike many of the great
Romantic composers, was deeply religious,
his choral works being
rooted in the faith of the Catholic Church. Bruckner's unaccompanied
choral pieces are remarkable for their combination of older techniques
(at a time when Romanticism threatened their survival), with very striking
modulations and extremes of colourful dynamics.
Ave Maria is an early example of the genre, being composed in 1861.
This brief, a capella motet uses the rich texture of seven vocal parts
(SAATTBB), at first successively, before they unite at the name Jesus. It
opens with the Archangel Gabriel's salutation to the Virgin Mary at the
Annunciation (Luke 1:28). The traditional Catholic prayer continues with
Elizabeth's greeting to her cousin Mary (Luke 1:41), and concludes with
words adopted by the Council of Trent which, during the Catholic
Reformation, commissioned the Roman Catechism (published 1566).
The gradual Os justi is an a capella, eight-part setting (SSAATTBB) of
Psalm 37 v 30-31, composed in 1879. [The Gradual is one of the
responsorial chants of the Mass.]
Ecce sacerdos magnus is an antiphon and a responsory, adapted from
the Book of Wisdom (Ecclesiasticus). It was composed in 1885 and,
unlike the other Bruckner motets performed this evening, this eight-part
setting was written to be accompanied by three trombones and organ.
Ave Maria, gratia plena.
Hail, Mary, full of grace.
Dominus tecum.
The Lord is with thee.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et
Blessed art thou among women, and
benedictus fructus ventris tui,
blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Jesus.
Sancta Maria, mater Dei,
Holy Mary, mother of God,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus
pray for us sinners
nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Amen.
Vivace Chorus
7
Os justi meditabitur sapientiam,
The mouth of the righteous utters
et lingua ejus loquetur judicium.
wisdom,and his tongue speaks
what is just.
Lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius et:
The law of his God is in his heart;
non supplantabuntur gressus ejus.
and his steps do not falter.
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
Ecce sacerdos magnus, qui in
diebus suis placuit Deo.
Behold a great priest, who in
his days pleased God.
Ideo jurejurando fecit illum
Dominus crescere in plebem suam.
Therefore, by an oath, the Lord made
him increase among his people.
Benedictionem omnium gentium
He gave him the blessing
dedit illi
of all nations,
et testamentum suum confirmavit
and confirmed his covenant
super caput ejus.
Gloria Patri, et Filio,
upon his head.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son,
et Spiritui Sancto:
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc,
As it was in the beginning, is now and
and to the Holy Ghost.
et semper,
ever shall be.
et in saecula saeculorum.
World without end.
Amen.
Amen.
Gustav Mahler (1860 — 1911)
Mahler was born in Kalischt, Bohemia, which at that time was part of the
crumbling Austro-Hungarian empire. Mahler was admitted to the Vienna
Conservatoire aged 15 where, from 1875 to 1878, he studied the piano,
harmony and composition. However, he was not a virtuoso pianist and
his student and youthful works were already too forward-looking for him
to win the conservatively judged composition contests of the time. As a
result, Mahler was forced into a conducting career, the early part of
which was spent at a series of regional opera houses. He rose to
prominence after his appointment in 1897 as Musical Director of the
Vienna Opera, where he brought a stagnating opera house to a position
of unrivalled brilliance, especially during 1903-7. Mahler became one of
the most important and influential conductors of the period.
Like Bruckner, Mahler was renowned for his symphonic output, although
he wrote for the voice throughout his life. As he was forced to spend
most of the year conducting, throughout his career Mahler was, from his
country retreat,
a summer composer. He thus limited his composing to
only two genres — the symphony and lieder.
8
Vivace Chorus
In 1907 Mahler left Vienna for the USA, where he spent his last winters
as a conductor, first of the Metropolitan Opera and, from 1910, of the
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, although he continued to spend the
summers in Europe. Since childhood, Mahler had had a fear of and
preoccupation with death, intensified in 1907 by the diagnosis of the
heart condition which led to his early death 4 years later. He was buried
just outside the city of Vienna.
Mahler spent 14 years exploring the musical potential of German folk
poetry, and in particular, made settings of several works of the romantic
poet Friedrich Rlckert (1788 — 1866). These included poems from Des
Knaben
Wunderhorn
(The
Youth's
Miraculous
Horn)
and
Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the Death of Children).
The five song which comprise the Rdckert Lieder were written between
1901-2 and with the Kindertotenlieder, the first four songs were
premiered on 29 January 1905 in Vienna, with Mahler conducting. One
of the four was Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen, a wonderful
contemplation of artistic and spiritual isolation. "It is my very self" Mahler
told a friend, and can be regarded as the quintessence of what we
understand by the term 'Mahlerian'. Tonight's performance consists of an
arrangement for 16 voice parts, made by Clytus Gottwald in 1982.
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen,
| am lost to the world with which
Mit der ich sonst viele Zeit verdorben,
| used to waste so much time,
Sie hat so lange nichts von mir
It has heard nothing from me
vernommen,
for so long
Sie mag wohl glauben,
That it may very well believe
ich sei gestorben!
| am dead!
Es ist mir auch gar nichts daran gelegen,
It is of no consequence to me
Ob sie mich fiir gestorben hélt,
Ich kann auch gar nichts sagen dagegen,
Denn wirklich bin ich gestorben der Welt.
Whether it thinks me dead;
| cannot deny it,
For | really am dead to the world.
Ich bin gestorben dem Weltgetimmel,
| am dead to the world's tumult,
Und ruh'in einem stillen Gebiet!
Ich leb' allein in meinem Himmel,
And | rest in a quiet realm!
In meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied!
In my love and in my song!
| live alone in my heaven,
~ Jnterval~
Vivace Chorus
W A Mozart: Mass in C minor, K427
Unlike much of Mozart's music (including his Requiem), the Mass in
C minor was not commissioned, but was composed purely for his own
pleasure during 1782 and 1783. This was a particularly happy period in
Mozart's life, and the Mass was written especially in thanksgiving for his
marriage to Constanze Weber and the birth of their first child. The
completed sections were first performed in St Peter’s Church, Salzburg,
with Constanze taking one of the soprano solo parts. It is not known if or
how the missing sections were filled in — they may have been omitted
altogether, or more likely, 'borrowed' from Mozart's earlier masses.
At the time of composition, orchestral masses had fallen out of favour in
Austria; Mozart therefore set the work aside until 1785, when he re-used
the Kyrie and Gloria in the cantata Davidde penitente. The Mass itself
was left to fall into obscurity.
The remaining manuscript is incomplete, being devoid of the Credo
beyond Et incarnatus est, and the Agnus Dei is also missing. The
orchestration of the Credo and the Sanctus are also incomplete, and
require subsequent editorial reconstruction for the purpose of modern
performances.
Several editions and completions are available; the
edition used tonight is by Richard Maunder (Oxford University Press).
The Mass remains in its incomplete form, in five sections:
/
KYRIE
Il
GLORIA
Gloria in excelsis
Laudamus te
Gratias agimus tibi
Domine Deus
Qui tollis
Quoniam tu solus
Jesu Christe — cum Sancto Spiritu
I
CREDO
Credo in unum Deum
Et incarnatus est
IV
SANCTUS
V.
BENEDICTUS
10
Vivace Chorus
This solemn mass was written on the grandest scale. The piece also
carries the title of the 'Great’ Mass in C and is considered one of Mozart's
greatest works for orchestra and choir, along with his Requiem. In terms
of style, the piece draws considerably on Mozart’s study of the Baroque
masters — the influence of Bach and Handel are evident in the great
choral movements, which are unlike any in his previous sacred music for
Salzburg, and are echoed in parts of the Requiem nearly a decade later.
It is something of an irony that what are regarded as two of Mozart's
greatest choral works, the Mass and the Requiem, were left incomplete.
The general scoring is for pairs of oboes, bassoons, horns and trumpets,
plus three trombones, strings, timpani and an organ continuo. There is a
four-part chorus, together with two soprano soloists, one tenor and one
bass (but no alto). The scoring varies throughout the piece.
The work opens with a sombre Kyrie eleison from the chorus, followed
by Christe eleison for solo soprano, and the two forces combine for the
final Kyrie eleison.
The Gloria is the longest section, and is in seven contrasting
movements: the exultant Gloria in excelsis Deo is quietly followed by Et
in terra pax; a coloratura soprano aria (Laudamus te) then leads into the
five-part chorus Gratias agimus tibi. Domine Deus is a duet for two
sopranos and is followed by a double-dotted Qui tollis for double chorus.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus for three soloists is followed by a fugal Cum
Sancto Spiritu.
The two existing movements of the Credo are deeply contrasting: the
lively Credo in unum Deum is reminiscent of Mozart’s earlier masses,
whereas Etincarnatus est is a lilting siciliana which displays some of
Mozart’s finest writing for woodwind in the final cadenza. The eight-part
Sanctus is expansive and contrasts with the light, fugal Osanna. The four
soloists are united for the Benedictus and the work ends with a return to
the Osanna fugue.
Mass in C minor, K427
/
KYRIE
Kyrie eleison.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christe eleison.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
/]
GLORIA
Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax
hominibus bonae voluntatis.
Vivace Chorus
Glory be to God on high, and on earth
peace to men of goodwill.
11
Laudamus te, benedicimus te,
We praise Thee, we bless Thee,
Adoramus te, glorificamus te,
We worship Thee, we glorify Thee,
Gratias agimus tibi
We give thanks to Thee
propter magnam gloriam tuam.
for Thy great glory.
Domine Deus, Rex coelestis,
O Lord God, heavenly King,
Deus Pater omnipotens.
God The Father Almighty.
O Lord the only begotten Son,
Domine Fili unigenite,
Jesu Christe.
Filius Patris,
Jesus Christ.
O Lord, Lamb of God,
Son of the Father,
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
that takest away the sins of the world,
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,
miserere nobis,
have mercy upon us,
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe
Thou that takest away the sins of the
deprecationem nostrum,
world, receive our prayer,
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,
Thou that sittest at the right hand of the
miserere nobis.
Father, have mercy upon us.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus. Tu solus
For Thou only art holy. Thou only art
Dominus. Tu solus altissimus,
the Lord. Thou only art most high,
Jesu Christe, cum sancto Spiritu,
O Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
in the glory of God The Father. Amen.
l//]
CREDO
Credo in unum Deum, Patrem
| believe in one God, the Father
omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae,
Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
and of all things visible and invisible.
Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum,
Filium Dei unigenitum.
And in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only begotten Son of the Father.
Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
and born of the Father before all ages.
Deum de Deo, Lumen de lumine,
genitum non factum,
God of God; Light of Light;
true God of true God;
begotten not made;
Deum verum de Deo vero,
consubstantialem Patri,
consubstantial with the Father,
per quem omnia facta sunt.
by whom all things were made.
Qui propter nos homines et propter
Who for us men and for our salvation
nostram salutem descendit de coelis.
came down from heaven.
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
And was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
ex Maria Virgine:
born of the Virgin Mary;
et homo factus est.
and was made man.
12
Vivace Chorus
v
SANCTUS
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus,
Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.
Osanna in excelsis.
"4
Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God of Hosts.
Heaven and Earth are full of Thy glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
BENEDICTUS
Blessed is he who cometh
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Benedictus qui venit
in nomine Domini.
Osanna in excelsis.
Some of the printed music for this evening's concert has been hired from
Surrey County Council Performing Arts Library, the Hire Library at
Music Sales Ltd and Oxford University Press Hire Library.
Vivace Chorus
Registered Charity No 1026337
in the name of Guildford Philhnarmonic Choir
The staging for this concert is owned by the
Association of Surrey Choirs. To hire,
please contact Penny Peters, Guildford
Cathedral Office (tel: 01403 547860). It was
purchased with financial assistance from
the
Foundation
for
PO Box 20, Liverpool.
Sport
and
Financially assisted by
(@3 GUILDFORD
BOROUGH
Arts,
Printed by WORDCRAFT
115 Merrow Woods, Guildford, Surrey GU1 2LJ
Tel: 01483 560735
Vivace Chorus
13
Born
in
Wolverhampton,
Claire
studied at the Birmingham School of
Music,
at
Music
with
Kenneth
with
the
Royal
Rae
Bowen,
Academy
Woodland
and
of
and
subsequently
Linda Esther-Grey.
She joined
Kent Opera during her final year at
the
Academy,
Wessex
was
awarded
Glyndebourne
the
Association
Prize in 1998 and in 1999 made her
Glyndebourne Festival Opera debut
singing
the
role
of
Vitelia
(La
Clemenza di Tito).
Further
engagements
at
Glyndebourne included covering the
roles of Ellen Orford (Peter Grimes)
and the Countess (Le Nozze di
Figaro), followed by contracts with Opera de Lyon and Opera Europa.
One of the country’s most adaptable sopranos, Claire also enjoys
remarkable success in the early music field where she has worked with
ensembles such as The Tallis Scholars and the Gabrieli Consort, with
whom she made her BBC Proms debut in Handel’s Dixit Dominus. She
has also recorded the soprano solos in Allegri's Miserere for Regent
Records.
Claire’s oratorio experience is extremely broad and she is particularly
renowned
for
her
performances
of
Verdi’'s
Requiem,
Brahms’
Ein
deutsches Requiem and Mozart's C Minor Mass. Recent engagements
have included Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis in Winchester Cathedral and
Vaughan
Wiliams’
Sea
Symphony
in
Lichfield
Cathedral.
Future
engagements include Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis at the Barbican and
Verdi’'s Requiem in Guildford Cathedral.
In addition to the Allegri, Claire’s discography includes the role of The
Believer
in
Rutland
Boughton’s
Bethlehem
for
Naxos,
Brahms'
Ein deutsches Requiem with Jeremy Backhouse and the Vasari Singers
for Guild, and the world premiere of Jonathan Dove’s The far theatricals
of day with Nicholas Cleobury, which has recently been released by
Fleet Street Records. With the counter-tenor Andrew Watts, Claire has
recently
recorded
Pergolesi’'s
Stabat Mater,
again
for
Fleet
Street
Records.
14
Vivace Chorus
Nina
Bennet
and
English
East
Anglia,
embarking
the
studied
at the
Norwich,
on
Royal
London.
Philosophy
University of
before
musical training at
College
Whilst
of
there,
Music,
under
the
tutelage of Margaret Cable she
gained a Graduate Diploma in
Singing
and
a
Post-Graduate
Diploma in Early Music. She now
studies with Annette Thompson.
Recent concert platform work has included Haydn’s Creation and Nelson
Mass, Mozart’'s Coronation Mass and Requiem, and Bach’'s St John
Passion. She has also performed Haydn’s Little Organ Mass and Faure's
Requiem with the City of London Sinfonia, Bach’s Magnificat under Tim
Brown, Bach’s B Minor Mass and Monteverdi’'s Vespers with Charivari
Agreable in St John’s Smith Square, and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with
Peter Schreier, also in St John’s. Most recently she performed Vivaldi's
Gloria with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Cadogen Hall.
Nina has sung the role of Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring for Unicorn
Opera, Dido in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas in St James’ Piccadilly and
Bolsena Castle,
ltaly, with Counterpoint, and Cherubino in Mozart's
Marriage of Figaro and Clorinda in Rossini’s La Cenerentola for the RCM
opera scenes series.
Nina is becoming increasingly in demand in contemporary music and
recently performed Birtwistle’s Nine Settings of Celan with Kokoro, the
Bournemouth
Schoenberg’s
Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary ensemble, and
Pierrot Lunaire with Sequenza at the Oxford Lieder
Festival. She is also a versatile consort singer and recently went to
Germany with the Academy of Ancient Music under Richard Egarr. She
appears regularly with the BBC Singers, Collegium 90 and the Geoffrey
Mitchell Choir.
Future plans include a recording of a Thomas opera with Opera Rara
and a tour of Handel's Messiah in Spain, Italy and Holland with the
Academy of Ancient Music.
Vivace Chorus
15
Christopher Diffey — Tenor
Australian tenor Christopher Diffey was
born in Melbourne, gained a BMus at
Monash University and is currently studying
on the opera course at the Royal Academy
of Music with Philip Doghan and Audrey
Hyland. He is the recipient of the Norman
McCann Scholarship, Picker Trust Award
and Rhoda Jones Robert Scholarship.
He has sung the roles of Don Curzio (Le
(lolanta),
Alméric
Figaro),
di
nozze
Gherardo (Gianni Schicchi) and the title role
of Rameau’s Dardanus at the RAM. His
other operatic roles have included Almaviva
(I Barbiere di Siviglia) for Dartington
International Summer School; Bastien (Bastien und Bastienne);
Lensky (Eugene Onegin) for Opera by Definition; Macheath (The
Beggar's Opera) with Surrey Opera; Ernesto (Don Pasquale) for Lyric
Opera of Melbourne as well as Ralph Rackstraw (HMS Pinafore) and
Nanki Poo (The Mikado) for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Victoria.
On the concert platform his repertoire includes Bach's St Matthew
Passion and cantatas; Handel's Israel in Egypt and Messiah; Haydn's
Stabat Mater and Maria Theresa Mass; Mozart's Requiem, Litaniae
Lauretanae and Coronation Mass; Schubert's Mass in C and Mass in G,
and Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb. He has performed with groups
including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orchestra Victoria,
the Brandenburg Sinfonia, Lyric Opera Baroque Orchestra and the
London Pro Arte Orchestra. A keen recitalist, Christopher has performed
several of the major song cycles of Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann,
Brahms, Vaughan Williams, Britten and Tippett.
Christopher recently performed the tenor solos in performances of
Bach’s Mass in A Major with Gustav Leonhardt and the Orchestra of the
Age of Enlightenment as well as Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro with
John Copley and Sir Colin Davis. Future engagements include the role of
Sergei in Shostakovich's operetta Paradise Moscow with Royal Academy
Opera and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with Leeds Philharmonic and the
Manchester Camerata under David Hill.
16
Vivace Chorus
Kongseok Choi — Bass
Korean bass Kongseok Choi began his
musical training at Yon Sei University
in Seoul, where he graduated with a
first-class honours degree.
4v
In
December
prestigious
A
2006
scholarship
he
won
to
a
Royal
Academy Opera, where now he studies
with
Mark
Surgenor.
Wildman
and
Ingrid
Since
his time at the Academy,
Kongseok took part in many Masterclasses with Diana Forlano, Robert
Tear and Leo Nucci in the Georg Solti
Academy in ltaly, in summer 2007.
He has appeared as a soloist in
Handel's Messiah, Schubert's Mass No. 2 in G major and Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 9 in D minor in Korea, and Mozart's Requiem at St
Martin-in-the-Fields, London.
Kongseok’s operatic experiences include Papageno and Sprecher
(Die Zauberfiéte), King Rene (lolanta) and Bartolo cover cast (Le nozze
di Figaro with Sir Colin Davis). He has also performed Opera Tableaux in
the role of Méphistofélés (Faust) with Royal Academy Opera, and in an
opera gala concert in Cambridge last year.
He is the recipient of many awards and prizes, including the Richard
Lewis/Jean Shanks Award and the Blyth-Buesst Operatic Singing Prize.
Vivace Chorus
17
Jeremy Backhouse
Jeremy Backhouse began his musical career in Canterbury Cathedral,
where he was Head Chorister, and later studied music at Liverpool
University. He spent 5 years as Music Editor at the Royal National
Institute for the Blind, where he was responsible for the transcription of
print music into Braille. In 1986 he joined EMI Records as a Literary
Editor and from April 1990 he combined work as a Consultant Editor for
EMI Classics with a career as a freelance conductor. In November 2004,
Jeremy joined Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers and now works for
them in a freelance capacity.
In January 1995, Jeremy was appointed Chorus Master and
subsequently Music Director of the Guildford Philharmonic Choir (now
Vivace Chorus). Major works performed in Guildford Cathedral include
Mahler's Symphony No. 2 and Symphony No. 8, Prokofiev's Alexander
Nevsky, Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man
and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 (Lobgesang).
Jeremy is also the conductor of the Vasari Singers, widely acknowledged
as one of the finest chamber choirs in the country, performing choral
music from the Renaissance right up to contemporary commissions. In
2005, the choir and Jeremy celebrated their 25th anniversary together.
Jeremy has also worked with a number of the country's leading choirs,
including the Philharmonia Chorus, the London Choral Society and the
Brighton Festival Chorus. For 6 years, to the end of 2004, Jeremy was
the Music Director of the Wooburn Singers, only the third conductor in
the distinguished history of the choir, following Sir Richard Hickox (who
founded the choir in 1967) and most recently, Stephen Jackson.
18
Vivace Chorus
Qt.hc d
b)
W urg
Artistic Director — Robert Porter
Associate Music Director — Sarah Tenant-Flowers
The Brandenburg Sinfonia is one of the most dynamically versatile
musical organisations in the country. It is renowned for its special quality
of sound and poised vivacity in performance. The orchestra performs
regularly in the majority of the major venues across the country, and in
London at the Barbican Halls, Royal Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall,
Fairfield and St John's, Smith Square. The Brandenburg Sinfonia is also
in great demand abroad and in recent years has visited France, USA,
Bermuda, the Channel Islands, Barbados, Cyprus, Malta and Russia
(St Petersburg). In 1999 the orchestra established a major concert series
at St Martin-in-the-Fields.
A large number of artists of international standing have worked with the
orchestra including Emmanuel Hurwitz, Lesley Garrett, John Georgiadis,
John
Wallace,
Michael
Thompson and Gordon Hunt. Its repertoire
Lloyd Webber and its members give around
100 performances of orchestral, chamber, choral and operatic music
during the year. The orchestras for a number of touring companies are
formed from members of the Brandenburg Sinfonia including First Act
Opera, London City Opera, Opera Holland Park, London Opera Players
ranges from
Bach to
and Central Festival Opera.
Violin 1
Viola
Susannah Candlin
Flute
Julia Knight
Fergus Davidson
John Mills
Sophie Appleton
Julian Saxl
Samantha
Wickeameinads
s
Rachel Robson
Morgan Goff
Hanorah Farrell
Cello
Patrick Jones
Oboe
~ Ruth Contractor
Rachel Broadbent
Bassoon
Horn
Evgeny Chebykin
Susie Walker
Trumpet
Christopher Deacon
Gillian Hicks
Dominika Rosiek
Ben Rogerson
Kotono Satu
Adam McKenzie
Dominic O'Dell
Trombone
Emily Stienitz
Rosemary Cow
William Rudge
Susan Cordiner
Violin 2
Rebecca Scott
Helena Ruinard
Haloy Woolf
Bass
Beverley Jones
A
-
Anita Langridge
Emma Juliet Boyd
Andrew Lester
Percussion
Tristan Fr
y
Tee Khoon Tang
Louisa Aldridge
Alice Rickards
Organ — Andrew Earis
Vivace Chorus
19
Vivace Chorus
Vivace Chorus came into being in May 2005, when to reflect its
independent status, the former Guildford Philharmonic Choir 'rebranded'
itself. The choir was founded in 1947, and will therefore be celebrating
with a 60th Anniversary Concert at the end of the 2007 season.
Vivace Chorus enjoys a challenging and varied concert repertoire,
performing works spanning the last five centuries — some well-known,
but also many rarities deserving to be heard by a wider audience. By
way of recent demonstration: the 2004/05 season finished with Karl
Jenkins' The Armed Man (2000) as the first in our Contemporary Choral
Classics Cycle (CCCC), a projected 4-year innovative series of works
from the late 20th and 21st century. The 2005/6 season began with
Mendelssohn’s epic choral Symphony No. 2 (Lobgesang) — a work rarely
heard in the UK. By contrast, our next concert was devoted to the 'Pillars
of the Baroque' — Bach and Handel. The second CCCC concert included
the haunting Evening Hymns of Humphrey Clucas; it was only slightly
disconcerting to know he was sitting in the audience!
In addition to Brahms' Schicksalslied and Bruckner's Te Deumn, our first
concert of the 2006/7 season included three delightful choral works by
Hugo Wolf, virtually unknown repertoire in the UK. The Music Makers,
which followed, was quintessentially English — the music of Elgar, Parry
and Vaughan Williams. But the highlight of the year was undoubtedly our
CCCC concert and first-ever foray into the world of jazz. Here we sang
and swung to the music of Bob Chilcott, John Rutter and especially to
Will Todd's Mass in Blue, accompanied by the composer, complete with
his jazz trio, jazz band and his outstanding soloist wife, the soprano
Bethany Halliday. The audience loved it too — we had a standing ovation!
During the summer break, we sang our third consecutive 'Last Night of
the Proms' charity concert at a packed Fairfield Halls, Croydon. This was
a big success, as well as great fun for audience and performers alike.
With our good friends the Brandenburg Sinfonia, we also sing at least
once a year in the inspiring venue of St Martin-in-the-Fields, performing
works such as Mozart's Requiem. This is always a wonderful experience.
If you are interested in singing with us, please contact Jane Brooks,
membership@vivacechorus.org. Rehearsals are held on Monday
evenings throughout term time in central Guildford and prospective
members are most welcome to attend rehearsals on an informal basis
before committing to an audition. For more information, see our website
at www.vivacechorus.org.
20
Vivace Chorus
Vivace Chorus
FIRST SOPRANOS
Joanna Andrews
Helen Beevers
FIRST ALTOS
FIRST TENORS
Penny Baxter
Bob Cowell
Monika Boothby
Tim Hardyment
Mary Broughton
Jane Brooks
Miranda Champion
Nick Manning
Liz Durning
Elaine Chapman
John Trigg
Rachel Edmondson
Celia Embleton
Sue Fletcher
Rosemary Holloway
Ingrid Hardiman
Hilary Minor
Susan Norton
Robin Onslow
Rachel Owen
Margaret Parry
Kay McManus
Christine Medlow
Rosalind Milton
Marjory Rollo
Margaret Perkins
Lesley Scordellis
Gillian Rix
Emma Roberts
Catherine Shacklady
Sarah Thomson
Hilary Trigg
Pamela Woodroffe
Judy Smith
Carol Terry
Nikki Vale
Mary Moon
SECOND TENORS
John Bawden
Bob Bromham
Tony Chantler
lan Landsborough
Stephen Linton
Chris Robinson
FIRST BASSES
John Britten
Michael Golden
Keith Hester
Chris Peters
SECOND ALTOS
Robin Privett
Deborah Bayliss
Jacqueline Alderton
Anna Arthur
David Ross
Evelyn Beastall
Sylvia Chantler
Barbara Barklem
Josephine Field
Barry Sterndale-Bennett
Andrea Dombrowe
SECOND SOPRANOS
Jane Kenney
Mary Clayton
Carolyn Edis
Judith Lewy
Valerie Edwards
Krystyna Marsden
Elizabeth Massey
Valerie Garrow
Lois McCabe
Alison Newbery
Alison Palmer
Kate Emerson
Barbara Hilder
Susan Hinton
Carol Hobbs
Kate Peters
Sheila Hodson
Rosalind Plowright
Yvonne Hungerford
Susannah Priede
Brenda Moore
Vivien Rieden
Jacqueline Norman
Isobel Rooth
Beryl Northam
Ann Sheppard
Prue Smith
Yvette Smith
Rosey Storey
Kathy Stickland
Claire Townsend
Paula Sutton
June Windle
Christine Wilks
Frances Worpe
Elisabeth Yates
Vivace Chorus
Philip Stanford
Kieron Walsh
SECOND BASSES
Peter Andrews
Roger Barrett
Alan Batterbury
Norman Carpenter
Dave Cox
Geoffrey Forster
James Garrow
Nick Gough
Michael Jeffery
Neil Martin
Maxwell New
Clive Perry
Chris Short
Michael Taylor
21
Choir Functionaries
Jeremy Backhouse
Music Director
Jeremy Filsell
Accompanist
The Committee
John Trigg MBE
Bob Cowell
Isobel Rooth
Jane Brooks
Jackie Alderton
Rosey Storey
Hilary Trigg
Chairman
email: chairman@vivacechorus.org
Hon. Treasurer
email: treasurer@vivacechorus.org
Hon. Secretary
email: secretary@vivacechorus.org
Membership Secretary
email: membership@vivacechorus.org
Ladies’ uniforms
Mailings Coordinator ~ Tel. 01932 343625
email: mailing@vivacechorus.org
Minutes Secretary
Publicity
email: publicity@vivacechorus.org
Michael Taylor
Tel. 07958 519741
Ticket Sales
email: tickets@vivacechorus.org
Noreen Ayton
Methodist Church liaison
James Garrow
Fund-raising/Social events
Miranda Champion
Other responsibilities
Christine Medlow
Music Librarian
Helen Beevers
Patrons Liaison
email: patrons@vivacechorus.org
Chris Peters
Website coordinator
Chris Alderton
Front of House
Brenda Moore
Programme notes, soloists’ liaison & advertising
22
Vivace Chorus
Patrons and Friends of
Vivace Chorus
Vivace Chorus is extremely grateful to all Patrons and Friends
for their financial support.
Patrons
Dr. J.B.R. Arbuckle
Mr. & Mrs. G. Dombrowe
Dr. Roger Barrett
Golden and Associates
Mrs. E.A. Batterbury
Mrs. Carol Hobbs
Mr. Bill Bellerby MBE
Mr. Laurie James
Mrs. Doreen Bellerby MBE
Mrs. Christine Medlow
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Bennett
Mr. Ron Medlow
Mr. G.S. Blacker
Dr. Roger Muray
Mrs. J. G. Blacker
Mr. & Mrs. Maxwell S. New
Mr. & Mrs. R.H.R. Broughton
Mr. & Mrs. John Parry
Mr. H.J.C. Browne
Mrs. Jean Radley
Mrs. Maryel Cowell
Mr. & Mrs. B. Reed
Mrs Jane Crane
Dr. & Mrs. M.G.M. Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Philip Davies
Miss Enid Weston
Mr. Michael Dawe
Mrs. Margaret Dentskevich
Friends
Mrs. K.C. Stickland
Mrs. M. van Koetsveld
As a Patron and in return for donating £25 or more per annum, you will
be kept informed of future concerts and given priority booking at our own
concerts. You may book an unlimited number of reserved seats at the
Cathedral where the concert is sponsored by Vivace Chorus.
New Patrons and Friends are always welcome. If you are interested in
participating, please contact Helen Beevers, Tel.
01252 313963, or
email: patrons@vivacechorus.org
Vivace Chorus
23
CONCERT BOUQUETS from 'The French Connection' (17 Nov 2007)
"It was such a good programme and a joy to see the
two Jeremies making music together for the entire
evening. The solo organ pieces were brilliant and the
choir was accompanied with great sensitivity. It was
also a joy to hear the choir so clearly throughout
the concert. The piano/pianissimo passages were
beautifully sung and the phrasing could really be
appreciated."
"This was anything but a routine programme and one
which I found surprisingly enjoyable. Having only an
organ for accompaniment exposed the choir to a
degree I've not heard before, and revealed your
excellent standard of singing. I can't believe that
you're lucky enough to have that wonderful organist
as your usual accompanist, but that may partly
explain the close rapport between you, which made
the evening so successful."
"Vivace Chorus presented an evening of wonderful
music..The Quatre Motets were performed with
skill and enthusiasm and included some truly
beautiful moments..The highlight of the concert
was Poulenc's &loria; the choir provided a spirited
performance and conveyed their enjoyment of the
piece..."
[The Surrey Advertiser]
CONCERT BOUQUETS from the Christmas Charity
Gala Concert on behalf of GRACE (19 Dec 2007)
"I've had nothing but favourable feedback, both from
the audience on the night and afterwards from people I
know. One comment was: "The choir’s singing was simply
wonderful". Several people said that they had no idea
there was such a brilliant choir on their doorstep!"
24
Vivace Chorus
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S
SO
NG e s
Come and
join us at
our next
Concert :
CLASS|C
CountdovenL=} ‘
A 60TH
ANNlVE
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Some of ou
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Faure; Can
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Adagio for Str
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Requiem
Phony No,
Conducto
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The Bran
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beauti
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7-30pm
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Saturday
17t May
2008
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Register
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tart our r!ext
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1st/November 2008.
www.VivaceChorus.org
Registered Charity No 1026337
sey
both
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,
Viennese Masters
Vivace
Chorus
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Haydn: Insanae et vanae curae
Bruckner: Ave Maria, Os justi, Ecce sacerdos
Mabhler: Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus, Mass in C minor
There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm.
Vivace Chorus
Brandenburg Sinfonia
Conductor Jeremy Backhouse
« Guildford Cathedral
Saturday 1st March 2008 at 7.30pm
£20.00 - Reserved (Front Nave)
Ticket No. FNR
Car Parking
Space at the Cathedral is very limited. You are advised to come early and use the
Surrey University Car Parks 1 & 2.
Take the Surrey University exit from the roundabout. Car Park 1 is about 100m on
the left. Follow the road further round to reach Car Park 2 marked on your left.
After parking, follow the (pedestrian) Campus road opposite CP 1, or the path from
CP 2 past Austin Pearce Building and then follow signs to the Cathedral (400m).
Please note: Parking at the University is not suitable for disabled people.
Interval Drinks
These can be ordered at the West End of the Cathedral before the performance.
Dates for your Diary
Saturday 17th May 2008: Gala Concert to celebrate our 60th year of singing,
Guildford Cathedral, 7.30pm.
Saturday 1st November 2008: Verdi Requiem, Guildford Cathedral, 7.30pm
with the Freiburg Bachchor.
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1~5O2-03