EIN DEUTSCHES REQUIEM
PARRY
3 choral pieces
Elegy to Brahms
The Brandenburg Sinfonia
Conductor: Jeremy Backhouse
Saturday
oth Nov 2011
7:30 pPm
Guildford
Cathedral
Royal Grammar School
Gulldford
wodindeper
‘ dzyfu:
SATIES
01483 880600
Registered Charity No. 312028
admlssmns@rgs-guildford.co.uk
www.rgs-guildford.co.uk
Parry
I was Glad
Long since in Egypt’s
Plenteous Land, from Judith
Elegy for Brahms
Blest Pair of Sirens
Brahms
Ein deutsches Requiem
Claire Seaton
Soprano
Michael Bundy
Bass
The Brandenburg Sinfonia
Conductor Jeremy Backhouse
Tonight's concert is being held in Guildford Cathedral
by kind permission of the Dean and Chapter.
6.30pm in the Chapter House
Martin is an accomplished lecturer, conductor, singer and keyboard
player. He has a long association with the Vivace Chorus, as deputy
accompanist and conductor, and as a performer, having taken part in
several of our concerts as organist, pianist and harpsichordist. He
received his musical education at the Royal Academy of Music, where he §
was a prizewinner, and New College Oxford, where he returned as a
member of the music staff. Martin directs the accomplished professional
chamber orchestra the Kensington Sinfonia.
Brahms and Parry both worked during an age when severe doubt was
beginning to be expressed about the tenets of orthodox Christianity, yet
they produced masterpieces setting religious texts. Why did they elect to
set such texts and how did they manage to do so convincingly and, it
| would seem, sincerely?
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
| talk should finish at 7.10pm, allowing time to order refreshments etc.
Broadly Baroque, March 2011
"Your Baroque concert was really excellent in every respect.
The of f-stage choir in the Allegri Miserere meiproduced an
electrifying, almost ethereal sound, and the Handel Dixit
S Dominus with its hugely challenging dynamics was first rate.
¥ Add the Pergolesi and Buxtehude - what more could one wish
for? A beautifully performed and balanced programme.”
Douglas J ack Chcur'man Godalmmg Choral Socue‘ry
Flash photography, audio and video recording are not permltted
without the prior written consent of the Vivace Chorus. Please also
kindly switch off all mobile phones and alarms on digital watches.
3>
Vivace Chorus
:
Why Parry and Brahms?
In his day, Parry, a musician capable of unsurpassed beauty, profundity
and innovation, was widely regarded as the finest British composer since
Purcell. Brahms, born only 15 years before him, was his greatest musical
influence. On hearing of his death, Parry wrote the Elegy for Brahms,
presented tonight, in his memory. In a year when Parry’s music was
brought to wide public notice at the recent royal wedding, we are
delighted to present a varied programme of works from these two, almost
contemporaneous, great composers.
Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848 — 1918)
Born into a wealthy Victorian family, Parry first
took music lessons while a student at Eton. His
talent was such that he was awarded a Bachelor
of Music degree from Oxford aged 18. He
published his first orchestral work in 1878 (Piano
Concerto in F# minor), and went on to compose a
wide variety of works: oratorios, libretti, chamber
and orchestral pieces, cantatas, odes, choral
works and solo songs. Among the most famous
of his works,
in addition to some of tonight's
pieces, are the Songs of Farewell and the hymn
Jerusalem.
In 1883, Parry became a teacher at the Royal College of Music; he rose
to be its second director, 1894 — 1918. During this period, he published
several books, including The Art of Music (1893 & 1896) and The Music
of the Seventeenth Century (1902). As scholar, teacher and composer,
Parry had a great influence on the English musical renaissance of the
late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially as, in his teaching role, he
came into contact with so many of the next generation of composers.
His
upper-middle
class
background
and
conservative
mien
hid
a
character of deep sensitivity and he was regarded as a kindly man,
beloved of his students and respected for his integrity by his colleagues
and contemporaries.
Parry was knighted in 1898 and made a baronet in 1903 but, despite his
achievements,
much
of
his
music
remains
sadly
neglected,
being
overshadowed by works of better-known contemporaries and successors
such as Elgar and Vaughan Williams.
Vivace Chorus
3
| was Glad
This majestic anthem was written for the coronation of Edward VII in
1902, and reflects the imperial grandeur of the occasion. It has been
played for the entry of the monarch at every coronation since, as well as
recently at the wedding of Prince William (along with Blest Pair of
Sirens). The words are from Psalm 122.
| was glad, glad when they said unto me
We will go into the house of the Lord.
Our feet shall stand in thy gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is builded as a city
That is at unity in itself.
O pray for the peace of Jerusalem,
They shall prosper that love thee,
Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces.
Long since in Egypt’s Plenteous Land from the oratorio
Judith
The melody of this extract from Parry’s oratorio, Judith, has become
famous as the tune of the hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind,
known in that context as ‘Repton’. Judith, published in 1888, is based
rather loosely on the exploits of Judith set in the reign of Manasseh in the
7th century BC. The oratorio’s theme is of God's power of deliverance
when his people remain faithful to him. Long since in Egypt's Plenteous
Land tells the story of Exodus. During the first act of the oratorio, in a
scene entitled ‘The Children’, this ballad is sung to the children of the
kKing.
Yet once again will | tell to you
The old familiar story
So, when | pass away,
Ye too shall tell unto your children
The loving Kindness of our God.
Long since in Egypt’s plenteous land,
Our fathers were oppressed,
But God, whose chosen folk they were,
Smote those who long enslaved them there,
And all their woes redressed.
4
Vivace Chorus
The Red Sea stayed them not at all,
Nor depths of liquid green;
On either hand a mighty wall
Of waters clear rose high at His call,
And they passed through between.
In deserts wild they wandered long,
They sinned, and went astray;
But yet His arm to help was strong,
He pardoned them tho’ they did wrong,
And brought them on their way.
At last to this good land they came,
With fruitful plenty blest;
Here glorious men won endless fame,
Here God made holy Zion’s name,
And here He gave them rest.
Oh, may we ne’er forget what He hath done,
Nor prove unmindful of His love,
That, like the constant sun,
On Israel hath shone,
And sent down blessings from above.
Elegy for Brahms
Parry’s orchestral pieces, including five symphonies, a set of Symphonic
Variations in E minor, the Overture to an Unwritten Tragedy and the
Elegy for Brahms, were considered by the critics of his day to be less
important than his other works. Indeed the Elegy, written in 1897, the
year of Brahms’ death, was not performed until Parry’s own memorial
concert at the Royal College of Music, in November 1918 — a singularly
poignant time to perform in England a tribute to a German composer. It
was not until relatively recently, at the end of the 20th century, that these
works started to receive the recognition they deserve.
The Elegy for Brahms evinces the emotions Parry felt at the loss of his
musical hero. From the expressive opening to the intensely moving
ending, Parry demonstrates his ability to write music of unsurpassed
beauty and depth. Whilst not a deliberate pastiche, the influence of
Brahms can be heard in some of the writing, particularly for strings and in
places for woodwind too. It is Parry at his most passionate and, to quote
tonight’s conductor, “I defy anyone to remain unmoved by it.”
Vivace Chorus
5
Blest Pair of Sirens
Blest Pair of Sirens is a setting of Milton’s At a Solemn Musick, which
exalts the twin muses of Voice and Verse. Written in 1887 and dedicated
to Stanford, this is Parry at his glorious best.
Blest pair of Sirens, pledges of Heaven's joy,
Sphere-born harmonious sisters, Voice and Verse,
Wed your divine sounds, and mixt pow'r employ,
Dead things with inbreathed sense able to pierce;
And to our high-raised phantasy present
That undisturbed song of pure concent,
Aye sung before the sapphire-coloured throne
To Him that sits thereon,
With saintly shout and solemn jubilee;
Where the bright Seraphim, in burning row,
Their loud, uplifted angel-trumpets blow,
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.
That we on earth with undiscording voice,
May rightly answer that melodious noise;
As once we did, till disproportioned sin
Jarr'd 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 first obedience, and their state of good.
O may we soon again renew that song
And keep in tune with Heaven, till God ere long
To His celestial consort us unite,
To live with Him and sing in endless morn of light!
~ Interval ~
Drinks, which may be ordered in the Cathedral before the concert, will be
served in the Refectory.
6
Vivace Chorus
Discover a centre of culture
in the heart of Guildford
oGuildfo rd
e
The Guildford Institute is a local
=
= 1Ins : - 5 -& 1" ute
charity committed to providing
e
cmultural it
A UNIQUE
PLACE IN THE
HEART OF GUILDFORD
in a social atmosphere.
We offer a wide range of talks,
courses, trips, activities and exhibitions,
a unique library and a vegetarian
restaurant for morning coffee and lunch.
Open to all.
Ward Street, Guildford GU1 4LH
www.guildford-institute.org.uk
For a brochure call 01483 562142
JOHNHARWOOD
Optometrists & Contact Lens Practitioners
Vision For The Future
Visit our new Woking premises to view our
extensive range of designer frames
17 Commercial Way, Woking, Surrey GU21 6XR
Telephone: 01483 766800
Email: woking@johnharwood.co.uk
also at Camberley, Fleet & Guildford
CENTENARY
Vivace Chorus
CELEBRATION
19311
-
2348
}1
-
Johannes Brahms (1833 — 1897)
Born in Hamburg, Germany, on May 7,
1833, Brahms was the son of a double
bassist, who taught him to play the
violin and piano. He showed great
promise as a musician from his very
early years, and by his twenties had
Robert
notice of
come to the
only
not
Schumann
Schumann.
befriended him but also, impressed by
the young Brahms’ talent, became his
most ardent supporter and did much to
promote his career.
Following Schumann’s illness and
subsequent death in 1856, Brahms
became a close friend of his widow,
i
:
Clara, herself a pianist and composer. It was not until 1866, following the
death also of his mother, that Brahms wrote Ein deutsches Requiem —
his ‘Requiem in the German language’ — a work that contains some of
the most beautiful, uplifting and profound musical utterances from the
hand of any composer and that, perhaps more than any other, confirmed
his reputation as one of the greats.
As his career developed, he became established in the leading musical
city of Vienna, fulfiling the promise that Schumann had predicted, with
perhaps his greatest accolade being his inclusion by the famous
conductor Hans von Biilow in the ‘Three Bs’ — Bach, Beethoven and
Brahms.
Clearly continuing the line of German tradition, Brahms remained faithful
to classical principles. His works, whether symphonies, vocal works,
chamber or piano music, are full of emotion, yet never abandon classical
structural norms. His adherence to this tradition brought him into lively
conflict with the 'New German School' whose principal figures included
Liszt and Wagner.
Brahms died in 1897 and was buried in the Zentralfriedhof (Central
Cemetery), in Vienna. Such was his renown that on the day of his funeral
all the ships in Hamburg, the city of his birth, lowered their flags to
half-mast.
8
Vivace Chorus
Ein deutsches Requiem
I
Selig sind, die da Leid tragen
I
Denn alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras
1
Herr, lehre doch mich
v
Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen
Vv
Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit
Vi
Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt
Vii
Selig sind die Toten
For some years Brahms had been considering various ideas for his
Requiem, but it was not until 1866, when he was 33, that he began work
on it seriously. It was completed the following year with the exception of
the fifth movement, which he added later in order to achieve a more
balanced structure. In its incomplete form, Ein deutsches Requiem was
first heard in Bremen Cathedral on Good Friday 1868. The final version
was performed the following year at Leipzig’s famous concert-hall, the
Gewandhaus.
Brahms may have written the Requiem in memory of his mother, who
died in 1865; it is equally possible that he had in mind his great friend
and mentor, Robert Schumann, whose madness and tragic death had
profoundly affected the young Brahms. The composer himself gave no
indication of whose memorial the Requiem might be, if indeed it was any
one person’s. As with all great music, the universal message of its vision
transcends the circumstances of its conception.
The work’s title reflects Brahms’ use of the Lutheran Bible rather than the
customary Latin one. He compiled the text himself from both Old and
New Testaments, and from the Apocrypha. It has little in common with
the conventional Requiem Mass, and omits any reference to the Last
Judgement - a central feature of the Catholic liturgy - and any final plea
for mercy or prayers for the dead. It also makes only a passing reference
in the last movement to Christian redemption through the death of Jesus.
Not surprisingly, then, the title of Requiem has at times been called into
question, but Brahms’ stated intention was to write a requiem to comfort
the living, not one for the souls of the dead. Consequently the work
focuses on faith in the Resurrection rather than fear of the Day of
Judgement. Despite its unorthodox text, Ein deutsches Requiem was
immediately recognised as a masterpiece of exceptional vision, and it
finally confirmed Brahms’ reputation as a composer of international
stature.
Vivace Chorus
9
The similarity of the opening and closing movements serves to unify the
whole work, while the funeral march of the second is balanced by the
triumphant theme of the resurrection in the towering sixth movement.
Similarly, the baritone solo in the third movement, Herr, lehre doch mich,
is paralleled in the fifth by the soprano solo, /hr habt nun Traurigkeit. The
lyrical fourth section, Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen, is therefore at
the
heart of the work,
framed
by the solemnity of the first three
movements and the transition from grief to the certainty of comfort in the
last three.
This carefully balanced architecture is matched by an equally firm
musical structure based on two principal ideas which Brahms skilfully
uses in a variety of subtle guises throughout the work. The most
important of these occurs at the opening choral entry and consists of the
first three notes sung by the sopranos to the words Selig sind. Brahms
uses this musical cell as the main building block of the whole piece,
subjecting it to a variety of transformations, including upside-down and
back-to-front versions, both of which play as significant a role as the
original form. The other important musical idea is a chorale-like melody
played by the violas at the very beginning. Its most obvious
reappearance is in the second movement, now in a minor key, as an
expansive melody sung by the choir in unison. Brahms had recently
discovered the cantatas of J S Bach, and there seems little doubt that
this theme was derived from a very similar chorale melody in Bach'’s
Cantata No. 27.
The opening movement, the text of which is one of the beatitudes from
the Sermon on the Mount, begins in hushed and sombre mood, reflected
in the orchestration by the temporary absence of the violins. As the
music proceeds, however, mourning is transformed into comfort.
The second movement, in the dark key of B flat minor, is centred on the
heavy rhythms of a funeral march, with the chorus proclaiming the
inevitability of man’s fate, Denn alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras (For all flesh
is as grass). A lighter central episode provides some brief respite before
the funeral march returns. Eventually, at Aber des Herrn Wort bleibet
(But the word of the Lord endureth), an energetic allegro emerges, once
more transfiguring darkness into light and leading to a glorious
conclusion.
In the third movement, the baritone soloist and chorus begin by
pondering the transience of human existence. The soloist then asks, Nun
Herr, wes soll ich mich trésten? (And now, Lord, how shall | find
comfort?) and the reply, Ich hoffe auf dich (My hope is in thee), wells up
10
Vivace Chorus
from
the depths in a rising crescendo of affirmation. This leads
seamlessly into a broad, imposing fugue, remarkable for its omnipresent
pedal D which, whilst creating considerable tension during the fugue
itself, also provides an unshakeable foundation for the final resolution.
After the intensity of the first three movements, the pivotal fourth, a
serene pastorale, provides the opportunity for contemplation and rest.
This is music of exceptional beauty, and it is hardly surprising that this
movement is so widely known and loved.
The fifth movement features a sublime soprano solo accompanied by
woodwind,
horns
and
muted
strings.
The
chorus,
too,
plays
an
accompanying role. Whereas the baritone soloist in the third movement
sang of grief and doubt, the soprano’s message here is one of maternal
consolation.
Brahms reserves his most dramatic music for the imposing sixth
movement. It begins in reflective mood, but soon the baritone soloist
introduces the familiar verses
Wir werden nicht alle entschlafen, wir
werden aber alle verwandelt werden ... zu der Zeit der letzten Posaune
(We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed ... at the sound of the
last trumpet), at which point the music explodes into a blaze of sound
and energy. The intensity builds to a climax at Hélle, wo ist dein Sieg?
(Hell, where is thy victory?) and a majestic fugue then ensues. In the
middle of this fugue two fortissimo climaxes grow out of an exhilarating
orchestral ‘Jacob’s ladder’ that reaches up to heaven as it passes from
the bass instruments right up to the flutes and violins. The movement
ends with a final powerful statement.
The last movement begins with a radiant melody from the sopranos,
followed by the basses. The moving final section is a subtle reworking of
music from the very opening, and the Requiem reaches its peaceful
conclusion at the same word with which it began: Selig (Blessed).
John Bawden
I. Selig sind, die da Leid tragen,
. Blessed are they that mourn:
denn sie sollen getréstet werden.
for they shall be comforted.
Die mit Trénen séen,
They that sow in tears
werden mit Freuden ernten.
shall reap in joy.
Sie gehen hin und weinen
They that go forth and weep,
und tragen edlen Samen,
bearing precious seed,
und kommen mit Freuden
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
und bringen ihre Garben.
bringing their sheaves with them.
Vivace Chorus
11
Il. Denn alles Fleisch, es ist wie Gras
Il. For all flesh is as grass
und alle Herrlichkeit des Menschen
wie des Grases Blumen.
and all the glory of man
as the flower of grass.
Das Gras ist verdorret
The grass withereth,
und die Blume abgefallen.
and the flower falleth away.
So seid nun geduldig, lieben Briider,
Be patient therefore, brethren,
bis auf die Zukunft des Herrn.
Siehe, ein Ackermann wartet
unto the coming of the Lord.
Behold, the farmer waiteth
auf die késtliche Frucht der Erde
for the precious fruit of the earth
und ist geduldig dariber,
bis er empfahe den Morgenregen
and hath long patience for it,
until he receive the morning
und Abendregen.
and evening rain.
Aber des Herrn Wort bleibet in Ewigkelit.
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
Die Erloseten des Hermn
And the redeemed of the Lord
werden wiederkommen
shall return,
und gen Zion kommen miit Jauchzen;
and come to Zion with songs
ewige Freude wird (ber ihrem Haupte sein;
Freude und Wonne werden sie ergreifen,
und Schmerz und Seufzen wird weg miissen.
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and everlasting joy upon their heads;
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
lll. Herr, lehre doch mich,
lll. Lord, make me to know
dall ein Ende mit mir haben mul3,
mine end, and the measure of my days,
what it is: that | may know
und mein Leben ein Ziel hat,
und ich davon muR.
how frail | am.
vor dir,
Behold, Thou hast made my days as an
handbreadth;
und mein Leben ist wie nichts vor dir.
and mine age is as nothing before Thee.
Ach wie gar nichts sind alle Menschen,
All men that still walk the earth are
Siehe, meine Tage sind einer Hand breit
die doch so sicher leben.
hardly as anything.
Sie gehen daher wie ein Schemen,
und machen ihnen viel vergebliche Unruhe,
They go hence like a shadow:
And all their noise comes to nothing;
sie sammeln und wissen nicht
wer es kriegen wird.
Nun Herr, wes soll ich mich trésten?
who shall inherit them.
They heapeth up riches, and knoweth not
Ich hoffe auf dich.
And now, Lord, how shall | find comfort?
My hope is in Thee.
Der Gerechten Seelen sind in Gottes Hand
und keine Qual riihret sie an.
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of
God and no torment shall touch them.
IV. Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen,
Herr Zebaoth!
IV. How lovely are Thy tabernacles,
Meine Seele verlanget und sehnet sich
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth
nach den Vorhéfen des Herm;
for the courts of the Lord,;
12
Vivace Chorus
mein Leib und Seele freuen sich
my body and soul rejoice
in dem lebendigen Gott.
for the living God.
Wohl denen, die in deinem Hause wohnen,
die loben dich immerdar.
they praise Thee evermore.
V. Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit;
V. And ye now therefore have sorrow:
aber ich will euch wieder sehen
Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house:
but | will see you again,
und euer Herz soll sich freuen,
and your heart shall rejoice,
und eure Freude
and your joy
soll niemand von euch nehmen.
no man taketh from you.
Ich will euch trésten,
Thee will | comfort
wie einen seine Mutter trostet.
Sehet mich an: Ich habe eine kleine Zeit
As one whom his mother comforts.
Miihe und Arbeit gehabt
sorrow and labour,
und habe groBen Trost funden.
and have found great comfort.
VI. Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt,
VI. For here have we no continuing city,
Look on me: for a short time | have had
sondern die zukiinftige suchen wir.
but we seek one to come.
Siehe, ich sage euch ein Geheimnis:
Wir werden nicht alle entschlafen,
Behold, | tell you a mystery:
we shall not all sleep,
wir werden aber alle verwandelt werden;
but we shall all be changed,
und dasselbige plétzlich, in einem Augenblick,
in @ moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
zu der Zeit der letzen Posaune.
at the last trumpet.
Denn es wird die Posaune schallen,
For the trumpet shall sound,
und die Toten werden auferstehen
and the dead shall be raised
unverweslich,
incorruptible,
und wir werden verwandelt werden.
and we shall be changed.
Dann wird erfiillet werden
Then shall be brought to pass
das Wort, das geschrieben steht:
the saying that is written:
Der Tod ist verschlungen in den Sieg.
Death is swallowed up in victory.
Tod, wo ist dein Stachel?
Death, where is thy sting?
Holle, wo ist dein Sieg?
Hell, where is thy victory?
Herr, du bist wiirdig zu nehmen
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive
Preis und Ehre und Kraft,
glory and honour and power:
denn du hast alle Dinge geschaffen,
for Thou hast created all things,
und durch deinen Willen haben sie
das Wesen und sind geschaffen.
and by Thy will they were
VII. Selig sind die Toten,
VII. Blessed are the dead,
die in dem Herren sterben von nun an.
which die in the Lord, from henceforth.
created and have their being.
Ja, der Geist spricht,
Yea, says the Spirit,
dal sie ruhen von ihrer Arbeit;
that they may rest from their labours;
denn ihre Werke folgen ihnen nach.
and their works do follow them.
Vivace Chorus
13
Born in Wolverhampton, Claire studied at
the Birmingham School of Music, at the
Royal Academy of Music with Rae
Woodland and Kenneth Bowen, and
subsequently with Linda Esther-Grey.
She joined Kent Opera during her final
year at the Academy, was awarded the
Wessex Glyndebourne Association Prize
in
1998 and in
1999 made her
Festival Opera debut
Glyndebourne
singing the role of Vitellia (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.
Recent engagements have included Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Willard
White in Chichester Cathedral, Bach’s B minor Mass with Michael
Chance and Verdi's Requiem in the Royal Festival Hall. Future
engagements include Handel's Messiah in the rarely performed Goosens
orchestration and Symanowski’s Stabat Mater in Salisbury 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, on Fleet Street Records.
Claire is particularly well known for her performances of Verdi's Requiem
and Mozart’'s C Minor Mass, as well as Mahler's Symphony No. 8 which
she was privileged to perform with Vivace under the baton of Jeremy
Backhouse in May of this year. Claire is delighted to be back in Guildford
Cathedral with Vivace for this concert.
14
Vivace Chorus
Michael Bundy - Baritone
Michael Bundy, a graduate of Trinity College,
Cambridge
and
the
Guildhall
School
of
Music and Drama, has performed widely in
diverse genres. He has appeared as soloist
with The Sixteen and The Orchestra of the
Age of Enlightenment, and has a continuing
relationship
with
the
BBC
Singers.
His
operatic repertoire exceeds 40 roles, with
performances for English National Opera,
Kent Opera, Scottish Opera and the Royal
Opera House, Covent Garden. His oratorio
repertoire
is
catholic,
and
he
broadcasts
frequently for BBC Radio 3.
Work with Trevor Pinnock and The English
Concert has included Bach’s St Matthew Passionin Europe, Istanbul and
Japan, and he appeared as soloist with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and The
English Baroque Soloists in Berlioz’ L’Enfance du Christ, Handel's Israel
in Egypt (both BBC promenade concerts), Bach’s B Minor Mass and
Haydn's Nelson Mass. He broadcast the role of Gobryas in Handel's
oratorio Belshazzar with Robert King and the King's Consort, and
recently sang in Elgar’'s The Dream of Gerontius in Ely and Rochester
cathedrals and the Smetana Hall in Prague. He has sung with Jeremy
Backhouse and the Vivace Chorus on several occasions, in works such
as Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Verdi’'s Requiem and Mahler's Symphony No. 8
in the Royal Albert Hall: Other recent engagements have included a
performance of Gerontius in the Usher Hall and Verdi's Requiem in
Winchester Cathedral.
Michael also specialises in French mélodie and has recorded a series of
CDs with Naxos featuring songs by the Parisian organists Widor, Vierne
and Tournemire, two with the renowned Jeremy Filsell: He has also
published a book, Prophets without Honour, on these forgotten mélodies.
Other recordings include Purcell’'s The Fairy Queen, Chausson’s Le Roi
Arthus, Tovey's The Bride of Dionysus and, recently, Michael Hurd’s
opera The Widow of Ephesus. He has a strong interest in contemporary
music, having given the premiéres of works by John Hardy, Eddie
McGuire and Cecilia McDowall; also Noam Sheriff's opera Golem 13,
premiered in Prague at the Narodni Divadlo. In lighter vein, he has
broadcast the roles of Olin Britt (Music Man), Mr Lindquist (A Little Night
Music) and performed live with Sarah Brightman on BBC Radio 2.
Vivace Chorus
15
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 of Blind People
(RNIB), 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 combined his work as a
Consultant Editor for EMI Classics and later Boosey & Hawkes Music
Publishers with his career as a freelance conductor.
In January 1995, Jeremy was appointed Chorus Master and
subsequently Music Director of the Vivace Chorus (then the Guildford
Philharmonic Choir). Jeremy has presented and conducted some
ambitious programmes, including Howell’'s Hymnus Paradisi and
Szymanowski’'s Stabat Mater, Mahler's ‘Resurrection’ Symphony (No. 2),
Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony, Mendelssohn’s ‘Lobgesang’
(Symphony No. 2), Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible,
and, most recently, Mahler's ‘Symphony of a Thousand’ (No. 8) in the
Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Major classical
popular works have included Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, Verdi's
Requiem and Haydn's The Creation.
Since 1980, Jeremy has been the conductor of the Vasari Singers,
acknowledged as one of the finest chamber choirs in the country,
performing music from the Renaissance to contemporary commissions.
Jeremy is totally committed to contemporary music and to the
commissioning of new works. He and Vasari have commissioned over
20 works in their recent history, and this enthusiasm has spread to the
Vivace Chorus who, in May 2009, performed the premiére of their first
commission — local composer Will Todd's Te Deum.
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, following Richard Hickox and
Stephen Jackson. In January 2009, Jeremy was appointed Music
Director of the Salisbury Community Choir.
16
Vivace Chorus
the
SBranenire
W sinfonia
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, Royal Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall,
Fairfield Halls and St John's, Smith Square. The Brandenburg Sinfonia is
also in great demand abroad and has visited France, USA, Bermuda, the
Channel Islands, Barbados, Russia, Germany, Japan and Hong Kong. In
1999 the orchestra established major concert series at both St Martin-inthe-Fields and Crystal Palace Bowil.
A large number of artists of international standing have worked with the
orchestra including Emanuel Hurwitz, Lesley Garrett, John Georgiadis,
John Wallace, Michael Thompson and Gordon Hunt. lis repertoire
ranges from Bach to 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
and Central Festival Opera.
Violin 1
Mihkel Kerem
Rhys Watkins
Bjorn Kleiman
Deborah Gruman
Barbara Zdziarska
Viola
Kate Musker
Ruth Gibson
Sarah Chapman
Miriam Eisele
Gabriela Nikula
Melissa Reiner
Violin 2
Louise McMonagle
Lydia Shelley
Emma Vidgeon
Verity Enanson
Bassoon
Adam McKenzie
Tom Hardy
Tuba
Adrian Miotti
Wolstenholme
%irrr:]efi;/r\]l‘l(dec;upp
Bass
Lawrence Ungless
Contra Bassoon
Rosie Cow
Timpani
Scott Bywater
Phillip Granel
e
Horn
Harp
Anna Ovsyanikova
(glia Chambers
Martin Grglnger
Claire Jefferies
Jocelyn Lightfoot
Susie Koczur
Cecilia Romero
Sarah
Suzanne Evans
Cello
Sarah Westley
Flute
Fergus Davidson
Vivace Chorus
Oboe
Dan Bates
Rachel Broadbent
Trumpet
Chris Deacon
Chris Evans
Clarinet
Tom Lessels
Trombone
Ruth Molins
Karen Hobbs
Davg Lee .
Mark Townend
Dougal Prophet
Sue Blair
Organ
Paul Provost
17
About the Vivace Chorus
Jeremy Backhouse
Music Director
Francis Pott
Accompanist
James Garrow
Chairman
The Vivace Chorus has two aims: to make music of the highest standard
and to have fun while doing so.
The choir has come a long way since it began over 60 years ago as the
Guildford Philharmonic Choir, gaining over time an enviable reputation
for performing first-class concerts across a wide range of musical
repertoire.
Since 1995, the choir has thrived under the exceptional leadership of our
Music Director, Jeremy Backhouse, ably supported by Francis Pott.
Jeremy’s passion for choral works and his sheer enthusiasm for musicmaking are evident at every rehearsal and every performance, and
Francis is not just a very fine rehearsal accompanist but is also a
composer of international reputation and a concert pianist in his own
right. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have musicians of this
calibre at the helm.
We relish the opportunity to perform more unusual works such as
Mahler’'s 8th Symphony or Prokoviev's Alexander Nevsky as much as
the great choral masterpieces of Verdi, Bach, Brahms, Handel or Haydn.
At a more intimate level, we are at home with the works of Faure,
Tavener, Allegri or Lauridsen. Contemporary music is an important
feature of the repertoire and our ‘Contemporary Choral Classics’ series,
which has featured works such as Will Todd’s Mass in Blue, is designed
both to challenge the choir and to promote the classics of the future.
Our most recent success has been a sell-out performance of Mahler’s
Symphony No. 8, the Symphony of a Thousand’, at the Royal Albert
Hall. Conducted by Jeremy and incorporating five choirs including the
London Symphony Chorus together with the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra, this was an incredible experience for singers and audience
alike. (Read what people said about it on page 22.)
This season’s concerts will include a ‘A Night at the Opera’ in Guildford’s
new state-of-the-art concert hall, G Live, in March, followed by a
performance in May of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and his
choral masterpiece The Bells.
18
Vivace Chorus
In addition to our own concerts, we also sing in charity concerts such as
the Shooting Star CHASE Carol Concert, at the Mayor of Guildford’s
Carol Concert and, with our good friends the Brandenburg Sinfonia, we
sing twice a year in the superb venue of St Martin-in-the-Fields.
We also, on occasion, venture further afield. Trips abroad have included
visits to Freiburg, Germany, to sing with the Freiburger Bachchor and, in
June 2009, to France where we gave concerts of music from the early
16th to late 20th centuries in the cathedrals of Paris (Notre-Dame),
Rouen and Beauvais. Another tour is planned for June next year with
concerts in Strasbourg, Heidelberg and Freiburg.
New members are always welcome, so if you love beautiful choral music
and want to have fun singing, please contact Jane Brooks at
membership@vivacechorus.org to find out how you can be a part of our
exciting future. We rehearse in Holy Trinity Church, Guildford High
Street, on Monday evenings.
For more information, do visit our website, vivacechorus.org, where you
can also sign up to receive information about our concerts, email us on
info@vivacechorus.org or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
A word of thanks...
The choir is run by a committee of some 12 members, but as well as the
official committee, there is a long list of other people who tirelessly give
their time to help the choir run smoothly. One of these unsung heroes is,
sadly, singing with us for the last time tonight. Brenda Moore has not
only been a stalwart of the altos for an astonishing 39 years, but since
2001 she has also beavered away in the background working on the
programmes for all our concerts. The first full programme Brenda
produced was for ‘ltalian Inspirations’ in March 2005 and her swan-song
was the very ambitious and much more glamorous programme produced
for the recent Mahler concert in the Royal Albert Hall.
Following our March 2011 concert, ‘Broadly Baroque’, we received this
from Terry Barfoot: “As the publications consultant for the Bournemouth
Symphony Orchestra | know all about the problems of putting a printed
programme
together,
and
|
thought
yours
was
exemplary:
well
researched, well written and well presented”, and an online review of the
Albert Hall concert, May 2011, referred to Vivace Chorus’s excellent
printed programme.
That’s a hard act to follow but we will do our best not to let Brenda'’s high
standards lapse!
Vivace Chorus
19
Vivace Chorus Singers
FIRST SOPRANOS
Joanna Andrews
Helen Beevers
Mary Broughton
Elaine Chapman
Rachel Edmondson
Mo Kfouri
Rachael Moore
Susan Norton
Gillian Palmer
Margaret Parry
Margaret Perkins
Kate Rayner
Gillian Rix
Rebekah Smit
Carol Terry
Joan Thomas
Nikki Vale
Sally Varley
SECOND SOPRANOS
Jacqueline Alderton
Mandy Freeman
Marianne llisley
Jane Kenney
Krystyna Marsden
Isabel Mealor
Debbie Morton
Alison Palmer
Kate Peters
Rosalind Plowright
Isobel Rooth
Ann Sheppard
Judy Smith
Philippa Smith
Paula Sutton
Christine Wilks
Frances Worpe
FIRST ALTOS
Penny Baxter
Monika Boothby
Jane Brooks
Margaret Dentskevich
Liz Durning
Kate Emerson
Sheila Hodson
20
Pamela Leggatt
Jean Leston
Judith Lewy
Margaret Mann
Lois McCabe
Kay McManus
Christine Medlow
Rosalind Milton
Mary Moon
Penny Muray
Gill Perkins
Lesley Scordellis
Ann Smith
Marjory Stewart
Hilary Trigg
Maggie Woolcock
SECOND ALTOS
Geraldine Allen
Hannah Andrews
Evelyn Beastall
Sylvia Chantler
Mary Clayton
Andrea Dombrowe
Carolyn Edis
Celia Embleton
Elizabeth Evans
Valerie Garrow
Jo Glover
Margaret Grisewood
Barbara Hilder
Carol Hobbs
Brenda Moore
Jacqueline Norman
Beryl Northam
Sheila Rowell
Prue Smith
Jo Stokes
Rosey Storey
Pamela Usher
June Windle
Elisabeth Yates
FIRST TENORS
Mike Bishop
Bob Bromham
Bob Cowell
Tim Hardyment
Nick Manning
Martin Price
Chris Robinson
John Trigg
SECOND TENORS
John Bawden
Ewan Bramhall
Tony Chantler
Stephen Chowns
Geoff Johns
Stephen Linton
Peter Norman
Jon Scott
FIRST BASSES
Phil Beastall
John Britten
Michael Golden
Brian John
Jeremy Johnson
Eric Kennedy
Jonathan Long
Chris Newbery
Adrian Oxborrow
Chris Peters
Robin Privett
David Ross
Philip Stanford
Barry Sterndale-Bennett
Kieron Walsh
SECOND BASSES
Peter Andrews
Roger Barrett
Alan Batterbury
Norman Carpenter
Dave Cox
Geoffrey Forster
James Garrow
Stuart Gooch
Nick Gough
Michael Jeffery
Neil Martin
John Parry
Michael Taylor
Vivace Chorus
Vivace Chorus Patrons
The Vivace Chorus is extremely grateful to all Patrons
for their financial support.
Honorary Life Patrons:
Mr Bill Bellerby MBE
Dr John Trigg MBE
Mrs Doreen Bellerby MBE
Platinum Patrons:
Dr Roger Barrett
Mr Laurie James
Mr & Mrs Peter B P Bevan
Mrs Pamela Leggatt
John and Barbara Britten
John and Janet McLean
Mr & Mrs R H R Broughton
Ron and Christine Medlow
Mr Michael Dawe
Dr Roger Muray
Mr Mark Dawson
Mr & Mrs John Parry
Mr & Mrs G Dombrowe
Margaret Perkins
Mr & Mrs Joseph Durning
Dr & Mrs M G M Smith
Dr Michael Golden
Barry Sterndale-Bennett
Susan and Cecil Hinton
Miss Enid Weston
Mrs Carol Hobbs
Bill and June Windle
Mrs Rita Horton
Gold Patrons:
Robin and Jill Broadley
Mrs Jean Radley
Mr & Mrs Philip Davies
Brenda and Brian Reed
Mr & Mrs Maxwell S New
Prue and Derek Smith
Silver Patrons:
Mrs Iris Bennett
Mr Lionel Moon
Mr H J C Browne
Maggie van Koetsveld
Bob & Maryel Cowell
Without the help of Patrons, together with grants and our other
fundraising efforts, we would be unable to perform such a wide-ranging
and exciting repertoire. Patrons receive certain benefits so if you would
like to join do please contact Barry Sterndale-Bennett on 07753 858726
or email patrons@vivacechorus.org .
Vivace Chorus
21
Mahler Symphony No. 8, May 15th 2011
We were delighted that so many of our regular supporters were able to
come to the Royal Albert Hall in May to hear our magnum opus, Mahler’s
majestic Symphony No. 8., the ‘Symphony of a Thousand'. This was the
grandest and most audacious undertaking of the choir’s long history and,
if the comments we received from both listeners and participants alike
(below) are anything to go by, one of which we can be proud.
The honours are, of course, not all ours; to perform this glorious
masterpiece we were joined by the London Symphony Chorus, The
London Chorus, Romsey Choral Society, Tiffin Boys’ Choir, the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra and no less than eight soloists.
“It was a triumph and we were blown away by the scale of it.”
“I feel very fortunate to have been able to sing in the RAH and to sing with
such a brilliant choir as the Vivace Chorus under Jeremy’s highly skilled
musical leadership. How lucky we are!”
“A wonderful rendition with a stirring and genuinely moving Chorus Mysticus
that was beautifully paced... thank you for giving us an occasion to
remember.”
“The sound the chorus made was electrifying and the whole symphony
unforgettable.”
“Claire Seaton was superb as Magna Peccatrix; | have heard her perform
several times and am beginning to think that there is no top to her range.”
“What can | say about the Chorus Mysticus — that was so quiet, whispered!
Wonderful!”
“..the overall sound was often quite breath-taking, regardless of whether
pianissimo or fortissimo.”
“What a great opportunity
to
experience
productions in the concert repertoire.
live
one
of the
largest-scale
It was wonderful to hear so many
talented musicians together, under one roof.”
“...definitely one of those life-affirming and unforgettable occasions. It was
wonderful to be there under the direction of the unfaltering and amazing
Jeremy.”
“...the enthusiastic applause at the end was well-deserved indeed.”
50
Vivace Chorus
/
&
5
;
Bt
LOTTERY FUNDED
AT
%
:
“
L5 4 M
I
S
A5,
MM
Qpera
:
A N A5, AS5
M
A
A
Broadly Baroque March 2011
from Terry Barfoot's review for the
Surrey Advertiser
Br‘oadly Baroque' was a most stimulating evening. The music covered a period of
around 100 years spanning the Baroque era from the early 17th century through to :
‘: the early 18th, thus achieving a unity of theme at the same time as a variety of :
musncal personality.
;
Begmnmg the programme was Allegri's Miserere, in which conductor Jeremy?
* Backhouse directed forces imaginatively deployed to make full use of the Cathedral's*
:ample space and acoustic. A complete contrast followed, with a small ensemble fr'om
! the Brandenburg Sinfonia playing Pachelbel's famous Caron, the clean lines delivered°
: with commendable accurate intonation. In two settings of the Magnificat, by?
: Buxtehude and Pergolesi, the ebb and flow of music and text brought plenty of variety*
‘ and sensitive singing. Bach's Third Brandenburg Concerto, with its three groups of :
sfrmgs was given a lively and stylish performance, the perfect foil to the choral musuc
surroundmg it.
* Handel's Dixit Dominus was the most astonishing achievement of his younger years
: Supported by a team of talented young soloists, the Vivace Chorus were at the top of
¢ their form, and the final movement
- ‘Glory be to the Father' - was a veritable four a’e
:+ force of disciplined choral smgmg and wor"rh the prlce of The TICkCT on n‘s own.
S
T
T
R
R
Vivace Chorus
L
PP R
Y
A
T8
A iA
4
R
23
Vivace Chorus dates for your diary
December 2011
Friday 9
Christmas by Candlelight, with Brandenburg Brass
5.30pm, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square
Sunday 11
The Mayor of Guildford’s Christmas Concert,
7.00pm, Holy Trinity Church, Guildford
Wednesday 14
Shooting Star CHASE Carol Concert
7.00pm, Holy Trinity Church, Guildford
2012
January 28
‘Come and Sing’ — if you've ever wondered what it's
like to sing with a choir like Vivace, come and try it out
for a day.
March 17
A Night at the Opera’ — highlights from the world of
May 19
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2, The Bells and
opera, in Guildford’s wonderful new concert hall G Live
Vespers
Details at vivacechorus.org or from info@vivacechorus.org
Some of the printed music for this evening's concert has been hired from
Surrey County Council Performing Arts Library,
Music Sales Ltd Chester/Novello Hire Library and Faber Music Hire Library.
Vivace Chorus
Registered Charity No. 1026337
in the name of Guildford Philharmonic Choir
Financially assisted by
G
:
GUILDFORD
BOROUGH
The staging for this concert is owned by the Association of Surrey Choirs.
To hire please contact Carrie Tinsley, Cathedral Office. tel: 01403 547870.
Printed by WORDCRAFT
115 Merrow Woods, Guildford, Surrey GU1 2LJ
Tel: 01483 560735
24
Vivace Chorus
PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE
SUNDAY 29 APRIL 2012
REHEARSAL FROM: 2.30pm
CONCERT: 7.30pm WITH A SHORT PERFORMANCE BY
THE PUPILS AT THE YEHUDI MENUHIN SCHOOL
THE MENUHIN HALL, STOKE
D’ABERNON, KT11 3QQ
If you are interested in coming please contact
GETTING HERE
our outreach officer Michaela Khatib on
The Menuhin Hall is just 20
michaela.khatib@yehudimenuhinschool.co.uk
or 01932 584409 for further details.
Alternatively contact the Menuhin hall box
office on 02700 242020 - Open 10am - 3pm
Monday-Friday or visit www.menuhinhall.co.uk
minutes from Guildford by train
or car. Taxis are available from
Cobham station or minibuses may
collect singers, by prior request,
from the station 30 minutes
before the start of the rehearsal.
o
P
The Rotay
.
And the ViyaeeY Chy
op % Suildforg
/‘" THE Mayog
in aig
STRESS
of the
|
se
|
Our first concert at Guildford’s state-of-the-art new entertainment venue,
G Live —the acoustic is superb. Listen to the duet from the Pearl Fishers,
Nessun Dorma, Mascagni’s Easter Hymn and many more highlights from
the opera. Don’t miss our own Francis Pott playing Rachmaninov’s beautiful
2nd Piano Concerto and then, of course, there’s the next Come and Sing.
Visit our website for more details and put the dates in your diary now.
We are sorry that Claire Seaton is indisposed and will not be able to sing this
evening. However we are delighted that her place is being taken by Helen Neeves.
Helen has sung for us on several occasions, the last being in May at our
performance of Mahler's Symphony No 8 at the Royal Albert Hall when Claire was
also singing.
Helen studied music and performance at the University of York and the Royal
College of Music; she is now studying with Julie Kennard.
Helen has many year's experience as a solo and consort singer encompassing
concert work, recordings and radio broadcasts, particularly in the fields of Baroque
and classical music. Her recent solo engagements include Handel's Jephtha with
Eastcote Choral Society, and Bach's Christmas Oratorio with the St James Singers.
During 2010 Helen took part in Lieder recitals at the National Centre for Early Music
in York; these were part of the University of York’s ‘Schumann in Context’ day. She
also joined the Theatre of the Ayre for performances of Blow's Venus and Adonis in
the Wigmore Hall and the Turner Sims Concert Hall at the University of Southampton.
This year sees various engagements including Handel's Solomon in York Minster
and Dupré’s De Profundis in Neubrandenberg, Germany.
In recent months Helen has sung with various groups including Yorkshire Baroque
Soloists,
The Sixteen,
The Clerks’ Group, the Gabrieli Consort, the BBC Singers and
| Fagiolini. Engagements have included concerts with | Fagiolini in the St Magnus
Festival in Orkney and at the Cadogan Hall in London, and a performance of The
Clerks’ Group new project, The Hours, in Brighton. Among her many other ensemble
engagements this year, Helen joined The Sixteen in April for a series of concerts
marking the 400th anniversary of Tomas Luis de Victoria.
F£N2RAOV:0TG3SNUEMABTR
EIN DEUTSCHES REQUIEM
BRAHMS