St
THE
i
Fields
r:snut-uu::lnzl
BRANDENBURG
Martin
SPRING CHORAL
Friday 6th January at 7.30pm
Mozart
Requiem
by Candlelight
Sara Lian Owen - Soprano
Anna Harvey Mezzo-Soprano
Oliver Johnston Tenor
David Shipley Bass
Vivace Chorus
Brandenburg Sinfonia
Conductor - Robert Porter
Classicalz
Welcome
May I offer you a very warm welcome to this, the second concert
of the Brandenburg Spring Choral Festival 20127
An important strand of the Brandenburg concert schedule is
working with choirs to support them for what is often the major
event of their calendar, so it gives me enormous pleasure to be able
to invite some of our favourite choirs to join us for the Festival and
especially in our favourite venue.
St Martin-in the-Fields is such a marvellously atmospheric setting
and of course the acoustic is just perfect for the vocal music,
whether solo or choral.
It is a real delight to welcome our very old friends the Vivace
Chorus. The event is tinged with a slight disappointment in that
their Musical Director, Jeremy Backhouse, is unable to be here
tonight, but it is also a great pleasure for me to step in and conduct
tonight.
I am looking forward to it immensely.
You will find details of all the remaining concerts in the Brandenburg Spring Choral Festival in the
brochures available this evening so we do hope to see you again, either here at St Martins, or at one
of the interesting smaller venues.
Robert Porter
Brandenburg Artistic Director
PS.
If you enjoy this concert why not join us for the third concert in the Festival at 9.30pm tonight.
You will just have time to pop downstairs, organise a ticket and have a quick livener in the Crypt. It
is a performance by the superb Purcell Singers of an hout of a capella candle-lit contemplation.
Opening with Allegri’s iconic Miserere and featuring works Purcell, Victoria, Byrd, Parsons and Tallis
P.PS.
If you enjoy tonight’s concert why not sign up as a “Friend of the Brandenburgs”. It is an email
service that keeps you up to date with our activities. There is no charge, you can withdraw from our
mailing list at any time, and because we understand what a pain it can be constantly to receive
unwelcome emails, we guarantee not to pass on your email address to anyone.
In particular it will enable us to send you details of our exciting Brandenburg Spring Choral Festival
next year.
Simply send us a quick one-line email asking to be put on the list to bob@brandenburg.org.uk
We are hoping to extend the scope of the “Friends” to include social events attached to our concerts
so I hope to see you at another concert really soon.
the
SBraneblre
sinfonia
Violin 1
Bassett Horn
Mihkel Kerem
Peter Sparks
Richard Milone
Juliet Bucknall
Sarah Wolstenholme
Violin 2
Bassoon
Samantha Wickramsinghe
Adam McKenzie
Kokila Gillett
Rosie Cow
Viola
Trumpet
Matthew Quenby
Paul Archibald
Jon Thorne
Heidi Bennett
Cello
Trombone
Adrian Bradbury
Emma-Juliet Hodgson
Ben Rogerson
Susan White
Dougall Prophet
Bass
Timpani
Beverley Jones
Tristan Fry
Artistic Director
Associate Music Director
Ensemble Director
Robert Porter
Sarah Tenant-Flowers
Mihkel Kerem
Concert Manager
Outreach Director
Outreach Manager
Jane Kersley
Adam MacKenzie
Susie Koczur
Administrator
Friends Chairman
Finance
Mervion Kirwood
Martin Cole
Patricia Unwin
The Brandenburg Sinfonia
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 Hall and St John's Smith
Square.
One major event in the year is the Spring Choral Festival at St Martin-in-the-Fields when the
Brandenburg Sinfonia, along with its sister orchestra the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists is able to
invite a large number of partner choirs to join in a celebration of all the major choral repertoire — all
of course in the magnificent setting and acoustic of St Martin-in-the-Fields.
A large number of artists of international standing have worked with the orchestra including Richard
Bonynge,
James Bowman, Sir James Galway, Lesley Garrett, John Georgiadis, Gordon Hunt, Emma
Johnson, Emma Kirkby, Yvonne Kenny and John Wallace,
Its repertoire ranges from Bach to Lloyd Webber and its members give over one hundred
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 Central Festival Opera, First Act Opera, London City Opera.
"What made it actually rather enjoyable was the playing of the chamber orchestra which was
consistently well shaded and nuanced"
THE
TELEGRAPH
"Some of the most stylish Mozart playing for some time"
THE
TIMES
"An ensemble of distinguished players..."
THE
INDEPENDENT
ON
SUNDAY
“Played with a verve and sparkle”
THE
TIMES
Vivace Chorus
The choir was founded in 1947 as the Guildford Philhérmonic Choir but in May 2005, to reflect its
new independent status from the Borough of Guildford, 'rebranded' itself as the Vivace Chorus. We
enjoy a challenging and varied repertoire from the 16th century onwards; some pieces are wellknown, others are rarities deserving to be heard by a wider audience. In the 2004/5 season, we
introduced our Contemporary Choral Classics Cycle, an innovative series of works from the late 20th
and 21st centuries.
To show the variety of our recent programmes: we started the 2008/9 season with a spectacular
performance of Verdi's Requiem, in combination with our twin choir, the Freiburger Bachchor, and
Romsey Choral Society. Then, as a complete contrast, our Venetian Baroque concert included some
of the earliest music we have ever sung. These were masterpieces from Gabrieli, Schiitz and
Monteverdi, with Vivaldi's uplifting Gloria to end the evening. The season finished with Will Todd's
Te Deum — a world premiére and first commission by the choir, which we recorded last summer and
has just been released on CD.
In June 2009, half the choir and Jeremy embarked on what quickly became known as the Tour de
France. We gave concerts of music from the early 16th to late 20th centuries in the cathedrals of Paris
(Notre-Dame), Rouen and Beauvais. This proved to be both inspiring and emotionally moving — and
we had great fun too!
The 2009/10 season started in lively fashion with Haydn's The Creation, to mark the 200th
anniversary of the composer’s death. Our Italian evening in March showed the operatic composers
Verdi and Puccini in a light new to many, and lastly we brushed up our Russian pronunciation,
returning to Prokofiev, this time with Ivan the Terrible.
Our biggest project to date, to mark the centenary of Mahler’s death, is a performance of his
monumental Symphony No. 8 in the Royal Albert Hall on 15th May 2011.
We also regularly sing in a 'Last Night of the Proms' charity concert in the Fairfield Halls, Croydon,
and with our good friends the Brandenburg Sinfonia, we sing at least once a year in the superb venue
of St Martin-in-the-Fields.
:
The Brandenburg Spring Choral Festival gratefully acknowledges the generosity of
the Josephine Baker Trust by supporting the soloists in this evening’s performance.
Robert Porter — Artistic Director
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 two years later joined the National
Youth Orchestra.
After studying with Martin Gatt, Roger Birnstingl and Enzo
Mucetti he 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 Brass and Percussion
since 1985.
As Artistic Director of the Brandenburg orchestras since their
inception in the early 1980’s he has shaped the musical ethos of the orchestras and built a unique
musical entity, recognised internationally.
In addition to regular appearances at all the major venues in London, and a monthly concert series at
St Martin-in-the-Fields the orchestras have undertaken many overseas tours, including three major
US tours and a residency in the Barbados Festival.
He was made a Freeman of the City of London in 1991 for services to music.
Other positions of responsibility include:
Member Artistic Commission of the Jove Orquestra National de Catalunya
Trustee of Josephine Baker Trust
Sara Lian Owen
Welsh soprano Sara Lian Owen completed her BMus at The
Royal Academy of Music and graduated in 2010 with a First
Class degree and a Regency Award.
In 2007 Sara was a finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier Bursary
Compeition and she won the coveted Osborne Roberts Blue
Riband Prize at The National Eisteddfod in 2010.
Her concert
work includes Mozart's C minor Mass and Requiem, Beethoven's
9th Symphony, Vivaldi's Gloria and Will Todd's Mass in Blue.
She has appeared on BBC Radio Wales, S4C, BBC2 and also at
the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Albert Hall and Bridgewater
Hall. During summer 2011
she appeared in Glyndebourne
Festival Opera's first ever staging of Die Meistersinger von
Niirnberg, under Vladimir Jurowski. Sara joined Royal Academy
Opera in September, to continue her studies with Elizabeth Ritchie and Ingrid Surgenor. Future
engagements include First Lady in Die Zauberflote for Royal Academy Opera.
Sara is extremely grateful for the generous support of the Headley Trust in memory of Howard
Milner, Ryan Davies Memorial Fund and The Arts Council of Wales.
Anna Harvey
A postgraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music, young
Sheffield-born Mezzo-Soprano Anna Harvey is quickly gaining a
reputation as
a versatile and expressive performer, with a
particular affinity with the 20th Century British repertoire.
A
recent graduate in Music of Jesus College, Cambridge, Anna
currently learns with Elizabeth Ritchie and Iain Ledingham, with
previous teachers including Mark Wildman, Vivian Pike and
Lynette Alcantara.
Anna’s greatest passion is opera, recently singing main parts in
venues including Opera Holland Park (with Shadwell Opera),
Buxton Opera House and Cambridge Arts Theatre. Roles include
Mrs Herring Albert Herring (praised as “deliciously fussy” by
Fiona Maddocks in The Observer, July 2011), Hippolyta A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Phaedra Phaedra, Soloist The Consolations of Scholarship, Mary
Daughter of the Sea (World Premiere), Marcellina Le Nozze di Figaro, Annio La Clemenza di Tito,
Filipevnya Eugene Onegin and La Badessa Suor Angelica. Anna is also equally at home as a concert
soloist and recitalist, with recent highlights including Vivaldi Magnificat with the Choir of St. John’s
College Cambridge and the St John’s Sinfonia, Bach’s Messe-g-moll with the Choir of Christ’s
College Cambridge and The Consort of Twelve and a recital at the Fitzwilliam Museum as part of the
Cambridge University Alumni Weekend. Other concert repertoire includes Handel Messiah, Vivaldi
Gloria, Mendelssohn Elijah, Duruflé Requiem, Brahms Alto Rhapsody, Mozart Coronation Mass and
Haydn Missa in Tempore Belli. Upcoming performances include Haydn Nelson Mass in St Martinin-the-Fields and the role of Diana La Calisto in Academy Opera Scenes.
Anna has enjoyed recent masterclasses with Anne Howells, Susan McCulloch and Lore Lixenburg,
and prizes she has won include the David Crighton Prize and the Lindsays Award. Anna is grateful
for the support of the Josephine Baker Trust. Please see www.annaharvey.org for more information.
Oliver Johnston
Oliver Johnston was Born in 1989 and as a treble took part in
various ENO, BBC and theatre productions. In 2004 he was
awarded a place to study at the Junior Department of the Royal
Academy of Music under the tutelage of Sara Reynolds. Then in
2008 Oliver was awarded a Scholarship to attend at the Royal
Academy of Music were he is currently studying with the
prestigious Scottish tenor Dr Neil Mackie CBE and is coached by
Iain Ledingham. Recent choral solos include: Messe Solennelle-
Gounod
in
Dorchester Abbey, Messa Di Gloria-Puccini
in
Banqueting House, Coronation Mass- Mozart, and the Nelson
Mass-Haydn. Recent opera roles
include: Albert in Albert
Herring by Britten (Young Opera), Damon in Acis and Galatea by Handel (Woodhouse Opera), Don
Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro, by Mozart (Young Opera), Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas ,by Purcell
(New College Music Society, Oxford University), The Soldier in Fra Diavolo ,by Auber (Stanley Hall
Opera), Semele, Chorus (Royal Academy of Music Opera with Sir Charles Mackerras). In addition
Oliver has also taken part in recitals at St Martins in the Field, New College Oxford and The
Chichester festival. Oliver is generously supported by the Josephine Baker Trust and has recently
been accepted into The Concordia Foundation’s International Ensemble.
David Shipley
David’s vocal training began as a treble in Lichfield Cathedral
Choir when Andrew Lumsden was Organist. In his final year, he
became Head Chorister and won a music scholarship to
Shrewsbury School. After leaving school, hespent a year in Wells
Cathedral Choir as a Choral Scholar under Matthew Owens,
while working as a part-time ‘Graduate Music Assistant’ at Wells
Cathedral School .During his gap year, he was awarded a Sir Elton
John Scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music under
Mark Wildman and lain Ledingham.
In October 2008, at the beginning of his second year at the
Academy, David won the Kathleen Ferrier Society Bursary, and
was selected to sing ‘Christus’ in the Academy’s performance of
Bach’s St John Passion at the Spitalfields Festival in June the
following year. He wasalso chosen to be a member of the small chamber group that provides the
chorus for the acclaimed series of Sunday lunch-time Bach Cantata concerts at the Academy.
During his time as an undergraduate, David has had the opportunity to participate in a number of
masterclasses with visiting professors, including Robert Tear and Barbara Bonney. He recently
auditioned successfully for support from the Josephine Baker Trust. David is now in the final year of
his undergraduate course and hopes to continue his studies at post graduate level next year.
BRANDENBURG SPRING CHORAL CONCERTS
TSTINAL-TONeR
iy m-‘
Allegri
Miserere
la
Friday 13th January at 6.30pm
Classic
The English
Choral
Tradition
Jazz
by Candlelight
“Purcell Singers
(ooducior-MarkFord
_.A','i
Guildhall Jazz Singers
Conductar - Scont Stroman
o_
=
rere
=
.
Classicall
The Radiance
of Eternity
Des.
{Gloria)
£t i Terra Pax Hominibus
of fou
the Greatest Jazz Vocal Arranger
“HM‘-“.M
Friday 20th January at 7.30pm
From Byrd to Britten:
ATribute to Gene Puerling
mummmm.mmmmfi
S
STINRL-1ONONE
Tuesday 10th January at 7.30pm
Harmonies
candle-Wt contemplation.
Portrait
Gallery
Morten Laundsen Lux Aeterna
Pertomance st ppeomeately one Acon wilhoot on sterval
s
=
r
Fourte
Billingshurst Choral Society
(ondurtor - George Jones
|
et
==
Classical*
o
Salzburg Symphony K138 in Bb
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
(Andante, Allegro assai Allegro di molto)
Before the Classical period, the terms divertimento, serenade, and cassation were in general use to designate music of a light,
entertaining character, referring to the function of the music rather than to its form or instrumentation. The music served many
social purposes, both indoors and outdoors and Mozart, like others, was commissioned to write many of them. In his hands
the works always retain perfect musical integrity, a balance of introspection and joy.
In 1772, in Salzburg, the young Mozart wrote a set of three for strings. He almost certainly intended them for performance
at the house of Count Firmian, the Austrian Governor of Milan.
Sometimes known as the Salzburg Symphonies, they in fact take their form from the Italian Sinfonia, the fast-slow-fast
format.
The first movement of the Bb major is a lively allegro movement. It is written in the traditional classical Sonata Form, but
is quite short and easily digestible. The second combines the elegance of a Minuet with dramatic dynamic changes. The finale
is also a triple-time feel, but this time hints at the agricultural rumbustiousness of the peasant characters in Don Giovanni.
Divertimento — Marriage of Figaro
It was common throughout the Classical period to arrange excerpts from the most popular current productions in the Opera
House for small wind band, or 'Harmonie', for use as background music for grand dinners and other functions. In fact Mozart
himself includes an accompanying wind band (playing quotations form Figaro) in the banquet scene of Don Giovanni.
This is a special arrangement of three arias from The Marriage of Figaro for two Bassett Horns (not horns at all but more like
tenor clarinets) Bassoon and Double Bass.
The three arias are:
Al deso di chi t’adora (Act 4 Scene 10)
Vo che sapete (Act 2 Scene 3)
Non piu andrai (Act 1 Scene 8)
//zfe/‘fl/z,/
Requiem
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756-1791
Mozart was commissioned to write the Requiem Mass by a wealthy nobleman, Count Walsegg, in memory of his wife who
had died at the age of twenty. Work on the Requiem proceeded slowly as Mozart was in the process of completing his two
final opera La Clemenza Di Tito and The Magic Flute. By the time he came to concentrate on the Requiem , he was suffering
from his final illness and his growing weakness made it impossible for him to complete the work.
Indeed, by the time he died, only the first two movements were completely finished. The movements Dies Irae to Hostias
were drafted out, but there were no notes for the final four sections. Constanze, Mozart’s wife, was afraid that she would have
to return the payment already made by Count Walsegg and so asked Mozart’s pupil Franz Siissmayer to complete the
Requiem.
Siissmayer had spent the whole of Mozart’s final months with him, working on the Requiem so it is likely that the whole
piece closely resembles Mozart’s intentions.
The generally dark and passionate character of the work is accounted for by the predominance of minor keys and the rich
texture of the orchestration: Mozart did not use french horns or the upper woodwind, using bassett horns, bassoons, trumpets,
trombones and timpani, with the strings playing frequently in the lower registers. However another major factor is Mozart’s
bold harmonic language which leads the listener through the despair of death to the joy of eternal life.
L.
Introitus Requiem aeternam (choir and soprano solo)
IL.
Kyrie eleison (choir)
IIIl.
Sequentia (text based on sections of the Dies Irae)
Dies g (choir)
IV.
Domine Jesu Christe (choir with solo quartet)
Hostias et preces (choir)
Y
Benedictus (solo quartet, then choir)
Rex tremendae majestatis (choir)
Confutatis maledictis (choir)
Lacrimosa dies illa (choir)
Enirhs
Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth (choir)
Tuba mirum (soprano, contralto, tenor and bass solo)
Recordare, Jesu pie (soprano, contralto, tenor and bass solo)
Offertorium
VL.
S
<
Agnus Dei (choir)
VII. Communio
Lux aeterna (soprano solo and choir)
DRGA NP
ORGAN
!
_ FIFT
T3 ISSJES"aFWCHOIR& ORGAN
ORJUST £3
» Just £3 for 3 issues — SAVE over £17 for 6 issues!
» £Ssential news, interviews, previews and reviews.
» FREE supplements and e-news.
» FREE UK delivery to your door.
ORDER HOTLINE: 01371 851892. QUOTE C0343
OR ORDER ONLINE: WWW.RHINEGOLD.CO. UK/C0343
iiable t
f trf
mwosmmnvho pay
music for
[
Chimes
[}
—
/
ACADEMY *BARBICAN*KENSINGTON
www.chimesmusic.com
From Albinoni to Zemlinsky, from
aural to Ysaye, we stock a vast
range of printed music for all the
major exam boards.
Open: Mon-Fri 9-5.30 Sat 94
Academy Chimes Music
Royal Academy of Music,York Gate Building,
Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT
T 020 7873 7400 F 020 7873 7401
¢ Instrument hire and repairs
* Strings, reeds and other
Barbican Chimes Music
accessories
Cromwell Tower, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DD
T 020 7588 9242 F 020 7628 1080
¢ Musically qualified staff
* Prompt mail order service
Kensington Chimes Music
Visit us and browse or use our prompt
T 020 7589 9054 F 020 7225 2662
mail order service.
9 Harrington Road, South Kensington, London SW7 3ES
Looking for a concert, opera or ballet?
We've got 10,000 of them.
The Bachtrack.com concert finder has a gigantic database of listings
in the United Kingdom and across the world. Search for a composer,
a work, a performer or just for what’s on near you. If what you want
isn’t listed, set an alert.
And there’s plenty more:
« Regular Reviews
« Festivals across the world
« Opera and ballet in cinema
« Recommended CDs
« On-demand performances
« Sections for kids and teens
Go to www.bachtrack.com
The world’s best way to
find live classical music
St
Martin
Please note - for your comfort and enjoyment
Smoking and consumption offood and drink
are not allowed in the church.
Patrons are kindly requested to switch off
mobile phones and alarms on digital watches.
Flash photography, audio and video recording are not permitted.
Please try to restrain from coughing;
A handkerchief placed over the mouth whilst coughing
assists greatly in limiting the noise. Thank you.
There will be an interval of 20 minutes.
A bell will be rung 5 and 2 minutes before the end of the interval.
Once the concert starts again entry will only be permitted between pieces.
The Crypt Gallery and Café-in-the-Crypt
can be hired for private functions. Phone 020 7839 4342.
Don’t forget to pick up your
2012 Festival programme!
To sponsor an individual
Designed, produced & printed by
Jones’ Creative Services Limited
concert featuring in the
Festival please call:
Dick Jones
+44 (0)1372 37 99 51
or Bob Porter
07770 937 328
L)
Designers, Typesetters, Graphic Artists and Printers
for the The Leatherhead Drama Festival
www.leatherheaddramafestival.org
X
,
and Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival
www.arts-alive.co.uk
Supporting Virtuocity with Creativity
www.jonescreative.co.uk