6
09 November 2012
What'sOn
Vivace Chorus will perform Benjamih Britten’s War Requiem.
Vivace sing Britten
VIVACE open their new season with a
Vivace.
well-timed
of Benjamin
and have shared several performances
at
with the
Britten’s
performance
War
Requiem
Guildford
Cathedral on Saturday November 17.
Itis 50 years since the first performance
of this
iconic
work,
composed
to
celebrate the consecration of the new
Coventry
Cathedral
destroyed
by
air
raids in the Second World War.
This performance in the anniversary
11,
will
be
choir from Guildford’s twin
town of Freiburg,
so it is particularly
appropriate
that
members
of
the
Freiburger
Bachchor
are
joining
the
Guildford
group
this
anniversary
concert.
In the
for
1990s Vivace Chorus
performed this work with the Freiburger
year, and so close to Armistice Day on
November
They have sung it many times,
especially
significant.
Bachchor in the Stadthalle in Freiburg.
It was a very moving occasion.
Britten,
a
Vivace
Chorus
bass,
John
and
Benjamin Britten’s nephew, spoke to a
Britten was a pacifist and he chose to
reception after the concert, explaining
set the war poems of Wilfred Owen with
that his uncle had requested a Russian
the words of the traditional Latin Mass.
The
result
is
a
piece
of
soprano, an English tenor and a German
almost
baritone for the first performance, but
unimaginable poignancy. Owen’s famous
had not envisaged that a British and a
lines “My subject is War, and the pity of
German chorus might join together in
War..” aptly sums up this wonderful
the future to rehearse and sing this great
work.
work.
War Requiem has special meaning for
Tickets at www.vivacechorus.org.