An evening of glorious music awaits you in the majestic setting of the Musicians’ Church, and includes a not to be missed, rarely performed An English Mass by Herbert Howells.
Finzi | Requiem da Camera
Howells | An English Mass
Bob Chilcott | My Prayer
Farrar | Margaritae Sorori
Rota | Sonata per orchestra da camera
The bonds of friendship entwine our programme. Gerald Finzi’s beautiful and intimate Requiem da Camera was written in memory of his esteemed teacher Ernest Farrar, killed in the final days of the First World War, and Farrar’s moving and lyrical partsong Margaritae Sorori which follows is a fitting valediction.
Howells wrote his turbulent An English Mass, a work full of agony and ecstasy, for Harold Darke (organist of St Michael’s, Cornhill 1916-1966) and his St Michael’s Singers. Chilcott’s passionate ‘My prayer’ and Nino Rota’s characterful Sonata per orchestra da camera, at turns elegiac, heroic, pastoral and spritely, complete our programme.
Tickets on the door | £25
Early Bird until 10-March-25 | £22
Student | £10
Under-12s free
10am-5pm
Saturday 25 January 2025
St Mary-at-Hill, Lovat Lane, London EC3R 8EE
Ticket + Printed music booklet | £38.50
Ticket | £35
Under-12s free
Our workshop explores some of the wonderful music by Chapel Royal musicians of the 17th Century, a significant share of which is given to Orlando Gibbons (the “Palestrina” of English Jacobean music) in this the 400th anniversary of his death.
We include a gorgeous and moving lament by Ramsey on the death of Prince Henry, as well as music by Richard Dering, a leading musician in Queen Henrietta Maria’s private chapel. Finally we cannot but include some of the exquisite music by Purcell from the beginning of his career.
6:00pm Wine & Mince Pies
6:30pm Concert
St Mary-at-Hill, Lovat Lane, London ECR 8EE
Our programme this year centres around Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, set by Praetorius, and explores other composers’ settings on a similar theme. These gentle items are interspersed with celebratory and joyful pieces across the ages by Sweelinck, Mendelssohn, Bob Chilcott, Leighton, and even antiphonal music by Handl (without an ‘e’) across the church! The audience will need their singing hats on for Carols and we are delighted to be premiering a new piece by Samuel Wilson.
Guaranteed to get you into the Christmas spirit!
Praetorius | Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
Handl | Resonet in laudibus
McDowall | There is no rose
Leighton | Lully lulla
Sweelinck | Hodie Christus natus est
Gibbons | Song 46 ‘Christmas Day’
Briggs | A tender shoot
Bullard | Scots nativity
Chilcott | Gaudete
Stanford | A carol for Christmas
Wilson | Westward leading
Mendelssohn | Frohlocket, ihr Völker auf Erden
There will be a charity collection for Veterans’ Growth ‘improving veterans’ mental health through horticulture. veteransgrowth.org
Tickets on the door | £20
Early Bird Discount until 25-Oct-24 | £17
Student | £10
Under-12s free
Stanford | Eight Partsongs Op.119
Brahms | Fünf Gesänge Op.104
Parry | Dear Lord and Father
Whitlock | Be still, my soul
Stanford | Fantasia & Toccata Op.57
Ethel Smyth | Komm, süsser Tod
Stanford | For lo, I raise up Op.145
City Chamber Choir commemorates the one-hundredth anniversary of the death of the Irish composer, Charles Villiers Stanford, with a programme that is half secular, half sacred. There is plenty of Stanford, as you would expect, plus music by his great friend and colleague Parry, Brahms, by whom he was immensely influenced, and Percy Whitlock, one of his pupils, plus music by his contemporary, Ethel Smyth.
The Eight Partsongs op. 119 include Stanford’s famous The Blue Bird, the Brahms pieces are his last partsongs. Stanford’s op. 145 is a remarkable tour-de-force with a glorious organ part.
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