God So Loved The World John Stainer
See 25.6.17
James, one of our junior choristers sang his solo 2 verses of "All things bright and beautiful" as part of his choral training.
Sunday 25 March 2018
24th March 2018
Olivet to Calvary John H Maunder (1858-1920)
A Sacred Cantata
Recalling some of the incidents in the last days of Saviour's life on earth.
The choir performed this cantata along with a few choir guests.
The soloists were:
Sarah Amos - Soprano
Hilary Platts - Tenor
Peter Webster - Baritone
with our Musical Director Joanna Chivers at the piano.
See 14th April 2017 >>
Programme notes >>
A Sacred Cantata
Recalling some of the incidents in the last days of Saviour's life on earth.
The choir performed this cantata along with a few choir guests.
The soloists were:
Sarah Amos - Soprano
Hilary Platts - Tenor
Peter Webster - Baritone
with our Musical Director Joanna Chivers at the piano.
See 14th April 2017 >>
Programme notes >>
Wednesday 21 March 2018
Sunday 18th March 2018 passion Sunday
Jubilate Deo in B flat Charles Villiers Stanford
Taken from the Novello Copy:
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford has a perverse relationship with posterity. Remembered today largely for his choral miniatures, this restless symphonist was the unwilling Janus of British music. A significant presence on the European scene in his own lifetime, he was an outspoken critic of Wagner, Strauss and modernism in general. Nevertheless, as a formalist with flair and skill, his influence catalysed much of the great English Music of the 20th century. As fellow composer George Dyson said: "In a certain sense the very rebellion he fought was the most obvious fruit of his methods". The Jubilate in B flat displays the composer's trademark of thematic structures.
Also see 21.5.2017.
O Saviour of the World Arthur Somervell (1863-1937)
Sir Arthur Somervell was born in the Lake district, son of Robert Miller Somervell, the founder of K Shoes. He studied composition under Sir Charles Villiers Stanford at King's College Cambridge. For 2 years he studied music at the High School for Music in Berlin, and following that from 1885-1887 at the Royal School of Music in London under Parry. In 1894 he became a Professor at The Royal School of Music, in 1901, he was appointed Inspector of Music at the Board of Education and Scottish Education Department and in 1902 received the Doctor of Music degree from the University of Cambridge. He achieved success during his lifetime for his choral works, but is now mostly remembered for his song cycles. He had a conservative style showing influences from Mendelssohn and Brahms. He was also very active in music education. He was knighted in 1929.
"O Saviour of the World" is a suitable anthem for Lent, Holy Week or Communion, The words are from the Anglican Order for the Visitation of the Sick.
Taken from the Novello Copy:
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford has a perverse relationship with posterity. Remembered today largely for his choral miniatures, this restless symphonist was the unwilling Janus of British music. A significant presence on the European scene in his own lifetime, he was an outspoken critic of Wagner, Strauss and modernism in general. Nevertheless, as a formalist with flair and skill, his influence catalysed much of the great English Music of the 20th century. As fellow composer George Dyson said: "In a certain sense the very rebellion he fought was the most obvious fruit of his methods". The Jubilate in B flat displays the composer's trademark of thematic structures.
Also see 21.5.2017.
O Saviour of the World Arthur Somervell (1863-1937)
Sir Arthur Somervell was born in the Lake district, son of Robert Miller Somervell, the founder of K Shoes. He studied composition under Sir Charles Villiers Stanford at King's College Cambridge. For 2 years he studied music at the High School for Music in Berlin, and following that from 1885-1887 at the Royal School of Music in London under Parry. In 1894 he became a Professor at The Royal School of Music, in 1901, he was appointed Inspector of Music at the Board of Education and Scottish Education Department and in 1902 received the Doctor of Music degree from the University of Cambridge. He achieved success during his lifetime for his choral works, but is now mostly remembered for his song cycles. He had a conservative style showing influences from Mendelssohn and Brahms. He was also very active in music education. He was knighted in 1929.
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| Sir Arthur Sumervill Picture from Hyperion. |
Monday 12 March 2018
11th March 2018 Mothering Sunday
What Wondrous Love Is This Geoffrey Weaver
Geoff Weaver was born in 1943. He read Music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge gaining an honours degree. He founded the Bath Youth Choir and directed the Bach Cantata Choir. After teaching in the UK, worked in Hong Kong for 8 years with the Church Mission Society. He was Director of Music for 4 years in Bradford Cathedral and 8 years on the training staff at CMS Training College at Selly Oak. He was also Director of Studies/Outreach for the Royal School of Church Music for 8 years.
"What Wondrous Love is This" is an American Folk Hymn arranged by Geoff Weaver. It starts as a simple melody sung for us today by the Junior Choir, and goes into 3 part harmony for the middle stanza, finishing with unison Alto, Tenor, Bass and Soprano descant, building to a joyous crescendo.
Geoff Weaver was born in 1943. He read Music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge gaining an honours degree. He founded the Bath Youth Choir and directed the Bach Cantata Choir. After teaching in the UK, worked in Hong Kong for 8 years with the Church Mission Society. He was Director of Music for 4 years in Bradford Cathedral and 8 years on the training staff at CMS Training College at Selly Oak. He was also Director of Studies/Outreach for the Royal School of Church Music for 8 years.
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| Picture from St Michael's Chamber Choir |
Sunday 4 March 2018
Monday 12 February 2018
11th February 2018 Quinquagesima
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| taken from Wikipedia |
Ave Verum Charles Gounod (1818-1893)
Gounod was born in Paris, his father an artist and his mother a pianist and also his first piano teacher. He showed an early aptitude for music. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire and won the Prix de Rome in 1839 for his Cantata Fernand. He contemplated taking holy orders but went back to composition before taking his vows. In 1854 he competed a Messe Solennelle also know as St Cecilia Mass.
The sister of Felix Mendelssohn, Fanny, introduced Gounod to the works of JS Bach, in particcular he admired The Well-Tempered Clavier and it inspired him to write a melody to the Prelude in C major, later adding the words "Ave Maria" and it became a success. in 1859 he wrote Faust for which he is best remembered.
Between 1870 and 1874, Gounod lived in London, becoming conductor the Royal Choral Society. Much of his music at this time was choral.
As he grew older his music became more sacred. He was made a Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur in 1888 and died of a stroke in 1893.
Thursday 8 February 2018
4th February 2018 Candlemass
When to the Temple Mary Went Johannes Eccard (1553-1611)
Johannes Eccard was a German composer born in Mühlhausen in what is now Thuringia , Germany. At the age of 18 he went to Munich as a pupil of Orlando Lasso and it is thought he travelled with Lasso to Paris. In 1574 he was back in Mühlhausen and stayed there for 4 years. With Joachim a Burck he edited a collection of sacred songs, Crepundia sacra Helmboldi (1577). In 1583 he was appointed assisstant conductor and in 1599 conductor at Konigsberg. In 1608 he was called to Berlin as principal conductor, a post he only held or 3 years due to his death.
Eccard's works are mostly choral compositions for 4 to 9 voices, sacred chorales and cantatas. He is much admired by musicians for the polyphonic structure of his work.
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| Eccard from Wikipedia |
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