Serenade to Music
| March 16, 2019 | |
| 7:30 pm | |
| Minchinhampton | |
| Holy Trinity Church | |
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Our Spring programme contains sacred and secular music from the 18th century to the present day. We’re joined by our regular distinguished string ensemble and by Julian Elloway at the organ.
The first half presents a range of works for choir and strings beginning with the Kyrie from Haydn’s famous ‘Nelson’ Mass. Less well known perhaps is Vivaldi’s setting of the Magnificat which is full of surprises and dramatic gestures. Lovers of his ‘Gloria’ will not be disappointed however!
Mendelssohn was an early admirer of the music of J.S.Bach and he wrote a number of pieces emulating his style. ‘Wen nur den lieben Gott läßt walten’ (If you but allow God to guide you) is the third of a set of chorale cantatas dating from 1828. Also, in the first half Julian will play Handel’s popular organ concerto known as ‘The Cuckoo and the Nightingale’.
The second half contains three works by the Latvian composer Ëriks Ešenvalds who was born in 1977. ‘Only in sleep’ sets words by Sara Teasdale and features a folk-song like soprano solo. ‘The Heaven’s Flock’ has words by Paulann Petersen conjuring up a scene of night-time in the countryside, the heavens full of stars, the title of the third piece. ‘Stars’ returns to Sara Teasdale and Ešenvalds evokes the impression of the night sky by including the sound of tuned wine glasses played by wet fingers; a magical effect.
We return to our own shores for the final works in our concert. Jonathan Dove wrote ‘Seek him that maketh the seven stars’ in 1998 and sets visionary words from the book of Amos.
Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, with words from Act 5 of ‘The Merchant of Venice’, was written in 1938 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Sir Henry Wood’s first concert. For this work the choir is joined by the strings and Julian Elloway at the piano.
Tickets £15 (Concessions £12, U16s free).