Monday 11 December 2017

An unsurpassed example of modern unaccompanied vocal writing - Mater ora filium

My choir London Concord Singers, conductor Jessica Norton, is giving its Christmas concert on Thursday 14 December 2017 with a concert celebrating 20th century British music. 

The programme centres on Vaughan Williams' Mass in G minor, written in 1921 and imbued with the composer's love of British 17th music, notably the music of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. Though its premiere was given in concert form, the work was intended for R.R. Terry and the choir of Westminster Cathedral, and it was for Westminster Cathedral that Herbert Howells wrote a group of Marian motets early in his career, and a pair of these are also being included in the concert. On a far larger scale is Arnold Bax's Mater ora filium also dating from the 1920s; setting a medieval text, Bax was inspired by Byrd's Mass for five voices. The work was considered by composer Patrick Hadley to be 'an unsurpassed example of modern unaccompanied vocal writing'. The programme is completed with Christmas music by William Mathias, Kenneth Leighton and Julian Merson.

The concert is at the church of St Botolph without Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3TL and starts at 8pm, tickets price £12.00 include a glass of wine after the concert. Full details and tickets from EventBrite.

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