Saturday 5 April 2014

Conductor: Colin Stevens

Chiltern Orchestral SocietyLeader: Janet Hicks

SOLOISTSClaire Boulter (soprano)Freya Jacklin (contralto)Robert Johnston (tenor)Quentin Hayes (bass)

Stabat Mater

Ave Verum CorpusRequiem Mass

Crucifixus Pro Nobis

Guest Conductor: Anna Stevens

ROBERT JOHNSTON (TENOR): Robertstudied singing at The Royal Academy ofMusic, where he gained LRAMs in bothteaching and performing, as well as a

GRSM. In 1995 he was awarded an ARAM.He now combines being a part-timemember of the BBC Singers, with a busysolo career both at home and abroad.

CLAIRE BOULTER (SOPRANO); Clairestudied at the University of Birminghamand Trinity College of Music, graduatingwith the Allcard Award and the WorshipfulCompany of Musicians Silver Medal forExcellence. Stage roles include "CarriePipperidge" in Opera North's production ofCarousel (The Leeds Grand Theatre, TheLowry and London's Barbican), CatherineLinton in a new musical adaptation ofWuthering Heights (workshop at BaronsCourt Theatre), Guadalena, La Périchole(Opera South), ‘Battling Sopranos’(MIMOMANIAC, King’s Place), Aline, TheSorcerer (Buxton Opera House), the titlerole in Floyd's Susannah (HampsteadGarden Opera), ensemble The Pirates of

Penzance (The Carl Rosa OperaCompany), and three seasons at theThursford Christmas Spectacular. Oratoriowork includes Spirit of England, CarminaBurana, Elijah, Messiah, Petite MesseSolennelle, Nelson Mass, Bach JohannesPassion with Richard Egarr, concerts invenues such as The Royal Palace, Madrid,St John's Smith Square, The Royal AlbertHall and duetting with Jonathan Ansell atthe ICC Birmingham.

Claire regularly appears with vocalensemble "Blossom Street" whose recentprojects include a CD of Peter Warlockchoral music that will be released in 2014.

FREYA JACKLIN (CONTRALTO); Freyagraduated from University of York in July2010 with First Class Hons in Music.  Sheis studying for a MMus in VocalPerformance at the Guildhall School ofMusic and Drama under Theresa Goble.Outside of GSMD she performsprofessionally with ensembles such asOpera Holland Park, London Voices,RSVP Voices, and in the barbershop groupBellaphonics.  Career highlights so farinclude solos with Birmingham OperaCompany in Stockhausen’s Mittwoch ausLicht directed by Graham Vick, filmsoundtracks (Snow White and theHuntsman, The Hobbit parts 1&2 and TheHunger Games parts 1&2 to name a few)and appearing at the London A CappellaFestival 2013 with Bellaphonics.  Opera

credits include Sorceress/Dido/2nd Witch inPurcell’s Dido and Aeneas, cover Annio inMozart’s La Clemenza di Tito (GiornataOpera), the title role of Iolanthe (BrentOpera), Julia Bertram in Jonathan Dove’sMansfield Park (HGO), Annina/Flora inVerdi’s La Traviata (Opera Loki), and TheMother in Menotti’s Amahl and the NightVisitors (Opera Anywhere).  Futureprojects include cover Echo 1 in JonathanDove’s Adventures of Pinocchio (GSMDOpera School), her debut at the WigmoreHall with the GSMD Voiceworksprogramme, and the title role in Purcell’sDido and Aeneas (Opera Up Close, theKings Head).   She will also be a chorusartist in the Opera Holland Park 2014season

At home he has sung Messiah at the RAHunder Sir David Willcocks, CarminaBurana at the Barbican and made hisdebut at the Three Choirs Festival in 1996as the Evangelist in Bach’s St MatthewPassion under Joshua Rifkin. In recentseasons abroad he has sung The Dreamof Gerontius in Cape Town, The Kingdomin the Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, TheCreation in Sri Lanka. Samson, Messiahand St Nicolas in Holland, Handel’s Ode toSt Cecilia in Padova, Italy, Elijah inNorway; Haydn’s Nelson Mass in Parma,Italy, and Judas Maccabaeus with theMDR orchestra in Leipzig.Recordings include works by Carl Orff forThe South Bank Show, Maintop in arecording of Billy Budd for Erato with KentNagano and the Halle, Marquis Pierre in

Kurt Weill’s The Firebrand of Florence withSir Andrew Davis and the BBC SymphonyOrchestra and a selection of carols withDavid Hill and The Bach Choir on the CDNoel.

Recent performances include works byHandel and Haydn in Kampen andGroningen, Holland; the Evangelist inBach’s St Matthew Passion in St AlbansAbbey, The Dream of Gerontius in London,Messiah in Redbourn and performances ofthe rarely-performed Joseph and hisBrethren by Handel, again in Holland.Robert has also recently finished filmingthe part of the Venetian Opera Singer inthe Ealing Studios feature film of DorianGray.

QUENTIN HAYES (BASS); Since winningthe VARA Dutch Radio Prize in 1993 at theBelverdere Singing Competition in ViennaQuentin has sung roles with all the leadingUK Opera Companies includingGlyndebourne, Scottish Opera, WelshNational Opera, Opera North, EnglishNational Opera and the Royal OperaHouse, Covent Garden.His concert engagements have beendiverse, ranging from Purcell’s “Ode forSt.Cecilia’s Day” in St.Petersburg, toPurcell’s “Come ye Sons of Art” withPhilippe Herreweghe in Lyon, to Finzi’s “InTerra Pax” in Rio de Janiero, to Dvõrák’s“Requiem” in Valencia, to Brahms’“Requiem” with the Royal Scottish NationalOrchestra in the Usher Hall Edinburgh, to“Messiah” in Trondheim Cathedral,Norway and Britten’s War Requiem at theConcertgebouw, Amsterdam.

He has sung with many prestigious

orchestras, including the BerlinPhilharmonic, the City of BirminghamSymphony Orchestra, the LondonSymphony Orchestra (with the lateRichard Hickox), Manchester’s HalléOrchestra , the Bournemouth SymphonyOrchestra and the BBC SymphonyOrchestra.

Recent engagements include Rigoletto(Luxembourg Festival ), Macbeth(Blackheath Concert Halls) , Glanert’sCaligula at the AmsterdamConcertgebouw last December and lastmonth a cruise up the Amazon to sing atManaus Opera House, Brazil.

As well as television appearances, he hasrecorded with Hyperion, DG, Decca Argo,Chandos and Naxos. He is now a visitingsinging teacher at the Royal NorthernCollege of Music.

The story of Franz Schubert is the perfectexample of the cliché ignored genius whowas neglected during his lifetime and diedin obscurity. In his short life, he neverachieved the recognition he deserved and,even after his death, an entire generationhad to pass before his achievements sawthe light. Nonetheless, his short career washighly fruitful, during which he wrote oversix hundred songs, five masses, ninesymphonies, and several pianocompositions. It is interesting, as well as asad truth, that many of these masterpieceslay deserted on the dusty shelves of attics.However, two hundred years since hisdeath, his music continues to delight us.

He was born in Vienna and was the fourthson of Franz Theodor Schubert andElizabeth Vietz. He displayed immensetalent in music and was encouraged toexhibit it even as a child. He receivedinstruction in violin from his father as wellas from his elder brother. He also receivedlessons from Michael Holzer, the organistat Liechtenthal parish church.

In 1808, the eleven-year-old Schubertjoined the choir of the imperial court chapelas well as to the Royal seminary, duringwhich time he displayed exceptional skillas a student. He became quite familiarwith the music of Haydn, Mozart andBeethoven. Being an introvert and a shyperson, Schubert spent most of his sparetime practising - good advice for anybudding musicians among you, shy or not!

The period between 1820 and 1823 sawSchubert reach the zenith of his musicalcareer. A charity event which was held in1821, which included the performance ofErlkönig, attracted lot of public attentiontowards Schubert’s music. In the sameyear, he penned his seventh symphony(though he did not orchestrate it) and, inthe following year, he started his famouseighth symphony in B Minor.

Schubert’s health started to deteriorate; hecontracted syphilis and was admitted toVienna General Hospital for several days.Even so, he still managed to composesome of his greatest works, including DieSchöne Müllerin and an octet forwoodwinds and strings.

The song-cycle Die Winterreise, thoughtby many to be his greatest work, wascomposed in 1827 and, towards the end ofthis year, he completed his two series ofpiano pieces which he called, simply,Impromptus. On March 26, 1828, Schubertparticipated in a full-scale concert whichwas devoted completely to his own works.On 11 November, Schubert startedsuffering from nausea and headache. Afterfive days, the doctors diagnosed typhoidfever, following which he died on 19November 1828.

It took Schubert three days in 1815 to complete his Stabat Mater, which is for choir(without soloists) and small orchestra. This was just his first setting of theancient devotional poem, the second being composed a year later, and in adifferent key. In this version, Schubert sets only the first four stanzas of thetwenty-stanza Latin poem but, after all four stanzas are heard, he then shapesthem into one cohesive section. There then follows a repeat section whichincludes some sophisticated variations.

The use of trombones in the orchestration is interesting (although Schubertdoesn’t use flutes, horns, trumpets or drums). While their use is in keeping withecclesiastical tradition, from the original autograph it is clear that Schubertoriginally intended to use horns, as he had originally written Corni. However, hedeleted this and substituted Tromboni. Part of the reason for the omission oftrumpets and horns may be that, in Schubert’s day, technical limitations meantthat these instruments (unlike trombones) were unable to reproduce many of thenotes within their overall range.

Stabat mater dolorosa,Juxta crucem lacrimosa,Dum pendebat Filius.(The mournful Mother stoodWeeping beside the crossWhile her son was hanging on it.)

Cujus animam gementem,Contristatam, et dolentem,Pertransivit gladius.(Her lamenting soul,Full of anguish and grief,was pierced as by a sword.)

O quam tristis et afflicta,Fuit illa benedicta,Mater unigeniti!(Oh, how sad and distressedWas that blessed MotherOf an only son.)

Quae moerebat, et dolebat,Pia Mater, dum videbat,Nati poenas inclyti.(How she mourned and grieved,That devoted Mother, as she watchedThe suffering of her glorious son.)

Where other people keep diaries in which they record theirmomentary feelings, etc, Schubert simply kept sheets of music byhim and confided his changing moods to them; and his soul beingsteeped in music, he put down notes when another man wouldresort to words.

(Robert Schumann, in a letter to to Friedrich Wieck, 1829)

Crucifixus Pro Nobis is a small-scalecantata, setting words by the seventeenth-century poets Patrick Carey and PhineasFletcher, is written for tenor solo, seven-part choir, and organ. It dates from 1961.

Kenneth Leighton, who was born and bredin Yorkshire and held the Reid Chair ofMusic at Edinburgh University, was activeas a composer of church music for much ofhis career: he has contributed severalliturgical pieces, as well as more extendedcantatas, such as this one, on religiousthemes. He is a most productivecomposer, and his work has shown manyinfluences over twenty years - somethingwhich he regards as both inevitable anddesirable. He once said that "for me, in theprocess of composing one hopes to comeever closer to one’s real self."

So Leighton has explored many paths: inhis Nine Variations for Piano, he adoptsserial methods; while in his Quartet in OneMovement he incorporates a degree ofperformer choice into the piece. His churchmusic has, unsurprisingly, been lessradical; but he has never been afraid tobring distinctively modern means ofexpression into what has traditionally beena conservative arena. This cantatacombines a directness of expression, andquite fierce, uncompromising harmoniclanguage, with a great lyrical beauty,anguished in its response to the powerfulpoems.

The work is dedicated to David Lumsdenand the Choir of New College Oxford. Thefour sections are ‘Christ in the cradle’, areverie for soloist and organ alone. Thenthe agony of Christ’s time of doubt ispictured in ‘Christ in the Garden’, built onstrong, often homophonic writing for choir.The third section is ‘Christ in his Passion’,in which a winding chromatic line for thesoloist leads to an accumulation of choralsound - the response to the horror of thePassion is never over-dramatic, though,and the music subsides to a pianissimo‘Thou didst make Him all those tormentsbear’, and the soloist takes over to pointCarey’s moral: “If then his love / Do thysoul move Sigh out a groan / Weep downa melting tear’. The final section turns tothe verse of Phineas Fletcher for aconcluding Hymn, which has something ofthe same effect as the final chorale in aBach cantata, summing up the response ofall to the events which have just beenmeditated upon. This movement is markedto be sung ‘Molto adagio, molto sostenutoma un poco liberamente’.

1. Christ in the Cradle – words by PatrickCarey. D.1651 (Solo)

Look, how he shakes for cold!How pale his lips are grown!Wherein his limbs to foldYet mantle has he none.His pretty feet and hands(Of late more pure and whiteThan is the snowThat pains them so)Have lost their candour quite.His lips are blue(Where roses grew)He’s frozen everywhere:All th’heat he hasJoseph, alas,Gives in a groan: or Mary in a tear.

2.Christ in the Garden (Chorus and Solo)

Look, how he glows for heat!What flames come from his eyes!‘Tis blood that he does sweat,Blood his bright forehead dyes:See, see! It trickles down:Look, how it showers amain!Through every poreHis blood runs o’er,And empty leaves each vein.His very heartBurns in each part;A fire his breast doth sear:For all this flame,To cool the sameHe only breathes a sigh, and weeps a tear.

3. Christ in His Passion (Solo and Chorus)

What bruises do I see!What hideous stripes are those!Could any cruel beEnough, to give such blows?

Look, how they bind his armsAnd vex his soul with scorns,Upon his hairThey make him wearA crown of piercing thorns.Through hands and feetSharp nails they beat:And now the cross they rear:Many look on:But only JohnStands by to sigh, Mary to shed a tear.

Why did he shake for cold?Why did he glow for heat?Dissolve that frost he could,He could call back that sweat.Those bruises, stripes, bonds, taunts,Those thorns, which thou dost see,Those nails, that crossHis own life’s loss,Why, oh, why suffered he?‘Twas for thy sake.Thou, thou didst makeHim all those torments bear:If then his loveDo thy soul move,Sigh out a groan, weep down a melting tear.

4. Hymn - words by Phineas Fletcher1582-1650 (Chorus)

Drop, drop, slow tears,And bathe those beauteous feetWhich brought from HeavenThe news and Prince of Peace:Cease not, wet eyes,His mercy to entreat;To cry for vengeanceSin doth never cease.In your deep floodsDrown all my faults and fears;Nor let His eyeSee sin, but through my tears.

Ave Verum Corpus is a motet, in D major, written by Mozart for Anton Stoll, afriend of both Mozart and Joseph Haydn. (Stoll was the musical coordinator in theparish of Baden bei Wien, near Vienna.) This setting of the text was composed tocelebrate the feast of Corpus Christi and the autograph is dated 17 June 1791. Itis only forty-six bars long and is scored for SATB choir, string instruments, andorgan. Mozart's manuscript itself contains minimal directions, with only a singlesotto voce at the beginning. Mozart composed this motet while in the middle ofwriting his opera Die Zauberflöte, and while visiting his wife Constanze, who waspregnant with their sixth child and staying in a spa near Baden. It was less thansix months before Mozart's death.

Ave verum corpus natum de Maria Virgine.Vere passum immolatum, in cruce pronobis homine.Cujus latus perforatum unda fluxit etsanguine.Esto nobis praegustatum in mortisexamine.

(Hail the true body incarnate, of the VirginMary bornOn the cross Thy sacred body, for us menwith nails was torn.Cleanse us by the blood and waterstreaming from the pierced side.Feed us with Thy body broken, now indeath’s agony. )

Our next concert

5th July 2014EXAUDI ‘MUSIC VERY OLD AND VERY NEW’

BRITTEN; REJOICE IN THE LAMBPURCELL; COME, YE SONS OF ART, AWAY

More great music for you to enjoy!

Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756 and,perhaps more so than most othercomposers, his life story is well known, andstories of his childhood precociousness arewell documented. For instance, at the ageof four he could learn a piece of music inhalf an hour. At five, he was playing theclavier incredibly well and, at six, he begancomposing, writing his first symphonies atthe age of eight. He was constantlytravelling all over Europe with his father,Leopold. The musical feats and tricks ofyoung Wolfgang were exhibited to the

courts, to musical academicians, and to thepublic. Between the ages of seven andfifteen, the young Mozart spent half his timeon tour. During these tours, he heard,absorbed, and learned various Europeanmusical idioms, eventually crystallizing hisown mature style.

Fully expecting to find an ideal post outsidehis sleepy home town of Salzburg and the

detested archiepiscopal court, in 1777Wolfgang went on a tour with his mother toMunich, Mannheim, and Paris. It was inParis that his mother died suddenly in July,1778. With no prospects of a job, Mozartdejectedly returned to Salzburg in 1779 andbecame court organist to the Archbishop.Mozart finally achieved an unceremoniousdismissal from the archiepiscopal court in1781, and thereafter became one of thefirst musicians in history to embark upon afree-lance career, without the benefit ofchurch, court, or a rich patron.

Mozart moved to Vienna where he lived fora time with the Webers, a family he had metin 1777. He eventually married ConstanzeWeber in August of 1782, against thewishes and strict orders of his father. Then,for a time, things began to look bright forthe young composer. Beginning in 1782with the Die Entführung aus dem Serail,Mozart began turning out one masterpieceafter another in every form and genre.

Mozart is probably the only composer inhistory to have written undisputedmasterworks in virtually every musicalgenre of his age. His serenades,divertimenti and dances, written on requestfor the entertainment and outdoor parties ofthe nobility, have become synonymous withthe Classical ‘age of elegance’.

During his years in Vienna, Mozart alsomade the acquaintance of Haydn. The twobecame close friends and the oldercomposer's music had a profound influenceon Mozart. Between 1782 and 1785,Mozart composed a series of six stringquartets which he dedicated to Haydn.Upon playing through some of themtogether, Haydn said to Mozart's father,who was present, ‘Before God and as an

Most of the great composers have set theRequiem Mass, but probably the most wellknown and best loved of them are those byMozart and Verdi - and it’s the former thatyou will have the immense pleasure ofhearing tonight.

Before discussing Mozart's Requiem, thereis one important thing you must do - if youhave seen either Peter Shaffer's wonderfulplay, Amadeus, or the film version of it,forget it! Although it is, undoubtedly, asuperb dramatic work, it is (to coin aphrase) a little economical with the truth,some of it relevant to one of the works youwill hear tonight. For instance, the filmdepicts Mozart, on his deathbed, dictatinghis Requiem to Salieri. This, of course, didnot happen. The Requiem was, in fact,dictated by Mozart to Franz XaverSüssmayr who, ironically, had been a pupilof both Salieri and Mozart.

It is also untrue that Salieri was the 'tall,mysterious stranger' who knocked onMozart's door and asked him to write arequiem mass. Mozart had mentioned thefact that this strange character had calledon him and commissioned a requiem; theplay and film give the impression thatSalieri thought that this was the product ofMozart's deranged mind (caused by hisfragile health) so decided to impersonatethe imaginary character to try to affectMozart's mind further. The truth in thisinstance is even more fascinating. Therereally was a 'mysterious stranger' and hisidentity is known. He was a youngaristocrat, Count Walsegg, who called onMozart late at night and asked him to writethe requiem (and for quite a lot of money!).Count Walsegg's young wife had recentlydied and he wanted a requiem for her - buthe wanted to pass it off as his own.Apparently, he was in the habit of doing

honest man, your son is the greatestcomposer I know, either personally or byname.’

Yet, through his mismanagement ofmoney (and as a successful composer ofoperas and a reknowned piano virtuoso,he made a great deal), and thedocumented incidences of his tactless,impulsive, and, at times, childish,behaviour in an era of powdered wigs andcourtly manners, Mozart seemed to find itdifficult to make a successful living.

By 1790, he was writing letters to friends,describing himself and his family (he andConstanze had six children, only two ofwhich survived) in desperatecircumstances and begging for money. Hewas also by this time seriously ill with what

was most likely a disease of the kidneys.With the success of The Magic Flute, anda newly granted yearly stipend, Mozartwas just beginning to become financiallystable when his illness brought an end tohis life and career at the age of thirty-six.He was buried, like most Viennese in thosedays by the decree of Emperor Joseph, ina common grave, the exact location ofwhich remains unknown.

The influence of Mozart on the composersthat followed cannot be emphasized toostrongly. He was idolized by such latenineteenth century composersas  Wagner and  Tchaikovsky; and hismusic came to influence the neo-classicalcompositions of Stravinsky and Prokofievin the twentieth century.

this quite a lot; he would copy out things likestring quartets by other composers andthen have them played by his own housemusicians and everybody would be underthe impression that these pieces were byhim. However, he couldn't even think ofdoing the same with a requiem, so he wentto Mozart. It is probable that Mozart wasvery pleased with this commission. In thefirst place, it was for a great deal of money(which Mozart desperately needed) and,secondly, it is thought that Mozart knew ofthe count's intentions with the piece and,being a great practical joker himself, wentalong with the idea.

Unfortunately, the commission came at arather bad time. Mozart was already writingLa Clemenza di Tito, The Magic Flute andthe Clarinet Concerto - an unimaginableworkload - and it couldn't have been veryeasy with two young children runningaround! The overwork, among other thingscaused Mozart to sink into a depressionand, at one point, Constanze took theRequiem from him in order to ease theworkload (and the depression), as it wasbecoming clear that Mozart was beginningto think that he was writing his own requiem.

Indeed, Mozart didn't finish the work and,as mentioned earlier, he dictated theRequiem (literally, on his deathbed) to hisfaithful pupil and friend Süssmayr,desperately trying to tell him, for instance,how the tympani should play at this bar,how the trumpets should sound in thispassage and so on. In fact, the account ofhis final hours, as he was attempting to dothis, is left to us by the fourth sister of theWeber family, Sophie. She was the 'carer'of the family, and she looked after hermother and all her sisters as well as lookingafter Wolfgang in his final hours.

It was, in fact, in Sophie's arms that Mozartdied as Constanze sat beside him. It mayinterest you to know that the Lachrymosafrom the Requiem is the piece at which hewas last heard to be working before hesank into his final sleep, and the very lastphrase he himself wrote was the eighth bar(Judicadus homo reus). So, as you listento this wonderful work tonight, give athought that the achingly beautifulLachrymosa is the lament not only for whatthe text is about but for the passing soul,literally, of the composer.

1. Requiem Aeternam (Chorus withsoprano solo)Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine etlux perpetua luceat eis.Te decet hymnus, Deus in Sion, et tibireddetur votum in Jerusalem.Exaudi, orationem meam, ad Te omniscaro veniet.Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, etlux perpetua, luceat eis.Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.(Grant them eternal rest, O Lord and mayperpetual light shine down upon them.Thou O God art praised in Zion, and untoThee shall the vow be performed inJerusalem. Hear my prayer, for all fleshshall come to Thee.Grant them rest and eternal peace O Lord,and perpetual light shine down upon them.Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.)

2. Dies Irae (Chorus)Dies irae, dies illa, solvet saeclum in favilla,teste David cum Sybilla.Quantus tremor est futurus, quando Judexest venturus, cuncta stricte discussurus.(Day of anger, day of terror, all shallcrumble into ashes, this was David’srevelation.What a trembling shall possess them,when the Judge shall come to judgement,searching all the souls before Him.}

3. Tuba Mirum (Quartet)Tuba mirum spargens sonum, persepulchra regionum, Coget omnes antethronum.Mors stupebit et natura, cum resurgetcreatura, judicante responsura.Liber scriptus proferetur, in quo totumcontinetur, unde mundus judicetur. Judex

ergo cum sedebit, quidquid latet apparebitnil inultum remanebit. Quid sum miser tuncdicturus , quem patronum rogaturus, cumvix Justus sit securus.(Trumpets sounding loud as thunder, callthe buried dead from slumber to the throneof God Almighty. Death shall marvel, earthshall wonder, when departed generations ,rise again to answer judgement.Open lies the book before them, where allrecords have been written, when creationcomes to trial. Then the lord shall sit injudgement, what was hidden is uncovered,naught forgotten, naught unpunished.What shall I plead in my anguish? Who willhelp me, give me counsel? When the justare not acquitted?)

4. Rex Tremenda (Chorus)Rex tremenda majestatis, qui salvandossalvas gratis, salva me, fons pietatis.(King omnipotent and mighty. Thou dostsave the true repentant, save Thou me, Ofount of mercy.)

5. Recordare (Quartet)Recordare, Jesu pie. Quod sum causatuae viae, ne me perdas illa die. Quaerensme sedisti lassus, redemisti crucempassus, tantus labor non sit cassus? JusteJudex ultionis, Donum fac remissionis,ante Diem rationis. Ingemisco tanquamreus. Culpa rubet vultus meus.Supplicanti parce Deus. Qui Mariamabsolvisti, et latronem exaudisti mihiquoque spem dedisti. Preces meae nonsunt dignae, sed tu bonus fac benigne, nepereni cremer igne. Inter oves locumpraesta, et ab haedis me sequestra.Statuens in parte dextra.(Ah, remember, gentle Jesus, twas for mysake Thou did suffer. On that day do notforsake me. Seeking me, thou wastafflicted, to redeem me by Thy passion.Let such labour not be useless. Just andupright, Judge Almighty, grant me grace formy atonement ere the day I stand beforeThee.I lament for I am guilty, and I blush for mywrong doing, I implore Thee, Saviour,

spare me. Thou hast dried the tears ofMary, so shall I, too, hope for pardon. Mypetitions are unworthy, yet have mercy, donot send me to the flaming fire for ever. Inthy sheepfold let me enter, do not herd mewith the guilty, set me there upon thy righthand.)

6. Confutatis Maledictis (Chorus)Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribusaddictis, voca me cum benedictis. Orosupplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasicinis, gere curam mei finis.(When the accursed have beenconfounded and given over to the bitterflames, call me with the blessed. I pray insupplication on my knees. My heartcontrite as the dust, safeguard my fate.)

7. Lachrymosa (Chorus)Lachrymosa dies illa, qua resurget exfavilla, judicandus homo reus. Huic ergoparce, Deus, pie Jesu Domine. Dona eisrequiem. Amen.(Day of bitter lamentation, when man risesup from ashes, doomed to judgement, lostand guilty, then, Lord, pity this Thy servant.Blessed Jesus, Christ our Lord, Saviour,grant them rest and peace. Amen.)

8. Domine Jesu (Chorus with Quartet)Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae. Liberaanimas omnium fidelium defunctorum, depoenis inferni et de profundo lacu. Liberaeas de ore leonis . Ne absorbeat eastartarus, ne candant in obscurum sedsignifer sanctus Michael repraesentet, easin lucem sanctam quam olim Abrahaepromisisti et semini ejus(Lord Jesus Christ, king of Glory, deliverthe souls of all the faithful departed fromthe pains of hell and from the bottomlesspit. Deliver them from the lion’s mouth,neither let them fall into darkness nor theblack abyss swallow them up. And letSaint Michael, Thy bearer, lead them intothe Holy light which once Thou didstpromise to Abraham and his seed.)

9. Hostias (Chorus)Hostias et preces, tibi, Domine, laudisofferimus, tu suscipe pro animabus illis,quarum hodie memoriam facimus, fac eas,Domine, de morte transire ad vitam, quamolim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus(We offer unto thee this sacrifice of prayerand praise. Receive it for those soulswhom today we commemorate. Allowthem, O Lord, to cross from death into lifewhich once thou didst promise to Abrahamand his seed.)

10. Sanctus (Chorus)Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, DominusDeus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terragloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis.(Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth,earth and heaven are full of echoes to Thyglory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed isHe that cometh in the name of the Lord ofLords. Earth and heaven are full of echoespraising Thy glory. Hosanna in thehighest).

11. Benedictus (Quartet)Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.Hosanna in excelsis.(Blessed is he that cometh in the name ofthe Lord. Hosanna in the highest.)

12. Agnus Dei (Chorus with Soprano Solo)Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, donaeis requiem. Agnus Dei qui tolis peccatamundi dona eis requiem sempiternam.Lux eterna luceat eis. Domine cum sanctistuis in aeternam quia pius es. Requiemaeternam dona eis, Domine, et luxperpetua luceat eis, cum sanctis tuis inaeternum, quia pius es.(Lamb of God, who takest away the sins ofthe world, grant them rest. Lamb of Godwho takest away the sins of the world,grant them rest for evermore. May eternallight shine down upon them, Christ theLord, with all Thy blessed Saints forevermore, since Thou art just.)

Mozart dictating his Requiem from his deathbed(Painting by Mihaly Munkacsy)

SOPRANOSCelestria BellGillie BlighAnne BoxJane BrownCorinna ChuteHilary ColbertMargaret CollierSally DussekElaine FlorsheimMary HaywoodZoe HillKatie HughesSue JonesChristine KeenMargaret KirkbyHarriet MackinderBrigid MathersHeather NashFiona O’NeillEileen PattersonBarbara PearceSheila PulferPam RushRosemary SouthworthBrenda StapletonJenny StevensHelen StokesElizabeth ThompsonJenny Watkins

ALTOSKaren BaldwinRachel BaldwinChristine BassJanet BriantNicky BullJean BygateKate DaviesAnn DenwoodMargaret FlaniganSarah GarrettNatasha GethingJane GloverJanet GravesMaggie HalseyJenny HoareLorna LangJane LeggGill LerigoElizabeth MoxleyRhian NichollsEnid PowellMarilyn PryorPhyllis ReynoldsJacquie RotheroeChris SiversAnne WalesHeather WignallKate Winterbottom

TENORSJenny Brannock-JonesCliff BrownRichard BrownWilliam FudgeRoger JuddNigel LewisDavid Wilde

BASSESRobert AllnuttAlan ArcherDavid ChaseyDave ClarkeAdrian CollinBob DaviesPaul DoughtyChris DovePeter GravesRichard GryllsGeoff HarrisonJim HetheringtonHugh HudsonDavid LongTony MackinderDavid MorganRichard OnslowRichard TregoningJohn WatkinsGuy Williams

Violin; Muriel Abbott, RogerBowman, Frances Bigg, EdHewitt, Henry Fagg, FionaJacob, David Moore, RogerNeighbour, Mark Redman,Chris Shelley, Frances Stanhope

Viola; Roger Evans, Cerri Fagg,Katie Hayes, John Saunders

Cello; Hilary Drinkall, HelenGodbolt

Bass; Elliott Dryer-Beers,Sudhir Singh

Clarinet/Basset Horn; PhyllisChampion, Thomas Dryer-Beers

Bassoon; Caroline Cartwright,Ian Every

Trumpet; Jeremy Loukes, AllanRobinson

Trombone; Simon Astridge,Chris Brown, David Taine

Timpani; Richard Baron-Tait

Organ; Colin Stevens

Leader; Janet Hicks

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSTring Choral Society thanks the Iain Rennie Hospiceat Home shop, Tring, for support as our ticket agents.

The piano accompanist for Tring Choral Society rehearsals is Adrian Johnson.

Our thanks go to Roy Mathers for writing and compiling this programme.

Tring Choral Society is financially supported byDacorum Borough Council through Tring Arts Trust.

Financial assistance received from the Eastern Arts Board,administered by NFMS Eastern Region.

We are grateful for the presence of St John Ambulancerepresentatives at this concert.

Mrs J AldridgeMr G E BullMr J BurchellMrs J CadgeMrs A CaloiaMs A CaloiaMrs J CherryMr and Mrs F ClarkMr and Mrs S EustaceMr R FlaniganMr and Mrs R FranklinMrs S K FranklinMr and Mrs J HawkesMr C W HoareMrs J Hollingsworth

Mrs E MarchantMr I MartinMrs B MatthewsMrs M F MerlierMrs E NichollsMr R O’ReillyMr C B J PearceMr G PulferMr P ScribbinsMr and Mrs J StackMr and Mrs J StanhopeMrs J StevensMr W StringerMr and Mrs E TapsonDr and Mrs D Thallon

Mr and Mrs W ThomasMr and Mrs K ToddMrs Suki VaidMr and Mrs J K WatsonMr and Mrs M WatsonMr A Winterbottom

Life MembersMrs J AldridgeMr and Mrs D BanyardMr R GryllsMr J RenalsMrs K Woodward

Why not become a Patron of Tring Choral Society?For a minimum donation of £25, you too could become a Patron of Tring Choral Society,this annual donation entitling you to two free tickets (in any one season). You will alsoreceive an annual newsletter giving concert details in advance, and an invitation to join oursocial events.

To become a Patron, simply fill in the form below and send it, with your donation, toMrs B S Mathers, 8 Old Mill Gardens, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire HP4 2NZ

Telephone; 01442 872727

I would like to become a Patron of Tring Choral Society and enclose

a cheque for £.......................

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If you like what you hear (and see) tonight, and would like tobe involved as a choir member, patron or helper (or perhapsyou would simply like to learn more about Tring Choral

Society), our web site will provide a mine of information.

Our web site contains details of future concerts, rehearsaldates and many other details that are sure to interest friends

of our choir.You can visit us at www.tringchoral.org.uk

As a member of the choir, you will not only have the chance tosing some of the world’s greatest music, but you will also

benefit from the choir’s healthy social life!

Our Membership Secretary, Margaret Flanigan, will bepleased to hear from you on 01442 823915.

For a minimum donation of £25, you too could become a Patron of Tring Choral Society,