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Choral at Cadogan

Choral at Cadogan is delighted once again to present some of the best names in choral singing today. Highlights will include Ex Cathedra presenting a complete programme of Bach, including a rare opportunity to hear some of his motets sung one or two to a part. In-the-news composer Eric Whitacre is represented both in an evening conducting his music, sung by his own group the Eric Whitacre Singers, and in the programme given by The Wellensian Consort, winners of Choir of the Year 2010. Upcoming consort New York Polyphony will give an excitingly balanced sequence of masterpieces next March, while the Choir of St John’s College Cambridge, celebrating the College’s 500th anniversary, capture the spirit of the Christmas season. And again The Tallis Scholars will open and close the season with some specially selected renaissance gems, familiar and unfamiliar. I look forward to seeing you at the Hall during our season!

Peter Phillips, Artistic Director

Wednesday 19 October 2011, 7.30pm

The Tallis Scholars
Magnificat

Programme
PALESTRINA: Magnificat For Double Choir
PÄRT: Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen
TALLIS: Miserere Nostri
ALLEGRI: Miserere
PRAETORIUS: Magnificat II
BYRD: Miserere Mei
BYRD: Miserere Mihi, Domine
PÄRT: Magnificat
PÄRT: Nunc Dimittis
PALESTRINA: Nunc Dimittis for double choir

The Magnificat, Mary’s song of exaltation following the annunciation, sits together with the Nunc Dimittis at the core of the Christian liturgy, whether in the Anglican rite of Evensong or the Catholic Offices of Evening Prayer and Compline. Together they frame the scope of the Christian experience – from the joyous anticipation of Christ’s birth to the calm acceptance of death and resurrection. Their certainty, however, leaves little room for the human errors and doubts that also shape the Christian journey, errors for which Ash Wednesday’s Psalm 51 – the Miserere – is perhaps the most impassioned plea for forgiveness. Taking these three texts as touchstones, this programme explores the musical responses of composers divided by age and nationality, but united by a common spiritual inspiration.

Director PETER PHILLIPS

Thursday 24 November 2011, 7.30pm

The Wellensian Consort
Blessed Cecilia

“Choir of the Year 2010”
Programme to include:
BRITTEN: Hymn to St. Cecilia
KODÁLY: The Music Makers, an ode
CHILCOTT: Everyone sang
ELGAR: There is sweet music
HARRIS: Faire is the Heaven
RUTTER: What sweeter music
WHITACRE: Her sacred spirit soars
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Silence and music

Winners of Choir of the Year in 2010, The Wellensian Consort pay homage to the patron saint of music in a glorious celebration of the gift of music. The centrepiece of this programme is Benjamin Britten’s acclaimed choral masterpiece ‘A Hymn to St Cecilia’; a deeply engaging work, rich in sonority and characterisation. This is complemented by a marvellously evocative setting of ‘The Music Makers’ by the esteemed Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodály. This joyous celebration will be further enriched by works from some of the 20th and 21st centuries’ greatest exponents of choral music, including Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Rutter and Whitacre.

Conductor CHRISTOPHER FINCH

Wednesday 7 December 2011, 7.30pm

The Armonico Consort & Baroque Players
A German Christmas Story

Programme to include:
SCHÜTZ: The Christmas Oratorio
PRAETORIUS: Lutheran Mass for Christmas

Heinrich Schütz is widely regarded as being the most important German composer prior to JS Bach, and is also thought to have studied with Monteverdi in Venice. The influence of Venetian music on these composers is undoubtedly strong, and the combination of the brilliance in the perfection of German compositions of the time with the vibrant excitement of the Venetian School, created works of incredible colour, drama and melody.

Director CHRISTOPHER MONKS
THE ENGLISH CORNETT AND SACKBUTT ENSEMBLE

Friday 9 December 2011, 7.30pm

The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge
What sweeter music?

Programme:
PURCELL: O sing unto the Lord
PURCELL: Remember not, Lord, our offences
PURCELL: Behold now praise the Lord
PURCELL: O praise God in his holiness
PURCELL: Hear my prayer, O Lord
PURCELL: My beloved spake
RUTTER: What sweeter music?
WHITEHEAD: The seven joys of Mary
CASHMORE: Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen
arr. LEDGER: Silent night
arr. LEDGER: On Christmas night
RUTTI: I wonder as I wander
DARKE: In the bleak midwinter
BULLARD: Glory to the Christ Child
arr. WILLCOCKS: Away in a manger
arr. WILBERG: Ding dong, merrily on high

Andrew Nethsingha writes; “Today we explore the rich, plangent soundworld of Henry Purcell. At the interval we change the mood to present a Christmas selection - popular favourites as well as new works. Boys’ voices have a special emotional resonance when evoking the fragility and innocence of Christ’s nativity.”

Director ANDREW NETHSINGHA
Piano JOHN CHALLENGER and FREDDIE JAMES
THE ST JOHN'S SINFONIA

Wednesday 1 February 2012, 7.30pm

The Eric Whitacre Singers
Inspirations

Programme to include:
WHITACRE: Sleep
WHITACRE: Lux Aurumque
WHITACRE: A Boy and a Girl

A programme to include some of Whitacre’s most famous works including ‘Sleep’, ‘Lux Aurumque’ and ‘A Boy and a Girl’ conducted by the composer himself along with pieces that have inspired him, performed by his professional choir, the Eric Whitacre Singers.


Conductor ERIC WHITACRE

Wednesday 21 March 2012, 7.30pm

New York Polyphony
Tudor City

ANDREW SMITH: Surrexit Christus
LIONEL POWER: Beata progenies
JOHN DUNSTABLE: Speciosa factaes
ANDREW SMITH/WORCESTER FRAGMENTS (1300): Flos regalis
WILLIAM CORNYSH: Ave Maria Mater Dei
ANDREW SMITH: Ave Maris Stella
WALTER LAMBE: Stella caeli
SCHUBERT: Vier gesange für Männerstimme, Opus 17
GREGORY BROWN: Abschied vom Leser (New York Polyphony commission)
GREGORY BROWN: The Dying Californian
GERALD FINZI: Thou didst delight mine eyes, Opus 32
CLEMENT JANEQUIN: La guerre (La bataille de Marignan)

Based on New York Polyphony’s acclaimed 2010 Avie Records release, Tudor City is “a stunning tour through chant, polyphony, and renaissance harmonies” (American Public Media). An allusion to the historic New York neighbourhood, Tudor City highlights the works of English composers active during the reign of the Tudor dynasty (1485-1603), effortlessly interspersed new works written for the quartet by Andrew Smith.
The second half of the programme explores works for male voices by Schubert and Finzi, as well as two commissioned works by American composer, Gregory Brown and ending with Clement Janequin’s lively depiction of the Battle of Marignan in “La Guerre.”

Thursday 19 April 2012, 7.30pm

Ex Cathedra
Bach: A Beautiful Mind

BACH: Lobet den Herrn alle Heiden (BWV 230)
BACH: Cello suite No 1 in G major (BWV 1007)
BACH: Jesu, meine Freude (BWV 227)
BACH: Komm, Jesu, Komm (BWV 229)
BACH: Cello suite No 4 in Eb major (BWV 1010)
BACH: Singet dem Herrn (BMW 225)

A rare opportunity to hear four of JS Bach’s motets for single and double choir performed by one or two singers per part. Bach’s genius has moved and inspired music-lovers and musicians for centuries: legendary cellist Pablo Casals described Bach as the essence of music and the cello suites as the essence of Bach.

Conductor JEFFREY SKIDMORE
Cello ANDREW SKIDMORE
EX CATHEDRA CONSORT AND CONTINUO

Wednesday 16 May 2012, 7.30pm

The Tallis Scholars
Field of the Cloth of Gold

MOUTON: Nesciens mater
CORNYSH: Ave Maria
MOUTON: Ave Maria...serena
MOUTON: Quaeramus cum pastoribus
BROWNE: Salve regina
MOUTON: Kyrie and Agnus dei from the Missa Dictes moy toutes vos pensées
FAYRFAX: Agnus dei from the Missa Tecum principium
MOUTON: Salva nos
CORNYSH: Ah Robin
CORNYSH: Magnificat

Between the 7th and 24th June 1520, in fields near Calais, there took place one of the most spectacular political summit meetings of all time. Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France met to seal a treaty of friendship between their two warring countries, with no expense spared.
The two Chapels Royal were of course in attendance, and of course they tried to out-sing each other. As luck would have it the two choirs were led by two exceptional composers of the period, composers to whom the Tallis Scholars have devoted individual recordings: Jean Mouton on the French side, and William Cornysh on the English. The Tallis Scholars cannot by themselves, recreate the seething atmosphere of the original meeting but we can give an idea of the splendour of the occasion.

Director PETER PHILLIPS