December 2011
Saturday 3rd: Candlelit concert
Bach: Christmas Oratorio with soloists and orchestra [see poster left for details]
May 2011
S
May 2011
Saturday 21st Spring concert: A Serenade to Music,
with music by Copland, Stravinsky, Bach and Vaughan Williams,
featuring the St Mary's Orchestra and Singers with Julia Hwang
(solo violin).
Review by Judith Whitehouse
A Latin mass, a stately home, a rare bird, a future star, Shakespeare, Sir Henry Wood and an entire menagerie – what could they possibly have in common except another groundbreaking St Mary’s Singers concert at Truro Cathedral? This Serenade to Music opened with one of Bach’s short Masses craftily recycled from previous cantatas. The G minor has some gorgeous oboe parts, three nicely varied solo arias, sung with sensitivity and panache by Cathedral Choral Scholars Tim Braithwaite (alto), Kieran White (tenor) and Jacob Dennison (bass), framed by some typically fiendish Bach choral writing equal to anything in his longer works. Luke Bond’s meticulous direction ensured that the work’s textures were displayed to the full – the fugal ending of the Gloria producing a splendid accretion of sound.Stravinsky often acknowledged the influence of Bach and his chamber concerto Dumbarton Oaks is a fascinating take on baroque clarity of line. The orchestra with many telling solo moments matched the energy and commitment of Luke Bond’s conducting, making the most of the delicacy and even humour of such a complex piece.After the interval, the eagerly awaited performance by 15-year old Julia Hwang of Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending. To say that the entire audience was rapt is almost understatement; I’ve lost count of the Larks I’ve heard over the years but this one was so special it defies further description – soloist, orchestra and conductor were all truly inspired and Julia richly deserved her prolonged ovation.The Serenade to Music which followed came close to recreating the magical wash of sound we’d just heard but not quite – Vaughan Williams’ original orchestration makes it an expensive piece to perform, and glorious string playing plus Paul Comeau’s piano reduction of 18 brass and wind instruments, percussion and harp couldn’t be faulted, but I really missed the full palette of colours. The choir sang superbly, everywhere between one and thirty voices – a delight to hear.
The grand finale of Copland’s Five American Songs began with some truly massive singing from bass Choral Scholar Henry Hawkesworth, followed by the choir soulfully nostalgic and in simple folkstyle, paving the way for the ultimate nonsense song “I bought me a cat”, full of magnificent farmyard impressions much enjoyed by the audience – a fun way to end a great evening of variety and virtuosity!
April 2011
Sunday 17th St John Passion, Cathedral
A liturgical performance featuring St Mary's Singers and Orchestra with David Webb (Evangelist) and soloists
St Endellion Church
Saturday 27 February 2010
Jubilate Deo (Gabrieli)
Songs of farewell (Parry)
Ave maris stella (Grieg)
Spirituals (Tippet)
Salga el torillo (de Salazar)
Convidando esta la noche (de Zespedes)
Sure on this shining night (Barber)
further details to follow
Palm Sunday 28 March 2010
Bach St John Passion
A liturgical performance of J S Bach's St John Passion in Truro Cathedral.
St Mary's Singers and Orchestra, with young professional soloists.
Admission is free, with a retiring collection to cover the costs of the performance.
Truro Cathedral
Saturday 28 November 2009 at 7.30 pm
Concert with pupils from local secondary schools, including
Rutter Gloria
excerpts from Handel's Messiah
Gabrielli Jubiltate deo
plus works by Pascoe and Whitacre
Truro Cathedral
Friday 3 July 2009 at 7.45 pm
Bernstein Chichester Psalms
Tippett Five Spirituals
Barber Sure on this shining night
Whitacre Sleep
plus
Latin American baroque music by Capillas, Padilla, Salazar etc
A liturgical performance of J S Bach's St John Passion in Truro Cathedral
St Mary's Singers and Orchestra, with young professional soloists
Wednesday 18 February and
Thursday 19 February 2009
© Hugo Glendinning
Hall for Cornwall
Eternal Light
St Mary's Singers was invited to take part in three performances with Ballet Rambert and London Musici.
The work is a collaboration between Mark Baldwin (the Artistic director of Ballet Rambert) and composer Howard Goodall. It was given its premiere last autumn and is now touring the country.
'...... St Mary's Singers surpassed themselves, coping tremendously with a score that was at times tricky - the fast, rhythmic a capella Latin phrases, for example.' West Briton, 26 February 2009
Saturday 15 November 2008
Programme included:
Handel Dixit Dominus
Purcell My Beloved Spake
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 3
Friday 23 May 2008
Music by composers living in Cornwall
Put by the sun Jonathan Carne
Lux mundi Paul Comeau
The New College Service Paul Drayton
Love's Redeeming Work is Done Paul Drayton
Ending Graham Fitkin
Three Medieval Lyrics Russell Pascoe
Salmow Kernewek Russell Pascoe
The music performed at this concert was recorded on the following three nights for St Mary's Singers' second CD, released in autumn 2008..
Palm Sunday 16 March 2008
A liturgical performance of J S Bach's St Matthew Passion in Truro Cathedral
St Mary's Singers and Orchestra, with young professional soloists
Tuesday 11 December 2007
St Mary's Singers with celebrity readers
Saturday 17 November 2007
Magnificat Bach
Cantata 51 "Jauchzet Gott" Bach
In the second half we were joined by pupils from local secondary schools:
Zadok the Priest Handel
Nulla in mundo pax sincera Vivaldi
Gloria, Et in terra pax, Laudamus te and Gratias agimus tibi (from the Mass in B Minor) Bach
Vespers (1610) Monteverdi
With the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble
St John Passion Bach
Carol concert to raise money for the Hame Farm Trust with celebrity
readers and traditional Christmas music.
Music by living composers
i thank you God for most this amazing day - Eric Whitacre
Seek him that maketh the seven stars - Jonathan Dove
Funeral Ikos - John Tavener
O magnum mysterium - Morten Lauridsen
The Beatitudes - Arvo Pärt
A New Song - James MacMillan
The second half was combined with pupils from local secondary schools, including Richard Lander School, Truro School and Truro High School for Girls:
I was glad - Hubert Parry
I will lift up mine eyes - Russell Pascoe (first performance)
Saturday 17 June 2006
At St Mary’s Penzance
Songs of Farewell Parry
Fantasia and Fugue in G Parry - organ solo played by Tom Little
Faire is the heaven Harris
Funeral Ikos Tavener
Magnificat Drayton
Saturday 20 May 2006
Mass in B Minor J S Bach.
With orchestra and Martene Grimson (soprano), James Laing (alto), Nathan Vale (tenor) and Dawid Kimberg (bass).
Palm Sunday 9 April 2006
Liturgical performance (free admission) with Orchestra
St John Passion Bach
Saturday 19 November 2005
With pupils from Richard Lander School, Truro High School for Girls, Truro School, other local schools and colleges and Robert Sharpe, organ
Ceremony of Carols Britten
Chichester Psalms Bernstein
Blessed City Bairstow
Gloria Rutter
Saturday 25 June 2005
With Orchestra
Chandos anthem no 9 ‘O Praise the lord with one consent’ Handel
The arrival of the Queen of Sheba Handel
Cantata 80 ‘Ein feste Burg’ Bach
Laudate Dominum Mozart
O sing unto the Lord Purcell
The Morning Arne
Palm Sunday 20 March 2005
Liturgical performance (free admission) with Orchestra
St John Passion Bach
Saturday 6 November 2004
With pupils from Richard Lander School, Truro High School for Girls and Truro School and Robert Sharpe, organ
Cantos Sagrados James MacMillan
Missa brevis Britten
Blow, northern wind Russell Pascoe
Requiem John Rutter