 |
Brighton Orpheus Choir
conducted by Stella Hull |
Saturday 21 March 2009
given in All Saints’ Church, The Drive, Hove
a concert with the Musicians of All Saints,
and soloists Shona Hull (soprano) and Mike Bunting (baritone)
John Rutter Mass of the
Children
with members of the Lewes Youth and Junior choirs
Karl Jenkins Sacred Songs
and his new Te Deum
premièred in late 2008
this will be only the 2nd UK performance |
| John Rutter |
Mass of the Children |
 |
To
a child there is something especially memorable in a musical experience shared across the
generations. In Rutter’s own words: “I had always wanted to write a work
combining children’s choir with adult performers, not only because I find the sound
of children’s voices irresistible but also because I wanted to repay a debt. As a boy
soprano in my school choir I had been thrilled whenever our choir took part in adult works
with children’s choir parts, such as the Mahler Third Symphony and the Britten War
Requiem, and years later I remembered this experience and wanted to write something that
would give children a similar opportunity to perform alongside adult professionals”. |
| Composed by invitation for a concert during the American Choral
Directors’ national convention in Carnegie Hall, New York in February 2003, Rutter
set the words of a Missa Brevis (mass without Credo) interwoven with
carefully chosen English poems “giving the whole work the framework of a complete
day, from waking to sleeping, within which other texts and moods appear like events in
that day or landmarks in a life”. |
| Kyrie |
A prayer for
mercy preceded by Thomas Ken’s ancient morning hymn for the scholars of Winchester
College Awake my soul. |
| Gloria |
An exuberant and
rhythmic song of praise in the words of the angels Glory be to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth with a calmer central section sung by the soprano and baritone
soloists. |
| Sanctus
and Benedictus |
Holy,
holy.......Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
A lyrical movement sung first by the adult choir, passed to the children and
returned to the adults, finally to be taken up by the soloists. |
| Agnus
Dei |
Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.
A more anguished movement sung by the adults giving way to the innocent voices of the
children singing a serenely simple setting of William Blake’s poem Little lamb. |
| Dona
nobis pacem |
Grant us
peace.
Opening with the baritone singing Rutter’s version of a 16th
century prayer by Lancelot Andrewes, the music passes to the soprano and the 5th
century prayer known as St Patrick’s Breastplate, accompanied by chorus.
Over a gently rocking prayer for peace the children sing Thomas Ken’s evening hymn Glory
to thee my God this night to the famous tune of Tallis’ canon, finally bringing
the day and the work to a restful close. |
[Grateful
thanks to Collegium for Rutter’s quotations]
| Karl Jenkins |
Sacred Songs |
| Sacred songs
is a compilation made in 2008 brings together some of the most famous and beautiful
movements from the sacred works of Karl Jenkins. |
 |
Ave verum
from Stabat Mater |
A prayer remembering the
cross |
And
the mother did weep
from Stabat Mater |
This
sorrowful phrase is expressed in five different languages – first in English, then a
4-part passage in Hebrew, Latin, Aramaic and Greek. |
Virgo
Virginum
from Stabat Mater |
Chosen
virgin of virgins.....let me mourn with you. |
Agnus
Dei
from The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace |
Lamb
of God, who takes away the sin of the world
Give them your peace. |
Pie
Jesu
from Requiem |
Merciful
Lord Jesus, grant them peace everlasting. |
Benedictus
from The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace |
Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. |
In
Paradisum
from Requiem |
May
the angels lead you into paradise ..... |
This will be only the second UK
performance of Karl Jenkins’ Te Deum. Originally commissioned by the Welsh
Choral it was composed to celebrate Liverpool’s year as the European Capital of
Culture 2008 and was first performed in November 2008. This 15 minute canticle of praise
is full of vitality with moments of contrasting beauty and is scored for chorus and a
small orchestra of two trumpets, strings and five percussionists.
pre-order
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