Our Rossini concert on 30th October was a great occasion. It was wonderful to be performing live again – the first concert for 2 years.
Our concert in the Ruddock Performing Arts Centre, Birmingham.
BFCS had been ready to perform Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle in March 2020 when the pandemic caused the cancellation of the concert. We’ve been keeping it going during our Zoom rehearsals, so it was very well prepared! It was really enjoyable to sing it with such talented professionals – our soloists, Mimi Doulton, Rachel Gilmore, Ed Harrisson and Joe Kennedy, our accompanists, Ben de Souza and Kevin Gill, and our conductor, David Wynne. We were also very pleased to see so many of our friends and family in the audience.
Thank you to Alfred White for these lovely photos – a great souvenir of a wonderful evening.
Joe Kennedy (bass), Ed Harrisson (tenor), Rachel Gilmore (mezzo), Mimi Doulton (soprano)Ben de Souza (accordion), Kevin Gill (piano).David Wynne (conductor).
Birmingham Festival Choral Society singers. Click the arrows to see all four photos.
Birmingham Festival Choral Society is pleased to present our recording of the beautiful ‘Cantique de Jean Racine’, by Gabriel Faure.
This composition won the 19 year old Faure first prize in a competition at his school of Church music in Paris, in 1865. The French text, “Verbe égal au Très-Haut” (Word, one with the Highest), was written by Jean Racine in 1688.
We hope that you will enjoy the Paris connection through images of the medieval stained glass in Sainte Chapelle.
This virtual performance was put together by Gareth Howell, using individual recordings sent from home by our singers. We look forward to a time when the pandemic is over and we can sing together in real life.
Wikipedia photo credits: Sam67Fr, Javi Masa, Oldmanisold, Grunt XIII.
Come and hear BFCS sing Rossini’s lovely Petite Messe Solennelle on Saturday 28th March, at the Ruddock Performing Arts Centre, King Edward’s School.
The Petite Messe Solennelle was written for performance at one of the very popular weekly musical salons held by Rossini and his wife at their Paris home. As such, it was originally scored for a small choir, accompanied by two pianos, with harmonium or accordion. We are looking forward to singing with piano and accordion accompaniment.
Our soloists:
Caroline Modiba, soprano, Rachel Gilmore, mezzo soprano,
Joseph Kennedy, baritone, Richard Hansen, tenor.
Kevin Gill, piano, Ben De Souza, accordion
Rossini achieved superstar status early in life, having written over 40 operas by the age of 37. The William Tell Overture is one of the pieces for which he is best known in popular culture today. There followed a period of 25 years of ill health, during which he didn’t compose any new music.
In 1855 Rossini ‘returned to life’ on moving to Paris with his second wife, and their musical salons became internationally famous. These salons included music by many composers, and they inspired Rossini to write over 150 small works for performance by different soloists and ensembles.
The Petite Messe Solennelle was Rossini’s last major work , written in 1863. The opera composer’s beautiful melodies , colour and drama make this one of the most popular works in the choral repertoire. We love singing it, and we’re sure that you will enjoy listening to it!
Join us in the beautiful town of Warwick on 6th July for our summer concert, ‘The English Choral Tradition’. We will be singing in the magnificent church of St Mary, visible for miles around due to its tall tower. A church has a great history, having been on this site for 1000 years, and housing the splendid tombs of three Earls in its gothic Beauchamp Chapel. Our concert will take place in the 17th century nave, with its tall pillars creating a wonderful space for choral music.
Our concert comprises a beautiful selection of sacred and secular English choral music:
Elgar, Give Unto the Lord Elgar, Songs from the Bavarian Highlands Bairstow, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Stanford, Blue Bird Parry, Blest Pair of Sirens Tallis, O Lord, give thy Holy Spirit Tallis, If ye love me Purcell, Hear My Prayer Chilcott, Londonderry Air Chilcott, Irish Blessing
A selection of Folk Songs: Afton Water (arranged by Willcocks), The Oak and the Ash (arranged by Bairstow), The Turtle Dove (arr Vaughan Williams), Keel Row (arr Byrt), Ca’ The Yowes (arr Vaughan Williams)
Piano/organ: Kevin Gill Conductor: David Wynne
Click here for tickets to ‘The English Choral Tradition’.
Glorious choral works with organ, brass and percussion. The concert includes works written for royal occasions, and music written by Jean Dattas, who was born 100 years ago.
Rutter: Gloria, Walton: Coronation Te Deum, Parry: I Was Glad, Vaughan Williams: Old Hundredth, Vaughan Williams: O Clap Your Hands, Will Todd: The Lord is my Shepherd, Will Todd: Stay with Me Lord, Will Todd: Call of Wisdom, Jean Dattas: Ave Maria, Kyrie and Sanctus.
Birmingham Festival Choral Society, Gemini Brass, Kevin Gill: organ, David Wynne: conductor.
St John’s and St Peter’s Church, Ladywood ARC, Darnley Road, Birmingham, B16 8TF
A term’s work came to fruition in our two ‘Grant us Peace’ concerts: on 10th November in The Crossing Church, Worksop and 17th November in St George’s Church, Birmingham. The concerts came at a time when the media had been full of programmes and events about the centenary of the ending of the First World War. ‘Eternal Light’ by Howard Goodall and ‘Dona Nobis Pacem’ by Vaughan Williams gave musical expression to the emotions around the tragedy of war and the desire for peace.
A fascinating blog about our concert programme and the background to the music can be read here. It was written by Anne Elliott, Music Librarian at the Library of Birmingham:
‘Eternal Light’ by Howard Goodall was particularly well received by both choir and audience. This work was based on the Requiem Mass, with the addition of words from the war poets, set to beautiful melodies. The rhythmically challenging sections which had caused so many problems in rehearsal, were very powerful when they came together, and made an effective contrast to the slower movements. It was good to be able to communicate this to the composer on Twitter and receive a reply!
It was not possible to communicate directly with a composer who died 60 years ago, but the Vaughan Williams work ‘Dona Nobis Pacem’ was much enjoyed nonetheless. Dramatic war sections alongside lyrical hopes for peace made it a moving piece to sing and listen to.
Behind the altos was a poignant plaque to Raymond Lodge, the son of the Principal of Birmingham University, who was killed in action in 1915. At the end of the church was the main war memorial with the shocking list of all 72 young men from St George’s parish who died in the First World War.
We are indebted to Alfred White who took the following great pictures of the Birmingham concert – a night to remember!
Our performers: Holly Teague, soprano, Miles Taylor, baritone, Vera Khait, harp, Kevin Gill piano, David Wynne, conductor. Darren Hogg was hidden away, playing the organ.
David Wynne
Kevin Gill, Holly Teague, Miles Taylor
The combined choir of Birmingham Festival Choral Society and Ryton Chorale singing in St George’s Church:
The ‘Grant us Peace’ at St George’s Church, Edgbaston, on Saturday November 17 at 7.30pm brings together two choral societies who share David Wynne as their Music Director: Birmingham Festival Choral Society (BFCS) and Ryton Chorale in Worksop.
Pieces chosen give much food for thought about the tragedy of the lives lost and the effect on those left behind. Music includes Ralph Vaughan Williams’ 1936 cantata Dona Nobis Pacem, and Howard Goodall’s Requiem Mass, Eternal Light, first performed on the 90th anniversary of the Armistice in 2008.
Dona Nobis Pacem meaning Grant Us Peace was written in the vanguard of the Second Word War by a composer deeply affected by his earlier experience as a stretcher bearer in the Great War.
The cantata opens with a prayer from the Catholic requiem mass, which gives the work its title, and also quotes liturgical and scriptural texts along with secular poems; notably by the 19th Century American poet Walt Whitman, who himself had served as a medic during the Civil War.
In comparison, composer Howard Goodall was known in his early career for his film and television themes. But his piece Eternal Light: A Requiem aims for a mood of solace for the grieving. He even described his work as being “a requiem for the living, addressing their suffering and endurance…focussing on the consequences of interrupted lives”. The work ends with Cardinal Newman’s poem “Lead Kindly Light”.
The concert on November 17 features soloists, who are all current or recent award-winning students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. These include Holly Teague (Soprano), Miles Taylor (Baritone), Vera Khait (Harp), Kevin Gill (Piano) and Darren Hogg (Organ).
Tickets can be bought in advance here or on the door and cost £14 adults (£7 under 16, students, and escorts for disabled people)
The full Grant Us Peace concert programme is:
Saturday 17 November 2018, 7.30pm
St George’s Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3DQ
Howard Goodall, Eternal Light
Vaughan Williams, Dona Nobis Pacem
Birmingham Festival Choral Society and Ryton Chorale.
Holly Teague, Soprano
Miles Taylor, Baritone
Kevin Gill Darren Hogg, Piano and organ.
Vera Khait, harp
Conductor: David Wynne
From concert entry in ‘Weekend Notes’ by Alison Brinkworth, taken from press release by Tom Dance (BFCS Bass singer). Link to original article here.
The singers of Birmingham Festival Choral Society are looking forward to joining with Ryton Chorale, David Wynne’s other choir, for two performances of ‘Grant us Peace’:
Saturday 10th November 7.30pm Crossing Church and Centre, Newcastle Street, Worksop S80 2AT
Saturday 17th November 7.30pm St George’s Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3DQ.
The vocal soloists for both concerts will be Holly Teague, soprano, and Miles Taylor, baritone.
Holly Teague
Miles Taylor
Originally a violinist, Holly’s love of literature and theatre led her to study singing at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Conservatoire de Paris. Holly appears regularly as soloist for choral societies, enjoys singing in opera productions, and looks forward to teaching singing again at MAC in 2019.
Miles has much experience of singing in opera, oratorios and competitions in Yorkshire. He is now studying for a Master’s Degree at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
As an extra treat, we will have a harp accompaniment in Howard Goodall’s ‘Eternal Light’, played by Vera Khait.
Vera grew up in Russia, and came to study at the Birmingham Conservatoire in 2008. She now preforms regularly in classical music concerts, and has also worked in TV music with Sky Arts and Channel 4.
We have a quartet of accomplished keyboard players to accompany the choirs in the two concerts.
For the Worksop concert on 10th November, Rupert Jeffcoat will play organ for both works, and Mitchell Holland will play the piano in ‘Eternal Light’. When not playing, Mitch will be singing in the tenor section of BFCS!
Rupert Jeffcoat
Mitch Holland
In Birmingham on the 17th November, BFCS accompanist Kevin Gill will play the piano part in the Goodall and Darren Hogg will play the organ in both works.
Kevin Gill
Darren Hogg
Finally – the chorus will be formed from the singers of Ryton Chorale and the Birmingham Festival Choral Society , under the baton of maestro David Wynne! This is the first time that David’s choral societies have come together , and we look forward very much to singing together in the home towns of the two societies.
This term Birmingham Festival Choral Society will be preparing thought-provoking works by Vaughan Williams and Howard Goodall to mark 100 years since the ending of the first World War. We will join with Ryton Chorale, David Wynne’s other choral society, for two concerts in November.
The theme of the concert is ‘Grant us Peace’.
Vaughan Williams produced his plea for peace, ‘Dona Nobis pacem’ at a time when there were fears of a second World War, so shortly after the first. His texts were taken from the Mass, the Bible, a political speech and three poems by Walt Whitman. The phrase Dona nobis pacem (“Give us peace”), in different settings, punctuates the entire piece.
‘Eternal Light’ by Howard Goodall uses phrases from the Latin Requiem in each movement, beside words from English poetry from across the last 500 years, in an attempt to provide some solace for the living who mourn those lost as a result of war.
GRANT US PEACE.
Reflective music to mark the ending of the First World War.
Saturday 10 November 2018, 7.30pm
Crossing Church and Centre, Newcastle Street, Worksop S80 2AT
Saturday 17 November 2018, 7.30pm
St George’s Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3DQ
Howard Goodall, Eternal Light
Vaughan Williams, Dona Nobis Pacem
Birmingham Festival Choral Society and Ryton Chorale.
Holly Teague, Soprano
Miles Taylor, Baritone
Kevin Gill Darren Hogg and Mitch Holland, Piano and organ.
We do hope that you will be able to come to hear two beautiful works of choral sacred music at the next Birmingham Festival Choral Society concert.
Mozart’s much-loved Requiem will be performed by BFCS on 18th November, using Czerny’s beautiful, and rarely-heard, accompaniment for piano (four hands).
Mozart died at only 35 – poignantly, whilst working on his Requiem Mass. The mysterious circumstances around his last days formed the basis of the film ‘Amadeus’. The Requiem is a serene epitaph to a supremely gifted and revered composer.
In contrast, Ralph Vaughan Williams lived until his mid-80s. His Mass in G Minor, the other work in the concert, is notable for being the first Catholic Mass to be written in England since the Reformation. His experiences shortly before, as an ambulance driver in in the first World War, must surely have had some influence on the contemplative style of the piece. The Mass reflects the style of Byrd and other great Elizabethan church composers which was enjoying a revival in the early 20th century. It was first performed as a concert piece in Birmingham in 1922, and was first used as an integral part of the Mass in Westminster Cathedral in 1923.
Ladywood ARC, St John’s and St Peter’s Church.
Darnley Rd
Birmingham
West Midlands
B16 8TF
Mozart: Requiem
Czerny’s four-hand piano accompaniment: Kevin Gill and Stephen Hargreaves.
Vaughan Williams: Mass in G minor
for unaccompanied double choir.
Vaughan Williams: Rhosymedre (organ)
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleaves (KG and SH, piano)
Vocal soloists from the Birmingham Conservatoire: Olivia Thornber, Elise Fairley, Jack Dolan and Joseph Clayton
Birmingham Festival Choral Society.
Conductor: David Wynne.
The friendly Birmingham choir singing the world's best choral music.
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