Join us in St John’s, Baildon for a concert of uplifting song drawn from the great treasure trove of music that is the English Choral tradition, built up over five centuries in our Cathedrals and Parish Churches and still as vibrant and excellent as ever.
From Purcell’s vibrant anthem O sing unto the Lord to Benjamin Britten’s whimsical Rejoice in the Lamb and Jonathan Dove’s modern star-gazing classic Seek him that maketh the seven stars, this concert showcases a tantalising selection of the music of worship and praise that has inspired generations of English churchgoers and music lovers. With further music by Wesley, Stanford, and others, the programme has variety and a wide appeal. It even features a cat called Geoffrey… (come and listen to find out more about him!)
St Peter’s Singers are directed by Alexander Woodrow, with Shaun Turnbull accompanying on St John’s superb neo-classical organ.
The performance will last about two hours, including an interval during which wine and soft drinks will be available.
St Peter’s Singers are passionate about the music we sing and want to share it with as many people as possible. We do all we can to make anyone who comes to our concerts feel welcome and at ease. So if you’ve not tried this music out before, why not come along and bring a friend? Everyone is welcome.
St John’s is an accessible venue with accessible facilities, carparking for those with disabilities, and space to accommodate wheelchairs (though separately because of the fixed pews).
Note: This is an annotated form of the programme notes for this recital, exploiting web technologies to allow readers to delve deeper into the biographies of the composers and the meaning of musical and religious terms as they wish.
My spirit sang all day
Choral songs of the world and the spirit
Programme
Please click on the composers’ names to find about more about them
We begin our programme appropriately with two wonderful works written for performance at Petertide. Both reference the text in St Matthew Ch 16:18-21, where Christ calls Peter his Rock, the foundation for his Church, and gives him the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Thou shalt make them Princes over all the earth, They shall remember thy name, O Lord, Instead of thy fathers, Sons are born to thee. Therefore shall the people praise thee, Alleluia. Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam Thou art Peter, and on this Rock I will build my church
This organ-accompanied anthem dates from 1955. The musical material of the imposing and stately opening ‘Thou shalt make them princes’ is based upon plainsong. A complete contrast ensues with the lively and skittish setting, in compound 6/8 time, of ‘instead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee’, before a return to the original stately theme, this time with the addition of a soprano soloist who sings the Latin ‘Tu es Petrus’ phrases, while the choir sings the English translation very quietly in response.
A masterful piece of Polyphony dating from the 16th century. It was written to be sung a cappella in six parts, with each of the six voices having beautiful interweaving lines, all working together to produce some splendid harmonies. Several times, Palestrina breaks this seamless interweaving to make way for a unified, almost fanfare-like setting of the words ‘claves regni’ (the keys to the kingdom). These words are always presented in a very powerful way to lend them great prominence and to draw our attention to them.
Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam,
You are Peter, the Rock, and on this rock I will build my church,
Et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam.
And the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum.
And I shall give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Quodcumque ligaveris super terram erit ligatum et in Coelis,
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
Et quodcumque solveris super terra erit solutum et in coelis,
And whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven
Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum.
And I shall give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Two choral works by Brahms allow the choir to revel in warm, blended tone and luxurious Romantic lines. Geistliches Lied was written in 1856 and has its origins as a contrapuntal exercise based upon a double Canon, the tenor answering the soprano a bar later and a ninth lower; and the bass answering the alto also a ninth lower. That the piece is a hallmark not only of technical skill but of great overall elegance in the choral lines; the organ accompaniment is an exceptional achievement, and the final Amens are sumptuously beautiful.
Lass dich nur nichts nicht dauren mit Trauren sei stille! Wie Gott es fügt, so sei vergnügt mein Wille
Let nothing afflict you With grief; Be calm! As God ordains, So be content my Will
Was willst du heute sorgen Auf Morgen? Der Eine Steht allem für, Der gibt auch dir Das Deine
Why worry today About tomorrow? The One Is in charge Who gives also to you What is yours
Sei nur in allem Handel Ohn Wandel, Steh feste! Was Gott beschleusst Das ist und heisst Das Beste, Amen
In all your doings be steadfast Stand firm! What God decrees Is, and is acknowledged The best, Amen
Text: Paul Flemming (1608-40)
Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen | Johannes Brahms (1833-97)
This is the fourth movement of Brahms’ German Requiem, setting text from Psalm 84, and it is by some margin the best-known stand-alone movement from that wonderful work, with its soaring melodies and elegant phrases, its refined triple-time flow, and the exciting fugato passage ‘die Loben dich immerdar’ which eventually yields to a peaceful ending.
Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen, Herr Zebaoth
How lovely are thy dwellings fair, O Lord of Hosts
Meine Seele verlanget and sehnet sich nach den Vorhöfen des Herrn
My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord
Mein Leib und Seele freuen sich in dem lebendigen Gott
Organ solo: Sonata No 3 in A , 1st movement | Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47)
Mendelssohn’s debt to JS Bach is evident in his own organ music. He was himself a fine organist, noted for his mastery of Bach’s works, and as an improviser. This sonata includes a Chorale prelude based on Luther’s hymn “Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir” (From deep affliction I cry out to you).
Appropriately, we are performing the new commission Brides of Christ between two pieces of music focussed upon Mary, Mother of Jesus. This Ave Maria by the founder-director of St Peter’s Singers, Simon Lindley, has found a home in just about every parish and cathedral choir library in the land, on account of its beautiful tunefulness.
Ave Maria, gratia plena.
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Dominus tecum.
The Lord is with thee.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
Blessed art thou among women,
et benedictus fructus ventris tuae, Jesu.
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei
Holy Mary, Mother of God
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Pray for us sinners
Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen
Amen
Brides of Christ(world premiere)| Fiona Pacey & Hannah Stone
This is the first ever performance of this new work, created by two of our members.
Fiona Pacey writes:
Imagine two nuns in a 16th century convent. What brought them here? What sort of life do they have? In this collaboration between poet Hannah Stone and composer Fiona Pacey, we overhear a conversation in which two of them talk about their experience and how they came to be there.
The vocal lines are semi-aleatoric; they sound spontaneous, just as a conversation would. In the background the choir provides episodes of busyness which resolve into unity, as a convent community might come together at the end of a day to sing the divine office.
My father said “Child, you must go And live with these holy women; At home are too many daughters And not enough bread to go around”.
My Father called me, and I heard The still small voice above the clamour Of my home. Mother said “Wait!” But I was sure of my calling .
I said goodbye to my sweetheart, Wept for the babies I did not bear.
Jesus says “Here are your sisters; Those who do the will of God.”
And here, there is food for the belly, A clean shift, a place to lie down; Now I have so many mothers! (Some are stern and some are cheerful).
They tell me how Mary said “yes” When God had work for her to do, That she, another simple girl, Found beauty in obedience.
I submit to no earthly spouse, Rejoice to be a bride of Christ, Wear the breastplate of righteousness Instead of fine robes and jewels. My faith is buckled for a belt; The words of your gospels my pearls.
They teach me – how I like to learn – The many skills they share with me!
The seed of silent contemplation Swelled within me, mothered to life By prayer; birthing peace and mercy. I go to the inner room Of my soul, and there I am heard.
And most of all I love to sing, To blend my voice in Thanksgiving For this little heaven on earth And God’s great favour shown to me.
My spirit swims in the silence, And, when we gather, sings in chords, Sweet harmony in praise of God.
This ecstatic setting of Robert Bridges’ poem My Spirit sang all day is best explained perhaps by the key fact that the composer’s wife was called Joy!
My spirit sang all day O my joy Nothing my tongue could say, Only My joy!
My heart an echo caught O my joy And spake, tell me thy thought, Hide not thy joy.
My eyes gan peer around, O my joy What beauty hast thou found? Shew us thy joy.
My jealous ears grew whist; O my joy Music from heaven is’t, Sent for our joy?
She also came and heard; O my joy, What, said she, is this word? What is thy joy?
And I replied, O see, O my joy, ‘Tis thee, I cried, ’tis thee: Thou art my joy.
Charles Stanford’s motionless, almost hallucinatory setting of Mary Coleridge’s poem provides a complete contrast to the Finzi. It is one of the most popular secular choral pieces from the Edwardian period with its soaring soprano solo, and exquisite image of perfect beauty.
The lake lay blue below the hill. O’er it, as I looked, there flew Across the waters, cold and still, A bird whose wings were palest blue.
The sky above was blue at last, The sky beneath me blue in blue. A moment, ere the bird had passed, It caught his image as he flew.
Ralph Vaughan Williams is well known for collecting English folksongs in an attempt to preserve this important part of our culture. His gift for arranging them without losing their essential character is beautifully demonstrated by this charming love song.
Fare you well my dear I must be gone and leave you for a while If I roam away I’ll come back again Though I roam ten thousand miles, my dear Though I roam ten thousand miles
So fair though art my bonney lass So deep in love as I But I never will prove false to the bonney lass I love Till the stars fall from the sky my dear Till the stars fall from the sky
The sea will never run dry my dear Nor the rocks never melt with the sun But I never will prove false to the bonney lass I love Till all these things be done my dear Till all these things be done
O yonder doth sit that little turtle dove He doth sit on yonder high tree A making a moan for the loss of his love As I will do for thee my dear As I will do for thee
Text: Traditional
Soloist: David Hawkin
My love dwelt in a Northern land | Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Edward Elgar’s emotive setting of Scottish poet Andrew Lang’s Romance does full justice to the eerie, dream-like text, complete with the final twist. Listen out for how the staccato rhythms in the middle parts, set against the long tune sung by sopranos and tenors, create that strange, dream-like quality.
My love dwelt in a northern land A dim tower in a forest green Was his, and far away the sand, And gray wash of the waves were seen, The woven forest boughs between.
And through the northern summer night The sunset slowly died away, And herds of strange deer, silver white, Came gleaming through the forest gray, And fled like ghosts before the day.
And oft, that month, we watch’d the moon Wax great and white o’er wood and lawn, And wane, with waning of the June, Till, like a brand for battle drawn, She fell, and flamed in a wild dawn.
I know not if the forest green Still girdles round that castle gray, I know not if, the boughs between, The white deer vanish ere the day. The grass above my love is green, His heart is colder than the clay.
Robert de Pearsall’s mournful but lush 8-part setting of words by Beaumont and Fletcher titled Lay a Garland is the earliest of these part-songs. Enjoy the sumptuous harmonies!
Lay a garland on her hearse Of the dismal yew Maidens, willow branches bear Say she died true Her love was false, but she was firm From her hour of birth; Upon her buried body lie Lightly, thou gentle earth.
Text: adapted by the composer from words by Beaumont and Fletcher
Organ solo: The Prayer | David Foster (arr Lee Ward)
Enjoy Lee’s arrangement of David Foster’s song, made famous by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli.
Come and enjoy an uplifting evening of mid- summer song! With a wide variety of music on offer, both spiritual and worldly, old, modern and even brand new, there’s something for everyone.
Marking the feast day of St Peter, the programme includes the moving and spiritually profound music of Palestrina, marking 500 years since his birth, Britten, Brahms and Grieg. Simon Lindley’s popular Ave Maria will follow and pave the way for the world premiere of a striking new piece about two nuns (by two of our members) …
In a lighter second half, following interval refreshments, romance will take centre-stage with the music of Elgar, Finzi, Vaughan Williams and Stanford, with songs from Bernstein’s West Side Story supplying some fizz to finish!
So there is something for everyone to enjoy, and something to maybe touch the soul where other songs don’t reach. Bring a friend and have a great evening out!
St Peter’s Singers are passionate about the music we sing and want to share it with as many people as possible. We do all we can to make anyone who comes to our concerts feel welcome and at ease. So if you’ve not tried this music out before, why not come along and bring a friend? Everyone is welcome.
St Peter’s is an accessible venue with good facilities. For details of arrangements for disabled access, please visit the church’s website.
This programme traces a line through more than a century of English Church Music, from Edward Elgar through Benjamin Britten to Philip Moore.
Outstanding works and deeply moving music, beginning with Philip Moore’s brilliant and exciting Tu es Petrus, commissioned by St Peter’s Singers to celebrate our 40th anniversary and first performed in 2018.
