Join us for a live performance of Brahms’ beloved choral masterpiece, the German Requiem, in the glorious setting of Leeds Minster.
Unlike a traditional Catholic Mass for the dead, this “Human Requiem” was written to comfort the living, giving voice to profound sadness, radiant hope, and ultimate peace.
Let the sounds of soaring choral voices, the rich colours of the orchestra, and Brahms’ stirring harmonies wash over you for an evening of genuine inspiration and joy.
Tickets are only £20, with FREE admission for children and students. The concert begins at 7.00pm and is expected to conclude at approximately 8:45pm.
“A truly spellbinding & transformative performance from both the orchestra & chorus… It’s rare to be so spiritually uplifted by a single performance.”
St Peter’s Singers are passionate about the music we sing and want to share it with as many people as possible. We will 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? Leeds Minster is an accessible venue with good facilities. Everyone is welcome. What to expect at a St Peter’s Singers concert.
The German Requiem uses texts from the Lutheran, German-language Bible and, unlike the Catholic RequiemMass, is not intended for use in Church services. Brahms selected the texts himself, following the death of his mother, and they reflect his humanist outlook while expressing hope in God as the source of consolation. It will be sung in German, with English translations freely available.
We will be using a new and slightly reduced arrangement of the orchestral accompaniment by the brilliant John Longstaff, specially tailored to suit the Minster’s performing space and enabling us to keep ticket prices affordable.
The concert will open with four Motets by Brahms and his contemporaries Bruckner and Mendelssohn which also explore the human condition and the hope to be found in religious faith.
There will be a short interval of ten minutes. The concert will finish at approximately 8.45pm.
Helen Winter, soprano, was born in Grantham into a highly musical family and went on to study at Trinity College of Music, London. Following her studies, she became a member of the BBC Singers, marking the start of a distinguished professional career.
She has a distinguished career in opera, appearing for three seasons at Holland Park Opera, as well as Scottish Opera, European Chamber Opera and the Buxton Festival. Her performances of the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s Magic Flute have led to frequent invitations to perform the role.
Helen’s television and commercial work is wide-ranging, including appearances in numerous advertising campaigns, the ITV series Popstar to Operastar, and a starring role in Cameron Mackintosh’s West End production of The Sound of Music LIVE. She has recorded and released three solo albums.
Access and Accessibility
Leeds Minster is about 5 minutes walk from Leeds Bus Station, and about 15 minutes walk from Leeds Railway Station. There is on-street parking on the side streets nearby, as well as the NCP Markets carpark (5 minutes) and the John Lewis carpark (10 minutes).
There is ramp access to the main doors beneath the tower, with entrance to the grounds at the West End by the Lamb and Flag pub recommended to avoid the steps up from the street level. Once inside there there is step-free access to the concert seating and to the City of Leeds Room for refreshments and toilets. Wheelchairs and mobility devices are welcome and can be accommodated.
St Peter’s Singers gratefully acknowledge the generous support of
The Friends of the Music of Leeds Minster
St Peter’s Singers’ presentation of Music for Good Friday is an annual event, given by kind permission of Leeds Minster. It provides an opportunity to hear one of the great works of the sacred Oratorio repertoire in a context that a concert hall performance on a Saturday evening cannot provide, and at a price that more people can afford.
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.
We would like to thank Canon Paul Maybury, Rector, and the Churchwardens of Leeds Minster for their support for St Peter’s Singers
Welcome
Welcome to St Peter’s Singers’ performance of the first three parts of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, performed with the 18th Century Sinfonia on period instruments. Leeds Minster provides a beautiful setting for this music, and we are delighted to share it with you this evening.
These first three parts tell the story of the Nativity: the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the angels’ announcement to the shepherds, and the shepherds’ journey to adore the newborn. The music is sung in German, and an English translation is provided to help you follow the story if you wish.
We invite you to listen in the way that feels most engaging — whether following the text, observing the performers, or simply letting the music fill the space around you.
Some practical information
There will be an interval after Cantata II, during which wine and juice will be available in the Lady Chapel. This can be reached by heading towards the altar, turning left at the steps, and going through the door.
We hope very much that you enjoy the music you hear today. If you do, and you wish to applaud, that will be very welcome just before the interval, and at the end.
Toilets can be found in the cafe, which is the room immediately on your right as you entered the church. You can reach it from the porch or from the back right corner of the main part of the church.
We welcome any comments or feedback you may wish to make after the concert. Please use our contact form.
Please note that audio and video recording of this concert is not permitted.
Programme
Weihnachtsoratorium
Cantata I
1
Chorus: Jauchzet, frohlocket
2
Recitative Evangelist: Es begab sich zu der Zeit
3
Recitative Alto: Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam
4
Aria Alto: Bereite dich Zion
5
Chorale: Wie soll ich dich empfangen
6
Recitative Evangelist: Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn
7
Chorale and Recitative Bass: Er ist auf Erden kommen arm
8
Aria Bass: Grosser Herr, O starker König
9
Chorale: Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein
Joanna Gamble alto Richard Pascoe bass
Cantata II
10
Sinfonia
11
Recitative Evangelist: Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend
12
Chorale: Brich an, O schönes Morgenlicht
13
Recitative Evangelist: Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen
14
Recitative Bass: Was Gott dem Abraham verheissen
15
Aria Tenor: Frohe Hirten, eilt
16
Recitative Evangelist: Und das habt zum Zeichen
17
Chorale: Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall
18
Recitative Bass: So geht denn hin, ihr Hirten, geht
19
Aria Alto: Schlafe, mein Liebster, geniesse der Ruh
20
Recitative Evangelist: Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel
21
Chorus: Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe
22
Recitative Bass: So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt und singet
23
Wir singen dir in deinem Heer
Sarah Rushtonsoprano Constanze Hartleyalto John Scholey tenor Quentin Brownbass
Interval
Wine and Juice will be available in the Lady Chapel
Cantata III
24
Chorus: Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen
25
Recitative Evangelist: Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren
26
Chorus: Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem
27
Recitative Bass: Er hat sein Volk getröst
28
Chorale: Dies hat er alles uns getan
29
Aria Duet Soprano and Bass: Herr, dein Mitleid
30
Recitative Evangelist: Und sie kamen eilend
31
Aria Alto: Schliesse, mein Herze, dies selige Wunder
32
Recitative Alto: Ja ja, mein Herz soll es bewahren
33
Chorale: Ich will dich mit Fleiss bewahren
34
Recitative Evangelist: Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um
35
Chorale: Seid froh dieweil
35a
Chorus: Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen
Debbie Triggsoprano Lucy Appleyardalto Quentin Brown bass
About the Christmas Oratorio
A performance of JS Bach’s Christmas Oratorio rarely fails to lift the spirits. The music is by turn festive, energised, reflective and tender, and Bach deploys it with great skill both to tell the story and to reflect on its meaning. Whether it be the expression of a parent’s wonder at their child’s birth, the exquisite harmonisation of simple hymn tunes, the adrenaline that laces some of the choruses, or the majestic thrill of the high trumpets, there is a wide range of emotions to be experienced and musical delights to be enjoyed.
It is not hard to see why this work enjoys a similar profile in the affections of German choirs and music lovers to that enjoyed by Handel’s Messiah in this country. Whether this is your first encounter with Bach or one of many, the music communicates clearly through energy, emotion, and narrative; we hope you enjoy the performance and experience the vivid storytelling, expressive music, and rich textures.
These first three parts set the scene for the Nativity, inviting listeners into a story told through both narrative and reflection. The music captures the wonder and intimacy of these events with clarity and emotional depth.
Composed in 1734 during Bach’s Leipzig years, the Christmas Oratorio demonstrates his skill at combining expressive vocal writing with imaginative orchestration. Bach reworked earlier music into these cantatas, re-shaping it to serve the sacred story with dramatic and emotional impact.
In Parts 1–3, you will hear:
Choruses: complex music sung by the whole choir representing the church or collective characters such as the shepherds
The Evangelist: a tenor soloist who tells the story
Vocal soloists reflecting on the story and expressing human interest
Trumpets and timpani, bringing brightness and celebration
Flutes and oboes, evoking pastoral scenes
Strings and continuo, providing warmth and continuity
Chorales, familiar hymn tunes harmonized with clarity and richness
History and Creation of the Christmas Oratorio
The Christmas Oratorio was first performed in the churches of St. Thomas and St. Nicholas in Leipzig, where Bach was Kantor, over the Christmas and New Year period of 1734–35. The performance was spread out over the six services prescribed by the Lutheran Church for the Feast Days of Christmas. It is structured as six cantatas, one for each service, and would have been performed as follows:
25 December: Cantata I – The Birth of Christ 26 December: Cantata II – The Angels tell the Shepherdsabout Christ’s birth 27 December: Cantata III – The Adoration of the Shepherds 1 January: Cantata IV – The Circumcision and Naming of Christ 5 January: Cantata V – The Journey of the Wise Men 6 January (Epiphany): Cantata VI – The Adoration of the Wise Men
Four of the six cantatas were performed twice on the appointed day, in what must have been an extraordinarily tiring period for both Bach and his performers. These days, the economics of music production ensure that this is never likely to be repeated!
But the work’s genesis is not all that it seems at first sight. First, it is not entirely clear why Bach wrote it, as he had already composed plenty of cantatas for the Christmas period that could have been performed; and second, Bach ‘recycled’ much of the music from other works (mostly secular cantatas), raising the question of what his creative intentions really were.
There are a number of indicators that Bach may have envisaged a future in which it would be performed as a single work in its entirety. In his autograph, the movements are numbered sequentially throughout the entire work (the numeration adopted in this programme). Moreover, the texts chosen for the cantatas do not faithfully match those prescribed for the services, but they do comprise the full Christmas narrative, ensuring there are no gaps in the story that would compromise a full performance. The year 1734 also saw the composition of the St. Mark Passion, the Ascension Oratorio, and the Easter Oratorio, so he may have had in mind the creation of a set of oratorios based on the life of Christ.
If performance as a single work was Bach’s intention, his success was only partial. After its first hearing in 1734, it did not receive another complete performance until 1857. At about three hours, a full performance makes considerable demands on both performers and audience, so performances are usually truncated, as tonight, to just three or possibly four of the cantatas, with both economics and logistics making it increasingly challenging to put on two concerts covering the entire work.
Bach and the Use of Parody
The Christmas Oratorio is notable for its use of a technique known as Parody, where existing music is repurposed for use in a different context. In its most basic form, Bach had been a parodist all his life, copying and then extending existing music as a way of learning—his reworking of Vivaldi’s violin concertos for keyboard being a good example.
Bach’s astonishing output in his first years after arriving in Leipzig in 1723—five annual cycles of weekly cantatas, plus the St. John and St. Matthew Passions—involved the composition of mostly new music. But from 1729, Bach shifted his creative focus from church to secular music, investing time in directing the student Collegium Musicum and in writing secular cantatas praising worldly princes, probably in the hope of gaining employment as a Court Composer. At the same time, he became a prolific and sophisticated parodist of his own music, particularly when producing music for the church.
Late in 1733 came the composition of two secular cantatas (BWV 213 and BWV214), from which he was to borrow extensively for the Christmas Oratorio. Of tonight’s music, no fewer than seven substantive numbers (Nos. 1, 4, 8, 15, 19, 24, 29) were parodies, drawn from these two cantatas. Secular cantatas were strictly one-offs written for specific occasions, and there is clearly a temptation, voiced by Alfred Dürr in his foreword to the Bärenreiter edition in use tonight, to think that even as Bach composed them, he may have been considering how he could transfer the music to a place in the Church’s calendar where it would be heard more often.
The question that may arise for some is whether secular and sacred music are not so intrinsically different as to make such repurposing impossible. For Bach, this issue clearly didn’t arise, but he was incredibly thoughtful about how he reused the music.
The text is clearly the major factor in determining whether a piece of music is secular or sacred, and there are signs that Bach may have planned very carefully with his (unknown) librettist which movements from the secular cantatas were to be used and how—necessary, of course, to allow the librettist to prepare new and suitable texts.
Given the right text, Bach could, with minimal changes, effect a complete transformation in how the music was played and heard. In his book Music in the Castle of Heaven, John Eliot Gardiner observes how, while retaining exactly the same notes but making just a few changes to their articulation and adding an oboe d’amore, Bach completely transforms Aria No. 4 from the “indignant mood of Hercules berating Lust” in BWV 213 to the Oratorio’s “tender, almost erotic exhortation to Zion to prepare herself for the coming of the Messiah”.
Bach’s choice of instrumentation also shows how carefully the Parody was planned. Take, for instance, the use of trumpets—an instrument associated at that time purely with regal affairs and kings. BWV 214 contained an aria featuring a spectacular trumpet obbligato that praised the Queen of Poland. Bach repurposed it as tonight’s Bass Aria No. 8 to drive home the theologically central message of the Christmas story: that the object of all the kingly pomp and splendour was, in fact, a lowly baby born in a manger. The reuse of trumpet music in Cantatas I and III is then offset by the reuse, in Cantata II, of music for the more pastoral flutes and oboes to portray the annunciation to the shepherds in their fields.
But well as the planning worked for the most part, there are also signs that Bach abandoned some of his plans when the intended Parody didn’t work: for instance, Mary’s intense reflection on the wonders surrounding her child’s birth (No. 31) was originally to have been a Parody, but in the end, Bach composed new music for it and used the intended music for a bass aria on a rather different theme in Cantata V instead.
Chorales
The Christmas Oratorio is notable in two ways for its chorales—the well-known hymns that appear at intervals throughout the work and, as with all Bach’s church cantatas, close each Cantata. The curiosity is that Bach never wrote an original hymn tune, preferring instead to harmonise well-known tunes (many composed by Martin Luther himself), presumably so that the congregation could join in the singing. The harmonisations in this work are particularly warm and also sophisticated in the way passing dissonances emerge from the intersection of the different voice parts.
The Christmas Oratorio is exceptional in that it provides the earliest known version of a number of hymn tunes. But Bach also uses Luther’s tune Vom Himmel hoch three times (Nos. 9, 17, 23), as well as the tune used repeatedly in both Passions and known as the Passion Chorale (No. 5). It may be of interest to some to note that in No. 9, the text is also Luther’s, and one that has found its way into the English-speaking world as a Scottish lullaby we now know as the carol Balulalow. (see the anglicised version in the translation below).
German text and English translation
1 Chorus Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage, rühmet, was heute der Höchste getan! Lasset das Zagen, verbannet die Klage, stimmet voll Jauchzen und Fröhlichkeit an! Dienet dem Höchsten mit herrlichen Chören, lasst uns den Namen des Herrschers verehren!
Shout for joy, exult, rise up, praise the day, extol what the Highest has done today! Stop being faint-hearted, banish lamentation, strike up, full of rejoicing and exultation! Serve the Highest with splendid choirs, let us revere the name of the sovereign!
2 Recit Evangelist Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit, dass ein Gebot von dem Kaiser Augusto ausging, dass alle Welt geschätzet würde. Und jedermann ging, dass er sich schätzen liesse, ein jeglicher in seine Stadt. Da machte sich auch auf Joseph aus Galiläa, aus der Stadt Nazareth, in das jüdische Land zur Stadt David, die da heisset Bethlehem; darum, dass er von dem Hause und Geschlechte David war: auf dass er sich schätzen liesse mit Maria, seinem vertrauten Weibe, die war schwanger. Und als sie daselbst waren, kam die Zeit, dass sie gebären sollte.
The time came when a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that an assessment should be made of the whole world. And everyone went to be assessed, each to his own city. Then Joseph went up out of Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into the land of Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem – for he was of the house and lineage of David – to be assessed with his betrothed Mary, who was pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
3 Recit Alto Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam, nun wird der Held aus Davids Stamm zum Trost, zum Heil der Erden einmal geboren werden. Nun wird der Stern aus Jakob scheinen, sein Strahl bricht schon hervor. Auf, Zion, und verlasse nun das Weinen, dein Wohl steigt hoch empor!
Now my dearest bridegroom, now the strong man of David’s stock, for the comfort and salvation of the earth, shall at last be born. Now the star out of Jacob shall shine, its rays already break forth. Rise up, Zion, and stop weeping now: Your welfare climbs on high!
4 Aria Alto Bereite dich, Zion, mit zärtlichen Trieben, den Schönsten, den Liebsten bald bei dir zu sehn! Deine Wangen müssen heut viel schöner prangen, eile, den Bräutigam sehnlichst zu lieben!
Make ready, Zion, with tender desire to see the fairest, the dearest with you soon! Your cheeks must today look much lovelier, hasten, to love the bridegroom most longingly!
5 Chorale Wie soll ich dich empfangen und wie begegn’ ich dir? O aller Welt Verlangen, o meiner Seelen Zier! O Jesu, Jesu, setze mir selbst die Fackel bei, damit, was dich ergötze, mir kund und wissend sei!
How should I receive you and how encounter you? O longing of all the world, O ornament of my soul! O Jesus, Jesus, place your lamp by me yourself, so that whatever delights you may be known and understood by me!
6 Recit Evangelist Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn und wickelte ihn in Windeln und legte ihn in eine Krippen, denn sie hatten sonst keinen Raum in der Herberge.
And she gave birth to her first son and wrapped him in swaddling-clothes and laid him in a manger, for otherwise they had no room in the lodgings.
7 Chorale with Recit Soprano Er ist auf Erden kommen arm, dass er unser sich erbarm, und in dem Himmel mache reich, und seinen lieben Engeln gleich. Kyrieleis! Bass Wer will die Liebe recht erhöhn, die unser Heiland für uns hegt? Ja, wer vermag es einzusehen, wie ihn der Menschen Leid bewegt? Des Höchsten Sohn kömmt in die Welt, weil ihm ihr Heil so wohl gefällt, so will er selbst als Mensch geboren werden.
He has come on earth poor, to be merciful to us, and make us rich in heaven and like his beloved angels. Lord, have mercy!
Who would rightly extol the love that our Saviour feels for us? Indeed, who is able to appreciate how man’s suffering moves him? The Highest’s Son comes into the world because its salvation pleases him so well that he himself would be born as man.
8 Aria Bass Grosser Herr, O starker König, liebster Heiland, O wie wenig achtest du der Erden Pracht! Der die ganze Welt erhält, ihre Pracht und Zier erschaffen, muss in harten Krippen schlafen.
Great lord, O mighty king, dearest Saviour, O how little you respect earthly splendour! He who preserves the whole world and created its splendour and adornment must sleep in a hard crib.
9 Chorale Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein Mach dir ein rein sanft Bettelein Zu ruhn in meines Herzens Schrein Dass ich nimmer vergesse dein!
Ah my dear heart, young Jesus sweet Prepare a cradle in thy spirit And I shall rock thee in my heart And nevermore from thee depart! (anglicised 1st verse of carol Balulalow; see notes)
10 Sinfonia
11 Recit Evangelist Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend, auf dem Felde bei den Hürden, die hüteten des Nachts ihre Herde. Und siehe, des Herren Engel trat zu ihnen, und die Klarheit des Herren leuchtet um sie, und sie furchten sich sehr.
And there were shepherds in the same region keeping watch in the fields over their flocks by night. And see, the Angel of the Lord came to them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
12Chorale Brich an, O schönes Morgenlicht, und lass den Himmel tagen! Du Hirtenvolk, erschrecke nicht, weil dir die Engel sagen, dass dieses schwache Knäbelein soll unser Trost und Freude sein, dazu den Satan zwingen und letztlich Friede bringen!
Break forth, O beauteous morning light, and let the heavens dawn! You shepherd folk, do not fear, for the angels tell you that this weak little boy shall be our comfort and joy, overcome Satan, and finally bring peace!
13 Recit Evangelist: Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen: Angel, soprano: Fürchtet euch nicht. Siehe, ich verkündige euch grosse Freude, die allem Volke widerfahren wird. Denn euch ist heute der Heiland geboren, Welcher ist Christus, der Herr, in der Stadt David.
And the angel said to them: Be not afraid! For behold, I bring you joyful news, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born today in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
14 Recit Bass Was Gott dem Abraham verheissen, dass lässt er nun dem Hirten Chor erfüllt erweisen. Ein Hirt hat alles das zuvor von Gott erfahren müssen. Und nun muss auch ein Hirt die Tat, was er damals versprochen hat, zuerst erfüllet Wissen.
What God once promised to Abraham, he now fulfils in the sight of a choir of shepherds. A shepherd once learnt all this from God, and now a shepherd is the first to know that what was promised then has now been fulfilled.
15 Aria Tenor Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet, eh ihr euch zu lang verweilet, eilt, das holde Kind zu sehn; Geht, die Freude heisst zu schön, sucht die Anmut zu gewinnen, geht und labet Herz und Sinnen.
Haste, joyful shepherds, do not linger, haste to see the sweet child; Go, such joy awaits you, seek for yourselves his grace, refresh your heart and senses.
16 Recit Evangelist Und das habt zum Zeichen: Ihr werdet finden das Kind in Windeln gewickelt und in einer Krippe liegen.
And this shall be a sign to you: you shall find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
17 Chorale Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall Des Herrschaft gehet überall! Da Speise vormals sucht ein Rind, Da ruhet itzt der Jungfrau’n Kind.
See, in yon gloomy stable lies He who rules the earth and skies, Where once the hungry oxen fed, The virgin finds her child a bed.
18 Recit Bass So geht denn hin, ihr Hirten, geht, dass ihr das Wunder seht, Und findet ihr des Höchsten Sohn in einer harted Krippe liegen. So singet ihm bei seiner Wiegen aus einem süssen Ton und mit gesamten Chor dies Lied zur Ruhe vor.
So go, shepherds, go there, to see this wonder, And find the son of the Most High lying in a hard crib. So stand beside his cradle, and in sweet tones and with the whole choir, sing him this soothing song.
19 Aria Alto Schlafe, mein Liebster, geniesse der Ruh, wache nach diesem vor aller Gedeihen! Labe die Brust, empfinde die Lust, wo wir unser Herz erfreuen!
Sleep, my most beloved, enjoy your rest, then awake, and in all things thrive! Comfort the breast, feel the pleasure with which we gladden our hearts!
20 Recit Evangelist Und alsobald war bei dem Engel die Menge der himmlischen Heerscharen, die lobten Gott und sprachen:
And suddenly there was with the Angel the multitude of the Heavenly Host, praising God and saying:
21 Chorus Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe, Und Friede auf Erden, Und den Menschen ein Wohlgefallen
Glory to God in the highest, And Peace on earth, Goodwill to all people
22 Recit Bass So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt und singet, Dass es uns heut so schön gelinget, Auf denn! Wir stimmen mit euch ein, uns kann es so wie euch erfreun.
Tis right, you Angels, rejoice and sing, Today is born our Lord and King, Sing then, we all will raise our voice And with the Angels all rejoice.
23 Chorale Wir singen dir in deinem Heer Aus aller Kraft Lob, Preis und Ehr Dass du, O lang gewünschter Gast, Dich nunmehr eingestellet hast.
In chorus now to thee we raise With all our might our songs of praise That you, O long-awaited guest Has come at last, beloved and blest.
24 Chorus Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen, Lass dir die matten Gesänge gefallen, Wenn dich dein Zion mit Psalmen erhört. Höre der Herzen frohlockendes Preisen Wenn wir dir itzo die Ehrfurcht erweisen, Weil user Wohlfahrt befestiget steht.
Ruler of Heaven, give ear to our babbling, Let our songs be pleasing to you When Zion praises you in Psalms. Hear the joyful praise of our rejoicing hearts When we show how we revere you, Because our welfare is assured.
25 Recit Evangelist Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren, sprachen die Hirten untereinander:
And as the angels went from them into heaven, the shepherds said to each other:
26 Chorus Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem und die Geschichte sehen, die da geschehen ist, die uns der Herr kundgetan hat.
Let us now go to Bethlehem and see the event that has happened there, which the Lord has made known to us.
27 Recit Bass Er hat sein Volk getröst’, er hat sein Israel erlöst, die Hülf aus Zion hergesendet und unser Leid geendet. Seht, Hirten, dies hat er getan; geht, dieses trefft ihr an!
He has comforted his people, he has redeemed his Israel, sent salvation out of Zion, and ended our sorrow. See, shepherds, this he has done; go, this is what you shall find!
28 Chorale Dies hat er alles uns getan, sein groß Lieb zu zeigen an; des freu sich alle Christenheit und dank ihm des in Ewigkeit. Kyrieleis!
All this he has done for us to show his great love; for which let all Christendom rejoice and thank him in eternity. Lord, have mercy!
29 Aria Soprano and Bass Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen, Tröstet uns und macht uns frei. Deine holde Gunst und Liebe, Deine wundersamen Triebe, Machen deine Vatertreu wieder neu.
Lord, your mercy, your pity Comforts us and sets us free. Your gracious favour and love, Your wondrous desires Ever renew your fatherly faithfulness.
30 Recit Evangelist Und sie kamen eilend und funden beide, Mariam und Joseph, dazu das Kind in der Krippe liegen. Da sie es aber gesehen hatten, breiteten sie das Wort aus, welches zu ihnen von diesem Kind gesaget war. Und alle, für die es kam, wunderten sich der Rede, die ihnen die Hirten gesaget hatten. Maria aber behielt alle diese Worte und bewegte sie in ihrem Herzen.
And they came in haste and found both Mary and Joseph, with the child lying in the crib. But when they had seen it, they spread abroad the words that were spoken to them of this child. And all those to whom it came wondered at the speech that the shepherds had delivered to them. But Mary kept all these words and set them astir in her heart.
31 Aria Alto Schliesse, mein Herze, dies selige Wunder fest in deinem Glauben ein! Lasse dies Wunder, die göttlichen Werke, immer zur Stärke deines schwachen Glaubens sein!
Enclose, my heart, this blessed miracle firmly within your faith! Let this miracle, these divine deeds ever serve to strengthen your weak faith!
32 Recit Alto Ja, ja, mein Herz soll es bewahren, was es an dieser holden Zeit zu seiner Seligkeit für sicheren Beweis erfahren.
Yes, yes, my heart shall preserve what at this propitious time, for its salvation, it has known as certain proof.
33 Chorale Ich will dich mit Fleiß bewahren, ich will dir leben hier, dir will ich abfahren, mit dir will ich endlich schweben voller Freud ohne Zeit dort im andern Leben.
I will diligently keep you in mind; I will live here for you, to you will I depart, with you will I finally hover, full of joy, beyond time, there in the other life.
34 Recit Evangelist Und die Hirten kehrten um, preiseten und lobten Gott, um alles, das sie gesehen und gehörten hatten, wie denn zu ihnen gesaget war.
And the shepherds returned, praising and glorifying God for all that they had seen and heard, as had been told to them.
35 Chorale Seid froh dieweil, seid froh dieweil, Dass euer Heil ist hie ein Gott und auch ein Mensch geboren, der, welcher ist der Herr und Christ in Davids Stadt Aus vielen auserkoren.
Rejoice, rejoice That your salvation has been born here as God and human, He who is the Lord and Christ in David’s city Chosen from many.
Repeat No 24
The above translation is derived mainly from the Bach Archiv, but also occasionally from Henry Drinker’s work in the Bärenreiter edition.
Tonight’s artists
Robert Ulrich tenor, Evangelist
Robert began singing aged nine with the Regensburger Domspatzen, a renowned cathedral choir of Regensburg, Germany. His musical journey led him to perform as a soloist and in a variety of ensembles, gracing stages across the world. After studying Music at the University of Hull, he has continued to sing with local choirs and has a particular passion for Early Music.
Debbie Trigg soprano
Debbie has been passionate about singing from an early age, studying at Huddersfield University, and at Birmingham Conservative of Music with Pamela Cooke. She sang in the National Youth Choir and broadcast frequently from Manchester with the BBC Northern Singers under Stephen Wilkinson on Radio 3 and with the Daily Service Singers on Radio 4. She sang for many years with Manchester Chamber Choir. Now, in addition to a busy teaching practice, she sings with Huddersfield Choral and St Peter’s Singers, where she enjoys the chance to sing solo.
Sarah Rushton soprano
Sarah started singing when studying music at Birmingham University. She joined St Peter’s Singers when she moved to Leeds for her first job and has sung with them ever since. She has had singing lessons with Kathryn Woodruff in the past. She also plays viola with Leeds Symphony Orchestra.
Joanna Gamble contralto
Joanna has performed or covered principal rôles with many of the major British opera companies including Opera North, Scottish Opera, WNO and Grange Park Opera. She specialises in Wagner roles and Russian and Czech repertoire but later in life has also found a home in the contralto rôles of Gilbert and Sullivan. Oratorio engagements have included Dvořak Stabat Mater; Elijah in Wells Cathedral; Messiah in Truro Cathedral, Hereford Cathedral and in Leeds Town Hall with the orchestra of Opera North; Szymanowski Stabat Mater; St John Passion with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Dunedin Consort at the Queen’s Hall Edinburgh; and she has toured Europe and Japan with Collegium Vocale under Philippe Herreweghe.
Constanze Hartley contralto
German born Constanze Hartley developed a passion for Renaissance and Baroque music and ensemble singing during her school years when she received classical vocal training, and toured nationally and internationally with the school’s multi award winning youth choir. From those beginnings, she has sung in several small chamber choirs and ensembles in Germany and the UK before joining St Peter’s Singers, and is now a sought after consort singer and regularly performs at Leeds Minster for services and concerts.
Lucy Appleyard mezzo
Lucy is from the North Yorkshire village of Great Ayton where she began her singing career as a treble in the Choir of Christ Church. She pursued her formal training at Leeds College of Music, earning a BPA (Hons) in 2001 and a Master of Music in 2006. Lucy has performed numerous operatic roles on the local and national stage. She has worked professionally for Scottish Opera and has been a familiar face at the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival. She sings as a soloist for many choral societies in Yorkshire and beyond. Outside of her performing career, Lucy works as a primary school music teacher in Leeds. She enjoys fell walking with her husband and their daughters.
John Scholey tenor
Born in Leeds, John Scholey is currently studying at Leeds University for a BMus Music Performance degree. He sings in a large number of local choirs, including St Peter’s Singers and the Choir of Leeds Minster.
John is a Section Leader in both the National Youth Choir and National Youth Voices. Notable engagements with these choirs include a recent tour to South Africa, five BBC Proms, and the 2023 Royal Variety Performance, alongside collaborations with Nicholas Collon and the Aurora Orchestra, Sofi Jeannin and the BBC Singers, amongst others. Beyond NYC, John was recently invited to take part in a residential project with the Royal Academy of Music’s Chamber Choir, and appears as a choir member in Alan Bennett’s new film The Choral.
Richard Pascoe bass
Richard studied opera singing with Llyndall Trotman. Otherwise, Richard has always sung purely for the joy of it.
Richard has been performing in amateur shows in Leeds for 25 years. Highlights include: The Baker in Into The Woods, Old Deuteronomy in Cats, Figaro in The Marriage Of Figaro, Ping in Turandot, The Sergeant in Pirates Of Penzance and The Judge (twice) in Sweeney Todd. He will play Mr Lindquist in A Little Night Music in York in February. He joined St Peter’s Singers in 2001 and was instantly hooked into the new (to him) world of high calibre choral singing. Richard runs MakingPresentations.co.uk – training leaders around the world in advanced presentation skills.
Quentin Brown bass
Quentin started his musical life as a chorister at Rochester Cathedral. He has sung with the BBC Northern Singers and Pro Cantione Antiqua, and has been a member of St Peter’s Singers for over 40 years.
As a soloist he has performed works by composers ranging from Bach and Handel to Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi, Brahms, Elgar and Vaughan Williams.
Forthcoming engagements include Bach’s St John Passion, Mozart’s Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah with Black Dyke Band in Beverley Minster.
Alexander Woodrow conductor
Born in York in 1986, Alexander read music as Organ Scholar at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He became Fellow of the Royal College of Organists at the age of 19, is a Fellow of Trinity College London and recipient of the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.
Alex is a distinguished recitalist and has regularly broadcast on BBC Radio and Television. He has performed in many of the major churches and cathedrals of the UK including York Minster, King’s College, Cambridge, and Westminster Abbey. Alex has held positions at Guildford Cathedral, St Albans Cathedral and Hexham Abbey and Bradford Cathedral. In 2020 he took up his current appointment as Organist and Director of Music at Leeds Minster.
Join St Peter’s Singers in the beautiful and atmospheric setting of St Oswald’s Church in Guiseley for a concert of Christmas music old and new, with carols for all to sing.
This is the perfect opportunity to take a short break from the stresses of life and to find a moment of peace and a spark of hope in the music of the angels.
St Peter’s Singers are directed by Alexander Woodrow, with Shaun Turnbull accompanying on the organ.
Festive refreshments will be served.
Pay what you can, either on-line or at the door
The programme will include familiar carols and arrangements alongside the premiere of a new carol by St Peter’s Singers’ superb in-house creative duo Hannah Stone and Matthew Oglesby, and music by the outstanding contemporary composer, Cecilia McDowall.
Programme
Make we merry
Andrew Carter
A maiden most gentle
Andrew Carter
O Come all ye faithful
John Wade
Stille Nacht
arr. Donald Cashmore
Said Mary to the child unborn
Matthew Oglesby & Hannah Stone
E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come
Paul Manz
Organ solo: Wachet auf BWV645
JS Bach
Hodie
Jan Sweelinck
Christmas Lullaby
John Rutter
Lux Aurumque
Eric Whitacre
Interval
O Little Town
Walford Davies
Before the paling of the stars
Cecilia McDowall
Sir Christemas
William Mathias
Organ solo: Sleigh Ride
Leroy Anderson, arr. Thomas Trotter
Lully, lulla, lullay
Philip Stopford
Star Carol
John Rutter
Hark, the herald angels sing
Mendelssohn
Ding Dong merrily on high
arr. Mack Wilberg
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 Oswald’s is an accessible venue with an accessible door and facilities, and can accommodate wheelchairs in the audience.
St Peter’s Singers and 18th Century Sinfonia perform Parts I-III of JS Bach’s glorious music for the Christmas season, complete with stunning trumpet fanfares, tender lullabies and a moment of pastoral tranquillity.
With 18th Century Sinfonia using historically informed performance skills on period instruments, this promises to be an evening of sparkling and joyful music-making, made perfect by the uplifting surroundings of Leeds Minster.
Sung in German, with online and printed English translations available.
St Peter’s Singers and Soloists 18th Century Sinfonia
Alexander Woodrow conductor
The 18th Century Sinfonia
The 18th Century Sinfonia is a versatile ensemble of specialist period instrumentalists. Since their foundation in 2001 they have accompanied numerous choral societies throughout the UK in performances of Handel Oratorios, Mozart Requiem, Bach B Minor Mass, Magnificat, St John and St Matthew Passions etc. On Good Friday, 18th April 2025, the 18th Century Sinfonia performed the new edition of Handel’s Brockes Passion in Nottingham Parish Church.
The principal players of the 18th Century Sinfonia also meet to comprise the 18th Century Concert Orchestra, whose performances combine period instruments, readings, candlelight and sumptuous 18th century costume in uniquely atmospheric recreations of 18th century musical life.
Welcome
St Peter’s Singers are passionate about the music we sing and want to share it with as many people as possible. We will 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? Leeds Minster is an accessible venue with good facilities. Everyone is welcome. What to expect at a St Peter’s Singers concert.
Leeds Minster is about 5 minutes walk from Leeds Bus Station, and about 15 minutes walk from Leeds Railway Station. There is on-street parking on the side streets nearby, as well as the NCP Markets carpark (5 minutes) and the John Lewis carpark (10 minutes).
There is ramp access to the main doors beneath the tower, with entrance to the grounds at the West End by the Lamb and Flag pub recommended to avoid the steps up from the street level. Once inside there there is step-free access to the concert seating and to the City of Leeds Room for refreshments and toilets. Wheelchairs and mobility devices are welcome and can be accommodated.
It features some of the glorious music with which he had an especially close connection: works by Vaughan Williams, JS Bach, Elgar, Bairstow and Harris, and then Part I of Handel’s Messiah concluding with the epic Hallelujah chorus.
We are delighted that Simon’s friends and family will be in attendance.
The performers will include stars with whom Dr Lindley collaborated extensively: David Greed (formerly leader of the Orchestra of Opera North), Margaret McDonald (international mezzo) and Darius Battiwalla (Leeds City Organist).
The choral singing will be led by St Peter’s Singers and feature the massed voices of a choir drawn together earlier in the day for the occasion, including many singers from the choirs with which Dr Lindley was associated. They will be accompanied by Darius Battiwalla and Lee Ward, and directed by Alexander Woodrow.
Everyone is welcome to this joyous festival of music!
Programme
I sat down under his shadow
Edward Bairstow
The Lark Ascending (excerpt)
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Erbarme dich (from the St Matthew Passion)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Bring us O Lord God
William Harris
The Angel’s Farewell (from The Dream of Gerontius)
Please note that due to the logistical considerations of accommodating a choir of 200 or more singers in Leeds Minster’s space, the choir will occupy the ground floor of the nave. The audience for this concert will be seated in or between the choir stalls, on the raised space in front of the altar, and in the galleries above the nave. These are good places from an acoustical point of view, but some seats may not afford uninterrupted sightlines. As with all our concerts, seats are not reserved and are taken on a first-come-first-served basis.
Welcome
St Peter’s Singers are passionate about the music we sing and want to share it with as many people as possible. We will 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? Leeds Minster is an accessible venue with good facilities. Everyone is welcome. What to expect at a St Peter’s Singers concert.
Leeds Minster is about 5 minutes walk from Leeds Bus Station, and about 15 minutes walk from Leeds Railway Station. There is on-street parking on the side streets nearby, as well as the NCP Markets carpark (5 minutes) and the John Lewis carpark (10 minutes).
There is ramp access to the main doors beneath the tower, with entrance to the grounds at the West End by the Lamb and Flag pub recommended to avoid the steps up from the street level. Once inside there there is step-free access to the concert seating and to the City of Leeds Room for refreshments and toilets. Wheelchairs and mobility devices are welcome and can be accommodated.
Artists
Margaret McDonald
Margaret McDonald ( Maggie ) is a renowned international mezzo-soprano and voice-coach. She sings regularly in major venues with leading conductors and orchestras both in the UK and abroad, encompassing an extensive repertoire. She has sung on the operatic stage for Glyndebourne Festival and Touring Opera, Opera North, ENO, Scottish Opera and Opera Go Round, CBTO and Chelsea Opera to name but a few. She has recorded works for Nimbus, Marco Polo and the BBC, including Scottish débuts of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ The JacobiteRising and Sea Elegy, and Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius in Latvia! She has sung for the Royal family at Windsor castle and Braemar, and in the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.
Maggie enjoys planning and presenting recitals, on different themes, including a range of repertoire from different genre. Her most recent recital was with David Jones at the piano, which opened up her world of synaesthesia. It showed how she experiences sounds, musical notation, numbers and letters, in colours and textures. The audience could watch the colours Maggie “sees” on two screens linked to a computer programme – while she sang a range of repertoire creating a real multi–media experience!
Maggie now combines her singing schedule with her Vocal Consultancy work – being in demand for master-classes, workshops and examining. She has taught at Chetham’s School of Music, the Scottish Conservatoire and the RNCM (where she indeed studied) and is the vocal coach for the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus and the Hallé Choir. This year, she is also delighted to accept the position of Patron with the Bury Choral Society.
When she has any free time, Maggie loves to meet up with family and friends, as well as enjoying playing the church organ, cooking, swimming and driving.
David Greed
David Greed held the position of Leader of the Orchestra of Opera North for 44 years from 1978.
His solo and concerto repertoire is extensive and he has appeared with most of the regions orchestras as concerto soloist.
He has also been engaged as guest leader with orchestras throughout the country – including the Philharmonia, Royal Opera, Halle, Royal Liverpool, CBSO, BBC Scottish and BBC Philharmonic orchestras.
He has been violin tutor for the National Youth Orchestra of GB, Chetham’s School and European Union Youth Orchestra.
He has recorded VW’s ‘The Lark Ascending’ on the Naxos label with the Orchestra of Opera North and also the Elgar Concerto with Hertfordshire County Youth Orchestra.
He is Music Director of the Sinfonia of Leeds and the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra.
Darius Battiwalla
Darius took up the post of Leeds City Organist in 2017, programming the very successful Town Hall recital series and giving regular solo concerts. He is currently overseeing the renewal of the Leeds Town Hall organ. Recent performances include the recitals at the Cathedrals of Coventry, Lincoln, Ripon, and St Albans, as well as appearances with Collegium Vocale Gent in Ghent and Amsterdam, and the annual recital for the Royal College of Organists conferment of diplomas.
In 2024 he was part of the premiere of a new work for four organs by James Wood commemorating the Great Storm of 1674, to be performed simultaneously by organists across Europe. He has recently released a CD, recorded by audiophile label Base2 Music, including the Whitlock Sonata and works by Fela Sowande and Percy Grainger.He has appeared as soloist with the Halle and London Philharmonic Orchestras, and is a regular orchestral organist and pianist for the BBC Philharmonic and Halle orchestras.
As a pianist, he gives regular chamber concerts with members of the Manchester orchestras, and on the harpsichord he has played continuo with many UK orchestras, and performed and broadcast harpsichord concertos: most recently soloist in Frank Martin’s Harpsichord Concerto for the Northern Ballet Theatre.
Lee Ward
Lee Ward is a Leeds based organist, harpsichordist, conductor and teacher. He has had a rewarding career in schools, churches and cathedrals in the UK and Brazil including most recently at the University of Liverpool. There he lectured in classical music performance and was a collaborative pianist and harpsichordist, working with student and professional singers and players.
He originally studied organ at the Royal College of Music as a Foundation Scholar, where he won all the organ prizes. He has given recitals in many cathedrals and town halls in the UK and abroad and has recorded and broadcast as soloist and accompanist including for the service of Beatification of Cardinal Newman in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI.
He specialises in harpsichord with a particular interest in that of the twenty first century. He enjoys playing continuo on organ and harpsichord and has worked with Orquestra Sinfônica Municipal (OSM) and Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo (OSESP) in Brazil and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir and other northern chamber orchestras. He continues to play the organ, accompany soloists and direct choirs on a freelance basis.
Celebrating the life of Dr Simon Lindley (1948-2025)
This is a Come and Sing with a difference, as we invite anyone who wishes to join us in a day of celebration and singing as we give thanks for the life and music of our former director, Dr Simon Lindley, who died in February.
Dr Lindley was a giant of the musical scene in West and South Yorkshire, and this event is open to everyone who loves singing choral music or wants to give it a try, including those who may not have known him.
We will rehearse and perform excerpts from two works:
Handel’s Messiah Part I and Hallelujah chorus
The Angel’s Farewell from the conclusion of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, with internationally renowned mezzo Margaret McDonald taking the solo role.
The singing will be led by St Peter’s Singers, accompanied by Lee Ward and Darius Battiwalla on Leeds Minster’s splendid Harrison & Harrison organ, and directed by St Peter’s Singers’ conductor Alexander Woodrow.
Registration will start at 2.00pm, and the rehearsal will run from 2.30pm-4.00pm. There will be plenty of time and space for refreshments and socialising, and we will conclude the afternoon with a public concert performance running from 5.15pm to about 7.15pm.
Concert bonus!
The performance will also feature David Greed (former leader of the Orchestra of Opera North) playing Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending with Darius Battiwalla. Ms McDonald will join them to sing Erbarme dich from Bach’s St Matthew Passion, and St Peter’s Singers will sing short works by Bairstow and Harris.
So it’s all set for a lot of fun! This will be a fantastic, joyous singing day, with the added opportunity to listen to some world-class musicians.
What you need to know…
Booking here entitles you to participate in the Come and Sing rehearsal and concert performance, together with refreshments and use of loan copies .
We will be using the Novello editions of both works (the Watkins Shaw edition of Messiah). Copies will be available on the day, though you are welcome to bring and use your own if you have one.
Dress is smart casual.
Under 18s are welcome but must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.
In order for us to prepare well to welcome you, you are asked to book ahead, letting us know one or two important bits of information. Only a very small number of un-notified admissions will be allowed for special cases on the day. Booking will close at 6pm on 15 October.
If you don’t want to sing, but want to listen, you can do that too – audience can book in advance (recommended) or pay at the door for the concert, which will start at 5.15pm and run till about 7.15pm.
You may wish to also come to the Gala Organ Recital at 12.30pm, given by Darius Battiwalla, Carleton Etherington and Jonathan Lilley, who all played at Leeds Parish Church as Assistant Organists or Organ Scholar under Dr Lindley. Admission is free, with a retiring collection to defray expenses.
Learning the music Not sung Messiah or The Dream of Gerontius before? Need some help? You may want to do some prep!
There are a number of websites and apps that may be able to help you (although this comes without warranty!):
ChoralLine : Download an App for your laptop, phone or tablet; costs £9.99-£13.99 per work. The website offers samples so that you can see what you will get before you buy. The rehearsal is accompanied by clear spoken instructions helping you start at the right time, and your voice part is played in a distinct sound to help you identify the notes correctly. The website also makes it simple to purchase a score if you need to. Click here for more information.
Choralia : Free, but the website is much more basic. There are a number of different options, where you can hear just your part, or all the parts with your part standing out, or all the parts with yours at the same volume as the others. Click here for more information.
Please note: it is not possible for us to issue copies ahead of the event on 18 October. You may be able to borrow a copy from your local library.
Access and Accessibility Leeds Minster is about 5 minutes walk from Leeds Bus Station, and about 15 minutes walk from Leeds Railway Station. There is on-street parking on the side streets nearby, as well as the NCP Markets carpark ( 5 minutes) and the John Lewis carpark (10 minutes).
There is ramp access to the main doors beneath the tower, with entrance to the grounds at the West End by the Lamb and Flag pub recommended to avoid the steps up from the street level. Once inside there there is step-free access to the nave and to the City of Leeds Room for refreshments and toilets.
Please contact us on info@stpeters-singers.org.uk if you have any questions or requirements in this respect.
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.
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
There’s no doubt about it: Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B Minor is a masterpiece. It is one of the most exhilarating and satisfying works both to perform and to listen to, and probably receives more performances now than at any time in its 275-year history.
We are thrilled to be performing it at Leeds Minster on Good Friday 18 April at 7pm. Tickets are available and you will be very welcome.
At St Peter’s Singers, we’ve been enjoying some wonderful rehearsals: those of us who know the work have loved returning to it afresh, discovering new things we hadn’t heard before; and those who don’t know it have been blown away by the beauty of the music as well as the technical demands it makes on us as singers.
The B Minor Mass is the product of a formidable intellect, a synthesis of Bach’s musical and theological knowledge, his spirituality and understanding of the human condition, and his artistic mastery. And despite its immense complexity, it remains accessible and deeply moving, resonating with audiences across centuries.
You only have to hear the first four spine-tingling bars, as they build to the most impassioned pleading from the human soul, to know that despite the Latin words and the unfamiliar text, this music can speak both to you and for you, whatever you do or don’t believe.
And with those four bars a journey begins, with music that gives voice to deep sadness and grief, wildly joyful dance and celebration, cheeky intimacy, solemn formality, prayerfulness, awe, longing, confidence, even doubt – an astonishing range of human feelings and experience. And all the while working through the Latin text of the Catholic Church’s Mass!
It’s extraordinary to think that Bach himself almost certainly never heard it in its entirety: he only completed it in the last year of his life, and almost certainly didn’t have the resources it requires at his disposal in Leipzig. Listening to it complete, as we do, is a privilege.
But it was composed long ago, and the world has changed, so what does it mean for us today, and does performing it on Good Friday mean anything?
The answer varies, of course, depending on your perspective.
For many, the music still speaks deeply on its own, with a spirituality that touches the parts that little else can reach. It provides a much needed stability and counterweight to the shallow and fly-by-night nature of our Social Media-driven world. The opacity of the Latin ensures that the text is not intrusive. Perhaps the Easter weekend, with its two bank holidays, may bring a slight jolt in the normal rhythms of life, and with it perhaps a prompt to seek out meaning and connection with something deeper than daily life normally offers. Perhaps a live performance in the grandeur of a beautiful church may prove more meaningful than a recording played in the living room.
For Christians, anything that illuminates faith and encourages prayer may be welcome. For those who, on Good Friday, may have experienced a week of intense and dramatic re-enactment of Jesus’ last days and hours, the evening – with Jesus now laid to rest in the tomb – brings a spiritual, almost eerie, peace, and the chance to step back and ponder what it all means. The Mass, reflecting as it does on the sacrifice made by Christ on the cross, is an ideal and – in translation – familiar text, and Bach’s music, as it explores and illuminates it almost clause by clause can undoubtedly bring insight, joy and prayerfulness.
But wherever we come from, Bach’s mighty Mass in B Minor can speak to us all. On the one hand it is steeped in his mature and very considerable understanding of the text, and yet on the other he presents to us the most opaque, mysterious words written in a rich but dead language. It is the music that speaks, conjuring up a sense of great spiritual mystery, meaning and prayerfulness, maybe drawing our tears of sorrow and voicing our pleas but above all calling us to the dance.
