Details
Bunyan Meeting Church
Mill Street
Bedford
Bedfordshire
MK40 3EU
England
Programme
Robert Ramsey – Sleep, fleshly birth
Ola Gjeilo – Ubi caritas
Johannes Brahms – 6 Lieder and Romances, Op.93a
Igor Stravinsky – 4 Russian Songs
Eriks Esenvalds – Stars
Eriks Esenvalds – Only in Sleep
Claude Debussy – 3 Chansons de Charles d'Orléans, L.92
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger – 3 Geistliche Gesänge, Op.69: Abendlied
Performers
John Byron – Conductor
Polymnia
Programme Note
Polymnia is Milton Keynes’ premier chamber choir. For their recent 10th anniversary, Polymnia staged a spectacular Charity Gala Concert with Lesley Garrett, who described them as “one of the best choirs I have ever sung with”. They have sung at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and at King's College Cambridge, and have toured Spain, Italy and Croatia.
For their Grand Tour of Europe concert at the Bunyan Meeting Church on April 1st they present a sparkling programme of European musical delights, including choral music and songs for solo voice from France, Germany, Italy and Britain, as well as more exotic sounds from distant countries such as Russia, Norway and Latvia.
Music will include the Four Russian Peasant songs by Stravinsky, alongside the Trois Chansons by Debussy and choruses by Brahms inspired by folk music. Scandinavia is represented by the Latvian composer Eriks Ešenvalds, whose Stars incorporates the ethereal, shimmering sounds of tuned wine glasses, and the Norwegian Ola Gjeilo, whose celebrated composition Ubi Caritas is heard with the composer's improvised piano accompaniment. From Britain comes music by the 17th century composer Robert Ramsey, and traditional music from Scotland. Further musical treasures from Slovenia, Albania and Lichtenstein complete the programme.