Details
Greek Orthodox Cathedral
Moscow Road
Bayswater
London
W2 4LQ
England
Programme
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina – Exsultate Deo
William Byrd – Laudibus in Sanctis
Thomas Tallis – O Nata Lux
Robert Parsons – Ave Maria
Francis Poulenc – Timor et tremor, FP 97 no.1
Francis Poulenc – Vinea mea electa, FP 97 no.2
Anton Bruckner – Christus factus est, WAB 11
Anton Bruckner – Ave Maria, WAB 6
Arvo Pärt – Morning Star
John Tavener – The Veil of the Temple, Cycle 6: 'What God is'
John Tavener – Mother of God
Alexander Gretchaninov – Cherubic Hymn, Op.29
Sergei Rachmaninov – All-night Vigil (Vespers): Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (arr. Eric Arnold)
Nikolai Golovanov – Otche Nash (Our Father)
Martin Frank – Mass for Double Choir: Agnus Dei
Henryk Górecki – Totus Tuus, Op.60
Performers
Stephen Layton – Conductor
Holst Singers
Programme Note
We invite you to join us for a celebration of a remarkable quarter-century of music-making. Stephen Layton became Music Director of the Holst Singers in 1993 and over that period has turned it into one of the UK’s leading choirs.
The Holst Singers have made several outstanding recordings, including “Ikon” and “Ikon II” which led the explosion of interest in the UK in the music of the Orthodox Church. They have performed in numerous ground-breaking concerts including the world premier in 2004 of John Tavener’s The Veil of the Temple. And they have maintained the highest professional standards of performance despite being made up of amateur singers. All this has been achieved through the outstanding vision and musicianship of Stephen Layton, now rightly recognised as one of the world’s foremost choral conductors.
This anniversary is a wonderful opportunity to bring together members past and present with friends of the choir to enjoy a selection from our repertoire of the past twenty-five years.
The programme is a selection of favourites beloved of Stephen and the choir, designed to be representative of the variety of music performed and recorded over his time with the choir. We return to a familiar venue: the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Bayswater, an intimate and beautiful setting perfectly suited to the unaccompanied music at which the Holst Singers excel.