Britten - St Nicholas. Rutter - Magnificat
Salisbury Musical Society, Chelsea Opera Group Orchestra
Part of the Salisbury Musical Society 2019-2020 Season
Add to my Calendar 16-11-2019 19:30 16-11-2019 21:30 36 Britten - St Nicholas. Rutter - Magnificat Britten: St Nicolas In 1947 the suggestion arose of a festival at Britten’s home town of Aldeburgh in Suffolk. Both local people and the Arts Council were enthusiastic and the first Aldeburgh Festival was held in June 1948. The major work on the opening night, 5th June, was a new cantata, St Nicolas, with words by Eric Crozier and music by Britten. The full score was completed only five days earlier. The work tells the story of the life of St Nicolas, Bishop of Myra and Patron-saint of children, seamen and travellers. Like the music of Bach and Tippett, and Britten’s own later Noyes Fludde, St Nicolas contains two well-known hymns which the audience is invited to sing. Rutter: Magnificat John Rutter’s music will be familiar through his well-known Christmas carols, among them the Shepherd’s Pipe Carol and Donkey Carol. There is no doubt that with these pieces Rutter has tapped into a highly melodic vein with colourful orchestration that many people regard as seriously missing in much recent music. Rutter has also proved that he is a master of larger scale composition and the Magnificat is one of the best-known of these. Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury DD/MM/YYYYDetails
Salisbury Cathedral
33 The Close
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP1 2EJ
England
Programme
John Rutter – Magnificat
Benjamin Britten – St Nicolas, Op.42
Performers
David Halls – Conductor
Amy Carson – soprano
Nicholas Hawker – tenor
Rory Law – treble
Jack Maltby – treble
Theo Price – treble
Kavan Satish – treble
Peter Grove – Piano
Alistair Watson – Piano
John Ryan – Leader
Salisbury Musical Society
Chelsea Opera Group Orchestra
Salisbury Cathedral Choir
Programme Note
Britten: St Nicolas
In 1947 the suggestion arose of a festival at Britten’s home town of Aldeburgh in Suffolk. Both local people and the Arts Council were enthusiastic and the first Aldeburgh Festival was held in June 1948. The major work on the opening night, 5th June, was a new cantata, St Nicolas, with words by Eric Crozier and music by Britten. The full score was completed only five days earlier. The work tells the story of the life of St Nicolas, Bishop of Myra and Patron-saint of children, seamen and travellers. Like the music of Bach and Tippett, and Britten’s own later Noyes Fludde, St Nicolas contains two well-known hymns which the audience is invited to sing.
Rutter: Magnificat
John Rutter’s music will be familiar through his well-known Christmas carols, among them the Shepherd’s Pipe Carol and Donkey Carol. There is no doubt that with these pieces Rutter has tapped into a highly melodic vein with colourful orchestration that many people regard as seriously missing in much recent music. Rutter has also proved that he is a master of larger scale composition and the Magnificat is one of the best-known of these.
