Details
Southwark Cathedral
London Bridge
London
SE1 9DA
England
Programme
Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B minor, BWV 232
Performers
Mary Bevan – soprano
Olivia Ray – mezzo-soprano
Alessandro Fisher – Tenor
Julien van Mallaerts – baritone
Ronald Corp – Conductor
The London Chorus
New London Orchestra
Programme Note
JS Bach's choral masterpiece, set in the spectacular surroundings of Southwark Cathedral: an evening not to miss, according to Ronald Corp OBE, director of both The London Chorus and the New London Orchestra, and conductor for this concert.
Ron adds: "We’ll never know exactly why JS Bach put this extraordinary Mass together - but it is certainly a showpiece for choral excellence, bringing together pieces with both high church and secular roots from across his lifetime's work.
"A towering masterpiece, the Mass in B Minor is one of the hardest pieces to bring off in performance - particularly for the chorus who not only need reserves of stamina but also tackle a huge number of notes, requiring lots of concentration and rehearsal time.
"But it is all well worth it. Bach’s writing is supreme, carrying the listener to a different level. Bach wrote ‘To the glory of God’ at the end of each of his manuscripts and you can tell that this piece was indeed written, very much, to the glory of God."
Delivered by London's most versatile choir and respected soloists, this promises to be a sublimely uplifting evening. There will be an interval during the concert.