Portsmouth Baroque Choir sings music by Rheinberger, Vierne, Weelkes and RVW: Commemorating the 400th anniversary of death of Thomas Weelkes and the 10th anniversary of the death of John Tavener at St Paul's Church, Chichester on Saturday 21st October 2023

Please note: This concert is in the past and has already taken place.

Portsmouth Baroque Choir sings music by Rheinberger, Vierne, Weelkes and RVW

Commemorating the 400th anniversary of death of Thomas Weelkes and the 10th anniversary of the death of John Tavener

Add to my Calendar 21-10-2023 19:00 21-10-2023 21:00 36 Portsmouth Baroque Choir sings music by Rheinberger, Vierne, Weelkes and RVW As we approach the season of remembrance, and following on from their acclaimed performance of Handel’s Messiah in July with The Consort of Twelve, Portsmouth Baroque Choir returns to St Paul’s Church, Chichester, for a concert of sacred music that celebrates the continuity between the living and the souls of the dead.  The concert begins and ends with two major, liturgical works written within a year of each other at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: Louis Vierne’s ‘Messe solennelle’ and Josef Rheinberger’s ‘Requiem in D minor’. We chose St. Paul’s especially in order to perform the Vierne as it was originally written, for choir and two organs. The 1874 mechanical action organ by Hunter in the gallery at St Paul’s is a fine but sparingly used instrument. At the Paris première in 1901, Widor and the composer were the organists. Peter Gould and Richard Barnes will be the organists on this occasion. We finish with the last work from the prolific pen of Josef Rheinberger, his Requiem Op. 194, (the last of his four settings of the text) which marked a return to a simpler, more serene and intimate style compared to the more familiar operatic, combative examples of Mozart, Berlioz and Verdi. In between, we mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Thomas Weelkes with a selection of five of his anthems, some of which were written while he was organist at Chichester Cathedral. It seemed appropriate to include ‘O Lord, grant the King a long life’, which was sung at the Coronation of King Charles II. The second half begins processionally and commemoratively with ‘Funeral Ikos’ by John Tavener who died ten years ago in November 2013. Its message of hope is then picked up by Vaughan Williams’ ‘Lord, thou hast been our refuge’, scored for choir, organ and trumpet, which part will be played by a member of the choir.There will also be two pieces for solo organ. St Paul's Church, Chichester DD/MM/YYYY

Details

St Paul's Church
Churchside
Chichester
West Sussex
PO19 6FT
England

Saturday 21st October 2023
7:00 PM

Programme

Louis Vierne – Messe Solennelle, Op.16
Thomas Weelkes – All People Clap Your Hands
Thomas Weelkes – O Lord arise
Thomas Weelkes – Alleluia I heard a voice
Thomas Weelkes – O Lord grant the King a long life
~ Interval ~
John Tavener – Funeral Ikos
Thomas Weelkes – When David Heard that Absalon was slain
Ralph Vaughan Williams – Lord, thou hast been our refuge
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger – Requiem in D, Op.194

Performers

Malcolm Keeler – Conductor
Peter Gould – organ
Richard Barnes – organ

Portsmouth Baroque Choir

Programme Note

As we approach the season of remembrance, and following on from their acclaimed performance of Handel’s Messiah in July with The Consort of Twelve, Portsmouth Baroque Choir returns to St Paul’s Church, Chichester, for a concert of sacred music that celebrates the continuity between the living and the souls of the dead.

The concert begins and ends with two major, liturgical works written within a year of each other at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: Louis Vierne’s ‘Messe solennelle’ and Josef Rheinberger’s ‘Requiem in D minor’. We chose St. Paul’s especially in order to perform the Vierne as it was originally written, for choir and two organs. The 1874 mechanical action organ by Hunter in the gallery at St Paul’s is a fine but sparingly used instrument. At the Paris première in 1901, Widor and the composer were the organists. Peter Gould and Richard Barnes will be the organists on this occasion.

We finish with the last work from the prolific pen of Josef Rheinberger, his Requiem Op. 194, (the last of his four settings of the text) which marked a return to a simpler, more serene and intimate style compared to the more familiar operatic, combative examples of Mozart, Berlioz and Verdi.

In between, we mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Thomas Weelkes with a selection of five of his anthems, some of which were written while he was organist at Chichester Cathedral. It seemed appropriate to include ‘O Lord, grant the King a long life’, which was sung at the Coronation of King Charles II.

The second half begins processionally and commemoratively with ‘Funeral Ikos’ by John Tavener who died ten years ago in November 2013. Its message of hope is then picked up by Vaughan Williams’ ‘Lord, thou hast been our refuge’, scored for choir, organ and trumpet, which part will be played by a member of the choir.

There will also be two pieces for solo organ.

Portsmouth Baroque Choir at St Paul's Chichester, July 2023

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