Spring Concert - Immortal Wheat at St Werburgh's R C Church, Chester on Saturday 1st April 2017

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

Spring Concert - Immortal Wheat

Part of the Chester Bach Singers 40th Anniversary Season

Add to my Calendar 01-04-2017 19:30 01-04-2017 21:30 36 Spring Concert - Immortal Wheat In its April concert with orchestra, the focus of the Chester Bach Singers 40th Season turns pastoral, particularly to the 20th century composers, Gerald Finzi and Ivor Gurney. Finzi’s Seven Partsongs are acknowledged to be a central work in the repertoire for choirs such as Chester Bach Singers. They are all settings of poems by Robert Bridges, who was Poet Laureate from 1913 to 1930. Although perhaps lesser known these days, Bridges was a key figure in early 20th century poetry, working at the same time as the Georgian poet group which included figures such as Rupert Brooke and Walter de la Mare. Much of Bridges’ poetry set by Finzi has a pastoral feel, reflecting the English landscape. Such images were also key to Finzi’s other work represented tonight, the Tenor Cantata Dies Natalis, setting the 16th century poet Thomas Traherne. This, one of Finzi’s most celebrated works on disc, will be sung by the young tenor William Smith. Finzi’s lyrical style and intuitive setting of text is always attractive to the listener. The concert’s inclusion of Gurney is through his poems, rather than his music, although Martin Bussey’s Severn Meadows is a reflection of both attributes of this still misunderstood casualty of World War I. Gassed, Gurney survived the war, but his mental instability, already evident before the war, was worsened by his experiences. Severn Meadows reflects Gurney’s mental decline through his longing for his native Gloucestershire countryside. Another Gloucestershire native, Gustav Holst completes the programme with his Psalm settings for choir, strings and organ. St Werburgh's R C Church, Chester DD/MM/YYYY

Details

St Werburgh's R C Church
Grosvenor Park Road
Chester
Cheshire
CH1 1QJ
England

Saturday 1st April 2017
7:30 PM

Programme

Gerald Finzi – Seven poems of Robert Bridges, Op.17
Martin Bussey – Severn Meadows
Gustav Holst – Psalm 148 'Lord, Who hast made us for thine own', H.117 no.2
Gerald Finzi – Dies Natalis, Op.8

Performers

William Smith – Tenor
Stuart Orme – baritone

Chester Bach Singers

Other concerts in this Series (+)

Programme Note

In its April concert with orchestra, the focus of the Chester Bach Singers 40th Season turns pastoral, particularly to the 20th century composers, Gerald Finzi and Ivor Gurney. Finzi’s Seven Partsongs are acknowledged to be a central work in the repertoire for choirs such as Chester Bach Singers. They are all settings of poems by Robert Bridges, who was Poet Laureate from 1913 to 1930. Although perhaps lesser known these days, Bridges was a key figure in early 20th century poetry, working at the same time as the Georgian poet group which included figures such as Rupert Brooke and Walter de la Mare. Much of Bridges’ poetry set by Finzi has a pastoral feel, reflecting the English landscape. Such images were also key to Finzi’s other work represented tonight, the Tenor Cantata Dies Natalis, setting the 16th century poet Thomas Traherne. This, one of Finzi’s most celebrated works on disc, will be sung by the young tenor William Smith. Finzi’s lyrical style and intuitive setting of text is always attractive to the listener. The concert’s inclusion of Gurney is through his poems, rather than his music, although Martin Bussey’s Severn Meadows is a reflection of both attributes of this still misunderstood casualty of World War I. Gassed, Gurney survived the war, but his mental instability, already evident before the war, was worsened by his experiences. Severn Meadows reflects Gurney’s mental decline through his longing for his native Gloucestershire countryside. Another Gloucestershire native, Gustav Holst completes the programme with his Psalm settings for choir, strings and organ.

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