Bartholomew Consort in Oxford November 3 at 4 PM
St Barnabas Church, Jericho OX2 6BG Sunday November 3 at 4 pm
Tickets at TicketsOxford from early September, full price £15, students, unwaged, jobseekers, disabled £9. Children under 12 free
Programme
Frank Martin (1890 -1974) Mass for Double Choir
Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880-1968) Missa di Requiem
James MacMillan (b.1959) Lux Aeterna
Musical Director JanJoost van Elburg
In this programme for unaccompanied voices , the two larger works, share some points of details: both were composed in 1922 and both were the only unaccompanied choral works of their composers on liturgical texts.
For Martin, his Mass for Double Choir was a deeply felt and personal work, which he did not release for performance for forty years. His background was in the Calvinist church, his father being a minister, and this coloured his entire life and the characteristic of his creative work. The Mass was written and put away, protected for decades by Martin’s fervently held belief was that it was almost a blasphemy to perform such an intimate and private dialogue between God and himself. His work is entirely his own, embracing the innovative ideas of the early twentieth century.
Pizzetti’s Requiem, on the other hand, is soundly based on the ideas of Gregorian chant and the fifteenth and sixteenth century Italian masters of polyphony. He introduces some vernacular flourishes by frequently changing the number of voice parts within a section, echoing the improvised folk-singing of his native north Italy. It is not certain that Pizzetti held as strong a faith as that of Martin, but the spiritual intensity is just as strong.
The third, shorter, work in this programme is a communion motet by the prolific and hugely admired James MacMillan, published just ten years ago, Lux Aeterna.
FRIDAY 1st – SUNDAY 3rd November 2019, Oxford
The weekend will be based in Oxford, with rehearsals at St. Michael’s, Summertown, and the concert at St. Barnabas, Jericho.
We shall start rehearsing at 15h00 on Friday 1st, continuing through until 21h00, with an evening break when you will hve time to buy and eat sandwiches from the local shops. There will be a short AGM at some time in the evening.
Saturday rehearsals will start at 09h30 and go through until 18h00, with a break for lunch. A dinner will be arranged for the evening.
The Sunday morning rehearsal will start at 10h00 in the church hall of St. Michael’s. We shall restart after lunch at 13h30 in St. Barnabas, continuing through until the concert, which will start at 16h00. There will be a place to change in the church.
The programme will include:
- Frank Martin – Mass for Double Choir
- Ildebrando Pizzetti – Missa di Requiem
- James MacMillan – Lux Aeterna
Using this Dropbox link
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vf6d935vpl5ogr1/AAC71ffIix9OOISM8EosYt3ka?dl=0
you will find the Voice Distribution. Scores of the music will be provided at the weekend itself, unless you have advised the Librarian that you have your own copies. Meanwhile the folder includes working copies of the music for your personal use in advance.
JJ has provided the following notes as clarification of the Pizzetti voice distribution:
Where SATB divide I suggest we use the 1st and 2nd distribution as in the div of Martin. (e.g. S2 is all sopranos that sing 2 in both choirs) Example: Tilman sings II-1 in Martin, so he’s a 1st bass in Pizzetti when the basses split. When only the tenors split he and David Till can join T2 (see Dies irae)
Pizzetti:1. Requiem:SATBarB
2. Dies irae:figure 11-18: S2AT2(+ Tilman + David Till)Bfigure 18-end (Martin distribution S1st S2nd A1st A2nd T1st T2nd B1st B2nd)
3. Sanctus: as indicated in the voice distribution. example: Tilman sings in B2 in Choir 2.
4. Agnus Dei:SATB undivided
5. Libera me:as part 1. Requiem SATBarB
The subscription for the weekend has yet to be determined. The cost of hiring venues in Oxford has increased in the last couple of years, and it may be necessary to reflect this in the cost of participation.
Further details of the weekend will be added as they are determined.
Komm Heiliger Geist Sunday 9th June wellington school chapel
Blackdowns Early Music Project’s Spring Festival.
The programme – entitled Komm, Heiliger Geist – will include the following works:
- Johann Walter: Veni Sancte Spritus & Nun bitten wir
- Melchior Frank: Unser Leben währet siebzig Jahr
- Johann Ludwig Bach ~ Gedenke meiner, mein Gott
- Johann Bach: Unser Leben ist ein Schatten
- Johann Sebastien Bach: Komm, Jesu, komm & Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit & Ich lasse dich nicht
Songs of Saints
St Giles’ Church OX2 6HT
3 March at 8pm
Tickets available from TicketsOxford from February 1
£12 full price,£8 students and under 12s free
Come and hear this stunning collection of choral music drawn principally from the C16 and C20 performed by the Bartholomew Consort under distinguished Director JanJoost van Elburg.
Music by Crequillon, Palestrina, Guerrero, Lassus, Britten, Part, Moore and Miskinis
Johannes Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem
Sunday 4th November 2018, 7.30 pm
St. Michael and All Angels, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7ES
Friday 1st – Sunday 3rd March; Oxford
The weekend will be based in Oxford, mostly in St. Michael’s Church in Summertown, but with the Sunday concert and afternoon rehearsal in St. Giles’ Church in town.
JJ has devised a wonderful programme of old and new, along the theme of “Songs of Saints”:
- Crequillon: Andreas Christi famulus *
- Guerrero: Maria Magdalena *
- Palestrina: Tu es Petrus; Quodcumque ligaveris **
- Lassus: Epitaphium divi Bernardi *
- Britten: Hymn to St. Cecilia ***
- Moore: Salutation Angelica ****
- Pärt: Dopo la vittoria *
- Miskinis: Angelis suis Deus ****
* Please print and bring this score
** Bring your own European Sacred Music (p 258 et seq)
*** Bring your own score if owned, spares will be available
****Hired scores will be available when you arrive
Scores and Voice Distribution are here
Those who have said that they will sing are as follows:
| Catherine Bass |
| Dawn Herbert |
| Fabienne Brooksbank Levery |
| Isobel Knapp |
| Joanna Tucker |
| Linda Wisheart |
| Milda Zinkus |
| Miranda Whiteley |
| Jenny Forsyth |
| Rachel Adams |
| Alison Baily |
| Anne Raikes |
| Caroline Bysh |
| Juliet Grayson |
| Angela Knapp |
| Juliet Harkness |
| Lynn Carter |
| Stella Holman |
| Marion Robinson |
| Martin Jenkinson |
| Eamonn Marshall |
| Mark Dancy |
| Peter Furnivall |
| Tony Hastings |
| Richard Johnstone |
| Simon Murray |
| Justin Stead |
| John Tucker |
| Guy Chapman |
| Robin Grayson |
| Andy Chim |
| Christopher Cipkin |
| David Till |
| Denys Firth |
| Graeme Adamson |
| Hugh Edwards |
| Roger Williams |
| Robert Asher |
The voice distribution is available via the Dropbox link to the music folder (above).
The subscription for the weekend is £75, excluding accommodation and meals. Anne Raikes has emailed the payment details to everyone, please try to pay your sub in advance, if possible by Feb 25th.
Concert tickets are £12 full price, £8 for students, job seekers, disabled, under 12s free , please bring as many family, friends and neighbours as possible.
Concert dress is all black: open-necked shirts and trousers for men; black tops and dresses or trousers for women.
Friday March 1
Rehearsal: St. Michael’s & All Angels Church, Lonsdale Road OX2 7ES 17h00 to c. 21h00. We will break for 30 mins at around 19h00 for a light tea. If you cannot arrive on time, or are delayed en route , please let Catherine Bass know email bartholomewconsort@gmail.com or txt 07771 908643 or
Saturday March 2
Rehearsal: St. Michael’s Church Hall, Portland Road OX2 7EZ 09h30 to 11h00, then move to Church until lunch at 13h00. We continue 14h30 until 18h00. There will be coffee/tea breaks during the morning and afternoon sessions.
Group Dinner ( optional) has been arranged for Saturday evening at the Cherwell Boathouse, Bardwell Road at 18h15 for 18h45 ; the cost of the meal is additional to the weekend’s subscription. Anne has sent the menu with the subscription details, please order and pay in advance.
Sunday March 3
Rehearsal: Morning 10h00 to 12h30 in St. Michael’s church hall. Afternoon 14h00 to 16h00 in St. Giles’ Church, OX2 6HT
Concert 20h00 . For those who have to check out of accommodation during the morning, we have made arrangements to store any cases on the church premises from just before 14h00. We will all have access to the Parish Rooms for changing between 18h30 and 19h30. There will be no refreshment provided between rehearsal and concert, however Oxford city centre is a short walk from the church.
Protected: Future events
Loud Praises Sound at Heaven’s High Gate
Choral music from C.19 and C.20
Sunday 24th June 2018 8pm
St. Michael and All Angels, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7ES
For members: music and practical information
JanJoost van Elburg will direct the Bartholomew Consort in a choral tour of C19 & C20 liturgical music, ranging from the romantic era inhabited by Felix Mendelssohn (b.1809) through to the self taught Francis Poulenc (d.1963), who wrote from an equally emotional view point. Between these composers were others who embraced similar ideals; we shall include the child prodigy Joseph Rheinberger (church organist at the age of 7), the prolific composer and teacher Charles Villiers Stanford and Max Reger, whose music displayed some Baroque influences, even into the early C20.
Entry is free, but your donations towards the costs of the concert will be most welcome.
How to get there
Address: Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7ES
Map/directions