All posts by Richard Coleridge

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

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”:

  1. Crequillon: Andreas Christi famulus   *
  2. Guerrero: Maria Magdalena  *
  3. Palestrina: Tu es Petrus; Quodcumque ligaveris  **
  4. Lassus: Epitaphium divi Bernardi  *
  5. Britten: Hymn to St. Cecilia  ***
  6. Moore: Salutation Angelica ****
  7. Pärt: Dopo la vittoria  *
  8. 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 [email protected] 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.