Conductor

Aidan Broadbridge Director of Music, Strathaven Choral Society

Organist
Oliver Rundell

Soloist

Campbell Russell Tenor

featuring: Neil McCallum (Kirklandpark Primary School) as the young St Nicolas with: The Scottish Baroque Soloists led by Angus Ramsey The Choir of Kirklandpark Primary School, Strathaven

Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme (Sleepers, Wake!) - J.S. Bach
Saint Nicolas - Benjamin Britten
Hymm to St Cecilia - Benjamin Britten
These Things Shall Be - John Ireland

Tickets
£ 8.00
Concession - £ 6.00
Under 18 - FREE

Wachet Auf - J.S. Bach
This work, one of the finest of the one hundred and ninety Church Cantanas of Bach which are in existence, was composed during his residence in Leipzig. Is was written for the twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity; as this Sunday only occurs when Easter falls unusually early. In 2005 there are on 26 sundays after Trinity. So we are singing if on the evening before the Sunday Next Before Advent.

Saint Nicolas - Benjamin Britten
Britten’s cantata, Saint Nicolas, was commissioned to celebrate the centenary of Lancing College, Sussex. Its first official performance took place at the College in July, 1948, though in fact it had already received an unofficial premiere six weeks earlier, at the opening concert of the very first Aldeburgh Festival. Britten himself conducted both these performances, with the part of Nicolas sung by his partner, Peter Pears, a former pupil of Lancing College. The piece is scored for chorus, treble soloists, tenor solo, piano duet, organ, percussion and strings, with a libretto by Eric Crozier. The cantata tells the story of the life and achievements – some real but mostly legendary - of Nicolas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor

Hymn to St Cecilia - Benjamin Britten
Hymn to St Cecilia was Britten’s final collaboration with WH Auden, who had exerted such a profound literary influence on him. Auden’s poem may be seen as a dedication to the muse of music and to composers, specifically Britten who celebrated his birthday on 22nd November. Britten shows his exceptional ability to respond to the text, combining thematic cohesion through the refrain “Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions….” with felicitous illustrations of the text, as can be seen in the word painting solo appearances of violin, drum, flute and trumpet in the final section. The Hymn’s final chromatic reharmonisation of “Blessed Cecilia” reminds us that whilst composers are mortal they are inspired by an iridescent “immortal fire”.