COME AND SING DAY 2019 Saturday 4th May , 10am—5pm Morten Lauridsen Lux Aeterna Methodist Church, Southover, Wells BA5 1UH

All singers are invited to study, rehearse and perform this inspiring work with Matthew Owens, one of the UK’s leading choral conductors.

CONCERT PROGRAMME 2019 Saturday 16 November, 7.00pm Arvo Pärt Berliner Messe Morten Lauridsen Lux Aeterna ENGLISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA MATTHEW OWENS conductor

Saturday 7 December, 7.00pm Handel MUSIC FOR AWHILE ORCHESTRA (on period instruments) MATTHEW OWENS conductor We strongly advise that bookings be made online at:- wcos.org.uk

2 Mendelssohn

Elijah

An Oratorio for soprano, alto, and bass soli, SATB, orchestra and organ, Opus 70

Elizabeth Atherton soprano Katie Bray contralto Peter Auty tenor Ben McAteer bass

Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society English Symphony Orchestra Matthew Owens conductor Mathew Redman organ

This concert takes place in the Cathedral by kind permission of the Chapter of Wells Cathedral. The use of mobile telephones, photography, or recording of any kind is forbidden except by express permission of the Chapter.

We are grateful to Battens Charitable Trust for its support of this performance.

Printed music supplied by Somerset Libraries, Arts & Information. Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society is affiliated to Making Music. Programme by Neill Bonham

3 (1809 - 1847)

Mendelssohn’s grandfather, Moses, was a travelled on to Scotland where he stayed with renowned philosopher and his father, Abra- Sir Walter Scott. ham, a successful Berlin banker. Felix was later Mendelssohn was influential as an organiser baptised Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn- and administrator creating opportunities for Bartholdy when he, and later his parents, new composers and performers. Working became Lutherans. He was such a gifted child with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra as its that musicians of the day hailed him as a supe- Director he helped to raise performance rior prodigy to Mozart. By the time he had standards and In 1843 he founded the Leipzig reached his mid-teens he had composed a Conservatory. Here he taught composition number of mature works including twelve with Schumann. He made Leipzig the musical string symphonies and his first symphony for capital of Germany and amongst his friends full orchestra, written when he was fifteen. there were Berlioz and Chopin. An admirer of At sixteen he wrote the String , and at the baroque composers of the previous centu- seventeen the Overture to Shakespeare’s A ry he was influential in the revival of interest Midsummer Night’s Dream. He also excelled in their music, particularly that of J. S. Bach, as a pianist, organist, string player and as an then rarely heard. In 1829, still only twenty, he inspiring conductor. In 1821 he played for von conducted the first public performance of the Goethe in Weimar, becoming close friends St. Matthew Passion since Bach’s death in with the aged poet. On his first visit to 1750 and his repertoire in Leipzig included in 1824 he conducted his 1st Symphony and oratorios by Handel and Haydn.

4 Mendelssohn was particularly feted in Eng- ies to Birmingham only two weeks before the land which he visited in 1829 and a subse- first performance. This was conducted by quent ten times, becoming a great favourite Mendelssohn himself on 26th August 1846 of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. before an audience of two thousand packed into Birmingham Town Hall with an orchestra Mendelssohn’s first oratorio, St. Paul had re- ceived its premiere in 1836. He then started of 125 and a chorus containing 261, 79 sopra- nos, 60 altos, 60 and 72 basses. It was considering a new oratorio based on the life of an unprecedented success; four choruses and the Old Testament prophet, . Mendels- four arias were encored, and the applause sohn was attracted to the story of the prophet evidently bordered on the hysterical. Men- because of the dramatic story with its drought, rain, fire, storms and earthquakes delssohn recounted the experience in a letter to his brother. ‘No work of mine went so admi- allowed evocative scenes; but also because of Mendelssohn’s worry that Europe was in a rably the first time of execution, or was re- ceived with such enthusiasm by both the musi- state of moral decay. “I imagined Elijah as a grand and mighty prophet, of the kind we cians and the audience,’ he wrote. The Times’ music correspondent was even more effusive. could really do with today – strong, zealous, ‘The last note of Elijah was drowned in a long- and yes, even bad-tempered, angry, and continued unanimous volley of plaudits, vo- brooding – in contrast to the riff-raff, whether ciferous, and deafening,’ he reported. of the court or of the people, and indeed in contrast to almost the whole world – and yet ‘Mendelssohn…… descended from his posi- tion on the conductor’s rostrum; but he was borne aloft as if on the wings of angels.” In 1838 he approached his friend, the Lutheran compelled to appear again, amidst re- newed cheers and huzzas. Never was there Pastor Julius Schubring, to help draft a libret- to. He wrote: ‘…the dramatic element should a more complete triumph; never a more thorough and speedy recognition of a great predominate. The personages should act and speak as if they were living beings.’ The work of art.’ protestant Schubring disagreed, saying that an This peak of Mendelssohn’s successful career, oratorio should be in the nature of a sermon was tragically his last major triumph. Over- in music, stressing the moral and uplifting work during a repeat tour of England the fol- aspects of the Old Testament texts, and that lowing year with many performances to con- dramatic realism was inappropriate in a sa- duct brought on rapidly failing health. When cred work. The project was dropped. his sister Fanny unexpectedly died in May, he never recovered from the shock and died on In 1845 the Birmingham Festival committee 4th November 1847, aged 38, following a se- asked Mendelssohn if he would write a new ries of strokes and before he was able to con- oratorio for the following year’s Festival. Men- duct any performances of Elijah in Germany. delssohn had attended the Festival of 1837 with St. Paul and of 1840 with the Hymn of There it’s luke-warm reception marked the beginning of a decline in the popularity of Praise, on both occasions with great success. He accepted the commission and returned to Mendelssohn’s music, which had never been as well received as in England. This may have Elijah with renewed enthusiasm, this time mostly compiling the libretto himself with been influenced by a growing anti-Semitism, partly encouraged by Wagner. Mendelssohn’s Schubring’s assistance in selecting suitable success, his popularity and his Jewish origins texts. He worked feverishly on the score to irked Wagner sufficiently to damn Mendels- ensure that it was completed according to sohn with faint praise three years after his schedule, and delivered the final chorus cop-

5 death, in an anti-Jewish pamphlet Das Judenthum in der Musik. In the 1930s the Nazi regime cited Mendelssohn’s Jewish origin in banning perfor- mance and publication of his works. Under the Nazis Mendelssohn was pre- sented as a dangerous ‘accident’ of music history, who played a decisive role in rendering German mu- sic in the 19th century ‘degenerate’. Ever since Handel’s Messi- ah in 1743, the oratorio form had occupied a pre- eminent position in the concert halls of England. After its resounding first performance, Elijah imme- diately established itself as second only to Messiah in the public’s affections. It Prince Albert playing to Queen Victoria and Mendelssohn received countless perfor- mances in the years just after its composition lessness, Elijah proves that his God is the true and this enormous popularity continued and only one, and rain returns to the parched scarcely unabated throughout the nineteenth land. In Part 2, Elijah flees to the wilderness, century and beyond, contributing to the growth of many choral societies in England. resigned to the failure of his mission, but his spirit and strength are restored by the appear- Elijah was performed at the Three Choirs Fes- tival every year from 1847 to 1930 and in ance of God and he ascends into heaven. Basi- cally, it’s the story of a good man who fights Wells the Oratorio Society, founded in 1896, first performed it in 1906 and then another against evil and finally rises to heaven in a fiery chariot. eleven times throughout the 20th Century before today’s performance. Elijah has many other outstanding qualities: the imaginative orchestration, the spontaneity Structurally the work is clearly influenced by the choral masterpieces of Bach and Handel, and energy of the counterpoint, the variety which Mendelssohn brings to the recitatives but its highly dramatic style, at times border- ing on the operatic, constitutes a significant to ensure that they always maintain the dra- matic impetus, and the sheer beauty of many step forward from its Baroque predecessors. of the arias and choruses. Above all, there is Elijah tells of several key incidents in the life of no mistaking the work’s considerable dramatic the 9thcentury (BCE) prophet. In Part 1, God impact, epitomised by the vivid characterisa- brings on a drought because of Israel’s faith- tion of Elijah himself.

6 Part I No 4 Aria Obadiah: “If with all your hearts ye truly seek me, ye shall ever surely find Introduction (bass) me.” Thus saith our God. Oh, that I Elijah: As God the Lord of Israel liveth, knew where I might find Him, that I before whom I stand, there shall not might even come before His pres- be dew nor rain these years, but ence! according to my word. I Kings XVII: 1 Deuteronomy IV: 29 / Job XXIII: 3 Overture No 5 Chorus No 1 Chorus The People: Yet doth the Lord see it not; He mocketh at us! His curse hath The People: Help, Lord! Wilt Thou quite fallen down upon us. His wrath will destroy us? The harvest now is over, pursue us till He destroy us! For He, the summer days are gone, and yet the Lord our God, He is a jealous no power cometh to help us! God, and He visiteth all the fathers’ Will then the Lord be no more God sins on the children to the third and in Zion? Jeremiah VIII: 20 the fourth generation of them that Recitative Chorus hate Him. His mercies on thousands fall, fall on all them that love Him The People: The deeps afford no water; and and keep His commandments. the rivers are exhausted! The suck- Exodus XX: 5–6 ling’s tongue now cleaveth for thirst to his mouth, the infant children ask No 6 Recitative (alto) for bread, and there is no one brea- An Angel: Elijah! Get thee hence, Elijah! keth it to feed them! Depart and turn thee eastward: Lamentations IV: 4 thither hide thee by Cherith’s brook. No 2 Duet and Chorus There shalt thou drink its waters; and the Lord thy God hath com- The People: Lord, bow Thine ear to our manded the ravens to feed thee prayer! there. So do according unto His Two Women: Zion spreadeth her hands for word. I Kings XVII: 3–4 aid, and there is neither help nor No 7 Double Quartet comfort. Lamentations I: 17 Angels: For He shall give His angels charge No 3 Recitative (tenor) over thee, that they shall protect Obadiah: Ye people, rend your hearts, thee in all the ways thou goest; that and not your garments, for your their hands shall uphold and guide transgressions, even as Elijah hath thee, lest thou dash thy foot against sealed the heavens through the a stone. Psalms XCI: 11–12 word of God. I therefore say to ye, Recitative (alto) forsake your idols, return to God; for He is slow to anger, and merciful, An Angel: Now Cherith’s brook is dried up, and kind, and gracious, and Elijah. Arise and depart, and get thee repenteth Him of the evil. to Zarephath. Thither abide; for the Joel II: 12–13 Lord hath commanded a widow 7 woman there to sustain thee. What shall I render to the Lord for all And the barrel of meal shall not His benefits to me? waste, neither shall the cruse of oil Both: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, love fail, until the day that the Lord send- Him with all thine heart, and with all eth rain upon the earth. thy soul and with all thy might. I Kings XVII: 7, 9, 14 O blessed are they who fear Him! No 8 Recitative and Air (soprano) I Kings XVII: 17–18, 21–24 / Job X: The Widow: What have I to do with thee, 15 / Psalms XXXVIII: 6; VI: 7; X: 14; O man of God? Art thou come to LXXXVI: 15–16; LXXXVIII:10; CXXVIII: me, to call my sin unto remem- No 9 Chorus brance? To slay my son art thou come hither? Help me, man of God, Blessed are the men who fear Him, my son is sick, and his sickness is so they ever walk in the ways of peace. sore that there is no breath left in Through darkness riseth light to the him! I go mourning all the day long, I upright. He is gracious, compassion- lie down and weep at night! See ate; He is righteous. mine affliction, be thou the orphan’s Psalms CXXVIII: 1; CXII: 1, 4 helper. No 10 Recitative and Chorus Recitative Elijah: As God the Lord of Sabaoth liveth, Elijah: Give me thy son! Turn unto her, O before whom I stand, three years Lord, my God; in mercy help this this day fulfilled, I will shew myself widow’s son. For Thou art gracious, unto Ahab, and the Lord will then and full of compassion, and plente- send rain again upon the earth. ous in mercy and truth. Lord, my King Ahab: Art thou Elijah, he that trou- God, let the spirit of this child return bleth Israel? that he again may live! Chorus: Thou art Elijah, he that troubleth The Widow: Wilt thou shew wonders to the Israel! dead? There is no breath in him. Elijah: I never troubled Israel’s peace. Elijah: Lord, my God, let the spirit of this It is thou, Ahab, and all thy father’s child return, that he again may live! house. Ye have forsaken God’s The Widow: Shall the dead arise and praise commands, and thou hast followed Thee? Baalim! Now send and gather to Elijah: Lord, my God, O let the spirit of this me the whole of Israel unto Mount child return, that he again may live! Carmel. There summon the prophets of Baal, and also the prophets of the The Widow: The Lord hath heard thy pray- groves, who are feasted at Jezebel’s er, the soul of my son reviveth! table. Then, then we shall see Elijah: Now behold, thy son liveth! whose God is God the Lord. The Widow: Now by this I know that thou Chorus: And then we shall see whose God art a man of God, and that His word is God the Lord. in thy mouth is the truth.

8 Elijah: Rise then, ye priests of Baal; Chorus select and slay a bullock, and put no fire under it; uplift your voices Priests of Baal: Baal! Hear and answer, and call the god ye worship; and I Baal! Mark how the scorner then will call on the Lord Jehovah. derideth us! Hear and answer! And the god who by fire shall an- Recitative swer, let him be God. Elijah: Draw near all ye people, come to Chorus: Yea, and the god who by fire shall me! I Kings XVIII: 26–30 answer, let him be God. No 14 Air Elijah: Call first upon your god, your num- bers are many. I, even I only remain Elijah: Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and one prophet of the Lord. Invoke your Israel, this day let it be known that forest gods, and mountain deities. Thou art God and I am Thy servant! I Kings XVIII: 1, 15, 17–19, 23–25 Lord God of Abraham! O shew to all this people that I have done these No 11 Chorus things according to Thy word. O hear Priests of Baal: Baal, we cry to thee, hear me, Lord, and answer me! Lord God and answer us! Heed the sacrifice of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, O hear we offer! Hear us, Baal, hear, mighty me and answer me; and shew this god! Baal, O answer us! Baal, let thy people that Thou art Lord God, and flames fall and extirpate the foe! let their hearts again be turned! Baal, O hear us! I Kings XVIII: 26 I Kings XVIII: 36–37 No 12 Recitative No 15 Quartet Elijah: Call him louder! For he is a god. Angels: Cast thy burden upon the Lord, He talketh, or he is pursuing, or he and He shall sustain thee. He never is on a journey; or peradventure he will suffer the righteous to fall; He is sleepeth. So awaken him. Call him at thy right hand. Thy mercy, Lord, louder! is great, and far above the heavens. Let none be made ashamed, that Chorus wait upon Thee! Priests of Baal: Hear our cry, O Baal! Now Psalms LV: 22; XVI: 8; CVIII: 5; XXV: 3 arise! Wherefore slumber? No 16 Recitative and Chorus I Kings XVIII: 26–27 Elijah: O Thou who maketh Thine angels No 13 Recitative spirits; Thou, whose ministers are Elijah: Call him louder! He heareth not. flaming fires, let them now descend! With knives and lancets cut your- The People: The fire descends from heaven! selves after your manner. Leap upon The flames consume his offering! the altar ye have made. Call him and Before Him upon your faces fall! prophesy. Not a voice will answer The Lord is God. O Israel hear! you; none will listen; none heed you. Our God is one Lord, and we will have no other gods before the Lord.

9 Elijah: Take all the prophets of Baal, Elijah: Go up now, child, and look toward and let not one of them escape you. the sea. Hath my prayer been heard Bring them down to Kishon’s brook, by the Lord? and there let them be slain. The Boy: There is nothing. The heavens are The People: Take all the prophets of Baal, as brass above me. and let not one of them escape us. Elijah: When the heavens are closed up Bring all, and slay them! because they have sinned against I Kings XVIII: 38–40 Thee, yet, if they pray and confess No 17 Aria Thy name, and turn from their sin when Thou dost afflict them, then Elijah: Is not His word like a fire, and like a hear from heaven and forgive the hammer that breaketh the rock into sin. Help, send Thy servant help, pieces? For God is angry with the O God! wicked every day. And if the wicked turn not, the Lord will whet His The People: Then hear from heaven and sword; and He hath bent His bow, forgive the sin! Help, send Thy and made it ready! Jeremiah XXIII: servant help, O God! 29 / Psalms VII: 11–12 Elijah: Go up again, and still look toward No 18 Air (Alto) the sea. Alto: Woe unto them who forsake Him! The Boy: There is nothing. The earth is as Destruction shall fall upon them, iron under me. for they have transgressed against Elijah: Hearest thou no sound of rain? Seest Him. Though they are by Him thou nothing arise from the deep? redeemed, yet they have spoken falsely against Him. Though they are The Boy: No, there is nothing. by Him redeemed, from Him have Elijah: Have respect to the prayer of Thy they fled. Hosea VII: 13 servant, O Lord my God! Unto No 19 Recitative and Chorus (Tenor) Thee will I cry, Lord my rock. Be not silent to me; and Thy great Obadiah: O man of God, help thy people! mercies remember, Lord. Among the idols of the Gentiles are there any that can command the The Boy: Behold, a little cloud ariseth rain or cause the heavens to give now from the waters: it is like a their showers? The Lord our God man’s hand! The heavens are alone can do these things. black with clouds and wind; the storm rusheth louder and louder! Elijah: O Lord, Thou hast overthrown Thine enemies and destroyed them. Look The People: Thanks be to God for all His down on us from heaven, O Lord; mercies! regard the distress of Thy people! Elijah: Thanks be to God, for He is Open the heavens and send us relief; gracious, and His mercy endureth help Thy servant now, O God! forevermore! Jeremi- The People: Open the heavens and send us ah XIV: 22 / II Chronicles VI: 19, 26– relief; help Thy servant now, O God! 27 / Deuteronomy XXVIII: 23 / Psalms XXVIII: 1 / I Kings XVIII: 43–45

10 No 20 Chorus voices! The stormy billows are high; Thanks be to God, He laveth the their fury is mighty. But the Lord is above them, and Almighty. thirsty land. The waters gather, they rush along! They are lifting their Psalms XCIII: 3–4

Interval - 20 minutes Wine and soft drinks are available in the Transepts

Part II No 23 Recitative and Chorus Elijah: The Lord hath exalted thee from among the people, and o’er His people Israel hath made thee King. (Soprano) No 21 Aria But thou, Ahab, hast done evil to Hear ye, Israel; hear what the Lord provoke Him to anger above all that speaketh: “Oh, hadst thou heeded were before thee; as if it had been my commandments!” Who hath a light thing for thee to walk in the believed our report? To whom is the sins of Jeroboam. Thou hast made arm of the Lord revealed? Thus saith a grove, and an altar to Baal, and the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, served him and worshipped him. and his Holy One, to him oppressed Thou hast killed the righteous, and by tyrants, thus saith the Lord: also taken possession. And the Lord “I am He that comforteth; be not shall smite all Israel as a reed is afraid, for I am thy God, I will shaken in the water, and He shall strengthen thee. Say, who art thou, give Israel up, and thou shalt know that thou art afraid of a man that He is the Lord. shall die, and forgettest the Lord I Kings XIV: 7, 9, 15; XVI: 30–33 thy maker, who hath stretched forth The Queen: Have ye not heard he hath the heavens, and laid the earth’s prophesied against all Israel? foundations? Be not afraid, for I, thy God, will strengthen thee.” Chorus: We heard it with our ears. Isaiah: XLVIII: 1, 18; LIII: 1; XLIX: 7; The Queen: Hath he not prophesied also XLI: 10; LI: 12–13 against the king of Israel? No 22 Chorus Chorus: We heard it with our ears. “Be not afraid,” saith God the Lord, The Queen: And why hath he spoken in the “Be not afraid, thy help is near.” name of the Lord? Doth Ahab gov- God, the Lord thy God, sayeth unto ern the kingdom of Israel, while thee, “Be not afraid!” Though thou- sands languish and fall beside thee, Elijah’s power is greater than the king’s? and tens of thousands around thee The gods do so to me and more, if by perish, yet still it shall not come nigh tomorrow about this time, I make thee. Isaiah XLI: 10 / Psalms XCI: 7 not his life as the life of one of them

11 whom he hath sacrificed at the not fail thee, He will not forsake brook of Kishon! thee. Now begone, and bless me also. Chorus: He shall perish! Elijah: Though stricken, they have not The Queen: Hath he not destroyed Baal’s grieved. Tarry here, my servant; the prophets? Lord be with thee. I journey hence to Chorus: He shall perish! the wilderness. II Kings I: 13 / Jere- The Queen: Yea, by sword he destroyed miah V: 3; XXVI: 11 / Psalms LIX: 3 / I them all! Kings XIX: 4 / Deuteronomy XXXI: 6 / Exodus XII: 32 / I Samuel XVII: 37 Chorus: He destroyed them all! No 26 Aria The Queen: He also closed the heavens. Elijah: It is enough! O Lord, now take away Chorus: He also closed the heavens. my life, for I am not better than my The Queen: And called down a famine upon fathers. I desire to live no longer. the land. Now let me die, for my days are but vanity. I have been very jealous Chorus: And called down a famine upon the for the Lord God of Hosts, for the land. children of Israel have broken Thy The Queen: So go ye forth, and seize Elijah, covenant, and thrown down Thine for he is worthy to die. Slaughter altars, and slain all Thy prophets, him! Do unto him as he hath done! slain them with the sword. And I, even I only am left, and they seek No 24 Chorus my life to take it away! Woe to him! He shall perish, for he Job VII: 16 / I Kings XIX: 10 closed the heavens. And why hath No 27 Recitative (Tenor) he spoken in the name of the Lord? Let the guilty prophet perish! He See now, he sleepeth beneath a juni- hath spoken falsely against our land per tree in the wilderness, and there and us, as we have heard with our the angel of the Lord encampeth ears. So go ye forth, seize on him! round about all them that fear him. He shall die! I Kings XIX: 5 / Psalms XXXIV: 7 Jeremiah XXVI: 9, 11 / I Kings XIX: 2; No 28 Trio XXI: 7 / Ecclesiasticus XLVIII: 2–3 Angels: Lift thine eyes, O lift thine eyes to No 25 Recitative the mountains, whence cometh Obadiah: Man of God, now let my words help. Thy help com-eth from the be precious in thy sight! Thus saith Lord, the maker of heaven and Jezebel, “Elijah is worthy to die.” earth. He hath said, thy foot shall So the mighty gather against thee, not be moved. Thy keeper will and they have prepared a net for thy never slumber. Psalms CXXI: 1, 3 steps, that they may seize thee. No 29 Chorus Arise then, and hasten for thy life; to the wilderness journey. The Lord, Angels: He, watching over Israel, slumbers thy God, doth go with thee. He will not, nor sleeps.

12 Shouldst thou, walking in grief, shine on thee! Thy face must be languish, He will quicken thee. veiled, for He draweth near. Psalms CXXI: 4; CXXXVIII: 7 Psalms CXLIII: 6–7 / I Kings XIX: 11 No 30 Recitative No 34 Chorus The Angel: Arise, Elijah, for thou hast a long Behold, God the Lord passed by! journey before thee. Forty days and And a mighty wind rent the moun- forty nights shalt thou go, to Horeb, tains around, break in pieces the the mount of God. rocks, break them before the Lord. But yet the Lord was not in the Elijah: O Lord, I have laboured in vain; yea, tempest. I have spent my strength for naught, and in vain! O that Thou wouldst Behold, God the Lord passed by! rend the heavens, that Thou would And the sea was upheaved, and the come down! That the mountains earth was shaken. But yet the Lord would flow down at Thy presence, was not in the earthquake. to make Thy name known to Thine And after the earthquake there adversaries, through the wonders came a fire. But yet the Lord was of Thy works! O Lord, why hast Thou not in the fire. made us to err from Thy ways? and hardened our hearts, that they And after the fire there came a still, do not fear thee? O that I now small voice: And in that still voice might die! I Kings XIX: onward came the Lord. 8 / Isaiah XLIX: 4; LXIV: 1–2 I Kings XIX: 11–12 No 31 Air No 35 Recitative The Angel: O rest in the Lord, wait patiently Contralto: Above him stood the seraphim: for Him, and He shall give thee thy and one cried to another: heart’s desires. Commit thy way Quartet and Chorus unto Him, and trust in Him, and fret not thy self because of evil doers. Angels: Holy, holy, holy is God the Lord Psalms XXXVII: 1, 7 Sabaoth. Now his glory hath filled all the earth. Isaiah VI: 2–3 No 32 Chorus No36 Recitative and Chorus He that shall endure to the end shall be saved. Matthew XXIV: 13 Go, return upon thy way! For the Lord yet hath left Him seven No 33 Recitative thousand in Israel, knees which Elijah: Night falleth round me, O Lord! have not bowed to Baal. Be Thou not far from me! Hide not Go, return upon thy way. Thy face, O Lord, from me; my soul Thus the Lord commandeth. is thirsting for Thee, as a thirsty land. Elijah: I go on my way in the strength of the The Angel: Arise now, get thee without, Lord. For Thou art my Lord, and I will stand on the mount before the Lord; suffer for Thy sake. My heart is for there His glory will appear and therefore glad, my glory rejoiceth;

13 and my flesh shall also rest in hope. No 41 Chorus I Kings XIX: 15, 18 / Psalms: LXXI: 16; XVI: 2, 9 But the Lord from the north hath raised one, who from the rising of No 37 Air the sun shall call upon His name, and come on princes. Elijah: For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but Thy Behold, my servant and mine elect, kindness shall not depart from me; in whom my soul delighteth! On him neither shall the covenant of Thy the Spirit of God shall rest, the spirit peace be removed. Isaiah LIV: 10 of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of might and of counsel, the No 38 Chorus spirit of knowledge and of the fear Then did Elijah the prophet break of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord: forth like a fire; his words appeared “I have raised one from the north, like burning torches. Mighty kings who from the rising on my name by him were overthrown. He stood shall call.” Isaiah XLI: 25; XLII: 1; XI: 2 on the mount of Sinai and heard the

judgements of the future, and in Quartet Horeb its vengeance. And when O come, every one that thirsteth, the Lord would take him away to O come to the waters, O come unto heaven, lo, there came a fiery him. O hear, and your souls shall chariot with fiery horses, and he live forever. Isaiah LV: 1, 3 went by a whirlwind to heaven. Ecclesiasticus No 42 Chorus XLVIII: 1, 6–7 / II Kings II: 1, 11 And then, then shall your light break forth as the light of morning (Tenor) No 39 Air breaketh, and your health shall Then shall the righteous shine forth speedily spring forth then. as the sun in their heavenly Father’s And the glory of the Lord ever shall realm. Joy on their head shall be for reward you. everlasting, and all sorrow and mourning shall flee away forever. Lord, our Creator, how excellent Matthew XIII: 43 / Isaiah LI: 11 Thy name is in all the nations, Thou fillest heaven with Thy glory. No 40 Recitative (Soprano) Amen! Isaiah LVIII: 8 / Psalms VIII: 1 Behold, God hath sent Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children unto their fathers, lest the Lord shall come and smite the earth with a curse. Malachi IV: 5–6

14 Mozart’s Fiordiligi and Britten’s Governess. In concert, Elizabeth has worked with such eminent conductors as Sir Richard Hickox, Sir Andrew Davis, Sir , , Sir Neville Mariner, , Carlo Rizzi, Harry Chris- tophers and Thierry Fischer. She appears frequently with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and other highlights include per- formances with the BBC Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, Orchestre de Paris, Hong Kong Philharmonic, The Sixteen and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Recent and upcoming engagements include Meni in Thomas Adès’ new The Ex- terminating Angel at the , her role debut as Leonore Fidelio for Longborough Festival Opera, a return to as Donna Elvira, Barber’s Knoxville with the RLPO and Robert Spano, Strauss’s Vier Letzte Lieder with the RPCO, Beethoven’s Symphony 9 with the BBC NOW under Ryan Wigglesworth, and also “Startling, inventive and compelling” (The with the BBCSO, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater Independent), Elizabeth Atherton is equally with the Prague Symphony Orchestra, at home on the opera stage or the concert Schoenberg’s Second and platform. Her versatility as a musician and Gorecki’s Symphony No. 3 with the London as an actress means that she has sung roles Sinfonietta, Stravinsky’s Threni with the ranging from Monteverdi, Handel and Mo- LPO under Vladimir Jurowski, and concerts zart through to Verdi, Bizet and Britten, and with the RSNO under Laurence Cummings she had the roles of Eurydice in Sir Harrison and Ulster Orchestra under Rafael Payare. Birtwistle’s opera and Medea KATIE BRAY Contralto The Cure created for her to considerable critical acclaim. Consistently earning praise for her outstand- ing stage presence and vocal performances, Having won several prestigious prizes in- British mezzo-soprano Katie Bray has fast cluding the Maggie Teyte Prize, Elizabeth’s established herself as an artist to watch. debut was as Helena in Midsummer Night’s Dream for English Touring Opera. She sub- Recent roles for Opera North include Hansel sequently became an Associate Artist at Hansel and Gretel, Rosina Il Barbiere di Siv- for three years, per- iglia, Louis XV Chair/Female Cat/Owl L’enfant forming roles including Mozart’s Countess et les sortilèges, Lola Cavalleria Rusticana, and and Pamina, and has since gone on to be- Nancy Albert Herring and she has also sung for come a regular performer at Opera North (Daughter Akhnaten enjoying much success with roles including and The Way Back Home), Scottish Opera

15 Symphony Orchestra, Ludus Baroque, and Spira Mirabilis. Katie Bray graduated as a Karaviotis Scholar from the opera course at the , and was awarded the Principal’s Prize and won First Prize in the Richard Lewis Singing Competition. Highlights of 2018/19 include Zenobia Rad- amisto and a semi-staged production of the St Matthew Passion for English Touring Opera, and a return to Opera North for Varvara Katya Kabanova. Concert highlights include Handel’s Messiah with the Royal Philharmonic Orches- tra, J.S. Bach’s St John Passion with Rachel Podger, Mr Handel’s Scholars at the London Handel Festival with Laurence Cummings, and debuts with the Orchestre Chambre de Paris and the Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra. PETER AUTY Tenor Peter Auty is established as one of Britain’s leading tenors. He made his professional début at Opera North in 1998/9 and was a (Lucilla La Scala di seta), Welsh National Opera company principal of the Royal Opera, Cov- (Zerlina, Don Giovanni), Garsington Opera ent Garden from 1999 until 2002 where he (Zulma L’Italiana in Algeri and Zaida Il turco in covered several major roles and had the Italia), Opera Holland Park (Mallika Lakmé), opportunity of working with many of the English Touring Opera (Minerva Il ritorno d’U- world’s leading singers and conductors. lisse in patria and Satirino La Calisto) and at the Grimeborn Festival (Charlotte Werther). He has returned as guest to the Royal She also recently performed in a staged caba- Opera singing the roles of Malcolm in Mac- ret of ‘songs banned by the Nazis’, Effigies of beth and Arturo in . Wickedness, at the Gate Theatre, Notting Hill, Elsewhere in the UK Peter Auty has sung in collaboration with English National Opera. Cavaradossi Tosca for , Equally at home on the concert platform, Count Vaudémont Iolanta, Alvaro La Forza del Katie Bray has performed in prestigious ven- Destino, Radames Aida, Turiddu and Canio ues such as the Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci, Maurizio and the Holywell Music Room and she ap- Adriana Lecouvreur and Lensky Eugene One- pears regularly in the London English Song gin for Opera Holland Park, Macduff , Festival, where she directed concerts at Wil- Nemorino L’elisir d’amore for Glyndebourne ton’s Music Hall, as well as at the Oxford Lied- Festival Opera, Don José and Rodolfo er Festival for which she recently recorded a La Bohéme for Glyndebourne on Tour, Italian disc of Schumann songs with Sholto Kynoch. Tenor , Duke , She is particularly noted for baroque reper- Rodolfo La Bohéme, Dick Johnson The Girl of toire and has appeared with Barokksolistene the Golden West, Pollione Norma, Turiddu and Bjarte Eike, Monteverdi Choir and Sir John and Gabriele Simon Boccanegra for English Eliot Gardiner, La Nuova Musica, the Aalborg National Opera, Fritz Kobus Amico Fritz, Alfre-

16 ‘The Gothic’ at the Royal Albert Hall in London with combined forces of over 1000 musicians now released on the Hyperion label. Recent engagements include Earl of Orkney in the world premiere of Maxwell Davies’ The Hogboon with the LSO (Sir Simon Rattle), Stiffelio at Konzerthaus Berlin, Don José in Essen, Canio at Lisbon Opera and Opera North, Bill in Jonathan Dove’s Flight and Lensky for Scottish Opera, and Pushkin in the stage premiere of Konstantin Boyarsky new opera by the same name with Novaya Opera at Grange Park Opera. This season he sings Edgar for Scottish Opera, Des Grieux/Manon Lescaut for the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo and Opera Holland Park, and Dick Johnson for the RTÉ National Symphony. BEN MCATEER Bass Northern Irish baritone Ben McAteer trained at the National Opera Studio in London and on the Guildhall School of Music & Drama opera do , Don José, title role in Faust for course. Before embarking on a musical career, Opera North, Rodolfo and Don José for Scot- he studied Chemistry at the University of St tish Opera, and Canio and Turiddu for Welsh Andrews. National Opera. Recent and future operatic highlights include Abroad he has worked with several companies Marullo Rigoletto for Northern Ireland Opera, including Essen Opera, Frankfurt Opera, Natio- Marcello La bohème for Lyric Opera Ireland, a nale Reisopera, Malmo Opera and New Zea- concert performance of Die tote Stadt as Fritz/ land Opera. Pierrot with the RTÉ National Symphony Or- On the concert platform Peter Auty has chestra, the Earl of Mountararat in Gilbert & worked with the London Symphony Orchestra Sullivan’s Iolanthe at English National Opera, (Sir ), the Orchestra of the Age of Count Almaviva in Irish National Opera’s pro- Enlightenment (Sir Mark Elder), and the Lon- duction of Le Nozze di Figaro, Hansel and don Philharmonic Orchestra (Neeme Järvi, Gretel at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, and Vladimir Jurowsky). Appearances abroad have Pangloss & Voltaire in ’s included concerts with the Iceland Symphony Candide for West Green Opera and the Xi’an Orchestra conducted by , Symphony Orchestra. While in residence at the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Scottish Opera, Ben created the role of James Edward Gardner, and the Royal Flemish Phil- in the world première of The Devil Inside, for harmonic under . which he won Outstanding Performance in an Opera at the My Theatre Awards in Toronto. Peter Auty made his recital debut in London in He also sang the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro the 2009 Rosenblatt Recital Series. During the and toured as Guglielmo in Cosí fan tutte and 2011 BBC Proms season he performed the Pish-Tush in The Mikado. tenor solo in Havergal Brian’s Symphony No. 1

17 MATTHEW OWENS Conductor Matthew Owens is Organist and Master of the Choristers of Wells Cathedral. In addition to being responsible for the 1100 year old tradition of daily sung worship at Wells Ca- thedral, Owens has toured, broadcast, and recorded extensively with Wells Cathedral Choir which, in 2011, was named by an in- ternational jury for Gramophone as the best choir in the world with children, and the sixth greatest overall. In 2014 he prepared the choristers for Bach’s St Matthew Pas- sion, with the Berlin Radio Choir, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and Sir Simon Rat- tle, for the BBC Proms. Owens is the Found- er Artistic Director of three initiatives at Wells: Cathedral Commissions, a scheme which commissions new works from pre- eminent British composers; the cathedral’s innovative festival, new music wells; and its counterpart, Early Music Wells. Other notable roles include Falke Die Fleder- Owens was educated at Chetham’s School maus and Goryanchikov From the House of of Music; The Queen’s College, Oxford; the the Dead for Welsh National Opera, Papa- Royal Northern College of Music; and the geno The Magic Flute for Northern Ireland Amsterdam Conservatorium. Studying with Opera, Sharpless Madama Butterfly at Gordon Stewart, Margaret Phillips, and Opera Holland Park, Peter Hansel & Gretel Jacques van Oortmerssen, he won all the with Clonter Opera, Des Grieux Le Portrait major prizes in the diplomas of the Royal de Manon, Remigio La Navarraise, and Mr College of Organists, as well as the Silver Webb in the European première of Ned Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musi- Rorem's Our Town. cians. His career appointments include Tutor McAteer’s extensive concert repertoire in- in Organ Studies at the RNCM and Cheth- cludes Handel Messiah and Samson, Beetho- am’s, and working for BBC Religious Broad- ven Symphony No. 9, Bach St John Passion, casting (1994-99); Sub Organist of Manches- Christmas Oratorio and Mass in B Minor, ter Cathedral (1996-99), Conductor of The Mealor Crucifixus, Adams The Wound- Exon Singers (1997-2011), and Organist and Dresser and masses by Brahms‚ Master of the Music at St Mary’s Episcopal Duruflé‚ Fauré and Mozart. Other concert Cathedral, Edinburgh (1999-2004); he also performances include the world première of served as President of the Cathedral Organ- Turnage’s At Sixes & Sevens with the LSO, ists’ Association (2010-13). Carmina Burana at the Barbican, and perfor- As Musical Director of the Wells Cathedral mances of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Oratorio Society, a chorus of over 150 sing- Christmas Carols and Copland's Old Ameri- ers, Owens has performed major works of can Songs with the Ulster Orchestra. Bach (St John Passion, B minor Mass, Luther- an Mass in F, Christmas Oratorio); Bernstein

18 currently records exclusively with Resonus Classics. As an organist, Owens has given recit- als in Australia, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, the USA, and throughout the UK, and he is currently performing the complete works of Bach at Wells Cathedral over a series of 36 recitals. Owens has championed new music, particu- larly of British composers, conducting over 200 world premieres, including works by lead- ing composers ranging from Jools Holland to Sir James MacMillan, and John Rutter to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. He is Director of the Cranmer Anthem Book (launched in October 2017), a project which will set all 92 Collects from the Book of Common Prayer to music, by some of the world’s finest composers. As a composer himself, Owens is published by Ox- ford University Press, Novello, and the Royal School of Church Music. He was made an Hon- orary Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians in November 2012, and a Prebendary (Canon) of Wells Cathedral – “for outstanding service” (Chichester Psalms); Brahms (Ein Deutsches to the Diocese and the Cathedral – in October Requiem, Alto Rhapsody); Britten (War Requi- 2017. em, Saint Nicholas); Elgar (The Dream of Ger- ontius, The Kingdom); Fauré (Requiem); Han- MATTHEW REDMAN del (Messiah, Four Coronation Anthems); Holst (The Planets); Mendelssohn (Elijah); ORGANIST and Accompanist Mozart (Requiem, C Minor Mass, Vespers); Orff (Camina Burana); Verdi (Requiem); Wal- After twenty years working as Director of Mu- ton (Belshazzar’s Feast); and major works by sic in schools in the South West, Matthew Finzi, Purcell, Rutter, Vaughan Williams, and Redman is now a freelance musician, dividing Vivaldi. He has guest conducted, among oth- his time between teaching and accompanying. ers, the Southern Sinfonia, the Scottish En- He studied Music at Bristol University during semble, the Nash Ensemble, Music for Awhile which time he was Organ Scholar at St Mary Orchestra, and the Hungarian National Phil- Redcliffe. Amongst others, he studied with harmonic Orchestra, with engagements in the Iain Simcock at Westminster Cathedral and is 2018 and 2019 including The Brook Street a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists Band, London Mozart Players, English Sym- (FRCO). Matthew is the principal organist for phony Orchestra, and the English Chamber Wells Cathedral Voluntary Choir having played Orchestra. He has directed choral workshops for this choir for over twenty years. In addition and summer schools throughout the UK and he frequently plays for services at Wells Cathe- abroad – including Australia, China, Germany, dral and is in demand for accompanying else- Hong Kong, Luxembourg, New Zealand, and where. the USA. As a conductor he has made over 30 CDs with major labels including Hyperion, He was appointed Organist & Director of Mu- Signum, Regent, Albany, and Delphian, and sic at St John’s Glastonbury in September

19 Highlights of his career to date include per- forming Messiaen’s La Nativite at Birming- ham Oratory and All Saints, Clifton, perform- ing Francis Jackson’s Toccata, Chorale and Fugue in York Minster in the presence of the composer, directing the first performances of two anthems by David Bednall (Salvator Mundi and Let all the World commissioned by Colston’s Girls’ School, Bristol where he was Director of Music) and directing two performances of Bach’s St John Passion with a Chamber Choir he formed in 1998. ENGLISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Worcestershire-based ESO, the Interna- tional Orchestra of Elgar Country, is an en- semble which in recent years has become synonymous with artistic excellence, innova- tive and visionary programming, distinctive commissioning, ground-breaking recording, a welcoming and immersive concert experi- 2017. In addition to weekly services, the ence, transformative youth programmes and choir sings Evensong at Wells Cathedral service to the community. three times a year and will be singing at Bath Since 2013, the orchestra has re-emerged as Abbey this Summer. With this choir he is a major force in British musical life, present- building on the strong choral tradition to ing and recording the orchestra’s first full- give opportunities for young church musi- length opera (the world premiere of John cians. In particular, he is delighted to be Joubert’s Jane Eyre) to overwhelming critical training young Organ Scholars. acclaim, presenting the 2015 and 2016 Clas- Matthew has played at most of the UK’s sical Music Magazine “Premiere of the Year,” cathedrals, abbeys and greater churches, and releasing a triumphant series of record- including recitals at both Liverpool Cathe- ings including Donald Fraser’s orchestration drals, Truro Cathedral and Bath Abbey; in of the Elgar Piano Quintet (Classic FM Disc of 2000 he performed Vierne’s Organ Sympho- the Week) and the Complete Piano Concer- nies One and Three in Bristol on consecutive tos of Ernst Krenek (Sunday Times Essential days. He will be giving a lunchtime recital in New Release). Wells Cathedral in July this year. Founded by conductor William Boughton in As a pianist, Matthew has accompanied for 1978, the ESO have a long and distinguished exams, concerts, recordings and competi- history of collaboration with legendary fig- tions including The Two Moors Festival, Ro- ures of British music making. Vernon “Tod” tary and BBC Young Musician of the Year. Handley became the orchestra’s second Principal Conductor in 2007, and led the Matthew now works as an examiner for the orchestra until his death. Over the years, the Trinity Exam Board and is in demand as a ESO has worked with a distinguished list of teacher (piano, organ and theory). instrumentalists, composers and conductors,

20 including Nigel Kennedy, Steven Isserlis, Dan- the full breadth of orchestral music, and the iel Hope, Michael Tippett, Nicholas Maw and ESO grew to become the English Symphony Yehudi Menuhin, who was appointed the Orchestra. Ever since then, “ESO” has served ESO’s Principal Guest Conductor in 1991, and as an acronym with a dual meaning. led the orchestra on a number of interna- tional tours. 1 Zoë Beyers, Carl Darby, Jacqueline Allen, British music has always been a central part of the orchestra’s mission. Appropriately for Noriko Tsuzaki, Charlotte Moseley, an orchestra based in Elgar’s home town, Elizabeth Whittam, Caryn Cohen the ESO has made many acclaimed record- Violin 2 ings of that composer’s music, and that of Morven Bryce, Claudia Fuller, Rachel Al- other major 20th century British composers len, Adam Hill, Daniel Gea including Vaughan Williams, Britten, Butter- worth and Bridge. The ESO discography high- lights a commitment to the music of our Carl Hill Helen, Sanders-Hewett time; in addition to the notable recordings which grew out of the orchestra’s affiliation Corinne Frost, Muriel Daniels, with Sir Michael Tippett, are recordings of Emma Butterworth music by John Metcalfe, John Joubert, and Michael and Lennox Berkeley. John McCabe Bass served as the orchestra’s composer-in- Martin Henderson. Antonia Bakewell Association from 2013 until his death in Flute 2015. Following McCabe’s passing, the ESO appointed Philip Sawyers as “John McCabe Sarah Miller. Hannah Clark Composer-in-Association.” Oboe Other recent recording projects include a Victoria Brawn. Gwenllian Davies disc of newly-commissioned works for trum- Clarinet pet, piano and strings with Simon Alison Lambert. Sara Temple Desbruslais and Clare Hammond for Signum, the Hans Gál Concertino for and Or- Bassoon chestra with Matthew Sharp, and the Third Charlotte Cox. Bartosz Kwasecki Symphony of Philip Sawyers, the first work French Horn premiered as part of the orchestra’s 21st James Topp. Laura Tanner. Matthew Century Symphony Project, an undertaking Jackson, Craig MacDonald which entails commissioning, premiering and recording new symphonies by leading Trumpet composers. Highlights of recent seasons Simon Jones David I Price include triumphant debuts in LSO St. Luke’s, Trombone St John’s Smith Square, The Bridgewater Hall, King’s Place, Cheltenham Town Dafydd Thomas Kevin Pitt Hall. and Elgar Concert Hall. Bass Trombone From its beginnings as the English String Edward Hilton Orchestra, the ESO soon earned an interna- Tuba tional reputation for performances of English Ian Foster music, made over fifty recordings and began Timpani touring regularly in Europe. Over time, the orchestra’s repertoire expanded to include Graham Bradley

21 Patron: John Rutter, CBE President: The Dean of Wells Chairman: Robin Duys Conductor: Matthew Owens

Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society Coronation Anthems; Mendelssohn’s (WCOS) was founded in 1896 and is Elijah; Mozart’s Requiem and C Minor one of the Southwest’s leading choral Mass; Orff’s Carmina Burana; Verdi’s societies. It performs the great choral Requiem; and major works by Finzi, works with some of the UK’s finest Purcell, Rutter, and Vaughan Williams. soloists and professional orchestras Last year it sang Jonathan Dove’s For an in the glorious surroundings of ‘The Unknown Soldier on the 100th anniver- Queen of English Cathedrals’. sary of the ending of the 1st World War. Numbering around 160 voices, WCOS The Society also presents Handel’s gives three concerts a year, under the ever-popular Messiah, each December. direction of their distinguished conduc- WCOS hosts an annual Come and Sing tor, Matthew Owens, Organist and Mas- day each spring, to which any singers ter of the Choristers at Wells Cathedral. are welcome to learn and perform a work from scratch, in just a few hours. Under Owens it has performed Bach’s St John Passion, B minor Mass, and For further details about WCOS, includ- Christmas Oratorio; Brahms’s German ing how to join, please visit: Requiem; Britten’s War Requiem and www.wcos.org.uk Saint Nicholas; Elgar’s Dream of Geron- tius; Fauré’s Requiem; Handel’s Four

22 Soprano Marion Robinson ¶ Amanda Kapinsky Andrew Phillips Sarah Allen Gill Round Deborah Jonas Chris Ray Dora Almy Frances Rowe Jessica Leach Colin Rendell Ann Baker Maggie St Quintin Alex Lemanski Nick Sherwood X Pam Booth Janet Saxon Barbara Leuwer Ben Tambling X Helen Bowen ¶ Margaret Sutton Riches Sarah Villiers Kate Brown Pamela Tomlinson Jennifer Mackenzie Robin Walker ¶ Denise Bush Emma Trantham Philippa Mains Stacey Williams Barbara Calverley Christine Tudor Mary Massey Felicity Chapman Helen Wade Della Menday ¶ Bass Katherine Constable Jan Weaver Liz Metcalfe David Abels Vanessa Coode Lucy Williams Mary Newman Christopher Boddie Cheryl Evans-Jones Jane Withey Claire Pennack Michael Calverley Heather Forgham Janet Ravenscroft John Castree Sandra Freeborn Alto Margaret Rayfield Geoffrey Clarke Carolyn Fussell Jenny Abraham Janet Rundle Peter Farrell Sue Gould Christine Barker Mary Sage Niall Garden Maureen Grant Maureen Boylan Celia Smith Adrian Grey Jane Hancock Vivienne Burgess Sue Stoughton- Wesley Hallam Susan Hanson Louise Burton Harris ¶ Michael Harris Sarah Hare Liz Clay Celia Townend Trevor Hazelgrove Sally Harvey Rosemary Cooke Lynn Waldron Richard Henderson Jenny Henderson Polly Corbishley Ginny Waters Derek Hiller Rachel Hewson Sarah Curl Sue Wells Tony Iveson Dorothy Hunter Sue Curragh Olivia Wilkinson Chris Jenkins ¶ Deborah Jenkins Gill Deamer Fenella Williams Dennis Johnson Eleanor Jolley Sian Decamp Kate Wilson John King Marion Jones Joan Dovey Jo Wright Richard Lander Carolyn Legg Robin Duys ¶ Michael Leach Ruth Lickfold Kate Fielder Tenor Brian Marshall Della Luetchford Wendy Gregory Neill Bonham ¶ Alan Rayfield Jennie Lunnon Shelley Gudgin Ian Bynoe David Rosser Nancy McGiveron ¶ Faith Guest Ben Clay ¶ David Salmon Donna-Marie Elizabeth Hand Andrew Cruickshank Robert Smallcombe Macpherson Catherine Hay Alexandra de William Truscott Sarah May Gilly Hayward Glanville Kenneth Wade Louise Palmer Mary I’Anson Martin Godfrey Ann Parsons Jane James Martin Lovell ¶ Committee Maureen Pickford Lynne Jarman Nigel Lloyd X Guest Singer Pamela Pye ¶ Jane Jarratt John Morton ¶ - Margaret Raynes Janet Johnson Bernard North

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Your continued support as a Friend of Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society is greatly appreciated and we look forward to seeing you at our concerts. The Society gives three concerts each year which include an annual performance of Handel’s Messiah in December. The other two concerts are in early November and in the Spring. The main features of the Friends’ scheme are: • Priority booking in March 2019 of up to four prime Nave seats for each of the November and December concerts • Priority booking in September 2019 of up to four prime Nave seats for the Spring concert in 2020 • Names of Friends acknowledged in concert programmes • Annual Newsletter • Invitation to a social event with the Choir and Conductor each year • Annual subscription of £24 for the season which runs from 1st September to 30th May. Subscription renewal is in March 2019 alongside priority booking for the November and December concerts. Please contact our Friends Secretary at: [email protected]

The Society is most grateful to its Corporate Patrons, Chalmers HB, Chartered Accountants, of Chamberlain Street, Wells, and Battens Solicitors,of Princes Street, Yeovil, for their support of the Society under our Corporate Patrons scheme.

Companies willing to join this scheme will be assured of a warm welcome. For further information, please contact Robin Duys at 01749 871105.

24 Mr Iain and Prebendary Helen Ball Mrs Mary I’Anson Mr David Bollington Mr Chris R Jenkins Mr Peter Bowen Mr Dennis and Mrs Janet Johnson Mr Robert C Brown Mr Anthony Jonas Mr Michael J Cansdale Mrs Amanda Karpinski Mr Geoff Clarke Mr Anthony Kaye Miss Beulah J Connolly Mrs Susan Kaye Mr David Corp Mr Richard Lander Mr Charles Crawfurd Mrs Alex Lemanski Mrs Sheila Crease Mr Martin Lovell Dr & Mrs A Crossland Mrs Nancy McGiveron Mr Andrew Cruickshank Mrs Suzanne Metters Mrs Jennifer Davies Mr John Morton Mr Neils Doble Mrs Judith Oliver Mrs Valerie Edwards Mr Gerald and Mrs Rosemary Parsons Revd Frank Fisher Mr John and Mrs Joy Rattenbury Mrs Carolyn Fussell Mr Alan Rayfield Mr Walford Gillison Mr Philip Hugh Roberts Mrs Susan J Gould Mr Brian Roberts-Wray Mr Michael Groom Mr David Rosser Mr Nigel Hamilton QC Ms Frances Rowe Mr Keith Hanson Mr Alan Rowntree Mrs Sarah A Hare Mrs Maggie St Quintin Mr & Mrs Harris Ford Mr Christopher R Stonehouse Captain and Mrs Patrick A C Harland Mrs Margaret Sutton Mr Michael and Mrs Catherine Hay Mr David Williams Mrs Dot Hunter Mrs Collette Winfield

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