London Symphony Orchestra Living Music Sunday 14 December 2014 7.30pm Barbican Hall A CHORAL CHRISTMAS Simon Halsey conductor Di Sherlock presenter LSO Brass Ensemble London Symphony Chorus London’s Symphony Orchestra LSO Community Choir LSO Discovery Choirs Concert finishes approx 9.30pm LSO Sing is generously supported by the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust and the John S Cohen Foundation 2 Welcome 14 December 2014 Welcome Living Music Kathryn McDowell In Brief Welcome to tonight’s concert, a festive choral GET INVOLVED WITH LSO SING celebration and the LSO’s first Christmas Concert for a decade. This evening’s performance, for which If tonight’s concert has inspired you to get singing, it is a pleasure to welcome presenter Di Sherlock, join us for a Singing Day at LSO St Luke’s next year, promises to be an uplifting occasion, encompassing all led by the LSO’s experienced choral team. classic choral pieces, virtuosic arrangements Our three workshops in 2015 give you the chance showcasing our world-class Brass Ensemble, and the to explore Duruflé’s Requiem, discover some of chance to join in with some favourite carols. the choral music that inspired Brahms, and immerse yourself in traditional gospel music. I’m delighted to welcome conductor Simon Halsey, the LSO and LSC’s Choral Director, who leads this lso.co.uk/singingdays evening’s performance. It’s also a real pleasure to invite our massed choirs onto the Barbican stage: the London Symphony Chorus, LSO Community CHRISTMAS GIFTS FROM THE LSO Choir, and LSO Discovery Choirs which are made up of young people aged 7–18 from the local area. Share the LSO with your friends and family this Christmas. Visit the LSO Live store on our website Tonight’s concert marks the festive season, but it or on iTunes to browse through the catalogue and also falls within the LSO’s wider celebration of choral choose some great stocking fillers, purchase LSO music, LSO Sing, which aims to involve as much Friends membership as a gift, or phone the Barbican of the London community as possible in singing. Box Office on 020 7638 8891 to buy gift vouchers. There are more Singing Days and choral concerts lined up for 2015; I hope you’ll join us. lso.co.uk/lsolive lso.co.uk/lsofriends Thank you to our media partners this evening, Classic FM, for their continuing support of the LSO. A WARM WELCOME TO TONIGHT’S GROUPS I hope that you enjoy tonight’s performance. The LSO’s final concert before Christmas takes The LSO offers great benefits for groups of 10+ place on Thursday 18 December, featuring conductor including a 20% discount on tickets. Nikolaj Znaider and pianist Rudolf Buchbinder. If you Tonight we are delighted to welcome: cannot join us, I hope you have a relaxing and happy Whiteley Village Music Club Christmas, and I look forward to welcoming you back The Crown & Manor Association to an LSO concert early in the new year. Dr R Nalliah & Friends Robert Mattimoe & Friends Ann Packford & Friends Mark Kavulich & Friends Kathryn McDowell CBE DL Managing Director lso.co.uk/groups lso.co.uk Choral Concerts in 2015 3 LSO Sing Choral Concerts and Singing Days in 2015 Rattle conducts with a missionary zeal, as if he believes every note. The Times on Sir Simon Rattle (Sun 11 Jan 2015) ORIENTAL ROMANCE DURUFLÉ REQUIEM GERMAN REQUIEM BEETHOVEN’S NINTH Sun 11 Jan 2015, Barbican Sun 1 Mar 2015, Barbican Sun 24 May 2015, Barbican Sun 21 Jun 2015, Barbican Schumann Debussy La damoiselle élue Beethoven Violin Concerto Beethoven Das Paradies und die Peri Debussy La mer Brahms German Requiem Symphony No 9 (‘Choral’) Duruflé Requiem Sir Simon Rattle conductor Daniel Harding conductor Bernard Haitink conductor Sally Matthews Peri Donald Runnicles conductor Christian Tetzlaff violin Erin Wall soprano Mark Padmore narrator Nicole Cabell soprano Dorothea Röschmann soprano Karen Cargill mezzo-soprano Kate Royal soprano Kelley O’Connor mezzo-soprano Matthias Goerne baritone Steve Davislim tenor Bernarda Fink alto Duncan Rock baritone London Symphony Chorus Hanno Müller-Brachmann Andrew Staples tenor London Symphony Chorus bass-baritone Florian Boesch bass LSO CHORAL SINGING DAY London Symphony Chorus London Symphony Chorus LSO CHORAL SINGING DAY Brahms Connections Simon Halsey chorus director Duruflé Requiem Sat 9 May 2015, LSO St Luke’s Sat 7 Feb 2015, LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY DAY Robert Schumann 020 7638 8891 Sun 11 Jan 2015, LSO St Luke’s lso.co.uk/lsosing 4 Tonight’s Programme 14 December 2014 A Choral Christmas Tonight’s Programme FROM HEAVEN ABOVE Chorus & Brass Ensemble ALL-NIGHT VIGIL (‘VESPERS’): Chorus MARTIN LUTHER, arr JONATHAN RATHBONE BOGORODITSE DEVO (REJOICE, O VIRGIN) SERGEI RACHMANINOV AUDIENCE CAROL: ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY All HENRY JOHN GAUNTLETT, arr JONATHAN RATHBONE AUDIENCE CAROL: THE FIRST NOWELL All EVELYN-ROSE MASOL SOLOIST TRADITIONAL CAROL, arr DAVID WILLCOCKS 1 Solo 1 The First Nowell the Angels did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; 2 He came down to earth from heaven, In fields where they lay, keeping their sheep, Who is God and Lord of all, On a cold winter’s night that was so deep: And His shelter was a stable, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell And His cradle was a stall; Born is the King of Israel! With the poor, and mean, and lowly, Lived on earth our Saviour holy. 2 They looked up and saw a star, Shining in the East beyond them far; 3 For He is our childhood’s pattern; And to the earth it gave great light, Day by day, like us He grew; And so it continued both day and night: He was little, weak, and helpless, Nowell, Nowell etc Tears and smiles, like us He knew; And He feeleth for our sadness, 3 And by the light of that same star, And He shareth in our gladness. Three wise men came from country far; To seek for a king was their intent 4 And our eyes at last shall see Him, And to follow the star wherever it went: Through His own redeeming love; Nowell, Nowell etc For that Child so dear and gentle, Is our Lord in heav’n above, 4 This star drew nigh to the northwest; And He leads His children on, O’er Bethlehem it took its rest, To the place where He is gone. And there it did both stop and stay Right over the place where Jesus lay: 5 Not in that poor lowly stable, Nowell, Nowell etc With the oxen standing by, We shall see Him; but in heaven, 5 Then enter’d in those wise men three, Set at God’s right hand on high; Full rev’rently upon their knee, Where like stars His children crowned And offer’d there in His presence All in white shall wait around. Their gold and myrrh and frankincense. Nowell, Nowell etc lso.co.uk Tonight’s Programme 5 6 Then let us all with one accord 2 Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Sing praises to our heav’nly Lord, Christ the everlasting Lord, That hath made Heav’n and earth of naught Late in time behold Him come And with his blood mankind has bought: Offspring of a Virgin’s womb: Nowell, Nowell etc Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’incarnate Deity! CAPRIOL SUITE: PIEDS-EN-L’AIR Brass Ensemble Pleased as man with man to dwell, PETER WARLOCK, arr ERIC CREES Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing GAUDETE Community Choir & Brass Ensemble Glory to the newborn King. TRADITIONAL CAROL, arr CRAIG MCLEISH 3 Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! VENI EMMANUEL Discovery Senior Choir & Brass Ensemble Hail the Sun of Righteousness! ANNE DUDLEY, arr DAVID LAWRENCE Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings; NOEL! Chorus & Brass Ensemble Mild He lays His glory by, GORDON THORNETT Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, AUDIENCE CAROL: HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING All Born to give them second birth. FELIX MENDELSSOHN, arr DAVID WILLCOCKS Hark! the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King. 1 Hark! the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth and mercy mild, INTERVAL – 20 minutes God and sinners reconciled: There are bars on all levels of the Concert Hall; ice cream Joyful all ye nations rise, can be bought at the stands on Stalls and Circle level. Join the triumph of the skies, The Barbican shop will also be open. With th’angelic host proclaim: Christ is born in Bethlehem. Why not tweet us your thoughts on the first half of the Hark! the herald angels sing performance @londonsymphony, or come and talk to Glory to the newborn King. LSO staff at the Information Desk on the Circle level? 6 Tonight’s Programme 14 December 2014 A Choral Christmas Tonight’s Programme continued … SLEIGH RIDE Brass Ensemble 3 MEN LEROY ANDERSON, arr ALAN FERNIE ‘Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, Bring me pine logs hither: CHRISTMAS ON THE BEACH AT WAIKIKI Thou and I will see him dine, MARTA LYNN KEEN, arr MATTHEW FORBES When we bear them thither.’ Discovery Junior Choir & Brass Ensemble WOMEN Page and monarch forth they went, DECK THE HALLS Chorus & Brass Ensemble Forth they went together; TRADITIONAL CAROL, arr LOUIS HALSEY Through the rude wind’s wild lament And the bitter weather. AUDIENCE CAROL: GOOD KING WENCESLAS All TUNE FROM ‘PIAE CANTIONES’, arr REGINALD JACQUES 4 WOMEN ‘Sire, the night is darker now, 1 Good King Wenceslas look’d out And the wind blows stronger; On the feast of Stephen, Fails my heart, I know not how; When the snow lay round about I can go no longer.’ Deep, and crisp, and even: Brightly shone the moon that night, MEN Though the frost was cruel, ‘Mark my footsteps, good my page; When a poor man came in sight, Tread thou in them boldly: Gath’ring winter fuel.