CD2 B Minor Mass for soloists, chorus & orchestra BWV 232 CREDO

J.S. Bach Credo in Unum Deum (Chorus) [1.49]  Patrem Omnipotentem (Chorus) [1.56]  Et in unum Dominum (Soprano, Alto) [4.40]  Et incarnates est (Chorus) [3.03] CD1  Crucifixus (Chorus) [3.06]  Et resurrexit (Chorus) [4.05] KYRIE  Kyrie Eleison (Chorus) [9.30] Et in Spiritum Sanctum (Bass) * [4.51]   Christe Eleison (Duet) [4.46] Confiteor unum Dominum (Soprano, Alto) [5.58]  Kyrie Eleison (Chorus) [3.49] SANCTUS & BENEDICTUS  Sanctus (Chorus) [5.24] GLORIA

 Gloria in excelsis Deo & Et in terra pax (Chorus) [5.40] Osanna (Chorus) [2.50] -  Laudamus Te (Soprano) [4.22] Benedictus (Tenor) & Osanna (Chorus) [7.29]  Gratias agimus tibi (Chorus) [3.15] Agnus Dei  Domine Deus (Soprano, Tenor) [5.33] 3 Agnus Dei (Alto) [5.27]  Qui Tollis (Chorus) [3.05] ! Dona Nobis Pacem (Chorus) [3.45]  Qui Sedes ad dextram Patris (Alto) [4.17] Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus (Bass) ** [4.29] Total timings: [54.20] - Cum Sancto Spiritu (Chorus) [3.56] RODOLFUS CHOIR / Southern Sinfonia / RALPH ALLWOOD DIRECTOR Total timings: [52.48] CATHERINE BACKHOUSE SOPRANO / CLINT VAN DER LINDE ALTO BEN JOHNSON TENOR / Colin Campbell Bass** / HÅKAN VRAMSMO Bass*

www.signumrecords.com “The B minor”. That phrase alone resonates with soloist for this, but I think that, though difficult, it Most of this young choir hadn’t sung the work nothing out of it anyway, and it was only a gravity in the hearts and minds of those who love sits well in a nimble voice, and it is exciting to use before. To put them with highly experienced burden’. So, while retaining every inch of his as no other the music of J. S. Bach. Approaching the full bass section. When it is over, the entry of professionals was cheeky. But I like to think that personal devotion, he explored instead not only a recording or performance is daunting, but the full choir is as exultant as applause. Ebenezer the exuberant sound of fresh discovery together congenial music-making with university students not in the same sense as approaching a Mahler Prout also criticised Bach’s vocal writing, as did with the knowledge that most of Bach’s choirs and colleagues in the Collegium Musicum, but Symphony or a Wagner . It is becoming Scheibe, who said that some bits were so complex would have been young too justifies that trust. also a number of absorbing intellectual projects. clear that Bach assembled the B Minor Mass as that “it becomes a wonder if they were really sung.” These were prompted by a variety of causes, but a work for all time to transcend religion (let alone Ralph Allwood the essential motivation seems to have been as denomination), race and culture, and it is pretty Great passages in Bach need to be considered in much his own interest, and perhaps that of a clear that Bach’s purpose was to produce a context. The sublime “Wahrlich dieser ist Gottes few like-minded cognoscenti, as any specific universal work of his best music. Furthermore, Sohn gewesen” (“Truly this was the Son of God”) liturgical or professional requirements. Two it has only emerged in the last twenty years that from the St Matthew Passion, should be considered PROGRAMME NOTES main preoccupations emerge. The first was the Bach’s compilation was his very last project. So in the light of the startling modulation just before thorough exploration of a single idea or theme: the greatness of the work lies in its ancient it, as the Centurion sees the light. Likewise, So much has been written about the Mass in B thus the Goldberg Variations (1741) the Musical structure filled with the very best that he could after “Confiteor” has made its bouncy beginning minor, and it is a work of such complexity, both Offering (1747), and the Art of Fugue (1742-9). offer. But the elements that he chose were in ancient polyphonic fashion it is both the in its essence and in its genesis, that it is hard The other, conversely, was the formation of trimmed and adjusted to enable a great unity. downward harmony and the ensuing change of to know where to start a modest programme diverse, but in their way complete, collections An example is the exciting moment when “et style at “Et expecto mortuorum” which strike us note. Historical context offers itself, initially, as a which represented musical mini-encyclopedias sepultus est” is followed by “et resurrexit” is so profoundly. He then caps it all with a repeat of place - even if it is, perhaps, an ironic one for to compare with the real ones that were only enabled by removing the orchestral ritornello those words in pure joy. a piece whose guiding impulse seems to be, increasingly springing up across Europe: Book II that would usually precede the latter. ultimately, to transcend time and place. of the Well-tempered Clavier (1738-42), Parts 1 to It is essential for the unity of the work that 3 of the Clavierübung (1731, 1735 and 1739), and Bach’s music has always been regarded as a we discover the tempo relationships between After his heroic dedication during the mid-to the gradual assembly of the Mass in B minor. challenge for singers. In a review, Rellstab movements, particularly when Bach has late-1720s in producing the five cycles of church These works seem deliberately to showcase music commented that Bach, “though the greatest stipulated that they follow on from each other. cantatas and the Passions, Bach gradually in the gamut of styles (old and new, French and of composers, is unable to pronounce his It is clear that he intended many of the sections became disillusioned with his role at the Italian), genres (suite, concerto), textures or keys profoundest ideas simply”. Zelter felt that the to group together in that way. Thomasschule, its frustrations and petty disputes. within the same collection. In the case of the complexity was a veneer, and he produced a By April 1739 it had reached a point where it Mass, its stylistic diversity is entirely consonant simplified version of “Et iterum”. Some use a could be said: ‘he did not care, for he got with its striking genetic diversity. For it is

- 4 - - 5 - hard to speak of this as a ‘work’ at all, in the Bach’s decision to do this which not only results symmetrical schemes. Certainly there is a careful already been seen in the Clavierübung III of Romantic sense of a single cohesive inspiration; in some of the finest compositional achievements balance of chorus and solo numbers: the four 1739. In the Symbolum Nicenum, he opens with on the contrary, it contains music from four of the piece – for it would actually have been arias not only cover all the voice parts, and a a virtuoso demonstration of that style in the decades, both sacred and secular, reworked and easier to write many of the movements afresh range of moods, but are each provided with Credo - seven closely-woven imitative parts assembled shortly before Bach’s death in 1750. than rework them as he did, often negotiating their own different obbligato instrument – violin, above a Baroque walking bass – leading into significant obstacles along the way – but also flute, oboe and horn. The opening Gloria-Et in the more ‘modern’ concerted style of the Patrem It has its roots in Bach’s dissatisfaction within gives the clearest clue to its purpose. He seems to terra pax is, by convention, a paired chorus; the omnipotentem. After Scheibe’s famous attack Leipzig in the early 1730s, when he began to look have wanted to pull together a compendium – his two sections seem to be parodied from separate of 1737, describing Bach’s ‘turgid and confused elsewhere. He hoped that an honorary title from last and greatest ‘encyclopedia’, as it were – of sources but each fits its new text perfectly. style’, Bach was obviously at pains in this piece, fashionable and highly cultured Dresden might his vast body of church music, distilled into a ‘last Particularly magical is the moment where the as in others of this period, to show that he strengthen his hand politically in Leipzig; and so will and testament’. He might have written on the pastoral, lullaby-like music of ‘Et in terra pax’ could display mastery of the modern galant in 1733 he applied for one, in the traditional score, along with Elgar, ‘This is the best of me’. breaks into the leaping fugue of ‘bonae styles every bit as well as the old - and every fawning letter, to Friedrich August II, Elector of voluntatis’, as the song of the angels gradually bit as well as lesser masters also. He revised Et Saxony. This only achieved its desired result in Bach opens the Kyrie with a mighty four-bar spreads goodwill to the whole ensemble. These in unum at a late stage, so that its expressive 1736. The application was accompanied, however, introduction, a gesture not unknown in existing movements are balanced by the final, athletic turn flatwards occurred at the words ‘descendit by a remarkable advertisement of his skill: a settings of the Kyrie, but here a ‘cry for choral fugue of Cum Sancto Spiritu, and before de coelis’ rather than ‘et incarnatus est’, and ‘Missa’ (containing just the Kyrie and Gloria, mercy’ of unparallelled intensity. It introduces it the extraordinary Quoniam, in which the horn instead he substituted a mysterious new Et after Lutheran practice), which eventually formed an expansive ‘ritornello fugue’, whose heavily (an instrument associated with royalty) contrives incarnatus, possibly his last composition entirely. the first part of the complete Mass in B minor. chromatic subject echoes that in the same key to find itself, like Christ the king, ‘most high’ by This creates a powerful trio of choruses which That was, scholars now generally agree after in the Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1. The Christe virtue of being placed alongside two bassoons anchor the symmetrical structure of the Symbolum: decades of argument, put together in four sections is set as a galant duet, exactly in the operatic and a bass. Virtuoso bassoonists and horn the intense and remarkable Crucifixus, at the (Missa, Symbolum Nicenum, Sanctus, and the final Dresden style, while a second Kyrie, in austere players, needless to say, were a Dresden heart of the whole Mass, is the oldest movement movements) for some unknown purpose in the Palestrina-style, balances the first. speciality. At the heart of the Gloria is the of all, reworked from the cantata Weinen, Klagen last years of Bach’s life. The non-‘Missa’ portions beautiful Qui tollis, reworked from an earlier of 1714, while the celebratory dance of Et resurrexit were almost entirely made up of earlier music, Scholars (for example, Robin Leaver and John movement whose words were used by Handel in provides the opportunity for another bravura and possibly a good deal of the ‘Missa’ too; and Butt) have disagreed about the exact nature Messiah: ‘Behold and see...’ choral showcase. After the bucolic Et in Spiritum, this level of parody, as the reworking of earlier of the symmetrical outline of the Gloria - which another balancing pair of movements, stile antico music is called, has caused some discomfort. It either weakens both cases or, more likely, only In the late 1730s Bach had undergone a serious and modern, close the Symbolum in extrovert somehow seems like cheating. Yet it is precisely magnifies Bach’s ingenuity in combining two study of the stile antico, the fruit of which had style; but not before the astonishing passage of

- 6 - - 7 - harmony at ‘Et expecto’ conveys awe at the thought the Agnus Dei Bach brilliantly reworked an aria Parrott, and their writings on the subject). equally well to celebrate a heavenly one, since of progress through death into the world to come. from his wedding serenade Auf! Süssentzückende Others, as in the present recording, have one’s role is subsumed in the other?) Bach’s Gewalt of 1725, transposing it to a dark G considered that a chamber choir of intermediate choice of a ‘Missa’ for his Dresden application, The Sanctus is the oldest complete section of minor, a sonority that is only explored once size best allows not only flexibility in moving split as that city was between Catholic and the Mass: he wrote it for Christmas Day 1724. before in the piece, at ‘descendit de coelis’ in Et between four and eight parts, as well as parity Protestant factions, had surely been carefully It is an intoxicating and majestic evocation of in unum. Finally, thanksgiving returns (reminding with (by Bachian standards) a substantial considered – after all, it could be used by the Tripartite Godhead, doubtless owing much us that the Eucharist is, theologically, just that) orchestra, but also the balance of clarity and either party. But his choice then to resurrect not only to Trinitarian symbolism but also to the with the Dona nobis pacem, a timely repeat of grandeur that the various portions of the this as the core of his summatory masterpiece, vision of the six-winged seraphim in Isaiah Ch. 6. the Gratias music from the ‘Missa’, but with full work seem to demand. In the end this is a larger complete Mass, was also telling. For A glance at the first page of the score shows doubled vocal forces as well as the familiar blaze another aspect of a piece that triumphantly the Mass both placed Bach firmly in the great six main groupings of three: three trumpets, of trumpets in D major. The Gratias itself was defies easy classification. tradition of church composition over the centuries three oboes (compared to the two of the rest reworked from the first chorus of Cantata no. 29 and also enabled him to write a ‘universal’ piece of the Mass), three upper strings, three upper Wir danken dir of 1731, itself probably a reworking So, once more, to Bach’s purpose for the piece. that would transcend the limited environment voices, three lower voices, and continuo. As the of an earlier movement. Such was Bach’s passion It seems most unlikely that it was ever performed of 1740s Leipzig. As Christoph Wolff puts it: stately dotted-rhythmed march of the Sanctus for creative recycling. as a whole in his lifetime, even if he may have ‘Just as theological doctrine survived over the gives way to the dance-like fugato of the Pleni planned for the possibility of the portions being centuries in the words of the Mass, so Bach’s sunt coeli, we realise Bach is writing a French The Mass poses unusual issues of performance performed independently. Some, such as George mighty setting preserved the musical and artistic Overture, the traditional celebration of courtly practice. The inconsistency of the vocal scoring Stauffer, have speculated about a possible creed of its creator for posterity.’ splendour, except here it is the entire ‘heaven and as the work progresses, the lack of instrumental intention for performance of the whole work, earth’ who dance their steps in a joyous cosmic parts in sections 2-4, and the absence of any probably a special event in Dresden in the late David Goode homage to the King of Kings. original performance tradition of the complete 1740s. However, the evidence seems to point Mass: all these not only remove important ultimately to an abstract function, not unlike Osanna, with the chorus now antiphonally guidelines to a historically-informed approach, that of the Art of Fugue but arguably even divided into double SATB choirs, was originally but positively invite interpretative decisions grander: as a final summation of all Bach’s skill an actual homage to an earthly ruler, none about an ‘ideal’ performance. In recent years, as a composer, and as his legacy for posterity. other than Friedrich Augustus II, in 1734. The for example, these have moved decisively from (One might say ‘church composer’ except there contemplative Benedictus, with echoes of the the use of a large chorus to a more minimalist is secular music in there as well, and without B minor Flute Sonata, is a fine example of the conception with one voice per part (for example, incongruity. After all, Bach might feel, why modern empfindsamer Stil of the 1740s. For the recordings of Joshua Rifkin and Andrew should music written for an earthly king not serve

- 8 - - 9 - B Minor Mass BWV 232  Chorus J.S. Bach Gratias agimus tibi We give thanks to Thee propter magnam gloriam tuam. for Thy great glory. CD1 Kyrie  Duet (Soprano, Tenor) Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, O Lord God, heavenly King  Chorus Deus Pater omnipotens. God the Father Almighty. Kyrie eleison Lord have mercy upon us Domine Fili unigenite, O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesu Christe altissime. Jesus Christ most high  Duet Domine Deus, O Lord God, Christie eleison Christ, have mercy upon us Agnes Dei, Lamb of God, Filius Patris. Son of the Father.  Chorus Kyrie eleison Lord, have mercy upon us  Chorus Qui tollis peccata mundi, Thou that takest away the sins of the world, Gloria miserere nobis. have mercy upon us. Qui tollis peccata mundi, Thou that takest away the sins of the world,  Chorus suscipe deprecationem nostram. receive our prayer. Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory be to God on high Et in terra pax, And in earth peace  Aria (Alto) hominibus bonae voluntatis good will towards all men. Qui sedes ad dextram Patris, Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, miserere nobis. have mercy upon us.  Aria (Soprano) Laudamus te, We praise Thee, Aria (Bass) benedicimus te, we bless Thee, Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, For Thou only art Holy, adoramus te, we worship Thee, tu solus Dominus, Thou only art the Lord, glorificamus te. we glorify Thee. tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe. Thou only art the most high, Jesus Christ.

- 10 - - 11 - - Chorus  Chorus Cum Sancto Spiritu With the Holy Spirit Et incarnates est de Spiritu Sancto And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost in gloria Dei Patris. in the glory of God the Father. ex Maria virgine, of the Virgin Mary Amen. Amen. et homo factus est. and was made man

CD2  Chorus Credo Crucifixus etiam pronobis And was crucified also for us sub Pontio Pilato; under Pontius Pilate; Chorus passus et sepultus est. He suffered and was buried. Credo in unum Deum I believe in one God.  Chorus  Chorus Et resurrexit tertia die And the third day He rose again Patrem omnipotentem, The Father Almighty, secundum scripturas; according to the scriptures; factorem coeli et terrae, Maker of heaven and earth, et ascendit in coelum, and ascended into heaven, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. and of all things visible and invisible. sedet ad dexteram Patris. and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. Et iterum ventures est cum gloria And he shall come again with glory  Duet (Soprano, Alto) judicare vivos et mortuos, to judge both the quick and the dead, Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, And in one Lord Jesus Christ, cujus regni non erit finis. Whose Kingdom shall have no end. Filium Dei unigenitum, the only-begotten Son of God et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula. begotten of his Father before all worlds.  Aria (Bass) Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, God of God, Light of Light, Et in Spiritum Sanctum And I believe in the Holy Ghost, Deum verum de Deo vero, very God of very God, dominum et vivificantem the Lord and giver of life, genitum non factum, begotten, not made, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit; who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; consubstantialem Patri, being of one substance with the Father, qui cum Patre et Filio simul who with the Father and Son together per quem omnia facta sunt. by whom all things were made. adoratur et conglorificatur; is worshipped and glorified; Qui, propter nos homines, Who for us men, qui locutus est per prophetas. who spoke by the prophets. et propter nostram salutem, and for our salvation, Et unam sanctam catholicam And I believe in one Catholic descendit de coelis. came down from heaven. et apostolicam ecclesiam. and Apostolic church.

- 12 - - 13 -  Chorus Confiteor unum baptisma I acknowledge one baptism BIOGRAPHIES in remissionem peccatorum. for the remission of sins. Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum And I look for the Resurrection of the dead. et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen And the life of the world to come. Amen

Sanctus

 Chorus Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Holy, holy, holy, Dominus Deus Sabaoth! Lord God of Sabaoth! Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria ejus. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.

Chorus Osanna in excelsis Hosanna in the highest. Soprano Alto Tenor Bass

- Aria (Tenor) Catharine Baumann Tim Braithwaite Kieran Brunt Nick Crawford Benedictus qui venit Blessed is He who cometh Anna Cavaliero Lucia Chan Matthew Harraghy Dan D’Souza in nomine Domini. in the name of the Lord. Emma Delany Lucy Curzon Rob Jeffrey Charlie Dalton Sarah Godlee Libby Godlee Sam Jenkins Patrick Edmond Agnus Dei Laura Hicks Matthew O’Keeffe Max Laverack Phil Jackson Natalie Leeder Julia Savage Felix Leach Alex Moore 3 Aria (Alto) Anna Leon Tom Scott-Cowell Simon Lee Fergus McIntosh Agnus Dei, Lamb of God, Georgie Lyon Angela Waters Alex Peter Toby Miller qui tollis peccata mundi, who bearest the sins of the world, Charley Mason Scott Richardson James Partridge miserere nobis. have mercy upon us. Emily Owen Harriet Sasada ! Chorus Bethan Thomas Dona nobis pacem. Give us peace. Charlotte Walters Claire Williams

- 14 - - 15 - The Rodolfus Choir is made up of singers aged The Choir is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Cello Southern Sinfonia’s reputation continues to grow from 16 to 25 who have been chosen from past 3’s Choral Evensong, and has featured on Classic Andrew Skidmore, Nick Stringfellow as the leading Chamber Orchestra in the South and present members of the Eton Choral Courses FM, as well as appearing on BBC TV’s Songs of England. Its unique ability to play music from for prospective choral scholars. Many members of of Praise and in the documentary Alex: A Passion Bass the 1600s to the present day, at the correct the Choir are choral scholars, some are at music for Life which followed preparations for the choir’s Dawn Baker pitch and with informed playing style, puts it college, and most hope to make a career in music. performance at Cadogan Hall earlier this year and in huge demand – as does its commitment to aired on Channel 4 on October 2009 with a further Flute contemporary and new music. The orchestra was Since its foundation by Ralph Allwood in 1984, hour of concert highlights featured on MoreFour. Rachel Latham, Andrew Crawford established in 1990 and is based in Newbury, the Choir has appeared throughout the United holding a residency at the Corn Exchange where Kingdom at venues great and small, including St Details of forthcoming events and an online Oboe it plays a regular Subscription Series. With David John’s, Smith Square and some of the country’s CD shop, as well as information about how you Katharina Speckelsen, Hilary Stock, Geoffrey Coates Hill as its Music Director the group also strives to most glorious cathedrals. can support the choir can be found at bring concerts and recitals to a wide area of the Bassoon south of England – including Winchester, Wells, In 2009 the choir performed a cappella repertoire www.rodolfuschoir.co.uk Phil Turbett, Rebecca Stockwell Canterbury and Cambridge. As well as these from Tallis to Gottwald in Bath, Eton, and regular orchestral concerts the organisation runs Richmond, and performed Bach’s B Minor Mass Horn bi-annual Young Musician of the Year and Older to sell out audiences in ’s Cadogan Southern Sinfonia Gavin Edward Musician of the Year competitions, provides a Hall, and in Tewkesbury Abbey as part of the performance platform for the Hampshire Singer summer’s Three Choirs Festival. Violin I Trumpet of the Year Competition winner and runs regular Peter Hanson – Leader, Bethan Morgan, Claire Neil Brough, Paul Sharpe, Adrian Woodward and extensive educational programmes. The The choir has also toured extensively in Europe, Sansom, Bojan Cicic orchestra’s released CDs of the Monteverdi performing to an audience of thousands at the Timpani Vespers, on the Signum label, and recently international Night of the Choirs festival in Violin II Adam Dennis Carl Rutti’s Requiem, on Naxos, have been very Belgium in 2008. Roy Mowatt, Jayne Spencer, Veronique Mattarasso, well received and reviewed. Keira Thomas Keyboard The Rodolfus Choir and Ralph Allwood are David Goode Southern Sinfonia is now the Orchestra in well known for imaginative programming, and Viola Residence at the University of Winchester, and for presenting new music. The Rodolfus Choir’s Katie Heller, Lisa Cochrane has an association with Reading University. recent CD recordings include music as diverse as Monteverdi, Grier, Tallis and the German Romantics.

- 16 - - 17 - Ralph Allwood Catherine Backhouse the period instrument ensembles Symphonie des Soprano Plaisirs and the Squair Mile Viol Consort. Ralph Allwood is Precentor and Director of Music at Eton College. He was a pupil at Tiffin Catherine Backhouse grew up in Edinburgh, Catherine was a full time member of the a School and graduated from Durham University received her early vocal training as a chorister cappella octet Voces8 until September 2009. With in 1972 with the Eve Myra Kysh prize for at St Mary’s Cathedral and graduated with a the group she gave over 300 concerts around music, conducting the University Chamber degree in music from Durham University. She was the world; won first prizes in international choral Choir from 1970-1972. He was later a member a member of The Rodolfus Choir for five years competitions; recorded four albums; appeared of the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge under and her first concert with the choir was Bach’s B live on television and radio and, in London, Sir David Willcocks and then became Director of minor Mass exactly ten years ago. This June she performed in St. John’s Smith Square, St. George’s Music at Pangbourne College. appeared in the British Première of Flat Pack: Hanover Square and featured as a soloist in An OperainIKEA by Tom AZ Lane (“It was and The Royal Festival Hall with While Director of Music at Uppingham he founded awesome” -Kate Muir, The Times) and has played The Philharmonia Orchestra. She is a member the annual Choral Courses for prospective choral the roles of Hatta in Smetana’s The Bartered of the choir of St. Peter’s Church, Eaton Square scholars. There are now seven Eton Choral Courses Bride, Michal in Handel’s Saul and Maria in West and works with the BBC Singers, Polyphony, attended each year by four hundred singers Side Story. London Voices, Apollo Voices and Consortium. aged between 16 and 20, and 110 have now She is currently studying singing with Nick been held. 2010 was the 30th Anniversary Catherine’s recent concert work has included Powell and in September will start a full time of the courses. Pergolesi Stabat Mater and Couperin Leçon post-graduate vocal studies course at The de Tenébres in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh; Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Future He is a judge for the Llangollen International Mozart MassinCMinor with Bracknell Choral concert details can be found on Eisteddfod and is a regular visitor to several Society, Handel Dixit Dominus with Brockham www.catherinebackhouse.co.uk Welsh choirs, including the National Youth Choir and Stanmore Choral Societies and Bach St of Wales. Most recent choral travels have taken John Passion with Henley Choral Society. Her him to Nantes, Philadelphia, Canberra, Beijing recital work has featured Schumann Frauenliebe and Minneapolis. und Leben in St. Mary-At-Hill in London and Mozart Exsultate Jubilate in St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh; Poulenc FiançaillesPour Rire and Britten On This Island. She also performs with

- 18 - - 19 - Clint van der Linde Gönnenwein, Wolfgang Katschner, Gerard Korsten, Ben Johnson Choirs Festival and Handel’s Samson with Harry Alto Nicholas Kraemer, Sir Roger Norrington, Claudio Tenor Bicket in his BBC Proms debut. Osele, Peter Schreier and Jan Willem de Vriend. Born in South Africa, Clint van der Linde started Ben studied at the Royal College of Music In 2005 Ben made his operatic debut in Handel’s singing at the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School At the RCM, Clint van der Linde’s repertoire graduating with First Class Honours and at the Rodelinda for Opera de Baugé and returned in aged ten. He gained the Queen Mother Scholarship included Oberon A Midsummer Night’s Dream, International Opera School. 2006 to sing his first Don Ottavio. In September for a four year B-Mus Degree at the RCM, London, the title roles in , Lotario and and He won the First Prize at the 2008 Kathleen 2007 he played the title role in BYO’s acclaimed where he completed his Post-Graduate studies, Judas Brockes Passion. He has repeated the role Ferrier awards, the first out-right male winner production of Albert Herring and sang his first and in 1998 won the first prize in the Kathleen of Oberon at the Royal Danish Opera and his for 13 years and achieved much success at the Tom Rakewell in the BBIOS production of The Ferrier Society Bursary for Young Singers. operatic repertoire has further included RCM including winning the Lieder Prize, English Rake’s Progress. Other recent engagements have Fernando Don Chischiotte in Sierra Morena Song Prize and the singer’s prize at the Gerald included his debut with Scottish Opera as Tonik in Clint’s musical passport to the UK was thanks with Musikwerkstatt Wien, Dardanus Amadigi Moore Award as well as a prize at the Wigmore Hall Smetana’s The Two Widows, Aceste Ascanio in Alba to the Eton Choral courses. In 1996 after his with Der Lautten Compageney, Berlin, Narciso International Song Competition. at Kings Place with the Classical Opera Company, first Eton Choral Course, he was invited to join with the Combattimento Consort (a the world premiere of Das Babylon Experiment by The Rodolfus Choir with which he did several tours performance now available on DVD) and Ben is in demand as an oratorio soloist around Matthew King at the Internationales Kammermusik including the States. Soon after, he was offered The Guardian of the Threshold Die Frau ohne the UK and Europe. He has worked with such Festival Nürnberg and covering roles in ENO’s Dido & an International scholarship to attend Eton Schatten at La Monnaie. He made his debut at conductors as Sir Charles Mackerras, Harry Aeneas and Glyndebourne’s The Fairy Queen. College for one year. the 2009 Edinburgh International Festival singing Bicket, Peter Schreier, Andrew Parrott and Neil the title role in Rinaldo with Bach Collegium Thompson. He works regularly with the London A committed recitalist, he enjoys a partnership He has worked as a soloist with major Japan under the direction of Masaaki Suzuki. Mozart Players; most recently taking part in the with pianist James Southall and recent highlights orchestras throughout the world, including the world premiere of Lynn Plowmann’s Cries Like have also included a recital with Roger Vignoles Il Fondamento, the Hanover Band, the Israel Current engagements include the title roles in Silence and also gave three performances of at the Gergiev Festival in Rotterdam, with James Camerata, the King’s Consort, the London Handel Flavio and for English Touring Opera, Plowmann’s cycle for tenor and strings, The Star Southall at the Chelsea Schubert Festival, a Orchestra, Le Musiche Nove, the Orchestra of the Andronico Tamerlano at the Göttingen Festival, Gazer, with them. He made his debut singing Schubert programme with Iain Burnside at Kings Age of Enlightenment, the Royal Philharmonic the St John Passion with Polyphony and the Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius with the National Place Hall, an appearance at the Wigmore Hall and Orchestra, the Salzburg Camerata and the Academy of Ancient Music, an Australian tour Philharmonic of Lithuania and has recently at the Herten Mendelssohn Festival, Essen both Stuttgart Baroque Orchestra. Conductors with of Messiah with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra sung Handel’s Messiah with the English Chamber with Graham Johnson, and recitals in whom he has appeared include Frieder Bernius, and the Queensland Orchestra conducted by Orchestra at Cadogan Hall and at the Hexagon and Aix-en-Provence with Malcolm Martineau. Stephen Cleobury, Paul Dombrecht, Wolfgang Stephen Layton and Messiah with the Bach in Reading, Bach’s B minor Mass at the Three Collegium Japan.

- 20 - - 21 - Future engagements include Wozzeck in concert Colin Campbell Gardiner; Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus in Vilnius, HÅKAN VRAMSMO with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Esa-Pekka Bass Lithuania with Nicholas McGegan and Telemann’s Bass Salonen at the Royal Festival Hall and the Théâtre Die Grossmut with the Orchestra of the Age of de Champs Elysée, Britten’s Les Illuminations with Colin has appeared as a concert soloist throughout Enlightenment in Magdeburg, Germany. In London Born in Sweden, Håkan Vramsmo won a scholarship the Orchestra of Scottish Opera under Francesco the UK, in Europe, the U.S.A. and the Far East in he has appeared at the Royal Albert Hall with to the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in Corti, a return to Scottish Opera to cover Nemorino repertoire ranging from Monteverdi to Tavener. the Philharmonia Orchestra and King’s College 1999, having previously studied in Sweden, in L’elisir d’amore, his debut with the Opéra de Lyon, His discography includes recordings on the Hyperion, Choir in Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Amsterdam, France and Germany. He graduated Novice in Billy Budd in a new production conducted Decca, Guild, Naxos, Philips and Deutsche Carols; at the QEH with the Royal Philharmonic in 2001 with distinction and immediately went by Sir Mark Elder at Glyndebourne, and a recital with Grammophon labels. Orchestra in Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and at on to sing at the opening night of the BBC Proms James Southall at the Oxford Lieder Festival. Westminster Cathedral with the Bach Choir and in Vaughan Williams’s A Serenade to Music. Colin’s operatic repertoire is extensive and the English Chamber Orchestra in Fauré’s Requiem. This summer he returned to the Proms taking Ben is currently an associate artist of the Classical has appeared with Kent Opera, Pavilion Opera, part in Birtwistle’s The Mask of Orpheus with the Opera Company and for the last two years Ben has English Touring Opera, Welsh National Opera, Aix More recently he performed Marcel Dupré’s cantata BBC Symphony Orchestra. studied with the tenor Tim Evans-Jones, with whom en Provence Festival, Bermuda Festival and the De Profundis in Munich with the Bayerische During his studies Håkan took a great interest he continues to work. , Covent Garden. Rundfunk under Marcello Viotti. Colin created the in song repertoire, winning top prizes at major rôle of Herod in Nigel Short’s opera The Dream of international competitions including second Recent concert performances include the arias Herod and subsequently performed the work in prize at both the Wigmore Hall and Stuttgart in Bach’s St John and St Matthew Passions with Switzerland, Bermuda and the UK. He performed International Lieder Competitions in 1999 and 2001. Trevor Pinnock and The English Concert, Messiah Fauré’s Requiem and Finzi’s In Terra Pax with in Israel and Poland; Beethoven’s Leonore at the the RPO and Handel’s Messiah with the London Håkan has performed extensively on the concert Lincoln Center New York, the Salzburg Festival Festival Orchestra. platform, appearing at major venues and festivals and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw; Mozart’s throughout Europe including Wigmore Hall (with Requiem in Santiago de Compostela; Handel’s Iain Burnside, Graham Johnson and LlƠr Williams), Atalanta at the Halle Festival; Christus in Bach’s Bridgewater Hall, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, St Matthew Passion in Tampere, Finland and in Santiago de Compostela (with Roger Vignoles), Beijing, China (Chinese Premiere); Mendlessohn’s Sibeliusacademin and the Aldeburgh, Bath, Elijah at the Trondheim Festival, Norway; Brahms’ King’s Lynn, Newbury Spring, Leamington and Requiem at Symphony Hall, Birmingham; Bach’s B Exeter Festivals. He has also appeared with the Minor Mass in Japan and Korea under Sir John Eliot Gothenberg and Malmo Symphony Orchestras,

- 22 - - 23 - the Gabrieli Consort and Jerusalem Symphony Valentin in Opera Omnibus’s production of Orchestra, both conducted by Paul McCreesh, Gounod’s Faust; the Count (Marriage of Figaro) and recorded for BBC Radio 3, Stockholm Radio with the Opera Company Idéefixe in Paris, Nantes, and Swedish Television. Cheverny, Strasbourg and Brugge; the title role of Don Giovanni with English Touring Opera and Håkan has returned to the Bath Festival for the role of Tarquinius in the European Opera Winterreise, to Jerusalem to sing Stravinsky’s Centre’s production of Britten’s Rape of Lucretia. Abraham & Isaac and appeared with the Scharoun Ensemble at the National Concert Hall. He has also appeared at the Lake District Festival and as soloist with the City of London Sinfonia and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestras. In 2008 he has sung Rossini in Rome with Sir David Willcocks, recorded Finzi, Barber and Schubert’s Schwanengesang with Julius Drake for BBC Radio 3 and appeared at the Festival Wratislavia Cantans in Poland.

Recent operatic work has included the newly created role of Axel in Anna Meredith’s Tarantula in Petrol Blue in Aldeburgh, the role of Aeneas () for Festival Opera, critically acclaimed performances of Elizabeth Maconchy’s The Departure at Sadler’s Wells for Independent Opera, Papageno for The Pimlott Foundation and Belcore (L’Elisir d’amore)

for Opera South. He has previously covered © Simon Tottman the role of Papageno in Glyndebourne Festival Opera’s production of The Magic Flute; sung www.rodolfuschoir.com

- 24 - - 25 - ALSO AVAILABLE on signumclassics

Recorded at Charterhouse School Producer - Adrian Peacock Engineer & Editor - David Hinitt

Cover Image - Shutterstock

Design and Artwork - Woven Design www.wovendesign.co.uk

/ 2010 The copyright in this recording is owned by Signum Records Ltd. © 2010 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Signum Records Ltd. Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, Rodolfus Choir Collection without prior permission from Signum Records Ltd. Rodolfus Choir/Directed by Ralph Allwood SIGCD240 SignumClassics, Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 7JD, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] This 3CD set comprises a selection of great albums by the Rodolfus Choir. www.signumrecords.com

12 Anthems by Francis Grier - 12 original compositions by Francis Grier, set to sacred words and texts.

Thomas Tallis: Latin & English Motets and Anthems - Latin and English motets and anthems by the accomplished 16th Century polyphonist.

By Special Arrangement - A dazzling selection of arrangements of instrumental and orchestral music.

Available through most record stores and at www.signumrecords.com For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000

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