W elco m e ... fro m th e tr u stees o f S o m erset C h a m b er C h o ir

Thank you for coming to support us this afternoon and we hope you have a great time. We also offer a very warm welcome to our fantastic soloists and instrumentalists whose contribution is sure to add more than a little excitement to today’s proceedings, as you will hear! We are also absolutely delighted to welcome the South Somerset Youth Choir (Ros Broad, director) who will perform some sections of Carmina Burana with us, together with some song selections of their own. A few weeks ago we ran a workshop day, partially funded by Making Music (formerly The National Federation of Music Societies), during which the Chamber Choir and the Youth Choir rehearsed various movements from Carmina Burana, both together and separately, and both choirs received vocal training from professional voice coach Melanie Armitstead. This is part of Somerset Chamber Choir’s growing commitment to involve children and young people in joint music-making with us, in the hope that the experience of singing with an adult choir and with professional musicians will help to inspire the young people to continue singing after they leave school, perhaps even as members of Somerset Chamber Choir. The Youth Choir and those who spend so much time running it, have come on board with this project with huge enthusiasm, and we are very grateful to them all. Exciting projects such as these, as well as our regular concerts, would not be possible without the generous subscriptions and donations given by the members of our Friends Scheme, and we are incredibly grateful to all our Friends who give vital support to the choir. If you are not already a member of this scheme, we hope you will give it serious thought – leaflets are available at the rear of the chapel this afternoon. Our regular concertgoers will know that 2009 was the Chamber Choir’s 25th anniversary year and many of you will have attended our anniversary concert in Wells Cathedral last July, and enjoyed Dame Emma Kirkby’s wonderful contribution to it. We thought a rather nice way to mark our 25th year would be to invite Emma to join our longstanding incumbent, Sir David Willcocks, as a second Honorary Patron of the choir. Those Friends of the Choir who were present at the post-concert reception last July will have heard us announce Emma’s kind acceptance of the position, but it is pleasing also to be able to announce it here to you all. We are extremely grateful to Emma for agreeing to take this on, and also continuing thanks to Sir David (who turned 90 in December!), and we are thrilled that they both feel that the Chamber Choir is worthy of their endorsement. Looking ahead to the summer, you will find full details elsewhere in this programme of our next concert in Wells Cathedral on Saturday 31 July, when we will be joined by the excellent Southern Sinfonia and a wonderful mezzo-soprano soloist, Sara Fulgoni, for a performance of one of Elgar’s undisputed choral masterpieces, The Music Makers¸ plus other inspirational English choral music, including a rare performance of Vaughan Williams’ Flos Campi for orchestra, wordless chorus and solo viola – we look forward immensely to welcoming Alan George, violist of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, taking centre stage in this work. Thank you for your support – we hope you enjoy the concert and we look forward to seeing you again soon. H o w ca n y o u h elp u s?

You can contribute further to our continuing success by .. . • recommending us to talented singers, encouraging them to visit our website at www.somersetchamberchoir.org.uk and apply for membership; • joining our emailing list or sending us your contact details, if you wish to be kept informed about our concerts; • bringing your friends to concerts; • offering financial support, large or small! We are a registered charity and there are a number of ways you can help us: would you like to join our Friends Scheme? would you like to make an individual donation (under gift aid) or a business donation (tax relief and ticket/ entertainment packages available) towards a concert? would your business consider placing an advert in a concert programme (rates start at just £35)? would you or your business offer to do something for us at a discount or gratis (for example, process some of our direct mail publicity through your company post-room, etc). if you feel you can help, please contact us at [email protected] Thank you! O rd er o f P ro g ra m m e

The Passing of the Year (2000) Jonathan Dove (b1959) Somerset Chamber Choir Anita D’Attellis & Annabel Thwaite pianos The Mean Time Percussion Ensemble Graham Caldbeck conductor

Songs from Sister Act arranged by Mac Huff

Hallelujah Leonard Cohen (b1934) arranged by Roger Emerson South Somerset Youth Choir Becci Hawkings piano Ros Broad director

INTERVAL (15 minutes)

Carmina Burana (1937) Carl Orff (1895-1982) Somerset Chamber Choir South Somerset Youth Choir Nathalie Chalkley soprano Thomas Hobbs tenor Benedict Nelson baritone Anita D’Attellis & Annabel Thwaite pianos The Mean Time Percussion Ensemble Graham Caldbeck conductor

The right is reserved, without incurring liability, to substitute artists and to vary the programme for reasons beyond our control, although these details are correct at the time of going to print.

After the concert, the choir looks forward to meeting members of the Friends Scheme and their guests in the Refectory (access through the side door at the rear of the Chapel)

Please note that photography (with or without flash) and/or recording of any sort during the performance is forbidden without the prior written consent of Somerset Chamber Choir P ro g ra m m e N o tes

T h e P a ssin g o f th e Y ea r Alto solo: Luisa Deggs Tenor solo: Nick Bowditch Jonathan Dove Song cycle for double chorus, piano duet and percussion The seven poems that I have set in The Passing of the Year make up three “movements”. The first looks forward to summer, beginning with a line from Blake (“O Earth, O Earth return!”). The narrow bud comes from Blake’s To Autumn, but is a description of summer; the rapid questions of Answer July suggest the quickening senses, the excitement of everything bursting into life, and summer’s triumphant arrival. The second section follows the passing of summer. It begins in sultry heat, with a song from the opening scene of David and Bethsabe (“Hot sun, cool fire”): a girl bathing in a spring feels the power and danger of her beauty. The section ends with the sense of mortality the autumn brings: Adieu! Farewell earth’s bliss, from Summer’s Last Will and Testament , heralds the death of summer. The cycle ends in winter, on New Year’s Eve with a passage from Tennyson’s In Memoriam. This song cycle is dedicated to the memory of my mother, who died too young. Jonathan Dove

1 Invocation 5 Ah! Sun-flower! O Earth, O Earth, return! William Blake Ah, Sun-flower! weary of time, Who countest the steps of the sun, 2 The narrow bud opens her beauties to the sun Seeking after that sweet golden clime The narrow bud opens her beauties to Where the traveller's journey is done; The sun, and love runs in her thrilling veins; Blossoms hang round the brows of Morning, and Where the Youth pined away with desire, Flourish down the bright cheek of modest eve, And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow Till clust’ring Summer breaks forth into singing, Arise from their graves, and aspire And feather’d clouds strew flowers round her head. Where my Sun-flower wishes to go. William Blake The spirits of the air live in the smells Of fruit; and Joy, with pinions light, roves round 6 Adieu! Farewell earth’s bliss! The gardens, or sits singing in the trees. Adieu! farewell, earth's bliss! William Blake This world uncertain is; Summer is icumen in Fond are life's lustful joys; Lhude sing cuccu Death proves them all but toys; I am sick, I must die – 3 Answer July Lord, have mercy on us! Answer July – Nay – said the May – Where is the Bee – Show me the Snow – Rich men, trust not wealth, Where is the Blush – Show me the Bells – Gold cannot buy you health; Where is the Hay? Show me the Jay! Physic himself must fade. Ah, said July – All things to end are made, Quibbled the Jay – The plague full swift goes by; Where is the Seed – Where be the Maize – I am sick I must die – Where is the Bud – Where be the Haze – Lord, have mercy on us! Where is the May – Where be the Bur? Answer Thee – Me – Here – said the Year – Beauty is but a flower Emily Dickinson Which wrinkles will devour; Brightness falls from the air; 4 Hot sun, cool fire Queens have died young and fair Hot sun, cool fire, tempered with sweet air, Dust hath closed Helen's eye; Black shade, fair nurse, shadow my white hair. I am sick, I must die – Shine, sun; burn, fire; breathe, air, and ease me; Lord, have mercy on us! Thomas Nashe Black shade, fair nurse, shroud me and please me; Shadow, my sweet nurse, keep me from burning, 7 Ring out, wild bells Make not my glad cause cause of [my] mourning. O Earth, O Earth, return! Let not my beauty's fire Enflame unstaid desire Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, Nor pierce any bright eye The flying cloud, the frosty light; That wand’reth slightly. The year is dying in the night; George Peele Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring out the want, the care the sin, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The faithless coldness of the times; The year is going, let him go; Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes, Ring out the false, ring in the true. But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind, Ring out old shapes of foul disease, For those that here we see no more, Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in redress to all mankind. Ring in the thousand years of peace. Alfred Lord Tennyson

S o n g s fro m S ister A ct arranged by Mac Huff

1 Hail Holy Queen – Traditional arranged by Marc Shaiman 2 Hail Holy Queen – Rock and Roll arranged by Marc Shaiman 3 I Will Follow Him Music J W Stole & Del Roma 4 Shout Words and Music O'Kelly, Ronald and Rudolf Isley This medley of four songs featured in the 1992 hit comedy film Sister Act begins with two very different versions of Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina). The device of concluding in a rock-and-roll/gospel style after a more contemplative start is again used in I Will Follow Him (original text by Jacques Plante, English lyrics by Gimbel & Altman) before a rousing version of the Isley Brothers’ Shout, with which we are sure you will already be familiar – if not from the original, then from one of the many subsequent cover versions.

Soloist: Flic Keirle Flic has played the part of Rizzo in Grease and Anita in West Side Story. She recently won the title of “Yeovil Pop Idol” and took second place out of 5,000 entrants in the National Final of Chicago Rock’s Rock Factor. H a llelu ja h ! Leonard Cohen arranged by Roger Sherman Originally released on Cohen’s 1984 album Various Positions, Hallelujah achieved little initial success. In recent years, however, it has been performed by a large number and broad range of artists, both in recordings and in concert. Written in the key of C major, the chord progression follows the lyric “it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, and the major lift”: F, G, A minor, F. Cohen's original version contains several biblical references, most notably evoking the adulterous stories of Samson and Delilah from the Book of Judges, but following his original studio version subsequent live performances and versions by other artists almost invariably contained a quite different set of lyrics. The references to adultery are omitted from the arrangement to be performed this afternoon, however, as this is the version used in the DreamWorks family film Shrek. I’ve heard there was a secret chord You say I took the name in vain That David played and it pleased the Lord Though I don’t even know the name But you don’t really care for music, do you? But if I did, well really, what’s it to you? It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, There’s a blaze of light in every word The minor fall, the major lift It doesn’t matter what you heard The baffled king composing Hallelujah The holy or the broken Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn’t much I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch I’ve told the truth, I didn’t come to fool you And even though it all went wrong I’ll stand before the Lord of Song With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Leonard Cohen

In ter v a l (15 m in u tes)

C a rm in a Bu ra n a Carl Orff There are many composers who are famous for a single work, but few of those works have achieved the iconic status of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. It is one of the best known and most frequently performed choral works, and has even escaped from the concert stage to being included in movies, video games and television commercials. It is a rather unlikely fate for a man far better known as an innovative and influential educator than as a composer. In 1925 Orff and Dorothee Günther founded the influential and innovative Güntherschule, whose curriculum was a synthesis of gymnastics, rhythmic movement, dance and music. Orff developed a theory that music was founded on rhythm and movement, and stressed improvisation based on fixed rhythmic patterns. He made extensive use of percussion instruments, many of which he developed himself and which are still used today as “Orff instruments”. His theories and exercises were published in a massive five-volume Schulwerk (curriculum) subtitled Music for Children. His ideas about music education were extraordinarily influential, giving rise to a worldwide educational movement, still very influential today. The text for Carmina Burana (Songs of the Beuren) is taken from a collection of medieval, secular Latin poetry that was discovered in 1803 at the monastery of Benediktbeuren near Munich and which dates to the 12th century. The poetry was written by the goliards, a diverse group of wandering scholars, students, clerics, poets, and performers who flourished from the 10th to 13th centuries. They are often erroneously supposed to have been a religious order, an idea which arises from their satiric order of St Golias, the fictitious patron saint of debauchery. The actual word goliard may derive from the old French and means “big mouth,” an apt description for a group which earned food, drink and lodging from their poetry. Although the goliards were initially tolerated and even protected, their multiplying numbers eventually turned into a plague of beggars, and their irreverance provoked an increasingly conservative church hierarchy, which began suppressing the movement. There is little reference to the goliards after the 13th century. Their poetry was meant for immediate entertainment and deals with fate and fortune, love and sex, drinking and gambling, an indication that 12th century concerns were not that different from our own time! Because the poetry was meant to be readily understood, it was written either in vernacular Latin (rather than church Latin) or in medieval French or German. The poetry is often satiric or humorous, and neither secular nor ecclesiastical authority is spared. There are many allusions to well-known classical tales as well as contemporary events. Some of the poetry is bawdy and filled with delicious double- entendres. The overall thesis of the collection is that, in both life and love, man is the pawn of capricious fate. The frontispiece of the manuscript is illustrated with a Wheel of Fortune, a common medieval motif. Figures at the cardinal points of the wheel are labelled “I reign”, “I have reigned”, “I have no reign”, and “I shall reign again”. For Carmina Burana, Orff selected 24 poems which he grouped into thematic categories. The piece opens with Fortuna, Imperatrix Mundi (Fortune, Empress of the World), which introduces images of the capriciousness of fate and the Wheel of Fortune. The next section, Primo vere (Springtime), contains poems dealing with the arrival of spring, when men’s (and women’s) fancies turn toward romance. A subsection, Uf dem anger (On the lawn) is a series of dances. The next section, In taberna (In the tavern) contains the most ribald poetry and includes one of the great drinking songs of all time. The final section, Cours d’amour (The Court of Love), represents a long and sometimes circuitous journey toward amorous bliss. It concludes with a reprise of the opening O Fortuna chorus, as the Wheel of Fortune continues to turn full circle. Orff’s music for Carmina Burana reflects much of the theory he developed in his Schulwerk. The music is highly rhythmic and features not only an extensive percussion section but also occasionally percussive use of the text. Harmonically, he pares his music down to its essential elements. The choral parts are all homophonic and largely consist of unison singing or lines harmonised in thirds. They are set above instrumental parts which feature rhythmic or harmonic ostinatos. Orff composes in short musical phrases, and each section may have several distinctive phrases which repeat with each subsequent verse. While the overwhelming feeling is one of rhythmic energy, there is considerable variation in the treatment of the different poems, and Orff also displays a wonderful melodic inventiveness. Carmina Burana was premiered in Frankfurt in 1937 to great success. It was originally staged, with dancing and mime accompanying the music. But Orff’s music is so powerful and evocative that it easily stands on its own and now is usually performed in a concert setting.

FORTUNA IMPERATRIX MUNDI (Fortune, Empress of the World)

1 O Fortuna (O Fortune) corde pulsum tangite; pluck the vibrating strings; O Fortuna O Fortune, quod per sortem since Fate velut luna like the moon sternit fortem, strikes down the strong man, statu variabilis, you are changeable, mecum omnes plangite! everyone weep with me! semper crescis ever waxing aut decrescis; and waning; 2 Fortune plango vulnera (I bemoan the wounds of Fortune) vita detestabilis hateful life nunc obdurat first oppresses Fortune plango vulnera I bemoan the wounds of et tunc curat and then soothes stillantibus ocellis Fortune with weeping eyes, ludo mentis aciem, as fancy takes it; quod sua michi munera for the gifts she made me egestatem, poverty subtrahit rebellis. she perversely takes away. potestatem and power Verum est, quod legitur, It is written in truth, dissolvit ut glaciem. it melts them like ice. fronte capillata, that she has a fine head of Sors immanis Fate - monstrous sed plerumque sequitur hair, but when it comes to et inanis, and empty, Occasio calvata. seizing an opportunity rota tu volubilis, you whirling wheel, she is bald. status malus, you are malevolent, In Fortune solio On Fortune's throne vana salus well-being is vain and sederam elatus, I used to sit raised up, semper dissolubilis, always fades to nothing, prosperitatis vario crowned with the many- obumbrata shadowed flore coronatus; coloured flowers of prosperity; et velata and veiled quicquid enim florui though I may have flourished michi quoque niteris; you plague me too; felix et beatus, happy and blessed, nunc per ludum now through the game nunc a summo corrui now I fall from the peak dorsum nudum I bring my bare back gloria privatus. deprived of glory. fero tui sceleris. to your villainy. Fortune rota volvitur: The wheel of Fortune turns; Sors salutis Fate is against me descendo minoratus; I go down, demeaned; et virtutis in health alter in altum tollitur; another is raised up; michi nunc contraria, and virtue, nimis exaltatus far too high up est affectus driven on rex sedet in vertice – sits the king at the summit – et defectus and weighted down, caveat ruinam! let him fear ruin! semper in angaria. always enslaved. nam sub axe legimus for under the axis is written Hac in hora So at this hour Hecubam reginam. Queen Hecuba. sine mora without delay I - PRIMA VERE (In Springtime)

3 Veris leta facies (The merry face of spring) tuum retinere. to keep what is yours. Veris leta facies The merry face of spring Ama me fideliter, Love me faithfully! mundo propinatur, turns to the world, fidem meam noto: See how I am faithful: hiemalis acies sharp winter de corde totaliter with all my heart victa iam fugatur, now flees, vanquished; et ex mente tota and with all my soul, in vestitu vario bedecked in various colours sum presentialiter I am with you Flora principatur, Flora reigns, absens in remota, even when I am far away. nemorum dulcisono the harmony of the woods quisquis amat taliter, Whosoever loves this much que cantu celebratur. Ah! praises her in song. Ah! volvitur in rota. turns on the wheel. Flore fusus gremio Lying in Flora's lap Phebus novo more Phoebus once more risum dat, hac vario iam smiles, now covered 5 Ecce gratum (Behold the pleasant spring) stipate flore. in many-coloured flowers. Ecce gratum Behold, the pleasant Zephyrus nectareo Zephyr breathes nectar- et optatum and longed-for spirans in odore. scented breezes. Ver reducit gaudia, spring brings back joyfulness, Certatim pro bravio Let us rush to compete purpuratum violet flowers curramus in amore. Ah! for love's prize. Ah! floret pratum, fill the meadows, Cytharizat cantico In harp-like tones sings Sol serenat omnia. the sun brightens everything, dulcis Philomena, the sweet nightingale, Iamiam cedant tristia! sadness is now at an end! flore rident vario with many flowers the joyous Estas redit, Summer returns, prata iam serena, meadows are laughing, nunc recedit now withdraw salit cetus avium a flock of birds rises up Hyemis sevitia. Ah! the rigours of winter. Ah! silve per amena, through the pleasant forests, Iam liquescit Now melts chorus promit virgin iam the chorus of maidens now et decrescit and disappears gaudia millena. Ah! promises a thousand joys. Ah! grando, nix et cetera; ice, snow and the rest, bruma fugit, winter flees, et iam sugit and now spring sucks at 4 Omnia sol temperat (The sun warms everything) Ver Estatis ubera; summer's breast: Omnia sol temperat The sun warms everything, illi mens est misera, a wretched soul is he purus et subtilis, pure and gentle, qui nec vivit, who does not live novo mundo reserat once again it reveals to the nec lascivit or lust faciem Aprilis, world April's face, sub Estatis dextera. Ah! under summer's rule. Ah! ad amorem properat the soul of man Gloriantur They glory animus herilis is urged towards love et letantur and rejoice et iocundis imperat and joys are governed in melle dulcedinis, in honeyed sweetness deus puerilis. by the boy-god. qui conantur, who strive Rerum tanta novitas All this rebirth Ut utantur to make use of in solemni vere in spring's festivity premio Cupidinis: Cupid's prize; et veris auctoritas and spring's power simus jussu Cypridis at Venus' command jubet nos gaudere; bids us to rejoice; gloriantes let us glory vias prebet solitas, it shows us paths we know Et letantes and rejoice et in tuo vere well, and in your springtime pares esse Paridis. Ah! in being Paris' equals. Ah! fides est et probitas it is true and right

Uf dem Anger (On the Lawn)

6 Tanz (Dance) 8 Chramer, gip die varwe mir (Shopkeeper, give me colour)

7 Floret silva nobilis (The woods are burgeoning) Chramer, gip die varwe mir, Shopkeeper, give me colour die min wengel roete, to make my cheeks red, Floret silva nobilis The noble woods are bursting damit ich die jungen so that I can make the young floribus et foliis. with flowers and leaves. man an ir dank men love me, Ubi est antiquus Where is the lover der minnenliebe noete. against their will. meus amicus? Ah! I knew? Ah! Seht mich an Look at me, Hinc equitavit, He has ridden off! jungen man! young men! eia, quis me amabit? Ah! Oh! Who will love me? Ah! lat mich iu gevallen! Let me please you! Floret silva undique, The woods are burgeoning all Minnet, tugentliche man, Good men, love nah min gesellen ist mir we. over, I am pining for my lover. minnecliche frouwen! women worthy of love! Gruonet der walt The woods are turning green minne tuot iu hoch gemout Love ennobles your spirit allenthalben, wa ist min all over, why is my lover unde lat iuch in hohen eren and gives you honour. geselle alse lange? Ah! away so long? Ah! schouwen. Der ist geriten hinnen, o wi, He has ridden off, oh woe, Seht mich an Look at me, wer sol mich minnen? Ah! who will love me? Ah! jungen man! young men! lat mich iu gevallen! Let me please you! Wol dir, werlt, daz du bist Hail, world ih enbite harte din, I long for you, also freudenriche! so rich in joys! chume, chum, geselle min. come, come, my love. ich will dir sin undertan I will be obedient to you Suzer rosenvarwer munt, Sweet rose-red lips, durch din liebe because of the pleasures chum un mache mich gesunt come and make me better, immer sicherliche. you afford. chum un mache mich gesunt, come and make me better, Seht mich an, Look at me, suzer rosenvarwer munt. sweet rose-red lips. jungen man! young men! lat mich iu gevallen! Let me please you! Swaz hie gat umbe Swaz hie gat umbe, Those who go round and 9 Reie (Round dance) daz sint alles megede, round are all maidens, die wellent an man they want to do without a man Swaz hie gat umbe allen disen sumer gan! Ah! Sla! all summer long. Ah! Sla! Swaz hie gat umbe, Those who go round and daz sint alles megede, round are all maidens, die wellent an man they want to do without a man 10 Were diu werlt alle min (Were all the world mine) allen disen sumer gan! Ah! Sla! all summer long. Ah! Sla! Were diu werlt alle min Were all the world mine von deme mere unze an den from the sea to the Rhine, Rin, des wolt ih mih darben, I would starve myself of it Chume, chum, geselle min daz diu chunegin so that the Queen Chume, chum, geselle min, Come, come, my love, von Engellant of England ih enbite harte din, I long for you, lege an minen armen. might lie in my arms.

II - IN TABERNA (In the Tavern)

11 Estuans interius (Burning inside) 12 Cignus ustus cantat (The Roast Swan) Estuans interius Burning inside Olim lacus colueram, Once I lived on lakes, ira vehementi with violent anger, olim pulcher extiteram, once I looked beautiful in amaritudine bitterly dum cignus ego fueram. when I was a swan. loquor mee menti: I speak to my heart: (Male chorus) factus de materia, created from matter, Miser, miser! Misery me! cinis elementi of the ashes of the elements, modo niger Now black similis sum folio, I am like a leaf et ustus fortiter! and roasting fiercely! de quo ludunt venti. played with by the winds. (Tenor) Cum sit enim proprium If it is the way Girat, regirat garcifer; The servant is turning me on viro sapienti of the wise man me rogus urit fortiter; the spit; I am burning fiercely supra petram ponere to build propinat me on the pyre: the steward sedem fundamenti, foundations on stone, nunc dapifer. now serves me up. stultus ego comparor then I am a fool, like (Male Chorus) fluvio labenti, a flowing stream, Miser, miser! Misery me! sub eodem tramite which in its course modo niger Now black nunquam permanenti. never changes. et ustus fortiter! and roasting fiercely! Feror ego veluti I am carried along like a ship (Tenor) sine nauta navis, without a steersman, Nunc in scutella iaceo, Now I lie on a plate, ut per vias aeris and in the paths of the air et volitare nequeo and cannot fly any more, vaga fertur avis; like a light, hovering bird; dentes frendentes video: I see bared teeth: non me tenent vincula, chains cannot hold me, (Male Chorus) non me tenet clavis, keys cannot imprison me, Miser, miser! Misery me! quero mihi similes I look for people like me modo niger Now black et adiungor pravis. and join the wretches. et ustus fortiter! and roasting fiercely! Mihi cordis gravitas The heaviness of my heart res videtur gravis; seems like a burden to me; iocis est amabilis it is pleasant to joke and 13 Ego sum abbas (I am the abbot) dulciorque favis; sweeter than honeycomb; Ego sum abbas Cucaniensis I am the abbot of Cockaigne quicquid Venus imperat, whatever Venus commands et consilium meum est cum and my assembly is one of labor est suavis, is a sweet duty, bibulis, drinkers, que nunquam in cordibus she never dwells et in secta Decii voluntas and I wish to be in the order habitat ignavis. in a lazy heart. mea est, of Decius, Via lata gradior I travel the broad path et qui mane me quesierit in and whoever searches me out more iuventutis as is the way of youth, taberna, at the tavern in the morning, inplicor et vitiis I give myself to vice, post vesperam nudus after Vespers he will leave immemor virtutis, unmindful of virtue, I am egredietur, naked, voluptatis avidus eager for the pleasures of the et sic denudatus veste and thus stripped of his magis quam salutis, flesh more than for salvation, clamabit: clothes he will call out: mortuus in anima my soul is dead, (Baritone and Male Chorus) curam gero cutis. so I shall look after the flesh. Wafna, wafna! Woe! Woe! Quid fecisti sors turpassi What have you done, vilest tredecies pro iter agentibus. thirteen for the wayfarers. Fate? Tam pro papa quam pro rege To the Pope as to the king Nostre vite gaudia The joys of my life bibunt omnes sine lege. they all drink without restraint. abstulisti omnia! you have taken all away! Bibit hera, bibit herus, The mistress drinks, the bibit miles, bibit clerus, master drinks, the soldier drinks, the priest drinks, 14 In taberna quando sumus (When we are in the tavern) bibit ille, bibit illa, the man drinks, the woman In taberna quando sumus When we are in the tavern, bibit servis cum ancilla, drinks, the servant drinks non curamus quid sit humus, we do not think how we will bibit velox, bibit piger, with the maid, the swift man sed ad ludum properamus, go to dust, but we hurry to drinks, the lazy man drinks, cui semper insudamus. gamble, which always makes bibit albus, bibit niger, the white man drinks, the us sweat. bibit constans, bibit vagus, black man drinks, the settled Quid agatur in taberna What happens in the tavern, man drinks, the wanderer ubi nummus est pincerna, where money is host, bibit rudis, bibit magnus. drinks, the stupid man hoc est opus ut queratur, you may well ask, drinks, the wise man drinks. si quid loquar, audiatur. and hear what I say. Bibit pauper et egrotus, The poor man drinks, the Quidam ludunt, quidam bibunt, Some gamble, some drink, bibit exul et ignotus, sick man drinks, the exile quidam indiscrete vivunt. some behave loosely. drinks, and the stranger, Sed in ludo qui morantur, But of those who gamble, bibit puer, bibit canus, the boy drinks, the old man ex his quidam denudantur some are stripped bare, bibit presul et decanus, drinks, the bishop drinks, quidam ibi vestiuntur, some win their clothes here, bibit soror, bibit frater, and the deacon, the sister quidam saccis induuntur. some are dressed in sacks. drinks, the brother drinks, Ibi nullus timet mortem Here no-one fears death, bibit anus, bibit mater, the old lady drinks, the sed pro Baccho mittunt but they throw the dice in the mother drinks, sortem: name of Bacchus. bibit ista, bibit ille, this man drinks, that man Primo pro nummata vini, First of all it is to the wine- bibunt centum, bibunt mille. drinks, a hundred drink, ex hac bibunt libertini; merchant, then the libertines a thousand drink. semel bibunt pro captivis, drink, one for the prisoners, Parum sexcente nummate Six hundred pennies would post hec bibunt ter pro vivis, three for the living, durant, cum immoderate hardly suffice, if everyone quater pro Christianis cunctis four for all Christians, bibunt omnes sine meta. drinks immoderately and quinquies pro fidelibus five for the faithful dead, immeasurably. defunctis, six for the loose sisters, Quamvis bibant However much they sexies pro sororibus vanis, seven for the footpads in the mente leta, sic nos rodunt cheerfully drink, we are the septies pro militibus silvanis. wood, omnes gentes ones whom everyone scolds, Octies pro fratribus perversis, Eight for the errant brethren, et sic erimus egentes. and thus we are destitute. nonies pro monachis dispersis, nine for the dispersed monks, Qui nos rodunt May those who slander us decies pro navigantibus ten for the seamen, confundantur be cursed and may their undecies pro discordaniibus, eleven for the squabblers, et cum iustis names not be written in the duodecies pro penitentibus, twelve for the penitent, non scribantur. book of the righteous.

III - COUR D’AMOURS (The Court of Love)

15 Amor volat undique (Cupid flies everywhere) Amor volat undique, Cupid flies everywhere michi mesto parcite, spare me, sorrowful as I am, captus est libidine. seized by desire. grand ey dolur, great is my grief, Iuvenes, iuvencule Young men and women attamen consulite advise me at least, coniunguntur merito. are rightly coupled. per voster honur. by your honour. (Soprano) Tua pulchra facies Your beautiful face, Siqua sine socio The girl without a lover me fay planszer milies, makes me weep a thousand caret omni gaudio; misses out on all pleasures; pectus habet glacies. times, your heart is of ice. tenet noctis infima she keeps the dark night A remender As a cure, sub intimo hidden statim vivus fierem I would be revived cordis in custodia; in the depth of her heart; per un baser. by a kiss. (Children) fit res amarissima. it is a most bitter fate. 17 Stetit puella (A girl stood) Stetit puella A girl stood 16 Dies, nox et omnia (Day, night and everything) rufa tunica; in a red tunic; Dies, nox et omnia Day, night and everything si quis eam tetigit, if anyone touched it, michi sunt contraria; is against me, tunica crepuit. the tunic rustled. virginum colloquia the chattering of maidens Eia. Eia! me fay planszer, makes me weep, Stetit puella A girl stood oy suvenz suspirer, and often sigh, tamquam rosula; like a little rose: plu me fay temer. and, most of all, scares me. facie splenduit, her face was radiant O sodales, ludite, O friends, you are making fun os eius fioruit. and her mouth in bloom. vos qui scitis dicite of me, you do not know what Eia. Eia! you are saying, 18 Circa me pectora (In my heart) lascivus amor et pudicitia. lascivious love and modesty. (Baritone and Chorus) Sed eligo quod video, But I choose what I see, and Circa mea pectora In my heart collum iugo prebeo: ad submit my neck to the yoke; multa sunt suspiria there are many sighs iugum tamen suave transeo. I yield to the sweet yoke de tua pulchritudine, for your beauty que me ledunt misere. Ah! which wound me sorely. Ah! Manda liet, Mandaliet, 22 Tempus es iocundum (This is the joyful time) Manda liet Mandaliet, Tempus es iocundum, This is the joyful time, min geselle my lover o virgines, O maidens, chumet niet.. does not come. modo congaudete rejoice with them, Tui lucent oculi Your eyes shine vos iuvenes.! young men! sicut solis radii, like the rays of the sun, (Baritone) sicut splendor fulguris like the flashing of lightning Oh, oh, oh, Oh! Oh! Oh! lucem donat tenebris. Ah! which brightens the totus floreo, I am bursting out all over! darkness. Ah! iam amore virginali I am burning all over with Manda liet Mandaliet, totus ardeo, first love! Manda liet, Mandaliet, novus, novus amor est, New, new love is min geselle my lover quo pereo. what I am dying of! chumet niet. does not come. (Women) Vellet deus, vallent dii May God grant, may the gods Mea me confortat I am heartened quod mente proposui: grant what I have in mind: promissio, by my promise, ut eius virginea that I may loose mea me deportat I am downcast by my refusal reserassem vincula. Ah! the chains of her virginity. Ah! (Soprano and children) Manda liet Mandaliet, Oh, oh, oh Oh! Oh! Oh! Manda liet, Mandaliet, totus floreo (etc). I am bursting out (etc). min geselle my lover (Men) chumet niet. does not come. Tempore brumali In the winter vir patiens, man is patient, animo vernali the breath of spring 19 Si puer cum puellula (If a boy with a girl) lasciviens. makes him lust. Si puer cum puellula If a boy with a girl (Baritone) moraretur in cellula, tarries in a little room, Oh, oh, oh Oh! Oh! Oh! felix coniunctio. happy is their coupling. totus floreo (etc). I am bursting out (etc). Amore suscrescente Love rises up, (Women) pariter e medio and between them Mea mecum ludit My virginity avulso procul tedio, prudery is driven away, virginitas, makes me frisky, fit ludus ineffabilis an ineffable game begins mea me detrudit my simplicity membris, lacertis, labii. in their limbs, arms and lips. simplicitas. holds me back. (Soprano and Children) Oh, oh, oh Oh! Oh! Oh! 20 Veni, veni, venias (Come, come, O come) totus floreo (etc). I am bursting out (etc). Veni, veni, venias Come, come, O come (Chorus) Veni, veni, venias, Come, come, O come, Veni, domicella, Come, my mistress, ne me mori facias, do not let me die, cum gaudio, with joy, hyrca, hyrce, nazaza, hycra, hycre, nazaza, veni, veni, pulchra, come, come, my pretty, trillirivos! trillirivos! iam pereo. I am dying! Pulchra tibi facies Beautiful is your face, (Baritone, Children and oculorum acies, the gleam of your eye, Chorus) capillorum series, your braided hair, Oh, oh, oh Oh! Oh! Oh! o quam clara species! what a glorious creature! totus floreo (etc). I am bursting out (etc). Rosa rubicundior, redder than the rose, lilio candidior whiter than the lily, omnibus formosior, lovelier than all others, 23 Dulcissime (Sweetest one) semper in te glorior! I shall always glory in you! Dulcissime, Ah! Sweetest one! Ah! Totam tibi subdo me! I give myself to you totally! 21 In truitina (In the balance) In truitina mentis dubia In the wavering balance of my fluctuant contraria feelings set against each other

Blanziflor et Helena (Blanziflor and Helena) 24 Ave formosissima (Hail, most beautiful one) Ave formosissima, Hail, most beautiful one, ave mundi luminar, hail, light of the world, gemma pretiosa, precious jewel, ave mundi rosa, hail, rose of the world, ave decus virginum, hail, pride among virgins, Blanziflor et Helena, Blanziflor and Helena, virgo gloriosa, glorious virgin, Venus generosa! noble Venus! Fortuna imperatrix mundi (Fortune, Empress of the World)

25 O Fortuna (O Fortune) O Fortuna O Fortune, obumbrata shadowed velut luna like the moon et velata and veiled statu variabilis, you are changeable, michi quoque niteris; you plague me too; semper crescis ever waxing nunc per ludum now through the game aut decrescis; and waning; dorsum nudum I bring my bare back vita detestabilis hateful life fero tui sceleris. to your villainy. nunc obdurat first oppresses Sors salutis Fate is against me et tunc curat and then soothes et virtutis in health ludo mentis aciem, as fancy takes it; michi nunc contraria, and virtue, egestatem, poverty est affectus driven on potestatem and power et defectus and weighted down, dissolvit ut glaciem. it melts them like ice. semper in angaria. always enslaved. Sors immanis Fate – monstrous Hac in hora So at this hour et inanis, and empty, sine mora without delay rota tu volubilis, you whirling wheel, corde pulsum tangite; pluck the vibrating strings; status malus, you are malevolent, quod per sortem since Fate vana salus well-being is vain and sternit fortem, strikes down the strong man, semper dissolubilis, always fades to nothing, mecum omnes plangite! everyone weep with me!

B io g ra p h ies

GRAHAM CALDBECK conductor is one of Britain’s leading conductors of amateur choirs, known for his wide- ranging musical skills, innovative programming and stylish performances. He studied music at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a Choral Scholar under Richard Marlow, and has sung with the Cathedral Choirs of Guildford and Winchester. He holds both the Fellowship and Choir Training diplomas of the Royal College of Organists, is a former Assistant Organist at St. Martin-in- the-Fields and is currently Director of Music at St Mary The Boltons, SW10. For fifteen years, Graham held senior positions at the Royal College of Music and he now pursues a freelance career as conductor, organist, vocal coach and teacher. Graham has conducted Somerset Chamber Choir since 1990, working with many of the UK’s most talented instrumentalists and soloists. He is also conductor of the Bennett, Diana Burrell, Judith Bingham, Jonathan Dove, Nonsuch Singers, a London-based chamber choir whose Jonathan Harvey, John Gardner, Gabriel Jackson, James concerts are regularly highlighted by the national press, MacMillan, Roxanna Panufnik and Judith Weir, have been and the Mayfield Festival Choir in East Sussex. During recognised by several awards from the Performing Right 2008-2009 Graham has directed concerts with the Society for Music Foundation. Nonsuch Singers in St George’s Bloomsbury, St Martin- in-the-Fields, St Giles Cripplegate, St James’s, Piccadilly Graham’s projects in the first half of 2010 include a and Southwark Cathedral in central London, in repertoire programme of Passiontide music by Allegri, Victoria, ranging from 16th-century works by Sheppard, Tallis and Palestrina, Gesualdo, Bax and Martin in St James’s, Byrd, Scarlatti’s Stabat Mater, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio Piccadilly, in March; works by Gounod and Fauré in and Mozart’s Requiem , works by Schubert, Bruckner, Mayfield in May (when he shares the conducting with SCC Mahler and Britten to contemporary repertoire. Recent Patron, Sir David Willcocks), and a performance of performances by the choir of works by contemporary Rachmaninov’s Vespers in St Martin-in-the-Fields with the British composers Thomas Adès, Richard Rodney Nonsuch Singers in June. NATHALIE CHALKLEY soprano is currently studying Christchurch Priory. On on the MA course at the Royal Academy of Music with the international stage, Lillian Watson and Mary Hill. Recent successes while at she has performed the Academy include second place in the Elena Gerhardt across Europe, the Far Lieder Prize, Isabel Jay and Blyth Buesst Opera Prizes, East and Australia. receiving the G Embley Memorial Prize and becoming a Nathalie’s operatic member of the Academy’s Song Circle. She is generously credits include The supported by the John Thaw and Josephine Baker Trusts. Magic Flute (Pamina), Her recent concert projects include performances in The Carmen (Frasquita), Barbican (for Sir Colin Davis), Royal Festival Hall (for Sir Peter Grimes (First Mark Elder), Royal Albert Hall (for Kurt Masur), St Niece), Der Zwerg George’s, Hanover Square, St James’s Piccadilly, (Erste Zofe), Mitridate Southwark Cathedral, National Gallery, St John’s Smith (Aspasia), Le nozze di Square (for Paul Spicer) and St Martin-in-the-Fields (for Figaro (Susanna) and most recently Two Widows Scott Ellaway’s BBC Singer/Orchestra Europa project). (Karolina). She has also worked with British Youth Opera Outside London, Nathalie is a regular performer in her in their Easter season, participating in Così Fan Tutte home town of Bristol and in Dorset where she sings for (Despina). In 2009 she took part in the Montaretto Italian the Christchurch Sinfonia in Sherborne Abbey and Summer School with Lella Alberg and Iain Ledingham.

THOMAS HOBBS ensembles including The Cardinall’s Musick, The Tallis tenor was born in Scholars, I Fagiolini, The Sixteen, Polyphony and Ex- Exeter and graduated Cathedra. He made his Royal Academy Opera debut in in history from King’s Haydn’s La fedelta premiata , conducted by Trevor College London. He Pinnock, and has subsequently taken the role of Tempo studied singing with in Handel’s Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Dinsinganno Ian Partridge before (Classical Opera Company). moving to the Royal An acclaimed recitalist, recent highlights include his debut College of Music, at the Wigmore Hall singing Wolf Mörike Lieder and a under the tutelage of number of concerts with the Classical Opera Company. Neil Mackie, where he Equally at home on the concert platform, recent was awarded the RCM engagements include Bach’s St John Passion (St Martin- Peter Pears and in-the-Fields), Handel’s Israel in Egypt (Frieder Bernius/ Mason Scholarships. Stuttgart Kammerchor) in Germany and Austria, Handel’s He was also awarded a Susan Chilcott Scholarship and Messiah (Hanover Band) and Beethoven’s Ninth has been made a Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist. Symphony (Sir Colin Davis). Thomas is currently completing his studies at Royal Highlights in the coming months include Britten’s Nocturne Academy Opera, where he holds a Kohn Bach (Paul McCreesh/Stavanger Symphony Orchestra) and Scholarship in addition to a full entrance scholarship, Bach’s Mass in B Minor in Germany, Austria, Japan and and studies with Ryland Davies. He is grateful to the Russia (Bach Akademie Stuttgart and Collegium Vocale); Josephine Baker Trust, the Stapley Trust, the Italian he will also cover Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni for English Institute and the Countess of Munster Musical Trust for National Opera. His growing discography includes Bach’s their continuing support. Mass in B Minor (Dunedin Consort) and Monteverdi’s Thomas has performed and recorded with many leading Vespers (New College Oxford/Edward Higginbottom).

W O U L D Y O U L IK E T O R E C E IV E A D V A N C E D E T A IL S O F O U R C O N C E R T S BY E -M A IL ? If so, please send your e-mail address to [email protected] – we undertake to use your email address only to inform you of our future events and will not divulge your details to third parties without your prior consent for any reason. Joining the e-mailing list does not give you priority booking rights, for which you must join our Friends Scheme. BENEDICT NELSON baritone won second prize in the equally enthusiastic about orchestral repertoire, and Kathleen Ferrier Competition and the Guildhall Gold Medal has performed in a variety of prestigious venues including in 2007 at the age of 23. the Wigmore Hall, the Barbican, Cadogan Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, King’s Place, Snape Maltings, St John’s, Benedict has already amassed a considerable number of Smith Square and St Martin-in-the-Fields under the operatic roles, including Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas), Count batons of conductors such as Sir David Willcocks, Sir Almaviva, Figaro ( Le nozze di Figaro ), Masetto, Don Neville Marriner, David Parry, Bernard Labaie and Giovanni ( Don Giovanni), Sprecher ( Die Zauberflöte ), Thomas Zehetmair. Marcello ( La Bohème ), Demetrius (A Midsummer Night’s Dream ), Sid ( Albert Herring ), Don Parmenione Recent performances have included Britten’s Songs and (L’occasione fa il ladro), Proverbs of William Blake at Snape Maltings with Malcolm Baron Gondremarck Martineau (which will be recorded in Spring 2010), Silvano (La Vie Parisienne) (Un ballo in maschera) for Opera Holland Park, Morales Christian (Un ballo in (Carmen) at the Royal Albert Hall, concerts with the maschera), Zurga (Les Classical Opera Company, Messiah at St Martin-in-the- pêcheurs de perles ), Fields and Bach Passions with various UK Choral Societies. Morales (Carmen) and Future engagements include his role and house debut as Tarquinius and Junius Ping in a new production of Turandot at English National (The Rape of Lucretia). Opera under Edward Gardner, Tarquinius ( The Rape of A protégé of Sir Lucretia ) for Opera Nantes, the world premiere of The Thomas Allen and a Lion’s Face at the Linbury Studio, Covent Garden, and on Samling Foundation tour, Brahms’s Requiem at King’s College Cambridge and scholar, Benedict is his debut at the Opéra de Lyon.

ANITA D’ATTELLIS piano read music at the the European Opera University of Birmingham, graduating with first-class Centre. She particularly honours and winning the Arnold Goldsborough Prize for enjoys performing solo her final solo piano recital. During this time she was a repertoire and currently piano finalist in the Essex Young Musician of the Year and studies with the the BMI competition. The university awarded her the renowned Russian Barber Scholarship to continue her studies at the Royal pianist Dina Parakhina. Academy of Music, where her principal tutors were Anita is an experienced Geoffrey Pratley (accompaniment) and Vanessa Latarche. and versatile teacher As accompanist and chamber musician, Anita has and, in the past decade, performed in many prestigious venues, such as has been appointed Birmingham Symphony Hall, Snape Maltings, the Royal Head of Music at Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall. As well as Trevor-Roberts School, accompanying a variety of solo singers and Primrose Hill, and Head of Keyboard at Sherborne Girls’, instrumentalists, she is a skilled choir accompanist, Dorset. She recently relinquished this full-time post to regularly working with the Somerset Chamber Choir, enjoy the variety of a freelance career, and splits her time Wincanton Choral Society and Spectra Musica. As between London and the West Country. She now teaches répétiteur she has played for master-classes with piano at Charterhouse and Eton College. H ave yo u co n sid e re d A L E G A C Y ? If you have enjoyed today’s performance, why not remember us in your will? Most people make a Will to ensure their family and the people they care about most are looked after when they die, but you can also support a charity such as the Somerset Chamber Choir by remembering us in your Will. A bequest to charity is free of inheritance tax so that the money you have worked hard for goes to the charity you care about and not to the tax man. You do not have to be rich to leave a legacy and make a real difference – everyone who leaves a gift to the Somerset Chamber Choir will be helping us to fund the charity into the future so that coming generations will continue to perform the most beautiful choral music for the people of Somerset for decades to come. Please call the box office or email us at [email protected] if you would like to discuss this with us. ANNABEL THWAITE piano studied solo piano with the official accompanist Joan Havill and accompaniment at the Guildhall School of to the London Welsh Music and Drama and the Conservatoire National Male Voice Choir, and Supérieur de Musique et Danse, Paris, and has been the in 2007 and 2009 she recipient of numerous scholarships. Recognised as one was the accompanist of the most versatile and charismatic accompanists, she at the Young Welsh has won all the major accompanying prizes, including the Singer of the Year and 2004 piano prize at the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Hampshire Singer of Competition; in 2005 and 2007 she won the Gold Medal the Year competitions Prize at the Barbican Hall and the Piano Prize at the Annabel has recorded Richard Tauber Competition at the Wigmore Hall. Already for Universal Records this year she has collaborated with renowned artists such with Nicky Spence, the as Roberto Alagna and Amanda Roocroft and received Scottish tenor, whose private tuition with Wolfgang Holzmair and Brigitte album was nominated for a classical Brit award, and she Fassbaender. is also a regular film session pianist, having recently As a soloist and chamber musician, Annabel has recorded the soundtrack to the movie Awake and the BBC performed across Europe and in Canada and South Jane Austen series Emma at Abbey Road. Her extensive Africa. Her UK performances have included Birmingham teaching and accompanying experience includes coaching Symphony Hall, the Barbican, Cadogan Hall, Wigmore at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Pro Corda Hall with the cellist Mats Lindström, the Purcell Room, St Trust, the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute, Junior Trinity John’s, Smith Square, Snape Maltings and the Oxford and College of Music and Francis Holland School. Leeds Lieder Festivals. Future engagements include a busy schedule of solo, Annabel was the Lied pianist at the prestigious Mozarteum instrumental and song recitals and accompanying 1,000 Academy in Salzburg, and at the Dartington and voices at the Royal Albert Hall in October 2010. Charterhouse International summer festivals. She is THE MEAN TIME PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE Prison, Dartington College of Arts, Glamorgan Jazz The core members of the Mean Time Percussion Summer School, Millfield School and Taunton School. Ensemble met whilst studying at Trinity College of Music The ensemble’s co-ordinator, James Smale, is a in Greenwich, London (hence “Mean Time”!). Its members percussion specialist and general music examiner for include freelance percussionists, music examiners, Trinity Guildhall. He is also a freelance orchestral and jazz recording musicians and percussion educators. percussionist, based in Graz, Austria. He has performed Members have worked with many orchestras including the and recorded with many orchestras, chamber ensembles AIMS Festival Orchestra in Graz, BBC Concert Orchestra, and jazz ensembles throughout the UK and Europe. His BBC Philharmonic, Emerald Ensemble, English National teaching posts have included Dartington College of Arts, Ballet, English National Opera, English Touring Opera and Glamorgan Jazz Summer School, Devon County Wind Orchestra West. Between them, members of the ensemble Orchestra, Devon Youth Concert Orchestra and Channings have worked with many jazz ensembles and artists including Wood Prison. Charlie Hearnshaw, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Until July 2009, James was Head of Instrumental Studies Raphael Ravenscroft and Scott Stroman, to name but a at Taunton School. In addition to teaching and playing, few. Members of the ensemble have also worked as studio James is called upon to judge various music competitions musicians for the BBC, and as show musicians, working and awards, most recently the 2009 Catrine Basil Music with shows in the West End including The Lion King. Awards. He also gives percussion master-classes, most The ensemble members are also percussion educators recently for the Monmouth Music Meeting in 2009. whose teaching posts have included Channings Wood

SOUTH SOMERSET YOUTH CHOIR was between! On this occasion the choir will be accompanied established some fifteen years ago by its Director, Ros by Becci Hawkings, who was a founder member of the Broad, and is based at Maiden Beech School, Crewkerne. SSYC and its original accompanist. She subsequently The choir includes boys and girls between the ages of became a member of the Somerset Chamber Choir and is eight and eighteen from a wide area of South Somerset, now a music teacher in her own right. North Dorset and East Devon, and new members are The SSYC has a very busy year ahead with charity always welcome. concerts for the Mayors of both Crewkerne and Yeovil, and The choir's overriding objective is to train youngsters to a trip to Paris in July, where they have been invited to give sing well, with good breathing, intonation and “never three concerts. The Choir members are very excited about louder than lovely” as the great British soprano Isobel this adventure, although the promised trip to Disneyland Baillie said, with the hope that they will have a lifetime of might have something to do with that! enjoyment from their correctly-schooled voices. Ros's SSYC Members: Bryony Alcock, Maddie Barber, Jasz experience as a principal soprano with the D'Oyly Carte Blows, Rosie Blows, Merridan Chawner-Mennell, Rosie Opera Company, and in a professional singing career Clark, Rebecca Davis, Alexandra Earl, Bethany Edmunds, which continues to this day, is testimony to her dedication Tori Emm, Ellie Green, Mia Hallett, Sam Hemley, Harriet to this. The choir members also have a lot of fun and raise Hodder, Edward Ireland-Jones, Naomi Ireland-Jones, money for a variety of charities. Bianca Morgan, Emily Muntz, Grace Perry, Hannah The Youth Choir performs a large repertoire of music, from Schneiders, Rachel Schneiders, Bethan Senior, Shannon Mozart to Cole Porter and a little bit of everything in Tucker, Ashley Tutcher, Linnet Tutcher, Fiona Wyatt.

SOMERSET SINGERS present Gloria in excelsis Deo Music through the centuries for choir and brass Funeral sentences for Queen Mary Henry Purcell Motets for choir, organ and three trombones Bruckner I was glad when they said unto me Charles Hubert Parry Gloria John Rutter In ecclesiis Giovanni Gabrieli Matthew Redman, organ Bristol Brass Consort Jonathan Vaughn, musical director St Mary’s Church, Wedmore Tickets £12.00 Saturday 24 April 2010 at 7.30pm (children £6.00) SOMERSET CHAMBER CHOIR – we were having fun while, at the same time, working hard to founded in 1984 by former members of the Somerset prepare the music we have to sing. We do not hold weekly Youth Choir and are firmly established as one of the most rehearsals, but instead run six full rehearsal weekends in exciting choirs in the area, continuing to recruit from mid-Somerset every year. among the most talented singers in the region. We are If you now live outside the county, don’t be deterred – the known for our innovative and eclectic programmes of choir has many members who were formerly based in the music devised by our conductor, Graham Caldbeck, and area but who are now based outside the county – many of we regularly perform with many of the UK’s top our members travel hundreds of miles to attend rehearsals, professional soloists and orchestras. perhaps combining their weekend with a visit to family or We are a very friendly choir and place a great emphasis on friends, a fact that perhaps speaks louder than words.

Would you like to sing with us? If so, we should love to hear from you. We place a strong emphasis on encouraging young people, or those who are no longer quite so young but still have pure-sounding voices, to join our ranks. Currently we particularly welcome applications from sopranos, although other voice parts will Members of Somerset Chamber Choir nearly always be considered for Soprano Sylv Arscott Tim Donaldson membership. Fran Aggleton Wendy Baskett Laurence Hicks Jacqui Beard Sarah Brandhuber Nigel Hobbs For further details, please Gerry Chalke Jenny Candler* Keith Hunt talk to any member of the Carole Collins Gay Colbeck Peter Mackay choir, visit our website at Susan Crennell Janice Collins* Adrian Male* somersetchamberchoir.org. uk or Emily Dingle Luisa Deggs* Russell Smith e-mail us at: recruitment@ Helen Dunnett Janet Dunnett Robert Tucker somersetchamberchoir.org.uk Rebecca Elderton Esther Edwards Kathy Fear Joy Fletcher Bass We look forward to hearing Lena Gullidge Kate Golding Andrew Bell from you! Jane Harris Elizabeth Gowers Philip Bevan Judy Male Hazel Luckwill John Broad Elizabeth Morrell Sam Macrow Ian Bromelow Pennie Pinder Gemma Okell Simon Bryant VOLUNTEERS Claire Satchwell Rachel Pillar William Ford-Young We are very grateful to the Deborah Shepperd Melanie Rendell* Simon Francis Nerissa Soper Adele Reynolds Benjamin Gravestock large number of volunteers Liz Stallard Katie Robertshaw Anthony Leigh* who assist us with numerous Rebecca Tamplin Jane Southcombe Tim Lewis aspects of the choir's Julie Taylor Rosie Whittock Robert Martin Stephanie Walker Helen Wilkins Roland Smith administration. Lin Winston* Benomy Tutcher If you would like to volunteer Rosie Woodall Tenor Martin Warren Nick Bowditch to help us in any way, please Alto Dominic Brenton Treasurer leave a message on our Box Jenny Abraham Andrew Coombs* David Hallett* Office voicemail on 01275 * Trustee 349010 and we will contact

[This list was correct at the time of going to print, but may not include members who only you. recently joined the choir] MEMBERS OF THE F rien ds... FRIENDS SCHEME Honorary Life Friend Sue & John Monaghan Mrs Dorothy Tullett Mr & Mrs A J Porter Will you be our Valentine? Tony & Alison Procter Corporate Friends Mr & Mrs A Pugh-Thomas AMA Associates Everybody needs a little love, and Somerset Chamber Choir is R G & G H Sargent Prime Molasses Ltd privileged to receive (and reciprocate) a huge amount of affection Robert & Shaune Shearer from the 120 members of our Friends Scheme. We have a big heart, Best Friends K M & G M Shepperd however, and always have room for more in our affections! Mr & Mrs M J L Armstrong Mr & Mrs M S H Simmonds Christopher J Cutting Sir Angus & Lady Stirling The scheme, newly re-launched in 2009, has five different Mrs John Greswell Mr & Mrs J Le Sueur membership levels, each giving a different range of benefits. Every Anthony Leigh William & Sue Tee member is acknowledged by name in our concert programmes twice Martin & Jill Parker Susanna Van Rose & a year. Friends have the opportunity to book tickets before the Mrs Thomas Semple Richard Senior general public –this is often vital for getting the best seats in the Mr & Mrs D Webb Great Friends house (as those who came to our 2009 Wells concert may have David & Ann Wood Mr David Brandhuber already found out!), and we arrange regular post-concert receptions Peter & Gillian Woodall at which you can get to know the conductor, the members of the Mrs A T Colbeck choir and other members of the Friends Scheme. Mrs Annie Collins Friends Tony Palmer Mr Martin Adams We should like to invite you to support the choir by joining the scheme, Mrs Janet Stallard Mrs A B Adey or if you are already a member, by upgrading to a higher level. Mrs W G Bond Good Friends Mrs Rachel Brenton Mrs M Armstrong All members receive: Sandra Brown Christopher & Jennifer • Free mailing of advance publicity Mrs Caroline Case Bradnock • Their name in major concert programmes Selina Cook Mr Rowley Cantello • Invitation for you and your guests to post-concert drinks with the Mrs Jean Collard Andrew & Cynthia Cordy Robert Convey choir Mr & Mrs J C Dingle Mrs Dylys Crabtree • Twice-yearly newsletter Rev David Fletcher Mrs A E Dix • The opportunity to get the best seats in the house with an Bernard R Gildersleve Mr Edward Elderton exclusive priority booking period Geraldine Ingram Mr K R Entwisle Mrs C King In addition to this, members of the upper levels of the scheme Mrs K A Everett Mr & Mrs A B D Leigh receive superb additional benefits – Best Friends and Great Friends Mrs E C Gibbs Jennifer R McQueen also get free or discounted concert tickets for themselves and their Mr Keith Gibbs Brian & Cynthia Mindel guests, as well as free concert programmes, for example. Rev R L Hancock Anne Mitchell Angela Helyar The various subscription levels range from just £10 per annum, so Mr & Mrs G W Moses Mrs Sarah Hobbs you can choose the level of support that suits you best – whichever Mrs Shirley Rossiter Mr M H Hudson level you choose, rest assured that each and every Friend is equally Mrs E M Sage Mr L J Janas important to us and we are hugely grateful to them all. We also hope Mr & Mrs B W Somerset Ann Jeffery that our Friends enjoy a certain amount of pleasure from knowing Mr & Mrs KJ Steel Mrs Janice Lane their support helps to promote concerts of such quality every year Mrs Janet Stubbins Mrs J M Lane John & Ann Tucker in Somerset. Katherine Lovegrove It is absolutely no overstatement to say that, without the generous Friends Together Mrs Mary Male support of our Friends, we would quite simply be unable to promote Pam & Ian Anderton Mrs Anne Michell the concerts of the scale and standard you currently see in our Mr & Mrs A F Bell Gillian Mowforth schedule. Our Wells Cathedral concerts typically cost £13,000- Michael & Shuna Biggs Miss V M Nash £16,000 to stage, for example, yet ticket revenue might typically be Mr & Mrs C J Blower Mr Gordon O’Neil Roe £7,000-£10,000. Some of the difference is made up by choir David & Christine Brenton Carole Oliver members’ own subscriptions, but the vital income we receive from Mr & Mrs R J Brown Mrs B Paganotto our Friends allows us to plan high quality concerts with superb Mr & Mrs D R Carey Mrs M E Penny artists, with all the costs this entails, in the confident knowledge that Mr K W & Mrs J Carter Aideen Perry Richard & Sylvana we have this splendid amount of support and goodwill behind us. Dr John Pether Chandler Audrey Pillar Mr & Mrs D Chapman Mrs Jane Raphael Full details of how to join the Friends Scheme and an Mr & Mrs R J Cullup Mrs Jill Rogers application form are available in the leaflets you will see Mr & Mrs Bev Davies Mrs F M de Salis displayed at the rear of the chapel – why not pick one up Mr & Mrs R G Derrick Mrs J M Satchwell during the interval or on your way home? Mr & Mrs H G Dolling Mr V Smith Alternatively, details can be found on our website R K & M P Farmer Mr J Ticehurst www.somersetchamberchoir.org.uk, from Lin Winston, 3 N & R Fiennes Mrs Ruth Tucker Parkland Drive, Campion Meadow, Exeter, Devon, EX2 5RX, George & Patricia Gallagher Sheilah Vidler or from MusicBox on 01275 349010. Mr & Mrs R C Hatch Sarah Villiers Mr & Mrs Sandy Illingworth Mrs C Wakerley We look forward to meeting you soon! Michael & Pamela Jackson Mr D L Watson H C & K M Lewis Mrs J Willbourne SATU R DAY 27 F EB R U AR Y AT 7 .3 0pm THE O CTAG O N TH EATR E, Yeovil SW AN SEA CITY O PER A THE PEAR L F ISHER S by G eorges Bizet This Swansea C ity Opera production is a visual and dram atic spectacle with vibrant costum es and a torrent of passion, loyalty and tension that is sure to enthrall audiences. The production was so successful when touring in 2005 /6 that m any theatres have requested its revival. Book early for what is sure to be an incredibly popular night of opera. The Pearl Fishersis an exquisite com bination of em otional turm oil and pervasive sadness, containing a ceaselessly seductive score with one of the m ost fam ous and beautiful operatic duets ever written for tenor and baritone – Au Fond du Tem ple Saint. It is beautifully perform ed in English by som e of the finest singers and orchestral players in the country. TICK ETS F R O M £17 .00

Call the B ox O ffice on (01935) 422884 or book O n-line at www.octagon-theatre.co.uk www.swanseacityopera.com

F o rth co m in g co n certs d irected b y G ra h a m C a ld b eck

Sa tu rd a y 13 M a rc h 7 .30p m St Ja m e s’s, Picca d illy, L o n d o n W 1 J 9L L (Tu b e : P icc a d illy o r G re e n P a rk ) M iserere Se a so n a l sa cre d m u sic fro m th e 16 th , 17 th & 20th ce n tu rie s Alle g ri M ise re re P a le strin a S ta b a t M a te r G e su a ld o O vo s o m n e s & Av e R e g in a c o e lo ru m V icto ria S u p e r flu m in a Ba b y lo n is M a rtin M a ss fo r d o u b le c h o ir Ba x M a te r o ra filiu m NONSUCH SING ERS L y n d a Sa y ce lu te

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Tick e ts: £ 1 5 (£ 1 2 co n ce ssio n s) o n sa le a t th e d o o r Su n d a y 9 M a y 7 .30p m M a y fie ld Pa rish Ch u rc h , E Su sse x M a y field F estiv a l C o n cert F a u ré Ca n tiq u e d e Je a n R a c in e F a u ré P a va n e G o u n o d S t Ce c ilia M a ss F a u ré R e q u ie m M a ry Be v a n s o p ra n o Pe te r Da v o re n te n o r G a re th Jo h n b a rito n e M a cse n L a m b e rt tre b le M AY F IEL D F ESTIVAL CH ORUS Sir Da v id W illco c k s co n d u cto r

Tic k e ts: F e stiv a l Bo x Office , PO Bo x 324, M a y fie ld , Ea st Su sse x , TN20 6W A (fro m 8 M a rc h ) Frid a y 25 Ju n e 7 .30p m St M a rtin -in -th e -F ie ld s, L o n d o n W C2N 4JJ (Tu b e : Ch a rin g Cro ss o r L e ice ste r S q u a re ) RACHM ANINOVV esp ers NONSUCH SING ERS

Ste p h a n ie Allm a n m e z zo -so p ra n o Pe te r Da v o re n te n o r

Tick e ts: Bo x Office 020 7766 1 1 00 On lin e w w w .sm itf.o rg ‘O v e r th e y e a rs th e c h o ir h a s firm ly e sta b lish e d itse lf a s a m o n g th e b e st… la u d e d b y p re ss a n d p u b lic a lik e … o n e o f th e fin e st g ro u p s o f sin g e rs in th e re g io n ’ S o m e rse t Co u n ty G a z e tte So m e rse t Ch a m b e r Ch o ir’s n e x t co n ce rt

If yo u e n jo y to d a y ’s p e rfo rm a n c e , w h y n o t in v ite yo u r frie n d s to c o m e w ith yo u to o u r e x c itin g su m m e r c o n c e rt!

Sa tu rd a y 31 Ju ly 2010 a t 7 p m W EL L S CATH EDR AL

The Dreamers of Dreams INSPIR ATIONAL ENG L ISH CH OR AL M USIC Elg a r Th e M u sic M a ke rs Va u g h a n W illia m s To w a rd th e u n kn o w n re g io n / Flo s Ca m p i Pa rry Ble st p a ir o f sire n s Ju d ith Bin g h a m /S S W e sle y Th e d a rk n e ss is n o d a rk n e ss / Th o u w ilt ke e p h im in p e rfe ct p e a ce So m e rs e t Ch a m b e r Ch o ir So u th e rn Sin fo n ia Sa ra F u lg o n i m e z zo -so p ra n o Ala n G e o rg e v io la G ra h a m Ca ld b e c k co n d u cto r Ne x t su m m e r’s g lo rio u s p ro g ra m m e o f En g lish m u sic se e s th e w e lc o m e re tu rn o f So u th e rn Sin fo n ia w h o la st p la ye d w ith th e ch o ir in 2007 . Th e co n ce rt w ill m a rk o u r firs t co lla b o ra tio n w ith in te rn a tio n a l o p e ra sta r, m e z zo -so p ra n o Sa ra Fu lg o n i, th e vio list o f th e Fitz w illia m Strin g Qu a rte t Ala n Ge o rg e , a n d W e lls Ca th e d ra l o rg a n sc h o la r, Olive r W a lke r.

Tic k e ts fo r th is c o n c e rt w ill b e a v a ila b le n e a re r th e tim e fro m M u s ic b o x o n 01 275 34901 0. Jo in o u r F rie n d s S c h e m e o r e -m a ilin g list to re ce iv e fu rth e r d e ta ils.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to thank the Headmaster and Chaplain of King’s College for their assistance in the use of the chapel. We are very grateful for the support we receive from our Patrons, Dame Emma Kirkby & Sir David Willcocks, and Vice-Presidents Adrian Male and Chris Cutting. We gratefully acknowledge the support given by the Josephine Baker Trust in respect of the participation of Nathalie Chalkley and Thomas Hobbs in this afternoon’s concert. Programme notes were written (except where stated otherwise) and compiled by Graham Caldbeck; this booklet was compiled and edited by Andrew Coombs and Anthony Leigh and designed by Terry Stone. Printed music for this concert has been provided by Somerset Performing Arts library and London Symphony Chorus. Somerset Chamber Choir - Registered Charity number 1003687 – www.somersetchamberchoir.org.uk Patrons: Dame Emma Kirkby, Sir David Willcocks. Vice Presidents: Chris Cutting, Adrian Male