Diamonds Are for 2016–17
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June 2016 Issue 52 Hemiola St George’s Singers INSIDE THIS ISSUE: DIAMONDS ARE FOR 2016–17 The programme for next season in not one but two Vivaldi Anniversary – so if any Choir A Passage to India 2 – St George’s Singers’ 60th – works: the Gloria and the Mag- members or SGS Friends have Memories of RVW 3 has just been announced, and nificat. suggestions about how we offers a sparkling array of con- On to spring 2017, and it’s should celebrate, please let the Memories of Rig Veda 4 certs worthy of a Diamond party-time! Our main celebra- committee know. … and nautical disasters 4 Celebration. tory concert will be on 22 Of course, we must not forget The season begins in November April at RNCM, and will fea- that 2017 will also see us going Review of ‘Sounds and 5 at RNCM with an all-Brahms ture a brilliant combination of on our most adventurous tour Sweet Airs’ programme featuring soprano choral music from yet, when we head off to Costa St George’s Singers news 6 Elizabeth Watts and baritone across six centu- Rica in July. The itinerary is Lincoln: the official report 7 Marcus Farnsworth. Liz Watts ries: start- still being finalised, but we do began singing at Norwich Ca- ing know that it will involve con- Random tour thoughts 8 thedral where she was a choris- certs with our friends of El Hey nonny no-ing 9 ter and member of the Ca- Café Chorale, possibly a thedral Girls Choir, workshop which we will Lincoln: the uncut version 10 whose director hap- hold on English choral Long-lost shepherd found 11 pened to be a certain Mr music, and lots of ocean- Neil Taylor. She came to to-ocean sightseeing. international attention 2016–17 promises to ST GEORGE’S SINGERS when she won the Rosenblatt be a spectacular sea- Song Prize at the 2007 Cardiff PRESIDENT: son. It will also be an Singer of the World competi- expensive one for the Marcus Farnsworth MA ARAM tion. Since then she has become Choir, so the celebrations may VICE PRESIDENTS: one of the UK’s leading sopra- occasionally be mingled with nos, and is now in demand as a with Byrd Susan Roper the odd fund-raising venture, Mark Rowlinson recitalist all over the world. Liz and finishing which St George’s Singers are Stephen Threlfall and Marcus will be soloists in with Whitacre. Along always delighted to support. Stephen Williams Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem, the way there will be opportu- and will also perform some nities for individuals and sec- As you go on your summer MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Brahms Lieder. tions of the choir, as well as holidays, take a copy of next Neil Taylor Neil and Pete, to show off season’s brochure with you, Christmas sees us give our tra- and tell your family, friends, ASSISTANT MUSICAL DIRECTOR: their musical talents. ditional ‘Carols and Brass by and singing acquaintances Joseph Judge Candlelight’ concert, but this And finally – what better way about the gems in store for year, for reasons of diary clash- to round off a very special ACCOMPANIST: them in our Diamond Anniver- es, we will be holding the con- season than with the most sary year. Peter Durrant cert at Norbury Church. It is dramatic of all show-stopping many years since St George’s choral works: Verdi’s Messa da Singers performed there, and Requiem at Gorton Monastery. Registered Charity no 508686 we are looking forward to re- The concerts are only part of Member of Making Music, the National newing our acquaintance with Federation of Music Societies our special celebrations how- this lovely building. ever. Through the year we’re www.st-georges-singers.org.uk The Singing Day in January hoping to have some social sees directing us and our guests events to mark our Diamond Page 2 Hemiola Sunday 26 June 2016 A PASSAGE TO INDIA Gorton Monastery Ralph Vaughan Williams It is remarkable that our final itual truth. Just as the Suez A Sea Symphony concert of 2015–16, featuring Canal links distant parts of the music by two quintessential world, Whitman’s poem links Gustav Holst ‘English’ composers, should ancient religions and modern Choral Hymns from the Rig both contain references to or be technology, God and engi- Veda, Ave Maria influenced by themes and imag- neering. In doing so, he en- es of India. courages us to see a bright with future, extending an invitation Vaughan Williams composed A Alison Rose, soprano that is both reverent and hope- Sea Symphony (his very first ful. Marcus Farnsworth, baritone symphony) in the years 1903– and 09. He deeply admired the hu- Vaughan Williams’ friend and manistic verses of the American contemporary, Gustav Holst, Stockport Symphony Orchestra poet Walt Whitman (1819–92), also drew inspiration from An early 19th-century Rigveda manuscript and had previously set one of India. Holst’s fascination with in Sanskrit his poems in the choral work, the great Indian religious sagas Toward the Unknown Region, such as the Baghvad Gita and invoked by Holst are two of the which gave the young compos- the Vedas began as early as most important, Indra and Var- er his first great success. For his 1899, and he even tried to learn una. Indra is a god of storms first symphony he chose a num- Sanskrit so he could read the and war, and appears in the Rig ber of extracts from Whitman’s ancient Hindu texts in the origi- Veda as the king of the gods. long collection of poems Leaves nal. His first use of the material He carries a thunderbolt, and of Grass. The words for the final was in a symphonic poem, In- rides through the heavens on a movement, which Vaughan dra, in 1903, and he also com- chariot or on the elephant Williams titled The Explorers, posed two operas based on Airavata. were taken from the poem Sanskrit texts. Passage to India. Varuna is the god of the sea, In 1907–8 he conceived the idea and the underwater world. He The words concern the sea and of setting some of his own rides on a Makura – a half- sailors, as a metaphor for the translations of the Vedas, and terrestrial, half-aquatic creature. voyage through life and be- between 1908 and 1912 he pro- (photo: Matthew Brady) He is also the god of law, sur- yond. More specifically, Whit- duced four sets of choral songs Walt Whitman veying all the affairs of men, man’s Passage to India salutes from the Rig Veda: for chorus reading secret thoughts and the evolutionary progress of the and orchestra, women’s voices sending his messengers to over- human race; it celebrates the and orchestra, women’s voices see their activities. Omnipresent scientific achievements of the and harp (which we will be and knowing the past and the age, looks forward to the immi- performing on 26 June) and future, Varuna is concerned nent dawning of an era in men’s voices, strings and brass. with the moral order. which all divisions and separa- The Rig Veda (a compound tions between people, and peo- The final hymn in the set does Sanskrit word mean- ple and nature, will be eliminat- ing ‘praise’ plus ed, and heralds the spiritual ‘knowledge) is an voyage of every human soul ancient Indian sacred into the depths of the inner collection of hymns, universe. Whitman himself counted among the described the meaning of his four canonical sacred poem, saying ‘that the divine After the seas are all cross'd, (as texts of Hinduism, efforts of heroes, and their ide- they seem already cross'd,) known as the as… will finally prevail, and be ‘Vedas’. Composed accomplished, however long After the great captains and roughly between engineers have accomplish'd their deferred.’ 1700–1100 BC, some work, Image: OACMA Museum The poem celebrates three tech- of the verses are still After the noble inventors, after the nological achievements: the recited as Hindu The god Varuna riding on his Makura scientists, the chemist, the opening of the Suez Canal in prayers, making them among geologist, ethnologist, 1869, the laying of the trans- the world’s oldest religious texts not refer to a named god, but Atlantic cable, and the growth in continued use. The Rig Veda Holst’s superscription over the Finally shall come the poet worthy of the American transcontinen- contains several mystical, myth- song reads: ‘The God invoked that name, tal railroad. These achieve- ological and poetic accounts of in this hymn is the Guide of ments outshine the Seven Won- the origin of the world, hymns travellers along the roads of the The true son of God shall come ders of the Ancient World; praising the gods, and ancient singing his songs. world and along that leading to however, the poet still hears the prayers for life. the next.’ call of the ancient past, embod- ‘A Passage to India’, Book XXVI, The hymns are all dedicated to ied in the myths and fables of A fitting summary of this con- Leaves of Grass various Rigvedic deities. Asia, with their daring reach cert devoted to journeys, both Amongst those individually toward an unfathomable spir- earthly and spiritual. Issue 52 Page 3 MEMORIES OF RVW (1872–1958) BY MARY HOULT If you happen to find yourself for in 1905 (while he was com- in Surrey with time to spare, posing A Sea Symphony) he co- you could well decide to ex- founded The Leith Hill Musical plore the popular landmark of Festival.