In Terra Pax
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Lewisham Choral Society In terra pax Christmas music for choir and audience Piano & organ: Nico de Villiers Conductor: Dan Ludford-Thomas Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street Saturday 19 December 2015 In terra pax Choir: Alleluya, a new work is come on hand Peter Wishart Angelus ad Virginem 14th century Irish carol arr. Willcocks A Maiden most gentle French traditional melody arr. Carter Choir and audience: Of the Father's heart begotten Piae Cantiones arr. Willcocks Choir: The Shepherds' Farewell From The Childhood of Christ by Hector Berlioz Il est né le divin enfant French traditional carol arr. Willcocks Joys seven English traditional carol arr. Stephen Cleobury Choir and audience: Silent night Franz Gruber arr. John Cullen Choir: Deck the hall Welsh traditional carol arr. Willcocks Wexford Carol Irish traditional carol arr. Rutter Star Carol John Rutter INTERVAL Please join us for seasonal refreshments at the rear of the church Choir: Make we joy David Morgan Choir and audience: Unto us is born a Son Piae Cantiones arr. Willcocks Choir: In Terra Pax Gerald Finzi Choir and audience: O come, all ye faithful John Wade arr. Willcocks Peace on earth and goodwill to all! Lewisham Choral Society welcome you this year to a new venue for our annual Christmas concert: the wonderful late nineteenth century Arts and Crafts church of Holy Trinity, Sloane Street. On this occasion our theme, In Terra Pax, Peace on Earth, is reflected in traditional music from around the British Isles and across the Channel: English, Welsh, Irish and French – along with classical music from England and France – to mark this festive season. And in addition to these pieces which the choir will sing for you, we follow our own tradition by adding a number of familiar carols which we strongly encourage you to join us in singing, accompanied by descants and harmonies from the choir and directed by our Director of Music, Dan Ludford-Thomas, accompanied by his Assistant, Nico de Villiers. In Terra Pax is also the title of the main work which the choir will sing for you tonight. Gerald Finzi wrote this piece in 1954 but sadly died only two years later, after a short illness. In 1990 I was fortunate enough to attend a music festival in Abingdon which celebrated Finzi's music and gave me the chance to sing another of his works, under the direction of Gerald's eldest son, Christopher. And another festival event allowed me to visit not only the church in Ashmansworth which contains a memorial to the composer, but also his last home in the same village. I well remember sitting on the lawn in the summer sunshine in the company of Gerald's widow Joy and next to her husband's orchard, where he had cultivated some rare varieties of apple, thus ensuring their survival for posterity. We also celebrate tonight the life of another multi-talented man, Sir David Willcocks, who died earlier this year at the age of 95. Last Christmas I wrote in our concert programme about the “bible” for modern-day carol singers: Carols for Choirs, a series of volumes for which Sir David was co-editor for over 25 years. But of course he was so much more than this, having been a choral conductor, composer, arranger, organist and musical administrator. Under his guidance the choir of King's College, Cambridge and the Bach Choir rose to international pre-eminence and the broadcasts of his Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's were seen and heard by millions across the globe. He worked with many leading British composers, including Vaughan Williams, Britten, Howells and Tippett. And to add to all that, he was a war hero decorated with the Military Cross by Field Marshal Montgomery. So it seems only right that we should sing some of Sir David's famous carol arrangements tonight. And one last celebration: we shall also perform an original carol and an arrangement by one of Sir David's collaborators in Carols for Choirs, John Rutter, to mark his 70th birthday this year! Alleluya, a new work is come on hand Peter Wishart (1921-84) The words of this carol come from the 15th century Selden Carol Book, among 8,000 books and manuscripts bequeathed to the Bodleian Library, Oxford by the jurist and scholar John Selden (1584-1654), who had represented Oxford University in Parliament for thirteen years. In 1953 the English composer Peter Wishart produced this setting of the words and dedicated it to the Birmingham Singers' Club. He had read music at Birmingham University, then moving to Paris shortly after the War to study with Nadia Boulanger. He returned to Birmingham to teach at the city's School of Music, later becoming Professor of Music at Reading University in 1977. Alleluya! A new work is come on hand Through might and grace of Godè's son To save the lost of ev'ry land. For, now is free that erst was bound, We may well sing Alleluya! Now is fulfillèd the prophecy Of David and of Jeremy And also of Isaiah. Sing we therefore both loud and high, Alleluya! Alleluya, this sweetè song Out of a green branch it sprung; God send us the life that lasteth long! Now joy and bliss be him among That thus can sing Alleluya! Angelus ad virginem 14th century Irish carol arranged by Sir David Willcocks (1919-2015) Angelus ad Virginem (or in its original English title Gabriel, From Heven King, Was To The Maide Sende) was a popular medieval carol, whose text is a poetic version of the Hail Mary and the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. Probably Franciscan in origin, it was brought to Britain by French friars in the 13th century. It appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's Miller's Tale, where the scholar Nicholas sings it in Latin to the accompaniment of his psaltery: And over all there lay a psaltery Whereon he made an evening's melody, Playing so sweetly that the chamber rang; And Angelus ad virginem he sang; And after that he warbled the King's Note: Often in good voice was his merry throat. The tune arranged by David Willcocks is believed to be from Ireland and date from the 14th century. Angelus ad virginem Gabriel to Mary came, Subintrans in conclave. And entered at her dwelling, Virginis formidinem With his salutation glad, Demulcens, inquit, "Ave ! Her maiden fears dispelling Ave, regina virginum, ”All hail, thou queen of virgins bright! Coeli terraeque Dominum God, Lord of earth and heaven's height, Concipies et paries intacta, Thy very Son, shall soon be born in Salutem hominum ; pureness, Tu porta coeli facta The Saviour of mankind. Medella criminum". Thou art the gate of heaven bright, The sinners' healer kind.” Quomodo conciperem, “How could I a mother be quae virum non cognovi? That am to man a stranger? Qualiter infringerem, How should I my strong resolve, quae firma mente vovi? My solemn vows endanger?” "Spiritus sancti gratia “Pow'r from the Holy Ghost on high Perficiet haec omnia; Shall bring to pass this mystery. Ne timeas, sed gaudeas, Then have no fear: Be of good cheer, Secura, quod castimonia Believing that still thy chastity Manebit in te pura In God's Almighty keeping Dei potentia." Shall all unsullied be.” Ad haec virgo nobilis Then to him the maid replied, Respondens inquit ei; With noble mien supernal "Ancilla sum humilis “Lo! the humble handmaid I Omnipotentis Dei. Of God the Lord eternal Tibi coelesti nuntio, With thee, bright messenger of heav'n, Tanta secreti conscio, By whom this wondrous news is giv'n, Consentiens et cupiens I well agree and long to see Videre factum quod audio, Fulfilled Thy gracious prophecy. Parata sum parere As God my Lord doth will it, Dei consilio". So be it unto me!” Eia Mater Domini, Hail! Thou Mother of the Lord, Quae pacem reddidisti Who bring'st of gifts the rarest, Angelis et homini, Peace to angels and to men Cum Christum genuisti; When Christ the Lord thou barest! Tuum exora filium Do thou, we pray, entreat thy Son Ut se nobis propitium For us our long'd redemption Exhibeat, et deleat peccata; Himself to win and from our sin Praestans auxilium Release us; His succour for to give Vita frui beta That, when we hence are taken, Post hoc exilium. We too in heav'n may live. A Maiden most gentle French traditional melody arranged by Andrew Carter (1939-) The original melody of this carol is that of a very traditional Marian hymn from the French Pyrenees, associated with the shrine of Lourdes. But it also has connections with the English shrine of Walsingham, and the lyrics originate this side of the Channel, being a paraphrase of words by the 8th century monk, author and scholar, the Venerable Bede. The contemporary English composer Andrew Carter made this arrangement and added its organ accompaniment. Carter dedicated the carol to the sisters of St Mary's Convent in York, a city with which he has had a long association from singing at the Minster to directing the music at a local grammar school and founding and directing the Chapter House Choir. Along with many of his numerous carol settings, A Maiden most gentle has been included in the annual broadcast of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College, Cambridge. A maiden most gentle and tender we sing; Of Mary the mother of Jesus our King. Ave Maria. How bless'd is the birth of her heavenly child, Who came to redeem us in Mary so mild.