October 2014 Issue 47 Hemiola St George’s Singers INSIDE THIS ISSUE: SPRINGBOARD FOR ST GEORGE’S Requiem preview 2 SGS began life nearly 60 years present a War’s forgotten composers 3 ago as a small group of enthusi- programme asts from St George’s Church, of ‘Choral Social evening 4 Poynton. Though we have Gems’ in the Zimbe in photos 5 grown in number and musical beautifully Southwell Music Festival 6–7 stature beyond all recognition refurbished report since then we have always wel- church. The comed the opportunity to par- programme Why Münster? 8 ticipate in the musical life of the was chosen So many memories 9 village. When in September to introduce 2013 we received an invitation SGS to an Coro Intermezzo visit 10– to take part in the first Poynton audience of Poynton 11 Music Festival the Choir decid- ‘Poyntoners’, ed that we would not only put opening with Poynton’s current mayor, Rebecca Horsman, hands over a cheque SGS News 12 for £2,013 to Kathryn Humphreys of the National Eczema on an extra concert for the festi- Zadok the Congratulations to Jeff 13 Society, with organising committee members and sponsors’ val but that we would, by waiv- Priest and representatives Basket cases 14 ing the offer of payment to off- closing with The Windmill girl 15 set our costs, effectively become the ‘Halle- one of the festival sponsors. lujah Chorus’, via Purcell, SGS, represented by Jean Eger- Fauré, Elgar, Will Todd and On 27 September 2014 Poynton ton, were invited to the cere- ST GEORGE’S SINGERS James MacMillan – and judg- Springboard Festival took over mony on 21 October to present PRESIDENT: ing from the enthusiastic audi- the town with 600 musicians at the cheque to The National ence response we certainly Brigit Forsyth 16 venues performing music for Eczema Society. The festival won some new friends. VICE PRESIDENTS: all tastes from rock to classical. organisers expressed their grati- Around half of the choir togeth- The festival was conceived by Marcus Farnsworth tude to SGS and the other Sue Roper er with Neil, and Tim Kennedy Geoff King, the town’s mayor, sponsors without whose contri- Mark Rowlinson as accompanist, generously as his year’s Mayor’s Charity bution the festival could not Stephen Threlfall gave their time and voices to event. As one of the sponsors Stephen Williams have taken place. MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Neil Taylor SGS LADIES TAKE TO THE STARS ASSISTANT MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Joseph Judge On Saturday 31 January the ic, like a call from a distant Simon Beesley and conductor ACCOMPANIST: ladies of St George’s Singers planet, bringing the work to a Matthew Wood. magical ending. It was Jeffrey Makinson will be appearing at Stockport Tickets are £10, conc £8, tel: Vaughan Williams’ favourite Town Hall with Stockport Sym- 07947 474574, email: boxof- movement, on whom it had a phony Orchestra in a perfor- [email protected]. Registered Charity no 508686 great influence, and in its time mance of Holst’s The Planets. ukand are available on the (1915) was regarded as highly Member of Making Music, the National They will be joining the orches- door. Federation of Music Societies innovative. tra in the seventh and final PS Don’t forget our carol www.st-georges-singers.org.uk The programme also includes movement of the work, Neptune concert: Saturday 6 Decem- (The Mystic). A quiet, eerie and Vaughan Williams’ English ber, St George’s, Stockport unsettling movement, the word- Folksong Suite, and Strauss’s at 7.00 pm. Festive music less song of the choir is hypnot- Oboe Concerto, with soloist for all the family! Page 2 Hemiola REQUIEM: OUR TRIBUTE FOR THE FALLEN Saturday 15 November Our autumn concert this year full of intriguing any other falls at a most significant time moments. anthem – 2014, 7.30 pm for the whole country. Just six We will be singing and the Requiem for the Fallen days after Remembrance Sun- two settings of combination of day, on 15 November we will treble and baritone St George’s Church, ‘Justorum Animae’ (The Souls be presenting a concert in com- of the Righteous), a collect for solos followed by Stockport memoration of those who died All Saints’ Day with words climactic moments in the First World War, in this taken from the apocryphal for full choir gives the 100th anniversary year of Book of Wisdom. The modern it a rather Victori- Tickets: £12, £10 conc, the outbreak of that most terri- setting by Geraint Lewis is a an feel. £2 students ble of global tragedies. composition of great stillness John Rutter’s Requiem Tel: 01663 764012 This will not be a sombre event that leaves time for each line of was written in 1985 in however. Our theme for the the text to evaporate before memory of the composer’s fa- Email: tickets@st-georges concert is remembrance and starting the next. By contrast, ther, and what was conceived -singers.org.uk reflection, not sorrow, and in Stanford’s setting probably as a personal memorial has particular the role that music dates from 1892, and is gone on to become one of John Online: www.st-georges- can play in the healing amongst the finest of his choral Rutter’s most often-performed singers.org.uk process. As Andrea compositions. choral works. With its themes Millington, SGS Chair The piece is in of reflection and consolation, says in her programme three short sec- this Requiem is a fitting tribute notes for the concert: tions: the outer from today’s generation to ‘This concert is the Choir’s way two contempla- those who died a century ago in of remembering and it is one tive whilst the our name. we can all enjoy through the central section is a There will also be a couple of sharing of beautiful and uplift- vivid depiction of readings at the concert, includ- ing music. The message of hope malice – ‘Et non ing one from a recent book by and peace you will hear tanget illos tormen- the journalist Kate Adie. Well throughout. ’ tum malitiae’ (there shall no known for her courageous re- torment or malice touch them). Amongst the works we will be porting from many of the performing are well known John Tavener, who recently world’s war-torn regions, Kate pieces, and some that will be sadly died, converted to the has recently written a book new to the audience – as they Russian Orthodox Church in entitled Fighting on the Home were to the Choir. 1977 after which Orthodox Front, and amongst the many theology and liturgical tradi- stories is one about Lena Douglas Guest, who came from tions became a major influence Ashwell, who organ- just outside Sheffield, is best There will be a display on his work. Funeral Ikos was ised music, theatrical known for his composition, For written in 1981 when Tavener and other cultural about Poynton’s history the fallen, a setting of one of the was 37. It is a serene setting of events for the soldiers verses of Laurence Binyon's during the First World War words which are on the front line throughout the famous 1914 poem. It was com- in the church during the probably unfamil- First World War. posed in 1971 for the Remem- iar to most of us concert. Many thanks to brance Day service in Westmin- No concert of remem- and which is a brance would be com- Judy and Sandy Broadbent ster Abbey, and is a short but simple statement infinitely touching work. plete without one of the of the reward in Paradise for greatest works, Elgar’s of the Poynton Local Henry Walford Davies became the Righteous Ones. Much of Nimrod, and we’re de- well known between the wars History Society for their it is in unison allowing the lighted that our accompa- for his popular BBC radio help. full impact of the words to nist Jeffrey Makinson will be lectures on music, and he shine through. This sensi- performing it in a special ar- was appointed Master tive musicality, in which rangement by William Harris. of the King’s Music in the sounds are almost just 1934 following the an accompaniment to the In this centenary year of com- death of Elgar. When he words, can only have been memoration, we hope you will composed the Short Requiem in achieved by an extraordinary join us in a few hours peaceful 1915, ‘in sacred memory of all composer of deep religious reflection and remembrance, those who have fallen in the conviction. and some inspiring music. war’, there being no Anglican Composed in 1912, Greater love requiem service as such, Davies hath no man is perhaps John assembled his requiem from Ireland’s best known work for various biblical and liturgical the church – in 1986 it was tests, including two psalms sung at more cathe- intoned to traditional drals and collegiate Anglican chant. A most churches in the unusual work that prob- British Isles than ably few have heard, but Issue 47 Page 3 WAR’S FORGOTTEN COMPOSERS The poets of WW1 have ac- it unpublished at his death. have avoided active service, but quired an almost celebrity sta- George Butterworth like Ralph chose to enlist in the Royal tus. Books about the war such Vaughan Williams, was a great Army Medical Corps. His work as All Quiet on the Western Front collector of English folk songs. A Pastoral Symphony was written and A Farewell to Arms have He served as Lieutenant in the as an elegy to fallen comrades.