Interval. Howells Psalm Prelude Set 2, No. 1 De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine

Transcription

1 Saturday, 11 November 2017 St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol Nigel Nash, organ Christopher Finch, conductor JS Bach Jesu, meine Freude JS Bach 3 choral preludes from the Orgelbuchlein - O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, BWV618 - Gottes Sohn ist kommen, BWV600 - Jesu, meine Freude, BWV610 (organ) Elgar Solemn Prelude - In Memoriam (from For the Fallen) Daley Requiem Interval JS Bach Komm, Jesu, komm (organ) Howells Psalm Prelude Set 2, No. 1 De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine (organ) Vaughan Williams Mass in G minor In consideration of other members of the audience, please switch off all mobile phones and other electronic devices. It is not permitted to record or photograph the choir during performance.

2 An introduction to this evening s concert by our Musical Director, Christopher Finch It is my very great pleasure to welcome you all to this, our first concert of the season. In the glorious surroundings of this Gothic parish church, we present a programme of timeless beauty and poignancy. The season of remembrance encompasses both this profoundly important day of national memorial and also the Christian festivals of All Souls and All Saints. Through this evening s performance, we hope that you will be comforted, consoled and uplifted. We are unashamedly proud of our roots as a Bach Choir and continue our journey through his inimitable motets. The great Bach interpreter and scholar, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, states Above all, they [the motets] can touch the listener as well as the performer, revealing Bach s essentially compassionate nature, his dance-like joy in the praise of God and his total certitude in the contemplation of death. Komm, Jesu, komm and Jesu, meine Freude are among the most intimate, inventive and eloquent expressions of the eternal contemplations of mortality and of spiritual journeying. Eleanor Daley s Requiem includes a poignant setting of the famous poem Do not stand at my grave and weep. In 2004 The Times wrote: "The verse demonstrated a remarkable power to soothe loss. It became popular, crossing national boundaries for use on bereavement cards and at funerals, regardless of race, religion or social status.. Daley s composition shares many of its musical characteristics with Howells and Vaughan Williams, whose Mass in G minor was written in the period after his military discharge in 1919, and exudes a timeless serenity and peacefulness. Bristol Bach Choir are delighted to support the Royal British Legion and encourage you all to give generously to the retiring collection.

3 Johann Sebastian Bach ( ) Jesu meine Freude, BWV 227 This is the longest and, for many, the best of Bach s motets. It is in 11 separate movements, which intersperse settings of 6 stanzas of a chorale text by Johann Frank, with 5 biblical verses from Romans 8. It is thought that the music of the various movements may have been composed at different times, and only adapted and assembled to form the complete motet sometime during the 1730s. As well as the beauty and drama of the separate movements, the whole work forms a wonderfully constructed symmetrical arch. A central fugue is the keystone of the structure, and the other movements form more or less matching pairs on each side. The first and last movements are identical, and the 2 nd and 10 th movements, although not exactly identical, use the same musical material. The two trios (numbers 4 and 8) occupy opposite positions in the arch. Our altos will also have noticed that there is a second axis of symmetry in this work, as whilst the other voices drop in and out of the texture, the altos sing in every movement. The final detail of symmetry is the happy coincidence that the very last line of text and so also the music - is identical to the first. Listening notes for each movement: 1. The chorale, set for SATB, pure and simple. 2. The first verse of the biblical text, set for five voice parts. The declamatory opening, with its re-emphasis of the important word, and long pauses between chords is reminiscent of the opening of Komm, Jesu, Komm. Notice the long melismas for the voices as they wander through the word wandeln. 3. The chorale, this time for 5 voices, and set in a slightly more complex way. 4. A charming bassetto (i.e. without the lowest bass voice) trio for sopranos and alto. 5. The third verse of the chorale text. This is the most disguised version, as it is a fantasia-like interpretation of the harmonic progression of the chorale, rather than an exact repetition of the melody. It is one of the most dramatic movements to sing, as you could probably predict from the text; listen for the basses making the most of the phrase tobe, Welt (rage, world), and the quiet approach to the pauses at the words muß verstummen (must fall silent). 6. The keystone of the work at the apex of the arch, the central fugue. As we might expect, the fugue subject contrasts the words fleischlich (of the flesh) and geistlich (of the spirit) in the text with a somewhat

4 pedestrian opening and then a lovely melisma when it reaches the word geistlich. 7. A more straightforward 4-part setting of the chorale, with the melody clearly in the soprano part, and a busy accompaniment from the other voices. 8. Another trio, this time for alto, tenor and bass, to complement the earlier movement This movement, setting the 5 th chorale verse, starts out as what could be a simple but lovely bassetto trio, this time for sopranos and tenor. But for Bach, this is not enough, and while the other voices continue Jesu, meine Freude, meines Herzens Weide, Jesu, meine Zier, ach, wie lang, ach, lange ist dem Herzen bange und verlangt nach dir! Gottes Lamm, mein Bräutigam, außer dir soll mir auf Erden nichts sonst Liebers werden. Es ist nun nichts Verdammliches an denen, die in Christo Jesu sind, die nicht nach dem Fleische wandeln, sondern nach dem Geist. Unter deinem Schirmen bin ich vor den Stürmen aller Feinde frei. Lass den Satan wittern, blithely on, the altos emerge singing the chorale tune. 10. The last of the biblical verses starts off in the same way as movement 2. But there is a surprise, as the second phrase, instead of repeating exactly the first as it does in movement 2, turns unexpectedly to a major key. This is perhaps the climax of the biblical discourse that has taken place throughout this piece, the final contrast between flesh and spirit, and between death and life. 11. The final chorale movement, set in the same way as the opening, to bring the symmetrical arch to a close. Jesus, my joy, my heart s delight, Jesus, my treasure! Ah! how long, how long has my heart been troubled and desirous of You! Lamb of God, my bridegroom, nothing on Earth can be dearer to me than You. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Beneath Your shield I am protected from the raging storms of all my enemies. Let Satan storm,

5 lass den Feind erbittern, mir steht Jesus bei. Ob es itzt gleich kracht und blitzt, ob gleich Sünd und Hölle schrecken: Jesus will mich decken. Denn das Gesetz des Geistes, der da lebendig machet in Christo Jesu, hat mich frei gemacht von dem Gesetz der Sünde und des Todes. Trotz dem alten Drachen, trotz des Todes Rachen, trotz der Furcht darzu! Tobe, Welt, und springe, ich steh hier und singe in gar sichrer Ruh. Gottes Macht hält mich in acht; Erd und Abgrund muss verstummen, ob sie noch so brummen. Ihr aber seid nicht fleischlich, sondern geistlich, so anders Gottes Geist in euch wohnet. Wer aber Christi Geist nicht hat, der ist nicht sein. Weg mit allen Schätzen! du bist mein Ergötzen, Jesu, meine Lust! Weg ihr eitlen Ehren, ich mag euch nicht hören, bleibt mir unbewusst! Elend, Not, Kreuz, Schmach und Tod soll mich, ob ich viel muss leiden, nicht von Jesu scheiden. So aber Christus in euch ist, so ist der Leib zwar tot um der Sünde willen; let the foe rage, Jesus will stand by me! Though there now be thunder and lightning, though sin and Hell spread terror, Jesus will protect me. Through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death. Despite the old dragon, despite the jaws of death, despite the fear of death! Rage, world, and rear up, I shall stand here and sing in confident tranquillity. I respect God s might; earth and abyss must fall silent, however much they now demur. But you are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Away with all riches, you are my delight, Jesu, my desire. Away with you, vain honours, I shall not give ear to you, do not enter my mind! Misery, distress, affliction, shame and death, though I must suffer much, shall not part me from Jesus. So if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin;

6 der Geist aber ist das Leben um der Gerechtigkeit willen. Gute Nacht, o Wesen, das die Welt erlesen, mir gefällst du nicht. Gute Nacht, ihr Sünden, bleibet weit dahinten, kommt nicht mehr ans Licht! Gute Nacht, du Stolz und Pracht! dir sei ganz, du Lasterleben, gute Nacht gegeben. So nun der Geist des, der Jesum von den Toten auferwecket hat, in euch wohnet, so wird auch derselbige, der Christum von den Toten auferwecket hat, eure sterbliche Leiber lebendig machen um des willen, dass sein Geist in euch wohnet. Weicht, ihr Trauergeister, denn mein Freudenmeister, Jesus, tritt herein. Denen, die Gott lieben, muss auch ihr Betrüben lauter Zucker sein. Duld ich schon hier Spott und Hohn, dennoch bleibst du auch im Leide, Jesu, meine Freude. yet your Spirit is alive because of righteousness. Farewell, O you who have chosen the world; I do not love you. Farewell, O sins, stay far behind me, never come to light again! Farewell, O pride and pomp! Life of wickedness, may you be wreathed in night! And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit that lives in you. Depart hence, you spirits of sadness, for the Lord of my joy, for Jesus enters. To those whom God loves, even their sorrow must be sweetened. Though I endure mockery and scorn on earth, thou art still, in the midst of my suffering, my Jesus, my joy.

7 Johann Sebastian Bach ( ) 3 organ pieces Bach s Orgelbuchlein (Little Organ book) was composed at Weimar between 1708 and 1717, and is a collection of mostly short chorale preludes which display a variety of compositional techniques. O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig (O innocent lamb of God) has a canon between the pedal part and, 2 beats later and five notes higher, the middle of the 3 part manual texture not the easiest one for the listener to spot! By contrast Gottes Sohn ist kommen (The Son of God is come) has a more obvious canon between the top manual part and, a bar later and an octave lower, the pedal part. Jesu, meine Freude has a flowing semiquaver chordal accompaniment to the chorale melody. O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, BWV618 Gottes Sohn ist kommen, BWV600 Jesu, meine Freude, BWV610 Edward Elgar ( ) Solemn Prelude - In Memoriam (organ) Elgar s Solemn Prelude, arranged for organ by Harvey Grace, comes from his choral work The Spirit of England, Opus 80, composed between 1915 and 1917 and dedicated "to the memory of our glorious men, with a special thought for the Worcesters". This organ arrangement is taken from the beginning of the work s 3 rd movement entitled For the Fallen. Eleanor Daley (b 1955) Requiem The Canadian composer Eleanor Daley comes from Ontario. She studied in Canada and at Trinity College, London, but only began composing when she found a need for choral music at the church in Toronto where she works. Her list of published compositions runs to over 150 items, almost all for choir, with or without accompaniment. Her best-known pieces are The Rose Trilogy and the present Requiem. Daley s music is not particularly harmonically or rhythmically adventurous, but is characterised by an efficient and, at its best, memorable use of simple resources, and a wide range of influences. In 1992 Daley was commissioned to write a piece for SATB choir by Jake Neely, a friend and singer. At the time he was nursing a terminally-ill loved one; this may have suggested the idea of a requiem. The main musical inspiration was Howells Requiem, which she first heard in 1992 and was much moved by. As well as traditional requiem words, Daley uses two more modern sources: lines from The Sound of the Birds, a long poem about loss by the English/Canadian poet Carolyn

8 Smart, and Do not Stand at my grave and weep, which was written by a Baltimore florist, Mary Elizabeth Frye. Frye, whose only poem this is, wrote it in 1932 when the political situation prevented her house guest, a German Jewish girl, from returning home to her dying mother. The Requiem is scored for unaccompanied choir with soprano and baritone solos. It was completed in 1993, and remains her most substantial piece. Here are some things to listen for in each movement. 1. Requiem aeternam I: The choir sings Requiem aeternam, oft repeated, while the solo soprano line floats above with words from Carolyn Smart (see above). The poignancy consists partly in the soloist singing alone of her loss; the only comfort offered is in a language which she does not speak. The calmness of this section is perhaps the most striking musical image in the Requiem concise, as is every movement. 2. Out of the Deep: This is very Howells-like in rhythm, melody and modal harmony. Listen for Baritone solos on the words My soul fleeth and, at the end, out of the deep. One subtle point: the unfinished dominant 7 th chord on which this movement ends symbolises that the pleading prayer has not (yet) been answered. 3. And God Shall Wipe Away All Tears: If the second movement is rooted in Howells, the third is reminiscent of earlier Anglican music. Note the delicate textures at the beginning, with four high-voice soloists leading into a section for split sopranos and altos. Also the unexpected chords on liveth and me, strategically placed just as the music is winding down to its conclusion. 4. In Remembrance: This is the best-known section of the Requiem, and indeed Daley s most popular piece: it has had over a dozen commercial recordings. The simple but moving poem Do not Stand at my grave and weep is given an appropriately straightforward setting, with just a few short flourishes on important words (blow, circled, shine) and two short imitative sections on I am the sunlight and I am the gentle. 5. I Heard A Voice From Heaven: Back in Howells territory. (Howells set these words as the last movement of his Requiem.) Daley has described the chord change on the word rest as like the sun peeking out from behind clouds. Note how the melody from here descends from top to bottom of the vocal range, and gets gradually quieter. 6. Thou Knowest, Lord: The longest movement, and the most dramatic movement, with a quiet start working up to the scrunches of pains of death and the pleading of spare us.

9 7. Requiem aeternam II: This short movement reprises the texture of the first movement, but with different words. It runs without pause into: 8. In Paradisum: The final movement uses three different texts, sometimes simultaneously, and it gathers together some of the motifs and textures used in the previous movements. Note the unexpected ending in the unprepared key of A major, perhaps symbolising that the Peace of God might not be quite as we expect it. 1. Requiem aeternam I Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. Grant them rest eternal, Lord our God, we pray to Thee. from Missa pro defunctis Each night I listened for your call, when your call stopped I held my breath, suspended, I'd grow accustomed to a dialogue with silence, then wait for the sounds of night you, dying, and I but witness to the end 2. Out Of The Deep Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. O let Thine ears consider well: the voice of my complaint. If Thou Lord wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss: O Lord, who may abide it? For there is mercy with Thee: therefore shalt Thou be feared. I look for the Lord: my soul doth wait for Him: and in His word is my trust. My soul fleeth unto the Lord; before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch. O Israel, trust in the Lord. for with the Lord there is mercy: and with Him is plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from their sins. - from The Sound of the Birds - Psalm 130

10 3. And God Shall Wipe Away All Tears I heard a voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with all people and God shall dwell with them and they shall be God's people. God shall be with them and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away." Lux aetema luceat eis, Domine. - Revelation 21:3,4 Light eternal shine upon them, Lord. - from Missa pro defunctis I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. - from the Burial Service, 1662 Book of Common Prayer 4. In Remembrance Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there, I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glint on snow, I am the sunlight on ripened grain, I am the gentle morning rain. And when you wake in the morning's hush, I am the sweet uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die. - Anonymous 5. I Heard A Voice From Heaven I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours: even so saith the spirit." - from the Burial Service, 1662 Book of Common Prayer

11 6. Thou Knowest, Lord In the midst of life we are in death. Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not Thy merciful ears to our prayer; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, Thou most worthy Judge Eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death to fall from Thee. - from the Burial Service, 1662 Book of Common Prayer 7. Requiem aeternam II Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, dona eis sempiternam requiem. Grant them eternal rest, Lord our God, we pray to Thee, grant them everlasting rest. - from Missa pro defunctis INTERVAL (20 minutes) Refreshments are available in the south transept (at the front, to the right of the choir) Johann Sebastian Bach ( ) Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229 This motet sets two stanzas of a poem by Paul Thymich, an alumus of the Thomasschule and Leipzig University. The exact date and purpose of composition are unknown, but as the text was used by a previous Leipzig cantor for funeral music, it seems likely that Bach s setting was intended for a Leipzig funeral also. Baroque musical theorists loved to categorise things; a favourite categorisation was based on the association between music and rhetoric, both in terms of the overarching style and also of the more detailed gestures within that style. They would speak of high, middle and low styles, or of styles associated with church, chamber and theatre. There were also standard musical gestural devices or motifs to portray certain ideas or emotions, such as falling pairs of notes slurred together to mean longing or yearning, a long-held note for peace, sleep or death, and angular dissonant melodic motifs for sin, difficulty or bitterness.

12 In his setting of the first stanza of Thymich s text, Bach takes us on a little tour of musical style and gesture. We travel through three different time signatures, each giving a different stylistic flavour. First, we have a section with a church-like feel, with its 3/2 metre and antiphonal writing between the two choirs. This section also has many examples of detailed rhetorical gestures, right from the very opening entreaties, passed back and forth between the two choirs. We hear the yearning motif (Ich sehne mich), and a most anguished melody based on the dissonant diminished 7 th for the sour path (der saure Weg). Next, the metre shifts to a busy baroque allegro, with a bustling fugal section, a kind of mid-way style. The last section of the stanza relaxes into a gentle 6/8 time. This carried all kinds of associations for the baroque listener. It was understood to be a lighter, less serious style, associated with pastoral dance, and with comfort and the joy of a new age. We see time and again in Bach s sacred music the contrast between the seriousness of the old law, before the coming of the new law, in the person of Jesus. From the style of this section, we can understand that the opening call for Jesus to come has been answered. The second stanza of the text is set like a chorale, in a much simpler, homophonic style, with just 4 voice parts instead of 8. Komm, Jesu, komm, mein Leib ist müde, die Kraft verschwindt je mehr und mehr, ich sehne mich nach deinem Friede; der saure Weg wird mir zu schwer! Komm, komm, ich will mich dir ergeben; du bist der rechte Weg, die Wahrheit und das Leben. Drum schließ ich mich in deine Hände und sage, Welt, zu guter Nacht! Eilt gleich mein Lebenslauf zu Ende, ist doch der Geist wohl angebracht. Er soll bei seinem Schöpfer schweben, weil Jesus ist und bleibt der wahre Weg zum Leben. Come, Jesus, come, my body is weary, my strength fails me more and more, I long for your peace; the bitter path becomes too hard! Come, come, I will surrender myself to you, you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. And so I place myself in your hands and say: World, good night! As my life s course is hurrying towards its end, the spirit is ready. It hovers before its creator, for Jesus is and remains the true way to life.

13 Herbert Howells ( ) Psalm Prelude Set 2, No.1 (organ) De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine Herbert Howells completed his second set of Psalm Preludes in London in 1940 while he was Director of Music at St Paul s Girls School, Knightsbridge. No 1, De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine (out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord), was dedicated to Sir John Dykes Bower, Organist of St Paul s Cathedral from 1936 to The hands start at opposite ends of the keyboard, approach each other in a series of expressive harmonies, and continue in what has been called an emotionally charged meditation as the volume and intensity increase, reaching a climactic restatement of the opening music on full organ towards the end of the piece, before a gradual diminuendo towards a serene and peaceful ending. Ralph Vaughan Williams ( ) Mass in G minor In the early 1920s, partly no doubt as a reaction to his experiences as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War, Vaughan Williams turned to writing music expressing an English pastoral mood. Works from this time include The Lark Ascending, the Third Symphony (the Pastoral), the operas The Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains and Sir John in Love, and the Mass in G minor. All these pieces are characterised generally by a search for beauty of melody, avoidance of too much conflict, use of consonant harmonies, and reliance for musical as well as literary ideas on English traditions. The Mass in G minor dates from , and was possibly the first mass setting written by an English composer since Tudor times. The major influence is, suitably, of Tudor music, both in the overall shape of many of the melodic lines and in the widespread use of modal harmony. With the possible exception of the imitative opening of the Kyrie, the piece rarely sounds Tudor however, but is distinctively of its time and composer. The music is written for four soloists and two four-part choruses. Particularly in the Gloria and Credo, Vaughan Williams makes great use of the varieties of texture which this setup allows. Other composers at the time were experimenting with different types of dissonance and the new forms which these engendered. In the Mass in G minor Vaughan Williams remarkably uses hardly any dissonance at all almost every chord in the piece is a triad.

14 The mass is laid out in the usual five sections. Here are some things to listen for: Kyrie The opening theme, with its distinctive five-note motif at the beginning, appears in imitation across the choir at the beginning. This is a clear reference to Tudor models. The middle section, Christe eleison, is in the contrasting major mode, and is for soloists. The final section is a reworking of the first, ending with just the altos, as the first had begun. Gloria After a pianissimo opening for full choir to Et in terra pax, the first and second choruses launch into the jubilant Laudamus te, trading fanfare-like volleys of praise. The solo quartet brings a pleading, devotional note in the middle section, Qui tollis peccata mundi, before the return of joyful praise in the fugal Cum sancto spiritu. Credo The many different moods of the text are reflected in the frequent changes of speed and texture in this movement. Note the delicate solo writing on Et incarnatus, followed by the full choir, marked pppp, on Et homo factus est; and the joyous Amen. Sanctus Osanna I Benedictus Osanna II The quiet cascading opening of the Sanctus is one of Vaughan Williams most original. It is followed by a fugal section on Pleni sunt caeli. The first Osanna is predictably joyful; the solemn Benedictus is followed by a short final Osanna. Agnus Dei This movement contains the most concentrated and expressive music of the Mass. It uses material from the first movement the kyrie theme on miserere nobis, and the Christe theme on dona nobis pacem. Two particularly lovely moments: the chord change at the beginning when the soloists give way to the chorus, and the ending, a series of serene chords reminiscent of the Tallis Fantasia. 1. Kyrie eleison Kyrie, eleison. Christe, eleison. Kyrie, eleison. 2. Gloria in excelsis Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace to men of good will.

15 Laudamus te; benedicimus te; adoramus te; glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dextram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. 3. Credo Credo in unum Deum; Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. Credo in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, Et ex Patre natum ante omnia sæcula. Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, Genitum non factum, consubstantialem Patri: per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis. We praise You; we bless You; we worship You; we glorify You. We thank You for Your great glory. O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. You who take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. You who take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You who sit on the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For You only are holy, You only are the Lord, You only are the most high, Jesus Christ. Together with the Holy Ghost in the glory of God the Father. Amen. I believe in one God; the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten not made; being of one substance with the Father, by Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation descended from heaven;

16 Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine: et homo factus est. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die secundum Scripturas. Et ascendit in coelum: sedet ad dexteram Patris. Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, judicare vivos et mortuos: cujus regni non erit finis. Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum, et vivificantem: qui ex Patre Filioque procedit. Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur: qui locutus est per Prophetas. Et in unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma, in remissionem peccatorum. Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum et vitam venturi sæculi. Amen. 4. Sanctus - Osanna I - Benedictus - Osanna II Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis. and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost, of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. And on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures: and ascended into heaven. He sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; and His kingdom shall have no end. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; as it was told by the Prophets. I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And I await the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

17 5. Agnus Dei Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei. Dona nobis pacem. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God. Grant us peace. Quiz questions 1. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Which other composers settings of these words have been performed by the Bristol Bach Choir? And in which languages? 2. What was written down on a brown paper shopping bag? Answers (small prize for the best) to competitions@bristolbach.org.uk Nigel Nash read Music at Bristol University and teaches piano at Badminton School, as well as being accompanist at Bristol Grammar School & Badminton. Since his appointment as Bristol Bach Choir s accompanist in 1998, Nigel has played for the choir in numerous concerts in Bristol, Oxford and Gloucester and on tour in Paris, Oporto, Prague, Dresden, Iceland and Tallinn. In the autumn of 2011 Nigel became the choir s acting Musical Director, conducting them in concerts at St Mary Redcliffe and St George s, Bristol. A fellow of the Royal College of Organists, Nigel is much sought after as an accompanist for choirs across the West Country and he has accompanied choral workshops with Brian Kay, Nigel Perrin & Bob Chilcott. He has also been involved with several broadcasts on national radio and television including HTV s Morning Worship, Carols from Wells Cathedral, and BBC Radio 4 s Daily Service, and Sunday Half-Hour on Radio 2.

18 Christopher Finch is acknowledged as one of the best of the new generation of British choral conductors and vocal coaches. He rose to national prominence in 2010 when he led the Wellensian Consort to the title of BBC Choir of the Year, the UK s premier choral competition. He enjoyed further competitive success in 2013 when Wells Cathedral School Choralia became the first British choir in over a decade to reach the grand final of the internationally revered competition Let The Peoples Sing. He is greatly in demand as a conductor, accompanist, vocal coach, répétiteur and teacher. Photo: Debbie Scanlan He is currently acting Co-ordinator of Vocal Studies in the specialist music faculty of Wells Cathedral School. A passionate advocate of the importance of singing in education, Christopher is actively engaged in outreach programmes as a choral advisor and guest conductor. Appointed as music director to Bristol Bach Choir in 2012, Christopher combines this with his commitments conducting the Wellensian Consort, Choralia, Wells Cathedral School Chapel Choir, and one of Bath s leading chamber choirs, A Handful of Singers. Christopher has performed and collaborated with some of this country s finest performers, composers and ensembles, including Richard Hickox, John Rutter, Charles Hazelwood, Bob Chilcott, John Tavener, Will Todd, Brian Kay, Charivari Agréable, Canzona, Arve Henriksen, Patricia Rosario and Iestyn Davies amongst many others. Performances, workshops and recordings have taken Christopher to many parts of Europe, the USA and the Far East, and his recordings have been broadcast worldwide.

19 President: Brian Kay Hon. Vice President: The Lord Mayor of Bristol Music Director: Christopher Finch Registered Charity No Sopranos: Polly Beck, Julie Borowski, Fiona Bowden, Gill Cato, Helen Cooper, Heidi Couper, Cynthia Dobson, Alison Grant, Sue Gregory, Lucy Griffith, Tamzin Howard, Emma Lovell, Fran Smettem Altos: Andrea Argent, Jessica Best, Ellie Case, Kirsten Cunningham, Alison Dawson, Pat Harrad, Natasha Melia, Carolyn Morgan, Katy Ratcliffe, Melanie Reed, Danni Rochman, Bridget Simpson, Caroline Taylor, Emily Thornton, Judith Vorley, Margaret Williams Tenors: Adrian Dimmock, Mike Garnier, Richard Griffith, Nigel Nash, Phil Neville, Gui Rego, Jonty Rougier, Tim Warren Basses: Tim Case, Michael Cullen, Julian Dale, Anthony Edey, Marcus Evans, Angus Gregson, Chris Hall, Rupert Handley, Vince Hobbs, Gustave Singer, Paul Stephens, Rod Thouless, Paul Tilbury, Basile Vigneron Bristol Bach Choir is one of the South West s finest choral groups. Since its formation in 1966 the choir has gained a reputation for its dynamic, expressive singing and its vibrant performances. Its repertoire ranges from early Baroque music to 21 st century compositions by James MacMillan, Arvo Pärt, Knut Nystedt, Cecilia McDowall and Will Todd. This versatility, and the choir s size, mean that larger choral works and more intimate chamber choir pieces are performed with equal success. The choir regularly appears alongside the country's finest professional soloists and orchestras and also engages exceptionally talented young musicians on the verge of major international careers. Tours are a regular part of the choir's activities with performances across the EEA including Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, Iceland, the Czech Republic, Italy and Estonia. Are you interested in joining the choir? There are occasional vacancies, and singers with relevant experience and good sight reading ability should apply to Caroline Taylor, membership@bristolbach.org.uk Before auditioning, you will be encouraged to come to a few rehearsals to meet and sing with the choir. The choir meets on Thursdays, pm at Trinity-Henleaze United Reformed Church.

20 Victor and Anthea Barley Tony and Diana Beckingsale Mike and Liz Bell Ruth and Jonathan Bolgar Christine Buckley Colin Carroll Peter Dart and Annabel Martin David and Julia Dean Angela Dixon George and Cynthia Dobson Gareth and Jill Dodds Penny Dodds Julian Dudley Antony and Rachel Evans Sarah Evans Ms Alison Farnill Susan Garnier Penny Garrett Dr Naomi Gillingham Althea Hamlyn Chris and Helen Hill Geoff Hill Ian Hopley Jenny and John Huskins PATRONS Maggie Kirby Sheila Lang Dave and Chris Lewis Gillian Lewis John and Gaynor McCarthy B McGowan Elizabeth Mildner Ian and Breeda Morton Eve Nash Tony and Alison Peck Dr Graham Pegg Mary Quirk and Chris Williams Mr Colin Reed Michael Seeley Valerie Shelton Diana Smith Rob and Angela Thackray Mrs Rosemary Thomas Dave Vorley Chris and Andrew Watson Pete and Joanne Weston Colin Williams Robin and Aurelie Wright Bristol Bach Choir Patrons enjoy top price tickets for all concerts reserved seating preferential booking for extra tickets before general release complimentary programmes an annual reception and invitation to other choir events choir news and updates If you would like to consider becoming a Patron, please contact: Althea Hamlyn, 2 Church Lane, Berkeley, GL13 9BN tel: patrons@bristolbach.org.uk There are also opportunities for corporate sponsorship. For details please contact Pat Harrad secretary@bristolbach.org.uk