The Society's 175th year of music-making
Dated: 27/07/2010
From Verdi and
Handel to the
On 1st April 2011 Conductor Laureate Martyn Brabbins returns to Huddersfield, with the Orchestra of Opera North, for the UK première of Harvey Messages.
Messages was
written for the Berlin Radio Choir and its chief conductor Simon Halsey in
2007, and premièred in
Born in Warwickshire in 1939, Jonathan Harvey was a chorister at St Michael's College, Tenbury and later a major music scholar at St John's College, Cambridge. He has gone on to win international fame as a composer, working with orchestras, choirs and chamber ensembles all over the world.
This concert will also include Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms, of which the composer said “It is not a symphony in which I have included Psalms to be sung. On the contrary, it is the singing of the Psalms that I am symphonizing”. Composed in 1930, it’s a setting of sections from three psalms, ending with Psalm 150. It’s scored for mixed chorus and orchestra, without violins, violas or clarinets, but including harp and two pianos.
The third work on April 1st 2011 will be Bruckner E minor Mass which was completed 1866. The work stands apart from almost all other 19th century liturgical music by virtue of the forces it employs and its peculiarly expressive harmonic and contrapuntal language. It is scored for eight-part mixed chorus and a wind band of two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets and three trombones.
On October 29th 2010 the Society is delighted to be working again with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and their charismatic conductor Vasily Petrenko. Verdi's setting of the Requiem is one of the greatest choral masterpieces of all time. Charged with electric passion, terrifying force, vigorous rhythms, sublime melodies, tenderness and tranquillity, it comes straight from Verdi's soul. The concert will be recorded for broadcast by Classic FM.
For many, the annual performance of Messiah in Huddersfield is the highlight of the season, continuing an unbroken record since 1864. This year the Huddersfield performances on 21st and 22nd December 2010 will be recorded by Signum Classics for a new release (due April 2011).
The Society will also perform Messiah at the Sage, Gateshead on 20th December 2010. We welcome the return of Jane Glover to conduct the Northern Sinfonia and an excellent line-up of international soloists for all three performances.
During 2010/1 Stratford-upon-Avon Choral Society is also celebrating its 175th anniversary, and has invited Huddersfield Choral Society to join it for a performance of Messiah on 8th January 2011 in the newly-refurbished Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Having released a critically-acclaimed recording of Stainer’s Crucifixion late in 2009, the Society will perform the work on 5th March 2011 conducted by chorusmaster Joseph Cullen. A workshop will precede the concert, one in a series of workshops to develop and encourage singers of all ages to be held during the season, in partnership with the University of Huddersfield – the Society’s principal sponsor - and the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival.
The Society rounds off its 175th anniversary season
with a gala performance of Elgar’s The
Dream of Gerontius on Saturday 18th June 2011 – as near as possible to the
original founding date of the Society in 1836.
The Hallé will be conducted by Martyn Brabbins and an excellent team of
soloists.
During 2010/1 the Society’s Junior Choirs also celebrate their 25th anniversary. Supported by a grant from Kirklees’ Arts in the Neighbourhood fund for a range of celebratory projects, the Choirs look forward to performing in a number of concerts. The Junior Choirs will be guests of Huddersfield Choral Society in the annual Christmas Concert on 10th December 2010.