Guildford Philharmonic Choir
Joseph Haydn
Insanae et Vanae Curae
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No 40
Mass in C Minor
Helen Neeves
Ghislaine Morgan
Jon English
Colin Campbell
Brandenburg Sinfonia
Jeremy Backhouse
Saturday 28 October 2000 at 7.30pm
Guildford Cathedral
£1.50
Dates for your Diary
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
2000-2001 Season
Sunday 17 December 2000
Guildford Civic
The Mayor of Guildford’s Christmas Carol Concert
Saturday 10 March 2001
Guildford Civic
Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem
Saturday 12 May 2001
Guildford Cathedral
Mendelssohn Overture The Hebrides
Rachmaninov
Vaughan Williams
Second Piano Concerto
Symphony No 1: ‘A Sea Symphony’
To obtain tickets for these concerts or for any other information
please telephone either John Trigg (01483) 566341
or Elizabeth-Claire Bazin (01483) 506038
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
President Sir David Willcocks CBE MC
_ Soprano
| Tenor
Colin Campbell
Bass
Brandenburg Sinfonia
Jeremy Backhouse
Financially supported by
e
The staging used for this concert is owned by the Association of Surrey choirs.
To hire, please contact Stephen Jepson 01306 730383. It was purchased with
financial assistance from the Foundation for Sport and Arts, PO Box 20
Liverpool.
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
:
3
Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809)
Haydn’s lifetime straddles a period of striking changes in the musical world. He
was born at the end of the age of high Baroque and was central to the development
of the Classical style which, by the end of his life, was already being challenged by
the early intimations of the Romantic age.
The Austrian-born son of a farmer-wheelwright, Haydn was the second of 12 children.
He demonstrated an early aptitude for music and by the age of five was sent to
school in Hainburg for a musical education which, it was hoped, would enable him
to become a clergyman. At school, his earliest biographers (writing just after his
death and having personally known Haydn) quoted that he often received “more
thrashings than food” but he “learnt to know all the usual instruments and to play
several suitable to his age. His pleasant voice was a great recommendation for him.”
It was from here that he was accepted for the Cathedral Choir of St Stephen’s, Vienna,
to where he moved in 1740 at the age of eight and stayed for over 20 years.
Vienna in the eighteenth century was not only the capital of a great empire but was
at the centre of a great musical tradition dating back many generations. The
Kapellmeister of St Stephen’s was at the heart of this tradition and it was in the
Kapellmeister’s house that the choirboys lodged and where they received their
education, both musical and otherwise. Whilst the teaching concentrated on choral
training, Haydn received sufficient additional instruction to enable him to earn a
modest living by giving keyboard lessons. He was dismissed from the cathedral
choir at the age of 16 when his voice broke, at which time he found a “miserable
attic room without a stove” and divided his time between giving lessons, studying
his art and performing. It was said to be a time of desperate poverty.
Life for Haydn became easier when he moved into the Michaelerhaus. It was during
this time that he began to develop contacts who would stand him in good stead for
much of his life. In addition to teaching, it is clear that he started serious composing
at this time and towards the end of the 1750’s began to achieve greater prominence.
In 1760 he married Maria Anna Keller. It was to be a lifelong union but not a
particularly happy one. His early biographers tell that he wanted to marry a sister of
Maria Anna but agreed (out of gratitude for the father’s kindness) to marry the elder
daughter.
In 1761 Haydn’s standing was such that he was appointed to the service of Prince
Paul Esterhézy, head of one of the wealthiest families of the Hapsburg ruling class.
His duty was to compose music in accordance with the Prince’s needs. Prince Paul
died in 1765 and was succeeded by his brother Prince Nikolaus, who turned out to
be an active patron, requiring twice-weekly concerts and even building a small opera
house at his new palace so as to enjoy Haydn’s operatic works. The most important
names on the European stage at the time were constant visitors - the French
Ambassador, The Empress Maria Theresa and Archduke Ferdinand - and Haydn
provided a steady flow of original composition for every occasion. By the 1770’s
such was his musical talent that his reputation was established not only at home but
also internationally.
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Guildford Philharmonic Choir
In 1790 when Prince Nikolaus died, Haydn paid the first of two visits he was to
make to London. He was féted upon his arrival and was a visitor to court. Haydn
settled in Vienna but remained in constant demand across Europe and continued to
make regular visits to the Esterhdzy estate, as well as to receive numerous visitors
from home and abroad who came to honour the ‘grand old man’ of the European
Classical music scene. In the weeks leading up to his death, he saw the invasion of
Vienna by Napoleon’s troops but such was his reputation that Napoleon had a guard
of honour placed in front of his house. He died quietly at home on 31 May 1809 and
was buried the next day. Two weeks later a great memorial service was held in the
Schottenkirche in Vienna, at which Mozart’s Requiem was performed. “The whole
art-loving world of Vienna was present, mostly in mourning. Everything was very
solemn and worthy of Haydn.”
Insanae et Vanae Curae
This is in fact a chorus from Haydn’s Italian oratorio Il ritorno di Tobia. It was
composed in the winter of 1774-5 for the concerts of the Tonkiibstker-Sozietit, a
benevolent fund for musicians’ dependants. Hadyn conducted two performances in
Vienna in April 1775 in which some of his own singers and musicians took part.
At its winter concerts in 1781, the society planned to revive the oratorio and asked
Haydn to make some revisions. Tobia is in a different style and tradition from his
better-known later oratorios, and consists primarily of arias in the grand manner.
Haydn was willing to make some changes, but it was not until March 1784 that two
performances took place, with two new choruses added, one of which has become
well-known as this separate ‘motet’ with a Latin text, “Insanae et Vanae Curae”.
Insanae et vanae curae
Foolish and vain thoughts
Invadunt mentes nostras,
Saepe furore replent
Come into our minds,
Often our hearts are filled with frenzy
Corda, privata spe.
And deprived of hope.
Quid prodest O mortalis
Conari pro mundanis,
What does it profit thee O mortal man
To strive for things of the world,
Si coelos negligas.
If you neglect the things of heaven.
Insanae et vanae curae
Foolish and vain thoughts
Invadunt mentes nostras,
Come into our minds,
Saepe furore replent
Corda, privata spe.
Often our hearts are filled with frenzy
And deprived of hope.
Sunt fousta tibi cuncta
All things are for your good
If God is for you.
Si Deus est pro te.
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Mozart was born on 27 January 1756 in Salzburg. He was the seventh and last child
born to Leopold Mozart and his wife Maria Anna. Mozart and his older sister Anna
Maria (Nannerl) were the only two of their children to survive into adulthood.
Mozart showed his musical gifts from an extremely early age. At three years old he
began to play the harpsichord. In his sister’s music book his father noted that Mozart
had learnt some of the pieces when he was four. His earliest known compositions,
an Andante and Allegro were written, Leopold noted, early in 1761 when Mozart
was five. Leopold devoted himself to both his children’s musical instruction, a large
part of which being to take the two children on numerous tours to the royal courts
and great cities of Northern Europe. They embarked upon their first tour in 1761
and before Mozart was 15, he and his sister had played before the Royal Courts and
audiences in France, Germany, Holland, Italy and England. The family stayed longest
in London, where they remained for 15 months during 1764 and 1765.
Mozart wrote his first symphony at the age of eight and his first opera four years
later, in 1768. In 1769 he was appointed Konzertmeister to the Archbishop of
Salzburg. In 1777 Mozart obtained leave of the Archbishop to journey to Paris for
a concert tour and to look for work. His mother accompanied him but her health
began to fail and she died in Paris in 1778. Mozart stayed on in Paris trying to find
work, a search which proved largely fruitless. He returned to Salzburg in 1779.
Upon his return Mozart was summoned to Vienna, where the Archbishop of Salzburg
and his retinue were residing for the celebrations of the accession of Emperor Joseph
II. Once in Vienna, Mozart was irritated by the restrictions placed on his musical
activities due to his being in the Archbishop’s service. His irritation eventually led
to him being released from his post in June 1781. Mozart moved into the house of
his Mannheim friends, the Webers, where during the autumn and winter of 17811782 his intimacy with one of the daughters, Constanze, developed. On 4 August
1782, Constanze and Mozart were married, one day before Mozart received his
father’s consent to the match. Constanze was 20 and Mozart was 26. Their marriage
seems to have been very happy. Constanze was loyal and affectionate, and Mozart’s
letters to Constanze testify to a relationship of warmth and intimacy. Their first
child, Raimund Leopold, was born on 17 June 1783.
During this period, teaching provided Mozart with his basic income. He also gave
many concerts and continued to compose at a prolific rate. The mid 1780’s
represented what was probably the peak of his reputation as a composer and a pianist
during his lifetime. Opera was central to his ambitions and in 1786 Le Nozze di
Figaro was performed for the first time.
In 1787 Mozart journeyed to Prague,
where Figaro had been a great success. He was well received during his short stay
and from correspondence it is clear how much he relished his popularity.
In April 1787 it is thought that Mozart may have given piano lessons to Beethoven,
then on his first visit to Vienna. Mozart continued to work on many varied
compositions during this year, including Eine kleine Nachtmusik and Don Giovanni.
The latter received a mixed reception. Towards the late 1780’s the family’s money
6
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
problems became acute. It is often said that the root cause was Constanze’s
extravagance; their first documented troubles started a few weeks after their marriage.
However, there is little evidence to show that Constanze was to blame and Mozart’s
sister’s comment that Mozart was incapable of managing his own financial affairs
and that Constanze was unable to help him is certainly far closer to the truth.
His later years were characterised by a constant struggle against debt. He continued
to compose until his death; some of his most successful works were completed in
the last year of his life, including Die Zauberflote, La Clemenza di Tito and, of
course the unfinished Requiem. His health, which had never been good, began to
fail in the late summer of 1791 and despite working feverishly on the Requiem, he
was confined to his bed by the end of November. He was nursed during his final
illness by Constanze and her younger sister, Sophie. Although his condition seemed
to improve slightly (on 3 December a few friends gathered to sing over with him
parts of the unfinished Requiem), he died just before one o’clock in the morning on
5 December. He was quietly buried in a mass grave in accordance with contemporary
Viennese custom at St Mark’s Churchyard outside the city.
The obituary notices were unanimous in acknowledging Mozart’s greatness. Concerts
and requiems were given in his memory, including some for the benefit of Constanze
as, although the estate was considerable, it was of little financial value.
© E-C Bazin
Symphony No. 40
I
Molto allegro
II
Andante
IIl
Minuette (Allegretto) and Trio
IV
Finale (Allegro assai)
In the summer of 1788, following the success of Don Giovanni and just three years
before his death, Mozart was penniless. However, from this pit of deep despair sprang
his final three symphonies composed in just six weeks, each of very different character
but all genuine masterpieces.
Symphony No. 40, his second symphony in G minor, was the middle of the three
and the only mature symphony to be composed in a minor key.
It is, of the final group of three, the piece that best illustrates the ironic contrast of
light and shade, of hope and despair. It combines the classical characteristics of
balance and equanimity with an undercurrent of a very different dark troubled world,
producing an experience as dramatic as any of his great operas. This is a symphony
for enthusiasts of both sonata form and the viola (Mozart’s favourite instrument).
Each of the movements apart from the so-called Minuette is in sonata form, giving
the whole piece a taut underlying structure. The viola section is never far from the
limelight, colouring the emotional palette with a bittersweet flavour.
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
7
From the turbulent opening of the first movement, the constant unsettling quaver
movement is maintained almost throughout. The throbbing quality is maintained in
the second movement but is rather more relaxed. The agitated feeling returns in the
syncopated Minuette and the final movement maintains the dark driving emotion to
the very end.
Mozart wrote to his father in 1781; “ Nevertheless, the passions, whether violent or
not, should never be so expressed as to reach the point of causing disgust: and music,
even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should
flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music.”
Mass in C Minor K427 (417a)
I
Kyrie
II
Gloria
I11
Credo
IV
Sanctus
A"
Benedictus
On 4 August 1782, Mozart married Constanze Weber, a daughter of a prompter and
copyist.
This followed an eventful and turbulent period in Mozart’s life which
included the death of his mother, and the popular success of his Idomeneo at the
Carnival in Munich in 1781, promptly followed by his sacking from the household
of the disagreeable Archbishop Colleredo of Salzburg, after the last of many wrangles.
His marriage with Constanze had been preceded by a youthful and short-lived
romance with her elder sister Aloysia in 1777, nipped in the bud by his outraged
father. His marriage also met with his father’s disapproval, but there is no doubt of
Mozart’s commitment. He vowed that if Constanze married him he would have a
new mass performed in Salzburg, saying in a letter to his father “I have made a
promise in my heart of hearts and hope to be able to keep it. The score of half a
mass, which is still lying here waiting to be finished, is the best proof that I really
made the promise.” The incomplete mass referred to was the Mass in C minor,
which was composed in the atmosphere of utter devoutness and religious conviction
surrounding his marriage. Einstein describes it as “his entirely personal coming to
terms with God and his art, with what he conceived to be true church music”. It is
not entirely clear what was sung when the mass was performed on 26 August 1783
in the Church of St Peter’s Abbey. The remaining manuscript is incomplete, omitting
half the Credo and the whole of the Agnus Dei. These sections may have been lost,
but is more likely that Mozart ‘borrowed’ from his earlier masses to have the work
complete on time.
This note is copyright and has been supplied through the Programme Note Bank of Making
Music, to which this society is affiliated.
No part of this material may be reproduced or
published by any organisation not affiliated to Making Music without prior permission.
8
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
I
KYRIE
I
KYRIE
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Kyrie eleison.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
II
GLORIA
II
GLORIA
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Glory be to God on high,
et in terra pax hominibus
and on earth peace
bonae voluntatis.
goodwill towards men.
Laudamus te, benedicimus te,
We praise Thee, we bless Thee,
Adoramus te, Glorificamus te.
we worship Thee, we glorify Thee.
Gratias agimus tibi
We give thanks to Thee
propter magnam gloriam tuam.
For Thy great glory.
Domine Deus, Rex coelestis,
O Lord God, heavenly King,
Deus Pater omnipotens.
God the Father Almighty,
Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe,
the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ,
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son ofthe Father.
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
- Thou that takest away the sins ofthe world,
miserere nobis.
have mercy upon us.
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
Thou that takest away the sins ofthe world,
suscipe deprecationem nostram.
receive our prayer.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,
Thou that sittest at the right hand of
the Father
God
miserere nobis.
Have mercy upon us.
Quoniam tu solus Sanctus,
For Thou only art holy,
tu solus Dominus,
Thou only art the Lord,
tu solus Altissimus.
Thou only art most high.
Jesu Christe.
Jesus Christ.
Cum Sancto Spiritu
With the Holy Ghost
in gloria Dei Patris,
in the glory of God the Father,
Amen.
Amen.
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
III
CREDO
II1
Credo in unum Deum,
CREDO
I believe in one God,
Patrem omnipotentem,
the Father Almighty,
factorem coeli et terrae,
Maker of heaven and earth,
visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
And of all things visible and invisible.
Credo, et in unum Dominum, Jesum Christum,
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
Filium Dei unigenitum,
the only begotten Son of God,
et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
begotten of his Father before all
Deum de Deo,
God of God,
lumen de lumine,
Light of Light,
worlds,
Deum verum de Deo vero,
Very God of Very God,
genitum, non factum,
begotten, not made,
consubstantialem Patri,
being ofone substance with the Father,
per quem omnia facta sunt.
By whom all things were made.
Credo, qui propter nos homines
Who for us men
et propter nostram salutem
and for our salvation
descendit de coelis.
Came down from heaven.
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost
ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.
ofthe Virgin Mary, and was made man.
IV
SANCTUS
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus,
IV
SANCTUS
Holy, holy, holy,
Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Lord God of Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.
Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory
Osanna in excelsis.
Hosanna in the highest.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domine.
Blessed is He that cometh in the
Osanna in excelsis.
Hosanna in the highest.
name of the Lord.
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Guildford Philharmonic Choir
Performing in Mozart’s Shadow
The pleasures and pitfalls of a Mozart performance
It is the choir summer recess and I am driving from Guildfo
rd to Cheshire. Ireach
into the glove box for a CD to break up the monoto
ny of the drive and pull out
Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, thinking with some smugnes
s of being able to go to the
first rehearsal in September having sung along to the Mass
what will be, I calculate,
at least eight times on my return journey. Soon the Oxfordsh
ire countryside is
flowing by in a green wash and I am lost in the sublime
intricacies of the Sanctus.
Back in Guildford and it is Monday night. The summer
recess is over and we have
some ten two-hour rehearsals to produce a perfect
performance.
music before me, the sublime becomes the ridiculous
With the printed
and I am reminded yet again
that the genius of Mozart was to portray such intricate
ideas with such apparent
simplicity, adhering to such rigid forms whilst taking
music to levels never
previously (and arguably since) experienced. Bother.
I thought I knew this piece.
Mozart is one of the few greats whose music transcends
the modern day boundaries
of popular and classical. His tunes (if he permits me
to call them such) permeate
popular culture. They are film soundtracks, late-nig
ht art programme
theme tunes
and background music to adverts.: They fill hotel lobbies
and pack the crowds in
night after night for tourist concerts in Saint Chappel
le and St Martin-in-the-Fields.
Yet they also pack the Vienna State Opera house and
the Carnegie Hall. It is music
that reaches out to everyone from Oasis fans to Wagner
fanatics.
And herein lies the problem. With such universal
recognition come opinions —
opinions in all shapes and sizes. No matter how hard
you try, it will have been
done or thought of before. Any thought of an unique perform
ance is forgotten; one
that simply pleases would suffice. The mental
tut-tutting of an audience
disappointed is tangible to the anxious performer still
grappling with the notation.
Universal ownership has heightened expectations and
disappointment is never far
away.
I'talk to Guildford Philharmonic Choir choral director
and conductor for the evening,
How does he meet the challenge of performing Mozart?
“Mozart’s music is so great that it is always inspirat
ional both for conductor,
performer and hopefully listener. It simply isn’t possible
to think “oh no, not Mozart
again” because great music always bears repetition.”
So what about Jeremy’s own
Jeremy Backhouse.
approach to performing Mozart? Is he not daunted by
the thought of giving voice
to such genius?
“Although one may approach such inspired music with
degree of apprehension, one can be consoled in the knowled
a certain
ge that great music can
withstand any number of interpretations” he comment
s. Rather a convenient theory
for a conductor perhaps, but Jeremy warms to his subject.
“There really isn’t a
right way or a wrong way to interpret his works, as long
as one is aware and sensitive
to the soul of the music. My approach is to let the
music speak for itself without
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
i1
too much Jeremy Backhouse to obscure the view. Certainly some interpretations
gain popularity from time to time but if you look back even over the last 50 years,
different styles come and go and they are often more a statement of the musical
tastes current at the time rather than the definitive statement of how a piece should
be performed.”
So where does this work rank for Jeremy amongst Mozart’s enormous output? “In
choral terms, certainly alongside the Requiem, if not slightly in front, if only because
we know Mozart wrote more of this piece than the Requiem! The music moves
from the exquisite to the exuberant, from the sublime to the energetic, from the
intense to the jubilant. He wrote the Mass at the time when he was deeply in love
with Constanze and one senses this in the beauty of passages such as ‘et Incarnatus
est’ in the Credo and the ‘Christe eleison’ from the first movement, which are just
heavenly.”
So I return, inspired, to the rehearsal room. Jeremy’s exhortations that “if you
don’t know the notes, you must practice at home” are paying off and I feel, yet
again, the satisfaction of successfully having grasped an intricate piece of music. I
begin to anticipate eagerly my favourite moments and it becomes clear that, despite
the undoubted familiarity of the work, the choir is looking forward to the
performance. Ibegin to worry less about the possibility of disappointment. Mozart’s
works are indeed great and one of the hallmarks of this greatness is that his music
is written in such a way as to simply not allow the well-prepared performer to
disappoint.
I re-read this last sentence and decide to close the computer and hurry away to the
‘piano. There is always time for one last practice.
Helen Neeves gained a BA (Hons) in music at the University
of York. Whilst studying there she became a member of Yorkshire
Bach Choir and performed regularly with Yorkshire Baroque
Soloists. Having completed a two-year postgraduade course at
the Royal College of Music, she is now based in London.
Helen’s performance experience includes work in and around both
York and London. Last year Helen made her Purcell Room debut
performing songs by Dowland and Whythorne with the English
Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble; she also sang with them last December in a concert
of early Christmas music. Other recent performances include Haydn’s Marie
Theresenmesse in St Michael’s Church, Croydon. Having sung with the Clerks
group in the 1999 Edinburgh Festival, she joined them again in the Wigmore Hall
last May.
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Guildford Philharmonic Choir
Helen’s voice featured recently on a British Airways television advertisement, but
her more conventional recording work includes broadcasts for BBS Radio 3 and
West German Radio. Earlier this year Helen’s recorded Sweelinck motets with
Corona Coloniensis in Holland, and in this year’s York Early Music Festival she
took part in a performance of Schutz Passion music with Yorkshire Baroque Soloists.
Next month Helen will be performing works by Handel and Vivaldi at the Royali
Armouries Museum in Leeds. Forthcoming work also includes a concert and
broadcast in Cologne next June with Corona Coloniensis.
Ghislaine Morgan has gained a considerable reputation as
both a singer and singing teacher. She trained at the Royal College
of Music, where she was awarded the Sacher Scholarship.
She has performed throughout Europe, India, Japan and the USA.
Engagements include a tour of South Africa singing Mahler’s
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Resurrection Symphony and Das Knaben Wunderhorn, work with
Ballet du Nord and premieres of Gritton, Warton-Steward and
Wishart, as well as numerous appearances in London and the provinces.
Stage
experience includes Mrs Japheth in Britten’s Noye’s Fludde, Aix-en-Province Opera,
Bath Festival Opera and Opera du Lyon.
Ghislaine is as equally at home with early music as with more contemporary genres,
having sung for ten years with such groups as the Tallis Scholars, the Sixteen and
the Monteverdi Choir before pursuing her own individual career. According to
demand, she has appeared as a washing machine, tongue trilled in a Calcutta garden
and sung Mozart from under a table cloth!
Ghislaine can be heard regularly on Classic FM and also on the EMI, Gimell, Naxos,
Richmond and Regent labels, Mozart’s Laudate Dominum being singled out for
acclaim by the Gramophone.
Ghislaine is widely sought after as a coach of individuals and choirs. Her driving
passion is encouraging others to be expressive with confidence. She is adviser to
the Finchley Children’s Music Group and the Mathieson Music School, Calcutta,
and is a member of the faculty of the Charles Wood Summer Music School, the
Lacock Summer School, Oakham International Summer School and the Saeculum
Festival of Early Music.
. Jon English studied music and French at the University of
B
. Sheffield, gaining the degree of BA (Hons). He has been taught
by many professional singers over the years and currently studies
with Richard Smart.
Jon’s career as a soloist has involved him with ensembles and
choral societies nationwide. He has appeared as a soloist in the
Cheltenham International Festival and recorded for Dutch
television with the Corydon Singers. He has also been involved
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
13
in recordings with many choirs, both professional and amateur. Jon is a member
of the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, London, and the versatility and flexibility of his
voice and musicianship enable him to combine this post with a busy solo career at
venues around the country. He sings regularly with the BBC Singers and has
undertaken chorus work for English National Opera, as well as singing for the
Monteverdi Choir, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Polyphony and
Collegium Musicum 90.
Jon’s most recent oratorio performances include Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Bach’s St
John Passion, B Minor Mass, St Matthew Passion, Handel’s Messiah, Finzi’s Dies
Natalis and Haydn’s Creation.
Engagements in the next few weeks include Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Gounod’s Messe
Solennelle and Handel’s Messiah. His longer-term future engagements reflect this
wide variety of styles and repertoire.
Colin Campbell was born in London and studied at the Royal Northern College
of Music. He has appeared as a concert soloist throughout the UK, including
London’s South Bank, the Royal Albert Hall and St John’s, Smith Square, and also
in numerous festivals on the continent, the USA and the Far East. His operatic
repertoire is extensive, having sung principal roles with companies including English
Touring Opera, Pavilion Opera, Kent Opera and the English Bach Festival. He has
broadcast on RTE Television, BBC Television, Radios 2 and 3 and Classic FM.
His discography is growing, having recorded on the Hyperion, Decca, Naxos, Philips
and Deutsche Grammophon labels.
Concert engagements have included several appearances with the Gabrieli Consort
and Players as Cold Genius in Purcell’s King Arthur, the arias in Bach’s St John
Passion with Trevor Pinnock and The English Concert, Messiah with Christopher
Hogwood and The Academy of Ancient Music and appearances with the King’s
Consort in Purcell programmes at the Wigmore Hall and at the BBC Proms.
Recent performances include Messiah in Israel and Poland; appearances in
Beethoven’s Leonore at the Lincoln Center, New York, the Salzburg Festival and
the Amsterdam Concertgebouw; Mozart’s Requiem in Santiago de Compostela;
Mendelssohn’s Elijah at the Trondheim Festival, Norway; Brahms’ Requiem at the
St Endellion Easter Festival and Bach’s B Minor Mass in Japan and Korea with the
English Baroque Soloists.
PGelracd
Jeremy Backhouse began his musical career in Canterbury
Cathedral where he was Head Chorister, and later studied music at
Liverpool University. He spent five years as Music Editor at the
Royal National Institute for the Blind, where he was responsible
for the transcription of print music into Braille. In 1986 he joined
EMI Records as a Literary Editor and since April 1990 he has
combined his work as a Consultant Editor for EMI Classics with
his career as a freelance conductor and record producer.
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
In January 1995, he was appointed Chorus Master of the Guildford Philharmonic
Choir, working closely with conductors such as Jonathan Willcocks, En Shao and
Vernon Handley, as well as regularly conducting concerts with the choir and
orchestra alike. In March 1998, he conducted a memorable performance of Elgar’s
The Dream of Gerontius in Guildford’s Civic Hall, the first public performance to
be promoted by the choir itself.
In March 1999 Jeremy gave a “masterly”
performance of Bruckner’s Mass in E minor and Mahler’s Symphony No.2 in
Guildford Cathedral.
Jeremy is also the conductor of the Vasari Singers, widely acknowledged as one of
the finest chamber choirs in the country. Since winning the prestigious Sainsbury’s
Choir of the Year competition in 1988, they have performed regularly on the South
Bank and at St John’s, Smith Square in London.
In April 1995 he was invited for the first time to conduct the BBC Singers “the
country’s leading professional choir” in a programme of music by Lennox Berkeley,
broadcast on BBC Radio 3; since then he has conducted them in broadcast
programmes of Holst (for the BBC’s ‘Fairest Isle’ celebrations), Rubbra, Massenet
and Delibes.
Most recently he has been working with the Brighton Festival Chorus as an assistant
conductor, and in September 1998, became the Music Director of the Wooburn
Singers. With this choir and the Hanover Band he conducted a “magnificent”
performance of Bach’s Mass in B minor in October 1999 followed by an extremely
well received performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion in March 2000.
The Brandenburg Sinfonia is one of the most dynamically versatile musical
organisations in the country. It is renowned for its special quality of sound and
poised vivacity in performance.
The orchestra performs regularly in the majority of the major venues across the
country, and in London at the Barbican Halls, Royal Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth
Hall, Fairfield Hall and St John’s, Smith Square. The Brandenburg Sinfonia is also
in great demand abroad and has recently visited France, USA, Bermuda, the Channel
Islands, Barbados and Russia. Future tours include France, Germany, USA, Japan,
Hong Kong and Barbados. In 1999 the orchestra established major concert series
at both St Martin-in-the-Fields and Crystal Palace Bowl.
A large number of artists of international standing have worked with the orchestra
including Emmanuel Hurwitz, Lesley Garrett, John Georgiadis, John Wallace, Ian
Watson, Michael Thompson and Gordon Hunt. Its repertoire ranges from Bach to
Lloyd Webber and its members give around 300 performances of orchestral,
chamber, choral and operatic music during the year.
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
15
The orchestras for a number of touring companies are formed from members of the
Brandenburg Sinfonia; they include First Act Opera, London City Opera, Opera
Holland Park and London Opera Players.
“Some of the most stylish Mozart playing for some time”
THE TIMES
“An ensemble of distinguished players...”
THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
The Guildford Philharmonic Choir was founded in 1947 by the Borough
of Guildford to perform major works from the choral repertoire with the Guildford
Philharmonic Orchestra. Since this time, the Choir has grown both in stature
and reputation and can now rightly claim its place as one of the foremost choruses
in the country. The Choir is now independent from the Borough of Guildford.
The Choir grew to prominence under the batons of such eminent British musicians
as Sir Charles Groves, Vernon Handley and Sir David Willcocks. Sir David
remains in close contact with the Choir as its current President.
Notable achievements in recent years include Handel’s Israel in Egypt with the
Freiburger Bachchor in Freiburg in May 1998 and a widely acclaimed
performance of two works which must surely rank among the greatest choral
works of all time, Mahler’s Second Symphony — ‘Resurrection’ and Bruckner’s
Mass in E minor in March 1999.
The Choir enjoyed a challenging and exciting concert programme for the 1999/
2000 season. On 20 November 1999 it performed The Creation by Haydn with
the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra and in March it held a gala performance
of Bach’s St Matthew Passion with its twin choir, the Freiburger Bachchor, also
to critical acclaim. The forthcoming season reflects the choir’s increasingly
varied repertoire. Details of future performances can be found at the front of
this programme.
The Choir is always searching for new members to maintain its high standard
and auditions are held throughout the year. For further details about joining the
Choir or for any information about any of our future concerts, please contact
Noreen Ayton (Tel: 01932 221918). Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings
throughout term time in central Guildford and prospective members are most
welcome to attend rehearsals on an informal basis before committing to an
audition.
If you would like to find out more about how you can support the choir by
becoming a Benefactor, please contact Marion Arbuckle (Tel: 01483 572621).
16
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
15T SOPRANOS
1STALTOS
1t TENORS
Olivia Ames-Lewis
15T BASSES
Margaret Dentskevich
Bob Cowell
Peter Allen
Philip Davies
Noreen Ayton
Valerie Edwards
Chris Robinson
Elizabeth-Claire Bazin
Carole Elliott
John Trigg
Mary Broughton
Simon Doran
Celia Embleton
Maggie Van Koetsveld
Michael Dudley
Elaine Chapman
Mandy Freeman
Sara Dann
Ingrid Hardiman
Rachel Edmondson
Jo Harman
Terence Ellis
Geoffrey Forster
Michael Golden
Mo Kfouri
Susan Hinton
Susan Norton
Laurie James
Carol Jones
Margaret Parry
Alec Leggatt
Valerie Leggatt
Kate Rayner
Chris Newbery
Kay McManus
Judy Smith
David Ross
Christine Medlow
Philip Stanford
Claire Strudley
Emma Odell
Jane Sweaney
Penny Overton
Carol Terry
Lesley Scordellis
Sally Varley
Catherine Shacklady
Enid Weston
Maureen Shortland
Elisabeth Willis
Hilary Trigg
Pamela Woodroffe
2" SOPRANOS
2> ALTOS
2" TENORS
Marian Adderley
Marion Arbuckle
Douglas Cook
Jacqueline Alderton
Dan Adderley
Sally Bailey
Tony Cousins
Penny Baxter
Roger Barrett
Iris Ball
Josephine Field
Leslie Harfield
Evelyn Beastall
2"> BASSES
Alan Batterbury
John Britten
Nora Kennea
Iris Bennett
Jane Kenney
Norman Carpenter
Mary Clayton
Nick Gough
Judith Lewy
Andrea Dombrowe
Gayle Mayson
Carol Hobbs
Lois McCabe
Sheila Hodson
Jacqueline Norman
Joy Hunter
Peter Herbert
Michael Jeffery
Stephen Jepson
Tony Macklow-Smith
Alison Palmer
Helen Lavin
Rosalind Plowright
Neil Martin
Krystyna Marsden
Alison Rawlinson
Max New
Brenda Moore
Gillian Rix
John Parry
Jean Munro
Jill Scott
Anne Philps
Nigel Pollock
Vicki Steele
Gillian Sharpe
Kathy Stickland
Prue Smith
Tessa Wilkinson
Hilary Steynor
Christine Wilks
Rosey Storey
Maralyn Wong
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
17
harmonic Choir
CEREMONIES
MARKING
BIRTH, MARRIAGE, or DEATH
¢ that are meaningful to those who do not hold religious beliefs,
¢
that are simple yet dignified, and
¢ that are designed to meet individual circumstances and needs,
can be arranged through the Guildford Humanist Group.
Membership of the Group is not a requirement, but you may also
be interested in the monthly meetings on topics of social interest
and concern.
Talk to Barbara Bowen 01483 575490
18
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
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Guildford Philharmonic Choir
it O
GUILDFORD PHILHARMONIC CHOIR
President: Sir David Willcocks CBE, MC.
PATRONS
Honorary Freemen Bill and Doreen Bellerby MBE
Miss Annie Chatterley
Dr. Rodney Cuff
Mr. Michael Dawe
Miss Margaret Denskevich
Dr. and Mrs. William Dodds
Executive Presentation
Mr. Laurie James
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kilkenny
Mr. Ron Medlow
Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell S New
Mr. Claud Parry
PRR Partners
Opticians Penny & Hayter
Mrs. Jean Radley
FRIENDS
Mr. Peter Bennett
Britten’s Music Ltd
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Mr. and Mrs. R Broughton
Mrs. Maryel Cowell
Dega Broadcast Systems
Mrs. Joyce Feather
Mrs. Carol Hobbs
Management Simulations
Mr. and Mrs. John Oliver
Mrs. Suzanne Pickerill
Miss Elizabeth Ranft
Mr. and Mrs. James Ranft
Mr. Ian Rayner
Mrs. Jean Shail
Mr. Michael Shortland
Mr. Edward Varley
If you are interested in participating please contact
Marion Arbuckle (Tel: 01483 572621)
20
Guildford Philharmonic Choir