Côr Aberteifi
The Cardigan Choir
If you would like to sing with Côr Aberteifi, you would
be most welcome. Please speak to any member of the
choir, or email [email protected].
Our next event will be a concert of Duruflé, Kodaly, and
Williams on April 1st in St Mary’s Church, Cardigan.
Look up our web page to find out more about us and
what we’re up to: cor-aberteifi.org
Songs of
Winter
and Spring
A seasonal feast of words and music
Richard Mitchley
Aled Rhys Thomas, tenor
Stephen Welch, baritone
Henry Ward, conductor
St. Thomas’ Church, St Dogmaels
11th December 2016
Songs of Winter and Spring
Welcome to All the Pleasures
- Henry Purcell
Fern Hill – Dylan Thomas
read by Richard Mitchley
Concerto for two violins – J.S. Bach
1st movement: Allegro vivace
Richard Williams and Kate FitzGibbon
Songs and music
Côr Aberteifi
Sarabande Recorder Consort
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen – Prætorius
Ballet - Praetorius
There is no rose of such virtue – Anon
Sinfonia – Rossi
Ecce Virgo concipes - H. Isaac
Quatre bransles
Myn Vader – Peter Maxwell Davies
Canzon - Rossi
Christe, Redemptor Omnium - Monteverdi
Concerto for two violins by J.S. Bach
2nd movement: Largo
Richard Williams and Kate FitzGibbon
A Child’s Christmas in Wales – Dylan Thomas
read by Richard Mitchley
Adam lay y bounden – John Ireland
Carol – R.S.Thomas read by Galen Burnett
In the Bleak Midwinter (1st perf.) – Richard Morris
A Child’s Christmas in Wales (conclusion)
Hwiangerdd y Nadolig – John Rutter
The Coming – R.S. Thomas
The Lamb – John Tavener
Christmas Day – Gustav Holst
Interval
20 minutes. Complimentary refreshments.
Welcome to all the pleasures (1683) by Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
was the first of several tributes to St Cecilia, patron saint of
musicians, commissioned annually by the Musical Society of
London for its celebrations of the saint’s feast day in November.
(He and other composers got the job in subsequent years, and so
there are several ‘Odes to St Cecilia’ from that period.)
A Child's Christmas in Wales is a prose work by Dylan
Thomas. Originally emerging from a piece he wrote for radio,
recorded by Thomas in 1952, the story is an anecdotal retelling
of a Christmas from the view of a young child and a
romanticised version of Christmases past, portraying a
nostalgic and simpler time.
Fern Hill (1945) recalls childhood holidays of Dylan Thomas at his
aunt Annie’s house outside Llangain, to the south of Carmarthen.
Adam lay y-bounden - setting by John Ireland (1879-1962) of a
text from about 1400, MS in British Library. In medieval
theology, Adam was bound in limbo for 4000 years until the
crucifixion of Christ. Ireland is known chiefly for chamber and
choral music.
Concerto for two violins, strings and continuo in D minor (1731)
by J.S.Bach is considered one of the best examples of the late
Baroque period, with much subtle use of counterpoint.
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen is a Christmas hymn with many
translations and settings. This familiar tune of 1609 is by Michael
Schultze or Praetorius (1571-1621). He composed secular songs and
dances as well as chorales for the Lutheran church. He was also a
notable scholar, writing extensively on composition and musical
practice.
Salamone Rossi (ca. 1570 – 1630) was a Venetian Jewish violinist
and composer. Transitional between late Renaissance and
early Baroque.
Ecce virgo concipiet – “Behold, a virgin shall conceive,” a votive
motet for the Virgin Mary for advent and the annunciation. Setting
by Heinrich Isaac (1450-1517), who was born in Flanders and
worked throughout Europe.
Les Quatre Branles date from about 1530, sometimes attributed to
Tielman Susato. The bransle or brawl is a style of traditional French
circle dance.
The Fader of heven is a mediæval carol (c.1475) set in 1960 by Sir
Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016). Brought up and trained in
Manchester, Davies eventually made his home in Orkney.
Christe, redemptor omnium dates from the 6th century, and is a
traditional hymn for vespers or evensong near Christmas. This
setting (1641) is by Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643), who is also
known for Vespers (1610) as well as a plethora of madrigals and
early operas. He was an exponent of the controversial new baroque
music.
R.S.Thomas (1913-2000) grew up near Holyhead. He was
ordained as an Anglican priest in 1936 and retired in 1978. As a
poet, he won a number of literary prizes, and the great respect of
contemporary poets. He was a fierce advocate of Welsh
nationalism and preached against the machines of modern life.
In the Bleak Midwinter is one of the most popular Christmas
carols. The poem was written by Christina Rossetti in 1872 and
first set to music in 1901. This is the first performance of the
beautiful setting by Richard Morris (b.1947). Richard is also a
distinguished archaeologist, author of Churches in the Landscape
and Time’s Anvil. He read English at Oxford, studied music at
York, and then turned to archaeology during an excavation under
York Minster. He continues to live in Yorkshire.
Hwiangerdd y Nadolig is a Welsh version of Christmas Lullaby by
John Rutter CBE (b.1945). Dr.Rutter is mainly known for choral
music, which he composes, conducts, edits, arranges and
produces. He is co-editor of several volumes of Carols for Choirs.
He lives near Cambridge.
The Lamb (1982) is a setting by Sir John Tavener (1944-2013), of
the poem written in 1789 by William Blake. Tavener and Rutter
were at Highgate School together, where the choir was often used
by the BBC. He was strongly influenced by Russian and Greek
Orthodox traditions. His setting of The Lamb has an interesting
reflexive structure, echoing the simplicity of the rhyming scheme.
Christmas Day – a fantasy on old carols (1910) by Gustav Holst
(1874-1934) was dedicated to the students of Morley College,
where he was director of music for many years.
The Coach House
at St.Dogmaels Abbey
ARTS, ENTERPRISE, COMMUNITY & HERITAGE CENTRE
Richard Mitchley is an accomplished actor whose
credits include Dr. Who, Blackadder, and Pobl y Cwm, as
well as countless radio plays and many audio books.
Aled Wyn Thomas (tenor) has competed and
performed at many events in England and Wales. He is
from near Lampeter and now works in Cardiff.
Stephen Welch (baritone) began as a cathedral
chorister at St.Albans and came to live, work and sing
in West Wales in the 1980s.
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Beautiful ruins of a Benedictine abbey
Audio guides and books
Museum
Café for lunches, snacks
Regular bistro evenings
Gift shop
Gallery showcasing the best in local art
IT suite and training room
Room hire for talks and functions
Craft and art workshops
Information and guides
01239 615389
stdogmaelsabbey.org.uk
Thank you
Henry Ward (conductor) has worked as repetiteur,
coach and occasional conductor at opera houses around
Europe, and as organist and choirmaster at churches in
London and Hampshire.
The band
Richard Williams
Nancy Mann
Kate FitzGibbon
Vicki Weston
Tony Crofts
Peter Francis
Mary Hugh
Ros Powell
Côr Aberteifi – The Cardigan Choir
Alan Hugh
Alan Wills
Alun Rhys Thomas
Angela Edwards
Annabel Morris
Andy Kenyon
Ann Chrystis
Anne Deighton
Carola Beresford
Ceirios James
Christine Unsworth
Dai Penlan
Fleur Moody
Geoff Thomas
Gill Reeman
Gillian Parker
Helen Elster-Jones
Henny Ruessink
Hilary Hizzard
Iskra Holstein
Jacqui Harris
Jane Swann
Jane Thomas
Janet Bridge
Jean Page
Jen Carrick
Jenny Ingall
Jo Gascoigne
John Page
Jonathan Gaunt
Judith Dawes
Julia Thomas
June Smart
Kathleen Finlayson
Lindi Lawrence
Louise Welch
Lynette George
Meriel Davies
Micheline Peter
Molly Griffiths
Nicky Cross
Pam Ward
Pauline Latham
Patricia Phillips
Pete Ward
Peter Moody
Phyl Williams
Sandra Wild
Sebastian Garman
Tim Swann
Uschi Anscombe
Valerie Poole
Sarabande recorder consort
Ann Bransden
Douglas Bransden
We’d like to thank our many supporters.
Front of House
And thank you for coming to our performance!
Audley Burnett
Shirley Crofts
Jenny Ingall
Susanna Hanson
Kathleen Finlayson