Willem de Fesch was a virtuoso Dutch violin player and composer. He spent some of his life in Amsterdam, but
from 1725 to 1731 he served as Kapellmeister at Antwerp Cathedral. After this he moved to London, where he
gave concerts and played the violin in Handel's orchestra. His works included the oratorios Judith (1732) and
Joseph (1746), as well as chamber duets, solo and trio sonatas, concertos and part songs.
Gabriel Grovlez was an eminent French composer and conductor. He studied with Gabriel Fauré at the
Conservatoire de Paris, and many of his compositions are for voice and piano. Les petites litanies de Jésus
is from L'almanac aux images, which are settings of poems for the piano.
Gabriel Fauré was a French composer, organist and pianist, and one of the foremost French composers of his
generation, whose musical style influenced many twentieth century composers, although his music took
decades to be widely appreciated. Among his best-known works are his Nocturnes for piano, Clair de lune and,
of course, his Requiem, from which Pie Jesu is taken. It was first sung in 1888 sung by the treble Louis Aubert.
Benedetto Marcello was a Venetian composer as well as a writer, magistrate and teacher. He was of noble birth
and although he was a music student of Antonio Lotti and Francesco Gasparini, his father wanted him to devote
himself to law. Through his life, he combined both law and music. His best known work was L'Estro poeticoarmonico, a setting of the first 50 psalms for voice, continuo and occasional solo instruments.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the most influential and prolific composers of the Classical era. He
composed over 600 works and he is one of the most popular, famous composers of the classical period. From
his childhood in Salzburg, Austria, he showed great musical ability. Already competent on keyboard and violin,
he composed from the age of five and, even as a child, performed before European royalty. He died in Vienna.
Vittorio Monti was an Italian composer, violinist, and conductor. His only famous work is his Csárdás, written
around 1904 and played by almost every gypsy orchestra. Its virtuoso nature includes a set of ‘false harmonics’,
which sound the played note 2 octaves higher.
Sebastian Lee was a soloist at the Grand Opera Orchestra in Paris. There he also taught the cello, and published
a method for the cello. The collection of Studies, from which this duet is taken, is used all over the world.
Julius Weissenborn was a teacher and composer of the bassoon, and principal bassoonist of the renowned
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra for thirty years until his death. Apart from a small number of Romantic works,
he is chiefly remembered for his carefully crafted studies, which are still in widespread use today.
Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the greatest composers of the Baroque period, though he did not receive
such recognition until the start of the nineteenth century. He also managed to father twenty children when
he was not busy musically. This harpsichord Allemande comes from a set of six keyboard suites published from
1726 to 1730, and the first of Bach’s works to be published. They were among the last of his keyboard suites
to be composed. The viola solo that we will vividly hear tonight was originally composed for viola da gamba.
Sunday 27 March 2011 at 7.30 pm
Gerald Finzi was born in London in 1901, and soon became involved in composition. He first studied music at
Christ Church, High Harrogate under Ernest Farrar, and later with Edward Bairstow, the long-serving organist
of York Minster. As well as the Five Bagatelles for clarinet, Finzi’s output includes nine song cycles, six of them
on the poems of Thomas Hardy, as well as the popular anthems Lo, the full, final sacrifice and God is gone up,
in
Sir Edward Elgar was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international
classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma
Variations (the theme of which is played tonight), the Pomp and Circumstance Marches and his cello and
violin concertos. He was also appointed Master of the King's Musick in 1924. One of his greatest honours was
to compose music for the coronation of George V.
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and
television scores. Born in Pennsylvania, he entered the music industry at an early age, and his most famous
compositions include The Pink Panther Theme and Moon River (from the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s). This
arrangement has been made specially for the WACS Brass Quintet by Mr Voice.
The organisers, Theo Beeny, Tim Fairbairn, Thomas Fetherstonhaugh, Dewi Rees and Lenny Rush, wish to thank
everyone who has lent their kind support to this concert, and in particular, Mr Milton, Mr Quinney and Mr Voice.
The Music Room
Westminster Abbey Choir School
given by members of the Choir School
in aid of
The Cathedral Grammar School, Christchurch
Programme
from Genny Long at Christchurch Choir School:
I write now from your farthest flung choir school with a plea for
help. You will no doubt be aware of the devastating earthquake
which has rocked our city during this last week. Many lives have
been lost, two thirds of the schools in Christchurch have been
damaged and many of our wonderful heritage buildings which were
modelled on those in England are now lying in piles of rubble. One
of these buildings is our Christchurch Cathedral, and one of these
schools is our choir school, The Cathedral Grammar School. The
Cathedral is mortally damaged, but the city is vowing to rebuild it.
The school has suffered the destruction of its oldest buildings and
is currently off-limits due to the danger of falling masonry. Amongst
the piles of bricks and dust lie the entire choir library, its practice
room, robes, and history. By the grace of God none of the school
family was amongst the 143 (and rising) who have died [now nearer
to 160]. For this, we are grateful. Our Christchurch Cathedral Choir
and our school is but a tiny and delicate outpost of the Cathedral
culture of England. We are looking to the mother schools of this
tradition for whatever assistance lies within your capability. Even
to know that your choirs are singing services with us in mind is
uplifting. Below you will see before and after shots of our Cathedral.
Largo and Allemanda
Willem de Fesch
Omar Lingermann (flute)
(1687 – 1761)
Petites Litanies de Jésus
Gabriel Grovlez
Hugh Rowlands (piano)
(1879 – 1944)
Pie Jesu from Requiem
Gabriel Fauré
John Hindley (treble)
(1845 – 1924)
Largo and Allegro from Sonata in B flat
Benedetto Marcello
Early Music Group:
(1686 – 1739)
Hugh Rowlands (harpsichord), Tim Fairbairn ('cello), Mr Voice (treble recorder)
Allegro in B flat major
Dominic Stokes (piano)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(1756 – 1791)
Czárdás
Vittorio Monti
Study No. 10
Sebastian Lee
Thomas Fetherstonhaugh (violin)
Thomas Nettle and Sam Grindlay ('cellos)
Arioso
Andrew Liu (bassoon)
Allemande from Partita IV
Mr Quinney (harpsichord)
Forlana from Five Bagatelles
Timi Otudeko (clarinet)
Enigma Theme
Luciano Cusack (piano)
Sonata No. 2 for viola da gamba BWV 1028
Christopher Willoughby (viola)
Theme from The Pink Panther
(1868 – 1922)
(1805 – 1887)
Julius Weissenborn
(1837 – 1888)
Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685 – 1750)
Gerald Finzi
(1901 – 1956)
Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934)
arr. Peter Gritton
Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685 – 1750)
Henry Mancini (1924 – 1994)
WACS Brass Quintet:
arr. Arthur Frackenpohl / Mr Voice
Dewi Rees, Lenny Rush (trumpets),
Theo Beeny, Gus Bell (horns), Charles Cooper (trombone)