https://www.stalbanscathedral.org/Event/st-albans-choral-society-mozart-requiem
01727 890210
mail@stalbanscathedral.org
https://www.facebook.com/StAlbansChoralSociety
https://twitter.com/stachoralsoc
https://www.instagram.com/stachoralsociety/
More about: Local Music, Music, Things to do St Albans
St Albans Choral Society, accompanied by Orchestra Nova, will be performing three excellent pieces on Saturday 22nd April 2023 (7.30pm) set in the exquisite surroundings of St Albans Abbey Cathedral.
Mozart’s Requiem – one of choral music’s towering legacies and a firm favourite of classical music fans of all ages – forms the centrepiece of St Albans Choral Society’s programme, with the choir joined by fabulous soloists Daisy Brown (soprano), Susan Legg (mezzo) and Bradley Smith (tenor). It will be conducted by its distinguished Music Director, George Vass.
The Requiem remained incomplete at Mozart’s death and in order for his widow, Constanze, to claim the commission fee for the work, she requested the great composer’s pupil, Franz Süssmayr, to complete it. The Requiem then had to wait a full two years for its Viennese premiere on 2 January 1793.
Contrasting with Requiem, Hertfordshire-born modern composer, Adrian Williams, will be represented in this concert with the world premiere of his deeply moving new cantata, The Innocent Fields – a co-commission between St Albans Choral Society and the internationally renowned Presteigne Festival. The Innocent Fields is a setting for baritone soloist, chorus, harp and string orchestra, featuring words from ‘The Hours’, a beautiful collection of nature poetry by Gillian Clarke – the National Poet of Wales (2008-2016).
For this important premiere, the choir will be joined by New Zealand-born baritone, Julien Van Mellaerts, who represented his home country at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 2019.
Performed by Orchestra Nova, Elgar’s first major orchestral piece – his popular Serenade for strings – opens the concert and is followed by Mozart’s early but wonderfully-crafted motet Misericordias Domini, completed in 1775, 16 years before the Requiem.
Tickets for the performance on Saturday 22nd April 2023 are priced between £5 and £30 and can be booked online in advance via the Cathedral’s website: www.stalbanscathedral.org/Event/st-albans-choral-society-mozart-requiem
Doors open at 7pm with the concert commencing at 7.30pm. The two hour concert will include a 20 minute interval with refreshments available to purchase.
For more information about St Albans Choral Society and upcoming concerts, visit: www.choralsociety.com
