concert programme
Handel’s Messiah
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ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC 2018-19 SEASON
Academy of Ancient Music
Monday 3 December 2018 7.00pm Gresham Centre, London
Wednesday 5 December 2018 7.30pm
Handel’s Messiah Barnaby Smith conductor VOCES8 VOCES8 Scholars Apollo5
Handel’s Messiah
Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge
A C A D E M Y O F A N C I E N T M U S I C 2018 - 19 S E A S O N
Welcome from Chief Executive, Academy of Ancient Music Welcome to tonight’s performance of Handel’s masterpiece, Messiah. Compelling choruses and impressive, highly melodic solo arias have made this one of the most enduring choral works of all time, and certainly one which the British public love dearly, with performances in this country every year since 1745. Indeed, at the work’s premiere (1742), ladies were urged to wear dresses “without Hoops” in order to “make room for more Company”: a record audience at Dublin’s Musick Hall were there for Handel’s superstar fame, and also perhaps because the much admired contralto, Susannah Cibber, was embroiled in a scandalous divorce. (The Rev. Patrick Dalany, on hearing Cibber’s moving “He was despised and rejected” cried out “Woman, for this be all thy sins forgiven!”) I am very pleased to welcome singers from VOCES8, along with Apollo5 and the VOCES8 Scholars tonight, under the direction of VOCES8’s artistic director, Barnaby Smith. I had enormous fun working with Barney and VOCES8 on their recordings for Decca (Eventide, Lux, Winter, Ola Gjeilo) in recent years, and as a choral group they also contain some superb individual soloists. Over the summer AAM enjoyed performing Actus Tragicus with VOCES8 and their Scholars, and we are looking forward to other future collaborations.
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I am also delighted that we are performing in Trinity College Chapel as part of AAM’s regular Cambridge concert series – a wonderful acoustic which suits this repertoire extremely well – as well as the intimate surroundings of the Gresham Centre in London. These aren’t AAM’s last performances before Christmas – we start a Christmas Oratorio on 22nd December at St. Luke’s, Chelsea with the BBC Singers (Parts I-II-III, with Parts IV-V-VI following on 11th January), and we perform in Spain and Switzerland as the festive season gets under way. Whether you are able to join us there or not, I hope that you enjoy tonight’s concert, and wish you a very happy Christmas.
Alexander Van Ingen Chief Executive Academy of Ancient Music
H A N DE L' S M E S S I A H
Welcome from Artistic Director, VOCES8 On behalf of VOCES8, the VOCES8 Scholars and Apollo5, we are delighted to join Academy of Ancient music for this special Christmas Messiah. As performers who educate, we take great delight in our work fostering community engagement and development; never is it more meaningful to us than when we are able to bring together the combined forces of the VCM Foundation’s singers in a project to support the work of the foundation, cementing our friendships and our beliefs. Rachel Podger
I’m sure for many of you an annual performance of Handel’s masterpiece marks, at least metaphorically, the day you put up your decorations and welcome in the season of goodwill. Handel’s Messiah has become a central feature of our musical year thanks to its unblemished brilliance, and its philanthropic history. The humanity of the composer who gave so much to the Foundling Hospital in London, and who instigated regular charitable performances of the Messiah for its benefit from 1750, is illustrated in a remark he made after being congratulated on such fine entertainment: “I should be sorry if I only entertained them. For I wished to make them better.” Both within its genre and well beyond, the oratorio is celebrated as a masterwork combining sublime melodies, perfect dramatic pacing and broad musical vistas. But its real joy, and the genius of its composer, was to paint the miracle of the Christmas and Easter stories so effortlessly, touchingly
reminding us of the messages of charity, love and goodwill at the heart of each season. It is said that "necessity is the mother of all invention"; fuelled not just by his entrepreneurial spirit but also the needs of his audiences and society more broadly, Handel’s Messiah marks both major Christian feasts, making it performable not once, but twice a year. However, standing at over three hours in length when performed in full, I have chosen to draw upon the composer’s own creative mindset and cut down the work a little. I hope that in doing so, we can together share a postconcert cup of convivial cheer, and still make it home in time to maintain our good humour as Christmas preparations continue apace. AdviceHub, 66 Devonshire Road Cambridge, CB1 2BL www.percius.co.uk
Emergency contact numbers: Libby Percival: +44 (0) 7718 752481 Desireé Ayton: +44 (0) 7718 489964
Schedule from Monday, November 26 2018 to Saturday, December 1 2018 as at Friday, November 23 2018
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Mon 26 Nov 2018 - Fri 30 Nov 2018 RP/V8: Guardian Angel Netherlands Programme
Gibbons, Orlando: Drop, drop slow tears Chant: Pater Noster Biber, Heinrich Ignaz Franz: Passacaglia in G minor for solo violin from the Mystery Sonatas "The Guardian Angel" Chant arr. VOCES8: Angelus ad Virginem Praetorius, Hieronymous: Angelus ad Pastores Ait á 8 Matteis, Nicola: Passaggio rotto, Fantasia, Movimento incognito (from Other Ayrs, Preludes, Allemandes, Sarabands) Purcell, Henry: Hear my prayer Purcell, Henry: I was glad Tallis, Thomas: O nata lux MacMillan, James: Domine non secundum peccata nostra Interval Tomkins, Thomas: When David Heard Bach, Johann Sebastian: Partita for Flute in A minor: I. Allemande Monteverdi, Claudio: Adoramus te, Christe Bach, Johann Sebastian: Partita for Flute in A minor: II. Corrente Dove, Jonathan: The Three Kings Bach, Johann Sebastian: Partita for Flute in A minor: III. Sarabanda Gabrieli, Giovanni: Angelus Domini Descendit Bach, Johann Sebastian: Partita for Flute in A minor: IV. Bouree Anglaise Park, Owain: Antiphon for the Angels (New Commission)
It is as ever a privilege to be able to indulge in performances of this iconic work; we hope it is for your pleasure as well. From myself and the whole VCM team I wish you a heartfelt welcome, and glad tidings of great joy; "Veni, Veni Emmanuel".
Barnaby Smith Artistic Director VOCES8 and VCM Foundation
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AAM Quick Pick
“Feasting Reconciles Everybody"
Each concert Lars Henriksson picks out one key thing to listen out for.
Handel's propensity to overindulge was so strong that it once caused a rift between himself and his friend, the painter Joseph Goupy. At a frugal dinner Goupy had prepared, he caught the composer sneaking off to secretly eat "delicacies" Goupy could ill afford. Enraged by this snub, he wreaked revenge with his famous sketch The Charming Brute, showing the composer in an unflattering state of gluttony. Following extensive research, David Hunter, a Handel specialist, has concluded that the composer was most likely suffering from an compulsive eating disorder, its effects – including that of lead poisoning through imbibing too much wine – may have even influenced his composition choices. Handel was certainly partial to port so may have enjoyed this refreshment from John Nott's 1723 The Cook's and the Confectioner's Dictionary: Or, the Accomplish’d Housewife’s Companion:
Perhaps Handel’s most famous work, Messiah, was composed in an astounding 24 days. It sounds like an impossible achievement, but Handel partly recycled existing compositions in order to finish on time. This was a very common practice during the baroque period, and Handel was a true master of remodelling earlier works in a new context. Consequently a lot of the music we associate with Messiah already existed in three of Handel’s Italian duets: "His yoke is easy" and "And he shall purify" were drawn from Quel fior che alla'ride (July 1741); "Unto us a child is born" and "All we like sheep" from Nò, di voi non vo' fidarmi (July 1741). For those who find this aspect of Handel’s compositional approach intriguing, it might be interesting to Google these duets* and find out what the originals sounded like.
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*Online programme readers – simply click on the Italicised titles of the works to find performances of the original works on YouTube..
Samuel Pepys
Wine a delicious sort. Cut a couple of Pippins and a couple of lemons into a dish, with half a pound of fine sugar; a Quart of good red Port wine, half a dozen cloves, some cinammon powdered, and Orange Flower-water; cover these and let them infuse for three or four Hours: then strain it through a Bag, and give it a Flavour with a Musk or Amber, as you please.
New Light on Handel’s Masterpiece
Messiah 1741 The Messiah from the Perspective of 1741 focusing on the work as first conceived by Handel with a most informative preface and a detailed critical report. Appendices include all re-composed arias for Guadagni and valuable information on performance practice.
Edited by Malcolm Bruno PB 5560 Score
OB 5560 Performance material
EB 8450 Piano vocal score
A Benchmark Critical Edition offering a reconstruction of the early wind parts based on a unique early source reflecting Handel’s continuo writing regarding cello, bass and viola basso parts incorporating all known 18th-century vocal ornamention featuring for the first time J.G. Herder’s German text with Handel’s music
ESSENTIAL BACH RECORDINGS Lars Ul L Ulrik ik M Mortensen t &C Concerto t C Copenhagen h
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The Brandenburg Concertos No. 1–6 »Yet another successful Bach album from the Danish-based international baroque ensemble – 6 out of 6 stars.« Thomas Michelsen, Politiken September 2018 CPO 555 158–2
Mass in B Minor
Maria Keohane, Joanne Lunn Alex Potter, Jan Kobow, Peter Harvey
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St Andrews Bach Choral Course 23-28 July 2019 The St Andrews Bach Choral Course welcomes keen singers aged sixteen or above (no upper age limit!) Director: Sam Evans Places for student singers available, as well as up to two conducting apprenticeships. Join us in beautiful, historic St Andrews to immerse yourself in the music of J S Bach and contemporaries. The course concludes with a liturgical performance of a Bach cantata. www.st-andrews.ac.uk/music/perform /shortcourses/choralcourse
»One of the most profoundly captivating interpretations to have emerged recently.« David Vickers, Grammophone March 2016 Chosen for ‘Building a Library’ BBC 3 February 2017 CPO 777 851–2
coco.dk/en/discography/
Photography by Sonia Stevenson. The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No: SC013532.
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H A N DE L' S M E S S I A H
Stephen Rose introduces Handel’s masterpiece The circumstances of the premiere of Messiah, in Dublin in April 1742, are well known. Handel was at a crux in his career. Having spent the previous 30 years mainly dedicated to the composition, promotion and performance of Italian-texted operas in London, he was increasingly preoccupied with English-texted oratorios on religious topics. Suffering from dwindling audiences for his music in London, he embarked in November 1741 on a nine-month residence in Dublin. Here he could present his music to new and enthusiastic audiences, as well as contemplate the future direction of his career in England. Handel’s concerts in Dublin mostly included oratorios such as Esther and Alexander’s Feast, but also a performance of his last Italian opera Imeneo, and the premiere of Messiah. In recruiting a choir for these performances, Handel faced considerable opposition from Jonathan Swift, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, who disapproved of the members of his cathedral choir participating in “a club of fiddlers”. In the case of Messiah, however, Swift withdrew his opposition
because of the charitable aims of the performance, to raise money for a host of worthy causes in Dublin. In the end, the first performances received a warm reception. As The Dublin Journal reported: “Words are wanting to express the exquisite Delight it afforded to the admiring crouded Audience. The Sublime, the Grand, and the Tender, adapted to the most elevated, majestic and moving Words, conspired to transport and charm the ravished Heart and Ear.” The enthusiastic reception of Messiah in Dublin must have encouraged Handel to change tack in his London career, and thereafter compose and promote oratorios rather than opera. Yet the first London performance of Messiah (in March 1743, at Covent Garden theatre) was overshadowed by controversy about the performance of religious works in a theatre. As a writer to the Universal Spectator complained: “An Oratorio either is an Act of Religion, or it is not; if it is, I ask if the Playhouse is a fit Temple to perform it in,
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Programme Note continued
or a Company of Players fit Ministers of God’s Word...?” Slowly, however, the oratorio gained respectability, particularly after it was performed at the Foundling Hospital Chapel in May 1750. The Foundling Hospital was dedicated to the “Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children”, and was acutely short of funds in the mid-18th century. As with the Dublin premiere of Messiah, the charitable aims of the Foundling Hospital performance dispelled concerns about the work’s combination of a religious text and theatrical arias.
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Interesting though the series of early performances of Messiah might be, it is also fascinating to ask how the oratorio achieved its fame and ubiquity after Handel’s death. Regular performances at the Foundling Hospital continued into the 1760s, directed by Handel’s erstwhile assistant, John Christopher Smith the younger. In addition, the oratorio soon became a favourite in the repertory of provincial music societies as far afield as Derby, Liverpool and Newcastle, as well as in East Anglia and the West Midlands.
Messiah was performed not merely in concerts, but in events that called themselves festivals, and which often had charitable purposes and a strong sense of social ritual. For instance, in 1757 Messiah made its first appearance at the Three Choirs’ Festival, the annual event that rotated between the cathedrals of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford. The Festival (that still exists today) was partly intended to raise funds for the families of clergy and cathedral singing-men; but it was also a key date in the social calendar of local gentry, and was attended by councillors, members of parliament and other local worthies. With its religious texts and stirring music, Messiah rapidly became a staple part of these important local events. Also significant were the two performances of Messiah at the 1784 Commemoration of Handel in Westminster Abbey. Celebrating what was then thought to be the centenary of Handel’s birth, the Commemoration showed how completely Messiah had been accepted by the English political establishment. The concerts were attended by the royal family and were financially
H A N DE L' S M E S S I A H
underwritten by members of both political parties (the Tories and Whigs). Using large performing forces – a total of about 500 performers – the 1784 concerts paved the way for the large-scale performances of Messiah staged in Victorian England. By the middle of the 19th century, Messiah retained its popularity with the country’s elite, but was also being sung by the increasing numbers of amateur choirs found in industrial cities. In 1857 an incredible number of performances of the Oratorio took place across England, some of which were intended as dry runs for concerts planned for 1859 to celebrate the centenary of the composer’s death. The highlight of the 1857 performances was the Great Handel Festival at the Crystal Palace, London, on 15 June. It included a choir of about 2,000 voices, drawn from amateur musical societies across England, and an orchestra of 300 strings and 90 wind and brass players. The performance was a celebration not simply of Handel’s Oratorio, but also of English industrial ingenuity in bringing together
such an immense ensemble. Newspaper reviews paid almost as much attention to the special trains organised to bring the performers to London, as to Handel’s music or Charles Jennens’s libretto. As The Musical World proudly commented in its review of the concert: “When Englishmen once make up their mind to do a thing – whether it be the repeal of the Corn Laws, the erection of a Menai railway bridge, the laying down of a transatlantic telegraph wire, or any other apparently impracticable task – the chances are a million to one that the scheme will be triumphantly carried out. Like Napoleon, Englishmen do not appear to recognize the right of the word ‘impossible’ to appear in the dictionary of their language.” Yet the huge appeal of Messiah cannot be explained purely in terms of the political and social institutions with which it was associated. Nor can it be attributed solely
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Programme Note continued to the patriotism seen in the 1857 Great Handel Festival. Handel’s music for Messiah offers a synthesis of styles Equally important factors in the success of the Oratorio and textures that has appealed greatly to audiences are its text and music. Charles Jennens’s libretto narrates ever since its premiere. There are relatively few the birth of Christ and his Passion, death and resurrection recitatives, but instead numerous sharply-characterised by quoting and paraphrasing numerous passages choruses and arias. Handel’s experience as an opera scattered throughout the Bible. It is no simple description composer is evident in the Oratorio’s arias, which of Christ’s life, but an account rendered each evoke an emotional state via in large part through the allusions carefully selected instrumental and The Great Handel of Old Testament prophecies. As vocal gestures. Some arias draw on the Festival at Crystal such the libretto incorporates such a stereotyped forms of Italian opera, such Palace in 1857 included wide selection of Biblical texts that it as the rage aria (“Why do all the nations resonates with Christians from a variety so furiously rage together”) or the a choir of 2,000 voices, of persuasions and historical periods. an orchestra of 300 strings bravura display piece (“Rejoice greatly, Moreover, unlike operas and many O daughter of Zion”). As in his operas, and 90 wind and brass. other oratorios, there is no attempt Handel sometimes includes pictorial to represent actual characters. There gestures that instantly convey a message is little dialogue or reported speech; to the listeners, such as the angry dotted instead, the texts are sung in the third person, avoiding rhythms on the words “He gave his back to the smiters” any crude attempt at literal portrayal of Biblical events, in “He was despised”. Yet despite this use of operatic and thereby gaining a sense of universality. elements, the arias also have a tuneful appeal that reflects Handel’s training in both Italian melody and
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German counterpoint. The smooth and melodious lines of “He was despised” and “I know that my redeemer liveth” partly draw on the lyricism of opera around 1700, but are also supported by a firm sense of harmonic structure that Handel gained from his German upbringing. Messiah is set apart from Handel’s operas by its many choral movements. Italianate opera mainly consisted of arias and recitatives, and rarely made use of a chorus. Handel’s oratorios, by contrast, drew on the English tradition of grand choral movements in church anthems and secular odes. Some of the choruses are exercises in homophony, such as “Since by man came death” with its contrasts between minor-key Grave sections and major-key Allegro passages. Other choruses show Handel’s skill, again gained from his German upbringing, in writing fugues. But most characteristic are those choruses that juxtapose homophonic and fugal sections. Thus “For unto us a child is born” starts as a fugue – albeit
with a transparent texture rarely heard in the works of German composers – and culminates in the chordal interjections on “Wonderful Counsellor”. Another powerful juxtaposition of homophony and fugue is found in the “Hallelujah” Chorus. Such choral writing is one of the main reasons why Messiah has appealed to generations of performers and listeners, from the 18th century right up to the present day. Programme note © Stephen Rose
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George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
Messiah HWV 56 (1741) PART THE FIRST Symphony Grave — Allegro moderato
Accompagnato (tenor, Blake Morgan) Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. ISAIAH 40.1-3 Air (tenor, Sam Dressel) Ev’ry valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight, and the rough places plain. ISAIAH 40.4 Chorus And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. And all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. ISAIAH 40.5
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Accompagnato (bass, Christopher Moore) Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: Yet once, a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come. HAGGAI 2.6-7 The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. MALACHI 3.1 Air (alto, Katie Jeffries-Harris) But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire. MALACHI 3.2 Chorus And he shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. MALACHI 3.3 .
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Recitative (alto, Katie Jeffries-Harris) Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us. ISAIAH 7.14; MATTHEW 1.23 Air (alto, Katie Jeffries-Harris and chorus) O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain, O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid, say unto the cities of Judah: Behold your God! O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, arise, shine for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. ISAIAH 40.9, 60.1 Chorus For unto us a Child is born, unto us, a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace! ISAIAH 9.6 Pifa (Pastoral Symphony)
Recitative (soprano, Eleonore Cockerham) There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Accompagnato (soprano, Eleonore Cockerham) And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid. Recitative (soprano, Eleonore Cockerham) And the angel said unto them: Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Accompagnato (soprano, Eleonore Cockerham) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying: LUKE 2.8-13 Chorus Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men! LUKE 2.14 Please turn the page quietly
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Messiah Text continued Air (soprano, Penelope Appleyard) Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, thy King cometh unto thee. He is the righteous Saviour, and he shall speak peace unto the heathen. ZECHARIAH 9.9-10 Recitative (alto, Katie Jeffries-Harris) Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. ISAIAH 35.5-6 Duet (alto, Katie Jeffries-Harris and soprano, Eleonore Cockerham) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, and he shall gather the lambs with his arm; and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. ISAIAH 40-11 Come unto him, all ye that labour, come unto him that are heavy laden, and he will give you rest. Take his yoke upon
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you, and learn of him, for he is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. MATTHEW 11.28-9 Chorus His yoke is easy, his burthen is light. MATTHEW 11.30 There will be a short break. Please remain in your seats. PART THE SECOND Chorus Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him. ISAIAH 53.4-5 Chorus And with his stripes we are healed. ISAIAH 53.5
H A N DE L' S M E S S I A H
Chorus All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. ISAIAH 53.6 Accompagnato (tenor, Sam Dressel) All they that see him, laugh him to scorn: they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying: PSALM 22.7 Chorus He trusted in God that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, if he delight in him. PSALM 22.8 Air (bass, Jonathan Pacey) Why do the nations so furiously rage together, and why do the people imagine a vain thing; the kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed. PSALM 2.1-2
Chorus Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us. PSALM 2.3 Recitative (tenor, Oliver Martin-Smith) He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. PSALM 2.4 Air (tenor, Oliver Martin-Smith) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. PSALM 2.9 Chorus Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth, Hallelujah! The Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever, Hallelujah! King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and he shall reign for ever and ever, Hallelujah! REVELATION 19.6, 11.5, 19.6
Please turn the page quietly
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A C A D E M Y O F A N C I E N T M U S I C 2018 - 19 S E A S O N
Messiah Text continued PART THE THIRD Air (soprano, Andrea Halsey) I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. JOB 19.25-6 For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep. 1 CORINTHIANS 15.20 Chorus Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 CORINTHIANS 15.21-2 Accompagnato (bass, Jonathan Pacey) Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. 1 CORINTHIANS 15.51-2
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Air (bass, Jonathan Pacey) The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 CORINTHIANS 15.52-3 Chorus Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by his blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen. REVELATION 5.12-14
H A N DE L' S M E S S I A H
Barnaby Smith Conductor Š Andy Staples
with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Barbican Centre, Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Konzerthaus in Vienna, Tokyo Opera City, Utrecht Early Music Festival Barnaby’s collaborators include Rachel Podger, Jonathan Dove, Jacob Collier, Academy of Ancient Music, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Barnaby is also Artistic Director of the Milton Abbey International Music Festival. Barnaby delivers masterclasses at universities and academic institutions around the world, and co-curates the Masters in Choral Studies with the Faculty of Music at the University of Cambridge. Barnaby Smith and VOCES8 Barnaby Smith is Artistic Director and founder of VOCES8 and as such is in demand as a conductor, choir trainer, countertenor and arranger. Barnaby completed his studies in Specialist Early Music Performance at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis where he was a pupil of Andreas Scholl. Barnaby is also an alumnus of the Britten-Pears Young Artists Programme. With a schedule that takes him around the world, recent highlights include performances at the Royal Albert Hall
On disc Barnaby has released commercially on Decca Classics, Universal, Sony, Naxos, Signum Classics, Warner Classics and VCM Records. He has four number one selling albums on the Decca Classics and VCM Records labels, and was delighted to receive the award for Album of the Year 2015 from Classic FM as well as being voted Choral Disc Choice Award by BBC Music Magazine in June 2014.
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A C A D E M Y O F A N C I E N T M U S I C 2018 - 19 S E A S O N
VOCES8 British vocal ensemble VOCES8 is proud to inspire people through music and share the joy of singing. Touring globally, the group performs an extensive repertory both in its a cappella concerts and in collaborations with leading orchestras, conductors, and soloists. VOCES8 has performed at many notable venues, from Wigmore Hall to NCPA Beijing and Palacio de Bellas Artes Mexico City. Touring highlights of 2018-19 include debut visits to Australia (Sydney Opera House) and Lithuania, as well as concerts throughout the UK, Europe, Japan, and the US. VOCES8 will perform with the Academy of Ancient Music, Manchester Camerata, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, and with baroque violinist Rachel Podger in the critically acclaimed "Guardian Angel" project. The ensemble is a Decca Classics/Universal artist and has released recordings that have all reached the top of the classical charts. A new album is planned for 2019. VOCES8 has premiered many commissions, and in 2019 will premiere a new work by Jonathan Dove marking the culmination of his period as Composer-in-Residence. VOCES8 is passionate about music education and is the flagship ensemble of the music charity VCM Foundation.
The ensemble is proud to be the Associate Ensemble for Cambridge University and helps to delivers a Masters programme in choral studies. As official Ambassadors for Edition Peters, the ensemble publishes educational material including the "VOCES8 Method". Also available are two anthologies of its arrangements, and an ever-expanding "VOCES8 Singles" range. This season the ensemble becomes Ambassador for the Tido App, an inspirational resource and learning tool created by Edition Peters. The VOCES8 Method and music arrangements will be made available via Tido during the 2018-19 season. The VCM Foundation is proud to have established The VOCES8 Scholars. Now in its fourth year, the scheme consists of eight choral scholarships available annually to young singers looking to gain valuable experience and contacts within the industry at the start of their careers. The main element of the Scholars programme takes place at the Milton Abbey International Festival and Summer School, the annual singing course for amateur singers led by VOCES8. Scholars are often offered opportunities to perform step-out solos alongside members of VOCES8 at important concerts, and the position may also lead to ongoing professional development and paid singing engagements from VOCES8 and the VCM Foundation.
H A N DE L' S M E S S I A H
Apollo5
Singers
The international award-winning British vocal ensemble Apollo5 delights audiences with versatile and engaging performances on the concert platform, singing repertoire ranging from renaissance, classical and contemporary choral music to folk, jazz and pop.
Soprano Penelope Appleyard† Rozemaryne Blommestijn Eleonore Cockerham* Andrea Halsey* Jessica Kinney‡ Emily Owen†
Tenor Sam Dressel* Jacob Ewens† Charlie Hodgkiss‡ Oliver Martin-Smith† Blake Morgan* Euan Williamson‡
Alto Andrew Cooper Katie Jeffries-Harris* Laura Lopes‡ Clare Stewart† Sophie Timms‡ Chris Wardle
Bass: John Lee‡ Greg Link† Christopher Moore* Peter Norris‡ Jonathan Pacey* Paul Smith
Frequently performing in their home city of London, they have sung in venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Kings Place (London A Cappella Festival), the Barbican, the Houses of Parliament and Wembley Arena. They regularly give concerts at their home in the heart of the City of London, the Gresham Centre. Last season they undertook a month-long debut tour of the USA and in 2016 they made their south Asian debut, taking part in the Taipei International Choral Festival. This season includes international performances in France and Poland. Apollo5 has released albums on VCM Records and the Edition Peters Sounds labels. A new album, O Radiant Dawn, will be released during the 2018-19 season.
* VOCES8 † Apollo5 ‡ VOCES8 Scholars
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A C A D E M Y O F A N C I E N T M U S I C 2018 - 19 S E A S O N
Explore If you enjoyed tonight’s concert, you may be interested in the following recordings:
VOCES8 recordings:
Handel Messiah:
VOCES8, Les Inventions [Signum SIGCD391]
Nelson, Kirkby, Watkinson, Elliot, Thomas, Choir of Christ Church Cathedral Oxford, AAM / Hogwood [Decca / L'Oiseau Lyre 4788160, remastered 2014]
Winter
Nelson, Kirkby, Watkinson, Elliot, Thomas, Westminster Cathedral Choir, AAM / Hogwood [DVD: Warner Classics / Warner Vision, 0630178342]
Equinox
Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, AAM / Cleobury [CD: Warner Classics, 2681562; also available as DVD] Jenkinson, Jones, Brooks, Davies, Spence, Dougan, Choir of New College Oxford, AAM / Higginbottom [Decca / L’Oiseau Lyre, 4119492]
Our Cambridge-based colleagues show just how much influence the period performance movement has had: Doyle, Davies, Clayton, Foster-Williams Polyphony, Britten Sinfonia / Layton [Hyperion, CDA67800]
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Benedetto Marcello, Psalmss
VOCES8 and guests [Decca 4830968] VOCES8 [VCM Records VCM121D]
You can find many of AAM's recordings at www.prestomusic.com/aam. Receive £5 off when you spend £25 or more at Presto Classical with voucher code AAM2018.
H A N DE L' S M E S S I A H
Who we are and what we do The Academy of Ancient Music is an orchestra with a worldwide reputation for excellence in baroque and classical music. It takes inspiration directly from the music’s composers, using historically informed techniques, period-specific instruments and original sources to bring music to life in committed, vibrant performances. The ensemble was founded by Christopher Hogwood in 1973 and remains at the forefront of the worldwide early music scene more than four decades on; Richard Egarr became its Music Director in 2006. The Academy of Ancient Music has always been a pioneer. It was established to make the first British recordings of orchestral works using instruments from the baroque and classical periods and has released more than 300 discs, many of which are still considered definitive
performances. (Among its countless accolades for recording are Classic BRIT, Gramophone and Edison awards.) It has now established its own record label, AAM Records, and is proud to be the most listened-to orchestra of its kind online. AAM’s education and outreach programme, AAMplify, nurtures the next generation of audiences and musicians. With this expanding programme, working from pre-school through tertiary education and beyond, AAM ensures its work reaches the widest possible audience and inspires people of all ages, backgrounds and cultural traditions.
Programmes include large-scale vocal masterpieces such as Bach’s St Matthew Passion and Handel’s Israel in Egypt, as well as concert performances of operas including Dido and Aeneas and The Marriage of Figaro. The AAM is based in Cambridge and is Orchestra-in-Residence at the city’s university. Its London home is the Barbican Centre, where it is Associate Ensemble, and it is also Orchestra-inResidence at the Grange Festival, Chiltern Arts Festival, Music at Oxford and the Apex, Bury St Edmunds. Visit www.aam.co.uk to find out more.
This season AAM collaborates with Michael Collins, VOCES8, Lucie Horsch, Nicolas Altstaedt, Tenebrae, the BBC Singers, the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, and the Grange Festival.
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A C A D E M Y O F A N C I E N T M U S I C 2018 - 19 S E A S O N
Academy of Ancient Music Violin I Bojan Čičić James Toll Sijie Chen
Cello Jonathan Rees Imogen Seth-Smith Double Bass Timothy Amherst
Bassoon Philip Turbett
Organ Alastair Ross
Trumpet David Blackadder
Harpsichord Jan Waterfield
Timpani Robert Howes Theorbo Eligio Quinterio
© Patrick Allen
Violin II Persephone Gibbs Liz MacCarthy William Thorp
Viola Jane Rogers James O'Toole
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H A N DE L' S M E S S I A H
Music Director Richard Egarr Hogwood Fellow Sandy Burnett Chief Executive Alexander Van Ingen General Manager Anthony Brice
Head of Concerts and Planning ChloĂŤ Wennersten Education and Outreach Manager Sue Pope Concerts and Projects Co-ordinator Alice Pusey
Orchestra Librarian Hannah Godfrey
Development Consultant Programme Editor Sarah Breeden John Bickley
Development Manager Ellen Parkes
Marketing Consultants Bethan Sheppard ChloĂŤ Priest Griffiths
Fundraising and Marketing Assistant Kemper Edwards
PR Consultant Orchid Media PR
Finance Manager Elaine Hendrie
Board of Trustees
Development Board
Council
Paul Baumann CBE Hugh Burkitt Matthew Ferrey Philip Jones (Chair) Ash Khandekar Graham Nicholson John Reeve Terence Sinclair Madeleine Tattersall Janet Unwin Kim Waldock
Elise Badoy Dauby Hugh Burkitt Elizabeth de Friend (Chair) Andrew Gairdner MBE Peter Hullah Philip Jones Agneta Lansing Roger Mayhew Craig Nakan Chris Rocker Terence Sinclair Madeleine Tattersall
Richard Bridges Kate Donaghy Jonathan Freeman-Attwood CBE Tim Harvey-Samuel Nick Heath Lars Henriksson Christopher Lawrence Christopher Purvis CBE
Sir Konrad Schiemann Rachel Stroud Dr Christopher Tadgell The Lady Juliet Tadgell
(Honorary President)
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VCM FOUNDATION
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Andy Staple
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Performance. Education. Community.
NCE A M FOR R E P
Teaching the World to
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vcm.foundation
BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
LSO DISCOVERY FREE FRIDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
Selected Fridays at 1pm
Selected Fridays at 12.30pm
Featuring the Nash Ensemble, Ashley Wass, Lucy Crowe, Adam Walker, Carolyn Sampson, Alice Sara Ott, Ray Chen & more
Drop in for 45 minutes of free music performed by LSO and Guildhall School musicians, with introductions from presenter Rachel Leach.
lso.co.uk/lsostlukes 161 Old Street, EC1V 9NG
BAROQUE AT THE EDGE 4 to 6 January 2019 Leading musicians from all backgrounds take the music of the Baroque and see where it leads them.
ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC Music Director Richard Egarr Hogwood Fellow Sandy Burnett Founder Christopher Hogwood CBE
11b King’s Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SJ +44 (0)1223 301509 info@aam.co.uk | www.aam.co.uk Registered charity number 1085485
Associate Ensemble at the Barbican Centre Orchestra-in-Residence at the University of Cambridge Orchestra-in-Residence at The Grange Festival Orchestra-in-Residence at Chiltern Arts Orchestra-in-Residence at the Apex, Bury St Edmunds Associate Ensemble at Music at Oxford Partner: Culture Mile
All details correct at time of printing
Visit aam.co.uk to find out more and to watch and listen to us in action
West Road Concert Hall Cambridge Live Tickets Box Office Tel. 01223 357 851 www.cambridgelivetickets.co.uk
@AAMorchestra
academyofancientmusic
Barbican Hall and Milton Court Concert Hall Barbican Advance Box Office, Silk Street Tel. 020 7638 8891 www.barbican.org.uk
Explore We seek to engage with out audiences in numerous ways:
Concerts
• brilliant music, expertly performed • inspirational, engaging performers at the highest level • detailed, informative programmes, free of charge • pre-concert talks and discussions
Online
• past concert programme information • performance and educational video content on YouTube • news and updates through social media • developing playlists for leading streaming services such as Spotify
Recordings
• over 300 albums, creating a substantial resource of historically informed performance practice • our own record label, AAM Records • new Strategic Recording Fund enabling track-by-track recording of lesser-known works
Learning
• dedicated Education & Outreach Manager, curating programmes for schools and communities • working with the next generation of performers and audience members • open rehearsals; opportunities to engage with performers • high-level scholarship and research presented in informative ways
jan‘19 11 26
36 performances 18 locations 1 unique festival For tickets & more information:
vallettabaroquefestival.com.mt
MINISTRY FOR JUSTICE, CULTURE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AAM’s Legacy Giving Dame Emma Kirkby “I was so lucky to sing over many years with Christopher Hogwood and his Academy of Ancient Music. Christopher based his work on sound scholarship and was all his life a generous educator. He also looked to AAM’s future, choosing his successors carefully, so that the orchestra remains in excellent hands. When Christopher died in 2014, a grievous loss to us all, his final gift was a generous legacy to AAM. Under Richard Egarr the orchestra and choir continue to flourish, bringing joy and inspiration to new audiences, and especially to young players, singers and listeners through the educational initiative, AAMplify. I salute Christopher for his care and foresight, and also AAM’s loyal Friends who have been with us throughout: thank you for all you have done up to now, and especially for any future bequests!”
Frances Hogwood “I am honoured to support AAM’s Legacy campaign. [My brother] Christopher was able to make such a difference to the musical world, and so much of the way we perform and listen to music now is his legacy to us. He left his beloved orchestra a generous legacy too, that they may continue to flourish and build on his achievements; and I hope that many of us might consider a similar gift in support of this wonderful group to ensure that this powerful, passionate music lives on, changing lives for future generations too.“
Remembering AAM in your Will The Academy of Ancient Music is committed to bringing more early music experiences to more people every year, and we are determined to preserve our music and music-making so that it can be enjoyed by generations to come. Our music moves audiences now just as it did when first written, and the commitment and generosity of our supporters ensure it continues to be powerful and immediate for audiences of the future. If AAM has enriched your life by performing music that you love, please consider remembering AAM in your Will; help us to pass on our extraordinary treasure house of early music to the next generation. There may also be tax benefits* for your estate should you wish to leave a percentage of your estate to charity. Gifts that are left to the Academy of Ancient Music in Wills are one of the most important ways you can support our work. Joining our Legacy Circle will bring you into AAM’s unique and convivial supporting community, and you will be invited to an annual lunch as a thank you for your generosity, so that we can keep you updated with AAM’s work. Your gift today is supporting AAM’s artistic activities of tomorrow. If you would like to find out more about AAM’s Legacy Circle, please contact Ellen Parkes, Development Manager on ellen.parkes@aam.co.uk or 01223 341097. Every gift in every Will makes a difference – however large or small. * as every individual situation is different, we recommend taking professional advice when assessing potential tax benefits.
A C A D E M Y O F A N C I E N T M U S I C 2018 - 19 S E A S O N
H A N D E L’ S
Brockes-Passion on the 300th anniversary of its first performance
Richard Egarr Robert Murray Cody Quattlebaum
director & harpsichord
Evangelist
Christus
with Elizabeth Watts, Ruby Hughes, Tim Mead, Gwilym Bowen & Nicky Spence
Good Friday 19 April 2019, 3.00pm Barbican Hall, London 26
Box Office: 020 7638 8891 barbican.org.uk
Handel’s Brockes-Passion: Sponsor an Aria Overtaken by many of Handel’s more famous choral works, the Brockes-Passion is (undeservedly) a lesser-known piece: there are very few performances, and even fewer recordings. But we believe this work merits much greater recognition. Reflecting the story’s anguish in some of Handel’s poignant and beautiful solo vocal writing and a series of endlessly inventive choruses, the setting represents a significant contribution to the choral Passion repertory. AAM aims to produce a definitive recording of this work taken from our concert at the Barbican with the tremendous cast seen opposite. We want to advance knowledge of the work and increase the number of performances it enjoys by making an extraordinary performance more widely available. This recording will feature the scholarship, vivacity and perfection for which AAM is known, but we can only do it with your help.
Recitative (x 47 available) £ 60 Chorale (x 5 available) £115 Aria (x 28 available) £200 Arioso (x 5 available) £225 Chorus (x 5 available) £260 Duet (x 2 available) £320 Sinfonia (x 1 available) £360 Trio (x 1 available) £450 Chorus - Soprano £600 Chorus - Alto £600
Chorus - Tenor £ 600 Chorus - Bass £ 600 Pilatus £1,000 Maria £1,100 Judas £1,400 “Gläubige Seele” £1,800 Petrus £2,000 Jesus £2,500 Evangelist £4,000 “Tochter Zion” £5,000
H A N DE L' S M E S S I A H
We invite you to sponsor an aria, or more – we will credit you in the beautifully presented hardback CD booklet, and send you a copy as soon as it is released. You can even choose which specific aria, chorus, duet or recitative you wish to sponsor (first come first served!); or sponsor as a gift for someone else. Achieving support for every musical component of this work – recitatives, arias, choruses and characters – will make this project feasible, and we hope you will join us inthis project – please contact Ellen Parkes, Development Manager on ellen.parkes@aam.co.uk or 01223 341097. Thank you for supporting our exploration, revelation and preservation of Handel’s Brockes-Passion. “It‘s astonishing that there are so few performances and recordings of this profoundly stirring work, unique in Handel’s output. In often almost unbearably close-up focus, the events of the Passion are made vividly physical and emotionally gripping, compelling the listener’s involvement. The raw intensity of Brockes’ text unleashes all Handel’s power to evoke the whole range of human feelings – outrage, remorse, shock, awe, brutality, grief, tenderness, love, rapture and many more, in swift succession and with tremendous cumulative force. Anyone who responds to Handel’s extraordinary expressive potency and ravishing melodic gift must wonder why his Brockes-Passion isn’t better known. I suspect it’s a work that will speak more tellingly to the present century than to any since it was written, and it’s exciting to think that the Academy of Ancient Music’s recording plans will engage new audiences with this masterpiece.”
Dr Ruth Smith (Cambridge): Handel scholar, author of Handel’s Oratorios and Eighteenth Century Thought (CUP)
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For tickets and further information please visit
www.CambridgeEarlyMusic.org Sing Joyfully
Tuesday 19 March, 7pm Trinity College Chapel
The Caius to a Baroque Christmas Thursday 6 December, 8pm Great St Mary’s Church
Gonville & Caius College Choir alongside the Caius Consort present Charpentier's rarely performed Messe de Minuit pour Noël as well as other Baroque masters including Weckmann, Buxtehude, and Schütz.
VOCES8 presents Sing Joyfully, showcasing the commencement of our joint education project ‘Roots’, in a programme including Byrd, Tallis, Victoria, Britten and Dove, with Monteverdi’s dramatic rendering of La Sestina at its centrepoint.
Johann Kuhnau
Magnificat The sacred works of the Leipzig St. Thomas Cantor Johann Kuhnau (1660–1722) have so far largely gone unnoticed in terms of research and performance practice. His »Magnificat« is considered Kuhnau’s most ambitious and best known vocal work.
Magnificat in C major with Insertion Movements for Performances over Christmas edited by David Erler
First Urtext edition, edited from authentic manuscript sources Detailed text sections, facsimiles as well as critical report Available for sale, complete
PB 32108 Score OB 32108 Performance material EB 32108 Piano vocal score by Andreas Köhs
18-19
concert programme
Tuesday 2 October 2018, Barbican Hall (semi-staged)
BBC Singers: Rameau & Lully
Friday 19 October 2018, Milton Court Concert Hall Sunday 21 October 2018, West Road Concert Hall
Wednesday 27 March 2019, West Road Concert Hall Thursday 28 March 2019, Milton Court Concert Hall Saturday 30 March 2019, Eindhoven, Netherlands
Bach’s St Matthew Passion
Mozart’s Requiem
Saturday 14 November 2018, King’s College Chapel, Cambridge
Monday 15 April 2019, King’s College Chapel, Cambridge Tuesday 16 April 2019, King’s College Chapel, Cambridge Wednesday 17 April 2019, Cadogan Hall, London
Michael Collins & Mozart
Handel’s Brockes-Passion
Friday 23 November 2018, Oxford Town Hall Sunday 25 November 2018, West Road Concert Hall Thursday 29 November 2018, Milton Court Concert Hall
Handel’s Messiah
2018-19 Season at a glance:
Nicolas Altstaedt plays Haydn
Saturday 17 November 2018, Antwerp, Belgium Monday 3 December 2018, Gresham Centre, London Wednesday 5 December 2018, Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge Sunday 9 December 2018, Fribourg, Switzerland
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
Design by AproposCover photo: Patrick Allen
Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas
Good Friday 19 April 2019, Barbican Hall
Handel’s Israel in Egypt
Friday 10 May 2019, Milton Court Concert Hall Monday 13 May 2019, St James’ Church, Chipping Campden
Barbican Weekend: Sound Unbound
Saturday 18 - Sunday 19 May 2019, Barbican Centre
Handel’s Messiah
Saturday 1 December 2018, Vic, Spain Sunday 2 December 2018, Granada, Spain
Saturday 15 June 2019, Halle, Germany
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio
Thursday 6 June, Saturday 8 June, Friday 14 June, Wednesday 19 June, Sunday 23 June, Thursday 27 June, Tuesday 2 July, Sunday 7 July, Grange Festival, Hampshire Thursday 4 July 2019, Barbican Hall (concert performance)
Saturday 22 December 2018, St Luke’s, Chelsea (parts I, II & III) Friday 11 January 2019, St Luke’s, Chelsea (parts IV, V & VI)
Bach’s B minor Mass
Friday 1 February 2019, Oxford Town Hall
Lucie Horsch & Richard Egarr
Sunday 24 February 2019, Milton Court Concert Hall Monday 25 February 2019, Apex, Bury St Edmunds Tuesday 26 February 2019, West Road Concert Hall Thursday 28 February 2019, Groningen, Netherlands Friday 1 March 2019, Heerlen, Netherlands Saturday 2 March 2019, Rotterdam, Netherlands Sunday 3 March 2019, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro
Musick for the Royal Fireworks Friday 21 June 2019, Katowice, Poland
Partner, Culture Mile Network