York Early Music Christmas Festival 2013

2013 6–15 DECEMBER

Box Office 01904 658338 www.ncem.co.uk/xmas

Friday 6 December

Saturday 7 December

Event 01 7.30pm Venue St Michael le Belfrey Church, High Petergate,York Tickets £18.00 (concessions £16.00)

Event 02 Venue Tickets

Yorkshire Bach Choir Yorkshire Baroque Soloists with The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble directed by Peter Seymour

A Festive Venetian Spectacular Join us for a truly celebratory opening to the 2013 festival inspired by the genius of Gabrieli, Monteverdi, Schütz and Praetorius in 17th century Venice. Using the acoustics of St Mark’s, these composers revelled in setting instruments against voices to maximize the sonorities and theatrical ‘effect’ of their work.

Highlights include Gabrieli’s In ecclesiis and Jubilate Deo, Praetorius Wachet auf, Schütz Magnificat à 8 and Monteverdi psalms from Selve morale. www.yorkshirebachchoir.org.uk

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10.30am – 4.30pm NCEM, St Margaret’s Church £15.00 (students £10.00) including music and light refreshments.

See www.ncem.co.uk/xmasrose for details and booking form. Please book by 27 November

A Workshop for Singers with David Skinner

Christmas Music from Renaissance England The Trinity Carol Roll, now preserved in Trinity College, Cambridge, is the earliest source for the English polyphonic carol, including the most famous of all carols Ther is no rose. The workshop will study these 15th century anonymous carols and William Byrd’s Mass Propers for Christmas Day. This event is open to all voices but some sight reading ability will be helpful. The workshop will conclude with an informal public performance at 4:00pm (no ticket required).

Organised in association with

Saturday 7 December Event 03 7.30pm Venue Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York Tickets Reserved seating £25.00 (concessions £22.00, students £5.00)

Promoted in association with

Brecon Baroque

Rachel Podger director/violin Johannes Pramsohler violin Jane Rogers viola Alison McGillivray cello/gamba Marcin Świątkiewicz harpsichord

with Pamela

Thorby recorder A Christmas Canon

A sparkly entertainment of concertos, fugues and canons, alongside seasonal tunes from France and Germany.

Bach’s Art of Fugue provides the serious element! One of the most ambitious and brilliant of all his creations, he employs every conceivable contrapuntal machination, creating an exhilarating display of freedom within extremely strict parameters — utterly mind-blowing!

Purcell's theatre music offers a strong contrast to the intensity of the Bach fugues, Sammartini’s Concerto for Recorder crackles with virtuosity, Corrette's Concerto Comique – a portrayal of a Parisian opera on a small scale tickles our lighter side and Bach’s Nun komm der Heiden Heiland and Corette’s Noëls lead us firmly into the Christmas season. “fluid, dynamic playing” Boston Globe www.percius.co.uk/clients/brecon-baroque

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Sunday 8 December Event 04 12.30pm - c.1.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £10.00 (NCEM Patrons free of charge, students £5.00)

directed by Heather Moger

All This Time This Song is Best The Minster Minstrels are joined by singers directed by BBC Music Fellow Bethany Seymour in a polyptych of musical portraits depicting scenes from the Nativity. Our central panel, Hassler’s polychoral Verbum caro factum est, is framed by a colourful array of Christmas pieces, including a setting of Joseph, lieber Joseph mein (Hieronymus Praetorius) and Buxtehude’s Cantata In Dulci Jubilo. www.ncem.co.uk/minsterminstrels The Minster Minstrels is run as a partnership between the NCEM and York Arts Academy with support from the Mayfield Valley Arts Trust. If you are interested in joining this vibrant group – or our newly formed recorder ensemble for younger musicians – please contact us by e mailing education@ncem.co.uk

Become A PATRON

The NCEM Patrons Scheme is celebrating its first anniversary with a series of specially organised events designed to give Patrons greater access to our work – through open rehearsals, opportunities to meet with artists and like-minded individuals, receptions and supper parties.

The NCEM is dependent on your support to continue its ambitious programme of festivals, educational activities and concerts - so please do join us.

Contact us for information at patrons@ncem.co.uk, or check out www.ncem.co.uk/patrons Thank you!

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Sunday 8 December Event 05 7.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £25.00 (concessions £22.00) CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT

Alamire

David Skinner director Alison Hill soprano Ruth Massey mezzo-soprano Steven Harrold tenor Jimmy Holliday bass with Andrew

Lawrence-King harps

There is no rose: English Medieval Carols & the Trinity Carol Roll The Trinity Carol Roll (from Trinity College, Cambridge) is the earliest source of the English polyphonic carol. The 13 works in this manuscript include the famous Agincourt Carol, celebrating Henry V’s victory over the French in 1415, and much-loved and performed Ther is no rose. Alamire recorded the entire roll in the Wren Library at Trinity College in September 2011.

Celebrate Christmas with David Skinner and Alamire in medieval style with this charming programme.

“Extremely fine performances ... outstanding, authoritative, and thus essential listening.” Early Music www.alamire.co.uk

Gift Vouchers These can be purchased from the Box Office in amounts of £5 and £10.

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Monday 9 December

Tuesday 10 December

Event 06 7.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £18.00 (concessions £16.00) CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT

Event 07 7.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £18.00 (concessions £16.00) CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT

Tim Bayley, Lizzie Gutteridge, Susan Marshall, William Marshall, John Peel shawms, curtals, recorders, bagpipes, harps, hurdy gurdy, portative organ, fiddle, rommelpot, lute, pipe and tabor

Žak Ozmo director, archlute, baroque guitar Joanna Lawrence violin Natasha Kraemer cello, percussion Taro Takeuchi theorbo, baroque guitar with Sandra Medeiros, Joana Seara sopranos

The York Waits

with Deborah Catterall singer

Drive the Cold Winter Away: Music for the Cold Season of the Year Secular songs, dances, and topical instrumental music to herald the onset of winter. The programme includes lively dance tunes, ballads about feasting, pastimes for the dark evenings, and of course, references to the weather that dominated medieval and renaissance lives for a third of the year! The York Waits' vast array of period instruments even includes a rommelpot - a percussive device made from a pig's bladder and used by children on the continent to accompany their Wassails. “a display of consummate discipline and immense breadth.... in company with Deborah Catterall's warm, clear soprano, it made an aural - and visual – feast” The Press www.theyorkwaits.org.uk

Festival Saver Ticket £125 (concession £110) Buy a ticket for events 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12 and save up to 25%!

Includes Front Nave seats for Event 8.

Please note that all concerts must be booked at the same time and the offer is subject to availability.

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L’Avventura London

Christmas at the Monastery of Santa Cruz The Monastery of Santa Cruz at Coimbra was one of the major centres of Portuguese music during the 16th and 17th centuries. L’Avventura London will be presenting some of the most interesting, entertaining, and ravishingly beautiful villancicos and romances (passionate songs, both secular and sacred) along with related instrumental music, found in its archives.

The programme will also include villancicos de negros, by many scholars considered to be written musical manifestations of the black Portuguese population, and characterized by captivating melodies and unusual syncopated rhythms. Many of these pieces call on the listener to express their joy of Christmas celebration by singing and dancing, and it is truly difficult to resist. “terrifically animated, wonderful energy… gorgeous!” BBC Radio 3 www.lavventuralondon.co.uk

Thursday 12 December Event 08 7.30pm Venue York Minster Tickets Reserved seating front nave: £28.00 Reserved seating rear nave: £20.00 (concessions £18.00) Unreserved seating side aisles: £15.00 (students £5.00)

Sponsored by

The Sixteen

Harry Christophers director with Frances Kelly harp Francis Poulenc Medieval carols: Poulenc Medieval carols: Poulenc Benjamin Britten Britten Britten Anon Britten

Quatre petites prières de Saint François d’Assise Nowell, nowell: Out of your sleep; Sweet was the song; Sing we to this merry company Salve regina Nowell, nowell: In Bethlem; Angelus ad virginem; Make we joy Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël Hymn to the Virgin A Shepherd’s carol The Holly and the Ivy (arr.)

The Salutation Carol A Ceremony of Carols

We are delighted to welcome The Sixteen to York for the first time within the Christmas Festival and to celebrate the seasonal music of two of the most significant composers of the 20th century - Poulenc and Britten. Don’t miss this magical evening, concluding with the ever popular, and exquisitely beautiful, Ceremony of Carols. “the choral sounds were wonderfully clear and unfailingly precise … Christopher’s group can be just as impressively extrovert as they had been austerely restrained” The Guardian Promoted in association with The Sixteen www.thesixteen.com

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By kind permission of the Dean and Chapter, York

Ceremony of Carols

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Friday 13 December Event 09 7.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £15.00 (concessions £13.00, students £5.00) including mulled wine & mince pies on arrival from 7.00pm CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT

Bethany Seymour soprano Niels Tilma trumpet with Yorkshire

Baroque Soloists

Daniel Edgar, Nia Lewis violins Malgosia Ziemkewicz Artabe viola Rachel Gray cello Peter Seymour organ, harpsichord

Eternal Source of Light Divine Handel Vivaldi Scarlatti Conti Corelli JS Bach

Eternal Source of Light Divine La Follia Op.1 No 12 Su le Sponde del Tebro Languet anima mea Sonata for Trumpet and Strings Cantata 51

The soaring solo for voice and trumpet from Handel’s Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne presents the title and character of this extravagant programme based around virtuosic music of the Italian Baroque. Vivaldi’s famous trio and Conti’s cantata – part of Bach’s library at Cöthen – each provided models for Bach’s celebrated cantata for soprano and trumpet whilst Handel went to Italy to learn the latest flamboyant styles with Corelli and Vivaldi. This concert, performed by candlelight, promises a brilliant evening’s entertainment.

“Bethany Seymour’s elaborate vocal decoration superbly sung will surely place her among Europe's leading Baroque sopranos” Yorkshire Post www.bethanyseymour.co.uk Bethany Seymour is a BBC Performing Arts Fund Music Fellow 2012

Stay In Touch To stay in touch email us at boxoffice@ncem.co.uk or sign up at www.ncem.co.uk

& East Riding Early Music Festival

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Union Jill Brass Jaw Beverley and East Riding Early Music Festival Antonio Forcione Celtic Fiddle Festival Tina May

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www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

Saturday 14 December Event 10 12 noon – c.1.00pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £5.00 (students £3.00)

Members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with Andrew Passmore harpsichord and York Arts Academy

A Christmas Cracker Throughout 2013, the NCEM is working with baroque violinist Rachel Podger, members of the OAE and York Arts Academy on an educational programme designed to explore the understanding, and performance, of baroque string playing.

Our ‘Christmas Cracker Concert’ takes the opportunity to share our work with the festival audience with highlights including Corelli’s famous (and ever tuneful) Christmas Concerto.

This project is organised in association with

with support from

Event 11 7.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £15.00 (concessions £13.00)

Crows’ Bones

by Martin

Green (Lau) with Becky Unthank, Inge Thomson and Niklas Roswall Commissioned by Opera North Projects In the tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmastime, Crows’ Bones is a mesmerising collection of ghost songs old and new, pinpointing the essence of what is most beautiful and unsettling in the folk genre.

Led by Lau accordionist Martin Green, it is performed by a specially assembled group of folk luminaries made up of Becky Unthank (The Unthanks), nykelharpist Niklas Roswall and singer Inge Thomson (Karine Polwart band). Drawing together songs of murderous visitations and unnatural happenings, Crows' Bones takes you deep into a musical hinterland of broken music boxes and twisted gramophones to reveal the dark heart of folk song.

"Best of all was Crows' Bones, a luminous musical collaboration - a must see" The Herald www.operanorth.co.uk/projects/crow-sbones

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Sunday 15 December Event 12 7.30pm Venue Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York Tickets Reserved Seating £20.00 (concessions £17.00, students £5.00)

Supported by

European Union Baroque Orchestra

directed from the harpsichord by Lars Ulrik Mortensen Bojan Čičić concertmaster Anne Freitag flute

Barock meets Baroque JS Bach Bach Leclair Rameau

Suite No 1 in C BWV 1066 Suite No 2 in B minor BWV 1067 Concerto for Flute in C Op. 7 No 3 Suite from Acanthe et Céphise

We are delighted to welcome the EUBO back to York – it’s like no other orchestra as it auditions and selects completely new personnel from across the European Union every year – all gaining performing experience after their conservatoire studies under the direction of some of the world’s finest baroque conductors. In 2013 the EUBO comprises musicians from 17 different countries who will give nearly 40 performances across 14 European countries.

We are particularly pleased to welcome flautist Anne Freitag – winner of the 2011 Brugge Early Music Competition and holder of the EUBO Development Trust Award – in this her prize-winning European tour. Performances are truly inspiring and not to be missed!

“Lars Ulrik Mortensen's extravagant conducting encourages the young performers to bring out every nuance of the music in their performances, with exciting and intensely musical results" Early Music Review Promoted in association with www.eubo.eu

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Booking Information Box Office The National Centre for Early Music St Margaret’s Church Walmgate,York YO1 9TL

www.ncem.co.uk 01904 658338 On-Line: Visit our web site at www.ncem.co.uk and use the secure on-line booking service.

By telephone: Please contact the box office on (01904) 658338. Tickets can be booked by Visa, Mastercard, Access and Maestro. Please note that a surcharge of £1.00 will apply per transaction.

By post: Write to the NCEM Box Office, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL enclosing an SAE. Please use a large stamp for the return of 10 or more tickets. Cheques should be made payable to the National Centre for Early Music.

In person: The box office is open Monday – Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm.

Dates for your diary Friday 29 November

A Venetian Extravaganza Join us for an evening of music, mystery and magic www.ncem.co.uk/venetian Thursday 22 - Sunday 25 May 2014

Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival

Seating: Seats are unreserved except where indicated.

Reservations: Tickets must be paid for within three working days of reservation and at least 24 hours prior to the performance. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the venue immediately prior to the performance.

Concession prices: These are shown in brackets.

They apply to those aged 60 and above, students and registered disabled and their carers.

Refunds: We regret that refunds can only be given if the concert is sold out and we are able to sell on the ticket. Please note that there will be a 10% administration charge.

General enquiries: Please ring 01904 632220 for general information.

Group bookings: Special savings can be made for those bringing a group of 10 or more, in which case we offer an additional seat free.

Photography/Recording: Please note that the use of cameras/recording equipment is prohibited.

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Accessible facilities: The Festival offers a warm welcome to everyone. The NCEM website www.ncem.co.uk is accessible to the partially sighted and the NCEM has the benefit of an RNIB Braille map of York available on request from the box office.

Assistance Dogs are welcome at concerts. For detailed information, please ring 01904 632220.

The NCEM is a Typetalk Approved business.

The York Visitor Information Centre The York Visitor Information Centre offers help with accommodation and general information about the City. Please ring 01904 550099 or email info@visityork.org

Tickets will be on sale from December www.ncem.co.uk/bemf Thursday 10 - Saturday 19 July 2014

Hotel information

York Early Music Festival

Hotel information: The NCEM warmly recommends a number of York hotels, please log on to www.ncem.co.uk/hotels for details.

Booking opens Monday 17 March.

Details and tickets available spring 2014 www.ncem.co.uk/yemf

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AT A GLANCE Yorkshire Bach Choir L’Avventura London Friday 6 Tuesday 10

Vocal workshop The Sixteen Saturday 7 Thursday 12

Brecon Baroque Bethany Seymour Saturday 7 Friday 13

Minster Minstrels A Christmas Cracker Sunday 8 Saturday 14

Alamire Crows’ Bones

The York Waits European Union Baroque Orchestra Monday 9 Sunday 15

Box Office 01904 658338

DesignRedBonsai.co.uk 01759 319471

Sunday 8 Saturday 14

www.ncem.co.uk/xmas

yorkearlymusic The York Early Music Christmas Festival is directed by Delma Tomlin MBE and administered by the National Centre for Early Music through the York Early Music Foundation registered charity number 1068331. All details are correct at the time of going to press but NCEM reserves the right to amend the published programme if necessary.

Front cover image: The Nativity, miniature by Jean Bourdichon (c.1457-1521). © Victoria and Albert Museum, London