7 - 14 December
Box office 01904 658338 ncem.co.uk/xmas
S AT U R D AY 7 D E C E M B E R Event 1 6.30pm – c.8.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate Tickets £25.00 (concs £23.00 | *under 35s £6.00) including mince pies
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Solomon’s Knot Zoë Brookshaw, Clare Lloyd-Griffiths sopranos Kate Symonds-Joy alto Peter Davoren haute-contre Thomas Herford tenor Alex Ashworth, Jonathan Sells basses Naomi Burrell leader, violin Joanne Miller viola Jonathan Rees viola da gamba Eva Caballero, Marta Gonçalves flutes Jamie Akers theorbo William Whitehead harpsichord, organ
Festive music from 17th-century France A Song on the Birth of our Lord H416 Pastoral on the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ H483
Photograph Gerald Collett
Charpentier
Making their much-anticipated debut at the York Christmas festival, Solomon’s Knot embraces the evocative sounds of these two masterpieces as angels and shepherds share their joy in anticipation of the arrival of Christ. Some of the most beautiful music ever composed for the festive season. 02
Solomon’s Knot is one of the most exciting baroque groups on today’s scene. Performing without a conductor and from memory, they describe themselves as ‘a group of singers and players who are prepared to take risks in order to communicate more directly with their audiences’.
Who better to open the 2019 festivities than these communicative storytellers, renowned for their expressive interpretations? “of all the younger groups now making waves in the field of “early music”, Solomon’s Knot must be the boldest” - The Telegraph solomonsknotcollective.com
S U N D AY 8 D E C E M B E R Event 2 12.30pm – c.1.30pm Venue NCEM. St Margarets Church Tickets £14.00 (concs £12.00 | *under 35s £6.00) including mince pies
Palisander Lydia Gosnell, Miriam Monaghan, Caoimhe de Paor, Elspeth Robertson recorders
A Yuletyde Eve The way we celebrate Christmas has changed immeasurably over the last 500 years, but seasonal music remains a constant. Join this award-winning ensemble as they return to the NCEM after their acclaimed presentation in March, bringing to life festive music of the Renaissance, on recorders of all shapes and sizes. The concert includes works by Praetorius and Tye, as well as some more familiar carols. “Early Music’s very own Spice Girls” Lake District Summer Music palisanderrecorders.com
Event 3 6.30pm – c.8.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £23.00 (concs £21.00 | *under 35s £6.00) including mince pies
Sponsored by Greg Hurworth
The Gesualdo Six directed by Owain Park Videte Miraculum Advent is a time of mystery, reflection and wonder. Videte Miraculum takes you on a magical musical journey through the ages and across borders, weaving well-known Christmas carols, such as ‘Es ist ein Ros entsprungen’ by Praetorius, seamlessly into highlights from the 21st century, including Owain Park’s luscious ‘On the Infancy of our Saviour’. The Gesualdo Six adds an international flavour to your Christmas celebrations, showing the true, universal nature of this very special time of year. “One of the most striking features of this ensemble is that they produce the illusion of being one voice … the result in a kind of sonic unity that is distinctive and compelling.” Catholic Herald thegesualdosix.co.uk 03
M O N D AY 9 D E C E M B E R Event 4 7.30pm – c.9.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £23.00 (concs £21.00 | *under 35s £6.00) including mince pies
Boxwood & Brass
Join Festival Director Delma Tomlin in conversation with Emily Worthington 7.00pm – 7.15pm.
Emily Worthington, Katherine Spencer clarinets Richard Bayliss, Kate Goldsmith horns Robert Percival bassoon
A Georgian Country House Christmas Military Quintets (Dublin, c. 1770) Quintet from The Clarinet Instructor Select Pieces for a Military Band
Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782) attr. John Mahon (c.1748-1834) James Brookes (1760–c.1813)
Christmas in late-18th century England was a time for the upper classes to give lavish balls and parties at their country estates. Period wind ensemble Boxwood & Brass presents a taste of the elegant and diverting music that accompanied the festivities. Our ‘Band of Musick’, a traditional Georgian militia ensemble of clarinets, horns and bassoon, will regale you with quintets, marches, dance music and regional carols fit for the gallery of Pemberley itself! “Boxwood & Brass’ sound is nothing short of revelatory” Early Music Today boxwoodandbrass.co.uk
DIARY DATES AUTUMN @ NCEM Thursday 19 December, 7.30pm
The York Waits Yule Riding tickets.ncem.co.uk
Early Music Day 2020 Saturday 21 March, 1.00pm
Steven Devine harpsichord
Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1 tickets.ncem.co.uk
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Supported by
T U E S D AY 1 0 D E C E M B E R Event 5 7.30pm – c.9.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £23.00 (concs £21.00 | *under 35s £6.00) including mince pies
Joglaresa
grangehotel.co.uk
Belinda Sykes voice, bagpipes, recorder Angela Hicks, Cerian Holland voice, harp Elisabeth Flett fidel, voice Louise Anna Duggan percussion, dulcimer, voice
Sing we Yule Celebrate Yule effervescently with Joglaresa - and chase out the chill from the Celtic fringes of Europe with traditional carols and wassails from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Enduringly popular with NCEM audiences, Joglaresa rings in Christmas and New Year with carols, lullabies, dance tunes and wassails. “never a dull moment… brilliantly off-kilter” BBC Music Magazine Joglaresa.com
3–11 July
2020 Guests to include Stile Antico and Eboracum Baroque. Full details ncem.co.uk/bemf
Guests to include Iestyn Davies and the Dunedin Consort. Full details ncem.co.uk/yemf
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W E D N E S D AY 1 1 D E C E M B E R Event 6 6.30pm – c.8.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £23.00 (concs £21.00 | *under 35s £6.00) including mince pies
Fieri Consort Hannah Ely, Helen Charlston, Nancy Cole, Tom Kelly, Ben Rowarth singers Toby Carr guitars Aileen Henry harp Harry Buckoke viola da gamba Olwen Foulkes recorder
The shepherds of Bethlehem Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger Take a trip to Rome on Christmas Eve in the year 1629, where a performance of Kapsperger’s oratorio The Shepherds of Bethlehem is taking place in the lavishly decorated Vatican palace.
With a libretto by the future Pope Clement IX, this Christmas Play tells the story of the nativity through solos, duets, trios and full choruses, interspersed with instrumental and vocal pieces by Kapsperger and his contemporaries. Winners of the Cambridge Early Music Prize in the 2017 York Competition, Fieri Consort’s debut album is featured as BBC Music Magazine’s ‘choral & song’ choice album of the month.
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“Glowing sound enhances performances of sheer delight, with voices of exceptional quality and musicianship in enviably flexible ensemble.” Choir & Organ magazine fiericonsort.co.uk
T H U R S D AY 1 2 D E C E M B E R Event 7 7.30pm – c.9.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £23.00 (concs £21.00 | *under 35s £6.00) including mince pies
Ceruleo Emily Owen, Jenni Harper sopranos Kate Conway viola da gamba Toby Carr theorbo Satoko Doi-Luck harpsichord with Niall Ashdown actor
Burying the Dead written by Clare Norburn directed by Thomas Guthrie lighting by Pitch Black costumes by Hannah Pearson
Burying the Dead is a new theatre show for the 21st century which takes the audience on a fictional journey inside the head of composer Henry Purcell. Purcell is in his final illness, suffering from the feverish dream-like hallucinations in which the past, present and fantasy collide, and his songs
take on a life of their own, moving from the theatre of his mind to the actual theatre and beyond!
“this is one show that deserves greater exposure” **** Richard Morrison, The Times
The show deals with various issues from his life, including his experience with the Great Fire of London and the Plague, as well as his relationships with his wife and actresses in the theatre.
ceruleo.co.uk Supported by Middlethorpe Hall Hotel and Spa
middlethorpe.com 07
F R I D AY 1 3 D E C E M B E R Event 8 6.30pm – c.8.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £25.00 (concs £23.00 | *under 35s £6.00) including mince pies
Fretwork Asako Morikawa, Joanna Levine, Sam Stadlen, Emily Ashton, Richard Boothby viols with Helen Charlston mezzo-soprano
From Virgin’s Womb The Elizabethans enjoyed Christmas much as we do today, both as a religious event - a time of rejoicing and reflection and as a time of drunkenness and misbehaviour. Whatever their mood, songs, accompanied by viols, were very popular and this beautiful programme interweaves the famous In Nomines of William Byrd around a seasonal mix of music by Holborne, Peerson, Weelkes and Gibbons - a thoroughly engaging blend of jollity and piousness. “The dynamic range of Fretwork is stunning, its tone vibrantly rich and its careful paragraphing and sensitive response to the lyrics bringing these songs to life.” BBC Music Magazine fretwork.co.uk 08
Helen Charlston Winner of the 2018 Handel Singing Competition “An exceptional interpreter” Classical Source
S AT U R D AY 1 4 D E C E M B E R
Photograph Sheila Burnett
Event 9 1.00pm – c.2.00pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets £17.00 (concs £15.00 | *under 35s £6.00) including mince pies
The Mellstock Band Dave Townsend concertina, voice Caroline Butler violin, voice Tim Hill clarinet, voice Philip Humphries serpent, voice
Christmas Frolics An uproarious celebration of dance, drink and general misbehaviour as carried on at Christmas in many villages until about a hundred years ago - along with sobering admonitions from puritans, parsons and angels.
Alongside the revelry are carols dedicated to dancing, bellringing and cider, and the Devil’s own tunes, with parsons and preachers caught in the crossfire.
The stories and poems come from Thomas Hardy and William Barnes. With songs, tunes and tales from Hardy’s Wessex, in period costume and the band’s usual mix of early and modern instruments.
“Mellstock Band are England’s leading exponents of West Gallery style music – their skilful interweaving of Dorset’s songs and tunes with beautifully read stories and poems of the area, transports you back to the time of Hardy and Dickens.” Living Tradition davetownsendmusic.com
JOIN US AS A PATRON AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE Supporting innovation, excellence and creative learning Meet early music specialists and like-minded individuals through informal receptions, supper parties and concerts. Enjoy a unique opportunity to learn more about the musical inspirations behind the Festival concerts in the company of experts and friends.
If you would like to find out more, please contact Delma Tomlin MBE Tel: 01904 632220 email: support@ncem.co.uk ncem.co.uk/patrons
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S AT U R D AY 1 4 D E C E M B E R Event 10 7.00pm – c.10.00pm Venue Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York Ticket £28.00 (concs £26.00 | *under 35s £6.00)
Yorkshire Bach Choir Bethany Seymour soprano Helen Charlston alto Gwilym Bowen tenor Gareth Brynmor John bass with Yorkshire Baroque Soloists Peter Seymour conductor
Handel Messiah Messiah is surely essential listening for the festive season. Here Yorkshire Bach Choir is joined by an outstanding team of solo singers alongside the energy and skill of Yorkshire Baroque Soloists.
Returning to this much-loved music with fresh eyes, we will echo Handel’s London performances from the last decade of his life, including some rarely heard versions. The musical highlight of any Christmas!
“outstanding…the choir was sublime in its range of power. Faultless intonation and rhythmic accuracy…freshness and sincerity… [the soloists were] uniformly good, both in accuracy and expression” Yorkshire Post yorkshirebachchoir.org.uk
Supported by
The Queens Hotel 10
queenshotel-york.com
HOW TO BOOK The National Centre for Early Music St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL Box Office: 01904 658338 Email: boxoffice@ncem.co.uk tickets.ncem.co.uk A Perfect Christmas Gift Ask at the box office Tickets are available to buy online, by telephone, by post or in person and are also available for you to print at home.
General Ticket Information
In person: The NCEM box office is open Monday – Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm. The Box Office entrance is on Percy’s Lane which runs parallel to Walmgate, just off Navigation Road.
Reservations: Tickets can be reserved but must be paid for within three working days and at least 24 hours prior to the performance. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the venue immediately prior to the performance.
Online: Visit our web site at tickets.ncem.co.uk and use the secure online booking service. By telephone: Please contact the box office on 01904 658338.
Design: RedBonsai.co.uk
There is a non-refundable £1.50 administration charge per transaction made online or by telephone. A charge of £1.00 applies if you would like the tickets posted. There is no charge for print at home tickets or if you collect in person. By post: Please send your order to the NCEM Box Office, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL enclosing a large SAE. Cheques should be made payable to the National Centre for Early Music.
Email: Simply email your enquiry to boxoffice@ncem. co.uk
Concession prices: Where applicable, these apply to over 65s, under 16s, full time students, those in receipt of means-tested benefits and audience members who have disabilities. Group discounts: The NCEM welcomes group bookings. If you buy 10 tickets (full price or concessions) there is a 20% discount off the total amount. Refunds and Exchanges: 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.
If you are under 35 or a full-time student, you can purchase discounted tickets for most concerts but please note that this is a limited offer and is on a first-come, first served basis. To purchase these tickets, ring the Box Office on 01904 658338 or book online (tickets.ncem.co.uk) When collecting tickets, you’ll need to bring a photo ID which will be checked as proof of age. More info at www.ncem.co.uk/U35. Subject to availability.
Accessible facilities: The Festival offers a warm welcome to everyone. The NCEM is fully accessible to wheelchair users, with level access to the foyer and concert space, suitable toilets, designated parking and welcomes registered assistance dogs. If you have any access requirements, please let us know at the time of booking. The NCEM is a Typetalk Approved business. To ensure that the entire community can access our events, we offer a complimentary ticket to an essential personal assistant. To qualify, please join our access scheme or have a valid CredAbility Access Card with the +1 symbol. Full details can be found online or in person and can also be requested by emailing boxoffice@ncem.co.uk.
Weekend Saver Tickets Buy tickets for events 1, 2 and 3 and save £6.00; Buy tickets for events 1, 2, 3, 9 & 10 and save £12.50 Please note that all concerts must be booked at the same time and offers are subject to availability. 11
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Autumn 2019
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Catrin Finch & THE Seckou KeitA UNTHANKS 20 October
WORLD
23 October
SNAKE DAVIS FOLK
3 November
Box office 01904 658338
email:boxoffice@ncem.co.uk online: tickets.ncem.co.uk yorkearlymusic
The NCEM is directed by Delma Tomlin MBE and administered through the York Early Music Foundation registered charity 1068331. All details are correct at the time of going to press but the NCEM reserves the right to amend the published programme if necessary.
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