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2024 - Another new Orphean year ...
Our second concert of the year was at St Katharine's Church, Ickleford, on Saturday 22 June. The two main works in the first half were John Rutter's Birthday madrigals and the African-Ameican Spirituals from Michael Tippett's oratorio "A child of our time", the latter including the solo voices of Liz Mattocks, Sandra Eagle, Helen Martin, Romy Gwinnett, Robert Girvan and Clive Eames. In between Sally Hadley read "The glory of the garden" by Rudyard Kipling; Our accompanist, Clifton Hughes played an organ Carillon-sortie by Henri Mulet; John Burden gave a fine rendition of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair; and Angie Caldwell and Helen Martin sang the Barcarolle duet from Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffman".
After the interval, the choir performed two settings from Morten Lauridsen's Nocturnes: "Sa nuit d'été" (Rainer Maria Rilke) and "Sure on this shining night" (James Agee). Dividing the two songs, Clare Fleck read excerpts from Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie and Edward MacDowell's piano piece Hexentanz was performed by Clifton Hughes Belinda Copson read Summer met me by Fay Inchfawn — the pen name of Elizabeth Rebecca Ward. The evening ended with our own Martin Leadbetter's A Stephen Foster suite. These were arrangements of three of Foster's oeuvre: Jeanie with the light brown hair, The old folks at home and Oh! Suzannah.
After the interval, the choir performed two settings from Morten Lauridsen's Nocturnes: "Sa nuit d'été" (Rainer Maria Rilke) and "Sure on this shining night" (James Agee). Dividing the two songs, Clare Fleck read excerpts from Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie and Edward MacDowell's piano piece Hexentanz was performed by Clifton Hughes Belinda Copson read Summer met me by Fay Inchfawn — the pen name of Elizabeth Rebecca Ward. The evening ended with our own Martin Leadbetter's A Stephen Foster suite. These were arrangements of three of Foster's oeuvre: Jeanie with the light brown hair, The old folks at home and Oh! Suzannah.
2024 began with a concert at Holy Saviour Church, Hitchin on Saturday 16 March. Unfortunately, our Music Director, Anne-Marie was indisposed, so our accompanist, Clifton Hughes stepped into the breach, and managed to keep the choir in order, handing over the accompaniment role to his namesake Trevor Hughes, to whom we are very grateful.
The choir began with Lotti's sublime Crucifixus, followed by Byrd's two motets Ne irascaris Domine and Civitas sancti tui, and Mozart's Ave verum corpus. Sally Hadley sang Harry Brook's At St Michael's Gate, accompanied by Rowena Eames. The choir continued with Herbert Howells' Hymn for St Cecilia, followed by Rossini's Crucifixus from his Petite Messe Solonelle, sung by Helen Martin, and the choir ended the first half with Peter Gritton's arrangement of Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, with Judy King taking the soprano solo.
In the second half, The choir began with Fauré's Cantique de Jean Racine, followed by George Laslett playing the first movement of Beethoven's "Spring" Sonata; Sandra Eagle singing the Laughing Song from Johann Strauss the younger's Die Fledermaus, Jongen's Chant de Mai, and Tom Lehrer's Poisoning Pigeons in the Park (solo: Chris Blackman). The choir ended the concert with five of Ernest Moeran's Songs of Springtime.
The choir began with Lotti's sublime Crucifixus, followed by Byrd's two motets Ne irascaris Domine and Civitas sancti tui, and Mozart's Ave verum corpus. Sally Hadley sang Harry Brook's At St Michael's Gate, accompanied by Rowena Eames. The choir continued with Herbert Howells' Hymn for St Cecilia, followed by Rossini's Crucifixus from his Petite Messe Solonelle, sung by Helen Martin, and the choir ended the first half with Peter Gritton's arrangement of Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, with Judy King taking the soprano solo.
In the second half, The choir began with Fauré's Cantique de Jean Racine, followed by George Laslett playing the first movement of Beethoven's "Spring" Sonata; Sandra Eagle singing the Laughing Song from Johann Strauss the younger's Die Fledermaus, Jongen's Chant de Mai, and Tom Lehrer's Poisoning Pigeons in the Park (solo: Chris Blackman). The choir ended the concert with five of Ernest Moeran's Songs of Springtime.
2023 - Back in the swing ...
Our final concert of the year, on Saturday 9 December, was at The Church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Andrew, Hitchin. The first half was a performance of Charpentier's Messe de Minuit. After the interval, there were Christmas carols, some including the audience joining in with some very lusty singing! After the interval, the audience joined in Once in Royal David's City. Several solo items then followed (see full programme here) and the choir ended with a lusty rendition of We wish you a Merry Christmas.
Our first autumn concert on Armistice day, Saturday 11 November was at Tilehouse Street Baptist Church, Hitchin. The main work was Fauré's Requiem. After the interval, we opened with Martin Leadbetter's setting of John McRae's poem In Flanders Fields and his setting of Kipling's poem Gethsemane (solo: Phil Rowe, accompanied by Alex Rowe). Belinda Copson read Margaret Postgate Cole's The Falling Leaves. The choir's sub-group 'Opus 9' sang the Agnus Dei from Byrd's Mass for four voices and Leadbetter's Ave Verum Corpus. Clare Fleck read Albert Tester's To the Boys. Clifton Hughes sang his own arrangement of Thomas Hood's poem November, accompanied by Rowena Hughes. Rowena also accompanied Helen Martin in Fauré's Les Berceaux. The choir continued with two Spirituals Deep River and Were you there? arranged by Brian Trant, then ended the evening with David Lawrence's arrangements of Keep the home fires burning, Lili Marlene and A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square. and finally Sir Arthur Sullivan's The long day closes.
Our second summer concert on Saturday 15 July was at St Nicholas' Church, Stevenage. As well as the music included in our concert in Arlesey three weeks earlier, the choir commemorated its founder founder, the late John Railton, whose Five Folksongs were performed with appropriate gusto. Several additional solo and 'novelty' items interspersed the second half of the concert.
Our first summer concert was at St Peter's Church, Arlesey, on a swelteringly hot 24 June, when the cool of the church interior was a definite bonus! This was the first of two summer concerts, only three weeks apart. The performance included William Byrd's Mass for four voices this being the 400th anniversary of the composer's death. The choir also sang Handel's Coronation Anthem The King Shall Rejoice, Pearsall's Lay a Garland, John Rutter's The Lord bless you and keep you, items from My Fair Lady, and two works by our own Martin Leadbetter: Tom Bowling and an arrangement for chorus, quartet and organ of Rule Britannia. Solo items included a Handel Violin Sonata played by George Laslett (violin) accompanied by Rowena Eames (piano); I know that my Redeemer liveth, sung by Helen Martin, accompanied by Clifton Hughes (organ); We'll gather lilacs, sung by Sally Hadley accompanied by Rowena Eames (piano); and Sing me a song of love, sung by Barbara Young (the composer) and Liz Mattocks. Belinda Copson read Summer Music.
Our first concert of the year was at St Andrew's Church, Langford on 18 March. The main work was Josef Rheinberger's Mass in E flat, one of at least a dozen masses this Liechtenstein composer wrote in his lifetime! The choir sang O nata lux by Tallis, Come Again by Dowland, Hear my Prayer by Purcell, Lay a Garland by Pearsall and an Ave Maria by Lauridsen. Several operatic gems were performed: Dido's lament (soloist Helen Martin); and With Drooping Wings from Purcell's Dido & Aeneas; the Priest's Chorus from Mozart's Magic Flute; the Anvil Chorus from Verdi's Il Trovatore and the Humming Chorus from Puccini's Madama Butterfly. Clifton Hughes performed an organ arrangement of Vivaldi's Spring from the Four Seasons. Two light arrangements, Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron and Stranger in Paradise completed this spring concert's offering.
2022 - Back at last!
Our second concert of the term, on 10 December, was rather unfortunately timed to be in competition with the World Cup quarter-final match between England and France! So it was a small audience that enjoyed a selection of Christmas music including excerpts from Bach's Christmas Oratorio, with solos from Helen Martin and Robert Girvan. The concert opened with a plainchant from Cluny Abbey on the Salve Regina. The choir also sang music by John Tavener, William Byrd Peter Warlock, and Bob Chilcott, whose O little town featured soloist Chris Blackman. Two items were composed by members of the choir: This is Love by our resident accompanist Clifton Hughes; and Silent Night by soprano Barbara Young.
There were solo items sung by soprano Liz Mattocks, bass Clifton Hughes and alto Helen Martin. There were readings from Barbara Young, Judy King and Belinda Copson. Chris Blackman (organ) played a Trio on Von Himmel hoch by Johann Pachelbel. Finally, the concert ended with the traditional Coventry Carol, Ding Dong Merrily on High, and We wish you a Merry Christmas.
There were solo items sung by soprano Liz Mattocks, bass Clifton Hughes and alto Helen Martin. There were readings from Barbara Young, Judy King and Belinda Copson. Chris Blackman (organ) played a Trio on Von Himmel hoch by Johann Pachelbel. Finally, the concert ended with the traditional Coventry Carol, Ding Dong Merrily on High, and We wish you a Merry Christmas.
The first of two autumn term concerts took place on 19 November under our conductor Anne-Marie Hetherington, at Walsworth Road Baptist Church in Hitchin. The main work was Haydn's Kleine Orgelmesse, in which our own Judy King sang the demanding solo Benedictus. In addition, the choir sang Rheinberger's Abendlied, Bruckner's Os justi, Ola Gjeilo's Ubi caritas, and Martin Leadbetter's Laudate Dominum. The choir ended the concert with a lusty rendition of Henry VIII's Pastime with Good Company. The choir's occasional group of madrigalists sang Thomas Bateson's Phyllis Farewell and The Goslings by Sir Frederick Bridge. Solo items included Nicholas Brodzsky's I'll Walk with God performed by Peter Haworth, Bizet's Habanera sung by Helen Martin, accompanied by pianist Rowena Eames, and Sandra Eagle singing the Audition Song from Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II. There were readings of Galsworthy and Betjeman by Sally Hadley and of Rita Dove by Belinda Copson, and Martin Leadbetter entertained with some musical anecdotes. Solo instrumental items were provided by Chris Blackman (organ) performing Pachelbel's Trio on Von Himmel hoch, and by Clifton Hughes (piano) who played Cécile Chaminade's Automne.
On 2 July, minus a small number of singers to Covid, the choir was joined by its friends from the Stevenage Symphony Orchestra for a concert at St Mary's Church, as part of the Hitchin Festival. In the first (non-choral) half of the concert, the orchestra performed Cherubini's Medea Overture, Eric Coates' The Three Elizabeths, and César Franck's Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra, with our own Clifton Hughes as soloist. In the second half, orchestra and choir combined in performances of Handel's Zadok the Priest, Parry's I was Glad, and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music. This last piece, originally written for orchestra and sixteen solo singers, was successfully adapted by our conductor Anne-Marie Hetherington, to combine individual voices with the choir's full-blooded ensemble singing. As always, a real joy to be able to sing with orchestral accompaniment.
Finally, we were back performing in front of real people. On 26 March, despite losing several members to the latest Covid wave, we returned to Hitchin's Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Andrew, for a mixed programme featuring some regular favourites plus the stirring Benedicite by Ralph Vaughan Williams, which gave several of our singers a chance to show their individual talents. Liz Mattocks, Helen Martin, Sally Hadley, Matthew Maylin and Phil Rowe performed solo items and the evening ended with a rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem, to mark the sufferings of war victims, followed by a message of hope in Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
On 2 July, minus a small number of singers to Covid, the choir was joined by its friends from the Stevenage Symphony Orchestra for a concert at St Mary's Church, as part of the Hitchin Festival. In the first (non-choral) half of the concert, the orchestra performed Cherubini's Medea Overture, Eric Coates' The Three Elizabeths, and César Franck's Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra, with our own Clifton Hughes as soloist. In the second half, orchestra and choir combined in performances of Handel's Zadok the Priest, Parry's I was Glad, and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music. This last piece, originally written for orchestra and sixteen solo singers, was successfully adapted by our conductor Anne-Marie Hetherington, to combine individual voices with the choir's full-blooded ensemble singing. As always, a real joy to be able to sing with orchestral accompaniment.
Finally, we were back performing in front of real people. On 26 March, despite losing several members to the latest Covid wave, we returned to Hitchin's Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Andrew, for a mixed programme featuring some regular favourites plus the stirring Benedicite by Ralph Vaughan Williams, which gave several of our singers a chance to show their individual talents. Liz Mattocks, Helen Martin, Sally Hadley, Matthew Maylin and Phil Rowe performed solo items and the evening ended with a rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem, to mark the sufferings of war victims, followed by a message of hope in Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
2021, and more disappointment
Unable to meet for live rehearsals or to schedule any concerts during the spring and summer, we were delighted when our friends at Clifton Parish Church asked us if we would be able to visit them for a Christmas concert in 2021 to replace the one we were obliged to cancel the previous year; we were so looking forward to it, and rehearsals had been going really well, then at almost the eleventh hour the Covid news became so alarming that our hosts decided to take the sensible option and cancel. We very much hope that we will be able to fulfil this engagement soon
2020, the year of Covid-19 and empty diaries
We had four performances planned for this year, three in Hitchin - Walsworth Road Baptist Church in March, St Mary's in June, Our Lady in November - and Clifton parish church in December. All were cancelled because of the pandemic restrictions
2019, our 50th anniversary year
Our first concert of the year was at St Andrew's, Langford in March. Thanks to the church's formidable publicity machine, an audience of more than 80 heard us perform Vivaldi's popular Gloria, In Windsor Forest by Vaughan Williams, songs by Orlando Gibbons, Patrick Doyle and Robert Pearsall, and a composition by our own organist Clifton Hughes. Solos were taken by Helen Martin, Joy Seymour, Bryn Waterhouse, Julie Hartley, Sandra Eagle and Angie Caldwell, and a trio by Robert Girvan, George Laslett and Chris Blackman. ["Sublime"~ audience member] Photographs from Langford courtesy of Richard Wood
For the first of our two 50th anniversary concerts, in June, we visited the historic church of St Mary in Walkern where we were treated with great hospitality and kindness by our hosts. Our programme was specially chosen by choir members and featured some of our greatest favourites, including Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus, the Bruckner Locus Iste and Byrd's Four-Part Mass, which has been in the repertoire since the choir's earliest days. As a tribute to our founder John Railton, the final item was his arrangement of Five Folk Songs featuring soloists Judy King, Helen Martin and Grace Gillions. Then in July, with the addition of Gabrieli's joyous Jubilate Deo, we repeated the programme in our first visit to St George's in Letchworth.
Photograph from St George's courtesy of Tim Croot
In November we were delighted to combine our own anniversary celebrations with those of Christchurch in Hitchin, where we presented a mixed programme including two very different versions of Bach and a swinging arrangement of Ain't Misbehavin'. Solos in Bach's Cantata 182 were performed by Phil Rowe, Helen Martin and Bryn Waterhouse while Judy King took the lead in Mozart's Laudate Domine; Chris Blackman and Clifton Hughes, both prominent Christchurch members, made their own personal contributions with Rowena Eames accompanying Clifton on the piano.
To bring our celebratory year to a close we visited St Mary's, Henlow, in December, when we reprised a few numbers from the Christchurch concert, including four movements from George Shearing's Songs and Sonnets, and added seasonal carols. Helen Martin performed Schubert's Ave Maria accompanied by Rowena Eames, with other individual contributions from Ken Bradbury, Clifton Hughes and Chris Blackman. Barbara Young took the solo verse in Once in Royal David's City, while Joy Seymour, Sandra Eagle, Robert Girvan and Phil Rowe featured in other carols. Readings were performed by Sally Hadley, Belinda Copson, Chris Blackman and Grace Gillions. ["Your founder would have been proud"~ church organist]
To bring our celebratory year to a close we visited St Mary's, Henlow, in December, when we reprised a few numbers from the Christchurch concert, including four movements from George Shearing's Songs and Sonnets, and added seasonal carols. Helen Martin performed Schubert's Ave Maria accompanied by Rowena Eames, with other individual contributions from Ken Bradbury, Clifton Hughes and Chris Blackman. Barbara Young took the solo verse in Once in Royal David's City, while Joy Seymour, Sandra Eagle, Robert Girvan and Phil Rowe featured in other carols. Readings were performed by Sally Hadley, Belinda Copson, Chris Blackman and Grace Gillions. ["Your founder would have been proud"~ church organist]
Our concerts in 2018
St Mary's church in Old Welwyn was the venue for our spring concert in March, and we could not have asked for a better start to the year: splendid facilities, a warm welcome and definitely one of our biggest audiences - we ran out of programmes, which is always a great sign! Three items on the programme were by Gabriel Fauré - his beautiful Requiem (featuring solos by Judy King, Chris Blackman and Phil Rowe), the Cantique de Jean Racine, and Après un Rêve, which was performed by the sopranos and altos. The men got their chance to shine in a traditional Irish blessing, and the choir contributions were completed by Franck's Panis Angelicus and four folk songs arranged by Martin Leadbetter. The madrigal group - Lydia Hardman, Joy Seymour, Angie Caldwell, Pat Holmes and Phil Rowe - presented two pieces, and after his solo performance of a Bach prelude on the organ Clifton Hughes joined Angie Caldwell in Saint-Saens' duet Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix from Samson and Delilah.
["A fantastically well performed concert! Well done to all of you"~audience member]
Much of the same programme was revisited at All Saints church, Clifton, in
May except for the substitution of two works by Mendelssohn - Verleih uns
Frieden and Psalm 43 - for the folk songs, and the addition of three French
songs performed by soprano Julie Hartley. The madrigal group enlisted
Martin Leadbetter's help in Phil Rowe's absence, and Peter Haworth stepped
in to perform a solo in the Requiem. A very appreciative audience raised
more than £500 for Christian Aid. ["A lovely evening"~church member]
["A fantastically well performed concert! Well done to all of you"~audience member]
Much of the same programme was revisited at All Saints church, Clifton, in
May except for the substitution of two works by Mendelssohn - Verleih uns
Frieden and Psalm 43 - for the folk songs, and the addition of three French
songs performed by soprano Julie Hartley. The madrigal group enlisted
Martin Leadbetter's help in Phil Rowe's absence, and Peter Haworth stepped
in to perform a solo in the Requiem. A very appreciative audience raised
more than £500 for Christian Aid. ["A lovely evening"~church member]
Photograph from our Clifton concert courtesy of Peter Blackmore
On the opening weekend of the Hitchin Festival in June we joined forces once again with the Stevenage Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Phillip Brunton, to present Handel's Coronation Anthem The King Shall Rejoice, and Dvorak's Te Deum with soloists Susanna MacRae and Jolyon Loy. On a warm summer evening at St Mary's in Hitchin, our audience members were glad to take their refreshments outside!
Our contribution to the Armistice commemorations in November took place at St Nicholas' church in Stevenage, where we performed Herbert Howells' moving Requiem and other music marking both the end of the First World War one hundred years ago, and also the centenary of the RAF. Solo roles in the Requiem were sung by Julie Hartley, Grace Gillions, Joy Seymour, Angie Caldwell, Bryn Waterhouse, Ken Bradbury, Clifton Hughes and Peter Mackenzie; our guest bugler Dan Taylor opened the concert with a beautiful Last Post and the musical items were interspersed with poetry readings.
In December we were invited to join in the patronal festival celebrations at the church of Our Lady Immaculate in Hitchin. In the absence of Anne-Marie Hetherington, due to illness, our indefatigable accompanist Clifton Hughes stepped in to conduct the programme of seasonal music, including solos from Julie Hartley, Bryn Waterhouse, Helen Martin and Louise Newton; other individual contributions came from Jenny Smith, Joy Seymour, Phil Rowe, Ken Bradbury and Chris Blackman - who also took the conductor's 'baton' at one point while Clifton was otherwise engaged at the organ. A large audience ensured that the church made an unexpected profit!
Our contribution to the Armistice commemorations in November took place at St Nicholas' church in Stevenage, where we performed Herbert Howells' moving Requiem and other music marking both the end of the First World War one hundred years ago, and also the centenary of the RAF. Solo roles in the Requiem were sung by Julie Hartley, Grace Gillions, Joy Seymour, Angie Caldwell, Bryn Waterhouse, Ken Bradbury, Clifton Hughes and Peter Mackenzie; our guest bugler Dan Taylor opened the concert with a beautiful Last Post and the musical items were interspersed with poetry readings.
In December we were invited to join in the patronal festival celebrations at the church of Our Lady Immaculate in Hitchin. In the absence of Anne-Marie Hetherington, due to illness, our indefatigable accompanist Clifton Hughes stepped in to conduct the programme of seasonal music, including solos from Julie Hartley, Bryn Waterhouse, Helen Martin and Louise Newton; other individual contributions came from Jenny Smith, Joy Seymour, Phil Rowe, Ken Bradbury and Chris Blackman - who also took the conductor's 'baton' at one point while Clifton was otherwise engaged at the organ. A large audience ensured that the church made an unexpected profit!
Clifton Hughes takes his bow after the concert
at Our Lady
Photograph courtesy of John Chamberlain
Our concerts in 2017
An evening of JS Bach at St Mary's, Baldock, in March opened our 2017 season. The first half of the concert was Cantata No. 80 Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, featuring solo contributions from Phil Rowe, Maggie Griffith, Julie Hartley, Ken Bradbury and Angie Caldwell. Organist Clifton Hughes opened the second half with the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, then Chris Blackman played the organ prelude to our second cantata, No. 227 Jesu, meine Freude. The two trios were performed by Sandra Eagle, Maggie Griffith, Joy Seymour, Grace Gillions, Robert Girvan and Peter Hewitt.
Appropriately for our concert in June, at St Michael's church in Letchworth, the programme featured summery music - the choir entered to the traditional round Sumer is Icumen In, and the female voices sang an arrangement of Thomas Hardy's poem Summer Scheme arranged by Sally Gray. The audience also enjoyed Martin Leadbetter's arrangement of four folk songs, Benjamin Britten's The Ballad of Little Musgrave sung by the male voices, Elgar's From the Bavarian Highlands, and a medley of favourites from West Side Story, with contributions from George Lazlett and Rosemary Read playing Mozart's Rondo from Duo K423, and Clifton Hughes performing a 'theatre organ' selection from Fiddler on the Roof - to remind everyone that we were raising money for the church's roof rebuilding fund!
Finally on a freezing evening in December we were warmly welcomed by the congregation of St Denys in Colmworth where our programme included motets by Poulenc, Monteverdi's Beatus Vir and a mixed bag of other Christmas music featuring Lydia Hardman, Judy King, Ken Bradbury, Chris Blackman and other choir members in solo roles. Perhaps we took a bit of a risk singing Clifton Hughes's arrangement of White Christmas - it snowed the next day!
Appropriately for our concert in June, at St Michael's church in Letchworth, the programme featured summery music - the choir entered to the traditional round Sumer is Icumen In, and the female voices sang an arrangement of Thomas Hardy's poem Summer Scheme arranged by Sally Gray. The audience also enjoyed Martin Leadbetter's arrangement of four folk songs, Benjamin Britten's The Ballad of Little Musgrave sung by the male voices, Elgar's From the Bavarian Highlands, and a medley of favourites from West Side Story, with contributions from George Lazlett and Rosemary Read playing Mozart's Rondo from Duo K423, and Clifton Hughes performing a 'theatre organ' selection from Fiddler on the Roof - to remind everyone that we were raising money for the church's roof rebuilding fund!
Finally on a freezing evening in December we were warmly welcomed by the congregation of St Denys in Colmworth where our programme included motets by Poulenc, Monteverdi's Beatus Vir and a mixed bag of other Christmas music featuring Lydia Hardman, Judy King, Ken Bradbury, Chris Blackman and other choir members in solo roles. Perhaps we took a bit of a risk singing Clifton Hughes's arrangement of White Christmas - it snowed the next day!
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Pictures from Colmworth courtesy of Rob Huddart
Our concerts in 2016
After the postponement from October 2015, because of vital restoration work to the church organ, we were at last able to fulfil our promise to perform at St Katharine's in Ickleford in March with a programme designed to show off the instrument. Although we began with the unaccompanied Missa Papae Marcelli by Palestrina, the shiny new pipes were allowed to let rip in the second half with Vivaldi's Magnificat, featuring solos by Sandra Eagle, Gill Bland and Ann Hartley and a duet by Julie Hartley and Maggie Griffith; Clifton Hughes played John Stanley's Voluntary VIII and Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, and St Katharine's own organist, Clifford Rowe, got his turn at the keyboard accompanying an arrangement of Sir Arthur Sullivan's The Lost Chord.
["The whole building was filled with glorious sound"~church member]
Our regular Hitchin Festival concert in July found us at Holy Saviour church in Hitchin singing items themed around Night and Day. As well as the Cole Porter classic of the same name, the music included extracts from Rachmaninoff's stunning Vespers with the alto solo sung by Angie Caldwell, Delius's 'song without words' Summer Night on the Water, and Sir Arthur Sullivan's setting of The Long Day Closes. We also introduced our new madrigal group, comprising Judy King, Joy Seymour, Angie Caldwell, Ken Hollow and Phil Rowe, who performed two pieces by Thomas Tomkins.
["The Rachmaninoff was wonderful - so evocative of Russia"~audience member]
We rounded off the year with a well-attended concert in December at St Mary's, Hitchin, where we were delighted to welcome back the Buccinate Brass ensemble for a performance of John Rutter's Gloria. Eleven members of the choir sang individual roles in a programme which included three of the Chester motets, Britten's A hymn to the Virgin, five lesser-known Christmas carols and a new setting of the Coventry Carol by choir bass Martin Leadbetter, while the brass players added their own touch of seasonal flavour with arrangements of Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls and We wish you a Merry Christmas.
["I really enjoyed the mix of music"~audience member]
Our concerts in 2015
In March we were invited to perform at the church of St Edmund and St James in Blunham. It was definitely a concert of two halves - contrasting Byrd's Four Part Mass with well-loved standards and a comic song from Flanders and Swann!
For our contribution to the Hitchin Festival in June we performed with our friends from Buccinate Brass at St Mary's in Hitchin. The programme included Purcell's Funeral Sentences, extracts from the Monteverdi Vespers with solos from Maggie Griffith and Angie Caldwell, and Heinrich Schutz's setting of Psalm 150 Alleluja! Lobet den Herren in Steinem Heiligtum, featuring several other members in solo roles. Julie Hartley and Sandra Eagle gave a beautiful rendition of Pur ti miro from Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea and, to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the battle of Agincourt, the evening closed with a stirring version of Non Nobis Domine, the battle hymn from Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, and The Song of Agincourt arranged by choir member Martin Leadbetter.
["The Funeral Sentences sounded gorgeous"~audience member]
In October we had to make big changes at not quite the eleventh hour, when the organ at our scheduled venue of St Katharine's in Ickleford needed urgent maintenance. Instead we performed John Rutter's lovely Requiem at Tilehouse Street Baptist Church in Hitchin, as well as reprising our Agincourt commemoration from the summer concert and practising our bebop-doowahs in some lighter items. ["A lovely concert - such variety"~audience member]
Finally we wrapped up the year with a Christmas concert at All Saints', Clifton in December, starting with a selection of movements from Handel's Messiah featuring solos from Angie Caldwell, Phil Rowe and Grace Gillions. The second half included two of the Chester Motets and a variety of carols, paying special tribute to the late Sir David Willcocks.
For our contribution to the Hitchin Festival in June we performed with our friends from Buccinate Brass at St Mary's in Hitchin. The programme included Purcell's Funeral Sentences, extracts from the Monteverdi Vespers with solos from Maggie Griffith and Angie Caldwell, and Heinrich Schutz's setting of Psalm 150 Alleluja! Lobet den Herren in Steinem Heiligtum, featuring several other members in solo roles. Julie Hartley and Sandra Eagle gave a beautiful rendition of Pur ti miro from Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea and, to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the battle of Agincourt, the evening closed with a stirring version of Non Nobis Domine, the battle hymn from Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, and The Song of Agincourt arranged by choir member Martin Leadbetter.
["The Funeral Sentences sounded gorgeous"~audience member]
In October we had to make big changes at not quite the eleventh hour, when the organ at our scheduled venue of St Katharine's in Ickleford needed urgent maintenance. Instead we performed John Rutter's lovely Requiem at Tilehouse Street Baptist Church in Hitchin, as well as reprising our Agincourt commemoration from the summer concert and practising our bebop-doowahs in some lighter items. ["A lovely concert - such variety"~audience member]
Finally we wrapped up the year with a Christmas concert at All Saints', Clifton in December, starting with a selection of movements from Handel's Messiah featuring solos from Angie Caldwell, Phil Rowe and Grace Gillions. The second half included two of the Chester Motets and a variety of carols, paying special tribute to the late Sir David Willcocks.
Our concerts in 2014
For our Lenten concert in March we performed our programme twice: on March 15th we were in Tilehouse Street Baptist Church, Hitchin and the following Saturday we travelled to St Mary's Church, Pirton. The first part of the programme was Byrd's Four Part Mass, then after the interval we sang Hear My Prayer by Purcell , Lotti's Crucifixus, a duet from Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, Ian Harrold's Ave Maria, O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridsen followed by two short organ solos. We finished with Rachmaninov's Ave Maria (Bogoroditsye Dyevo) and Fauré's Cantique de Jean Racine. We felt most warmly welcomed at both venues and thoroughly enjoyed our visits.
["Delightful music - the quality of presentation was much enjoyed"~ Chairman of organisers at Pirton. ]
Photograph of our Tilehouse Street concert courtesy of Sam Hallas
We were proud to open the 2014 Hitchin Festival with our concert at St Mary's Church, Hitchin in June when we teamed up with Stevenage Symphony Orchestra to perform Mozart's C-minor Mass, with soloists Alison Rose, Kate Howden, Nicholas Scott and Richard Walshe. In the first half of the concert the orchestra, under their own director Phillip Brunton, performed Brahms' Academic Festival Overture and Elgar's Enigma Variations.
Our contribution to the First World War centenary commemorations took place at St Mary's Church, Baldock, in November when the programme included Fauré's Requiem, with solos from Judy King, Phil Rowe and Chris Blackman, and a setting by Martin Leadbetter of the poem In Flanders Fields. Audience members were persuaded to join in a rousing rendition of Pack Up Your Troubles/It's a Long Way to Tipperary, and on this special occasion it was moving to see so many people standing to sing Jerusalem.
The welcome we receive at Great Wymondley is always so warm, we love performing there; and our Christmas concert in December was another happy occasion. The programme included extracts from Handel's Messiah, with solos by Ellie Scott, Angie Caldwell, Beth Hutton and Judy King, and each half of the concert began with 'trademark' Orpheus a cappella items.
["Delightful music - the quality of presentation was much enjoyed"~ Chairman of organisers at Pirton. ]
Photograph of our Tilehouse Street concert courtesy of Sam Hallas
We were proud to open the 2014 Hitchin Festival with our concert at St Mary's Church, Hitchin in June when we teamed up with Stevenage Symphony Orchestra to perform Mozart's C-minor Mass, with soloists Alison Rose, Kate Howden, Nicholas Scott and Richard Walshe. In the first half of the concert the orchestra, under their own director Phillip Brunton, performed Brahms' Academic Festival Overture and Elgar's Enigma Variations.
Our contribution to the First World War centenary commemorations took place at St Mary's Church, Baldock, in November when the programme included Fauré's Requiem, with solos from Judy King, Phil Rowe and Chris Blackman, and a setting by Martin Leadbetter of the poem In Flanders Fields. Audience members were persuaded to join in a rousing rendition of Pack Up Your Troubles/It's a Long Way to Tipperary, and on this special occasion it was moving to see so many people standing to sing Jerusalem.
The welcome we receive at Great Wymondley is always so warm, we love performing there; and our Christmas concert in December was another happy occasion. The programme included extracts from Handel's Messiah, with solos by Ellie Scott, Angie Caldwell, Beth Hutton and Judy King, and each half of the concert began with 'trademark' Orpheus a cappella items.
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BALDOCK, November 2014 (Right) Anne-Marie prepares to start proceedings. (Below, left to right) Our soloists Judy, Phil and Chris with other sections of the choir in performance Photos courtesy of Greg Covington
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Our concerts in 2013
In March we had the great pleasure of singing Bach's St Matthew Passion at the Coptic Church Centre in Stevenage alongside our friends in the North Herts Guild of Singers, with four of our members taking small solo roles. Our Hitchin Festival programme in June at St Mary's Church, Hitchin, accompanied by the Buccinate Brass Ensemble, was called The Glory of Venice and featured the Vivaldi Gloria, In Ecclesiis and Jubilate Deo by Gabrieli, and two works by Monteverdi. ["Your best concert yet"~ audience member]; and in December we visited St Ippolyts Church, whose vicar was one of our members at the time, to perform Poulenc's Christmas motets (Quatre motets pour le temps de Noel), Stravinsky's Ave Maria, three works composed by choir members and a light-hearted take on the Twelve Days of Christmas.
St Ippolyts Church
And here are some we did earlier
In 2012 our Lenten concert in March took place at St Denys, Colmworth and featured Haydn's famous chorus The Heavens are Telling from The Creation. For our Hitchin Festival concert in June we joined forces with Stevenage Symphony Orchestra to present Mozart's Requiem at St Mary's, Hitchin. Finally our Christmas concert, which included music by choir members Clifton Hughes and Martin Leadbetter alongside works by Britten and Tavener, was presented twice - at All Saints Church, Clifton on November 24 and again on December 8 at St Lawrence Church, Willington.
The Hitchin Festival of 2011 saw us at St Mary's, Hitchin singing Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus, Bruckner's Locus Iste and Frank Martin's eight-part Mass, as well as lighter items from our repertoire of folk music and spirituals; and for Christmas we were at St Ippolyts Church singing Bach's Christmas Oratorio and O Nata Lux by Thomas Tallis.
In 2012 our Lenten concert in March took place at St Denys, Colmworth and featured Haydn's famous chorus The Heavens are Telling from The Creation. For our Hitchin Festival concert in June we joined forces with Stevenage Symphony Orchestra to present Mozart's Requiem at St Mary's, Hitchin. Finally our Christmas concert, which included music by choir members Clifton Hughes and Martin Leadbetter alongside works by Britten and Tavener, was presented twice - at All Saints Church, Clifton on November 24 and again on December 8 at St Lawrence Church, Willington.
The Hitchin Festival of 2011 saw us at St Mary's, Hitchin singing Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus, Bruckner's Locus Iste and Frank Martin's eight-part Mass, as well as lighter items from our repertoire of folk music and spirituals; and for Christmas we were at St Ippolyts Church singing Bach's Christmas Oratorio and O Nata Lux by Thomas Tallis.
In previous years we have celebrated Independence Day with American music and a cream tea (2008); marked our 40th anniversary with a burst of Handel's Dixit Dominus and performed Rheinberger's Mass in E-flat at St Katharine's, Ickleford, in aid of the church building fund (2009) ; visited St Mary's in Little Wymondley for a Lenten concert, paid tribute to our founder by performing his arrangements of folk songs at St Paul's, Letchworth, sung to the Virgin Mary at St Mary's, Hitchin and chirped about birds in St Martin's, Preston (2010).
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