Sheffield Bach Society’s 69th concert season began with a fascinating look at French music, including the magnificent Durufle Requiem, marked the end of World War One hostilities with the choir’s first performance of Karl Jenkins’ “The Armed Man” and included some of our regular favourites, such as “Messiah” at Christmas and “The St. John Passion” at Easter. Something for everyone.
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THE FRENCH CONNECTION
Saturday 6 October 2018, 7.30pm, Sheffield Cathedral
A programme of beautiful French music, including Poulenc’s wonderful Organ Concerto played by the cathedral’s new Music Director Thomas Corns.
Durufle: Requiem
Poulenc: Organ Concerto & Litanies
Faure: Cantique de Jean Racine
Joanna Gamble – Mezzo Soprano
Thomas Asher – Baritone
the Choristers of Sheffield Cathedral
Thomas Corns – Organ Solo
The National Festival Orchestra conducted by Simon Lindley
LEST WE FORGET
Saturday 17th November 2018, 7.30pm, Sheffield Cathedral
The choir marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One with a moving programme, including Mark Blatchly’s beautiful version of Laurence Binyon’s famous poem ‘For the Fallen’.
‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.’
Karl Jenkins – The Armed Man, A Mass for Peace
Edward Elgar – The Spirit of England
Blatchley – For the Fallen
Nicola Hooke – Soprano
Hannah Mason – Mezzo Soprano
Jeremy Dawson – Tenor
Thomas Asher – Bass
Chorister from Sheffield Cathedral Choir
The National Festival Orchestra conducted by Simon Lindley
Handel – MESSIAH
Monday 3 December 2018, 7pm, Sheffield Cathedral
Sheffield Bach Choir’s annual performance of Messiah alongside the National Festival Orchestra, conducted by Dr Simon Lindley, offered Sheffield music lovers a splendid opportunity to include a live performance of Handel’s wonderful oratorio in their Christmas preparations. With Sheffield rising star Ella Taylor as soprano soloist and exquisite counter tenor David Allsopp singing the contralto movements, tenor David Brown and bass Quentin Brown, this was a memorable performance.
Ella Taylor – Soprano
David Allsopp – Counter Tenor
David Brown – Tenor
Quentin Brown – Bass
National Festival Orchestra conducted by Simon Lindley
COME AND SING MESSIAH
Monday 10 December 2018, 7.30pm, Dore Parish Church
Another popular annual outing for Sheffield music lovers, this time to join the choir to sing Messiah in Dore Parish Church. Conducted by the choir’s President Professor George Nicholson, with Dr Simon Lindley on the organ. With mulled wine and mince pies in the interval, this was a wonderfully festive evening. Audience members brought their own score, or hired one for a small fee.
George Nicholson – Conductor
Simon Lindley – Organ
Helen Reah – Soprano
Olivia Shotton – Alto
Tim Peters – Tenor
Daniel Sumner – Bass
Bach ST. JOHN PASSION
Saturday 9 March 2019, 7.30pm, Sheffield Cathedral
The John Dethick Memorial Concert
The choir sings each of Bach’s most celebrated choral works in rotation every three years, and this year presented his splendid St John Passion, written during his first year as director of church music in Leipzig and first performed in 1724. With an array of wonderful soloists, including Stephen Liley as the Evangelist and Thomas Hunt as Christ, this performance proved very popular with local music lovers over the Easter period.
Stephen Liley – Evangelist
Thomas Hunt – Christ
Philippa Hyde – Soprano
Lucy Appleyard – Alto
Terence Ayebare – Bass
National Festival Orchestra conducted by Simon Lindley
Saturday 22 June 2019, 7.30pm, St Mark’s Church, Broomhill
A programme with an American theme
The choi
r presented a programme of American music guaranteed to lift the spirits and have feet tapping along! Donald Hunt’s An American Serenade is a celebration of the art of George Gershwin, Jerome Kern and Cole Porter, with individual numbers for smash hit shows such as High Society, Porgy and Bess and Show Boat. The choir sang the version with instrumental accompaniment added especially for Sheffield Bach Choir five years ago. The programme included Feel the Spirit by John Rutter, an infectious suite of spirituals featuring mezzo soprano Joanna Gamble, together with By George! – new arrangements of American classic songs specially orchestrated by our own distinguished President George Nicholson, Professor of Composition at Sheffield University.Joanna Gamble – mezzo soprano
Principals of the National Festival Orchestra led by Sally Robinson conducted by Simon Lindley
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