Tag: Armed Man

Armed Man

The Choir is looking forward to singing The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins in Sheffield Cathedral on Saturday 17 November, with the National Festival Orchestra and soloists Nicola Hooke soprano, Hannah Mason mezzo soprano, Jeremy Dawson tenor and bass Thomas Asher. Jenkins wrote the work as a mass for peace, and many listeners find a live performance to be an extremely moving experience.

The work was a millennial year commission from the Royal Armouries in Leeds, and its text was researched and devised by Guy Wilson, then Master of the Armouries. It was originally intended for another Yorkshire-based composer, Pontefract-born Philip Wilby, who had to decline owing to the demands of other commissions, so the task fell to prominent Welsh composer Karl Jenkins. He tackled the challenge with relish, drawing on the styles and ambiences of music from earlier periods in a very special and original manner.

The verbal text comes from a great diversity of sources: the traditional Latin Mass, the poetry of Rudyard Kipling, the Psalms of David, the popular medieval French song, L’Homme Armé that provides the impetus for the work’s English title, Dryden, Mallory, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and the final book of the bible, the apocalyptic Revelation to St John the Divine; also featured are verbal extracts of Guy Wilson’s own devising and far Eastern poets.

Jenkins draws on the French folk melody of the title, Palestrina’s “parody” mass inspired by the secular song as well as Eastern originals in melody. Perhaps the most appealing number emotionally speaking, the Benedictus, has become a real favourite, as has the beautiful Agnus Dei.

You can read more about the work on Bernard Lee’s excellent website

The Spirit of England, Elgar’s great war-time choral trilogy, uses three texts of Laurence Binyon – The Fourth of August, To Women and For the Fallen. The latter contains the immortal brief stanzas used at so many acts or remembrance all over the English-speaking world:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn;
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning: we will remember them.

The same text is utilised by organist-composer Mark Blatchly in his setting for upper voices entitled For the Fallen, which ingeniously incorporates the evocative music of The Last Post.

Chair’s 5th anniversary

22 October 2018

It’s five years this October since Chris Walker was elected as Chair of Sheffield Bach Choir – and he isn’t likely to forget the date! ’Our eldest daughter gave birth to our first grandchild Elizabeth a few hours earlier.’ said Chris, ‘I dashed to the AGM straight from the hospital – if I hadn’t been standing for Chair I might have played hooky I think!’

chris walker 1Chris was born in California USA but came to Sheffield to study dentistry in 1978 and decided to stay, working at busy practices in Rotherham, then Wombwell. ‘I fell in love with the rural feel to the city and being able to escape to somewhere wooded or green so easily.’ Now retired, he has an allotment near Ecclesall library, sits on five committees, and helps look after Grade 2* listed St James’ Church, Norton.

He joined the choir almost by chance. ‘I was moaning about work-life balance to my Dad, he happened to know someone in the choir and before I knew it I’d auditioned and was in!’ Chris remembers that first audition, given by Dr Roger Bullivant, who heard Chris sing, then took out an old envelope, drew a bass clef and five lines, scribbled a few notes and barked “Sing that!” The choice of singing was no accident though, as Chris had been a boy chorister at Magdalen College Oxford – as was the choir’s current conductor Dr Simon Lindley. ‘I remember walking across Magdalen Bridge in cap and gown – they don’t do that anymore. I wonder how many tourists still have the faded photographs they snapped as we passed by!’

Some 35 years later Chris still enjoys singing bass in the choir. ‘I’ve loved singing the great choral works including an annual Messiah and our three year rotation of Bach’s St John Passion, St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor  – maybe one of the greatest pieces ever written. There’s something special about singing with a professional orchestra in Sheffield cathedral, which has a lovely acoustic; it sends a shiver down the spine and you just can’t beat it! We’ve had a fair few younger people joining us recently but we’re still looking for new members so do give us a go!’

Chris is looking forward to the choir’s next concert, Lest we forget, featuring the Armed Man by Karl Jenkins as well as works by Elgar and Blatchly – but he’s anticipating quite an emotional sing. ‘Remembering the Great War is important, and the Armed Man is a good choice; Jenkins wrote it as a mass for peace.’ explains Chris ‘It’s a really popular atmospheric work and a joy to listen to, especially poignant for me as it was played at Dad’s funeral last year. He and Mum were great supporters of the choir and the Agnus Dei from this work was a particular favourite.’

The choir presents Lest we forget in Sheffield Cathedral on Saturday 17 November at 7.30pm. Tickets from www.sheffieldbachchoir.org.uk; www.wegottickets.com, cathedral shop, or at the door.