Tag: concert

Nelson Mass kicks off new season

Sheffield Bach Choir has kicked off the 2024-25 season with rehearsals for Haydn’s Nelson Mass, to be performed in St John’s Church, Ranmoor in November.

“Austria had been recently been defeated by Napoleon in four battles , and Haydn referred to the work as A Mass for troubled times.” explained Musical Director Philip Collin. “However, by the first performance Nelson had just defeated Napoleon and this coincidence led to the name”

Rehearsing in St Mark’s Church

Also on the programme is A Great and Glorious Victory by conductor and composer Jonathan Willcocks, whose works have been published and widely performed across the world. 

The Nelson Mass concert is followed by the choir’s annual Messiah, back in Sheffield cathedral, with the ever-popular Come and Sing Messiah a week later in St James’ Church Norton.

Spring features Bach’s masterful St Matthew Passion at the cathedral, this time sung in the original German, and ends in St Mark’s Broomhill with an intriguing mix of works entitled If you like that you’ll love this!

For more details and to buy tickets go to Current Season Concerts

Soloists and choirs shine in Brahm’s German Requiem

Monday 1st July 2024

On Saturday 29th June Sheffield Oratorio Chorus and Sheffield Bach Choir joined soloists Elizabeth Watts and Darren Jeffery and the South Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra to perform Brahms’ wonderful German Requiem at the Victoria Hall in Sheffield.

The two choirs had a wonderful time singing one of the favourites of the choral repertoire, and the two soloists were absolutely superb. Elizabeth Watts, hailed by the International Record Review as “one of the most beautiful voices Britain has produced in a generation”, Elizabeth sang with passion and meticulous accuracy, thrilling members of the audience, choir and orchestra alike. Bass-baritone Darren Jeffery’s voice is well suited to the work and his rendition was rich and powerful.

Fantastic playing by the South Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra and organist Philip Collin, conducted with spirit by Alan Eost, this was a marvellous end to the season.

Dramatic Elijah enjoyed by all

Monday 20 November 2023

Sheffield Bach Choir were very pleased with their first concert of the season, when Mendelssohn’s wonderful oratorio was presented in St Mark’s church Broomhill.

“This amazing and popular work tells the story of the prophet Elijah” said choir Chair Chris Walker. “It’s certainly dramatic – there’s a duel of the Gods, temptation by Jezebel,  Elijah’s time in the wilderness seeking the Lord in tempest, earthquake, and fire, and his final ascent into heaven!”

The choir was conducted by their new Music Director Philip Collin, with the National Festival Orchestra and Peter Shepherd on the organ.

Standing ovation for Messiah

Sheffield Bach Choir, along with friends from St Peter’s Singers and Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, sang Handel’s Messiah on Monday evening, and the audience leapt to their feet in appreciation at the magnificent conclusion.

‘What a terrific performance! … With the orchestra in fine form and a great team of soloists keeping us on our toes it’s no wonder the adrenaline flew in abundance.’ said conductor George Nicholson. The choir ‘clearly picked up the charge that was in the air and the results were amazing. …..a brilliant performance!’

Sally Robinson’s National Festival Orchestra were on great form, giving a polished and committed performance, not least the amazing Anthony Thompson, who played the trumpet accompaniment to ‘the Trumpet shall sound’, marvellously sung by bass-baritone Florian Stӧrtz. Tenor David Brown started the evening with a lyrical ‘Comfort Ye’, and beautiful singing from both alto Hannah Mason and soprano Nicola Hooke soared around the cathedral as though from angels themselves.

‘It was amazing and although I’m no expert ,the music and the atmosphere was definitely the best and I have listened to 35 of your Messiahs.’ said one audience member. ‘It was most enjoyable and such a quality performance by ALL. Thank you.’ echoed another.

Memorable Mass in B minor

Saturday 7 March 2020

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 choral masterpiece, the magnificent Mass in B minor as the 2019 John Dethick Memorial concert in Sheffield cathedral on Saturday 7 March.. Widely regarded as one of the greatest compositions in musical history, the B minor mass is a favourite of the choir’s, as was obvious on the night.

Sopranos Jane Burnell and Claire White–Mckay, alto Lucy Appleyard, tenor David Brown and bass Quentin Brown put in memorable performances, as did the National Festival Orchestra, ably conducted by Dr. Simon Lindley. The concert proved to be a highlight for local music lovers over the Easter period.

 

 

 

Singalong Messiah moves to Norton

Monday 9 December 2019

This year the choir’s very popular Come and Sing Messiah moved to St James’ Church, Norton, Church Road S8 8JQ – and filled the church to capacity! The move to a new venue proved to be very successful and will probably be repeated next year.

This lively sing-along, excluding the passion-tide movements, was conducted by the choir’s President Professor George Nicholson, with Dr Simon Lindley providing full orchestral accompaniment on the organ. With mulled wine and mince pies in the interval, this was a wonderfully festive evening.

Mesmerising Messiah

Monday 2 December 2019

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. The choir quite obviously enjoy singing this wonderful oratorio, which they clearly know very well indeed, and soloists Peyee Chan, Margaret McDonald, Tim Kennedy and James Geidt were quite magnificent, making this was a truly memorable performance.

Bach awakes memories for Betty

21 October 2019 Sheffield Telegraph

Betty Grimsley first got to grips with Bach’s Cantata ‘Sleeper’s Wake’ over 70 years ago and she’s really looking forward to hearing it again in a concert she is thrilled to be sponsoring. ‘I studied it for my School Certificate in the early 40s’ said Betty, ‘and though Bach performed it just once in his lifetime, it became very popular – I have sung it with various choirs, including Sheffield Bach Choir. I’m can’t wait to hear them sing it in November’.

Betty GrimsleyBetty, born in Manchester but a resident of Dore for many years, is no stranger to choral works, having sung soprano with first-rate choirs throughout her life, in whichever city she happened to be living. She started by singing alongside her sister with the Manchester Cathedral Cantata Choir and with the prestigious Halle Chorus under Sir John Barbirolli.

‘My mother was the musical one in the family’ explained Betty ‘She was very artistic, attending Manchester Art School just after Lowri had left. She was a soprano, and I have always used – and still have – her copy of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio – though it’s rather well-thumbed now!’

Following her move to university in London, where she trained to be a music teacher, Betty joined Philip Ledger’s Chelmsford Cathedral Choir and the London Bach Choir.

‘I learned such a lot with the London choirs.’ remembers Betty. ‘The newly-formed South London Bach Choir, under Dr. Paul Steinitz OBE, later became the London Bach Society, the first to sing Bach with period instruments and in German. They were exciting times!’

Betty joined Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus on moving here in 1969, singing with them for over 30 years, and with the Sheffield Bach Choir until her retirement. She still sings with her local church choir, and has played the keyboard at local services since the organist left some years ago. She is also a keen bridge player and U3A member, and has two sons and three grandchildren.

‘Sleepers Wake’ is a shortened name taken from the opening words which translate as ‘Awake, calls the voice to us’. Bach’s only performance was in November 1731, making it a great choice for Sheffield Bach Choir’s Bach Festival concert this November.

Also on the programme is the Christmas Oratorio, created in six parts in 1734 using music Bach had already composed, with new words to describe the key elements of the Christmas story. The Sheffield Bach Choir will sing the first three sections – the birth of Jesus, the angel herald and the adoration of the shepherds.

With first-rate soloists, the National Festival Orchestra and conducted by Dr. Simon Lindley, this will be a great way to kick off your Christmas in true classical style.

Read the article as it appeared in the Sheffield Telegraph

Bach Festival

A BACH FESTIVAL
Saturday 16th November 2019, 7.30pm, Sheffield Cathedral

The Bach Choir, conducted by Dr. Simon Lindley, presented Bach’s beautiful Christmas Oratorio on Saturday 16 November in Sheffield’s Anglican cathedral, along with the well-known Cantata Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, calls the voice to us), also known as Sleepers Wake. Soloists Stephen Liley, Philippa Hyde, Lucy Appleyard and Quentin Brown sang the solo movements with lyrical passion, and  the National Festival Orchestra played Bach’s beautiful music marvellously well, as always. The evening really did prove to be a great way to start Christmas early! The concert was generously supported by Betty Grimsley.

Beautiful Brahms

BRAHMS FESTIVAL CONCERT
Saturday 5 October 2019, 7.30pm, Sheffield Cathedral

On Saturday 5 October the Bach Choir presented a programme devoted to Brahms, featuring his magnificent German Requiem, the Academic Festival Overture and two beautiful motets. Rising Sheffield star Ella Taylor sang the soprano solos with precision and accuracy – and immense power, filling the cathedral with a superb soprano sound. Acclaimed bass Alex Ashworth sang with drama and immense feeling, and the choir’s huge enjoyment accompanying the two soloists was clearly heard in their rendering of the choruses. Sally Robinson’s National Festival Orchestra played with verve and style, ably conducted by Dr Simon Lindley.  The concert was generously supported by soprano Jane Ginsborg.