John Pearce Deputy Musical Director Exeter Bach Society |
Magical
Music for a Summer’s Evening
Music in May, the final concert of
Exeter Bach Society’s 2015-6 season, is different from the choir’s usual
concerts in that, apart from the Finnish songs and Bach chorales, the programme
is all English and chosen by the choir’s Deputy Musical Director, John Pearce.
He is also the conductor for this performance of anthems, motets, madrigals and
part-songs – some even unpublished - in Exeter University
Chapel at 7 pm on Saturday, 7 May.
The
theme is of this year’s anniversaries celebrating whole or half centenaries,
ranging from pieces by John Sheppard (born 1516) to J S Bach (Cantata 7,
written in 1716), and from Sir William Sterndale Bennett (born April 1816) to Bernard Rose
(born 9 May, 1916). The 50-year anniversaries include Francis Pilkington (born 1565)
and Charles Wood (born 1866).
In
addition to the anniversary theme, there is a common location for some of the
music too – Magdalen College , Oxford ,
where both John Sheppard and Bernard Rose were to be found, but with nearly 500
years between them. Sheppard was a singer in the 1540s and Bernard Rose was the
Choir Master when John Pearce was a choral scholar there. John has obtained
special permission from his composer/musician son Gregory to perform Bernard’s
unpublished hidden gem, Slow Slow Fresh
Fount. Another connection with this famous college is that Bob Chilcott’s unpublished Now the Green Blade Riseth was first
performed in 2014 by the Magdalen choir. Its second performance will be at this
concert on 7 May, thanks to the composer and to the OUP for giving John the
licence to perform it before publication.
There
are also lovely pieces by Gerald Finzi, Sir Edward Elgar, John Dowland and Thomas Campion, as well as music
by the talented young harpist, Niamh Flynn, and a trio of wind players called "The Diminished 7".
Exeter Bach Society |
Mary Harris Memorial Chapel
Streatham Campus Exeter University
Saturday 7 May 7pm
MUSIC IN MAY
Musical Director: John Pearce
Orchestra Leader: Anna Cockroft
Tickets: £12 (advance £10 U16/student £6/5)
Exeter Visitor Information: 01392 665700
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