Saturday 19 March 2022 at 7:30pm
Sherborne Abbey

with period ensemble

Our spring concert takes us back to the Baroque era, to the genius of Bach, always a chamber choir favourite, and to the glories of Salzburg Cathedral, the amazing setting for which Heinrich Biber wrote most of his music. We’re very excited to be welcoming a group of period instrumentalists to join us after a long gap, so join us to hear the welcome sound of Baroque violins, violas and sackbuts in the Abbey once again.

JS Bach (1685–1750)
Motet Jesu, meine Freude (BWV 227) (Jesus, my joy)
Motet Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn (BWV Anh. 159) (I will not let you go unless you bless me)
Cantata No. 150 Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (Lord, my soul doth thirst for Thee)

Claudio Merulo (1533–1604)
Canzon 18 a 5 and Canzon 23 a 5

Andreas Hammerschmidt (1612–1675)
Triumph, Triumph, Victoria

Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644–1704)
Requiem in F minor

Violin: Fiona Duncan, Diane Moore
Viola: Katie Heller, Emma Alter, Nicola Jackman
Cello: Sophie Willis
Bass: Dawn Potts
Bassoon: Jenni Cooper Routlege
Sackbut: Emily White, Phil Dale, Adrian France
Continuo: Simon Clarkson

Soloists: members of SCC

Pre-dating Bach by about 40 years, Heinrich Biber spent most of his career writing for the Salzburg Court, including the vast space of the cathedral, with its four suspended galleries, each with its own organ. Biber was very much an heir of the multi-part Venetian tradition of writing, added to which he was virtuoso violinist. The choir is supported by a five-part string ensemble plus sackbuts, with a principal violin rising above the texture. The Requiem ranges from expressive vocal solos to multi-part choral writing, and instrumental punctuations and accompaniments – one of the seventeenth century’s most underrated but expressive settings of the Requiem, and we’re very much looking forward to introducing it to Sherborne audiences.

‘We were bowled over by the SCC – wonderful singing and a triumphant return to the Abbey’

Audience member, December 2021

COVID-19

This concert will follow a similar pattern to our December 2021 concert in order to keep both choir and audience as safe and comfortable as possible. We are keeping to our usual planned seating to give everyone the chance to choose where they sit, however the number of seats per row has been reduced. As usual, the first two rows of pews will be left clear, so there will be plenty of space between choir, players and audience. The side aisles remain unreserved, so there should be spaces available should you wish to move to a quieter spot on the night. We will of course be keeping a detailed eye on the general situation and any government guidelines that might be put in place, but we hope everything will move forward as planned.