Saturday 25th February 2012

The Northampton Bach Choir celebrate the accession of Queen Elizabeth II with a programme of music including Handel’s Four Coronations Anthems. This joyful and exhilarating set of anthems were written for the coronation of King George II on 11th October 1727, and possibly the most well know of them all, Zadok the Priest, has been sung at every coronation since that time. J S Bach’s Cantata No.147 includes the chorale Jesu, joy of man’s desiring, and Ian Schofield’s festive setting of the Te Deum using a similar orchestration to that of Handel’s anthems, sets the hymn of thanksgiving, interpolated with beautifully related texts in English by Thomas Campion and others. It was commissioned by the Portsmouth Choral Union and first performed by them in 2002 under the direction of Jonathan Willcocks.

Details Timings: Saturday 25th February 2012  7.30p.m. Venue: St. Matthews Church, Kettering Road, Kingsley, Northampton, NN1 4RY Click to Find Us Programme: Handel Four Coronation Anthems Bach Cantata No.147 Ian Schofield Te Deum Performers Northampton Bach Choir with Madrigalis, the senior choir of Northampton School for Girls, directed by Julie Shaw conducted by Lee Dunleavy National Festival Orchestra Box Office Northampton Bach Choir Box Office c/o 28 The Glebe Badby Northamptonshire NN11 3AZ 01327 871973   St. Giles Music 16 St. Giles Terrace, Northampton, NN1 2BN 01604 250905

Audience Comments

I was amazed to find that I loved the Schofield Te Deum as I always think that I don't like modern music!

High Sheriff of Northamptonshire

That was SUCH a lovely concert! We all enjoyed it hugely, bravo the Choir. What ever did mouldy old George II ever do to deserve such glorious music?

A Friend of the Bach Choir

Dear Lee and Members of Northampton Bach Choir,

First of all very many thanks for making both Sonia and myself so welcome at your concert on Saturday.

A new, or fairly new work falls or stands largely through the performance it gets and the Te Deum was very well served by you all this weekend. It was clearly very well rehearsed, with much attention to detail – not only in the choir, but in the orchestral playing too. You conveyed the spirit and mood of the piece exactly as one would want. There was appropriately full voices singing in the opening and closing movements, and I couldn’t have asked for a more legato line in the fourth movement, some very impressive trumpet playing in the third movement. Your youth choir were also splendid and I’ve written to them separately.

We also enjoyed the Handel and Bach items. I did mention to Lee, in the interval, that it’s so easy just to ‘thrash through’ the Coronation Anthems, but again, much thought had been given to the interpretation, with well chosen tempi and good dynamic contrast.

With my thanks once again and best wishes for your forthcoming concerts.

Letter from Ian Schofield

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