Come and Sing/Play

Biber's Requiem in A

Saturday 19 January 2008
St. Michael and All Angels Church, Bramcote, Nottingham

9.30 am - 5.00 pm

Following the success of the event in January 2007 (Click here for a description) Richard Roddis and Nicolette Moonen (see below) will direct a second workshop for singers and players in a rehearsal and performance of Biber's Requiem in A, the highlight of our next concert, Royal Requiem.

Programme for the day
9.30 Registration
10.00 Rehearsal starts – singers / players separately
11.15 Tea / Coffee break
11.45 Rehearsal continues – singers / players separately
1.00 Lunch*
2.00 Rehearsal continues – singers / players separately
2.45 Tea break
3.15 Rehearsal continues – singers / players together
4.10 Break
4.15 Performance
5.00 Depart

BIBER: REQUIEM
Although his instrumental music is enjoying a revival in early music circles, Biber's sacred choral music is one of the best kept secrets of the Baroque era. As Kapellmeister at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg from 1684 until his death in 1704, he enjoyed a great deal of success, including being honoured by Emperor Leopold I. The Requiem a 15 in A major is most likely to have been composed for the large-scale funeral solemnities for Archbishop Maximillian von Khuenberg in 1687, which lasted for 6 days and culminated in a lavish Requiem Mass. Rather than solemn mourning, the occasion called for magnificent display - which is the essential nature of the work.

The scoring, for 6-part choir & soloists (SSATBB), trumpets, trombones, strings and organ, allows for a wide variety of style and tonal contrast: at times plangent and chordal, at others florid and contrapuntal; expressive and vigorous by turns for both choir and instruments, with constantly changing texture. The work undoubtedly deserves a much wider audience than has hitherto had access - don't miss this rare opportunity to learn and perform it, as well as hear it live!

Instrumental specialist Nicolette Moonen is a renowned Baroque violinist. Nicolette studied modern violin at the Amsterdam Sweelinck Conservatoire, and baroque violin with Sigiswald Kuyken. Since being resident in the UK, she has performed with most of the country’s leading period instrument ensembles and has been increasingly in demand as a leader and teacher. She leads Ex Cathedra Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Jeffrey Skidmore, and is founder-leader of The Bach Players. She teaches at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Birmingham Conservatoire.

Instrumentalists will be trumpets, trombones, strings and a bassoon.
Fee:
£20 to Sing/Play, *£5 lunch optional

Further details and information from Pam Richings
Tel 0115 981 0874
e-mail: pam.richings@btinternet.com

For a booking form to print and send by post, click here.

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