Bach Mass in B Minor Frédérique Klooster Soprano Katie Bray Soprano Laura Kelly Mezzo-soprano

Transcription

1 Sunday 21 March 2010 West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge Cambridge Philharmonic Society Bach Mass in B Minor Frédérique Klooster Soprano Katie Bray Soprano Laura Kelly Mezzo-soprano Alexander Sprague Tenor Marcus Farnsworth Baritone Timothy Redmond Conductor Steve Bingham Leader

2 Cambridge Philharmonic Society acknowledges the continued support of our Corporate Patrons and Friends Honorary Patron The Right Worshipful Mayor of Cambridge Corporate Sponsors Nujira Ltd Corporate Patrons Domino Printing Sciences plc The Pye Foundation Abcam Charles Russell LLP PricewaterhouseCoopers plc Corporate Friends Churchill College Emmanuel College Pembroke College Trinity College Cambridge Philharmonic Society is a member of Chesterton Community College Association. Registered Charity Bar Hill Cambridge Tel: (01954) CB3 8TU Fax: (01954)

3 Programme BACH Mass in B Minor 1 Missa (Kyrie and Gloria) Interval 2 Symbolum Nicenum (Credo) 3 Sanctus 4 Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Dona nobis pacem The Cambridge Philharmonic Society acknowledges the support given by the Josephine Baker Trust to the soloists in tonight. s concert There will be a collection on behalf of the Alzheimers Society

4 Mass in B Minor BWV 232 Johann Sebastian Bach ( ) In the last years of his life, Bach composed a number of large-scale works which were in effect a summation and perfection of specific musical genres. The B Minor Mass, widely regarded as Bach s greatest achievement, was one such work, and was seemingly conceived as a perfect example of liturgical music, a monument both to Bach s mastery of technique and to the Lutheran faith that inspired so much of his musical output. In compiling the Mass, Bach made extensive use of the baroque practice of parody, revising previous works rather than composing entirely new music. This was not however done as a shortcut, but as a way of preserving and enhancing the best of his choral and orchestral works in a single composition. As a result the B Minor Mass transcends the potential limitations of functional church music, and in that sense stands on its own as a unique work. ORIGINS OF THE B MINOR MASS Bach only completed the Mass in 1749, the year before his death, compiling it from earlier material to which he added some new music, much of it also derived from earlier compositions. The oldest part of the Mass is the Sanctus, composed in 1724, and Bach also drew on material from a Missa he had composed in However it seems that Bach only finally decided to compile the work after a service held in Leipzig on Christmas Day The 1745 service that seems to have been the final inspiration for the Mass was held to celebrate the end of the second Silesian War, and included Bach s 1724 Sanctus and his Cantata 191, which in turn used large sections of the 1773 Missa that Bach had originally composed for Frederick Augustus II of Saxony. It is thought that the juxtaposition of the Sanctus with these other elements of the Missa may have been the stimulus for Bach to add the other sections of what was to become the completed work. The B Minor Mass mirrors the layout of the Roman Catholic Mass Ordinary, and is set out in four sections which Bach numbered from 1-4 as follows: 1. Missa (consisting of the Kyrie and Gloria) 2. Symbolum Nicenum (or Credo) 3. Sanctus 4. Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Dona nobis pacem It is worth noting, however, that although Bach clearly intended the work to be seen as a whole, he did not himself give it the title of Mass and it is unlikely that he ever envisaged it being used as part of the church service. It was also not until 1859 that the Mass as we now know it was performed in its entirety. The great miracle of the B Minor Mass is the way that it is not only presents a supremely accomplished musical expression of the liturgy, but is also constructed so as to mirror the theology behind the text. Bach also uses a variety of voices and instruments to reinforce both the musical logic and the impact of the Mass as a statement of belief.

5 This makes it difficult to give a full account of the work without resorting to a detailed analysis of both the music and the theological context in which it is set. Suffice it to say that the B Minor Mass is a unique work which is much more than the sum of its parts and stands as one of the great artistic achievements of classical music. THE WORK IN DETAIL The sections of the B Minor Mass as they are performed are set out below. There are, in all, twenty-seven separate movements within the four main subdivisions. 1. MISSA KYRIE 1. Kyrie eleison [5-part chorus in B minor, marked Adagio, Largo in 4/4 time] Kyrie eleison Lord, have mercy upon us The opening Kyrie begins with the chorus declaiming the Kyrie eleison before the music moves into a long, insistent fugue, introduced by the orchestra before being taken up first by the tenors, and then the other parts in turn. Then, after a short orchestral passage, the basses take the fugue forward until a final B minor chord brings the section to a close. 2. Christe eleison [Duet for sopranos in D major with obbligato violins, marked Andante in 4/4 time] Christe eleison Christ, have mercy upon us The Christe eleison then follows. The use of the two voices is thought to reflect a reference to Christ as the second person of the Trinity. The way that the solo lines move, sometimes in parallel, and sometimes in sequence, also reflects the concept of Christ as being both one with God and also as sharing in the human predicament. This use of two voices to reflect the duality of Christ is a device that Bach uses throughout the Mass, as will be seen in subsequent sections. 3. Kyrie eleison [4-part chorus in F# minor, marked Allegro moderato in 4/4 time, alla breve] Kyrie eleison Lord, have mercy upon us The basses then introduce another fugal setting of the Kyrie, this time set in a deliberately antique style which gives the sense of a more assured plea, in contrast to the intensity of the opening Kyrie. GLORIA The Gloria is split into nine sections, with the Domine Deus as the central movement, flanked by two choral movements, the Gratias and the Qui tollis. 1. Gloria in excelsis [5-part chorus in D major, marked Vivace, 3/8 time] Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory to God in the highest

6 The opening Gloria is written in modern concerto style, with trumpets and drums, in deliberate contrast to the more antiquated style of the preceding Kyrie. This sets the tone for the section as a whole, with its focus on the theme of heavenly glory. 2. Et in terra pax [5-part chorus in D major, marked Andante, 4/4 time] Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis And peace on earth to men of goodwill The music eventually slows, moving directly into the Et in terra pax, with the music now reflecting the theme of earthly peace. After the initial statement of the text, the music moves into a fugal section which eventually carries the section through to a conclusion. 3. Laudamus te [Aria for soprano II in A major with violin obbligato, marked Andante, 4/4 time] Laudamus te, benedicimus te Adoramus te, glorificamus te We praise you, we bless you We worship you, we glorify you The Laudamus te which follows is a virtuoso piece cast as a duet between the soprano soloist and a solo violin, and may well have been originally written as a duet for two violins. The two soloists each provide their own ornamentations of the melodic line, reflecting the different ways of praising and glorifying God. 4. Gratias agimus tibi [4-part chorus in D major, marked Allegro moderato, 4/4 time alla breve] Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam We give you thanks for your great glory. The chorus then returns with the noble Gratias, which is a reworking of the opening chorus of an earlier Cantata, No. 29, the German words of which (Wir danken dir, Gott) are in effect a translation of the Latin of the Gratias. The music will later reappear at the end of the Mass in the concluding Dona nobis pacem. 5. Domine Deus [Duet for soprano I and tenor in G major, marked Andante, 4/4 time] Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater Omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only begotten son Jesus Christ, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. And so to the central section of the Gloria, the Domine Deus, which is written as soprano/tenor duet, again, like the earlier duet in Christe eleison, symbolising the duality of Christ, with the tenor singing the phrase addressed to God the Father whilst the soprano sings the phrase addressed to Christ the Son. The dialogue continues into the Agnus Dei section before modulating back into B minor with the start of the Qui tollis. 6. Qui tollis peccata mundi [4-part chorus in B minor, marked Lento, 3/4 time] Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostrum. You who take away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. You who take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.

7 The slow Qui tollis is a reworking of the opening chorus of another of Bach s Cantatas, No 46, Schauet doch und sehet (Behold and see). The emotional intensity of the prayer is maintained by the voices singing long sustained lines interspersed with the miserere nobis supplications and upward leaps, while the orchestra provides its own insistent accompaniment. 7. Qui sedes ad dextram Patris [Aria for mezzo-soprano in B minor with oboe d'amore obbligato, marked Andante commodo, 6/8 time] Qui sedes ad dextram Patris, miserere nobis. You who sit at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us. The beautiful Qui sedes then follows, with the oboe d amore first echoing the mezzosoprano soloist and then joining her in unison, as if to symbolise the risen Christ now sitting at the right hand of God. 8. Quoniam tu solus sanctus [Aria for baritone in D major with corno da caccia obbligato, marked Andante lento, 3/4 time] Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus. tu solus altissimus Jesu Christe For you alone are the holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the most high Jesus Christ There then follows the wonderful bass aria of Quoniam, in which the soloist is accompanied by low woodwind. It seems to have been a new piece written by Bach specifically for the Mass, and it has been suggested that Bach may have written it partly to make the contrast with the joyous Cum Sancto Spiritu which follows. But whether or not this was the case, the movement stands on its own as a beautiful evocation of the acknowledgement of Christ s divinity. 9. Cum Sancto Spiritu [5-part chorus in D major, marked Vivace, 3/4 time] Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen. The section closes with the ebullient Cum Sancto Spiritu, written in the same concerto style as the opening Gloria, this time with even more elaborate scoring. The chorus has a fugal section in the middle of the movement before the section comes to its climax with the final Amen. 2. SYMBOLUM NICENUM (CREDO) Like the Gloria, the Symbolum Nicenum is subdivided into nine movements, of which four are derived from earlier compositions. The writing shows Bach at his most creative, with the music showing both Bach s technical mastery and his ability to use the music to enhance the text. Again, like the Gloria, the Symbolum Nicenum centres around the middle movement, in this case the Et incarnatus est, one of the three choral movements that together form the expressive centre of the Symbolum. By setting both the opening and closing movements as five part choruses, Bach also emphasises the overall unity and shape of the Symbolum, and makes the connection between the opening declaration of faith and the hope for ultimate salvation expressed in the final Et Expecto.

8 1. Credo in unum Deum [5-part chorus in A mixolydian, marked Moderato cut time alla breve] Credo in unum Deum, I believe in one God, The opening Credo is based on a plainchant which then becomes a fugal motet set over a marching bass line. 2. Patrem omnipotentem [4-part chorus in D major, marked Allegro, 4/4 time ] Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth of all things visible and invisible. This then gives way to the Patrem omnipotentem, the basses singing the Patrem omnipotentem phrase while the other parts continue repeating the opening words of the Credo in unum Deum. The section is another that is based on an earlier Cantata, No. 171 (Gott, wie dein Name, so ist auch dein Ruhm God, Your fame is as Your name). Bach completes the movement with a five octave range of notes from a low D played by the double basses to a high D on the trumpet, as if to reflect the infinite range of God s power as expressed by the words visibilium omnium et invisibilium. 3. Et in unum Dominum [Duet for soprano I and mezzo-soprano in G major, marked Andante, 4/4 time] Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum et ex Patre natum ante omnia secula. Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de caelis et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine et homo factus est. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father; through whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was made flesh by the Holy Spirit from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. Here again Bach uses a duet to represent the position of Christ as the second person of the Trinity, also reflecting the mystery of the unity between Father and Son by having the soloists follow each other in singing the text. 4. Et incarnatus est [5-part chorus in B minor, marked Andante maestoso, 3/4 time] Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine et homo factus est. and was made flesh by the Holy Spirit from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. The Et incarnatus est is the first of the three central movements of the Symbolum which together tell of the three fundamental tenets of the Christian faith, namely the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection. The Et incarnatus est is a slow, calm movement which incorporates a falling figure, seemingly representing Christ s coming down to earth.

9 5. Crucifixus [4-part chorus in E minor, marked Grave, 3/2 time] Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, Passus et sepultus est. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried. The Crucifixus continues the same measured pace, the voices finally falling to the lower part of their range as the music shifts from E minor to end on G major. The Crucifixus is another of the movements derived from an earlier Cantata, this time No. 12 (Weinen, klagen, sorgen, zagen - literally Weeping, lamenting, worrying, fearing) which Bach adapted to fit the Crucifixus text. 6. Et resurrexit [5-part chorus in D major, marked Allegro, 3/4 time] Et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas Et ascendit in coelum, Sedet ad dextram Dei Patris. et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos cujus regni non erit finis. On the third day He rose again according to the scriptures; He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and of His kingdom there shall be no end. The music then shifts dramatically into the joyful Et resurrexit as the chorus proclaims the good news of the resurrection and ascent. 7. Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum [Aria for baritone in A major with oboi d'amore obbligati, marked Andantino, 6/8 time] Et in Spiritum sanctum, Dominum et vivicantem qui ex Patre Filoque procedit; qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur; qui locutus est per Prophetas. Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the Son: who, with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified: Who has spoken through the Prophets. And I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic Church. The Et in Spiritum Sanctum takes the form of a bass aria which in both tempo and style recalls the Et in unum Dominum, as if to emphasise the overall symmetry of the Symbolum. 8. Confiteor [5-part chorus in F# minor, marked Moderato, 2/2 time] Confiteor unum baptisma In remissionem peccatorum I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins The chorus then sings the fugal Confiteor which, like the opening Credo, recalls an older musical style reflecting the strong belief represented in the text. Eventually the music slows to an Adagio as the Et expecto begins, following straight on from the Confiteor. 9. Et expecto [5-part chorus in D major, marked Adagio, Vivace e allegro, 2/2 time] Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum et vitam venturi seculi. Amen And I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen The Et expecto then continues with a slow Adagio passage before breaking into the final Vivace e allegro passage which ends the Symbolum on a joyous, confident note as it reaffirms the hope of the resurrection.

10 3. SANCTUS Sanctus [6-part chorus in D major, marked Largo, 4/4 time, Vivace, 3/8 time] Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Domine Deus Sabaoth Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria eius. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and earth are full of your glory The Sanctus is the oldest part of the B Minor Mass, having been originally performed by Bach at a Christmas service in The Sanctus retains the 6-part chorus of the original work, with both the sopranos and altos dividing. It begins with a long slow passage in which the words Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus are declaimed by the full chorus with the basses repeating a series of octave descents underneath the other parts. Eventually the music changes into 3/8 time as the tenors announce the joyful fugue of the Pleni sunt caeli with its semiquaver runs, until the fugue finally runs its course with the final et terra gloria eius. 4. OSANNA, BENEDICTUS, AGNUS DEI AND DONA NOBIS PACEM 1. Osanna in excelsis [8-part double chorus in D major, marked Allegro, 3/8 time] Osanna in excelsis! Hosanna in the highest! The Osanna is a reworking of a secular Cantata entitled Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen - Praise your good fortune, blessed Saxony. It is the only part of the Mass to be set as a double chorus, and is a lively section in which the two choruses carry the music through to a final climax, followed by an orchestral ritornello leading into the contrasting Benedictus. 2. Benedictus [Aria for tenor in B minor with violin obbligato, marked Andante, 3/4 time] Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord The Benedictus provides a quiet, reflective passage set between the two Osannas, the long, graceful vocal line giving the sense of love and longing. It is thought to have been derived from an earlier tenor aria which is now lost. 3. Osanna in excelsis [8-part double chorus in D major, marked Allegro, 3/8 time] Osanna in excelsis! Hosanna in the highest! The Osanna then returns in a repeat of the opening movement. 4. Agnus Dei [Aria for mezzo-soprano in G minor with violin obbligato, marked Adagio, 4/4 time] Agnus Dei Qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world have mercy upon us The Agnus Dei would normally consist of three statements ending with a final Agnus Dei / Dona nobis pacem, but instead Bach splits the section into two parts, with the mezzosoprano expressing the plea for mercy, leaving the chorus to sing the final Dona nobis

11 pacem. The mezzo-soprano solo is derived from an earlier Cantata, No. 11 (Ach bleibe doch, mein liebstes Leben - Oh, stay with me, my dearest life) and in tone is reminiscent of the opening Kyrie. The use of the G minor key also makes the contrast with the final Dona nobis pacem all the more poignant. 5. Dona nobis pacem [4-part chorus in D major, marked Moderato cut time alla breve] Dona nobis pacem Grant us thy peace. The Dona nobis pacem uses the same melody as in the earlier Gratias, and brings the Mass to a peaceful close. Chris Fisher The Alzheimer s Research Trust is the UK s leading dementia research charity. With 700,000 people in the UK affected by Alzheimer s and related dementias we fund world-class research to find the preventions, treatments and cures to combat dementia once and for all. To learn more about our work visit Or contact us on Alzheimer s Research Trust, The Stables, Station Road, Great Shelford, Cambridge, CB22 5LR Registered charity number:

12 FRÉDÉRIQUE KLOOSTER Soprano The Dutch soprano Frédérique Klooster completed her Bachelor s Degree at the Rotterdam Conservatory and is currently a MA Vocal Performance student at the Royal Academy of Music, studying with Elizabeth Ritchie. Frédérique has gained experience in the field of opera and operetta while working in The Netherlands and the UK. She was a member of the chorus for productions of Dido and Aeneas, Alzheimer and Semele. Roles include Spirit in Dido and Aeneas, Hildegard in Bingen, Hildegard von, Moeder in De Gelukkige Werknemer, Timor Dei/Patientia in Ordo Virtutum, Saffi in Der Zigeunerbaron and Jonge Maarten/Jantje in De Waterman. She has appeared as a soloist in numerous oratorios, including Pergolesi s Stabat Mater, Vivaldi s Gloria and Magnificat, Biber s Vesperae Longiores, excerpts from Bach s Christmas Oratorio, Haydn s Nelson Mass, Brahms s Ein Deutsches Requiem, Handel s The Messiah and Dixit Dominus, Mendelssohn s Lobgesang and Hear my Prayer / O for the Wings of a Dove, Gounod s Ave Maria, Beethoven s Mass in C and Britten s A Ceremony of Carols. Upcoming performances include Mozart s Mass in C Minor, Berlioz s The Childhood of Christ, Handel s O Come, Let Us Sing, Bach s Mass in G, St. John Passion and Mass in B Minor. Frédérique s career has taken her from The Netherlands to Belgium, France, Italy, the UK, Switzerland and Germany. Venues include Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam - Grote Zaal (NL), Utrechtse Schouwburg, De Doelen, Bridgewater Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Guildford Cathedral and the Barbican. Festivals include Internationaal Kamermuziek Festival Schiermonnikoog, Yo! Opera Festival, Kamer Opera Festival Zwolle, Springdance Festival, Operadagen Rotterdam, Rencontres Musicales d Enghien, Ardingly International Music School, Dartington International Summer School, Brighton Early Music Festival and Lake District Festival. She has worked with many renowned musicians, including Stephen Cleobury, Sir Colin Davis, Robert Dean, Steven Devine, Richard Egarr, Michael Fields, John Hancorn, Jurjen Hempel, Edward Higginbottom, Maarten Hillenius, Cilia Hogerzeil, Robert Hollingworth, Neil Jenkins, Reinbert de Leeuw, Huub Kerstens, Maarten Koningsberger, Sir Charles Mackerras, Hein Meens, John Ramster, Daniel Reuss, Anthony Rooley, Evelyn Tubb, David Selig, Stephen Varcoe and Carolyn Watkinson.

13 KATIE BRAY Soprano Katie Bray is an active solo performer throughout the country, and has performed solos in many prestigious venues including the Wigmore Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, and the cathedrals of Ely, Wells and Exeter. She was born in Devon and in 2008 completed a music degree at the University of Manchester, for which she was awarded First Class Honours and the Proctor-Gregg Recital Prize. She is now studying for a Masters in Vocal Studies with Elizabeth Ritchie and Iain Ledingham at the Royal Academy of Music, and was recently awarded the 2009 Major van Someren-Godfrey prize for English Song and the Alfred Alexander Scholarship. Katie will be starting the Royal Academy Opera course in September She is a tremendous advocate for contemporary music and has performed in world premieres of a number of new works, including James Stephenson s Apollinaire s Dream at Manchester University in Autumn 2006 and Brendan Ashe s The Earth and The Light in 2005 and Recent solo performances include a song recital at the Wigmore Hall with Song Circle from R.A.M., Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with Somerset-based chamber group Bacchanale, Mrs Noye in Noye s Fludde with Rugby School, Schumann s Myrten at the Oxford Lieder Festival, and Ravel s Chansons Madecasses at the Royal Academy of Music. Katie also toured with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, singing the alto solo in David Bintley s Penguin Cafe in Forthcoming appearances include the same role in The Royal Ballet s 2011 production of this ballet at Covent Garden and Bach s St John Passion with the Rare Theatricall. Katie is generously supported by the Josephine Baker Trust. LAURA KELLY Mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano Laura Kelly studied singing at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama graduating with a first class BMus Hons degree before moving to the Royal Academy of Music where she currently studies with Jennifer Dakin and Audrey Hyland. Whilst studying at the RSAMD she was winner of the Hugh Robertson and George McVicar Memorial competitions and is currently a Dewar Arts Award and a Musician s Benevolent Fund recipient. Her solo oratorio engagements include Bach s B Minor Mass with the City of Glasgow Chorus, Haydn's Nelson Mass and Vivaldi s Gloria performed in Cyprus and in St Martin s in The Fields. Performances of Handel s Dixit

14 Dominus for the Classical Opera Company at Kings Place. She has performed operatic and song repertoire at the Barakura Flower Show in Japan and took the part of a nun in Les dialogues des Carmelites at the Edinburgh Festival with Royal Scottish National Orchestra under Stéphane Deneve. She has performed the role of Hansel in Hansel und Gretel, Hermia from A Midsummer Night s Dream and Meg from Falstaff in the Royal Academy Opera scenes. She performed the role of Nancy in Co-opera-co s production of Albert Herring conducted by Nicholas Cleobury and directed by Ashley Dean. She has also taken part in Master classes with Anne Murray, Sarah Walker, Gerald Finley and with Sally Burgess hosted by Vernon Ellis at Queen s Gate Terrace. Laura most recent engagements include the role of Juno in Handel s Semele performed at The Royal Academy of Music conducted by Sir Charles Makerras and directed by Anna Sweeney. She will be returning to the role of Nancy in the Royal Academy s production of Albert Herring conducted by Nicholas Kok and directed by John Copley. ALEXANDER SPRAGUE Tenor Alexander is currently studying with Ryland Davies and Iain Ledingham on the Opera Course at The Royal Academy of Music where he is supported by the Josephine Baker Trust. As a member of Royal Academy Opera, Alexander has performed the roles Don Eusebio in L Occassione fa il Ladro and Apollo in Semele, and worked with conductors including Sir Colin Davis and Sir Charles Mackerras. For vocal faculty scenes productions, he has created a wide range of roles including Nemorino in L Elisir d Amore, Lysander in A Midsummer Night s Dream, Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Des Grieux in Manon, Peter Quint in The Turn of the Screw. Alexander has made numerous solo appearances across the country on the oratorio stage, his most recent roles include Mozart s Requiem in St Martin in the Fields, London, and with the Northern Sinfonia in Durham Cathedral, Evangelist St. John Passion in Bristol Cathedral, Jenkins The Armed Man with Guernsey Symphony Orchestra, a tour of Handel s Messiah with the Bath Philharmonia and extracts from Handel s Alexander s Feast at The London Handel Festival directed by Laurence Cummings. Also a consort singer, Alexander regularly appears with The Monteverdi Choir, for which he has also performed as a soloist, under Sir John Eliot Gardiner, touring across the UK, Europe and USA, at venues including Carnegie Hall, New York and Opera Comique, Paris. Forthcoming coming engagements include the role of Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni for the Longborough Festival Opera, The Mayor in Albert Herring with the RAO and several appearances on the concert platform which include Handel s Messiah in Austria and Monteverdi Vespers alongside Emma Kirkby.

15 MARCUS FARNSWORTH Baritone Marcus Farnsworth was awarded first prize in the 2009 Wigmore Hall International Song Competition. He is currently studying with Glenville Hargreaves and Audrey Hyland on the opera course at the Royal Academy of Music where he has performed excerpts including Il Conte Le nozze di Figaro, Fritz Die Tote Stadt, Frédéric Lakmé, Le Baron Chérubin, Ford Falstaff and the title role Owen Wingrave. Current and future plans include Sid in Albert Herring, Oreste in Giasone both for RAO, Dandini La Cenerentola for Clonter Opera, and recitals at the Wigmore Hall, Holywell Music Room, Aldeburgh Festival, National Portrait Gallery, and at Temple Church with pianist Julius Drake. Concerts include Bach Cantatas with the RAM, Monteverdi s Vespers with the St George s Singers, and Bach s B Minor Mass in Salisbury Cathedral. He has appeared in recital at St John s Smith Square as part of Graham Johnson s Young Songmakers Almanac; a joint recital with Sarah Connolly at the Oxford Lieder Festival; as a soloist with Matthew Halls and The King s Consort at the Wigmore Hall, and Messiah in the Royal Albert Hall with Sir David Willcocks. Other concert repertoire includes Bach s Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat, Mass in B Minor and St John Passion, Handel s Saul, Fauré and Mozart s Requiems; Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle, Finzi s In Terra Pax, and Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem and Five Mystical Songs. On the opera stage Marcus has performed Adonis in Blow s Venus and Adonis, Aeneas in Purcell s Dido and Aeneas, Guglielmo in Cosi fan Tutte, the Narrator in Britten s Paul Bunyan and the title role in a semi-staged performance of Handel s Saul. Other awards include first prize in the Chelsea Schubert Competition 2009, the Sir Thomas Armstrong Prize, the Elena Gerhardt Lieder Prize, and the Major van Someren- Godferey Prize for English Song. Marcus is generously supported by the Josephine Baker Trust, the Countess of Munster Musical Trust and the Musician s Benevolent Fund.

16 TIMOTHY REDMOND Conductor Timothy Redmond has been principal conductor of the Cambridge Philharmonic since He conducts concerts with many of the UK's leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ulster and BBC Philharmonic Orchestras, Northern Sinfonia and the Orchestra of Opera North. His 2009/10 season includes the world premiere of Peter Ash and Donald Sturrock s The Golden Ticket with Opera Theatre St Louis, concerts in Finland with the Oulu Symphony Orchestra and Slovenia with the Maribor Symphony Orchestra as well as regular appearances in this country with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Manchester Camerata. He returns to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden for the revival of Thomas Adès' Powder Her Face and releases three new recordings with the Philharmonia, RPO and Northern Sinfonia. Recently he made his debut at St Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre, conducting the Russian premiere of Powder Her Face, and was immediately invited back to conduct at Gergiev s Stars of the White Nights festival. Other recent operatic engagements include Kurt Weill's Der Silbersee in Wexford, Richard Ayres' The Cricket Recovers in Bregenz and the world premiere of Raymond Yiu s The Original Chinese Conjuror for Almeida Opera and the Aldeburgh Festival. He has also conducted opera for Opera North, English Touring Opera, Tenerife Opera, Glyndebourne, Strasbourg and in New York. In 2010/11 he returns to Wexford for the European premiere of The Golden Ticket. STEVE BINGHAM Orchestra Leader Steve Bingham studied violin with Emmanuel Hurwitz, Sidney Griller and the Amadeus Quartet at the Royal Academy of Music from 1981 to 1985, where he won prizes for orchestral leading and string quartet playing. In 1985 he formed the Bingham String Quartet, an ensemble which has become one of the foremost in the UK, with an enviable reputation for both classical and contemporary repertoire. The Quartet has recorded numerous CDs and has worked for radio and television both in the UK and as far afield as Australia. The Quartet has worked

17 with distinguished musicians such as Jack Brymer, Raphael Wallfisch, Michael Collins and David Campbell. Steve has appeared as guest leader with many orchestras including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, English National Ballet and English Sinfonia. He has given solo recitals both in the UK and America and his concerto performances include works by Bach, Vivaldi, Bruch, Prokofiev, Mendelssohn and Sibelius, given in venues as prestigious as St John s, Smith Square and the Royal Albert Hall. Steve is also Artistic Director of Ely Sinfonia. In recent years Steve has developed his interest in improvisation, electronics and World music, collaborating with several notable musicians including guitarist Jason Carter and players such as Sanju Vishnu Sahai (tabla), Baluji Shivastrav (sitar) and Abdullah Ibrahim (piano). Steve s debut solo CD Duplicity was released in November 2005, and has been played on several radio stations including BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. The Independent gave it a 4-star review. Steve released his second solo CD, Ascension, in November You can find out more about Steve on his web site at LEO TOMITA Chorus Master Leo Tomita joins the Cambridge Philharmonic this season as Chorus Master. He was Organ Scholar at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where in addition to conducting and running the choir and playing the organ for services, he conducted the college orchestra. He is now a counter-tenor Lay Clerk at St John s College, Cambridge, where he sings in the choir in their daily services including their weekly webcast services, Radio 3 broadcasts, concerts and tours. Leo is Assistant Conductor of the Cambridge University Chamber Choir and has been Assistant Conductor for several operas including the Yorke Trust s production of Rameau s Castor et Pollux. Future projects include the Cambridge Festival s production of Britten s Noye s Fludde in November.

18 ORCHESTRA First Violins Steve Bingham (leader) Kate Clow(co leader) Graham Bush Naomi Hilton Jeanette Langford John Richards Pat Welch Merial Rhodes Sean Rock Nichola Roe Sarah Ridley Viktoria Stelzhammer Gerry Wimpenny Second Violins Emma Lawrence Jenny Barna Joanna Baxter Vincent Bourret Leila Coupe Rebecca Forster Araine Leroy Anne McCleer Katrin Ottersbach Maydo Pitt Clare Simmons Theresa Traynor Violas Ruth Donnelly Liz Andrews Dominic de Cogan Alex Cook Jeremy Harmer Robert Heap Jo Holland Emma McCaughan Janet O Boyle Maureen Magnay Robyn Sorenson Cellos Vivian Williams Sarah Bendall Angela Bennett Helen Davies Melissa Fu Clare Gilmour Helen Hills Richard Merriam Lucy O Brien Amy Shipley Sarah Warren Double Bass Sarah Sharrock Stephen Beaumont Elspeth Cape Joel Humann Susan Sparrow Flute Cynthia Lalli Alison Townend Oboe & Oboe d amore Jenny Sewell Rachel Dunlop Gareth Stainer Bassoon Neil Greenham Jenny Warburton Horn Carole Lewis Trumpet Andrew Powlson Mike Ball Naomi Wrycroft Timpani Dave Ellis Chamber Organ Mark Packwood

19 CHORUS First Sopranos Jeanine Billinghurst Erica Bowler Jane Cook Sal Farquharson Caroline Lamaison Kennedy Luton Ros Mitchell Jan Moore Ruth Peggington Caroline Potter Amanda Price Mary Richards Anne Sales Pat Satori Paddy Smith Ruth Tricker Alison Vinnicombe Rebecca Wood Second Sopranos Cathy Ashbee Eleanor Bell Susannah Cameron Joanne Clark Hannah Curtis Jennifer Day Susan Earnshaw Christine Halstead Maggie Hook Diana Lindsey Ursula Lyons Binnie Macellari Valerie Mahy Liz Popescu Ann Read Sheila Rushton Caroline Sivasundaram Pip Smith Clara Todd First Altos Nicola Bown Margaret Cook Caroline Courtney Alison Dudbridge Jane Grey Leonie Isaacson Ruth Jordan Janet Littlewood Janet Mills Julia Napier Alice Parr Caroline Shepherd Sarah Upjohn Helen Wheatley Patricia Wyman Second Altos Elisabeth Crowe Alison Deary Tabitha Driver Jane Fenton Jane Fleming Hilary Jackson Sue Purseglove Chris Strachan Leo Tomita Amanda Van de Poel Tenors Aidan Baker Colin Dewar Geoff Forster David Griffiths Ian MacMillan Alistair Morfey David Reed Martin Scutt Artha Sessions Margaret Thwaites Graham Wickens Basses Richard Birkett Magnus Borgh Neil Caplan Chris Coffin Brian Dawson Dan Ellis Chris Fisher Lewis Jones Patrick Hall Martin Pennell Harrison Sherwood James Stewart Herve Van de Poel Mike Warren David Watson David White Patrick Woodburn

20 Cambridge Philharmonic Society Season Programme 9 May 2010 West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge Brahms Violin Concerto, with soloist Ruth Palmer, Elgar Symphony No.1 and a new work by Tom Curran 10 July 2010 Ely Cathedral Verdi I Vespri Siciliani (Sicilian Vespers): Overture, Te Deum and Stabat Mater, Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis and Dona Nobis Pacem; with soprano Joan Rodgers and baritone Roderick Williams For further information and online ticket sales, visit: To leave feedback about our concerts and events please feedback@cam-phil.org.uk To receive news of forthcoming concerts, send a blank to: news-subscribe@cam-phil.org.uk