LIGHT OUT of DARKNESS

This Concert is a farewell to Matthew Kelley who moves to Hexham in April to take up a Post at Hexham Abbey .

The Concert mainly features three Composers  - Mendelssohn (who made several musical journeys to the British  Isles) and Elgar and Vaughan Williams – two composers we think of as quintessentially  English – and with connections to Worcester Cathedral and the Three Choirs Festival.

There are some movements from Mendelssohn’s early Oratorio “St Paul “  and Isobelle Palmer will be the soloist in his famous anthem  “Hear my Prayer” which includes “Oh for the wings of a dove”.  Organist Sean Tucker will be playing an Organ Sonata by Mendelssohn.

Vaughan Williams “Five Mystical Songs” sets the words of George Herbert ,a seventeenth century Priest and Poet.  Some of the movements are intimate but the final Antiphon  “Let all the world in every Corner Sing” is a familiar robust hymn tune.

Elgar features in two contrasting works. In the first half we present some movements from an early Oratorio  called “The Light of Life”. In complete contrast the concert will finish with “From the Bavarian Highlands” – a joyful collection of songs in pastoral mood.

Advance Tickets are available online from www.brockenhurstchoir.org or in person from Pot Pourri and Streets in the village or on the door on the day.

MATTHEW   WRITES:

The programme you will enjoy is a very personal one. Aware that this is my last opportunity to work with The Brockenhurst Choir, before I move to Northumberland, I wanted to design a concert that goes back to my roots, to create something that is memorable to as many involved as possible. Much of the music you will hear this evening was first introduced to me when I sang as a Chorister in Worcester Cathedral Choir and has stuck with me ever since. I have always tried to introduce this music to others where possible, particularly the works of Sir Edward Elgar, who, like me, was raised in Worcester, and who dedicated so much of his time to choirs whilst there, alongside his more famous orchestral offerings.

 I admire this music enough to have written an arrangement of Elgar's music especially for this concert:   "From the Bavarian Highlands" is a collection of six songs written following the Elgar family's holiday to Bavaria in 1894. Originally written for choir and piano, you are about to be the first to hear an arrangement that includes the organ, taking advantage of the two great instruments that we have in this church. It has been no easy task, but it has been a pleasure to put this version together. It will hopefully be a fitting end to this concert, and indeed my work here in Brockenhurst. Enjoy!