Category Archives: Previous concerts

Thomas Tallis – Spem in alium

7.30pm, Saturday 22 March 2014 – St Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks

Poster for Spem in Alium concert, March 2014

In March 2014, Cantate were joined for the first time by one of the world’s leading period ensembles, His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts, who have for many years been a highlight of the early music scene through their many recordings, radio performances and concerts. They delivered a wonderful programme of Renaissance music from Italy, Germany and Britain.

Cantate and HMSC performed alone and together in music by great composers of the period and the concert will build to a climax with Thomas Tallis’ extraordinary Spem in alium, a motet written in 40 parts, and a landmark piece in musical history.

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Christmas with Cantate

7.30pm, Saturday 14 December 2013 – St Mary’s Platt Parish Church

Poster for The Cantate Choir's Christmas concert in December 2013

Soloist

Jemima Stephensonorgan

Programme

Audience carol – O come, o come, Emmanuel
16th French tune Arr. Willcocks – Ding Dong! Merrily on high
14th century carol Arr. Willcocks – Resonemus laudibus
H. Berlioz 1803 – 69 – The Sepherd’s Farewell
Organ solo J.S. Bach 1685 – 1750 – Nun komm der heiden heiland BWV 659
J.G. Ebeling 1637? – 76 – All my heart this night rejoices
Audience carol – Good King Wenceslas
J.S. Bach 1685 – 1750 – Singet dem Herrn
Audience carol – Once in royal David’s city
W.J. Kirkpatrick 1838 – 1921 – Away in a manger
J. Rutter b. 1945 – Nativity Carol
J. Rutter – What sweeter music
Audience carol – O little town of Bethlehem
Organ solo O. Messiaen 1908 – 1992 – La Nativité du Seigneur – Les Bergers (the shepherds)
M. Lauridsen b. 1943 – O Magnum mysterium
W. Mathias 1934 – 92 – Sir Christèmas
Audience Carol – Hark the Herald angels sing

Programme notes

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Birthdays, Bubbly and Berries

7.30pm, Saturday 22 June 2013 – Kippington Church, Sevenoaks

Poster from Cantate Choir's June 2013 concert - Birthdays, bubbly and berries

Soloist

Iestyn EvansOrgan

Programme

John Dowland – Come again! Sweet love doth now invite
John Dowland – O sweet woods, the delight of solitariness
John Dowland – Flow not so fast ye fountains
John Dowland – Fine knacks for ladies
Benjamin Britten – Rejoice in the Lamb
Giuseppe Verdi – Ave Maria
Giuseppe Verdi – Stabat Mater
Giuseppe Verdi – Laudi Alla Vergine Madre
Giuseppe Verdi – Te Deum

Programme notes

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The First Nowell

7.30pm, Saturday 15 December 2012 – St Mary’s Platt, Borough Green

Soloist

Riccardo BonciOrgan

Programme

Vaughan Williams – The First Nowell – an Oratorio
Audience carol – O come, all ye faithful
H. Darke – In the bleak mid-winter
W. Byrd – O magnum mysterium
F. Poulenc – Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël
E. Elgar – The Snow
B. Britten – A New Year carol
Audience carol – O little town of Bethlehem 
A. Adam – Oh holy night

Programme notes

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Royal Celebrations

7.30pm, Saturday 16 June 2012 – St Martin’s Church, Brasted

Poster for The Cantate Choir's Royal Celebrations concert in June 2012

A golden treasury of English music – Music for Royal occasions from Queen Elizabeth I to Queen Elizabeth II

Soloist

Ian Shaworgan

Programme

O. Gibbons – Preludium organ solo
O. Gibbons – O clap your hands together
Anon C16th – Rejoice in the Lord
H. Purcell – Funeral sentences
T. Bateson – Hark, hear you not?
W. Boyce – The King shall rejoice
C.H.H. Parry – I was glad when they said unto me
S.S. Wesley – Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace
R. Vaughan Williams – Rhosymedre organ solo
R. Vaughan Williams – O taste and see
Paul Mealor – Ubi caritas
G.F. Handel – Zadok the Priest

Programme notes

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Durufle Requiem and Gareth Wilson’s Decalogue

7.30pm, Saturday 26 November, 2011 – St Mary’s Platt Church, Nr Borough Green

Poster for Cantate Choir's Durufle Requiem concert in November 2011

Soloists

Gareth Wilsoncomposer & conductor
Nicholas O’Neillorgan

Programme

Gareth Wilson – Decalogue
Duruflé – Requiem

This concert included Gareth Wilson’s first performance outside London of Decalogue.

Performing new music, and working with composers is a real thrill for musicians: getting the music ‘hot off the press’. The Cantate Chamber Choir worked with Gareth Wilson, conductor, composer, theologian and educator, preparing his new work ‘Decalogue’ for their concert on Saturday 26th November in the Parish Church of St Mary Platt.

The work, sets biblical texts from both the old and new testaments, to music as a set of eleven motets for choir and organ. Each text is chosen to highlight one of the Ten Commandments, with the eleventh movement being the words of Jesus; “I give you a new commandment”.

The composer, Gareth Wilson, conducted the work and the choir’s musical director, Robin Walker, played the substantial organ accompaniment.

For the second half of the concert Robin conducted the choir as they performed one of the choral repertoire’s most loved works: Maurice Duruflé’s ‘Requiem’, with its haunting ‘Pie Jesu’ and heavenly ‘In Paradisum’.

Programme notes

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Auguri Italia!

Tuesday 31 May 2011 – Methodist Church, Florence, Italy
Wednesday 1 June 2011 – 13th century church of Saint Augustine, San Gimignano, Italy
Thursday 2 June 2011 – La Badia Fiorentina (Florence Abbey), Florence, Italy
7.30pm, Thursday 16 June – St Margaret Patten’s Church, City of London
7.30pm, Saturday 18 June – St Martin’s Church, Brasted

Poster from the choir's Auguri Italia! tour to Italy

On 30th May, ‘Cantate’ set off for Florence, for a week of performances in Tuscany. They take with them a delightful summer programme celebrating 150 years of Italian Unity and will return to England for their UK concerts in London and finally Brasted. These ‘a capella’ concerts will feature music from the 15th to the 20th century, with a particular focus on Italian and English composers, including Giovanni Gabrieli, Antonio Lotti, Charles Wood, William Harris, John Dowland and Edward Bairstow. The concert will finish with Joseph Rheinberger’s wonderful Mass in E flat major.

In Florence, all three concert venues are ancient churches with rich histories. The first is the Methodist Church in Florence, built in the 12th Century as a monastery, and the place where the clavichord was perhaps invented. It is also only a few doors away from the palazzo in which dramatic recitative was first heard, the birthplace of modern operatic style. The church is only a few hundred yards from the church of Santa Croce, where Rossini is buried, whose Messe Solennelle the choir performed in March this year.

Photo of San Gimignano Chiesa di Sant'Agostino, one of the venues for the Choir's tour to Italy
San Gimignano Chiesa di Sant’Agostino

The 13th century church of Saint Augustine in the UNESCO World Heritage town of San Gimignano, south of Florence, is the choir’s second port of call. San Gimignano is famous for its many tall towers, used to dry long lengths of cloth dyed with local saffron, and visible for many miles around. The town was used in the film Tea with Mussolini, and is the setting for the video game Assassin’s Creed II !

For their final concert the choir perform in one of Florence’s most ancient churches, La Badia Fiorentina (Florence Abbey), which dates back to the year 978, and where Robin is currently organist. The monastic community there have given the choir special permission to give a rare concert, which will be the final highlight of the trip.

The choir also performed this summer programme on two occasions in England. First on Thursday 16th June when the choir sang in the City of London at St Margaret Patten’s Church and then on the opening night of the Sevenoaks Festival at St Martin’s Church Brasted on the 18th June.

Programme

Hugo Kelly – Magnificat
J. Arcadelt – Ave maria
G. Gabrieli – Jubilate Deo a 8
T. Weelkes – When David heard
A. Lotti – Crucifixus a 8
A. Bruckner – Ave Maria, Locus iste, Os justi
C. Wood – Great Lord of Lords
S. Rachmaninov – Blessed is the man
A. Bax – Lord, thou hast told us
E. Bairstow – I sat down under his shadow
J. Rheinberger – Double mass in E flat
W. Harris – Bring us, O Lord God

Programme notes

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Ceremony of Carols

7.30pm, Saturday 11 December 2010 – St Marys Platt, Nr Borough Green

Poster for the Cantate Choir's December 2010 Concert - Ceremony of Carols

Soloist

Camilla Payharp

Programme

G. Palestrina – Matin Responsory
H J Gauntlett – Once in Royal David’s City
arr. Willcocks – Tomorrow shall be my dancing day
H. Darke – In the bleak mid-winter
M. Grandjany 1891-1775 – Aria in a classic style - Harp solo
R.R. Bennett – Susanni
arr. Willcocks – Il est né le divin enfant
J. Rutter – Wexford carol
Austr. trad. arr. Willcocks – He smiles within his cradle
arr. Willcocks – Angelus ad Virginem
S-R. Marcel 1882-1955 – Variations pastorales sur un vieux noël - Harp solo
arr. Willcocks – Sussex carol
Pearsall – In dulci jubilo
arr. R. Jacques – The holly and the ivy
arr. Willcocks – I saw three ships
arr. R. Jacques – Good King Wenceslas
B. Britten – Ceremony of carols

Programme notes

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A Summer Seranade

7.30 pm, Saturday 13 June 2010 – St Martin’s Church, Brasted

Poster from Cantate Choir's summer concert in June 2010

Soloist

Iestyn Evansorgan

Programme

Madrigals
Greaves- Come away, sweet love
Vautor – Mother, I will have a husband
Weelkes – Come, sirrah Jack, ho!
Morley – Sing we, and chant it

Folksongs
Willcocks – Bobby Shaftoe
Grainger – Londonderry Air
Rutter – Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Elgar – The Spirit of the Lord is upon me
Elgar – Doubt not thy Father’s care
Elgar – O hearken Thou
Elgar – They are at rest
Brahms – Hungarian Dance No. 5 (organ duet)

Popular Classics from the ‘30s and ‘40s
Youmans/Caesar – Tea for two
Kern – Smoke gets in your eyes
Porter – Let’s do it

Celebrate!

7.30pm, Saturday 28 November 2009 – St Mary’s Church, Platt

Poster for the Cantate Choir's November 2009 Concert - Celebrate!

Soloist

Robin Walkerorgan

Programme

J. Haydn 1732–1809 – Te Deum
F. Mendelssohn 1809–1847 – Organ Sonata No. IV in B flat major
F. Mendelssohn 1809–1847 – Sechs Sprüche zum Kirchenjahr – opus 79
A. Bruckner 1824–1896 – Mass No. 2 in E minor

Programme notes

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Part, Parry, Purcell and Palestrina

7.30pm, Saturday 6 June 2009 – St Bartholomew’s Church, Otford

Poster for the Cantate Choir's June 2009 Concert - Part, Parry, Purcell and Palestrina

Soloist

Iestyn Evansorgan

Programme

H. Purcell 1659–95 My Heart is inditing
H. Purcell Voluntary in G major
G.P. Palestrina 1525–94 Exsultate Deo
G.P. Palestrina Ricercar del quinto tuono
G.P. Palestrina Tu es Petrus
A. Pärt b. 1935 Pari Intervallo
A. Pärt The Beatitudes
C.H.H. Parry 1848–1918 Songs of Farewell
C.H.H. Parry Chorale Prelude on “Croft’s 136th”

Programme notes

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O Magnum Mysterium

7.30pm, Saturday 13 December 2008 – St Martin’s Church, Brasted

Poster from Cantate Choir's December 2008 concert, O Magnum Mysterium

Soloists

Riccardo Bonciorgan
David Matthewsnarrator

Programme

Kjell Mørk Karlsen b.1947 – O Magnum Mysterium
Carols from Georgian England
Hark! how all the welkin rings,
Hallelujah 1767
Nativity 1816
A Christmas anthem c. 1830
I saw a maiden
Silent night
O come, all ye faithful
The twelve days of Christmas

Programme notes

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The Voice Of Melody

7.30pm, Saturday 7 June 2008 – St Mary’s Church, Platt

Poster from Cantate Choir's June 2008 concert, The Voice of Melody

Soloists

Nimrod Borensteincomposer
Iestyn Evansorgan

Programme

Benjamin Britten 1913-1976 – O be joyful in the Lord
Arvo Pärt b.1935 – “I am the true vine
John Rutter b.1945 – Loving shepherd of thy sheep
Ernest Bullock 1890-1979 – Give us the wings of faith to rise
Jyrki Linjama b. 1962 – Salve Regina
William Harris 1883 – 1973 – Faire is the heaven
Nimrod Borenstein b. 1969 – Three psalm settings
The voice of melody
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem
Idols
Arnold Bax 1883-1953 – Lord, thou hast told us
Charles Wood 1866-1926 – Great Lord of Lords
Nimrod Borenstein – “To be or not to be” (World Premiere)

Programme notes

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Christmas Cracker

7.30pm, Saturday 15 December 2007 – St Mary’s Platt, Nr Borough Green

Poster from Cantate Choir's December 2007 concert - Christmas Cracker

Soloist

Iestyn Evansorganist

Programme

Kenneth Leighton – Let all the world in every corner sing
H J Gauntlett – Once in royal David’s city
arr. Elizabeth Poston – The boar’s head carol
16th c French – Ding dong! merrily on high
arr. Vaughan Williams – O little town of Bethlehem
Francis Poulenc – Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël
arr. David Willcocks – The first nowell
arr. John Rutter – Here we come a-wassailing
arr. David Willcocks – Deck the hall
arr. Reginald Jacques – Good King Wenceslas
Cecilia McDowall – Christus natus est

Programme notes

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Baroque Masterworks

7.30pm, Saturday 3 March 2007 – St Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks

Poster for Cantate Choir's March 2007 Concert - Baroque Masterworks

Soloists

Hazel Brooksleader
Donna Batemansoprano
Susan Gilmore-Baileysoprano
Julia Rileymezzo-soprano
Charne Rochfordtenor
James Gowerbass

Programme

Antonio Vivaldi 1678-1741 – Magnificat
Pachelbel – Canon in D (instrumental)
Henry Purcell 1659-1695 – Rejoice in the Lord alway
Henry Purcell - Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes
George Frederic Handel 1685-1759 – Dixit Dominus

Programme notes

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Remember!

7.30pm, Saturday 11 November 2006 – St Mary’s Kippington

Poster from Cantate Choir's Remember! concert in November 2006

Staged on Armistice Day November 11 at St Mary’s Church, Kippington Road, Sevenoaks on Saturday 11 November 2006. For this special day the choir devised a programme titled Remember!, comprising remembrances and recollections in music and verse.

Soloists

Iestyn Evansorganist
Nimrod Borensteincomposer
James Wallacereader
Lonnie Christophersreader

Programme

Karl Jenkins’ – The Armed Man
Samuel Barber’s – Adagio for Strings
Vaughan Williams’ – Greensleeves
Elgar’s – Nimrod
Nimrod Borenstein’s – If I rise
Poems by Wilfred Owen, Christina Rossetti and Tennyson

Programme notes

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Poetry in Music

7.30pm, Saturday 10 June 2006 – St Mary’s Platt, Borough Green

Poster from Cantate Choir's June 2006 concert - Poetry in Music

Soloist

Michael Higginspiano

Programme

Mathias – Shakespeare Songs
Mendelssohn – Songs without Words – Nos. 1, 9, 10
Vaughan Williams – Toward the Unknown Region
Finzi – Seven Poems of Robert Bridges
Chopin – Waltz in A flat major, Opus 34 No. 1
Elgar – From the Bavarian Highlands

Programme notes

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Christmas with Cantate

7.30pm, Saturday 10 December 2005 – Church of St Mary Platt, Nr Borough Green

Poster from Cantate Choir's December 2005 concert - Christmas with Cantate

Soloists

Claude Lamontrumpet
Hilmar Hauertrumpet
Iestyn Evansorgan

Programme

J S Bach – Christians be joyful
Once in Royal David’s City
Anon – There is no Rose
Leuner – The shepherds’ cradle song
Francesco Manfredini – Concerto for two trumpets
Antonin Tucapsky – Koleda
German traditional – In dulci jubilo
It came upon a midnight clear
English traditional – Rejoice and be merry
Polish traditional – Star in the South
Hark the Herald angels sing
Deck the hall
O Tannenbaum
We wish you a merry Christmas

Concert for the Hospice in the Weald

7.30pm, Saturday 22 October 2005 – Kippington Church, Sevenoaks

C.H.H. Parry – Blest pair of Sirens
G.Gabrieli – O Magnum mysterium
G.Gabrieli – Jubilate Deo
Handel – Zadok the Priest
Elgar – Allegro Maestoso from Sonata No 1
Purcell – Elegy upon the death of Queen Mary
J.S. Bach – O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht
J.Brahms – How lovely are Thy Dwellings
Bennet – All creatures now
Dowland – Weep you no more, sad fountains
Farmer – Fair Phillis I saw sitting all alone
J.P.Sweelinck – Variations on “Under the linden tree”
Howells – Under the greenwood tree
Sullivan – The dicky bird and the owl
Two Welsh songs (arranged by Alan Hoddinott) – Fair Lisa & The Lazy Wife
M. Tippett

A Summer Romance

7.30pm, 11 June 2005 – Church of St. Mary Platt, Nr. Borough Green

Poster from Cantate Choir's June 2005 concert - A Summer Romance

Soloist

Michael Higginspiano

Programme

Elgar – The Spirit of the Lord
Glinka – The Cherubic Hymn
Brahms – Intermezzo in A maj Op.118 no.2
Grieg – Ave Maris Stella
Mendelssohn – Richte mich, Gott
Brahms – How lovely are thy dwellings fair
Mendelssohn – Hear my prayer
Elgar – They are at Rest
Schumann – Aufschwung, op.12 no.2
Rheinberger – Abendlied
Parry – Blest pair of sirens

Renaissance Revealed

7.30pm, Saturday 5 March 2005 – St Nicholas’ Church, Sevenoaks

Poster for Cantate Choir's March 2005 concert - Renaissance Revealed

Soloist

Sweelinck Ensemble

Programme

Frescobaldi – Praeambulum
Gabrieli – Jubilate Deo a 8
Arcadelt – Ave Maria
Gabrieli – Canzon Prima a 5
Monteverdi – O Magnum mysterium a 8
Castello – Sonata Duodecima a 3 from Sonata Concertate
Gabrieli – Miserere Mei Deus a 4
Picchi – Sonata Duodecima a 4
Allegri – Miserere Mei Deus a 5
Falconieri – Toccata XXIV in G
Lotti – Crucifixus a 8
Palestrina – Credo a 6 della Missa Pappa Marcello
Merulo – Canzon Decima Ottava a 5
Gabrieli – Magnificat a 8

Britten & Bach

7.30pm, Saturday 20 November 2004 – Church of St. Mary Platt, Nr. Borough Green

Soloist

Iestyn Evansorganist

Programme

Britten – Festival Te Deum
Bach – O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht BWV 118 (organ)
Britten – St Godric’s Hymn
Britten – Rejoice in the Lamb (organ)
Bach – Jesu, joy of man’s desiring (organ)
Britten – Yif ic of luve can
Britten – A death
Bach – Jesu, meine Freude BWV 227 (Motet III) preceded by a short organ prelude