Concerts over the Easter Period
Over the Easter long-weekend this year, Cambridge Voices and Ian de Massini will, once again, present a series of concerts in and around Cambridge, including in their list of chosen venues the unique setting of St Cyriac & St Julitta's, Swaffham Prior. Brief details are printed below: more information will be included in next month's magazine.
GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 9th @ 4.00pm
Cambridge Voices present their annual "Music for Holy Week" concert here in Swaffham Prior, which has proved highly successful since its inception, some ten years ago. This year, the choir has been asked to present Stainer's "Crucifixion", a wonderfully evocative setting of the Passion narrative that even includes audience participation in the glorious Passiontide hymns. In the first half of the concert, the choir will perform the famous "Miserere mei" by Allegri, beside haunting masterpieces from Domenico Scarlatti, Sir John Tavener and Josquin des Pres. Admission will be by programme: £6 per person at the door (no concessions).
HOLY SATURDAY / EASTER EVE, APRIL 10th @ 4.00pm:
Ian de Massini, Director of Cambridge Voices, will perform the first 12 of the 24 Preludes and Fugues that make up Bach's "Well-tempered Clavier" Book 1, on piano. These astonishingly varied works were a deliberate statement, on the composer's part, to show the tremendous advancements he had made in keyboard virtuosity and his breathtaking harmonic awareness and, now, this collection has come to be regarded as The Old Testament of the piano repertoire. Please note that the final 12 Preludes and Fugues will be performed by Ian, the following day (Easter Day April 11th), in St Columba's, Downing Street, Cambridge @ 7.00pm. Admission will be by programme, at the door: £6 per person per concert, or £10 per person for the two concerts.
EASTER BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY, APRIL 12th @ 4.00pm:
To bring the Easter festivities to a close, Cambridge Voices and Ian de Massini combine forces with The Orchestra of the Age of Reason and virtuoso recorderplayer Michael Copley (formerly of The Academy of Ancient Music and The Cambridge Buskers) to present a concert-performance of Handel's delightfully tuneful pastoral entertainment "Acis and Galatea". For this work, Handel has provided some of his most sensual music for two flutes, two oboes, orchestra, soloists and chorus. The concert venue will be The Townley Memorial Hall in Fulbourn. Tickets at the door: £10 (£3 for under-16s, students and job-seekers).