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Over 200 Singers for Mahler’s Resurrection
11 March 2018
Our 2018 Season - “Wond’rous Machine” - began in spectacular fashion
last night with a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2
“Resurrection” with nearly 250 singers working alongside the
virtuoso organist David Briggs, who transcribed the huge orchestral
score for solo organ himself.
Our Mahler Banner outside St Matthew's
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Over 200 Singers in Rehearsal
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The Northampton Bach Choir were delighted to be joined by the
Daventry Choral Society, the Wellingborough Singers, the New
Leicester Youth Chorus, the Chapel Choir of the Malcolm Arnold
Academy, and soloists Alison Roddy and Jeanette Ager, and of course
David Briggs at the console of the four-manual Walker Organ of St
Matthew’s Church.
A Packed Church and a Massive Sound
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David Briggs at Work
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From the very quietest sounds on the organ right up to the
astonishing force of full organ, and the choir at the very highest
point in their voices, singing at full-throttle, this was a concert
which was truly remarkable – members of the audience were visibly
moved by the performance, and the huge applause for all our
performers was breath-taking. Particular tribute must be paid to
David Briggs who sustained the performance for 85 solid minutes,
conjuring remarkable sounds from the organ, and taking us on
Mahler’s journey.
Rank on Rank the Hosts of Heaven Sing
Mahler
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David and our Soloists
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Over our four major concerts in 2018 we are exploring repertoire
for chorus and organ, capitalising on the remarkable Cathedral-sized
organ that is available to us at St Matthew’s Church; the three
remaining concerts focus on (1) the Centenary of Leonard Bernstein’s
birth, alongside works by Britten, Finzi, Kelly, and Tippett
commissioned by Walter Hussey, (2) the wealth of “Choral Fireworks”
written over the last century by Parisian organist-composers, and
(3) the Centenary of both the death of Sir C. Hubert H. Parry, and
the Armistice at the end of the First World War, in a programme of
Parry’s outstanding works for both Ceremonial and Commemorative
occasions - Blest Pair of Sirens, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, I
was glad, Jerusalem, and of course, his Songs of Farewell.
Just a huge “Thank you”
and congratulations on last
night’s Mahler 2 concert. It
was simply, ‘wonderful’ and
such a different experience
for the choir and audience.
The long wait for our
participation was
interesting and when we
finally ‘took off’ it was
spine tingling, both for us
and the audience apparently.
Nothing but praise was
evident for the choir so
brilliantly put together and
rehearsed. If it was the
last concert I shall ever do
with the Bach Choir,
(hopefully NOT - so much
more to come with the next
one),it fulfilled every
sense of the privilege of
being part of a great choir
over the years.
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PC, Mears Ashby |
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Many thanks indeed for
letting me come and sing
with you last night in what
was a very good performance,
and one I shall treasure.
David Briggs is a tour de
force and his performance
quite staggering (I’m quite
a hopeless organist!). The
screen made it even more
exciting to see how much has
to be done at the same time
as playing all those notes..
Thanks again and good luck
with the rest of your
season.
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JW, Beeston |
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It was an incredible
concert last night. I don't
think I have ever seen the
organ played so
impressively, and the
augmented Bach choir were
superb.
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AC, Duston |
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Many thanks for giving
us the opportunity, to sing
in that performance of
Mahler 2. The whole event
was superbly organised and a
marvellous experience to be
part of.
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MH, Daventry |
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Please look at our website for further details of this series of
concerts.
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