HerefordChoralSociety

175thanniversary

season

1837

2012A special programme of events celebrating

175 years of great music-making in Hereford

GalaConcertSee our

HerefordChoralSociety

John Hunt1837–42

George Townshend Smith1843–77

Langdon Colborne1877–89

George Robertson Sinclair1889–1917

Percy Hull1918–49

Meredith Davies1950–56

Melville Cook1956–66

Richard Lloyd1966–74

Roy Massey1974–2001

Geraint Bowen was born inLondon and received his earlymusical education as a choristerat Hampstead Parish Church

under Martindale Sidwell. He was organ scholar atJesus College, Cambridge, following which he heldposts as assistant organist at St Patrick’s Cathedral,Dublin and Hereford Cathedral. From 1995 to2001 he was organist and master of the choristersat St Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, and artisticdirector of the St Davids Cathedral Festival.

In 2001 he took up the posts of organist anddirector of music at Hereford Cathedral,conductor of Hereford Choral Society and artisticdirector of the Hereford Three Choirs Festival.His work with the cathedral choir has included CDrecordings of works by William Byrd and HerbertHowells, radio and television broadcasts, fourtours of the USA and the introduction of an annualHoly Week performance of one of Bach’s Passions.The choir has also given several performances ofBach’s Christmas Oratorio and in 2012 will completea cycle of liturgical performances of Haydn’s lastsix masses. In 2010 the choir toured South Africafor the first time.

At the Three Choirs Festival, he has beenresponsible for commissioning works by JamesMacMillan, John McCabe and Anthony Powers, andhe has worked with some of the country’s leadingorchestras, including the Bournemouth SymphonyOrchestra, the City of Birmingham SymphonyOrchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, and theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Performances with Hereford Choral Society haveranged from Handel to Tippett including Elgar’sThe Dream of Gerontius and The Kingdom,commemorating respectively the 70th anniversaryof the composer’s death, and the centenary of itscomposition in Hereford. Since 2004 a newdimension has been brought to the society’s annualperformances of Handel’s Messiah and other worksfrom the baroque and classical repertoire by theuse of period instruments.

Geraint Bowenfrom 2001

Foreword

175 years ago, in 1837, HerefordCathedral would have looked avery different place – the centralscreen with organ would stillhave been there and, while theenergetic Dean John Merewether had been inpost for a few years, the great restorations of thecathedral had not yet taken place and the stateof its fabric was fragile, to say the least! Thestandard of music in the cathedral during the1830s was no doubt variable, but it had, of course,enjoyed a brief glimpse of something more exotic,during the brief reign of Samuel Sebastian Wesley(1832–5). He no doubt opened eyes to a musicalworld outside the choir stalls and I like to thinkthat this expanded vision helped to lead to theformation of our Choral Society and topresenting the people of Hereford with a largerand more catholic musical diet! Musical concertsin the cathedral itself were, at that time, viewedwith some suspicion by the Chapter and one ofthe great developments in the past 175 years hasbeen gradual recognition that concert hall andchoir stalls – sacred and secular – are not thatfar apart, and that one can feed the other. Theannual performances of Hereford Choral Societyin the cathedral today are occasions thoroughlyaccepted – indeed looked forward to – by thecathedral and the partnership between our twocommunities is both mutually supportive andcreative.

I consider it a great privilege to be both Dean andPresident and offer the warmest congratulationsto all in this anniversary year. The society hasbeen blest with the very best of conductors andofficers during those 175 years – long may it beso!

Michael TavinorDean of Hereford

Ticket information

· Up to two children under 16 are admittedfree when accompanied by an adult.

· Parties of 10 or more receive a groupdiscount of 10%

· Wheelchair space is available in areas Aand B with notice, or in the side aisleswithout notice.

· Telephone bookings must be confirmed inwriting within seven working days.

· Cheques should be made payable toHereford Choral Society.

· Unless booking on-line, please enclose astamped addressed envelope.

For further information please contact theTicket Secretary, Claire Hancock

0845 46 33 124Knapp FarmhouseBridge SollarsHereford HR4 7JHtickets@herefordchoralsociety.org

Please refer to this section beforecompleting the booking form at the back of this

booklet.

· Nave and Plinth Areas A to C arereserved seating at the prices shown on thebooking form.

· Seats in the choir stalls and side aisles areunreserved seating (restricted view).

· Tickets are available from: Reserved Unreserved

www.herefordchoralsociety.org

The Ticket Secretary (see below)

Friends and Patrons of HCS(0845 46 33 109)

Hereford Cathedral Shop

The Outback, Church Street,Hereford

Hereford Choral SocietyRegistered Charity No. 508140

Please note that all the society’sconcerts take place in Hereford

Cathedral by kind permission of theDean and Chapter.

Rowland Hill’s government discusses the idea of carrying letters ina separate sheet which folded to become an envelope and the ideaof ‘a bit of paper’ which could be affixed to a letter to flag thatpostage had been paid

William Fothergill Cooke and Charles Wheatstone patent theelectrical telegraph

King William IV dies from heart failure at Windsor Castle

Princess Victoria of Kent ascends the throne as Queen Victoria

General election results in a Whig victory

General Register Office begins the practice of registering births,marriages and deaths

Queen Victoria moves into Buckingham Palace, the first monarchto live there

The Isambard Kingdom Brunel-designed steamship Great Westernlaunched

Euston Station, London’s first railway station, is opened

Lea & Perrins begin making Worcestershire sauce

AND … John Hunt founds Hereford Choral Society

1837

The Society was formed in 1837 by John Hunt, the cathedralorganist, from the cathedral choir plus the addition of adult malesingers, who were not members of the cathedral choir

In 1853, a programme notice read, ‘It is requested that the audiencewill abstain from applause or censure.’

In the early 1880s, Edward Elgar played violin in the orchestra forHereford Choral Society

During his time at Plas Gwyn, not infrequently Elgar used to slip induring the Choral Society’s practices

In 1901, the Society had 155 members, but more tenors and basseswere required to, ‘balance properly the sopranos and altos …’

Dr H Watkins Shaw played the continuo in the Society’sperformance of Handel’s Messiah in March 1950 - eight years priorto editing his definitive edition of the oratorio

In the early 1970s concerts were moved to a Saturday instead ofThursday so that members could attend the afternoon orchestralrehearsal – and so began the tradition that still pertains to this day

At this time the Society didn’t possess any raked staging so it wasnot unusual for some members of the chorus to have no sight ofthe conductor. It was possible for some members of the chorus tobe singing from a position with no view of the conductor, havingnot rehearsed with the orchestra and where they could not easilybe heard!

Society events

17 MarchStarting our celebrations

GalaConcert

Benjamin Ealovega

VerdiRequiem

Verdi’s colossal Requiem, described bymany as his greatest opera, opens ourspecial celebrations. It is a powerfulevocation of our responses to death, fromits hushed opening, through the shatteringdepiction of the terror of judgement dayin the famous Dies irae, to the manysublime moments in the latter movements.

Don’t miss this opportunity to experiencea live performance of this stunning work.

With world-class soloists and theincomparable Philharmonia Orchestraand one the most dramatic choral worksever written, this is set to be an eveningno-one will ever forget.

Kindly sponsored byMr Clive Richards OBE DL

Soprano Claire Seaton

Mezzo Jeanette Ager

Tenor Wynne Evans

Bass David Stout

Conductor Geraint Bowen

Nave A / Plinth A £30Nave B / Plinth B £25Nave C / Plinth C £20Unreserved £12Under 16s 2 free

per adult

Tickets

1 www.herefordchoralsociety.org/tickets2 Booking form on the rear cover3 0845 46 33 124

To book

7.30 pm

1 July

Evensong

Please join us onthis special occasion.

3.30 pm

Commemorating175 years of greatmusic-making inHereford, membersof Hereford ChoralSociety will singHandel’s HallelujahChorus during thisservice, to whichall are welcome.

21–28July

View the exhibition about our175 years of great music-makingin Hereford.

Come and see the display in theHereford Three Choirs FestivalClub.

6 OctoberA chance for members andfriends old and new to betogether and recall whatHereford Choral Society hasmeant to everyone.

For more information orto book places, please call0845 46 33 109

Munstone HouseHerefordHR1 3AH

7.30 pm for 8.00 pm

GalaDinner

Collectable

souvenirs

Made in Staffordshirebone china, only 175

examples of eachcommemorative item

has been made to markHereford ChoralSociety’s special

anniversary. Every itemis individually numberedto signify its uniqueness.

Mug £8

Trinket box £7

Plate £5

Full set £17

ORDER FORMPlease send me:

Quantity Item cost Total cost

Mug £8

Trinket box £7

Plate £5

Full set £17

p & p £3

Total

Please post this order with a cheque for the total amount made payable to Hereford Choral Society, to:Mrs K Roberts, Wychford End, Cradley, Malvern WR13 5NF

Name:

Deliveryaddress:

Postcode:

Tel:

Choral Classics

17 November7.30 pm

A spectacular evening ofchoral favourites thathave delighted audiencesover the last 175 years

1 www.herefordchoralsociety.org/tickets2 Booking form on the rear cover3 0845 46 33 124

Standard ticket pricing.

Please note that the composers shown are notnecessarily indicative of the works to be performed

Membership

Would you like to perform in thewonderful setting of HerefordCathedral?

Hereford Choral Society rehearsals areheld every week on Monday eveningsbetween September and March, normallyin the Zimmerman Building of HerefordCathedral School. New members arewelcome subject to passing a simple voicetest.

Please contact Dora Parry, MembershipSecretary, on 0845 46 33 104, or emailmembership@herefordchoralsociety.org if youwish to find out more about joining thesociety or attending a rehearsal.

Why not attend our open rehearsal?It is usually held on the third Monday inSeptember; please contact Dora Parry fordetails and to reserve a place.

Friends and PatronsScheme

Why not become aFriend or Patron?

Patron£75 pa

Friend£25 pa

Benefits:Priority booking for upto two tickets perconcert

4

10% discount on alltickets

4

Advance booking beforegeneral ticket sales beginon 1 October

4 4

Free concertprogrammes

4 4

Your name printed in theprogrammes

4 4

Your name on thesociety website

4 4

Pre-concertrefreshments

4 4

Occasional social events 4 4

Your ticket sales will be managed throughthe Friends and Patrons Secretary.

If you would like to know more aboutbecoming a Friend or Patron please call0845 46 33 109 or visitwww.herefordchoralsociety.org/friends.php

Cathedral rehearsal Photo: Dr Derek Foxton

8 December

MESSIAHby candlelight

And the glory, theglory of … Handel’s

Bringing to an end our year ofspecial celebrations with …

the cathedral filled withatmospheric candlelight …

the Hereford sky filled withspectacular fireworks …

Starting at 7.00 pm to be followedby the Firework Spectacular

1 www.herefordchoralsociety.org/tickets2 Booking form on the rear cover3 0845 46 33 124

Standard ticket pricing

Name:

Address:

Town:

Postcode: Tel:

Email:

Posting details overleaf Total to pay: £

Gala Concert17 March 2012: Verdi Requiem

Ticket Number Total

Nave A (£30) Sold out

Nave B (£25) Sold out

Nave C (£20) Sold out

Plinth A (£30) Sold out

Plinth B (£25) Sold out

Plinth C (£20) Sold out

Unreserved (£12)

Children (under 16) (2 free per adult)

8 December 2012: Handel Messiah

Ticket Number Total

Nave A (£22)

Nave B (£18)

Nave C (£14)

Plinth A (£22)

Plinth B (£18)

Plinth C (£14)

Unreserved (£10)

Children (under 16) (2 free per adult)

Ticket Number Total

Nave A (£22)

Nave B (£18)

Nave C (£14)

Plinth A (£22)

Plinth B (£18)

Plinth C (£14)

Unreserved (£10)

Children (under 16) (2 free per adult)

17 November 2012: Choral Classics

Booking form

Please refer to the booking informationon page 3 of this booklet beforecompleting the booking form.

Tickets for the November andDecember concerts go on generalsale on 1 October 2012. Friends andPatrons receive priority bookingbefore this date.

Post to:Ticket SecretaryKnapp FarmhouseBridge SollarsHereford HR4 7JH

0845 46 33 124www.herefordchoralsociety.org/tickets