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Carols by Candlelight: A Yuletide Concert
To quote the 14th century words set by Benjamin Britten ‘Wolcum Yole’! The South London Singers under conductor Nicholas Wibberley with accompanist Jack Stone would like to welcome y’all to our concert as we look forward to the time when we do welcome Yule. The core work will be Benjamin Britten’s ‘A Ceremony of Carols’.
It is amazing to think that the bulk of this ebullient work was written in early 1942 as Britten and Peter Pears returned to the U.K. from the U.S.A. Britten composed in order to beat the boredom of the trip. There must also have been a degree of anxiety, and the circumstances were not ideal for composing music as the Swedish cargo ship chugged across the U-Boat infested North Atlantic. Fanciful, of course, but can we feel the incessant rhythm of the ship’s engines in some of the movements such as ‘This Little Babe’?
The S.L.S. are very pleased to welcome back Keziah Thomas, who has worked with us a number of times before to provide, as Britten intended, the solo harp accompaniment.
Needless to say, there will be plenty of other seasonal music as we set out on a metaphorical trip along the little road to Bethlehem, including the now established S.L.S. tradition of performing Harold Darke’s setting of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’.
The audience will have their own chance to join in with well-known carols and the atmosphere will be heightened by the ambience of candlelight (though not the health and safety issues!)
We are conscious of the financial pressures at this time and wish to make full use of the larger venue for this concert at Christ Church and, accordingly, are offering free entry to the concert. Our costs in putting on this concert remain significant, of course, so we will invite audience members to contribute to a collection, without pressure, with as much or as little as they feel able. To avoid disappointment, please obtain your free ticket reservation via our website.
It is amazing to think that the bulk of this ebullient work was written in early 1942 as Britten and Peter Pears returned to the U.K. from the U.S.A. Britten composed in order to beat the boredom of the trip. There must also have been a degree of anxiety, and the circumstances were not ideal for composing music as the Swedish cargo ship chugged across the U-Boat infested North Atlantic. Fanciful, of course, but can we feel the incessant rhythm of the ship’s engines in some of the movements such as ‘This Little Babe’?
The S.L.S. are very pleased to welcome back Keziah Thomas, who has worked with us a number of times before to provide, as Britten intended, the solo harp accompaniment.
Needless to say, there will be plenty of other seasonal music as we set out on a metaphorical trip along the little road to Bethlehem, including the now established S.L.S. tradition of performing Harold Darke’s setting of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’.
The audience will have their own chance to join in with well-known carols and the atmosphere will be heightened by the ambience of candlelight (though not the health and safety issues!)
We are conscious of the financial pressures at this time and wish to make full use of the larger venue for this concert at Christ Church and, accordingly, are offering free entry to the concert. Our costs in putting on this concert remain significant, of course, so we will invite audience members to contribute to a collection, without pressure, with as much or as little as they feel able. To avoid disappointment, please obtain your free ticket reservation via our website.
Concert begins at 19:45 (doors open 19:15)
Free entry with donations very welcome.
Free entry with donations very welcome.
Christ Church, Fairfield Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3LE
Sat 16 Dec 2023
Website:
www.southlondonsingers.org.uk