Saturday 29 June - our summer workshop.
Led by David Hatcher, forty-six singers and players gathered to try their hand at Christoph Straus' Missa Concertata in Echo. Both the work and the composer were new to us, and we enjoyed getting to grips with this rich music. It was challenging, but by the end of the day we were producing a pretty reasonable sound. As always, David brought out the best in us. Bishopswood Village Hall was a good venue, the sun shone and we had picnics on the banks of the River Wye. Lovely!
Led by David Hatcher, forty-six singers and players gathered to try their hand at Christoph Straus' Missa Concertata in Echo. Both the work and the composer were new to us, and we enjoyed getting to grips with this rich music. It was challenging, but by the end of the day we were producing a pretty reasonable sound. As always, David brought out the best in us. Bishopswood Village Hall was a good venue, the sun shone and we had picnics on the banks of the River Wye. Lovely!
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Saturday 13th April. Baroque Strings Workshop.
A group of orchestral string players met at Stoke Bliss and Kyre Village Hall and bliss it was. They enjoyed a very special workshop tutored by Baroque violinist Julia Bishop, working on the techniques that give a truly Baroque sound to the music of the period. The pieces studied were by Corelli, Vivaldi and Purcell. Feedback was very positive, both from the participants and from the tutor! |
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Saturday 24th February. Music by Thomas Weelkes
The sun shone and the Great Hall of the Bishop's Palace was light and cheerful as fifty-five singers gathered for a day of music by Thomas Weelkes. Will Dawes led us expertly through a wide selection of varied pieces. Katie Bank gave us the context of the works and explained the texts - some of which would have been quite obscure without her help! The music was challenging at times, but we coped well and made a good sound.
The sun shone and the Great Hall of the Bishop's Palace was light and cheerful as fifty-five singers gathered for a day of music by Thomas Weelkes. Will Dawes led us expertly through a wide selection of varied pieces. Katie Bank gave us the context of the works and explained the texts - some of which would have been quite obscure without her help! The music was challenging at times, but we coped well and made a good sound.
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Saturday 25th November. Messa La Luna Piena
On 25 November, at the Great Barn, Hellens Manor, tutor George Parris led us expertly through Giuseppe da Celano's Messa La Luna Piena. It was quite possibly the work's first performance in England, and almost certainly the first time that BMEMF has assembled such a variety of instruments, from contrabass recorder to theorbo, via cornetts, lysards, viols and many more. George had prepared the instrumental parts himself, and our players produced a wonderful sound, blending admirably with the two choirs of voices.
On 25 November, at the Great Barn, Hellens Manor, tutor George Parris led us expertly through Giuseppe da Celano's Messa La Luna Piena. It was quite possibly the work's first performance in England, and almost certainly the first time that BMEMF has assembled such a variety of instruments, from contrabass recorder to theorbo, via cornetts, lysards, viols and many more. George had prepared the instrumental parts himself, and our players produced a wonderful sound, blending admirably with the two choirs of voices.
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Saturday 4th November, A Tudor Celebration at Uzmaston.
Our tutor Luke Spencer directed an excellent choral workshop. Despite a fierce storm prior to the event and illness, the day was well-attended. Luke started off with the easier pieces so as to enable us to get used to singing as an ensemble. He then introduced us to Byrd‘s Haec Dies, which everyone found very challenging. Always encouraging, Luke gave people the confidence to sing even this piece by the end of the day. We had planned to sing the day‘s repertoire as part of a service taken by Revd. Jordan Spencer at the end of the workshop. Unfortunately, like a number of people who had hoped to attend the event, he had succumbed to one of the many illnesses circulating at the moment. In view of this, we just sang through everything as a very informal performance in the church at the end of the day.
Our tutor Luke Spencer directed an excellent choral workshop. Despite a fierce storm prior to the event and illness, the day was well-attended. Luke started off with the easier pieces so as to enable us to get used to singing as an ensemble. He then introduced us to Byrd‘s Haec Dies, which everyone found very challenging. Always encouraging, Luke gave people the confidence to sing even this piece by the end of the day. We had planned to sing the day‘s repertoire as part of a service taken by Revd. Jordan Spencer at the end of the workshop. Unfortunately, like a number of people who had hoped to attend the event, he had succumbed to one of the many illnesses circulating at the moment. In view of this, we just sang through everything as a very informal performance in the church at the end of the day.
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16th September at Titley
"English Laments of the early 17th century" a BMEMF vocal workshop with David Allinson.
David was on sparkling form as a 60 strong ensemble lamented their way through some glorious music by Dering, Weelkes, Ramsey, Tomkins and Ward - music written to mourn the the death of Prince Henry, son of James I.
As always David gave us an interesting account of the context of the music, peppered with his inimitable humour. He worked us hard, but the effort was worth it, caught up as we were in David’s enthusiasm for these wonderful pieces. John Wards “Weepe forth your teares” was particularly moving, deserving of a second run-through as a finale before participants dispersed into rural Herefordshire and home.
"English Laments of the early 17th century" a BMEMF vocal workshop with David Allinson.
David was on sparkling form as a 60 strong ensemble lamented their way through some glorious music by Dering, Weelkes, Ramsey, Tomkins and Ward - music written to mourn the the death of Prince Henry, son of James I.
As always David gave us an interesting account of the context of the music, peppered with his inimitable humour. He worked us hard, but the effort was worth it, caught up as we were in David’s enthusiasm for these wonderful pieces. John Wards “Weepe forth your teares” was particularly moving, deserving of a second run-through as a finale before participants dispersed into rural Herefordshire and home.
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1st July 2023. Llandrindod Wells
Andrew Wilson-Dickson was our tutor for a BMEMF instrumental workshop in Llandrindod Wells on 1st July, "From Consort to Continuo", exploring changes in style from Renaissance to Baroque. Under his expert direction we we worked on, amongst other pieces, the beautiful and mellifluous An Wasserflüssen Babylon by Franz Tunder, who on the strength of this piece deserves to
be better known. The highlight of the day was perhaps our final piece, a Handel organ concerto The Cuckoo and the Nightingale. Our tutor played the organ solo part while directing harpsichord, recorder, curtal and strings in an exciting and enjoyable finale.
Andrew Wilson-Dickson was our tutor for a BMEMF instrumental workshop in Llandrindod Wells on 1st July, "From Consort to Continuo", exploring changes in style from Renaissance to Baroque. Under his expert direction we we worked on, amongst other pieces, the beautiful and mellifluous An Wasserflüssen Babylon by Franz Tunder, who on the strength of this piece deserves to
be better known. The highlight of the day was perhaps our final piece, a Handel organ concerto The Cuckoo and the Nightingale. Our tutor played the organ solo part while directing harpsichord, recorder, curtal and strings in an exciting and enjoyable finale.
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13th May 2023. Stockenny
BMEMF joined the Byrd 400 celebrations with a workshop for singers tutored by David Skinner, Osborn Director of Music at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. The repertoire of Latin and English works was well-chosen (albeit hard work at times!) and David led us through the day with skill, good humour and a wealth of information about Byrd's music. Once again we were blessed with perfect sunshine in which to enjoy John and Georgia Wren's hospitality at Stockenny. A fine day in all respects!
BMEMF joined the Byrd 400 celebrations with a workshop for singers tutored by David Skinner, Osborn Director of Music at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. The repertoire of Latin and English works was well-chosen (albeit hard work at times!) and David led us through the day with skill, good humour and a wealth of information about Byrd's music. Once again we were blessed with perfect sunshine in which to enjoy John and Georgia Wren's hospitality at Stockenny. A fine day in all respects!
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25th March 2023. On a sunny Lady Day in Grange Court, Leominster, we sang works written, appropriately, in honour of the Virgin Mary. Two of the composers were familiar favourites - Josquin Desprez and Cristobal de Morales - but the third was a new and very welcome discovery. Rory McCleery gave us a fine introduction to the Portuguese composer Vicente Lusitano, the first published composer of African heritage. His mesmerising 6-part Salve Regina, with which we ended the day, is a gem.
25th March 2023. On a sunny Lady Day in Grange Court, Leominster, we sang works written, appropriately, in honour of the Virgin Mary. Two of the composers were familiar favourites - Josquin Desprez and Cristobal de Morales - but the third was a new and very welcome discovery. Rory McCleery gave us a fine introduction to the Portuguese composer Vicente Lusitano, the first published composer of African heritage. His mesmerising 6-part Salve Regina, with which we ended the day, is a gem.
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