Fauré Requiem
Crouch End Festival Chorus returns to Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, to perform a selection of timeless masterpieces and contemporary works.
Judith Weir All the Ends of the Earth
Janáček Otčenáš
Bernstein Chichester Psalms
Fauré Requiem
Crouch End Festival Chorus
Zoë Brookshaw Soprano
Felix Kemp Baritone
Sally Pryce Harp
Simon Blendis Violin
Sarah Butcher Cello
Peter Jaekel Organ
David Temple Conductor
About the programme
Our concert will open with Otčenáš (‘Our Father’) for choir, harp and organ – a distinctively personal and powerful expression of the prayer. Prompted by a set of paintings, it was written in response to a request from the trustees of a women’s shelter in Brno. In setting these words in 1901, Janáček’s faith was directed primarily towards a sense of society and community.
Judith Weir is known for her innovative approach to choral writing in our own time. In her ethereal, thought-provoking All the Ends of the Earth she fuses ancient and modern. A captivating tapestry of choral textures and harmonies is woven from a sparse opening, punctuated by other-worldly sounds from harp and percussion. In the extraordinary acoustic of Holy Trinity Sloane Square, this will transport you.
The dial is turned up for Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, which bursts out of a declamatory opening with youthful energy and rhythmic vitality. This version, featuring harp, organ, and percussion, highlights the work’s intricate textures and Bernstein’s masterful blend of Jewish and Christian traditions. Occasionally virtuosic and featuring one of the most beautiful treble solos, it is an irresistible firecracker of a piece.
The evening will conclude with the beloved Requiem by Fauré in David Hill’s intimate arrangement. Scored for choir, violin, cello, harp and organ, it strips away the full orchestral sound to reveal the work’s inner beauty and spiritual essence. Experience Fauré’s ‘lullaby of death’ in a new light – serene, comforting and crystal clear.
This unusually eclectic, carefully crafted programme – in which all four works feature a harp – is designed not only to present four inspiring choral works but also to showcase the versatility of Crouch End Festival Chorus, who, under the direction of David Temple, consistently excel in a breathtaking variety of repertoire.
