Mealor-Wherever you are Tippett-Spirituals from 'A Child of Our Time' Goodall-Sure on the sky, sure on the sun Rutter-Requiem
In the first half of the programme, all of the pieces have an association with times of war and conflict in the Twentieth Century. Michael Tippett’s oratorio A child of our time was inspired by the assassination in 1938 of a German diplomat by a young Jewish refugee and the Nazi government's violent reaction, which ultimately led to the events of Kristallnacht. Composed in 1939 - 1940 and first performed in 1944, this large-scale work is punctuated by the inclusion of songs of oppression in the form of American Spirituals; these pieces were later re-arranged for unaccompanied choir under the title Five Spirituals from A child of our time. The German composer Rudolf Mauersberger’s motet Wie liegt die Stadt so wüst (How desolate lies the city), was written after the destruction of Dresden in February 1945 in an allied fire-bombing raid, which claimed the lives of 25,000 people, including eleven of his own choristers from the Dresdner Kreuzchor. This astonishingly moving work sets words from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, but the particular verses Mauersberger chose could as easily have been written for the events in that city in 1945. The first half also includes two modern pieces: Paul Mealor’s Wherever you are was written for and recorded by the Military Wives Choir, which was formed of wives and partners of British military personnel deployed on active service in Afghanistan. This incredibly popular song entered the UK Singles Chart at number one in 2011, an unusual claim for a modern choral work. Setting both English and German texts, Howard Goodall’s Sure of the Sky, Sure of the Sun is a haunting and moving reflection on the futility of war. It was premiered at one of the UK's three main World War I centenary commemoration events in 2014 in the woodland cemetery of St Symphorien near Mons, Belgium, the resting place for the first and last British soldiers to die on the Western Front. The second half of the concert features John Rutter’s Requiem, one of the best-loved and most widely performed choral works of the twentieth century. The texts (in Latin and English) are from the Missa pro Defunctis, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Psalms. The seven sections form an arch-like meditation on the themes of life and death: prayers on behalf of all humanity, psalms, personal prayers to Christ; in the central Sanctus an affirmation of divine glory, and as the work concludes a plea that the departed ‘may rest in peace’. Ely Consort will be joined in this piece by the soprano soloist Clare Lloyd Griffiths, who makes a welcome return visit to Ely Cathedral, accompanist Charlie Penn, and a small instrumental ensemble.WebsiteVisit website
VenueEly Cathedral
AddressEly, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire,
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We've teamed up with Booking.com to provide the best room rates for hotels near the vicinity of the Ely Consort War Peace event in Cambridge.
Ely Guest House
Formerly an inn from the 18th /19th century, this family-run, Ely Guest House is just 2 minutes walk from beautiful Ely Cathedral..
Poets House
Situated opposite Ely Cathedral, the Poets House boasts a destination restaurant and a bar, along with free Wi-Fi. This boutique hotel is located in the heart of the historic city of Ely..
Newnham House
Featuring free WiFi throughout the property, Newnham House offers accommodation in Ely, 24 km from Cambridge. All rooms come with a TV and have access to a common garden where guests can relax. There is also a shared kitchen at the property.
Riverside Inn Guest House
Riverside Inn Guest House is set in Ely, 23 km from Cambridge and 41 km from Peterborough. Free WiFi is provided throughout the property and free private parking is available on site. The rooms are fitted with a flat-screen TV.
The Castle Hotel
A 5-minute walk from Ely city centre and a 25-minute drive from Cambridge, The Castle Hotel has free Wi-Fi and individually decorated bedrooms. In the morning, guests can enjoy a full English breakfast..
Daisy Cottage B&B
Located in Ely, Daisy Cottage offers bed and breakfast accommodation with free WiFi throughout the property. Guests benefit from on-site private parking free of charge and a furnished patio..
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