Elgar Society Talk and Lunch

Join the Elgar Society for the annual talk, given in this tercentenary year of the Three Choirs Festival by the Society’s President, cellist and now conductor Julian Lloyd Webber. Entitled ‘Elgar in the 21st century’, the talk will be illustrated with musical examples and followed at 12.45 pm by lunch.

Today, 10.45am, Left Bank, Hereford.

 

The Cuckow: Europe in 1715

Dall’Abaco Concerto Grosso IV in A Op. 2

Bononcini Overture to Il trionfo di Camilla

Valentini Concerto Grosso XI in A minor Op. 7

Telemann Concerto in G for four violins TWV 40:201

Vivaldi Violin Concerto in A ‘The Cuckow’ RV 335

Vivaldi Concerto in B minor for four violins RV 580

La Serenissima

Adrian Chandler director/violin

The centrepiece of this concert is Vivaldi’s concerto ‘The Cuckow’, which was a particular favourite in England. An advertisement of 1717 in The Post Man for a new edition of the concerto described it as ‘the choicest of all his works’.

RV 580 is the tenth in Vivaldi’s best-selling set of concertos L’estro armonico and inspired Bach to arrange it for four harpsichords.

La Serenissima’s programme includes lively works by some lesser-known composers of the Italian baroque.

Supported by the Pippin Trust.

Today, 11am, Leominster Priory.

 

Waterloo

Speaker – Professor Michael Broers

The Battle of Waterloo in June 1815 brought an end to 23 years of European warfare and prevented Napoleon I from fulfilling his dream of making France the continent’s most powerful nation. The third of our ‘15’ anniversary talks sets in context this decisive moment in British history, as significant in its way as the defeat of the Spanish Armada or the Battle of Britain.

Today, 11.15am, Left Bank, Hereford.

 

Young Artists Recital 1

Mathilde Milwidsky - violin Today’s recitalist is a holder of one of the Philharmonia Orchestra’s Martin Musical Scholarship Awards 2015.

Supported by Father Michael Thomas.

Today, 12.45pm, Holy Trinity Church.

 

As You Like It

Festival Players For their second performance this year the Gloucester-based Festival Players offer Shakespeare’s comedy of manners As You Like It, a witty exploration of love, loyalty and friendship.

Today, 2pm, Bishop’s Palace Garden, Hereford.

 

From My Life

Haydn String quartet in G Op. 54 No 1

Smetana String quartet No 1 ‘From my Life’

Beethoven String quartet in C minor Op. 18 No 4

Wihan Quartet

Celebrating their 30th birthday this year, the Wihan Quartet from the Czech Republic have chosen a semi-autobiographical work by their great compatriot Smetana as the centrepiece of this afternoon’s programme. ‘From my Life’ was written after Smetana, like Beethoven, had gone deaf, and the ringing that he experienced in his ears is represented in music in the last movement of the piece.

Supported by Katharine Wedgbury.

Today, 2.30pm, Leominster Priory.

 

Choral Evensong

Philip Moore Responses (set III)

Neil Cox Keep me as the apple of an eye

Bob Chilcott Three Choirs Service - festival commission: first broadcast performance

Malcolm Archer Veni, Sancte Spiritus - first broadcast performance

Jonathan Dove The Dancing Pipes

Three Cathedral Choirs

Peter Dyke - organ

Geraint Bowen - conductor

The congregation is asked to be seated by 3.15 pm. This is a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and late admittance will not be possible.

The commissioned work by Bob Chilcott is supported by The Frank Clarke-Whitfeld Trust and Clare Wichbold.

Today, 3.30pm, Hereford Cathedral.

 

Missa Solemnis

Beethoven Missa Solemnis

Eleanor Dennis - soprano

Jennifer Johnston - mezzo-soprano

Mark le Brocq - tenor

Marcus Farnsworth - bass

Three Choirs Festival Chorus

Philharmonia Orchestra

Adrian Partington - conductor

Written over several years at around the same time as his ‘Choral’ Symphony, Beethoven’s virtuosic Mass in D, known as the ‘Missa Solemnis’, was the closest he came to an expression of religious faith. Full of emotion and drama, it represents a deeply personal journey on a theatrical scale.

Supported by Richard Arenschieldt and Hereford City Council.

Today, 7.45pm, Hereford Cathedral.

 

Celtic Song

Bardic Trio

Jamie MacDougall - tenor

Sharron Griffiths - harp

Matthew McAllister - guitar

Commissioned works from composers such as Edward Maguire and Arturo Marquez alongside specially-created arrangements of Mexican, Scottish, Welsh and Irish songs feature in the repertoire of this innovative trio. Jamie MacDougall’s speaking voice may be as familiar to audiences as his singing voice; he combines his performing career with presenting classical concerts for BBC Radio 3.

Today, 10.15pm, All Saints Church.

 

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