FOR their first concert of the 2018/19 season on Sunday 25 November, Malvern Festival Chorus is reflecting the national mood of remembrance and thanksgiving with an evening of sacred choral music in the great classical tradition.

The concert will include work by composers Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

A spokesman said: “The two moods are evoked in Mozart’s beautiful and popular motets, the reflective Ave Verum Corpus and the joyous Exsultate, Jubilate. They complement the two longer works of the programme, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Bach’s Magnificat in D major.

“Although not composed specifically for a coronation, Mozart’s Mass in C gained its nickname following its performance at the coronation of Francis 1 in 1792 and subsequent coronations in Prague. Bach’s brilliant and exultant setting of the Magnificat, the virgin Mary’s hymn of praise, was originally composed for performance at Christmas in 1723, nearly 70 years earlier. However, he later removed the specific Christmas texts so that it could be performed throughout the year, as it has been now for approaching three centuries.”

Malvern Festival Chorus and their conductor, Jonathan Brown, will be joined by accomplished soloists Alison Hill and Louise Wayman, sopranos, Simon Ponsford, countertenor, Jamie Hall, bass and James Oxley, tenor and the choir’s president. They are also delighted to be accompanied once again by Worcester-based baroque ensemble, Musical & Amicable Society.

The spokesman said: “The choir would like to invite you to banish the winter blues and join them for an evening of sublime music on 25 November 25, 6pm in Malvern Theatres.

For full details, go to malvernfestivalchorus.co.uk