GUIDANCE: When viewing a digital programme during the concert, we request lowering the brightness of your screen to avoid disturbing fellow audience members. Thank you. We kindly request that you do not print this digital programme, printed programmes will be available to buy at the concert.

EX CATHEDRA
Jeffrey Skidmore – conductor
Ex Cathedra Baroque Orchestra

Scroll down for texts and translations

Welcome note

Welcome to December!  It’s the usual deliciously crazy month with 27 Nutcrackers, 13 Candlelights around the region with two in London, and a Tinsel Time party for Angels!  It’s also Ex Cathedra’s 13th performance of Bach’s Mass in B minor.

The six movements of the Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei) have inspired some of the greatest music in the western canon and the wide-ranging implications of the text make it universal.  It is an optimistic cry for help, a declaration of joy for the creator of the world and a manifesto for humanity.  And there is the final demand for peace.  From Machaut to Mozart and MacMillan, from Byrd to Beethoven and Bernstein, these and many more settings have inspired Ex Cathedra in its 55 year history.  Already this season we have heard the magnificence of Bruckner and the pure perfection of Palestrina.  In March we will have the pleasure of performing Zipoli’s Missa San Ignacio, an uninhibited tribute to the indigenous people and mission stations of South America.  It is perhaps not surprising that I have chosen Beethoven’s sublime Missa Solemnis for my final season as Artistic Director of Ex Cathedra in 2027, Beethoven’s 200th anniversary year.

But tonight we have Bach’s Mass in B minor, one of the greatest pieces of all time.  What a privilege for us all to enjoy.

On December 3 (Advent Sunday) 1983 Ex Cathedra gave a performance of Bach’s Mass in B minor in Birmingham Town Hall.  It was the inaugural concert given with the newly formed Ex Cathedra Baroque Orchestra, the first period instrument orchestra established outside London.  It was a vitally important moment in the history and development of Ex Cathedra and music in Birmingham.  You will see from the extract in the programme set out below that the ensemble was packed with some of the top players of the day and led by Mica Comberti, an inspiring friend and colleague, who was our permanent leader for 20 years, before her untimely death in 2003.  A youthful Gail Hennessy was third oboe and has since been our principal oboe for the last 35 years!  At the same time we continue to encourage some of the greatest players and singers and have six of this year’s sixteen Scholars performing with us.

The choir listed from 1983 also conjures up some very happy and special memories of significant members of the group in its early history.  Peter Middleton was the first Chair, David Cragg the first General Manager, Geoffrey Faultless the first Concert Manager and Ros Bradley was the first Librarian.   Christopher Bullough, who conjured up the name Ex Cathedra was a founder member along with Jean Gracie, Jim Clulee and Duncan Wilkins.  Romesh Velu and Jonathan Gibbs were both Bach fanatics from whom I learnt much about this music.  Jonathan was to be my first Christus in the St Matthew Passion.  At this stage the choir and its administration were entirely amateur, in the best sense of the word, loving the music and enjoying high quality music-making with friends.  

Bach’s Missa BWV 232, later named Mass in H moll – Mass in  B minor – has been a significant work in the history and development of Ex Cathedra.  We have given 13 performances, remembering that Bach never once heard the piece performed complete in his lifetime!  Our first took place in Birmingham’s Baroque Cathedral on April 29 1978 with a small choir, soloists from within the choir, and a modern orchestra.  A novel idea at the time.  The work is a big sing and I can remember that building stamina was a key factor in those early rehearsals!  The Birmingham Post commented, with perception and sensitivity, ‘that much excellent chorusing was obviated by the orchestra . . .  trumpets sounded as if they had strayed in from a Verdi opera’!   In 1981 we gave two performances, in Lichfield and Birmingham, with an orchestra led by Louis Carus, Principal of what was then the Birmingham School of Music, and with CBSO brass.  The amazing Alan Whitehead was the dazzling principal trumpet.  Anthony Pither, a leading Birmingham musician at the time, reviewed the performance, writing that ‘the Baroque-sized forces of 37 singers and 22 players gave, quite simply, the best performance of the work I have ever heard.’  The 1983 reviewer observed that ‘this excellent Baroque orchestra, led by Micaela Comberti, has given this distinguished choir the touch of perfection.’  There were further performances in 1986 and 1989, two in Lyon, France, in 2003, and in Worcester Cathedral in 2004.  In 1996 George Caird (Principal of the Conservatoire 1993 – 2010) played third oboe!

Tonight’s leader is Catherine Martin who regularly plays with Ex Cathedra.  It is also a nice coincidence that she took over from Mica Comberti as the second violinist in the pioneering Salomon string quartet still led by Simon Standage.  The original line-up formed in 1982 was Simon, Mica, Trevor Jones and Jenny Ward-Clarke.   Currently Adam Romer (CBSO) is the viola player and Andrew Skidmore the cellist.

Bach is simply the greatest!  No-one writes happy music, no-one writes sad music, no-one writes love-songs like Johann Sebastian Bach.  In fact all the emotions can be found in his work.  His music is uplifting, it makes you want to dance, to move, to be joyful, to be alive.  It should be available on the NHS!  His technique is impeccable and he was a true genius composing for his time and for all time.  Welcome to this special performance, one we all anticipate with great relish.

Programme Note

Bach’s parents died when he was 10.  He was a bright boy, had a good voice, and as a musician, was largely self-taught.  He was happily married, twice, and experienced the joy of 20 children.  He also suffered the death of ten of them.  Family was important and his pursuit of lineage was of almost Biblical proportions.  Many of his family were successful musicians.  He was highly self-motivated, thorough, perhaps obsessive, in his search for excellence.  He achieved fame on his own terms and never sought work outside a small area in the heart of Germany.  He did not like bureaucrats and complained if he was not given the resources to do his job properly.  He did not make a fortune but was comfortable.  He signed his works SDG (Soli Deo Gloria) – to the glory of God alone– and felt a religious need and duty to develop his talents to the full. 

These are some of the few known but revealing facts about his life.  There are hardly any personal statements but his prolific musical output clearly speaks for itself.  The Art of Fugue, The ‘Well-tempered keyboard’ (two books of 24 Preludes and Fugues in every major and minor key), The Musical Offering, five complete cantata cycles for the Lutheran year, are evidence of his desire for the exhaustive exploration of forms of music, and his complete absorption and comprehension of styles.  These are also works that sum up a life-time’s achievement. 

The Mass in B minor is a summation of his sacred music and is widely regarded as one of the greatest works not only of the Baroque era but of all time.  It is a colossal masterpiece that in its 27 sections (the number of books in the New Testament), with the Gloria and Credo each having nine movements (the nine spiritual gifts of God, the nine choruses of Angels), encompasses a comprehensive array of vocal and instrumental techniques and which presents an exhilarating and rewarding challenge to performer and listener alike.  However, the work transcends the impressive technical achievement, and its awesome impact is above denomination and has universal appeal.  Like the other great masterpiece in this genre, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, it goes “from the heart to the heart”.  Unlike some of Bach’s later works, which are for many listeners impenetrably cerebral, this final Mass setting is one of his most accessible large-scale works.  In particular Bach is able to express uninhibited joy, and total confidence in his belief and his ability.

The Mass in B minor has an intriguing history.  It was not given this title until it was published, almost a hundred years after his death, in 1845 in Bonn.  The four sections of the Mass which were bound together towards the end of his life, were composed in several stages over a 25 year period with the Sanctus being the first movement to be written, for Christmas Day in 1724.  The Credo followed in 1732, with the Kyrie and Gloria (the Lutheran Missa Brevis – he wrote four other settings) being written in 1733 for the Dresden Court, where Bach was hoping to find work or at least recognition.  It was only towards the end of his life, between 1746 and 1748, when Bach was in his early 60s that he composed the last four sections and compiled a complete Mass in liturgical order.  It was never performed in its final form in his lifetime, and although parts of the work were performed after his death and revered by succeeding generations of distinguished composers, including Haydn and Beethoven, it did not receive its first known complete performance until 1859 by the celebrated Riedel-Verein in Leipzig. 

Several questions have caused concern for historians: why did the Lutheran Bach write a complete setting of the Ordinary of the Mass?  Was it conceived as a whole?  Was it ever intended to be performed as such?  These questions remain unanswered and indeed are overshadowed by the impact of the music in performance.  The work is distinguished by its quality, variety, and unity.  Undoubtedly the work contains some of the finest writing of the choral repertoire, revealing Bach’s total mastery of Baroque forms, whether it be the decoration of augmented plainsong themes in the Credo, or the exhilarating fugues which form the two Kyries, and conclude the Gloria, Credo, and Sanctus. There are no ‘joyless measures’ here (Debussy).  Equally powerful in their expression are the slower movements, notably the 13 variations on the chaconne bass in the Crucifixus and the poignant simplicity of the Agnus Dei and Benedictus.  The overall structure is unified by key and orchestration and leaves both performer and listener completely satisfied.

Bach’s complete Mass setting seems to me to be clearly an idealised work.  This explains the enormous range of textures that challenge a live performance.  For most of the work the vocal scoring is for five voices.  The Sanctus adds a sixth and the Osanna is for two four-part choirs.  The instrumental resources are full Baroque band with three trumpets and kettle drums.  In the Gloria (Quoniam tu solus sanctus ) a horn obligato is added, and a third oboe joins the woodwind section at the Sanctus.  Since the large-scale premiere of the complete work in 1859, performances have taken many shapes and sizes, from choirs of hundreds to, more recently, choirs of single voices including soloists.  Most people seem to agree that these factors are less important than capturing the spirit of the piece.  Big can also be beautiful and the Kyrie can be affective whether it lasts ten minutes or 25.

Enjoy our performance!

Performers

EX CATHEDRA
Ex Cathedra Baroque Orchestra
Jeffrey Skidmore conductor

Soprano: Marianne Ayling, Phoebe Boateng, Alison Burnett, Alexandra Burstow**, Ros Crouch, Naomi Hedges, Joy Krishnamoorthy, Margaret Langford, Rebecca Ledgard, Margaret Lingas, Alice Madden^, Hannah Rowe^, Imogen Russell, Shirley Scott, Sally Spencer, Katie Trethewey, Clover Willis

Alto: Sarah Colgan~, Martin Hodgkinson, Martha McLorinan, Andrew Round, Elena Stamp, Nicola Starkie, Ellie Tomlinson, Laura Toomey***

Tenor: Isaac Boulter, Declan Costello, Steve Davis, Tony Dean, Alex Dixon^, Dan Marles**, Jeremy Reid, Iain Sloan

Bass: Robert Asher, Jeremy Burrows, Christopher Churcher, Richard Green, Tom Lowen, Ollie Neale, Bill Robinson, Peter Scurlock, Barney Stevens, Lawrence White

* denotes Ex Cathedra Graduate Scholar
** denotes Ex Cathedra Student Scholar
*** denotes Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Student Scholar
^ denotes University of Birmingham Student Scholar
~ denotes Ex Cathedra Enhanced Scholar

Flutes: Rachel Brown, Christine Garrett
Oboes: Gail Hennessy, Mark Radcliffe, Elly Barlow
Bassoon: Zoe Shevlin, Damian Brasington
Horn: Anneke Scott
Trumpets: Neil Brough, Paul Sharp, Peter Mankarious
Timpani: Robert Kendell
Violin 1: Catherine Martin, Iona Davies, Miki Takahashi, Joanna Lawrence
Violin 2: Persephone Gibbs, Liz MacCarthy, Fiona Duncan
Viola: Kate Fawcett, Heather Birt
Cello: Andrew Skidmore, Imogen Seth-Smith
Double Bass: Carina Cosgrave
Keyboards: Steven Devine

Texts and Translations

KYRIE

Chorus
Kyrie eleison.
Lord have mercy upon us.

Duet
MARGARET LINGAS, IMOGEN RUSSELL

Christe eleison.
Christ have mercy upon us.

Chorus
Kyrie eleison.
Lord have mercy upon us.

GLORIA

Chorus
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Glory to God in the highest.
Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
And on earth peace goodwill towards men.

Solo
MARTHA MCLORINAN
Laudamus te, Benedicimus te,
We praise Thee, we bless Thee,
Adoramus te, Glorificamus te,
we worship Thee, we glorify Thee.

Chorus
Gratias agimus tibi propter
We give thanks to Thee for
magnam gloriam tuam.
Thy great glory.

Duet
KATIE TRETHEWEY, DECLAN COSTELLO
Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus pater omnipotens.
Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty.
Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe altissime.
O Lord the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, the most high.
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.

Chorus
Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.

Solo
MARTHA MCLORINAN
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the father, have mercy upon us.

Solo
TOM LOWEN
Quoniam to solus sanctus,
For Thou only art holy,
Tu solus Dominus,
Thou only art the Lord,
Tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe.
Thou only, O Jesus Christ, art most high.

Chorus

Cum sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris
Together with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father
Amen.
Amen.

SYMBOLUM NICENUM (CREDO)

Chorus
Credo in unum Deum
I believe in one God

Chorus
Credo in unum Deum
I believe in one God
Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae,
the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
visibilium omnium et invisibilium
and of all things visible and invisible

Duet
CLOVER WILLIS, ELENA STAMP
Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
Filium Dei, unigenitum et ex Patre natum
The only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father
ante omnia saecula.
before all worlds.
Deum de Deo lumen de lumine
God of God, Light of Light
Deum verum de Deo vero
true God of true God
Genitum, non factum,
Begotten not made
consubstantialem Patri
one in being with the Father
per quem omnia facta sunt.
by whom all things were made.
Qui propter nos homines
who for us men
et propter nostram salutem
and for our salvation
descendit de coelis
came down from heaven

Chorus
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
And was incarnate by the Holy Spirit
ex Maria Virgine:
out of the Virgin Mary
Et homo factus est.
And was made man.

Chorus
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis,
He was crucified also for us,
sub Pontio Pilato,
under Pontius Pilate,
passus et sepultus est.
he suffered and was buried.

Chorus
Et resurrexit tertia die,
And the third day He rose
secundum scripturas.
according to the Scriptures.
Et ascendit in coelum:
And ascended into heaven:
sedet ad dexteram Patris.
and sitteth at the right hand of the Father.
Et iterum venturus est
And He shall come again
cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuous:
with glory to judge both the quick and the dead;
cuius regni non erit finis.
whose kingdom shall have no end.

Solo
LAWRENCE WHITE
Et in Spiritum Sanctum,
And in the Holy Spirit,
Dominum et vivificantem:
the Lord the Giver of Life;
Qui ex Patre Filioque procedit;
who proceeds from the Father and the Son;
Qui cum Patre et Filio
who together with the Father and the Son is
simul adoratur et conglorificatur;
worshipped and glorified;
Qui locutus est per Prophetas.
who spoke by the Prophets.
Credo in unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.
I believe in on holy catholic and apostolic Church.

Chorus
Confiteor unum Baptisma in remissionem peccatorum
I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins
Ex expecto resurrectionem mortuorum
And I look for the resurrection of the dead
Et vitam venturi saeculi.
And the life of the world to come.
Amen
Amen.

SANCTUS

Chorus
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
Holy, Holy, Holy
Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Lord God of Hosts
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria ejus.
Heaven and earth are full of His glory.

OSANNA, BENEDICTUS, AGNUS DEI ET DONA NOBIS PACEM

Chorus
Osanna in excelsis
Hosanna in the highest.

Solo
DANIEL MARLES
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Chorus
Osanna in excelsis.
Hosanna in the highest.

Solo
MARTHA MCLORINAN
Agnus Dei,
O Lamb of God,
Qui tollis peccata mundi:
who takest away the sins of the world:
miserere nobis.
have mercy upon us.

Chorus
Dona nobis pacem.
Grant us thy peace.

Ex Cathedra would like to thank Fr Guy Nicholls for his assistance with the translation.

Meet the… musician

In this programme, we invite you to meet Catherine Martin.

Be an Angel…

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to access extraordinary choral music and feel the wonderful benefits of singing, which is why we share our love of singing with as many people as possible through concerts, new commissions, recordings, training choirs for young singers, Scholarships, and community projects that reach 90,000 children and adults every year.
Your support is vital in helping us achieve our charitable mission to share great choral music with as many people as possible.
Our work is only possible thanks to the generous support of the many people listed in our Host of Angels. I should be delighted and enormously grateful if you would consider joining them and becoming a valued member of supporter programme – be an Angel and give the gift of singing today. Find out how by following this link.