Oxford Bach Choir
The Oxford Bach Choir is an amateur choir based in Oxford, England. Founded by Basil Harwood in 1896 to further the music of J.S. Bach in Oxford, the Choir merged in 1905 with the Oxford Choral & Philharmonic Society, whose origins can be traced back to 1819. Oxford Bach Choir therefore has a choral tradition which extends back almost two centuries. The Choir performs most of its concerts in the Sheldonian Theatre (designed by Sir Christopher Wren) in central Oxford, but also performs in St John the Evangelist Church, Oxford, located on the Iffley Road.[1]
Overview
The Oxford Bach Choir is a large mixed-voice choir, with around 120 members. The range of music covered is diverse, from the works of Bach and the classical repertoire to contemporary works. Oxford Bach Choir has always had a mix of town and gown singers. Rehearsals and concerts are scheduled so that students, academics and professionals are all able to participate in the Choir's programmes. The Choir enjoys good relationships both with Oxford colleges and with businesses in the city. New members, drawn from throughout Oxfordshire and adjacent counties, are encouraged to apply to join the choir at the start of each term.
Oxford Bach Choir gives at least three concerts every season, at the end of each academic term in December, March and June, occasions that attract audiences of up to 800 people. It also gives a carol concert each December in the Sheldonian Theatre, most recently in association with Oxfordshire Young Singers, Oxfordshire County Youth Choir and Oxfordshire Youth Brass Ensemble.
For its main concerts the Choir is regularly accompanied by a top professional orchestras, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Mozart Players and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
In 2018 the choir appointed a new Principal Conductor, Benjamin Nicholas, who is also Director of Music at Merton College, Oxford.
Recordings have been made of some of the concerts performed by the choir. [2]
Conductors
- Basil Harwood (1896-1901)
- Hugh Allen (1901-26)
- William Henry Harris (1926–33)
- Thomas Armstrong (1934–55)
- Sydney Watson (1955–70)
- Jack Westrup (1970–71)
- Simon Preston (1971–74)
- Edward Olleson (1975–77)[3]
- Christopher Robinson (1977–97)
- Nicholas Cleobury (1997–2015)
- David Crown (2016–17)
- Benjamin Nicholas (2018-)
Notable members
- Adrian Boult - English conductor who established the BBC Symphony Orchestra and became the principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
- Vera Brittain - Writer, pacifist and feminist. Author of Testament of Youth.
- Dorothy L. Sayers - English ‘Golden Age’ crime writer, classicist and poet. Creator of Lord Peter Wimsey.
- Edward Heath - Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1970-1974.
- Basil Hume - English Bishop and Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Margaret Thatcher (nee Roberts) - Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1979-1990.
- Frederick Geoffrey Lawrence QC – lawyer who successfully defended suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams in 1957.[4]
- Peter Gilliver - associate editor of the Oxford English Dictionary.
Past concerts
The following concerts have been held since 2004.[5]
8 December 2019 - 17.00 | Elgar: Dream of Gerontius | Sheldonian Theatre |
8 June 2019 - 19.30 | Handel: Athalia | Sheldonian Theatre |
10 March - 17.00 | Mozart: Requiem, JS Bach: Trauer-Ode | Sheldonian Theatre |
25 November 2018 - 15:00 | Parry: Songs of Farewell, Stanford: For Lo I Raise Up, Dove: The Wind on the Downs, Vaughan Williams: Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge | St Helen's Church Abingdon |
23 November 2018 - 19:30 | Parry: Songs of Farewell, Stanford: For Lo I Raise Up, Dove: The Wind on the Downs, Ireland: Greater Love, Vaughan Williams: Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge | St John the Evangelist Church |
9 June 2018 -19:30 | Haydn: Nelson Mass, Handel: Dixie Dominus | Sheldonian Theatre |
3 March 2018 – 19:30 | Rossini: Petite Messe Solonnelle, Bruckner: Four Motets | St John the Evangelist Church |
2 December 2017 – 17:00 | Vaughan Williams: Sea Symphony, Parry: Blest Pair of Sirens | Sheldonian Theatre |
17 June 2017 – 19:30 | Fanshawe: African Sanctus. Chilcott: Little Jazz Mass | St John the Evangelist Church |
5 March 2017 – 19:30 | Bach: Mass in B Minor | Sheldonian Theatre |
27 November 2016 – 17:00 | Walton: Belshazzar's Feast, Vaughan Williams: Five Mystical Songs | Sheldonian Theatre |
18 June 2016 – 19:30 | Schubert: Three Choral Songs, Mendelssohn: 4 Sacred Choruses, Cornelius: Liebe, dir ergeb' ich rich, Brahms: Liebeslieder Waltzes | Sheldonian Theatre |
12 March 2016 – 19:30 | Verdi: Requiem | Oxford Town Hall |
5 December 2015 – 19:30 | Handel: Messiah | Sheldonian Theatre |
13 June 2015 – 19:30 | Haydn: Te Deum, C.P.E.Bach: Magnificat | St John the Evangelist Church |
14 March 2015 – 19:30 | Mozart: Mass in C Minor | Sheldonian Theatre |
6 December 2014 – 19:30 | Elgar: The Spirit of England, Give unto the Lord | Sheldonian Theatre |
21 June 2014 – 19:30 | Rachmaninov: Vespers | St John the Evangelist Church |
15 March 2014 – 19:30 | Bach: St John Passion | Sheldonian Theatre |
7 December 2013 – 19:30 | Handel: Solomon | Sheldonian Theatre |
15 June 2013 – 19:30 | Saint-Saens: Requiem, Gounod: Te Deum,and Faure – Requiem | Sheldonian Theatre |
9 March 2013 – 19:30 | Britten: War Requiem | Oxford Town Hall |
1 December 2012 – 19:30 | Britten: Two Psalms, Ballad of Heroes, The Building of the House | Sheldonian Theatre |
16 June 2012 – 19:30 | Rheinberger – Mass in E flat major and Brahms – German Requiem | Sheldonian Theatre |
24 March 2012 – 19:00 | Bach – St Matthew Passion | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
10 March 2012 – 19:30 | Mozart Requiem and Haydn Theresienmesse | Sheldonian Theatre |
17 December 2011 – 19:30 | Carol Concert – 2011 | Sheldonian Theatre |
3 December 2011 – 19:30 | Bach Programme | Sheldonian Theatre |
25 June 2011 – 19:30 | Monteverdi: Vespers | Sheldonian Theatre |
16 April 2011 – 19:00 | Bach – St Matthew Passion | Sheldonian Theatre |
12 March 2011 – 19:30 | Fauré: Requiem and MacMillan: Seven Last Words from the Cross | Sheldonian Theatre |
4 December 2010 – 19:30 | Haydn: The Creation | Sheldonian Theatre |
19 June 2010 – 19:30 | Handel: Dixit Dominus | Sheldonian Theatre |
16 March 2010 – 19:30 | Chilcott, Beethoven: Mass in C | Cadogan Hall, London |
13 March 2010 – 19:30 | Chilcott-world premiere, Beethoven: Mass in C | Sheldonian Theatre |
19 December 2009 – 19:30 | Carols for All – 2009 | Sheldonian Theatre |
5 December 2009 – 19:30 | Mendelssohn: Elijah | Sheldonian Theatre |
20 June 2009 – 19:30 | Showboat (concert performance) by Kern & Hammerstein and a medley of songs by Gershwin | Sheldonian Theatre |
17 April 2009 – 19:30 | Sweet Harmony – Gounod, Vaughan Williams, Fauré | Sheldonian Theatre |
14 March 2009 – 19:30 | Bach: Mass in B Minor | Sheldonian Theatre |
19 December 2008 – 19:30 | Carol Concert | Sheldonian Theatre |
6 December 2008 – 19:30 | Visions of the Beyond – Vaughan Williams, Parry, Holst | Sheldonian Theatre |
14 June 2008 – 19:30 | Bernstein, Chilcott, Lauridsen | Sheldonian Theatre |
14 March 2008 – 19:30 | Handel's Messiah | Sheldonian Theatre |
15 December 2007 – 19:30 | Carols for All | Sheldonian Theatre |
1 December 2007 – 19:30 | Elgar's The Kingdom | Sheldonian Theatre |
16 June 2007 – 19:30 | Sacred and Profane – Vaughan Williams, Ariel Ramirez, Stanford, Constant Lambert | Sheldonian Theatre |
14 April 2007 (All day) | Schubert in Göttingen | Göttingen: St.-Paulus-Kirche |
10 March 2007 – 19:30 | Mozart Concert | Sheldonian Theatre |
19 December 2006 – 19:30 | Carols for all | Sheldonian Theatre |
2 December 2006 – 19:30 | Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem | Sheldonian Theatre |
23 October 2006 (All day) | David Owen Norris: Prayerbook (world premiere) | Dorchester Abbey |
17 June 2006 – 19:30 | Rachmaninov: All-Night Vigil (Vespers) | Sheldonian Theatre |
11 March 2006 – 19:30 | J. S. Bach: St John Passion | Sheldonian Theatre |
16 December 2005 – 19:30 | Carols for choir and audience | Sheldonian Theatre |
3 December 2005 – 19:30 | Puccini and Verdi | Sheldonian Theatre |
24 September 2005 (All day) | Berlioz: L'Enfance du Christ | Dorchester Abbey |
18 June 2005 – 19:30 | Bach, Vaughan-Williams, Maxwell Davies and Elgar | Sheldonian Theatre |
12 March 2005 – 19:30 | Tippett: A Child of Our Time | Sheldonian Theatre |
17 December 2004 – 19:30 | Carols for choir and audience | Sheldonian Theatre |
4 December 2004 – 19:30 | Bach's Magnificat and Haydn's Nelson Mass | Sheldonian Theatre |
19 June 2004 – 19:30 | Janáček and Dvořák | Sheldonian Theatre |
13 March 2004 – 19:30 | Bruckner Mass in E minor | Sheldonian Theatre |
References
- Oxford Bach Choir: History
- "Britten 100: Oxford Bach Choir – Poulenc, Britten". BBC Radio 3. BBC. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- University of Oxford: Remembering Edward Olleson
- Rubin, G. R. (2004). "'Lawrence, Sir (Frederick) Geoffrey (1902–1967)'". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/34436. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
- Individual Concert Programmes
External links
- Oxford Bach Choir website
- Oxford Bach Choir on Facebook
- Oxford Bach Choir on Twitter
- Benjamin Nicholas website