The Lent concert at St John-in-Bedwardine, Worcester features two magnificent, uplifting works – Mozart’s Solemn Vespers and Schubert’s Mass in D.
The ticket price of £7 includes interval wine and nibbles and all proceeds are donated to St John’s Tower Appeal. The ancient building is found to be riddled with the dreaded Death Watch beetle which is eating away at the structural timbers and necessitating a hugely expensive repair. So Cradley Singers is delighted to make a contribution to saving this wonderful and historic building.
Tower in Peril
The two works in the concert present a contrasting picture of sung rites.
Mozart’s Solemn Vespers features the beautiful and well known aria for Soprano and mixed voices, Laudate Dominum, a favourite from Classic FM and Desert Island Discs! Apart from that, the setting of the evening Vespers is remarkable for its harmonic invention, rhythmic vitality and seamless blending of solo voices and chorus with instrumental lines providing startling and bold contrasts.
The Schubert Mass in D is a refined and contemplative setting in quiet, early Romantic style, reminiscent of Mozart. While there are vigorous episodes in the Mass, the pervading atmosphere is akin to some of the other great Schubert slow movements, where time itself seems to stand still.
