This concert may look familiar!

 

We have a huge repertoire and although we do repeat the odd piece here and there we have never repeated a whole programme in our 14 years of existence, until now!

 

When a group of us were discussing this recently, we decided that it would be good to revisit a programme as there are many benefits in doing so. The concert that appealed most was Pilgrimage: music inspired by a pilgrimage to the Holy Land by a 15th century monk. We first performed this in Warnham and felt that Steyning, the venue for the second concert, was far enough away to attract a mostly different audience. A few pieces have been changed to keep us on our toes!

 

Here are the details:

 

The hour long programme is a re-imagining of a pilgrimage to The Holy Land made by the 15^th century German monk Felix Fabri. He actually made two pilgrimages and on both occasions kept very detailed and descriptive records of everything he did and saw. The nuns at a nearby convent back in Germany could not make the trip themselves but followed his pilgrimage ‘virtually’, incorporating his writings into their daily devotions. We can perhaps relate to this when we had to resort to travel programmes on the television in order to escape during lockdown!

 

The music in the concert is inspired by the idea of pilgrimage, by the various sacred musical works mentioned in his diary and also by the places he visited. It is a mixture of medieval motets, renaissance polyphony and plainchant.

Extracts from his writings will also be read.

 

So, book the date and note the time of 5pm. There is no interval.

 

Tickets are £12 with a free programme.

Schoolchildren are £5.

Contact cantilena.info@gmail.com or buy them at the door.

 

Please take this opportunity to come and hear some lovely music and singing in a splendid venue as Cantilena go on their virtual pilgrimage!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...was on Saturday 27^th May at Holy Trinity Church, Rudgwick and was a nod to the Coronation of Charles III.

 

The programme consisted of music from the times of King Charles I, King Charles II and King Charles III featuring works from their Coronations along with other pieces by composers such as Henry Purcell, Matthew Locke, Henry Lawes and Joanna Forbes L’Estrange.

 

Charles II heard much French music during his exile and two works by Charpentier are included to illustrate the influence this had on music during the Restoration.

 

As well as vocal music performed by the female singers of Cantilena, the programme also included instrumental dances from the 17th century courts of Charles I and Charles II played on a recorder consort made up of four of our versatile singers and our organist!

 

The concert was one hour long with no interval and the start time was 5pm - this seems to be proving a very popular format with our audiences. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CANDLEMAS CONCERT 2023

 

Well, what a fantastic concert! We  were bowled over by all the lovely people who came to hear us, far more than we had anticipated and we sadly ran out of programmes but at least managed to find a seat for everyone! Here is what we did in case anyone who couldn't see a programme would like to know.

 

Programme

 

 

          Nunc Dimittis                         Plainchant                                                      

          Missa Lumen                          Stephanie Martin

Kyrie, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei

 

          Well, so that is that                W. H. Auden

 

          Personent hodie                     arr. John Rutter           

         

          Lute-book Lullaby                  arr. John Rutter

         

   The Burning Babe                   Robert Southwell

 

   Tomorrow shall be my dancing day                                                                                 arr. John Rutter 

 

          An earthly tree                       William Byrd                                     (organ: David Hansell)

                            

          Rocking                                 arr. David Willcocks

         

   At Candlemas                         Charles Causley

 

          A Ceremony of Carols             Benjamin Britten

 

Procession

 

Wolcum Yole!

 

There is no rose

 

That yongë child (soloist: Jo Browse)

 

Balulalow (soloist: Sarah Russell)

 

As dew in Aprille

 

This little babe

 

Interlude

 

In freezing winter night

(soloists: Rachel Sherlock, Jo Cornell)

 

Spring Carol

 

Adam lay i-bounden

 

 

Recession

 

 

 

Candlemas Concert 2023

 

 

We were very excited to be performing Benjamin Britten's iconic Ceremony of Carols again, with the wonderful Heather Wrighton playing the harp.

 

The concert was on Saturday 4th February

at St Michael’s Church, Partridge Green

starting at 3pm and was an hour long to enable getting home in reasonable daylight!

 

Partridge Green is just a couple of miles from the A24 and there is parking at the church.

 

The programme included music written for Candlemas plus carols and seasonal readings.

 

A lovely way to finish the Season of Christmas!