Welcome to St Albans Chamber Choir
Don’t miss this chance to hear one of the great choral classics, Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil, better known as his Vespers.
Based on traditional Russian Orthodox chants and plumbing the depths of vocal range, the Vespers are wonderfully evocative and full of musical invention. The programme also contains works by Tavener, Pärt and Messiaen.
Join us in exploring some of the best in Polish music – from the ‘Polish Handel’, the 17th century composer Gorczycki, to the acclaimed Górecki and Szymanowski of more recent years, this is a programme to surprise and delight. St Saviour’s Church, St Albans, 7.30pm
Our Christmas concert is a great chance to hear the internationally renowned His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts, a group of virtuoso wind players who specialise in playing Renaissance and Baroque music in historically appropriate styles on original instruments. As well as accompanying the Chamber Choir in Schütz’s The Christmas Story and some other pieces, the group will also perform on their own.
The noble sound of cornetts and sackbuts was among the most versatile instrumental colours available to composers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, heard in many musical contexts: in the extravagant liturgy of the great Italian and Spanish churches (above all the Basilica of St Mark’s in Venice), in aristocratic entertainments across Europe and in the devotional music of Lutheran Germany.
“HMSC is the pre-eminent early brass group … very impressive.”
Audience member, Berkeley, February 2012
Full details on Concerts page
St Albans Chamber Choir is proud to announce that the young British composer and jazz pianist WILL TODD is the new Choir President. Following the performance of Will’s thrilling Mass in Blue last season, the Choir hopes to preform more of Will’s music next season.
Celebrate the season in style with this programme of festive music from 16th and 17th century masters, performed by 21st century experts – Saturday 7 December, St Saviour’s Church, 7.30pm
In his delightful Weihnachtshistorie, the German composer Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) brilliantly combines Lutheran fervour with Italianate recitative to create one of the first oratorios, for which the Chamber Choir is joined by the
internationally renowned tenor Rogers Covey-Crump (Evangelist) and the period instrument ensemble His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts, whose players are among the best in Early Music today.
Full details on the Concerts page
Will Todd has posted this comment on his website, following Saturday’s triumphant performance of his Mass in Blue:
‘Thank you St Albans Chamber Choir – you sang Mass in Blue brilliantly last night. And you had a wonderful, appreciative audience too.’
The Choir would like to thank Will, Bethany Halliday and the Will Todd Ensemble for their part in a wonderful concert.