Britten Anniversary Concert

We will be singing Saint Nicolas, Rejoice in the Lamb, Jubilate in C and Old Abram Brown and the concert will also include Britten’s only organ composition Prelude and Fugue on a Theme of Vittoria. The music is fun – Saint Nicolas is patron saint of children and sailors and his life is full of legends which resulted in him becoming Santa Claus, a corruption of his name. The words for Rejoice in the Lamb come from a visionary poem written by scholar Christopher Smart after he had been confined to a Lunatic hospital!

The concert will be conducted by Thomas Moore who is both Deputy Music Director of Harrogate Choral and also Music Director of Northampton Philharmonic Choir. There is an additional connection, Rejoice in the Lamb was commissioned by Walter Hussey, Anglican patron of the arts for his church – St Matthews in Northampton, which is the home church for NPC!

The singers will be accompanied by members of the National Festival Orchestra plus Anthony Gray (HCS Deputy Music Director) and Ed Jones (HCS Accompanist) on piano. The Tenor soloist in Saint Nicolas will be James Micklethwaite.
For more information about Harrogate Choral Society please visit our website at www.harrogatechoral.org.uk