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Belle Vue Cantors
6 March @ 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
Tickets on the door (cash or card). Under 18s and carers go free
Doors open at 12:15 pm
Performers
Notes on the performers
Musical director
Colin Spinks
Sopranos
Felicity Davies, Helen Swift
Altos
Melissa Davies, Christine Petch
Tenors
Joel Heritage, Jeff Stewart
Basses
Julian Empett, Crispin Lewis
Colin Spinks came across the idea for this concert in a bookshop skimming through a collection of T.S. Eliot poems. He was struck by how Eliot’s 1930 Poem “Ash Wednesday” references so many familiar liturgical texts, all of which have been set to music countless times.
The concert will be a devotional concert to mark the beginning of Lent. The ‘Ash Wednesday’ poem will be interspersed with works from the Renaissance to the present day based on those texts referenced.
The singers who form the “Belle Vue Cantors”, are drawn from the local area and from London, and, as you might expect from the name, (a terrible pun on “bel canto” and the name of the road where I live) have voices equally at home in the Oratorio and Opera world as in Church Music which I trust will give full emotional force to this tremendously powerful music. This is their debut performance.
Programme
Programme notes
William Byrd (1540-1623)
Emendemus in Melius
| Emendemus in melius Quae ignoranter peccavimus, Ne subito praeoccupati die mortis Quaeramus spatium poenitentiae Et invenire non possumus. Attende, Domine, et miserere, Quia peccavimus tibi. Adjuva nos, Deus salutaris noster, Et propter honorem nominis tui Libera nos. | Let us amend what we have transgressed through ignorance, lest, should the day of death suddenly overtake us, we seek time for repentance and cannot find it. Hearken, O Lord, and have mercy, For we have sinned against thee. Help us, O God of our salvation, And, for the glory of thy name, Deliver us. |
Antiphon for Imposition of Ashes
“…pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”
Anton Bruckner (1824-96)
Ave Maria
| Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen. | Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen. |
“…This is the land. We have our inheritance”
Thomas Tallis (1505-85)
In ieiunio et fletu
| In jejunio et fletu orabant sacerdotes: Parce, Domine, parce populo tuo, et ne des hereditatem tuam in perditionem. Inter vestibulum et altare plorabant sacerdotes, dicentes: Parce populo tuo. | In fasting and weeping the priests prayed: Spare, O Lord, spare thy people, and give not thine inheritance to perdition. Between the porch and the altar the priests wept, saying: Spare thy people. |
Matin Responsary 1st Sunday of Lent
“…Lord I am not worthy, but speak the word only”
Colin Spinks (1976-)
Agnus Dei (from Missa Ubi Caritas)
| Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem. | Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace. |
“… and after this our exile”
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Salve Regina
| Salve Regina, Mater Misericordiae, Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, Salve! Ad te clamamus, exsules filii [H]evae, Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes, In hac lacrimarum valle. Eja ergo, Advocata nostra, Illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, Nobis, post hoc exilium, ostende, O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. | Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, [Hail] our life, our sweetness and our hope!To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. |
Votive Antiphon, Blessed Virgin Mary
“…O my people”
John Sanders (1933-2003)
The Reproaches
O my people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me!
I led you out of Egypt, from slavery to freedom, but you led your Saviour to the cross.
O my people…
Holy is God! Holy and strong! Holy immortal One, have mercy on us.
For forty years I led you safely through the desert. I fed you with manna from heaven, and brought you to a land of plenty; but you led your Saviour to the cross.
Holy is God! …
What more could I have done for you? I planted you as my fairest vine, but you yielded only bitterness: when I was thirsty you gave me vinegar to drink, and you pierced your Saviour’s side with a lance.
Holy is God! …
I opened the sea before you, but you opened my side with a spear.
I led you on your way in a pillar of cloud, but you led me to Pilate’s court.
O my people…
I bore you up with manna in the desert, but you struck me down and scourged me.
I gave you saving water from the rock, but you gave me gall and vinegar to drink.
O my people…
I gave you a royal sceptre, but you gave me a crown of thorns.
I raised you to the height of majesty, but you have raised me high on a cross.
O my people…
“… and let my cry come unto thee”
Henry Purcell (1659-95)
Hear my prayer O Lord
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying come unto thee.
Psalm 102.1
“… and let my cry come unto thee”
William Byrd
Civitas Sancti tui
| Civitas sancti tui facta est deserta. Sion deserta facta est, Jerusalem desolata est. | Your holy city has become a wilderness. Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem has been made desolate |