Bath Recitals brings A Carolean Christmas to the beautiful surroundings of St Michael’s Without on 20 December... but don’t miss out as tickets are already selling fast for ‘the highlight of Bath’s Christmas Season’…

One of the highlights of the programme will be Vivaldi’s Gloria, one of the undoubted glories of the Baroque age.

This 12 movement work is one of the most popular works of all time, described by Classic FM as: 

‘a beauty beyond belief, prompting a frisson of sheer delight’.

“This intimate and candlelit concert presents a not-to-be missed performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria sung by Bath’s premier chamber choir.“

Says Artistic Director of Bath Recitals Daniel Cushing

This Christmas extravaganza will include some wonderful seasonal music from the Renaissance to the present day. Two Bath conductors join forces to bring this unmissable candlelit concert to Bath’s Christmas season this year:

Conductors Francis Faux and Daniel Robert Cushing

Stars of the show will be Bath’s own Noctis Chamber Choir. Noctis has established itself as one of Bath’s premier vocal ensembles, a group of highly skilled choral singers, professional musicians, singing teachers and lay clerks who are known for their versatility and innovation.

Other works in the programme will include the delightful The Boar’s Head Carol. This Christmas gem composed by Elizabeth Poston was commissioned by Cuthbert Bates for the City of Bath Bach Choir and first performed in the Pump Room.

Noctis Choir: ‘A beautiful blend of voices’

A Carolean Christmas

Wednesday 20 December, 7.30pm
St Michael’s Without, Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LJ

Noctis Chamber Choir & The Carolean Consort
Francis Faux & Daniel Robert Cushing conductors
Maisie Lewis soprano & Molly Soo mezzo-soprano

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Magnificat in B flat
Michael Praetorius Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
Peter Warlock Bethlehem Down
Elizabeth Poston  Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
Traditional Carols Past Three O’clock & The Boar’s Head
Antonio Vivaldi  Gloria in D major

Tickets from £14 to £27 available from the Bath Box Office

That’s how the famous concert pianist Alfred Brendel described one of Mozart’s favourite piano concertos – coming up next from Bath Recitals…

Watch pianist Bobby Chen above introduce this fabulous work with its interplay between the piano and orchestra in the first movement, the graceful elegance of the second and the wit and vitality of the third. 

Completed by Mozart in January 1777, the highly regarded critic and musicologist, Charles Rosen has called it ‘perhaps the first unequivocal masterpiece of the classical style.’

The work has long been known as the JeunehommeConcerto, with a claim that Mozart wrote the piece for an unnamed French pianist – the ‘Jeunehomme’ (French for “young man”) when visiting Salzburg.

However, it is now thought that the dedicatee was actually a proficient pianist named Victoire Jenamy. She was a daughter of one of Mozart’s friends, the dancer Jean-Georges Noverre.

We are thrilled to be welcoming Bobby Chen back to Bath after his last appearance with Bath Recitals in 2015 (see below). 

Classical Greats

Saturday 21 October, 7.30pm
St Swithin’s Church, 37 The Paragon, Bath BA1 5LY

Thomas Arne Overture No.4 in F
Joseph Haydn Symphony No.6 in D major Le Matin
Johann Christian Bach Symphony in D major Op.18 No.4
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No.9 in E flat K271 Le Jeunnehomme 

Tickets: Adults £28, £22, £16; under 18s & students £16, £12, £8

Artistic Director Daniel Cushing introduces Classical Greats which is coming up next from Bath Recitals…

The concert includes a great musical line up featuring music from some of the greatest composers of the classical age: 

From Mozart with international concerto pianist Bobby Chen, to a joyous symphony by Haydn and music by the ‘English’ Bach – JC Bach – the youngest son of the famous JS Bach. 

The concert also features music by Thomas Arne (pictured above left), well known as the composer of Rule Britannia which is featured every year at the Last Night of the Proms. This concert will include a delightful overture by Arne to open the concert.

The venue for this concert will be one of Bath’s secret gems, St Swithin’s Church on the Paragon. It will be the first time this venue has been used by Bath Recitals.

Classical Greats
Saturday 21 October, 7.30pm
St Swithin’s Church, 37 The Paragon, Bath BA1 5LY

Thomas Arne Overture No.4 in F
Joseph Haydn Symphony No.6 in D major Le Matin
Johann Christian Bach Symphony in D major Op.18 No.4
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No.9 in E flat K271 Le Jeunnehomme 

Tickets: Adults £28, £22, £16; under 18s & students £16, £12, £8

In addition to Voces8 star, Eleanore Sian Cockerham, the Georgian Gala Concert on 26 August will also include this fine line up of top class musicians…

Molly Soo Mezzo Soprano

Molly is currently studying for her LRSM Vocal diploma with Julie Woolard having participated in masterclasses with Dame Emma Kirkby. 

Molly has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Birmingham Symphony Hall as a member of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.

A member of Somerset Chamber Choir and Noctis Chamber Choir, Molly reached the quarter final of the International Handel Singing Competition. 

Molly has performed for Iford Arts Opera, has played Lilian in Kurt Weill’s Happy End and the title role of Carmen by Bizet. 

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Matthew Tilley Baritone

Praised by Opera Magazine for his ‘Dark Baritone’ tone, Matthew trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama whilst studying with David Kempster.

Recent operatic roles include Figaro and Conte Almaviva Le nozze di Figaro, Michele il Tabarro, Scarpia Tosca, Donner Das Rheingold, Escamillo Carmen, Alfio Cavalleria Rusticana, Marcello and Schaunard La Boheme, Marchese and Barone La Traviata, Silvio i Pagliacci and Alessio La Sonnambula. 

Matthew has performed for Welsh National Opera, Longborough Festival Opera, Opera Holland Park, Mid Wales Opera, Heritage Opera, Opera Serse, Random Opera and the BBC recording of Götterdämmerung at Edinburgh Festival.

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Nick Miller Chorale Accompanist / Continuo

Beginning his musical career as a chorister, Nick continued his keyboard studies with Jolande van Bergen, David Ponsford, Ann Elise Smoot and Daniel Moult.  Nick has previously been Junior Organ Scholar at Liverpool Cathedral, Organ Scholar at Portsmouth Cathedral and St. Mary Redcliffe. 

Nick has held organist and other positions at Hyde Park, Putney, Portsmouth Cathedral and Portsmouth Grammar School. He currently teaches piano at Queen’s College, London whilst pursing his career as a freelance musician.

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Georgian Gala

Saturday 26 August, 7.30pm
St Michael’s Without, Broad Street, Bath BA1 5LJ
Tickets Adults £22-£27; under 18s & students £14-£20
Doors open at 6:45pm. Pre-concert and interval drinks available.

William Boyce Overture in A
Johann Sebastian Bach Cantata: Widerstehe doch der Sunde BMV 54
William Boyce Symphony No. 1 in Bb
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Exultate Jubilate K165
George Frederick Handel Coronation Anthem: Zadok the Priest HWV 258
George Frederick Handel Birthday Ode to Queen Anne (1713): Eternal Source
Henry Purcell Birthday Ode to Queen Mary (1694): Come ye Sons of Art Away

Sponsored by the Friends of Bath Recital