English Music Festival returns
The English Music Festival celebrates Britain’s rich musical heritage by showcasing the ‘brilliance, innovation and beauty’ of works by British composers across Christmas concerts in Horsham on December 17 and 18.
Spokesman Susie Walsh said: “Our programmes span mediaeval music through to contemporary music, with a focus on the Golden Renaissance of English music – the late nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries, and an emphasis on unearthing works that have been overlooked or forgotten. Following the success of our autumn festival, held in the beautiful surroundings of St Mary’s Church, Horsham, we are bringing two Christmas concerts to the same venue.
The centrepiece of these concerts is A Christmas Garland, a cornucopia of works written specially for this concert by a number of today’s leading composers, including David Matthews, Thomas Hewitt-Jones, Cecilia McDowall, Roderick Williams and Sir James MacMillan. Alongside this glorious new work, which celebrates Christmas in all aspects, from snowy melancholy through to rapture at the Holy Birth, we present Sir Hubert Parry’s youthfully energetic Freunds cha fts lied er( Songs of Friendship) for violin and piano and a number of attractive and seasonal works for harp, played by local harpist Heather Wrighton.
“The second concert promises to bring the sparkle and joy of Christmas to our audiences, with Oxford Liedertafel featuring in a programme of favourite
Christmas carols and much-loved part-songs, from Vaughan Williams’ Linden Lea and Elgar’s As Torrents in Summer through to choral works by Tallis and Byrd. The dynamic vocal quartet are joined by celebrated counter-tenor James Bowman as guest reader. Please join us for what promises to be an exhilarating and celebratory couple of concerts – the perfect overture to Christmas.”
The EMF Christmas Concerts will take place on Thursday, December 17 and Friday, December 18. To view the full programme of the Festival, visit www. english music festival. org.uk/2020-christmasconcerts/programme.php, or to book tickets online go to the box office at www. english music festival. org.uk/2020-christmasconcerts/box-office/001-boxoffice-select.php