Three Choirs Festival 2020 | Booking Brochure by Three Choirs Festival

Introduction

Journey is an inevitable part of life. Some journeys we think nothing of, some we don’t even notice, but others are so significant and transformative that they shape our lives and our history.

I’m thrilled my journey has brought me to Worcester, and it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Three Choirs Festival 2020. This year the theme of voyage is strong, not least as we mark the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s journey from England to the USA in 1620. The Mayflower anniversary has allowed us not only to take that theme of voyage, but also to feature some stunning music by a number of American composers including Nico Muhly, Stephen Paulus, Aaron Copland, and John Adams, whose electrifying Short Ride in a Fast Machine will be a perfect start to our Friday night concert.

As well as performing some of the best-loved favourites of the choral repertoire, we are also proud to be able to delve into more unfamiliar territory (just like the best explorers!) during festival week. This year, we will roam the eastern Mediterranean after the fall of Troy in Armstrong Gibbs’ Choral Symphony Odysseus and contemplate the journey of the soul from earth to heaven in Hora Novissima by Horatio Parker, the first American composer to feature at Three Choirs, in Worcester 1899.

We fly into space with Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds in The Pleiades, a work which also draws on native American myths. Back on more familiar territory, Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel will feature on our last night, and Elgar’s autobiographical journey The Music Makers on the first. Over the course of the week we’ll also be marking organist Louis Vierne’s 150th birthday, and we couldn’t forget Beethoven in his 250th anniversary year.

As well as singing Choral Evensong over the course of the week featuring a feast of music by the likes of Howells, Britten, Walton, Harris, and a new work by John Rutter, our Three Cathedral Choirs will also present Bach’s Magnificat and Buxtehude’s mesmerizing Membra Jesu nostri on Friday afternoon.

I’m delighted that the festival will include a major commission, The World Imagined, by leading composer Gabriel Jackson, and a Jonathan Dove premiere, Gaspard’s Foxtrot, written especially for young listeners. It will be the catalyst for outreach and education work in the lead up to the festival, in partnership with the Philharmonia, our outstanding orchestra-in-residence.

With all of this and our exciting series of late-night concerts, daytime recitals, and talks, I hope you’ll find plenty to enjoy at the Three Choirs Festival in Worcester 2020. You are very welcome to join us on our voyage!

Samuel Hudson, Artistic Director

All details, programmes and artists published in this brochure are correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to alteration.

Samuel Hudson © Michael Whitefoot

ABOUT US

Three Choirs Festival

The Three Choirs Festival is a week-long programme of choral and orchestral concerts, chamber music recitals, talks, family events, cathedral services, theatre, exhibitions and social activities, rotating each summer between the beautiful cathedral cities of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford. It’s thought to be the longest-running classical music festival in the world and celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2015.

At the heart of the modern festival are large-scale evening concerts featuring the Three Choirs Festival Chorus and the Philharmonia Orchestra (resident at the festival since 2012), alongside a stellar cast of soloists. The festival’s packed schedule of daytime events and the friendly atmosphere of our bustling festival village is augmented by a growing programme of bespoke community and outreach projects, beginning in the run-up to the festival and showcased as part of the festival programme.

Each year, the festival elects a nominated charity to receive a share of collections taken at the Opening Service. This year, we are partnering with Headway Worcestershire, a local and independent charity supporting people affected by acquired brain injury across Worcestershire and offering specialist support, information and services to brain injury survivors, their families and carers, as well as to professionals in the health and legal fields.

The Three Choirs Festival is a registered charity and relies on generous ongoing support by a range of funders to achieve its aim to share music making opportunities and the finest musical experiences with the widest possible community.

Orchestra in Residence

The Philharmonia is a world-class symphony orchestra for the 21st century.

Based in London at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, and with a thriving national and international touring schedule, the Philharmonia creates thrilling performances for a global audience. Through its network of residencies, the Orchestra has a national footprint, serving communities across England both on stage and through its extensive outreach and engagement programme. Founded in 1945, in part as a recording orchestra for the nascent home audio market, today the Philharmonia uses the latest digital technology to reach new audiences for symphonic music.

The Philharmonia is led by Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, its Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor since 2008. Fellow Finn Santtu-Matias Rouvali takes over from Salonen as Principal Conductor in the 2021/22 season.

The Philharmonia is a registered charity that relies on funding from a wide range of sources to deliver its programme and is proud to be generously supported by Arts Council England.

The Philharmonia’s Principal International Partner is Wuliangye.

Important Dates

Monday 6 April

Booking opens for Gold Members

Wednesday 15 April

Booking opens for Standard Members

Wednesday 22 April

General booking opens

Saturday 25 July – Saturday 1 August

Three Choirs Festival 2020

© Michael Whitefoot

Anglo-American Adventures

On the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s voyage to America, we’re exploring musical links across the pond. The Mayflower story is told for families (p 8, p 14), by children (p 23) and in talks (p 18).

Turning to today, we look at the English choral tradition in the USA (p 22), and juxtapose the music of English and American composers: Edward Elgar, Herbert Howells and Cecil Armstrong Gibbs rub shoulders with Aaron Copland, Stephen Paulus, Nico Muhly and Randall Thompson (p 10, p 23 and p 25). We recall the 1899 festival that featured the first Three Choirs performance of American music in Horatio Parker’s Hora Novissima (p 13), and mark the importance of African-American musical styles with David Briggs’ new work celebrating the Harlem Renaissance (p 15), and a late-night celebration of jazz and spirituals (p 16).

Today’s Voices

Since the festival’s very beginning it has provided a platform for each new generation of composers to find a place in listeners’ hearts. This year’s major festival commission, for chorus and orchestra, is The World Imagined from Gabriel Jackson (p 33, other works p 18, p 23, and p 27). For families, a cocommission from Jonathan Dove telling the story of Gaspard’s Foxtrot (p 15), for the combined cathedral choirs a new piece from John Rutter (p 23), and premieres from Roderick Williams (p 11), James Francis Brown (p 23), and Dani Howard (p 27).

YOUR GUIDE TO NAVIGATING MORE THAN 80 EVENTS IN THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL

There’s the UK premiere of Ēriks Ešenvalds’ The Pleiades (p 33), and projects featuring speciallycommissioned music from Thea Musgrave (p 34), Huw Watkins, Judith Bingham, David Matthews (p 20), Amy Bryce, Daniel Kidane, George Stevenson (p 36), and Philip Sawyers (p 23). We revisit the Three Choirs Festival Youth Choir’s first commission, from Dobrinka Tabakova (p 21), and revive Colin Matthews’ outstanding The Great Journey (p 18). With over seventy works from living composers to choose from, we’re confident you’ll find some new sounds that you love!

Composers in Focus: Beethoven, Howells, Vierne

2020 marks two important composer anniversaries: 250 years since the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, and 150 years since the birth of Louis Vierne.

We celebrate Beethoven’s legacy by letting his music illuminate voices of the past century: his Grosse Fuge with Schnittke (p 8), a string quartet with Howells and Bliss (p 16), a symphony with one fresh off the page (p 23) and shorter orchestral works, (p 19, p 29). His violin sonatas are reflected by composers of today (p 20), and fragments reimagined in a beautiful late-night show (p 12). His exceptional life is explored alongside that of William Wordsworth (p 19) and in an event for children (p 18).

Meanwhile, every organ recital at the festival includes a piece by the remarkable Vierne (p 9, p 15, p 19 and p 27). Renowned for his organ music, but with the rest of his out put little known, we explore his extensive collection of songs (p 35) and take a look at the remarkable life of an accomplished musician blind from birth.

Herbert Howells’ music is woven through this year’s festival, marking the release of Matthew Schellhorn’s recording of recently rediscovered piano pieces, which he will perform after a talk by musicologist Jonathan Clinch on his research into these forgotten works (p 30, p 31). Other pieces include his Concerto for String Orchestra (p 8), the Rhapsodic Quintet (p 16), St Pauls Service (p 23), and the posthumously completed Cello Concerto (p 29).

SATURDAY

25 JULY

Opening Service

11 am – 12.10 pm Worcester Cathedral

FREE (ticket required)

Three Choirs Festival Chorus

Worcester Cathedral Choir

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Brass Ensemble

Nicholas Freestone organ

Samuel Hudson conductor

Walton Coronation Te Deum

Stanford A Song of Freedom

Paulus The road home

Please be seated no later than 10.40 am; processions will begin at 10.45 am

Supported by the D G Albright Trust

National Youth String

Orchestra

2 – 4 pm Tewkesbury Abbey

£30, £25, £20, £12

National Youth String Orchestra

* with Gloucestershire Academy of Music Big String Players

Damian Iorio conductor

JS Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in G major, BWV 1048* 12'

Kalinnikov Serenade 12'

Beethoven Grosse Fuge Op.133 17'

Schnittke Moz-Art à la Haydn 13' Howells Concerto for String Orchestra 25'

Bach’s most familiar Brandenburg and Howells’ emotionally charged Concerto, written shortly after the deaths of his hero Edward Elgar and his nine-yearold son, bookend this programme showcasing the NYSO’s impressive talent and versatility. In between we hear a gently elegiac waltz, a fiercely chaotic fugue, and a musical joke.

£10

coach departs 1 pm, returns by approx. 5 pm

Supported by Michael Guittard and Harry Prince

White SockS theatre company preSent S Setting Sail

Two performances: 2 – 2.45 pm; 3.30 – 4.15 pm Henry Sandon Hall £7, under 5s FREE (ideal for ages 5+)

A fun-filled, family storytelling performance, following the journey of the Mayflower, its people and their experiences. Setting Sail explores what life was like above and below deck on the intrepid journey to America. Including songs and poetry, this interactive performance will engage, excite and enthuse its audience.

Damian Iorio

Worcester Wags and Wagers

3 – 5 pm King’s School Theatre

£18

Elgar goes to the races, entertains George Bernard Shaw and Lawrence of Arabia, and composes a football chant for Wolves; Ivor Atkins saves the festival from extinction, two eighteenth century ladies enjoy festival balls, picnic breakfasts and the finest castrato in Europe; while King George III’s visit gives us a festival coin. Steve Williams with Zeb Soanes (BBC R4), Ben Cooper (BBC1 Bargain Hunt), Sir Roy Strong and other familiar faces presents anecdotes and characters from past Worcester festivals, lavishly illustrated with rare pictures and interspersed with music and songs, some not heard for a century.

Shanna Hart Organ Recital

5 – 6.15 pm St Martin’s Church

£14

Shanna Hart organ

JS Bach Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 14'

Böhm Chaconne in G 4'

JS Bach Canonic Variations on “Vom Himmel hoch da komm’ ich her”, BWV 769a 3'

Iain Quinn Continuum (“N-O-T-R-E D-A-M-E”) 4'

Alain Variations sur un thème de Clément Jannequin 6'

Vierne Naïades from 24 Pièces de fantaisie 5'

Martin Passacaille 12'

The first recital in our series showcasing young talents of the Royal College of Organists spans the centuries from Bach to the present day, demonstrating the full range of this magnificent instrument’s capabilities and colour.

St Martin’s CaféBar open 4.30 – 6.45 pm

£5

coach departs 4.15 pm, returns by approx. 6.45 pm

Supported by Fr Michael Thomas

Choral Evensong

5.30 – 6.15 pm Worcester Cathedral FREE (no ticket required)

Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir

Nicholas Freestone organ

Stephen Shellard conductor

Ian King Responses

Dyson Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D Elgar Give unto the Lord

The Music Makers

7.45 – 9.30 pm Worcester Cathedral

See following page for more information

Fiddlers Three

10 – 11 pm College Hall

£18, under 25s FREE

Join the Musical and Amicable Society for a late-night romp through the seventeenth century, as three violinists compete and combine in a riot of musical colour – twisting and turning through Purcell’s ingenious divisions, Marini’s mischievous special effects, Schmelzer’s outrageous harmonies, and a smattering of folk music.

Drinks available from the festival bar and to pre-order

Worcester Cathedral Choir © Michael Whitefoot

THE MUSIC MAKERS

7.45 – 9.30 pm Worcester Cathedral

£58, £53, £32, £25, £15

Marta Fontanals-Simmons mezzo-soprano

Three Choirs Festival Chorus

Philharmonia Orchestra

Samuel Hudson conductor

Copland Fanfare for the Common Man 3'

Nico Muhly Senex Puerum Portabat 10'

Paulus Sea Portraits 22'

Elgar The Music Makers 35'

‘We are the music-makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams…’ The festival’s Anglo-American exploration opens with three American pieces, beginning with Copland’s heroic fanfare. Afterwards, Elgar’s melancholic and reflective ode to ‘the artist’ takes tunes from his most beloved works to celebrate creativity in all its forms.

Supported by The C-T Trust in celebration of the 900th anniversary of the Lygon Family at Madresfield Court

Marta Fontanals-Simmons © Victoria Cadisch

SUNDAY 26 JULY

Festival Eucharist

10.30 am – 12 noon Worcester Cathedral

FREE (no ticket required)

Worcester Cathedral Choir

Nicholas Freestone organ

Samuel Hudson conductor

Vierne Messe solennelle

Byrd Ave verum corpus

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King Lear

1 – 3 pm West End Gardens

£12, £6 children

Gloucestershire Youth Players

Edward Derbyshire director

Now in their 14th season, GYP present a distinctive blend of Shakespeare and contemporary theatre practice that maintains the urgency and power of Shakespeare’s language. This young company invite you to enter a dystopian world where the powerful elite is riven by greed, corruption, entitlement and neglect, with consequences for the whole community. It is a tale of crass stupidity shown by rulers, and compassion shown by those who refuse to be co-opted. It is an eternal tale, and it is a modern tale.

GYP welcome you to join them on the journey of discovery, a journey toward redemption.

Please note that this is an outdoor performance which will be relocated only in the event of adverse weather conditions.

Camarilla Ensemble

1.30 – 2.30 pm

Henry Sandon Hall

£7, under 5s FREE (ideal for ages 5+)

Join the Camarilla Ensemble for an engaging and interactive introduction to the instruments of the wind quintet and the wonderful world of chamber music.

Supported by the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust

eLGar choraLe preSent S Now sleeps the crimson petal

2 – 4 pm Pershore Abbey

£25, £20, £15

Roderick Williams baritone

Elgar Chorale

Christopher Allsop organ/piano

Piers Maxim conductor

Holst Two Psalms 12'

Howard Blake Songs of Truth and Glory 10'

Hunt Now sleeps the crimson petal 3'

Hunt Two Part Songs 6'

Roderick Williams Shout, O ye winds! (premiere) 8'

Vaughan Williams Lord, thou hast been our refuge 8'

Piers Maxim Four Lullabies for the Girls 12'

Finzi Requiem da Camera 24'

This birthday tribute to the late Donald Hunt, a former Worcester Artistic Director, encompasses gentle melodies by composers associated with the city and this region, including the premiere of a new song by baritone and composer Roderick Williams.

£7

coach departs 1.15 pm; returns by approx. 4.45 pm

SUNDAY

Camarilla Ensemble

SUNDAY

the FrienDS oF WorceSter

catheDraL preSent

Tea and Talk with David Briggs

3 – 4.45 pm St Andrew’s Methodist Church

£20

Ahead of his cathedral organ recital, David Briggs examines the life of an international concert organist, discussing his busy touring schedule and exploring his interest in improvisation. The Friends of Worcester Cathedral will provide a delicious tea of sandwiches, scones and cakes.

Storytelling with Gaspard the Fox

3.30 – 4.30 pm

Henry Sandon Hall

£7, under 5s FREE (ideal for children and their families)

Meet Gaspard, a friendly fox with a taste for adventure! Join him and his furry friends in this warm-hearted storytelling session with their creator Zeb Soanes, brought to life with live painting from the series illustrator James Mayhew.

Choral Evensong

5.30 – 6.15 pm Worcester Cathedral FREE (no ticket required)

Worcester Cathedral Voluntary Choir

Samuel Hudson organ

Ed Jones conductor

John Cullen Responses

Wills Magnificat and Nunc dimittis on Plainsong Tones

Moore All Wisdom cometh from the Lord

Worcester 1899: Enigma Meets America

7.45 – 9.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

See following page for more information

Ludwig: Concerto quasi una fantasia

10.15 – 11.15 pm College Hall

£18, under 25s FREE

Composer and director Charlie Barber weaves together fragments of Beethoven’s music recreated for piano and string quartet in the setting of an imagined rehearsal. He invites the audience on an intimate musical journey reflecting on the composer’s influence on the music of today.

Drinks available from the festival bar and to pre-order

Ed Lyon © Gerard Collet

Ludwig: Concerto quasi una fantasia

WORCESTER 1899: ENIGMA MEETS AMERICA

7.45 – 9.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

£55, £50, £32, £25, £15

Anita Watson soprano

Catherine Carby mezzo-soprano

Ed Lyon tenor

David Stout bass

Three Choirs Festival Chorus

Philharmonia Orchestra

Geraint Bowen conductor

Elgar Enigma Variations 29'

Parker Hora Novissima 60'

Tonight, we recall two premieres from the Worcester 1899 festival: Elgar’s revised version of his enduringly popular and moving Enigma Variations, and Horatio Parker’s Hora Novissima, the first American work ever performed at the festival. Parker’s oratorio complements Elgar’s style beautifully, and it is easy to see how the performance in 1899 led to an ongoing association between the two composers.

Supported by the Wigornia Circle

The Worcester Music Meeting in the nineteenth century

The Sonic World of Louis Vierne

9.30 – 10.30 am King’s School Boathouse

£14 (includes coffee and pastries)

Jeremy Begbie will explore the extraordinary achievements of Louis Vierne, focusing on how his work as composer and performer was affected by his severe sight impairment. Today Vierne would be registered as legally blind. Comparing Vierne with other composers and performers experiencing loss of vision, Begbie will explore what we can learn from them about the process of composing, and about what it means to listen to, as opposed to merely hear, music.

WorceSter WaLkS preSent S Elgar’s Footsteps

10 – 11.30 am meet at the Elgar statue, Worcester High Street

£10

This leisurely walk takes in Elgar’s homes and haunts, visiting places beloved by the composer and his family, including the Glee Club and St George’s Catholic Church.

Please note that this is an outdoor event which will take place regardless of the weather

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Tiny Tunes: Atlantic Drift

10.30 – 11.10 am St Martin’s Church £5 adults, children FREE (ideal for babies, toddlers and their siblings)

The Lilliput violin duo perform a lucky dip of tunes from the British Isles and the Americas – including some which have migrated across the ocean! Come to dance, clap, sway, sing along – or just to listen and be soothed. Afterwards, the children can meet the instruments and try out a baby violin for themselves!

St Martin’s Café open from 10 am

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My Life in Music and Pots

10.30 am – 12 noon Exhibition Hall, Museum of Royal Worcester

£14

Henry Sandon reflects on his lifelong love of music and pots, his Worcester journey, and singing at the Three Choirs Festival for over 25 years. Join us for this very special reminiscence and enjoy tea, coffee and biscuits on Royal Worcester china in the Museum’s beautiful eighteenth century gallery.

Royal Worcester china

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David Briggs

11.30 am – 12.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

£22

David Briggs organ

David Briggs Variations on ‘Take the A Train’ (UK premiere) 19'

Vierne Symphony No 2 in E minor, Op. 20 36'

David Briggs Improvised Symphony in four movements 20'

In this extraordinary feat of musical brilliance, David Briggs will showcase his prodigious talents by improvising an organ symphony on the spot based on four themes suggested by members of the audience, as well as giving the UK premiere of his recent variations marking the anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance.

Society Lunch

1.15 – 3 pm King’s School Boathouse £30 (includes a glass of wine and tea/coffee)

Join your fellow members for an exclusive two-course lunch in the company of Society President Roderick Williams.

The Society AGM will take place in the King’s School Boathouse on Sunday 26 July at 12.15 pm

Gaspard’s Foxtrot

2 – 3 pm Rogers Theatre, Malvern College £15, £7 children (ideal for all ages)

James Mayhew illustrator

Zeb Soanes narrator

Philharmonia Orchestra

Worcestershire Young Performers

Holly Mathieson conductor

Elgar The Wand of Youth Suite No 2 16'

Jonathan Dove Gaspard’s Foxtrot (premiere) 25'

This premiere performance of a new piece of music by Jonathan Dove brings to life Gaspard the Fox’s latest adventure, where

an accidental bus journey through London leads this friendly fox to his very first classical music concert and sees him become the star of the show! Narrated and illustrated live by the book’s author Zeb Soanes and artist James Mayhew, this will be a wonderfully entertaining introduction to a live orchestra, and a special immersive musical experience for those who are already hooked! In the first of the two performances, young musicians from Worcestershire will join players of the Philharmonia to perform Elgar’s own animal carnival, The Wand of Youth, vividly brought to life on a big screen by James Mayhew as he paints to the music.

Join in with fun fox-themed arts and crafts in the foyer of the theatre from 1.30 pm coach departs 1.10 pm; returns by approx. 3.45 pm

£7

In partnership with Severn Arts

4 – 4.30 pm

Rogers Theatre, Malvern College £10, £7 children

The second performance will feature Gaspard’s Foxtrot only, and is recommended as a relaxed performance for anyone who would like to move around and make as much noise as they like (there will be a mix of reserved and up-close-andunreserved space).

£7

coach departs 3.10 pm; returns by approx. 5.15 pm

Zeb Soanes and James Mayhew

Bliss Clarinet Quintet

3.45 – 5.15 pm Worcester Baptist Church £30, £25, under 25s FREE

Robert Plane clarinet

Elias Quartet

Howells Rhapsodic Quintet 11'

Beethoven String Quartet No 11 in F minor, op.95 ‘Serioso’ 20'

Bliss Clarinet Quintet 29'

The Elias Quartet join forces with Robert Plane for Bliss’s expressively melodic Clarinet

Quintet and Howells’ serenely beautiful Rhapsodic Quintet, both written in the aftermath of the Great War. In between, the Elias quartet – praised for their on-stage flair and personality – mark Beethoven’s 250-year celebrations with the groundbreaking ‘Serioso’ quartet.

£5

coach departs 3.10 pm; returns by approx. 5.45 pm

Elias Quartet supported by the Richard Hall Charitable Trust

Choral Evensong

5.30 – 6.15 pm Worcester Cathedral FREE (no ticket required)

Worcester and Gloucester Girl Choristers

Worcester Lay Clerks

Ed Jones organ

Nicholas Freestone conductor

Clucas Responses

Walton Chichester Service

Britten Rejoice in the Lamb

Purcell̓̓̓̓ʼs King Arthur

7.30 – 9.40 pm Worcester Cathedral

See following page for more information

Basin

Street Brawlers

10.15 – 11.30 pm, College Hall

£18

The five-piece Basin Street Brawlers are acclaimed traditional jazz specialists. Tonight they are joined by chamber choir for a fusion of 1920s and ‘30s swing and traditional African-American spirituals. An uplifting night of beautiful harmonies and toe-tapping tunes.

Drinks available from the festival bar and to pre-order

Elias Quartet

PURCELL'S KING ARTHUR

7.30 – 9.40 pm Worcester Cathedral

£50, £45, £32, £25, £15

Anna Dennis, Rowan Pierce, Charlotte Shaw sopranos

Jeremy Budd, James Gilchrist tenors

Ashley Riches, Dingle Yandell basses

Gabrieli Consort and Players

Paul McCreesh conductor

Purcell King Arthur 92'

The Gabrieli Consort perform their award-winning production of one of Purcell’s most lyrical and harmonically adventurous semi-operas. Telling the story of King Arthur’s battles with the heathen Saxons and his quest to rescue his blind fiancée, the music teems with magic.

Charles Ernest Butler's King Arthur

The Mayflower Story in a Post-Colonial Age

9.30 – 10.30 am

King’s School Boathouse

£14 (includes coffee and pastries)

Kerry Whitehouse, curatorial officer of the Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum, discusses their current exhibition inspired by the voyage and legacy of the Mayflower, and important considerations when dealing with contentious artefacts from our colonial past.

The Mayflower 400 Exhibition can be viewed between 10.30 am – 4.30 pm, Monday to Saturday at the Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum. Entry to the museum is free.

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Old Palace Garden Tour

10 – 11.30 am The Old Palace

£12

A guided tour of the gardens of Worcester’s Old Palace, once the home of the Bishops and then Deans of Worcester. Refreshments will be served in the Great Hall after the tour.

Please note that this is an outdoor event. In the event of adverse weather conditions, a talk will be held in the Great Hall.

Beet(Who)ven?

10.30 – 11.30 am

St Martin’s Church

£7, under 5s FREE (ideal for children and adults of all ages)

Who was Beethoven? In this whistle-stop musical tour, violinist Krysia Osostowicz and pianist Daniel Tong reveal the story of Beethoven’s life, from his favourite food to his increasing deafness, and talk about the influence he has had on composers of today. Why does he remind one composer of Tom and Jerry? And why does another think Beethoven had the blues? Discover all this and more in this relaxed event.

St Martin’s CaféBar open from 10 am coach departs 9.45 am; returns by approx. 12 noon

£5

The Great Journey

11 am – 12.40 pm Worcester Cathedral £30, £25, £20, £15, under 25s FREE

Roderick Williams baritone

Philharmonia Players

Adrian Partington conductor

Smyth Chrysilla; La Danse 10'

Gabriel Jackson In the Mendips 16'

Colin Matthews The Great Journey 50'

Roderick Williams is the protagonist in this tale of a Spanish conquistadors’ disastrous sixteenth century expedition. This exquisite portrayal of greed and destruction is told through veiled references to sixteenth century styles in a colourful score. Ethel Smyth’s vignettes are tinged with French impressionism, while an instrumental interlude by Gabriel Jackson evokes an afternoon on the Somerset hills.

Supported by the Friends of Worcester Three Choirs Festival

Roderick Williams

Paul Greally Organ Recital

12.15 – 1.30 pm St Martin’s Church

£14

Paul Greally organ

JS Bach Prelude and Fugue in D major Bwv 532 10'

JS Bach Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr Bwv 663 11'

Vierne 4 pieces from 24 Pièces en style libre, Book 2 10'

Brahms Two Chorales from 11 Chorale

Preludes for Organ 10'

Brahms Fugue in A flat minor 7'

Errollyn Wallen Triptych 7'

The second in our series of recitals by young musicians selected by the Royal College of Organists showcases a range of composers well-known for their contributions to the organ repertoire.

St Martin’s CaféBar open 11.30 am – 1.45 pm

£5

coach departs 11.30 am; returns by approx. 2 pm

Supported by Fr Michael Thomas

the FeStiVaL pL ayerS preSent

Henry V

1.30 – 3.30 pm West End Gardens

£17, £10 children

After a rebellious and spirited youth spent carousing in the taverns of London, Prince Hal takes on the responsibility of Kingship and leads his troops across the Channel to do battle with the French at Agincourt. Follow the charismatic King in this stirring tale of leadership, bravery, humour and love – exhilarating entertainment for a summer’s day.

Please note that this is an outdoor performance which will be relocated only in the event of adverse weather conditions

Beethoven, Wordsworth and the French Revolution

1.45 – 3 pm King’s School Theatre

£22, under 25s FREE

Zeb Soanes reader

The Jupiter Ensemble

David Owen Norris director/pianoforte

Beethoven (arr. Hummel) Symphony No 3 in E flat ‘Eroica’

Beethoven (arr. Moscheles) Egmont

Overture, Op. 84

Revolutionary poetry from a man who was there, in Paris in 1789; revolutionary music from a composer who wished he had been. Beethoven and Wordsworth, both born in 1770, were each at first enchanted by the French Revolution. Later both men arrived at the same disappointment, famously expressed by Beethoven’s furious deletion of Napoleon’s name from the title page of his Eroica Symphony. Through narration and musical extracts performed by an ensemble incorporating the pianoforte of the nineteenth century, hear how the two disappointed revolutionaries illuminate each other through their art.

TUESDAY

Fighting at the Hotel de Ville by Jean Victor Schnetz

TUESDAY

Was Shakespeare’s Henry V a War Criminal?

4 – 5 pm King’s School Boathouse £14 (includes refreshments)

Following today’s performance of Henry V, the Dean of Worcester examines the development of the doctrine of the Just War and asks whether Henry V was, by the standards of Shakespeare’s own time, guilty of war crimes. There will also be refreshments hosted by our Worcester Friends.

Beethoven Reflected

4 – 6.15 pm St Martin’s Church £25, £20, under 25s FREE

Krysia Osostowicz violin

Daniel Tong piano

Judith Bingham The Neglected Child 4'

Beethoven Sonata No 4 in A minor, Op. 23 22'

Huw Watkins Spring 5'

Beethoven Sonata No 5 in F, Op. 24 'Spring' 24'

David Matthews Sonatina 8'

Beethoven Sonata No 10 in G, Op. 96 28'

A programme selected from pianist Daniel Tong and violinist Krysia Osostowicz’s acclaimed ‘Beethoven Plus’ project presents new companion pieces to Beethoven’s violin sonatas. These new pieces create conversations between Beethoven and living composers and shed fresh light on what Beethoven’s music means to us today.

St Martin’s CaféBar open from 3.30 pm

Choral Evensong

5.30 – 6.15 pm Worcester Cathedral FREE (no ticket required)

Boy Choristers of the Three Cathedral Choirs

Nicholas Freestone organ

Samuel Hudson conductor

Peter Nardone Responses

Christopher Robinson Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in C

Stanford A Song of Wisdom

Brittenʼs Saint Nicolas

7.45 – 9.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

See following page for more information

Lay Clerks in Concert

10.15 – 11.15 pm College Hall

£18

The lay clerks of Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester Cathedral Choirs step into a different role in this concert of close-harmony classics and unaccompanied choral repertoire.

Drinks available from the festival bar and to pre-order

coach departs 3.25 pm; returns by approx. 6.45 pm

£5

Samuel Hudson © Michael Whitefoot

Beethoven in 1820 by Joseph Karl Stieler

BRITTEN'S SAINT NICOLAS

7.45 – 9.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

£50, £45, £32, £25, £15

Joshua Ellicott tenor

Three Choirs Festival Youth Choir

Worcester and Gloucester Girl Choristers

Philharmonia Orchestra

Geraint Bowen conductor

Dobrinka Tabakova Centuries of Meditations 20'

John Rutter Visions 20'

Britten Saint Nicolas 50'

The Festival’s Youth Choir revisit the first work commissioned for them: Dobrinka Tabakova’s beautiful and reflective Centuries of Meditations, while the girl choristers take centre stage for John Rutter’s Visions, a reverie on heavenly peace. Britten’s mystical and exciting cantata depicts the miraculous life of St Nicolas in vivid detail, portraying terrifying storms, Nicolas’ marvellous deeds and his pious followers, in Britten’s typically vivid style.

Supported by The Elmley Foundation and Lee Bolton Monier-Williams; Geraint Bowen supported by Pamela White

TUESDAY

An Orthodox Byzantine icon of St Nicholas

The English Choral Tradition in the USA

9.30 – 10.30 am

King’s School Boathouse

£14 (includes coffee and pastries)

Dr Paul Ellison will trace the journey of the Anglican choral tradition in the United States from its roots in eighteenth-century New York City to its flowering today throughout the country.

Society oU tinG Hartlebury Castle

£25 (includes travel and refreshments)

Society members are invited on an outing to Hartlebury Castle, for centuries the residence of the Bishops of Worcester and the historical setting for tales of rebellion, countless royal visitors and the former political centre of Worcestershire.

Coach departs 9.30 am; returns by approx. 1.15 pm

WorceSter WaLkS preSent S Elgar’s Footsteps

10 – 11.30 am Meet at the Elgar Statue, Worcester High Street

£10

This leisurely walk takes in Elgar's homes and haunts, visiting places beloved by the composer and his family, including the Glee Club and St George’s Catholic Church.

Please note this is an outdoor event which will take place regardless of the weather

Nicholson & Co. Factory Visit

Two tours: 10 am – 12.45 pm; 2 – 4.45 pm

£10 (includes tea and biscuits served from half an hour before the tour start time)

A tour of the Nicholson factory, taking in current works-in-progress, including a new organ for Radley College near Oxford and the historical restoration of the 1885 Denman organ from St Martin le Belfrey in York. The visit will also include a talk by Organs Adviser, Dr Jim Berrow, on John Nicholson.

£7

First coach departs 9 am; returns by approx. 1.30 pm. Second coach departs 1 pm, returns by approx. 5.30 pm.

Two by Two

10.30 – 11.15 am

Elgar School of Music

£5, under 5s FREE (ideal for all ages)

The Carousel Clarinet Duo present an interactive programme of classical favourites complete with animal fun and TV friends!

St Patrick's Cathedral, New York

Beethoven to Brown:

Two Centuries of the Symphony

12.30 – 1.40 pm Kidderminster Town Hall

£30, £25

English Symphony Orchestra

Kenneth Woods conductor

Emily Doolittle green/blue 12'

James Francis Brown Symphony No 1 (premiere) 23'

Beethoven Symphony No 7 35'

The English Symphony Orchestra premiere the latest in their commissioning cycle championing some of the finest British orchestral composers of the day. James Francis Brown’s music reflects the legacy of Britten, Sibelius and Beethoven among others, and the latter’s sprightly seventh symphony will be an ideal pairing to this new work.

£9

coach departs 11.30 am; returns by approx. 2.30 pm

the FeStiVaL pL ayerS preSent:

Henry V

1.30 – 3.30 pm West End Gardens

£17, £10 children

Please note that this is an outdoor performance which will be relocated only in the event of adverse weather conditions.

Choral Evensong

3.30 – 4.30 pm Worcester Cathedral FREE (no ticket required)

Three Cathedral Choirs

Nicholas Freestone organ

Samuel Hudson conductor

Randall Thompson Alleluia

Gabriel Jackson Responses

Howells St Paul’s Service

John Rutter new anthem for the 2020

Three Choirs Festival

This service will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Please be seated by 3.15 pm

Mayflower on the Sea of Time

5 – 6 pm Kidderminster Town Hall

£20, £12

April Fredrick soprano

David Stout baritone Worcestershire Children’s Chorus

English Symphony Orchestra

Kenneth Woods conductor

Philip Sawyers Fanfare 5'

Philip Sawyers Mayflower on the Sea of Time 50'

This dramatic new cantata incorporates both a narrative of the Mayflower’s journey to America and a wider look at the moral, religious and political implications raised by the human flaws and frailties of the ship’s passengers, beautifully sung by a children’s chorus drawn from across Worcestershire.

coach departs 4 pm; returns by approx. 6.45 pm

The Passion of Joan of Arc

5 – 6.45 pm King’s School Theatre

£22

The Orlando Consort

La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc 97'

La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc is widely recognised as a silent masterpiece, regularly appearing in lists of the top ten greatest films ever made. Commemorating the centenary of Joan’s canonisation, the Orlando Consort have revived this stunning project weaving together a tapestry of beautiful fifteenth century songs and motets which provides a highly evocative and poignant depiction of medieval France and Joan’s tragic execution.

The Three Deans’ Archery Contest

5 – 6.15 pm King’s School Gardens

£12

Armstrong Gibbsʼ Choral Symphony

7.45 – 9.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

See following page for more information

The Becoming

10.15 – 11.15 pm College Hall

£18

An innovative storytelling experience combining poetry written and performed by Nicola Harrison with jazz improvisation by Martin Pickett and Keith Fairbairn, imagining a mermaidʼs sea odyssey. Sea creatures and other evocative characters populate this exquisite oceanic adventure. Expect strange maidens who are not what they seem, amorous selkies and pirates galore.

Drinks available from the festival bar and to pre-order WEDNESDAY

Three stalwart archers take part in a bow-andarrow contest in the grounds of the ancient Worcester Castle for the coveted prize awarded by the Sheriff of Worcester. Stephen du Lac, Michael the Taverner, and Peter son of Atkin are the champions of their respective shires –but who will win the Sheriff’s prize? Join our Worcester Friends for afternoon tea while you cheer on your favourite Dean!

Renée Jeanne Falconetti in La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc

ARMSTRONG GIBBS’ CHORAL SYMPHONY

7.45 – 9.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

£55, £50, £32, £25, £15

Ruby Hughes soprano

Njabulo Madlala baritone

Three Choirs Festival Chorus

Philharmonia Orchestra

Adrian Partington conductor

Mendelssohn The Hebrides, Op. 26 ‘Fingal’s Cave’ 10'

Copland Appalachian Spring 23'

Gibbs Symphony No 2 ‘Odysseus’ 60'

Gibbs’ tuneful and evocative choral symphony, which he considered his best, is a rarely-heard masterpiece that tells the wellknown story of Odysseus in a style that will be familiar to fans of Vaughan Williams and Parry. In the first half, two favourites of the orchestral repertoire evoke romantic visions of turbulent sea and great American plains.

Supported by The American Friends of the Three Choirs Festival

This concert is dedicated to the memory of Carolyn Pascall

Ulysses and the Sirens by John William Waterhouse

the WULStan atkinS Lect Ure

Sir Ivor Atkins: Worcester and beyond

9.30 – 10.30 am

King’s School Boathouse

£14 (includes coffee and pastries)

Organist and choral conductor Simon Lindley presents an evaluation of Atkins’ achievements as musician, composer, scholar, editor and his role in reviving the festival after World War 2.

Presented in association with the Church Music Society

Supported by Katharine O’Carroll and Robert and Sherill Atkins

James Gilchrist: 16th Century Love Songs

11 am – 12.45 pm Worcester Baptist Church

£30, £25, under 25s FREE

James Gilchrist tenor

The Linarol Consort of Viols

A concert of enchanting sixteenth century song, performed by one of its leading exponents and authentically accompanied on copies of the earliest surviving viol. Love in all its various forms (unrequited, romantic and lascivious mischief) is explored in songs by leading musical figures working in Maximilian’s court: Heinrich Isaac, Paul Hofhaimer and Ludwig Senfl, one of the most prolific composers of German song and secular music of the period.

Worcester

11 am – 12.15 pm

RGS Godfrey Brown Theatre

£12

Adrian Lucas, one of Sir Ivor Atkins’s distinguished successors at Worcester Cathedral, explores the interaction and friendship between two musicians of powerful individuality and sensibility.

Coach departs 10.15 am; returns by approx. 12.45 pm

12.45 – 2.30 pm Elgar Society Lunch

A two-course lunch will be served in RGS Perrins Hall following the morning lecture. All welcome, £15 including a glass of wine or soft drink and tea/coffee. Please specify your menu choice, and advise of any dietary requirements, at the time of booking (full details online).

Coach departs 12.30 pm; returns by approx. 3 pm

coach departs 10.25 am; returns by approx. 1.15 pm the eLGar Society preSent S

£5

£6

An illustration from James Mayhew’s Koshka’s Tales

James

Mayhew’s Koshka’s

Tales

1.30 – 2.30 pm

King’s School Theatre

£7, under 5s FREE

(ideal for all ages)

Children’s author and illustrator

James Mayhew tells the famous Russian tale of Vassilisa the Fair from his book Koshka’s Tales, and illustrates the story live onstage, accompanied by a complete performance of Borodin’s much-loved Second String Quartet.

Daniel Mathieson Organ Recital

2 – 3.15 pm St Martin’s Church

£14

Daniel Mathieson organ

Guilmant Grand Choeur in D 8'

Bridge 3 Pieces for Organ 14'

JS Bach Prelude and Fugue in B minor

BWV 544 13'

Whitlock After an old French air 4'

Vierne Elégie from 24 Pièces en style

libre 7'

Vierne Carillon de Westminster 7'

The third and final recital in our series presented by the Royal College of Organists comprises some of the finest pieces of the Romantic organ repertoire.

St Martin’s CaféBar open 1.30 – 3.45 pm

£5

coach departs 1.15 pm; returns by approx. 3.45 pm

Supported by Fr Michael Thomas

chUrch hoUSe trUSt preSent S Old Palace Garden Tour

2.30 – 4 pm The Old Palace

£12

A guided tour of the gardens of Worcester’s Old Palace, once the home of the Bishops and then Deans of Worcester. Refreshments will be served in the Great Hall after the tour.

Please note that this is an outdoor event. In the event of adverse weather conditions, a talk will be held in the Great Hall.

The Marian Consort: Stabat Mater

3 – 4.15 pm All Saints Church, Evesham £25, £20

The Marian Consort Rory McCleery director

Scarlatti Stabat Mater 25'

Dani Howard new work (premiere) 20'

Gabriel Jackson Stabat Mater 18'

The powerful text of the Stabat Mater has inspired composers for centuries, and this concert contrasts two outstanding examples of heartfelt and poignant settings from the seventeenth century and from the composer of this year’s festival commission, Gabriel Jackson. In between, the Marian Consort perform their newly commissioned work from Dani Howard, whose music has been described as ‘sophisticated and incredibly beautiful’.

£10

coach departs 2 pm; returns approx. 5.15 pm

THURSDAY

Daniel Mathieson

The Marian Consort

THURSDAY

Philharmonia Young

Artists Recital

5.30 – 6.30 pm King’s School Theatre

£18, under 25s FREE

Julia Liang violin

David López Ibáñez violin

Ana Teresa de Braga e Alves viola Yaroslava Trofymchuk cello

Ravel String Quartet in F 30’

Mozart String Quartet No 15 in D minor

K421 30’

Join current and past participants of the Philharmonia’s MMSF Instrumental Fellowship in this intimate chamber music setting. Ravel’s shimmering, bright union of colour contrasts sharply with Mozart’s darker and discursive quartet (the second of six dedicated to Haydn) in a recital that superbly demonstrates the broad expressive range of the string quartet.

Choral Evensong

5.30 – 6.15 pm Worcester Cathedral FREE (no ticket required)

Three Cathedral Choirs

Nicholas Freestone organ

Adrian Partington conductor

Hunt Responses

Murrill Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in E

Harris Strengthen ye the weak hands

Unfinished Orchestral Masterpieces

7.45 – 9.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

See following page for more information

Fair Oriana: Silver Baroque

10.15 – 11.15 pm College Hall

£18

An ethereal programme celebrating the silvery sounds of Baroque music with the soprano duo Fair Oriana (Penelope Appleyard and Angela Hicks), accompanied by theorbo. The programme centres on music of rivers, nature and the night and celebrates the alluring purity of the soprano voice.

Fair Oriana

UNFINISHED ORCHESTRAL MASTERPIECES

7.45 – 9.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

£55, £50, £32, £25, £15

Guy Johnston cello

Philharmonia Orchestra

Anna Maria Helsing conductor

Beethoven Egmont Overture 9'

Howells Cello Concerto 23'

Elgar/Anthony Payne Symphony No 3 58'

Elgar’s last work, although incomplete at the time of his death in 1934, is an unforgettably thrilling symphony, completed

by Anthony Payne. Although Elgar’s dying wish was that nobody should ‘tinker’ with his final sketches, his family decided that the piece was too important to be allowed to lie dormant. Howells’ deeply personal Cello Concerto was also left unfinished, but Jonathan Clinch’s completion for tonight’s soloist Guy Johnston has been enthusiastically received and brings some of Howells’ best orchestral music to the stage.

Supported by Mr and Mrs David Ball; Guy Johnston supported by Joanna Brickell

Philharmonia Orchestra © Camilla Greenwell

31 JULY

Adventures in the Archives

9.30 – 10.30 am

King’s School Boathouse

£14 (includes coffee and pastries)

British music specialist Dr Jonathan Clinch talks about the art of reconstructing forgotten scores and the issues surrounding the completing of unfinished works, particularly his recent work on the Howells Cello Concerto.

WorceSter WaLkS preSent S Elgar’s Footsteps

10 – 11.30 am Meet at the Elgar statue, Worcester High St

£10

This leisurely walk takes in Elgarʼs homes and haunts, visiting places beloved by the composer and his family, including the Glee Club and St George’s Catholic Church.

Please note that this is an outdoor event which will take place regardless of the weather

Hyungi Lee Recital

11 am – 12.30 pm Great Witley Church

£18

Hyungi Lee percussion

Kazunori Miyake Chain 6'

Matt Curlee The Endings of Things From A Distance 7'

Trad. Korean (arr. Hyungi Lee)

Arirang 4'

JS Bach selection from Goldberg Variations 6'

Compagnie Kahlua Ceci n’est pas une balle? 4'

Keiko Abe Variations on Japanese Children’s Songs 8'

Anna Ignatowicz-Glinska Toccata 10'

Paul Lansky Slide from Three Moves 4'

Emmanuel Séjourné Prelude No 1 8'

Keiko Abe Dream of the Cherry Blossoms 6'

Piazzolla (arr. Pius Cheung) Verano Porteño 8'

The winner of the 2019 Bromsgrove International Musicians Competition, Hyungi Lee, joins us for an exciting percussion recital. Praised by the judges for her captivating performance, she will include a range of repertoire, from Bach’s Goldberg Variations to music by composers including Emmanuel Séjourné and Keiko Abe.

Great Witley Tearooms open 11 am – 5 pm, serving lunch 12 – 2.30 pm. Booking advisable.

coach departs 10 am; returns by approx. 1.15 pm

£7

Hyungi Lee

Matthew Schellhorn: Howells’ Piano Music

11.30 am – 1.15 pm St Martin’s Church £25, £20

Matthew Schellhorn piano

Howells Harlequin Dreaming (premiere) 4'

Howells Meadow-Rest and Near Midnight from Summer Idylls 10'

Howells Finzi: His Rest 3'

Howells Siciliana 4'

Howells Pavane and Galliard 9'

Howells Phantasy (premiere) 5'

Howells The Arab’s Song (premiere) 4'

Howells To a Wild Flower 7'

Howells Melody 4'

Howells Petrus Suite 18'

Howells’ distinctly unique talent for combining a smooth, lyrical melodic line with vivid harmony has only rarely been heard in the medium of piano music. This programme, packed with posthumous premieres, presents undiscovered masterpieces showing Howells’ genius in a new light.

St Martin’s CaféBar open 11 am – 2.15 pm

£5

coach departs 10.55 am; returns by approx. 1.30 pm

Joby Burgess Percussion Collective

2 – 3.10 pm Worcester Baptist Church £20, £15, under 25s FREE

Eric Whitacre Lux Aurumque 4'

Steve Reich Music for pieces of wood 12'

Eric Whitacre October 8'

Linda Buckley Discordia 12'

Eric Whitacre A Boy and A Girl 4'

John Luther Adams Qilyuam 16'

Eric Whitacre Sleep 6'

Percussionist Joby Burgess brings together a quartet of players for his own mesmerising new arrangements of some of Eric Whitacre’s most beautiful music, alongside Pärt, Reich and Luther Adams. Dominated by the soothing tones of marimbas and aluminium harp, this concert will be an oasis of calm in a busy festival week.

£5

coach departs 1.25 pm; returns by approx. 3.45 pm

FRIDAY

Joby Burgess © Nick White

FRIDAY

Bach Magnificat

4.30 – 6 pm Worcester Cathedral

£50, £45, £32, £25, £15

Angela Hicks soprano

Penelope Appleyard soprano

Sarah Denbee alto

Greg Tassell tenor

Alex Ashworth bass

Three Cathedral Choirs

The Musical and Amicable Society

Samuel Hudson conductor

JS Bach Magnificat 29'

Buxtehude Membra Jesu nostri 55'

Bach’s exuberant and dramatic Magnificat is one of his most popular compositions, and the perfect piece in which to hear our three cathedral choirs at their majestic best, alongside historically authentic accompaniment, while the gentle beauty of Buxtehude’s Lenten work allows them to demonstrate a quieter intensity.

Evening prayer will be said today at 6.30 pm in the Cathedral Crypt

In conversation with Gabriel Jackson

6.30 – 7.15 pm King’s School Boathouse

£12

This year’s commissioned composer Gabriel Jackson discusses his new piece, The World Imagined, and his career as a composer whose choral music is cherished around the world.

Premiere: The World Imagined

7.45 – 9.40 pm Worcester Cathedral

See following page for more information

Fenella Humphreys: Caprices

10.15 – 11.15 pm College Hall

£18

Violinist Fenella Humphreys celebrates some of the most demanding and virtuosic solo works ever written. The unaccompanied programme will take you on a whirlwind journey from celebrated violinist-composer Niccolò Paganini through to new music written especially for Fenella, taking in Piazzolla, Kreisler, and Schubert along the way.

Drinks available from the festival bar and to pre-order

Fenella Humphreys

PREMIERE: THE WORLD IMAGINED

7.45 – 9.40 pm Worcester Cathedral

£55, £50, £32, £25, £15

Nick Pritchard tenor

Three Choirs Festival Chorus

Philharmonia Orchestra

David Hill conductor

John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine 4'

Ēriks Ešenvalds The Pleiades (UK premiere) 35'

Gabriel Jackson The World Imagined (festival commission, premiere) 45'

The festival presents a significant new commission from one of Britain’s leading choral composers, Gabriel Jackson, renowned for his immediacy and delicacy of expression. Drawing inspiration from the beauty of poetry, philosophy, art and life, The World Imagined is an ecstatic contemplation of creation and humankind’s small place in an infinite cosmos. Opening with John Adams’ exhilarating Short Ride in a Fast Machine, the first half includes the UK premiere of The Pleiades which explores the myths created to make sense of the stars.

Gabriel Jackson’s The World Imagined supported by the Three Choirs Festival Commissioning Circle

SATURDAY

The Restoration of Manchester's Cavaillé-Coll

9.30 – 10.30 am

King’s School Boathouse

£14 (includes coffee and pastries)

The Grade 1 listed Machester Town Hall and its historic Cavaillé-Coll organ are currently undergoing an exciting £330 million restoration. Managing director of Malvern organ builders Nicholson & Co., Andrew Caskie, will describe this unusual landmark project.

nationaL yoU th choir oF

Great Britain: People of the Land

11 am – 12.30 pm Worcester Cathedral

£30, £25, £20, £15, £10

National Youth Choir of Great Britain

Ben Parry conductor

Paul Stanhope Bangaray! 5'

Shruthi Rajasekar Did you know? 3'

David Hamilton Caliban’s Song 4'

Ēriks Ešenvalds Salutation 4'

John Casken Uncertain Sea 8'

James MacMillan A Child’s Prayer 5'

Ben Parry Flame 4'

Thea Musgrave By the river (UK premiere)

Tallis Spem in alium 9'

Joanna Marsh Griffiths Thou hast searched me out 3'

Some of the UK’s finest young singers join us for a homecoming concert at the culmination of their month-long international tour, which included performances at the World Symposium on Choral Music in New Zealand. Presenting a diverse programme of music from across the world, the concert takes cultural identity as its theme and celebrates what it means to be human. The programme includes the UK premiere of this year’s NYCGB commission by Thea Musgrave, and Tallis’ monumental 40-part motet, Spem in alium.

Thea Musgrave © Kate Mount

Vierne, Verlaine and the fin de siècle

1.45 – 3.45 pm St Martin’s Church

£25, £20

Erika Mädi Jones soprano Panaretos Kyriatzidis piano

Vierne Spleens et Détresses; Clair de lune from Suite bourguignonne; 2 pieces, Op. 7 23'

Franck Prelude from Prelude, Choral and Fugue 5'

Poldowski Mandoline; L’heure exquise 4'

Debussy Le son du cor s’afflige vers les bois from 3 mélodies de Verlaine; Clair de lune from Suite bergamasque; Spleen (Aquarelle) from Ariettes oubliées 10'

Dubois Spleen 3'

Fauré L’hiver a cessé from La bonne chanson; Clair de lune and A Clyméne from Chansons de Venise 8'

N Boulanger La mer est plus belle; Soleils Couchants 6'

Britten Chanson d’automne from Quatre chansons francaises 2'

Ravel Un grand sommeil noir 4'

L Boulanger D’un vieux jardin; D’un jardin clair 5'

While Vierne’s organ music is widely known and regularly performed, his extensive catalogue of songs is far less commonly heard. His song cycle, Spleens et Détresses, provides the starting point for this recital devised by Erika Mädi Jones, winner of the 2018 English Song Competition. The recital explores settings of Verlaine’s poetry by French composers from the fin de siècle, encompassing many of Vierne’s famous students and teachers.

St Martin’s CaféBar open 1.15 – 4.30 pm

£5

coach departs 1.10 pm; returns by approx. 4.15 pm

Three Stories about Flying

3 – 4 pm Henry Sandon Hall £10, £7 children , under 5s FREE (ideal for ages 5+)

500 years ago, young Leonardo da Vinci dreams of a making a flying machine… 200 years ago, Martha Pocock is launched across the Avon Gorge in a wicker basket attached to a set of kites… and in 2020, young Charley Finn has a soaring imagination taking him into a futuristic world of space travel. Meanwhile, paper birds flit and swoop through the stories and the centuries, linking the lives of the children in curious ways. Written and narrated by Kate Romano, the show is illustrated with shadow puppetry and evocative live chamber music for string quartet performed by the acclaimed Goldfield Ensemble. This is a show about resilience and resourcefulness, about finding inspiration in unlikely places and how flights of fantasy can inspire incredible real-life achievements. Where will your imagination take you? SATURDAY

Erika Mädi Jones

SATURDAY

Odyssey

4.45 – 6.30 pm College Hall

£18

Christopher Kent actor

Gamal Khamis piano

C Schumann Scherzo No 2, Op. 17 (abridged)

Schubert (arr. Liszt) Gretchen am Spinrade

Debussy Ce qu’a vu le vent d’ouest from Préludes Book I

Amy Bryce Odyssey

George Stevenson Flashbacks

Arvo Pärt Für Alina

Mendelssohn Albumblatt, Op. 117 (abridged)

Daniel Kidane Odyssey

Shostakovich Prelude Op. 87, No 14

JS Bach Adagio BWV 974

Thomas Adès (arr. Gamal Khamis) O Albion from Arcadiana

Homer’s epic narrative is retold in an absorbing production tracing Odysseus’ journey through the eyes of the modern world, augmented by specially-commissioned works by award-winning poets and composers, alongside excerpts from Shakespeare, JS Bach, Debussy, Clara Schumann and others.

Singing the Lord’s song in a strange land

5 – 6.15 pm King’s School Theatre

£12

Charismatic music critic Michael White discusses William Walton’s ‘great escape from Oldham, ordinariness and outside loos’ (and some extraordinary characters who made it possible), his friendship with the composer and why Belshazzar’s Feast is Walton’s most indulgent work.

Choral Evensong

5.30 – 6.15 pm Worcester Cathedral

FREE (no ticket required)

Three Cathedral Choirs

Nicholas Freestone organ

Geraint Bowen conductor

Janet Wheeler Responses

Mathias Jesus College Service

Owain Park Beati quorum via

Gamal Khamis

BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST

7.45 – 9.45 pm Worcester Cathedral

£58, £53, £32, £25, £15

Božidar Smiljanić baritone

Three Choirs Festival Chorus

Philharmonia Orchestra

Samuel Hudson conductor

Ireland A London Overture 13'

Beethoven Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage 8'

Vaughan Williams Songs of Travel 23'

Walton Belshazzar’s Feast 36'

We close the festival with Walton’s raucous and richly harmonic cantata. Often proclaimed to be one of his best works, the flamboyantly cacophonous piece tells the story of the downfall of Babylon. Three impassioned works, all firmly rooted in this year’s theme of travel, provide a more reflective first half.

Supported by The Perry Family Charitable Trust; Songs of Travel supported by the Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust

Rembrandt’s Belshazzar’s Feast

FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE

White SockS theatre company preSent S

Setting Sail

Saturday 25 July

Two performances: 2 – 2.45 pm;

3.30 – 4.15 pm Henry Sandon Hall

£7 (ideal for ages 5+)

Camarilla Ensemble

Sunday 26 July

1.30 – 2.30 pm Henry Sandon Hall

£7 (ideal for ages 5+)

Join the Camarilla Ensemble for an engaging and interactive introduction to the instruments of the wind quintet and the wonderful world of chamber music.

Supported by the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust

Storytelling with Gaspard the Fox

Sunday 26 July

3.30 – 4.30 pm Henry Sandon Hall

£7 (suitable for children of all ages)

St martin’S chUrch preSent S Tiny Tunes: Atlantic Drift

Monday 27 July

10.30 – 11.10 am St Martin’s Church

£5 adults, children FREE (ideal for babies, toddlers and their siblings)

St Martin’s Café open from 10 am

MULTIBUY OFFER BOOK THREE OR MORE FAMILY EVENTS AND GET 20% OFF YOUR TICKETS

Beet(Who)ven?

Tuesday 28 July

10.30 – 11.30 am St Martin’s Church

£7 (ideal for children and adults of all ages)

St Martin’s CaféBar open from 10 am coach departs 9.45 am; returns by approx. 12 noon

£5

Two by Two

Wednesday 29 July

10.30 – 11.15 am Elgar School of Music

£5 (ideal for all ages)

The Carousel Clarinet Duo present an interactive programme of classical favourites complete with animal fun and TV friends!

James Mayhew’s Koshka’s Tales

Thursday 30 July

1.30 – 2.30 pm King’s School Theatre

£7 (ideal for all ages)

Children’s author and illustrator

Three Stories about Flying

Saturday 1 August

3 – 4 pm Henry Sandon Hall

£10, £7 children (ideal for ages 5+)

Gaspard’s Foxtrot: A Musical Adventure

When Gaspard’s neighbour loses his scarf, it leads the friendly fox on an unforgettable musical adventure. This spirited and light-hearted adventure for children is based on the third book in the best-selling Gaspard the Fox series and features narration from author Zeb Soanes The tale is accompanied by specially composed live music by Jonathan Dove (performed by the stunning Philharmonia Orchestra), and the quirky cast of characters will be brought to life before your eyes in live illustration by James Mayhew

This wonderfully entertaining and immersive musical experience in the tradition of Peter and the Wolf is the perfect introduction to live classical music for primary school-age children.

Monday 27 July, 2 pm and 4 pm, Rogers Theatre, Malvern College Tickets from £7, see p 15 for more details

Join in with fun fox-themed arts and crafts in the foyer of the theatre!

GET INVOLVED

Whether you’re completely new to the festival or want to get more involved, there are plenty of ways to explore the festival from a different perspective.

Three Choirs Festival

Youth Choir

There’s no better way to get closer to the action than standing on our stage! If you’re a keen singer aged 14-25, why not join our Youth Choir for a chance to perform with the world-renowned Philharmonia Orchestra in Worcester Cathedral on Tuesday 28 July? There is no charge to participate, and the time commitment is around five days, with rehearsals beginning on Wednesday 22 July. You can find full details of what to expect and how to apply at 3choirs.org/youth-choir

Bandstand

Are you or do you know a Worcestershire performer? We are searching for local groups and performers to play on our community bandstand as part of the festival village. Whether music, dance, spoken-word or more, get in touch with Lucy Wilcox on lucy.wilcox@3choirs.org for more information.

Volunteer

There are many great ways to get involved with the festival, and joining our team of volunteers can be an exciting and rewarding way to get behind the scenes. If you’re friendly, self-motivated and enthusiastic, find out more and register your interest at 3choirs.org/volunteer

Become a Member

Since the Three Choirs Festival Society was founded in 1996, membership has been a way to support the festival financially and to strengthen the social bonds between Three Choirs enthusiasts.

In return for their support, members benefit from:

• Priority booking at various levels;

• Our quarterly members’ magazine, Spotlight, which contains articles about music and local history, interviews with musicians and exclusive details of festival activities;

• Special events such as the popular Society lunch and outing each year.

Membership starts at £40. Find out more

YOUR VISIT

Festival Village

The heart of the festival is in the Festival Village on College Green. Relax and recharge with a cup of tea or a glass of wine between concerts, wander through our exhibitions and enjoy free, al fresco entertainment from a range of local groups on our community stage. The full programme will be available at 3choirs.org from early July.

Ticket Office, Shop and Information

Open daily from 10 am until the start of the evening concert

The information hub of the festival site, you’ll find the ticket office, information point and shop in Choir House, just on the edge of the Festival Village. Our friendly staff and volunteers are on hand to offer practical advice and local knowledge and can point you in the right direction. While you’re picking up your tickets, browse a range of books, CDs and other items to take home as a souvenir of the festival.

Exhibitions

Designer Crafts

Open daily 10 am – 7.45 pm

Members of the craft guilds of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire are exhibiting an enticing range of works on College Green, ideal to take home as gifts or keep as mementoes of the festival.

Visiting Artist

We are excited to welcome Emma Safe, this year’s Hogwood Fellow and Artistin-Residence with the Academy of Ancient Music as our visiting artist. Emma will be drawing with us in and around the festival, creating large-scale charcoal drawings which explore music as it is experienced live in particular settings. Full details of when and where to see Emma’s work will be available alongside the cathedral’s open rehearsal schedule in July. Discover Emma’s work at www.emmasafe.com

Herbert Howells

The Howells Society will exhibit interesting information about the composer’s life and work in the Quiet Room.

Organ Building

Open daily 10 am – 7.45 pm

Members of the Institute of British Organ Building (IBO) will exhibit some interesting examples of their work, including a French harmonium and a range of chamber organs.

Cathedral Rehearsals

Want to see what happens in the rehearsal process or just get more familiar with a piece you don’t know?

Dip into a cathedral rehearsal for free and get a flavour of life behind the scenes at the festival. Full details of times and restrictions will be online at 3choirs.org from the start of July.

Eating and Drinking

As well as a range of street food and a fullystocked festival bar with a fine selection of wine, cask ales and local ciders from the landlord of Worcester’s The Cardinal’s Hat, you can be sure of a warm welcome from the Worcester Friends of the Three Choirs Festival, who serve a range of light refreshments from 9 am until the start of the evening concert daily. You can also beat the queues by pre-ordering your interval drinks when placing your ticket order.

Bar 12 noon – midnight (11 pm on Monday 27 July)

Street Food from 12 noon daily

Pre-concert Dining

You can pre-book a two-course sit-down dinner, served in the King’s School dining hall, at 6 pm each evening of the festival. Priced at £25 per person, all menus include a dessert, glass of wine or soft drink, and tea or coffee. Please inform the ticket office of any special dietary requirements when booking.

Pre-concert Dinner Menu

Saturday 25 July

• Pork fillet on black pudding mash with sage and cider jus

• Wild mushroom risotto (v)

Sunday 26 July

• Chef’s carvery: beef and turkey with trimmings

• Lentil and mixed bean loaf (v)

Monday 27 July

• Sauté chicken asparagus and prosecco sauce

• Goats cheese, caramelised onion and vegetable tart (v)

Tuesday 28 July

• Lamb cutlets with champ potato cake

• Portobello stuffed mushroom (v)

Wednesday 29 July

• Pan seared chicken with white wine velouté

• Sweet potato, spinach and ricotta strudel (v)

Thursday 30 July

• Lamb rogan josh, chicken jalfrezi

• Aubergine and potato tandoor (v)

Friday 31 July

• Fresh battered cod or scampi

• Deep fried halloumi with lime dressing (v)

Saturday 1 August

• Fillet beef rossini with madeira sauce

• Mediterranean vegetable pithivier (v)

Worcester City

Full details of seating areas and venue accessibility can be found online at 3choirs.org/your-visit

Coaches to outlying venues will collect from and return to King Street.

Festival Village Coaches to outlying venues will collect from and return to King Street.

E2

E3

E1

BOOKING INFORMATION

How to book

Online: 3choirs.org

By Phone: 01452 768 928

Monday – Friday, 10 am – 4 pm (6, 15 and 22 April open 10 am – 6 pm)

Prefer to book in person?

Come down to our pop-up box office at the Royal Porcelain Works (Severn Street, W r 1 2nD) on 6, 15 and 22 April from 10am – 4pm.

Our on-site ticket office will open on Monday 20 July in Choir House, 4 College Green W r 1 2LL

Monday 20 – Thursday 23 July

10 am – 4 pm

Friday 24 July

10 am – 6 pm

Saturday 25 July – Saturday 1 August

10 am – start of the evening concert

Booking Opens

Gold and Life Members

10 am, Monday 6 April

Standard Members

10 am, Wednesday 15 April

General Booking

10 am, Wednesday 22 April

Festival Firsts

10 am, Monday 18 May

Concessions

A range of ticket concessions are available for companions of bookers who are registered disabled, first time attenders, families in receipt of universal credit (family programme) and those aged 8 – 25 (chamber music). Please visit the website or contact the ticket office for more information.

Booking Fees and Dispatch

A £2.50 booking fee applies to each order, plus 50p for postage (alternatively, you can collect your tickets at the festival or print them at home free of charge).

You should receive tickets sent by post within two weeks of placing your order.

Tickets that are held for collection for events in Worcester Cathedral will remain at the ticket office, while tickets for non-cathedral events will be available on the door of the venue half an hour before the event.

Book more and save!

If you book 10 or more events in the cathedral in one transaction, you’ll get a 10% discount.

Discount applies across all price bands, and free events do not count towards your total.

Accessibility

We welcome all visitors to the festival and we will be happy to help with access requirements wherever possible. A separate fact sheet is available, giving full details of access to all venues.

Please contact the ticket office if you have any access requirements and note that not all seats can be removed for wheelchairs. Once we have set up your access needs on our box office system, you will be able to book online. A very limited number of car parking spaces is available for drivers with a blue badge, which will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

For detailed information, please visit 3choirs.org/your-visit

Festival Firsts

We’d love you to help us share the Three Choirs Festival experience with new people. When you complete your booking, you’ll be invited to donate to our fund which gives local people the chance to attend the festival for the first time at no cost. We’d like to suggest the cost of a single seat, but you’re welcome to give whatever you can. Please consider sharing your love of the festival and help grow our audiences.

Souvenir Programme Book

This beautifully-produced publication contains full details of every concert programme alongside song texts, notes, articles and much more – a great memento of your visit. Don’t forget to pre-order your copy to secure a discounted rate of £15 (£17 throughout the festival) and you can opt to receive an electronic preview copy to browse before the festival. You can also pre-order day programmes at a price of £5 (£6 throughout the festival).

Seating Plans

You can view seating plans and select your own seat for all reserved venues by booking online. Please note that zone B seats are likely to have small areas of the stage obscured. Seats in zone C will have a restricted view of the stage. In the cathedral, zones D and E have no view of the stage, but a TV relay system is in place for those seated in zones C, D and E. No audio enhancement is in place in any part of the

cathedral. Please pay attention to the door indicated on your ticket as this will provide the easiest route to your seat.

All venues have step free access. Full details of venue accessibility can be found on our website or please ask our ticket office for more information.

Worcester Cathedral Key

Tewkesbury Abbey

Prior’s Door (Step free)

Door

Miserrimus Door

North Door (Step free)

All Saints’, Evesham

Pershore Abbey

St Martin’s London Road

King’s School Theatre

Worcester Baptist Church

Kidderminster Town Hall

Sponsors and Supporters

The Three Choirs Festival is grateful to the following organisations and individuals for their generous support:

Corporate and Public Bodies

In partnership

Friends Organisations

Trusts and Foundations

Individual Supporters

Wigornia Circle

Commissioning Circle

The C-T Trust ⋅ D G Albright Charitable Trust ⋅ The Elmley Foundation

The Hawthorne Charitable Trust ⋅ The Perry Family Charitable Trust

Richard Hall Charitable Trust ⋅ The Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust

Robert and Sherill Atkins ⋅ Mr and Mrs David Ball ⋅ Joanna Brickell

Michael Guittard and Harry Prince ⋅ Penny Moore ⋅ Katherine O’Carroll

Anja Potze ⋅ Fr Michael Thomas ⋅ Pamela White

Mr and Mrs David Ball ⋅ Miss Hilary Elgar ⋅ Lord and Lady Flight

Julia and Anthony Glossop ⋅ Graham and Sally Moore

Sir Michael and Lady Perry ⋅ Elaine Spalding ⋅ Anonymous Supporters

Enid Castle ⋅ Richard Hall ⋅ Barbara and Peter Hulac

The Revd Canon Ian Macrae Michael ⋅ Jeremy Wilding

There are a number of ways you can support the work of Three Choirs Festival. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Grace Green: grace.green@3choirs.org 01452 768 933

una fantasia

● Ludwig: Concerto quasi

● Fiddlers Three

● The Music Makers

● Worcester 1899: Enigma meets America

● Basin Street Brawlers

● Purcell’s King Arthur

● Lay Clerks in Concert

● The Becoming

● Fair Oriana: Silver Baroque

● Britten’s Saint Nicolas

● Armstrong Gibbs’ Choral Symphony

● Unfinished Orchestral Masterpieces

● Choral Evensong

● Storytelling with Gaspard the Fox

● Choral Evensong

● Beethoven Reflected

● The Three Deans’ Archery Contest

● Choral Evensong

● Fenella Humphreys: Caprices

● Premiere: The World Imagined

● Belshazzar’s Feast

● Shanna Hart Organ Recital

● Worcester Wags and Wagers

● Tea and Talk with David Briggs

● Elgar Chorale

● Gaspard’s Foxtrot (relaxed performance)

● Was Henry V a War Criminal?

● The Passion of Joan of Arc

● Bliss Clarinet Quintet

● Beethoven, Wordsworth and the French Revolution

● Mayflower on the Sea of Time

● Choral Evensong

● Setting Sail

● National Youth String Orchestra

● Camarilla Ensemble

● King Lear

● Gaspard’s Foxtrot

● Society Lunch

● David Briggs Organ Recital

● Life in Music and Pots

● Tiny Tunes

● Henry V

● Paul Greally Organ Recital

● Henry V

● Beethoven to Brown

● Philharmonia Young Artists Recital

● The Marian Consort

● Old Palace Garden Tour

● Daniel Mathieson Organ Recital

● In conversation with Gabriel Jackson

● Bach Magnificat

● Choral Evensong

● Singing the Lord’s song in a strange land

● Odyssey

● Three Stories About Flying

Collective

● James Mayhew’s Koshka’s Tales

● Joby Burgess Percussion

● Vierne, Verlaine and the fin de siècle

● Opening Service

● Festival Eucharist

● Elgar’s Footsteps

● The Sonic World of Louis Vierne

● The Great Journey

● Beet(Who)ven?

● Two by Two

● Nicholson & Co. Factory Visit

● Elgar Society Lunch

● Elgar’s Footsteps

● The Elgar-Atkins Partnership

● Matthew Schellhorn: Howells’ Piano Music

● Old Palace Garden Tour

● The Mayflower Story

● Society Outing

● James Gilchrist, Linarol Consort

● Hyungi Lee Recital

● NYCGB: People of the Land

● The English Choral Tradition in the USA

● Sir Ivor Atkins: Worcester and Beyond

● Elgar’s Footsteps

● Adventures in the Archives

● The Restoration of Manchester’s Cavaillé-Coll