Portsmouth Baroque Choir Spring Concert

Portsmouth Baroque Choir

Our programme for Eastertide begins with Emanuele d’Astorga’s ‘Stabat Mater’, hugely popular in the 19th century, almost unheard in the last. It may have been written during a brief visit to London ca. 1720, though there’s equally a case for Rome in 1707. He was godfather to Antonio Caldara’s daughter and the first half continues with Caldara’s ‘Miserere’ and ‘Crucifixus’, a 16-part masterpiece. Fauré’s ‘Cantique de Jean Racine’ begins the second half: it won first prize during his final year at the École de Niedermeyer, which was instrumental in reviving church music in France. We end with the ‘Requiem’ in a version close to Fauré’s original intentions, accompanied by string quartet, two horns and organ. Although not performed in the U.K. until 1936, it has deservedly become as popular in our time as the D’Astorga once was. In the centenary of Fauré’s death, it continues to shine a gentle light into the shadows framing our existence.