Prestbury Choral Society Autumn Concert

Prestbury Choral Society

Jolly, magnificent, bonkers! These words sum up our choice of music for our forthcoming concert. Occurring close to St. Cecilia’s Day, the concert features Haydn’s St. Cecilia Mass, an early work (1766), full of jolly melodies for choir and soloists, and an excellent preparation for our Singing Day when we will work on his masterful Nelson Mass. Also featured are Parry’s magnificent Blest Pair of Sirens, the much loved setting of Milton’s Ode ‘At a Solemn Musick’, and Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, a work of great sensitivity and ingenuity, setting a poignant and idiosyncratic poem by the ‘mad’ Christopher Smart (1722-1771). Written while Smart was in an asylum, it is chaotic in form but contains many flashes of genius, so that it is totally captivating and ultimately very moving – it is both ‘bonkers' and wonderful!