Dona Nobis Pacem

Winchester Philharmonic Choir

Parry: Blest Pair of Sirens
Holst: Hymns from the Rig Veda III (sung by the Quiristers and conducted by Malcolm Archer)
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (by orchestra only)
Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem

Winchester Music Club Choir, Winchester College Glee Club and Quiristers, and Winchester Music Club Orchestra

David Thomas - Conductor
Lucy Crowe - Soprano
Neal Davies - Baritone
Jamal Sutton - Organist

Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem is one of his finest choral works. Composed in 1936 and employing mainly the poetry of Walt Whitman as its text, it is a passionate and deeply-felt plea by the composer against war, at a time when a second global conflict seemed imminent. Vaughan Williams had served in the Great War as a stretcher-bearer, and had therefore seen the horror of the trenches at first hand; he had also lost many friends during the course of the war. The texts represent those horrors but also the belief that eventually man will see the error of his ways, and live in peace. The resultant work is both moving and rousing, passionate and powerful, contrasting beauty with terror, and the sounds of battle with the calm of peace.
The first half of the concert will include the same composer’s Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis with its lush writing for double string orchestra; Vaughan Williams’ teacher, Hubert Parry, is represented by his ode to music Blest pair of sirens, a setting of words by John Milton, while the Hymns from the Rig Veda by Vaughan Williams’ contemporary and friend Gustav Holst will be performed by the Winchester College Quiristers, conducted by Malcolm Archer.
We are fortunate to be joined for the concert by two internationally renowned soloists, soprano Lucy Crowe and baritone Neal Davies. The combined forces of the Winchester Music Club and Winchester College Glee Club will be conducted by David Thomas.