Da Vinci Requiem : A Feast of British Music

Kingston Choral Society

On 18 November at All Saints Church, Kingston, Andrew Griffiths and Kingston Choral Society serve up a feast of superb British music. Following their performances of Sweet Thames Run Softly in 2016 and of Agincourt in 2022, KCS continues to explore and interpret the gorgeous works of George Dyson with Hierusalem.  Its gentle lyricism contrasts with the energy of Benjamin Britten’s early Te Deum and Grace William’s plangent Elegy for Strings. Cecilia McDowall’s wonderful Da Vinci Requiem provides the climax of the programme.  This richly atmospheric work has a local provenance - Wimbledon Choral Society commissioned McDowall to write it in 2019, to mark the quincentenary of the artist and polymath’s death. If you missed the original performance, or heard and loved it, here’s your opportunity to catch it again. As an extra treat, the choir is joined by two award-winning soloists, soprano Katherine Crompton, and baritone Gareth Brynmor John.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Sir George Dyson Trust.

Programme:

Britten: Te Deum in C

Grace Williams: Elegy for Strings

Dyson: Hierusalem

Cecilia McDowall: Da Vinci Requiem

Orchestra: Thames Sinfonia

Soloists: Katherine Crompton (soprano), Gareth Brynmor John (baritone).

Conductor: Andrew Griffiths