Hail and Farewell - Borough Chamber Choir

As we near the end of the year of the 450th anniversary of his birth, tonight’s programme once again hails the wonderful music of Monteverdi. It is unlikely, though, that this is ‘farewell’ to Monteverdi, despite the end of his anniversary celebrations. However, it is ‘farewell’ in another sense, as this will be the last regular concert conducted by our founder and musical director Bob Hanson.“If this programme has a theme, it is as much as anything a collection of my favourite composers, – along with a healthy seasoning of pragmatism”, Bob explains. “Having said that, there has been so much wonderful repertoire which Borough Chamber Choir has performed under my direction that tonight’s programme is very far from being a complete list of favourites – no Tallis, Byrd, Josquin or Weelkes, for example. But I have allowed myself the indulgence of including one short, original piece of my own which seemed an appropriate counterblast to the Autumnal air of other parts of the programme.” Now the Lusty Spring is the earliest piece which Bob still cares to acknowledge, having been written at the tender age of 18. Does this count as a ‘favourite’? Well, as Bob himself says, “If a composer doesn’t love his own music, there’s not much chance that anyone else will!”