Rutter's Requiem and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms | Nonsuch Singers

The main work in our first concert of the New Year will be John Rutter's beautiful Requiem, composed in 1985 and given its first complete performance at the Lovers' Lane United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas, in October of the same year. It is a work that shows Rutter at his best with a setting of extracts from the Latin Requiem Mass contrasted with well-chosen English psalm texts taken from the Book of Common Prayer. His setting of Psalm 23, 'The Lord is my shepherd' with its ravishing oboe solo is a highlight of the work, alongside the truly anguished treatment of Psalm 130, 'Out of the depths'.

Commissioned for the Chichester Festival of 1965, Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms is a three-movement work setting selected Hebrew texts from the Book of Psalms. Bernstein made the selections himself, and his humanity shines out throughout.

We are again delighted to be performing with Eltham College Boys Choir who last sang with us in Southwark Cathedral in 2017 for our 40th anniversary gala concert. We will also be joined by our regular organist Richard Pearce, harpist Jean Kelly and percussionist Chris Nall.

We look forward to welcoming you to the candlelit splendour of this beautiful church for an evening of inspiring music.