French Romantics | City of Birmingham Choir

The City of Birmingham Choir makes a welcome return to Tewkesbury Abbey under the baton of its accomplished music director Adrian Lucas, for a programme of French music. The Choir has teamed up with Midlands born, world renowned organist superstar, David Briggs, currently artist in residence at the cathedral of St John the Divine in New York City, to bring this wonderful selection of French twentieth century choral and organ music to the much loved Abbey. David will accompany the choral pieces and play two contrasting solos on the Abbey’s fine, historic Milton Organ.

The music of these four composers will offer a listening experience perfectly aligned with the majesty and acoustic of Tewkesbury Abbey. The energetic playing of David Briggs at the console of a world class organ will thrill as will the contrasting pieces for the choir: Vierne’s short solemn mass, Villette’s sometimes electrifying Tu es Petrus (using the text “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church”) and the moving De profundis of Dupré (a setting of Psalm 130, commemorating the French soldiers who died in World War One).