Worcester Festival Choral Society

Worcester Festival Choral Society (WFCS) is an independent, SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) choir of around 150 amateur singers that presents classical choral concerts at Worcester Cathedral, Worcester. The conductor is Samuel Hudson (Worcester Cathedral’s Director of Music)[1] and the accompanist is Nicholas Freestone (Worcester Cathedral’s Assistant Director of Music).[1] The Chairman is Ben Cooper. The President is The Lord Bishop of Worcester and Senior Vice President is The Dean of Worcester.[2]

Worcester Festival Choral Society
Choir
Worcester Festival Choral Society in the Messiah, December 2019
OriginWorcester, England
FoundedOctober 1861
ChoirmasterSamuel Hudson
OrganistNicholas Freestone
WebsiteWorcester Festival Choral Society web page

Choir

Worcester Festival Choral Society was founded in 1861 and has performed classical choral music in the City of Worcester ever since.[3] Initially staging its concerts in Worcester’s former Music Hall (later known as the Public Hall; now demolished), [3] most of the Society’s concerts since 1930 have taken place in Worcester Cathedral.[4][5][6] To date the Society performed more than 350 concerts. It has also staged several choral premieres, been recorded, performed in other UK cities and hosted conductors such as Sir Edward Elgar.[2]

The Society’s current concert orchestra is the Meridian Sinfonia, which has played at WFCS concerts since 2013. Each concert is also supported by professional soloists.[7]

Directors of Music
ConductorYears
William Done1861 - 1868 & 1888-1889[8][9] [10]
Hugh Blair1889 - 1897[11][12][13] [6][14]
Ivor Atkins1897 - 1950[15][16] [6] [17]
David Willcocks1950 - 1957[18]
Douglas Guest1957 - 1963[19]
Christopher Robinson1963 - 1974[20]
Donald Hunt1975 - 1997[21] [22]
Adrian Lucas1997 - 2012[23]
Peter Nardone2012 - 2018[24] [25]
Christopher Allsop2018 - 2019[26] [27]
Samuel Hudson2019 -[1] [28]

History

Worcester Festival Choral Society was first established in 1861. Its aims were to cultivate choral music, and to provide singers to the Three Choirs Festival Chorus. These aims are still part of its objectives today. [5]

The Society had close links with composer Sir Edward Elgar in the 1890s. At that time Elgar, who lived in Worcester, was a musician and not yet famous for composing music. Worcester Festival Choral Society had its own informal orchestral Band, and in the 1890s violinist Elgar became its leader. Several other musician members of his family also played in the WFCS Band. [5] [6]As Elgar’s reputation grew, WFCS performed several of his choral works at its concerts, conducted by the composer. Elgar also wrote two choral works that were given their world premiere by Worcester Festival Choral Society, which he also conducted: The Black Knight (1892)[29] and Scenes from the Bavarian Highlands (1895) [30] [3]. Two WFCS conductors of that era were also close friends of Edward Elgar, [31][8][32][33] and have music dedicated to them: his cantata The Black Knight was dedicated to Hugh Blair;[34] and the Third Pomp and Circumstance March (1904) was dedicated to Ivor Atkins. [4][5]. Other composers and conductors to have guest-conducted Worcester Festival Choral Society concerts over its history include Hubert Parry, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Walford Davies, Charles Villiers Stanford, Vernon Handley, Jonathan Willcocks and Sir Adrian Boult. [5]

Today, Worcester Festival Choral Society presents choral works written for SATB chorus, orchestra and soloists. Amongst the more traditional works performed are requiems, masses and oratorios by composers such as Mozart, Bach, Verdi, Haydn, Handel and Brahms. The choir also performs many late 19th/early 20th century choral pieces by composers such as Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Poulenc, Fauré and Britten; and later works by living composers including Lauridsen, Jonathan Willcocks and Jonathan Dove. [6]

In addition to its own concerts, Worcester Festival Choral Society’s appearances around the UK have included the King's Lynn festival[35] and two Elgar Festivals at the Royal Albert Hall in the 1970s; Elgar concerts at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall with the BBC Singers and Chorus in the early 1990s; and a performance of Britten's War Requiem at Symphony Hall with the CBSO and City of Birmingham Chorus in 2004. Many of its singers also took part in a Three Choirs Festival 300th anniversary performance that was given to The Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in 2015.[36] The following year, one of WFCS’s past Directors of Music, Sir David Willcocks, died. As a tribute, Worcester Festival Choral Society joined Worcester Cathedral Choir to create a music CD featuring many of the Christmas carol arrangements for which David Willcocks was famous, and it briefly entered the UK’s classical music charts. [37]

The Society has commissioned two pieces from its conductors: A Song of Celebration composed by Dr Donald Hunt in 1995 (marking English Music Year); and Creation Canticles, by Adrian Lucas, in 2004.

For its 150th season in 2011, the Worcester Festival Choral Society performed Belshazzar’s Feast by Walton held a black tie dinner in Worcester’s Guildhall, which the four living Directors of Music (Sir David Willcocks, Dr Christopher Robinson, Dr Donald Hunt and Adrian Lucas) attended. [6]

Performances

Premieres
DateComposerCompositionDetails
18th April 1893Edward ElgarThe Black KnightWorld Premiere conducted by the composer[38] [39]
21st April 1896Edward Elgar Scenes from the Bavarian HighlandsWorld Premiere conducted by the composer[40] [41]
22nd March 1980Edwin RoxburghThe RockWorld Premiere attended by the composer[42] [5]
14th Oct 1995Donald HuntA song of celebrationWorld Premiere conducted by the composer[43]
27th March 2004Adrian LucasCreation CanticlesWorld Premiere conducted by the composer[44]

Music conducted or attended by the composer

[2]

DateComposerCompositionDetails
14th April 1891Hubert ParryJudithConducted by the composer with Edward Elgar leading the orchestra[45]
4th May 1897Edward ElgarImperial March & Scenes from the Saga of King OlafConducted by the composer[46]
3rd May 1900Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Hiawatha's Wedding Feast & The death of MinnehahaConducted by the composer[47] [48]
14th Jan 1901Edward ElgarSerenade for StringsConducted by the composer
6th Feb 1902 Henry Walford DaviesThree Jovial HuntsmenConducted by the composer
24th Feb 1903Edward ElgarCoronation OdeConducted by the composer[49]
9th Nov 1904Edward ElgarCaractacusConducted by the composer
6th Dec 1905 Henry Walford Davies EverymanConducted by the composer
6th Dec 1905Hugh BlairTrafalgarConducted by the composer
28th Nov 1906Ivor AtkinsHymn of FaithConducted by the composer[50]
19th Feb 1908Charles Villiers StanfordSongs of the SeaConducted by the composer
1st Apr 1913Edward ElgarSerenade for StringsConducted by the composer
15th March 1917Edward ElgarFor the FallenHelping to lead the WW1 memorial service in Worcester Cathedral in aid of the Worcester Red Cross War Depot Fund. Conducted by the composer.[51][52]
13th March 1928Edward ElgarDream of GerontiusPerforming Elgar's great choral work for the first time. Attended by the composer[53]
25th July 1981David FanshaweAfrican_SanctusPerforming at the King's Lynn Arts Festival attended by the composer [35]
10th March 1993Jonathan WillcocksVoices of TimeConducted by the composer. Fauré Requiem was also conducted by Sir David Willcocks[54]
15th November 2014Jonathan DoveThere was a ChildAttended by the composer.
18th November 2017Jonathan DoveFor an Unknown SoldierAttended by the composer.

[2]

DateComposerCompositionDetails
26th March 1947Edward ElgarThe ApostlesCelebrating 50 years of Sir Ivor Atkins as Organist and Choirmaster
5th June 1953 George_Frideric_Handel'sCoronation AnthemTo honour the coronation of the Queen
14th March 1970Edward ElgarThe Music MakersThe 'So Called' Centenary concert conducted by Sir Adrian Boult[2]: 102 
5th May 1978Edward ElgarThe Music MakersParticipation in the Royal Albert Hall Concert with Sir Charles Groves, Yehudi Menuhin, Paul Tortelier and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra[55] [56][57]
16th June 1980Edward ElgarThe ApostlesElgar Foundation Concert at the Royal Albert Hall Concert[58]
2nd June 1981Edward ElgarThe Music MakersOn the unveiling of the Elgar Statue in Worcester with the CBSO [59] [60]
24th July 1981Edward ElgarDream of GerontiusPerforming at the King's Lynn festival conducted by Vernon Handley[35]
13th Nov 2004Benjamin BrittenWar RequiemSinging with the CBSO chorus and orchestra at Symphony Hall Birmingham. Conducted by Adrian Lucas[61]
2nd April 2011William WaltonBelshazzar’s Feast150th Anniversary celebration attended by 4 living conductors [6]
19th Nov 2011Edward ElgarThe Dream of Gerontius150th Anniversary of the Worcester Festival Choral Society[62]
24th Nov 2015George_Frideric_HandelZadok the PriestSelected members singing at Buckingham Palace with other members of the Three Choirs Festival Chorus, to celebrate the festival's tricentennial[36]

References
  1. "Worcestershire Organists' Association". Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  2. Whitefoot, Michelle (2020). A Choral Chronicle. Whitefoot PR Ltd. ISBN 978-1-5272-7786-1.
  3. Bird, Martin, Music in Worcester 1860-1890 (PDF), Elgar Society, retrieved 22 February 2022
  4. Smith, Richard. "The Elgar Society Journal" (PDF). The Elgar Society Journal. 18 (5): 7. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  5. Parsons, Mary (1996). A prevailing Passion. Osborne Heritage. ISBN 1-872962-95-5.
  6. Pryce, michael (2022-02-21). "160 Years of Passion from Choral Society". Worcester News.
  7. "WORCESTER FESTIVAL CHORAL SOCIETY ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS CONCERTS CONCERT ARCHIVE". United States Documents. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  8. Boden, Anthony; Hedley, Paul (2017-06-17). The Three Choirs Festival: A History. Boydell & Brewer. pp. 158–160. ISBN 978-1783272099.
  9. Morrison, David (19 August 2021). "William Done – a Victorian Cathedral Organist". Worcester Cathedral Library. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  10. "Obituary: William Done". The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular. 36 (631): 620. 1895. JSTOR 3361330. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  11. Allen, Kevin (2019). Worcester's Forgotten Organist. Kevin Allen, Hampshire. ISBN 978-0-9531227-7-6.
  12. "Worcester News". 2021-11-27. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  13. Quinn, John. "review of Hugh Blair: Worcester's Forgotten Organist". Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  14. "Obituary: Hugh Blair". The Musical Times Musical Times Publications Ltd. 73 number 1075 (1075): 848. 1932. JSTOR 919838. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  15. Atkins, E. Wulstan (1984). The Elgar-Atkins Friendship. David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-8583-6.
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  19. Memorial (1997-02-11). "The Times". No. 65810.
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  24. "Classical events". Retrieved 8 February 2022.
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  50. Crochet, Dotted (1905-11-01). "Worcester Cathedral". No. Vol 46 Iss 753. The Musical Times. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  51. Kennedy, Michael (18 March 2004). The life of Elgar. Cambridge University Press. p. 148. ISBN 0-521-00907-3.
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  53. Day, Edgar (1969). "Interpreting 'Gerontius': Personal Memories of Elgar in Rehearsal". The Musical Times. Musical Times Publications LTD. 110 number 1516 (1516): 607–608. doi:10.2307/951754. JSTOR 951754. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  54. "Worcester Festival Choral Society Archive of Previous Concerts" (PDF). Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  55. "The Elgar Society Newsletter" (PDF). The Elgar Society: 12. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  56. "Worcester News". 2003-04-04. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  57. "Music in Worcester". The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular. Musical Times Publications LTD. 41 (688): 408–409. 1900. JSTOR 3365606. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  58. Listings (1980-06-16). "The Times". No. 60627.
  59. Loveland, Kenneth (1981-06-04). "The Times". No. 60945.
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  61. "City of Birmingham Choir concerts from 2002" (PDF). Retrieved 7 February 2022.
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Further reading
  • Allen, Kevin. Hugh Blair: Worcester’s Forgotten Organist, (2019, self-published). ISBN 978-0-9531227-7-6
  • Boden, Anthony; Hedley, Paul (2017). The Three Choirs Festival: A History. Boydell & Brewer. ISBN 978-1783272099
  • Parsons, Mary. A Prevailing Passion, Osborne Books Ltd ISBN 9781872962955. 1996
  • Whitefoot, Michelle. A Choral Chronicle - The History of the Worcester Festival Choral Society, (2020, self-published). ISBN 978-1-5272-7786-1
  • Wulstan Atkins; Edward Elgar; Sir Ivor Atkins (26 April 1984). The Elgar-Atkins friendship. David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-8583-8
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