programme
Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) Lamentations of Jeremiah
Charles Stanford (1852-1924) Beati quorum via and Justorum animae from Three Motets, op. 38
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) Hymn to St. Caecilia, Sacred and Profane
William Knight (*1986) Walking with Thomas Hardy (world premiere)
performers
Cappella Amsterdam
Marcus Creed conductor
background
In this program, curated by conductor Marcus Creed (1951), British composers take center stage.
The sorrowful laments of Jeremiah about the destruction of the kingdom of Judah, the city of Jerusalem, and the heavy fate that befell the Jews inspired Thomas Tallis, resulting in a powerful, sober, and melancholic Lamentations of Jeremiah. Tallis is celebrated for his choral settings of these lamentations.
Among the many musicians who contributed to the English musical renaissance, Sir Charles Stanford was particularly influential. During his career, Stanford received numerous honors and was knighted in 1902. His Beati quorum via is rightly considered one of his most exquisite compositions. We will perform Justorum animae in Nijmegen and Groningen (subject to changes).
The harmonic refinement of Benjamin Britten’s late style requires a flawless sense of relative pitch. Sacred and Profane, with texts from medieval English poetry, raises the question of whether we should heed divine commandments or follow earthly callings. Cappella Amsterdam will also sing Britten’s ode to St. Cecilia. Not only is there a long tradition in England of writing odes and songs to Saint Cecilia, but Britten was also born on her name day.
Commissioned by Cappella Amsterdam, composer and tenor William Knight has written the work Walking with Thomas Hardy. This brand-new piece will have its world premiere in this series.
about
Born in England, Creed moved to Germany in the 1970s, where he made a name for himself as a conductor with the Berliner Staatskapelle and the Akademie für alte Musik Berlin. Several productions he conducted received awards. He is also a well-known figure in the Dutch music scene. In 2018, Creed conducted Haydn’s Die Jahreszeiten, performed by Cappella Amsterdam and the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century. He also worked with the Netherlands Bach Society and the Groot Omroepkoor.