What's On

Song in the City is an inventive series of concerts that brings talented young singers and pianists to the heart of the Square Mile. Our concerts profile both well-known and lesser-performed repertoire in the inspiring surroundings of the Hall at St Botolph without Bishopsgate.

In 1903, Vaughan Williams set six sonnets from Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s collection of 101 sonnets, The House of Life. One hundred and ten years later, Robert Hutchinson has written a new song cycle on sonnets from The House of Life to be premiered at this Song in the City concert by his significant other, Dawn Padula. Also on the programme is Libby Larsen’s Love After 1950, written in 2000, which features voraciously contemporary poetry full of pathos and humor by notable women poets.

Composition Not Known

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Composition Not Known

Robert Hutchinson (1970-)

Composition Not Known

Libby Larsen (1950-)

This concert marks the centenary of the birth of Benjamin Britten with performances of his spritely Te Deum and Jubilate before our attention turns to Johannes Brahms' finest choral work. Just 33 years old when he completed most of Ein deutsches Requiem, Brahms already had a very personal perspective on mourning, inspired as it was by the deaths of both his mother and his mentor Robert Schumann. Brahms’ text, which he compiled from Luther’s German translation of the Bible, seeks to create a tapestry of solace to comfort the living who must deal with and accept death - none of the fireworks or drama of Mozart or Verdi are to be found here. Brahms later wrote: “As for the title, I must admit I should like to leave out the word ‘German’ and refer instead to ‘Humanity’.”

The Edinburgh Royal Choral Union collaborates for the first time with the Tallaght Choral Society, one of Ireland’s most highly regarded choirs, for this performance of Britten and Brahms. The massed chorus is joined by the Edinburgh Pro Musica Orchestra, soloists Emily Mitchell and Trevor Bowes, all under conductor Michael Bawtree.

Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem)

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Te Deum in C

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Jubilate in C

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Join Glasgow Chamber Orchestra, mezzo-soprano Jemma Brown and conductor Gordon Bragg in the stunning surroundings of the University of Glasgow’s Bute Hall for a musical celebration of 'Summer Nights'.

Siegfried Idyll

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Les Nuits d'été

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)

Overture from Le Nozze di Figaro, 'The Marriage of Figaro'

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Symphony No 4 in A, 'Italian'

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Join the Waldegrave Ensemble this May as their string quartet, along with bassoonist Emily Blake, celebrate Benjamin Britten’s centenary with performances of his powerful and emotional second string quartet accompanied by works by fellow English composers Frank Bridge and Ralph Vaughan-Williams.

Britten's String Quartet No 2 was premiered at the Wigmore Hall for the 250th anniversary concert of the death of Henry Purcell. Unlike 'Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' Britten did not use any of Purcell's music for this work. Instead he made use of a technique that Britten associated with Purcell, the Chaconne. He very much admired Purcell's Chaconne in G minor and in tribute he wrote a chaconne as his finale. The Quartet represents the essence of Britten's musical achievement over a creative span of fifty years.

About the ensemble:

This year the Waldegrave ensemble are excited to announce the launch of their second recital series following their success in 2012 with quarterly programmes at venues across London and Surrey.

Since forming in 2009, the Waldegrave Ensemble's players have set out to share their passion for chamber music and to bring a wide variety of works to audiences in greater London and the South-East.

The Waldegrave Ensemble comprises a handful of Britain's top young chamber musicians; as individuals, the players regularly perform with other ensembles including Philharmonia Orchestra, Orpheus Sinfonia, London Musical Arts Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of India and Southbank Sinfonia.

"Their ability to listen to each other as true chamber musicians suggests a group that are committed to their genre, but saying that does not adequately convey the honest vibrancy of their performances" Richard Cartmale - conductor, composer

String Quartet No 2 in C

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

6 Studies in English Folk Song

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Phantasie Quartet in F sharp minor

Frank Bridge (1879-1941)