The glories of the German, English and French Baroque period - Hastings concert

By Phil Hewitt
Published 2nd Nov 2022, 07:05 BST
Marcio da SilvaMarcio da Silva
Marcio da Silva
The Hastings Philharmonic Choir will perform three different pieces, bringing together the glories of the German, English and French Baroque period – Bach's Magnificat in D, My Heart is Inditing by Purcell and Te Deum by Charpentier.

The concert takes place at Christ Church, Silchester Road, St Leonards on Saturday, November 5, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale via the choir’s website (www.hastingsphilchoir.org.uk) or on the door. John Rycroft, the choir's chairman, said: “The concert will be conducted by the highly-respected HPC musical director Marcio da Silva accompanied by the baroque Ensemble OrQuesta. The soloists are all leading UK singers: Poppy Shotts and Rachel Allen (soprano), Helen May (mezzo–soprano), John Twitchen (tenor) and Jack Lawrence-Jones (baritone).

"Bach composed more than one version of the Magnificat, but this version, first performed in 1733, has become one of his most popular vocal pieces. Purcell's composition, My Heart is Inditing was written for the coronation of King James II in 1685. Charpentier composed six settings for the Te Deum but this version has become the most popular perhaps because of the Prelude which has become the anthem for the Eurovision Song contest!”

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John added: “It is so wonderful to be back to near full strength and to see and hear how much the members of the choir are enjoying rehearsing for this wonderful programme of Baroque music, with a number performing with the choir for the first time.”

Hastings Philharmonic Choir can trace its beginnings back to 1928 when the organist at the Wellington Square Baptist Church merged his choir, the Wellington Square Choral Society, with the St Mary in the Castle Centenary church to celebrate the centenary of St Mary in the Castle with a performance of the Messiah.

The concert was so successful that it was repeated the following year and there began a highly successful town choir that Hastings Borough Council was pleased to promote, alongside the prestigious Hastings Municipal Orchestra for the traditional Good Friday performances of the Messiah. Nearly 100 years later, under Marcio da Silva, the Hastings Philharmonic Choir has established itself as one of the foremost choirs in the area.”

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