Norwich Music Group at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On the evening of Saturday 23rd February 2013 I attended the Norwich Music Group concert at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich in support of The Lymphoma Association. The Norwich Music Group is the brainchild of Julian Musgrave, Philip Aldred and Frances Banham and was formed with the express purpose of performing the great choral works in Norwich's fine Churches using the best Singers and Instrumentalists.

Philip Aldred conduced the Norwich Music Group with a programme that consisted of Messa Di Gloria - Puccini, Gaelic Blessing - Rutter, The Lord Bless You And Keep You - Rutter, Cantique de Jean Racine - Faure and Requiem - Faure. This was a wonderful selection of music to fill St. Peter Mancroft Church and make this a night to remember.

Daniel Bartlette - Tenor and Fearghus Cooper - Bass featured on Puccini's Messa Di Gloria while June Harrison - Soprano and Fearghus Cooper performed Faure's Requiem. This was a concert of wonderful choral music composed by Giacomo Puccini, John Rutter and Gabriel Faure.  Puccini's Messa Di Gloria composed in 1880 which is distinguished by the beauty of its vocal writing and by a heart warming lyricism underscored by extremely inventive instrumentation opened the evening's music.

Gabriel Fauré composed his Requiem in D minor, Op. 48, between 1887 and 1890. The choral-orchestral setting of the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead is the best known of his large works. This was a splendid piece of music to finish the evening. The concert was a great success with brilliant performances from the Orchestra and the Choir while at the same time supporting the Lymphoma Association.

I Was Glad to be at St. Peter Mancroft Church

An Evening of English Song awaited us on the evening of Saturday 11th February 2012 at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich from the Norwich Music Group with conductor Philip Aldred and leader Frances Banham. This concert was in support of Central Norfolk Stroke Services at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

The programme consisted of The Clock Symphony - Haydn, Aria - Handel, Dear Lord and Father - Parry, Lux Aeterna - Elgar, Jerusalem - Parry, Faint with Love - Hawes, Love's Echo - Hawes, The Seals Lullaby - Whitacre, The Bluebird - Stanford, Quanta Qualia - Hawes, Blessed Pair of Sirens - Parry and I Was Glad - Parry.

One of the country's most popular and inspirational composers Patrick Hawes was in attended on the evening to make this a truly special night. Haydn's Clock Symphony is called this because of the ticking rhythm throughout the second movement and was a wonderful way to commence the concert. Veronica Grint gave a splendid performance of Handel before a trio of songs took us to the interval included a rousing version of Jerusalem which had the audience on their feet.

After the interval Patrick Hawes witnessed three of his own compositions which were performed to the highest standard by the Norwich Music Group and Sonia Waters. Faint with Love, Love's Echo and Quanta Qualia are all wonderful pieces that delighted us all at St. Peter Mancroft Church. The evening came to an end with two classic compositions from Parry. Blessed Pair of Sirens and I Was Glad which are always a delight to listen too and especially on an evening like this.