Spring Concert 2020

Stabat Mater - Antonín Dvořák

O Radiant Dawn - James MacMillan

Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten - Arvo Pärt

Jennifer Thomas (soprano)

Stephanie Franklin (mezzo-soprano)

Edward Rimmer (tenor)

Samuel Lom (bass)

St Mary's Church, Dorchester 7.30pm Saturday 21st March 2020

Director of Music: Colin Howard

Sung by Dorchester Choral Society,

Ticket booking available from February.

Our spring concert, with full orchestra, features O Radiant Dawn by James MacMillan, Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten by Arvo Pärt, with the main work being Stabat Mater, by Antonín Dvořák.   Soloists in Stabat Mater are Jennifer Thomas (soprano), Stephanie Franklin (alto), Edward Rimmer (tenor) and Samuel Lom (bass).

Dvořák started the composition of Stabat Mater in 1875, six months after the death of his new-born baby, Josefa. The score was completed in November, 1877, by which time his other two children had also died. The first performance took place in Prague in December, 1880 and was followed by concerts in Budapest and London's Royal Albert Hall. That performance is regarded as establishing the composer's international breakthrough, which was then enhanced through his ninth symphony (New World Symphony) and Slavonic Dances.
In the period leading up to Easter 2000, performances of Stabat Mater can be seen and heard in Berlin, Prague and ...... Dorchester.
Anyone wishing to familiarise themselves with this work may wish to buy or download one of the many excellent recordings that are available.  Alternatively, by visiting youtube.com you can view and listen to recordings by Mariss Jansons (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra) or Jakub Hrůa (Czech Philharmonic).