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MUSICAL DIRECTOR: AIDAN OLIVER Registered Charity No. 264764

Britten and Holst:

A Celebration

. Saturday 21 November 2009, 7.30pmAll Saints Church, Rosendale Road, West Dulwich, SE218JY

The Dulwich Choral Society was founded in 1944. Today it is a thriving, friendly choir thatperforms at least three concerts a year, including two with professional orchestras and top-class soloists. Since 2006 the choir has been directed by Aidan Oliver, one of the UK'sleading choral conductors.

As well as giving concerts in the Dulwich area, the choir has performed more widelyin both central London and abroad. Since our first overseas concert tour in 1998, we havevisited Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Germany and Estonia, performing in anumber ofprestigious venues. A tour to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2004 included concertsin Sarajevo and Mostar. Closer to home the choir performs in several of the beautifulchurches in and around Dulwich, and enjoys a strong local following.

If you would like to support the choir, you can find details of our Friends and Patronsscheme towards the end of this programme.

Holst Chamber Choir

Natalie PickenRosemary WareElizabeth HyamsCatherine LoboAmelia Tudor BeamishGemma WellsNaaAcquahClare Woodall

Victoria YeeRosalind KeatesHayley FloodGeorgina GibsonTheodora OkochaJenny auBeatrice GrahamEmma Simmonds

Sophia LambtonMaria YoungHelina BerhaneSophie MaherRachel SmythMolly DowFlora LoughridgeRathujah Rasanayagam

The Holst Chamber Choir was formed at JAGS in 1994. It has been a prizewinner in localmusic festivals and has taken part in national events, including performances at the SouthBank and Royal Albert Hall. The choir gave the first performance of Stanley Glasser's FiveZulu Proverbs at St John's, Smith Square. Future plans include Rutter's Mass oftheChildren with Beckenham Chorale.

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Please check that your mobile phone is switched off, and kindlydo not take photographs during the performance. Thank you.

Britten and Holst: A Celebration

Benjamin Britten

Gustav Holst

Jubilate DeoDulwich Choral Society, Conductor: Aidan Oliver

Turn Back, 0 ManDulwich Choral Society

Two Eastern PicturesI Spring

II SummerHolst Chamber Choir (JAGS), Conductor: Patricia Williams

St Paul's SuiteI Gigue

II OstinatoIII Intermezzo

IV Finale

Andrew Staples TenorGeorgina Gibson, Beatrice Graham, Gemma Wells (JAGS) 'Three Pickled Boys'

Benjamin Britten

Benjamin Britten

TeDeum in CDulwich Choral Society

Suzanne Wilson soprano soloist

INTERVAL

Saint NicolasDulwich Choral Society

Holst Chamber ChoirDulwich Festival Orchestra

Richard Pearce OrganDavid Elwin, Benjamin Frost Piano

Conductor: Aidan Oliver

Benjamin Britten, 1960sThe portrait shows the composer working atthe piano in his home at Aldeburgh. It wastaken at about the time that he wrote theJubilate and the War Requiem.

Copyright photograph by Clive StruttRoyal Academy of Music, London

BENJAMIN BRITTEN 1913-1976The Jubilate and Te Deum in C were written twenty-five years apart. While studying atthe Royal College of Music, Britten admired Frank Bridge who directed him towardsmodem continental composers such as Mahler, Berg and Stravinsky; he howeveracknowledged '[John] Ireland nursed me very gently through a very, very difficultmusical adolescence.' Unusually for an English composer, Britten had never sung as achorister or worked as an organist in a church; he encountered the boys of the choir ofSt Mark's, North Audley Street during the first performance ofhis cantata A Boy wasBorn, and the Te Deum was written in 1934 as a result of that experience. The mood ofthe piece is awestruck and reverential- Constant Lambert unkindly described it as 'draband penitential'. At the time Britten was still finding his musical personality and hopedto use a travel scholarship to study with Berg in Vienna; these plans came to nothingwhen Berg died in 1935.

The Jubilate was written for the choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor in 1961 when thecomposer was established as one of the outstanding figures in English music. It wascomposed at the same time as the War Requiem. The mature Britten confidently usesinsistently repeated motifs to evoke the ringing of church bells.

The cantata Saint Nicolas was written in 1948 to celebrate the centenary of LancingCollege and was premiered at the first Aldeburgh Festival. It was conceived as what wewould now call 'community music', although it was only the strength of Britten'sreputation that saved it from being condemned as 'naive' by contemporary hearers. Thework tells the story of Saint Nicolas, patron of children and seafarers and familiar to allas 'Santa Claus'. The historic man was Bishop ofMyra, in;what is now Turkey, duringthe 4th century. He was clearly concerned with the physical welfare of his flock as wellas theology, and folk stories rapidly built up around his exploits.

The work is careful to distinguish between history and legend. The part of SaintNicolas was written for Peter Pears, Britten's partner and muse for many years andan old boy of Lancing College. The text for this role has echoes of Englishmetaphysical poetry while the music is clearly intended for a professional singer. The

, folk tales are written in ballad metre and set to jaunty marches and lilting dance tunes;'tthere are congregational hymns for everyone to sing and references to the Englishvernacular tradition of West-end gallery music with its 'fuguing tunes'. The composer'sown preface indicates that, provided there is a professional tenor and string quartet

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and a core of experienced singers, there are opportunities for amateurs of all abilitiesto take part in the performance.

The cantata was one of the first products of a long-lasting collaboration between Brittenand Eric Crozier. Crozier had directed the first production ofPeter Grimes at Sadler'sWells in 1945; he and Britten co-founded the Aldeburgh Festival and, together with thedesigner John Piper, they founded the English Opera Company. Crozier was thelibrettist for a number ofBritten's operas including Albert Herring and Billy Budd.

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Holst was a friend and admirer ofWilliam Morris. Throughout his life he was inspiredby Morris's insistence on beauty in every detail ofhuman life and work, histhoroughness and his belief in the necessity of 'comradeship' . Holst's interest in Hinduphilosophy led him to take classes in Sanskrit at University College London, and he sethis own translations of Sanskrit poetry: we will hear his Two Eastern Pictures (1911) illthis evening's programme. His major musical influences were a lifelong friendship withRalph Vaughan Williams and his involvement in the first modem performance ofPurcell's Dido andAeneas while he was a student.

Holst became the singing master at James Allen's Girls' School in 1903 on therecommendation of Vaughan Williams. He was appointed Head of Music at the recentlyfounded St Paul's Girls' School in 1905, and Director ofMusic at Morley College in1907. Writing in 1920, Vaughan Williams described his friend's teaching style: 'he issympathetic to ignorance, over-exuberance or even stupidity - but half-heartedness,insincerity or laziness have no chance with him.' His pupils may have teased him for hiseccentricities but he was an inspiring teacher. St Paul's Suite (1912-13) was written forthe school orchestra.

Royal Academy ofMusic, London, McCann Collection

Gustav Holst, 1928This postcard was issued to celebrate the 50th

anniversary of the People's Concert Society, anorganisation dedicated to subsidising high-qualityconcerts for the benefit of working Londoners. Thequotation is the main theme from 'Jupiter' in Holst'ssuite The Planets.

GUSTAV HOLST 1874-1934Holst was awarded a scholarship at the Royal College ofMusic where he studied composition under Stanford andParry, arguably the most distinguished British teachersof their generation. After graduating he earned his livingas a freelance trombonist in groups at all levels of

ability: he played under Richard Strauss in the Queen's Hall Orchestra, in the Carl RosaOpera Company and (in gypsy costume) under Stanislas Wurm in the White VienneseBand - an activity that he referred to as 'worming'. He was able to give up worming in1903 as he became more established as a composer and turned to teaching, from bothconviction and a need for a steady income.

In his Recollections ofGustav Holst written in 1939 Clifford Bax, who wrote the text ofTurn Back, 0 Man (1916), described their collaboration: 'being without musicalknowledge, I had always to prevail upon a long-suffering friend to play the music to meuntil I had it by heart, and my method, approved and even comically abetted by Gustav,was to scribble down nonsense-words which had the essential merit of exactly fittingthe musical phrases. By this device we could make sure, for instance, of not placing ashort or a thin vowel upon a high note [....] Our greatest success, I gather, was the hymn'Turn Back, 0 Man' -which according to Gustav, Vaughan Williams said should besung at the beginning of every marriage service [....] The original words were Latin, and[...] Latin vowels can be sustained by a singer for an almost indefinite time. There arefew 'open' vowels in English; and, while trying to write sense, I had to construct apoem from the longest monosyllables which I. could assemble.' It is significant, andentirely typical ofHolst, that this call for healing and reconciliation was written at thetime of the Battle of the Somme when several ofhis friends, including the composerButterworth, were killed.

Dr Frances PalmerCurator, Royal Academy of Music

RICHARD PEARCE Organ

Richard Pearce was organ scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge, where as conductorand organist he toured and recorded extensively with the chapel choir. After graduatingwith first class honours in music, he studied piano accompaniment for two years at theGuildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Working with chamber choirs and choruses has become a speciality for Richard. Herecords and broadcasts regularly with the BBC Singers on both piano and organ, mostrecently in recordings ofKenneth Leighton and a CD of Elizabeth Maconchy's choralworks. He has long-standing associations with the Royal Choral Society, as well astwice-yearly trips to Sweden to work with groups in the Stockholm and Malmo areas.He conducts the Waverley Singers, a choral society based in Farnham, Surrey.

As organ soloist and piano accompanist, Richard has given recitals in WestminsterAbbey, the Louvre Museum, Paris and in Tokyo, as well as a series of recitals over thelast year at London's Banqueting House and broadcasts for BBC television and radio,S4C and Classic FM. Recent projects included trips to Switzerland, Ja~an, Italy, Franceand Sweden and recordings of songs by Respighi, Martucci and Pizzetti for WarnerClassics with tenor Jose Maria Guerrero. He also enjoys working in the field ofcontemporary music, performing regularly with contemporary chamber ensembleKokuro. He has performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra and BBC SymphonyOrchestra in Promenade concerts and tours to Italy and Luxembourg.

. Richard is a vocal coach and staff accompanist at the Guildhall School of Music and;tDrama. When not busy in music and with his three children he is increasingly indemand designing websites for his own internet business.

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DAVID ELWIN PianoDavid Elwin is a diploma graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, where he studiedwith Jean Harvey, Max Pirani, Rex Stephens and Wilfrid Parry. On leaving theAcademy he took up music staffpositions with first the Royal Ballet and later theEnglish National Ballet companies. He now pursues a varied freelance career combiningactivities as an accompanist and soloist, duo partner, piano teacher and singer's coach.For eight years he was repetiteur for the distinguished husband and wife voice trainersAudrey Langford and Andrew Field, working with singers such as Joan Rogers, MartynHill and Stephen Varcoe. In 2001 David was official accompanist for the first LondonLieder Group Prize for Lieder Performance. He is pianist for concerts and examinationsat the Kent Music Academy. David has extensive experience as a choral accompanist:he has worked with the London Philharmonic Chorus, Goldsmith's Choral Union andthe Vasari Singers; he has been the regular accompanist to the Dulwich Choral Societysince 2000 under Susan Farrow and Aidan Oliver, and assists Jeremy Jackman at OSJVoices.

BENJAMIN FROST PianoBen studied music at Exeter University, graduating with Distinction in performance,was Organ Scholar at Exeter Cathedral and became an associate of the Royal College ofOrganists. After university he studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Dramawhere his tutors included Gordon Back and Graham Johnson, and trained as a repetiteurat the National Opera Studio. He has worked with the BBC, Lesley Garrett, NellyMiricioiu, Marianne Cornetti, Sally Matthews, English National Opera and The OperaGroup on several productions including Die Fledermaus, Carmen, Madama Butterfly,Cosifan Tutte, The Magic Flute, La Boheme, La Cenerentola and Eugene Onegin.

Ben's experience as an accompanist and chorus master ranges from silent films at theQueen Elizabeth Hall, to The Boy Friend, Cabaret, Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti andseveral rarely performed operas with Chelsea Opera Group. He has also accompaniedthe London Symphony Chorus, the London Philharmonic Chorus and the BBC Singers.

Ben is currently working as a freelance repetiteur and is Assistant Director of Music atSt Luke's, Chelsea. He has appeared on In Tune for Radio 3 and Operatunity forChannel 4. He has given many organ recitals, including at Exeter and Bristol Cathedralsand Westminster Abbey. His conducting experience includes Mozart's CoronationMass with Stanley Hall Opera, and The Barber ofSeville and Don Pasquale with OperaA La Carte. He is currently working on Duke Bluebeard's Castle and The Rite ofSpringat ENO and will be conducting Tosca for Opera A La Carte in 2010.

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ANDREW STAPLES TenorAndrew Staples was a member of the Benjamin BrittenInternational Opera School at the Royal College of Musicwhere his performances included Male Chorus in The Rape ofLucretia and Ferrando in Cosifan Tutte. In concert he hasappeared with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and AndrewManze, the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra with John EliotGardiner, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the SwedishRadio and Daniel Harding, the Orchestra of the Age of

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Enlightenment and Sir Simon Rattle, the London Symphony Orchestra and DanielHarding, the Gavle Symphony and Robin Ticciati, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonieand Trevor Pinnock and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle.

He made his Royal Opera House debut as Jacquino (Fidelia), returning for First ArmedMan (Die Zauberjlote) and sang Belfiore (La Finta Giardiniera) for the NationalTheatre, Prague. He returns to the Royal Opera for both Artabenes (Arne's Artaxerxes)and Narraboth (Salome). In concert he appears with the Staatskapelle Dresden, MahlerChamber Orchestra and Swedish Radio Orchestra all with Daniel Harding and both theBavarian Radio Symphony and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras and Sir Simon Rattle.

AIDAN OLIVER ConductorAidan Oliver is one of the most sought-after choral directorsin the UK. He is Director of Music at St Margaret'sWestminster, the Parliamentary Church, and the foundingchorus master of Philharmonia Voices, the professionalchorus that performs regularly with the PhilharmoniaOrchestra. Founded at the invitation of the Philharmonia in2004, this is now one of the country's leading choirs.

Working predominantly in the fields of opera and choralmusic, Aidan assists regularly on the music staff at the Royal Opera House, CoventGarden and, as a chorus master, works regularly with all London's major chorusesincluding the BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Chorus, Philharmonia Chorus, NewLondon Chamber Choir, London Symphony Chorus and The Bach Choir.

Working particularly closely with Esa-Pekka Salonen, Aidan has also assisted KentNagano, Osmo Vanska, Martyn Brabbins, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Charles Dutoit,Thomas Ades, and Andras Schiff. Recent major projects with the Philharmonia haveincluded Vaughan Williams's Pilgrim's Progress, Schoenberg's epic Gurrelieder, andStravinsky's Oedipus Rex, a Sunday Times review ofwhich described the choir as'spectacularly good', while last month the Voices attracted great acclaim for theirvirtuosic realisation of Magnus Lindberg's first major choral work Graffiti in itsbroadcast UK premiere.

In December Aidan will be conducting the City of London Sinfonia in a specialperformance ofBritten's Saint Nicolas in St Margaret's. Aidan Oliver is the associateconductor of the St Endellion Summer Festival, and last week conducted the Festival'sGolden Jubilee concert in Cadogan Hall with soloists including Mark Padmore,Roderick Williams and Matthew Brook.

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Jubilate Deo

o be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands: serve the Lord with gladness,and come before his presence with a song.

Be ye sure that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us,and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

o go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise:be thankful unto him, and speak good of his name.

For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting:and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

Turn Back, 0 Man

Turn back, 0 Man, forswear thy foolish ways,Old now is earth" and none may count her days,

Yet thou, her child, whose head is crowned with flame,Still wilt not hear thine inner God proclaim:

Tum back, 0 Man, forswear thy foolish ways.

Earth might be fair and all men glad and wise.Age after age their tragic empires rise,

Built while they dream and in that dreaming weep.Would man but wake from out his haunted sleep,

Earth might be fair and all men glad and wise.

Earth shall be fair and all her people one;Nor till that hour shall God's whole will be done.

Now, even now, once more from earth to skyPeals forth in joy man's old undaunted cry:Earth shall be fair and all her folk be one.

Clifford Bax (1886-1962)Based on: Old 124th Genevan Psalter, 1552

Two Eastern PicturesI Spring

Spring the warrior hither comes, bowstring formed by rows ofbees,and his darts tipped with buds wound our hearts with sweet love-longing.

Now the trees put forth their flowers, on the lakes the lilies fair show their heads midstthe waves, melting hearts with sweet love-longing.

What fair maidens vie with Spring? What sweet voice the cuckoo's song?Or smiling teeth the jasmine's hue? Or rosy lips the opening flowers?

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Bending down with blushing buds, flaming mango branches wave to and frowith the breeze, filling hearts with love-longing.

And within the lotus flower dwells her love, the murmuring beewho with kiss and embrace satisfies her sweet love-longing.

II Summer

The fierce glaring day is gone. Gentle night hath spread her mantle cool and refreshing,lit by rays of a thousand stars and by the golden moon. The moon shineth on yon roof.Here lie maidens, crowned with jasmine, clad in silk raiment: on their ankles arerings that tinkle sweetly as they move. Wafted by jewel-covered fans, sweetest perfumefloats 0'er each breast. Song and harp unite with warbling birds to rouse from sleepthe god of love.

St Paul's Suite

I GigueII Ostinato

III IntermezzoIV Finale

TeDeum

We praise thee, 0 God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worshipthee, the Father everlasting. To thee all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powerstherein. To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry, Holy, Holy, Holy, LordGod of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise thee. The goodly fellowship of the prophetspraise thee. The noble army of martyrs praise thee. The holy Church throughout all theworld doth acknowledge thee, the Father, of an infinite majesty; thine honourable, true,and only Son, also the Holy Ghost, the comforter.

Thou art the King of Glory, 0 Christ; thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. Whenthou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb. Whenthou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven toall believers. Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father. We believethat thou shalt come to be our judge. We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, whomthou hast redeemed with thy precious blood. Make them to be numbered with thy saints,in glory everlasting.

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Saint Nicolas

IntroductionIt is Saint Nicolas's feast-day, and achorus ofcelebrants is calling on him tocast aside the veils that blur hismemory, and to appear before them andspeak his message once more. Crossingthe bridge ofsixteen hundredyears, theSaint materialises as in a vision andcharges his followers to preserve theliving Faith for which their fathersfought and sacrificed over the centuries.His devoted disciples prayfor the 'strength to obey, and to serve God.

People:Our eyes are blinded by the holinessyou bear.The bishop's robe, the mitre and thecross of goldObscure the simple man within theSaint.Strip off your glory, Nicolas, and speak!

St Nicolas:Across the tremendous bridge of sixteenhundred yearsI come to stand in worship with youAs I stood among my faithfulcongregation long ago.All who knelt beside me then are gone.Their name is dust, their tombs aregrass and clay,Yet still their shining seed ofFaithsurvives - in you!It weathers time, it springs again in you!

With you it stands like forest oakOr withers with the grasses underfoot.Preserve the living Faith for which yourfathers fought!For Faith was won by centuries ofsacrificeAnd many martyrs diedThat you might worship God.

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People:Help us, Lord! To find the hidden roadThat leads from Love to greater Love,from FaithTo greater Faith.Strengthen us, 0 Lord!Screw up our strength to serve Theewith simplicity.

The birth of Nicolas(Nicolas was born in answer to prayer'.As the infant grew in stature he alsogrew in grace, pilgrims came toworship him and all the neighboursprophesied 'Nicolas will be a Saint! '(God be glorified!' the boy criesrepeatedly in response; then at last,now grown to manhood, he cries (Godbe glorified!' again.

Nicolas was born in answer to prayer, inanswer to prayer,And leaping from his mother's wombhe criedGOD BE GLORIFIED!

Swaddling-bands and crib awaited himthere,But Nicolas clapped both his hands andcriedGOD BE GLORIFIED!

Innocent and joyful, naked and fair,He came in pride on earth to abide.GOD BE GLORIFIED!Water rippled Welcome! in the bath-tubby his side;He dived in open-eyed, he swam, hecriedGOD BE GLORIFIED!

When he went to Church atChristmastide,

He climbed up to the font to bebaptised.GOD BE GLORIFIED!

Pilgrims came to kneel and pray by hisside.He grew in grace, his name wassanctified.GOD BE GLORIFIED!

Nicolas grew in innocence and pride,His glory spread a rainbow round thecountryside.'Nicolas will be a Saint!' theneighbours cried.GOD BE GLORIFIED!

Nicolas devotes himself to GodLeaving behind the comforts ofhischildhood home and entering the widerworld, Nicolas is horrified to discovermankind's condition: hopeless,faithless, racked by doubt andfear. Hethereupon disposes ofall his worldlypossessions for charity and vows to givehimselfin humility to God; only thendoes he know true spiritual love andpeace ofmind

My parents died.All too soon I left the tranquil beauty oftheir homeAnd knew the wider world of man.

Poor man! I found him solitary, rackedBy doubt: born, bred, doomed to dieIn everlasting fear of everlasting death:The foolish toy of time, the darling ofdecay-Hopeless, faithless, defying God.

Heartsick, in hope to mask the twistedface of poverty,I sold my lands to feed the poor.I gave my goods to charityBut Love demanded more.Heartsick, I cast away all things thatcould distract my mindFrom full devotion to His will;

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I thrust my happiness behindBut Love desired more still.

Heartsick, I call'd on GodTo purge my angry soul,To be my only master, friend and guide.I begged for sweet humilityAnd Love was satisfied.

Nicolas journeys to PalestineThe weather is perfect as Nicolasembarks on a voyage to the Holy Land,and he is alone in his prophecy ofanimpending storm. 'Nonsense!' cry thesailors, jeering at him as he kneels topray. But a tempest erupts, the crewpanic and as the music reflects thehowling wind, raging seas and crashingthunder, only Nicolas remains calm.Finally, but only in desperation, thesailors join him on their knees inprayer. The storm subsides, and Nicolasweeps for man's stubbornness andfrailty: 'Teach us to askfor less andoffer more in gratitude to Thee. '

Nicolas sailed for PalestineAcross the sunlit seas.The South West Wind blew soft andfair,Seagulls hovered through the air,And spices scented the breeze.

Everyone felt that land was near:All dangers now were past:Except for one who knelt in prayer,Fingers clasped and head quite bare,Alone by the mizzen-mast.

The sailors jeered at Nicolas,Who paid them no regard,Until the hour of sunset cameWhen up he stood and stoppedtheir gameOf staking coins on cards.

Nicolas spoke and prophesiedA tempest far ahead.The sailors scorned such words of fear,

Since sky and stars shone brightand clear,So 'Nonsense!' they all said.

Darkness was soon on top of them,But still the South Wind blew.The captain went below to sleep,And left the helmsman there to keepHis course with one of the crew.Nicolas swore he'd punish themFor mocking at the Lord.The wind arose, the thunder roared,Lightning split the waves that pouredIn wild cascades on board.

Waterspouts rose in majestyUntil the ship was tossedAbaft, aback, astern, abeam,Lit by lightning's livid gleam,And all aboard cried 'Lost!'

Lightning hisses through the night,Blinding sight with living light!Ah! Spare us! Man the pumps! Save us!Man the pumps! Axes! Axes! Ah!

Winds and tempests howl their cryOfbattle through the raging sky!Ah! Spare us! Lifeboats! Save us!Lifeboats! Lower away! Saviour!

Waves repeat their angry roar,Fall and spring again once more!Let her run before the wind!Shorten sail! Reefher! Heave her to!

Thunder rends the sky asunderWith its savage shouts ofwonder! Ah!Pray to God! Kneel and pray!Lightning, thunder, tempest, oceanPraise their God with voice andmotion.

Nicolas waited patientlyTill they were on their knees,Then down he knelt in thankfulnessBegging God their ship to blessAnd make the storm to cease.

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'0 God! We are all weak, sinful, foolishmen.We pray from fear and from necessity atdeath, in sickness or private loss.Without the prick of fear our consciencesleeps, forgetful of Thy Grace.Help us 0 God! to see more clearly.Tame our stubborn hearts.Teach us to ask for less and offer morein gratitude to Thee.Pity our simplicity, for we are trulypitiable in Thy sight. Amen.'

The winds and waves lay down to rest,The sky was clear and calm.The ship sailed onward without harmAnd all creation sang a psalmOf loving thankfulness.

Beneath the stars the sailors sleptExhausted by their fear, while IKnelt down for love of God on highAnd saw His angels in the skySmile down at me,And wept, wept, and wept.

Nicolas comes to Myraand is chosen Bishop

Returning to his homeland, Nicolas isacclaimed by the people and installedas Bishop ofMyra. In a fugue, he isenjoined to (Serve the Faith and spurnHis enemies', after which allpresentjoin in to sing ~llpeople that on earthdo dwell'.

Come, stranger sent from God!Come, man of God!Stand foremost in our Church, and servethis diocese,As Bishop Nicolas, our shield, ourstrength,' our peace!'I Nicolas, Bishop of Myra and itsdiocese,Shall with the unfailing grace of God,Defend His faithful servants,Comfort the widow and fatherless,And fulfil His will for this mostblessed Church. '

Place the mitre on your head to showyour mastery of men!Take the golden robe that covers youwith Christ's authority!Wear the fine dalmatic woven with theCross of Faith.Bear the crozier as a staff and comfortto your flock!Set the ring upon your hand insacramental sign of wedlock with thyGod!Serve the Faith and spurn His enemies!

ALL SING:All people that on earth do dwell,Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice!Him serve with fear, His praise,forthtell,Come ye before Him and rejoice.

o enter then His gates with praise,Approach with joy His courts unto,Praise, laud and bless His namealways,For it is seemly so to do.

For why? The Lord our God is good:His mercy is for ever sure;His truth at all times firmly stood,And shall from age to age endure.Amen.

On Nicolas's release from prisonThe Church is persecuted, andNicolasis imprisonedfor eight years underRoman rule. On his release he calls onhis people, now turned to sin andselfishness, to honour Christ anddedicate themselves anew.

Persecution sprang upon our Churchand stilled its voice.Eight barren years it stifled underRoman rule:And I lay bound, condemned tocelebrate

'. My lonely sacrament with prison bread, While wolves ran loose among my

flock.

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o man! The world is set for you as for aking!Paradise is yours in loveliness.The stars shine down for you, for youthe angels sing,Yet you prefer your wilderness.You hug the rack of self, embrace thelash of sin,Pour your treasures out to bribe distress.You build your temples fair without andfoul within:You cultivate your wilderness.Yet Christ is yours . Yours! For you Helived and died.God in mercy gave His son to bless youall, to bring you life,And Him you crucifiedTo desecrate your wilderness.Turn away from sin! Ah! Bow downyour hard and stubborn hearts!Confess yourselves to Him in Holiness.

Nicolas and the pickled boysIt is winter, there is famine in the land,and Nicolas is leading his starvingpeople on ajourney in search offoodAs mourning mothers bewail the loss ofTimothy, Mark and John, three littleboys who have disappeared, the partycomes upon an inn. Salted meat isserved, and about to be consumed,when Nicolas cries out in horror andrevulsion (0 do not taste!' The missingboys have been captured and killed, andtheir flesh pickled and soldfor meat!The Bishop's grace achieves themiracle ofrestoring all three to life.~lleluia!' they sing, andfervently thetravellers take up the chorus.

Famine tracks us down the lanes,Hunger holds our horses' reins,Winter heaps the roads with snow;o we have far to go!

Starving beggars howl their cry,Snarl to see us spurring by,Times are bad and travel slow;o we have far to go!

We mourn our boys, our missing sons!We sorrow for three little ones!Timothy, Mark and John are gone!Landlord, take this piece of gold!Bring us food before the coldMakes our pangs ofhunger grow;o we have far to go!

Day by day we seek to findSome trace of them but oh! Unkind!Timothy, Mark and John are gone!

Let us share this dish ofmeat.Come, my friends, sit down and eat!Join us, Bishop, for we knowThat you have far to go!

Mary meek and Mother mildWho lost thy Jesus as a child,Our TimothY,Mark and John are gone!

Come, your Grace, don't eat so slow!Take some meat ... taste!

Nicolas:'0 do not taste! 0 do not feed on sin!But haste to save three souls in need!The mothers' cry is sad and weak,Within these walls they lieWhom mothers sadly seek...Timothy, Mark and John,Put your fleshly garments on!Come from dark oblivion! Come!'

See! See! Three boys spring back tolife,Who, slaughtered by the butcher'sknife, lay salted down!And entering, hand in hand they standand sing - Alleluia! Alleluia to theirKing! Alleluia!

His piety and marvellous works.Nicolas, adored and revered by all, wasBishop ofMyra for forty years. In a~eries ofsemi-choruses his flock recallsome ofthe remarkable ways in whichhe contrived during his reign to

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preserve them from persecution,heresy, shameful sin and other evils.For forty years our Nicolas,Our prince ofmen, our shepherd andOur gentle guide, walked by our side.

We turned to him at birth and death,In time of famine and distress,In all our grief, to bring relief.He led us from the valleys toThe pleasant hills of grace. He foughtTo fold us in from mortal sin.

O! He was prodigal of love!A spendthrift in devotion toUs all and blessed as he caressed.

We keep his memory aliveIn legends that our children andTheir children's children treasure still.A captive at the heathen courtWept sorely all alone.'0 Nicolas is here, my son!And he will bring you home! '

'Fill, fill my sack with corn!' he said:'We die from lack of food! 'And from that single sack he fedA hungry multitude.

Three daughters of a noblemanWere doomed to shameful sin,Till our good Bishop ransomed themBy throwing purses in.

The gates were barred, the blackflag flew,Three men knelt by the block,But Nicolas burst in like flameAnd stayed the axe's shock.

'0 help us, good Nicolas!Our ship is full of foam! 'He walked across the waves toAnd led them safely home.

He sat among the Bishopssummoned to Nicaea:Then rising with theBoxed Arius's ear!

He threatened Constantine the GreatWith bell and book and ban:Till Constantine confessed his sinsLike any common man.

Let the legends that we tell,Praise him, with our prayers as well.We keep his memory aliveIn legends that our children andTheir children's children treasure still.

The death of NicolasNicolas is dying, Jaint with loveFor Him who waitsfor me above', andas the chorus intones the Nunc Dimittis,he yields himselfto God in peace. Theorgan announces (God moves in amysterious way' and allpresentjoin into sing in praise ofHis wonder, Hisworks, and the triumph ofthe Saints.

Nicolas:DEATH, I hear thy summons and IcomeIn haste, for my short life is done;And O! My soul is faint with love,For Him who waits for me above.

LORD I come to life,To final birthI leave the misery of earth,For light, by Thy eternal grace,Where I shall greet Thee face to face.

CHRIST receive my soul withtenderness.

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For in my last of life I bless Thy name,Who lived and died for me,And, dying, yield my soul to Thee.

People:Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servantdepart in peace, according to Thy word.For mine eyes have seen Thy salvationWhich Thou hast prepared before theface of all peopleTo be a light to lighten the GentilesAnd to be the glory of Thy peopleIsrael.Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,And to the Holy Ghost.As it was in the beginning, is now andever shall beWorld without end. Amen!

ALL SING:God moves in a mysterious wayHis wonders to perform;He plants His footsteps in the sea,And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable minesOf never failing skillHe treasures up His bright designs,And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,The clouds ye so much dreadAre big with mercy, and shall breakIn blessings on your head. Amen.

Libretto by Eric Crozier

South London Music

54 Grove ValeEast Dulwich

SE228DY

Near East Dulwich Station, betweenGoose Green & Dog Kennel Hill

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About Us

FOJ more infOlmation please contact Anthony Kindred at intQ{({tl

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Support our proposed new Community Music Centreat JAGS by coming to

JAGS Art Fair

94 Park Hall Road, West Dulwich

email: info@thatchandco.com

020 8670 8000

www.thatchandco.com

Quality contemporary art from local andinternational artists

21 November 11am-Spm22 November 11am-4pm

This event is in aid of our proposed CommunityMusic Centre at JAGS, a place we envisage will

be buzzing with local choirs, orchestras andensembles, classical, jazz, pop and world music,

a place to host visiting string quartets, theresidency of a national orchestra, recording

suites for your own music, practice rooms whereolder people can re-discover musical talent,

where music therapy is available.www.jags.org.uk

Friends and Patrons

The Dulwich Choral Society gratefully acknowledges thefinancial support it receives from its Friends and Patrons

Giles and Hilary BrindleyJane BurlinsonJohn and Judy ClarkElizabeth ClarkeJimmie and June Cleall-HardingMargaret DoubledayMichael GoodmanMrsEF GrayBryan GouldInge KellyJuliet King-Smith

Nick and Kara LawsonLawson, Martin & PartnersMike and J0 LockKaren MacauslanIsaac and Shula MarksRoger and Scilla PageJohn RiceJulie John and David RichesMrs GRF StewartPeter Thomas

The Friends and Patrons are a group of people who enjoy coming to our concerts andsocial events whenever possible and are interested in ensuring the future stability of thechoir by making annual contributions towards concert expenses. Supporters of theChoir (and current choir members) will be warmly welcomed as new Friends andPatrons.

You are invited to join the scheme, which will entitle you to: Advance booking for concerts at reduced ticket price Invitations to social events and free interval drinks (at certain concert venues) Regular mailings ofnews and details of future programmes

Dulwich Choral Society is registered charity number 264764. Donations made underGIFT AID will enable the income tax to be recovered as an additional benefit to theSociety.

For more information please contact:Michael Goodman Parkside, Dulwich Common, London SE2l 7EU,telephone 0208693 3564, email mandpgoodman@dialstart.net

Please support our local business advertisers. Their very generoussupport has enabled us to produce this programme.

We also thank Dan Newman, who designs andproduces the handbills for our concerts.

Honorary President: Dame Emma KirkbyVice Presidents: Roger Page, Jimmie Cleall-Harding

Musical Director: Aidan OliverAccompanist: David ElwinOrchestra Fixer: Jill Harris

SopranosOlya AnisimovaSue ChandlerDiane CravenAlex CrakerMarie-Pierre DenaroEde FehrenbachSophie FenderAbigail Fox-JaegarSylvia Francis-MullinsHonor Gay

AltosRebecca BaharDeborah Barne-JonesKatharine BoltonHelen BoothmanSonia ButlerAmanda CareyLucy CorrinAnn CowanHelen DaviesJulia FieldJane Fletcher

TenorsForbes BaileyEd GerstnerMerlin HarrisonSteve HarrisonAndrew Lang

BassesChristopher BraunRichard DaviesMalcolm FieldStephen Frost

. Michael Goodmant Alan Grant

Gina HearndenAnna HemmingDenise LawsonJulia LaytonHeiqi LemppLiz LoughranMorven MainFenella Maitland-SmithTeresa MarshallSarah 0 'Meara

Hilary FriendCaroline GladstoneJill HarrisBarbara HillierSarah HughesCharlotte HutchinsonKaren Jensen-JonesJulie JonesJenny KayKathryn LivingstonJo Merry

Jon LaytonNikita LeighJonathan PalmerMichael PalmerChris Papavassiliou

Alex HamiltonMichael KennyRichard LampertMike LockPeter MainAzizPanni

Frances PalmerHarriet Pearce-WillisDiane PengellySusan PerollsCarmo PontePat Price-ThomasVivienne SayerJenny ThomasJane TippettCharlotte Townsend

Karen MillsSue NewellChrissi PallidisSusanne SivagnanamFrances SteeleSue StrattonSophie ThompsonAnika TorruellaJosephine TuckerJessica Wattles

John Quigleylain SavillePeter SwiftNick Vaisey

Jonathan SedgwickMike ShepherdPaul StemMatthew Strasser-WilliamsRichard Webb

i I'll

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At Olley's, we are conscientious and have a desire to achieve excellence.Even a humble dish of Fish & Chips calls for the finest ingredients,

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Forthcoming concerts

Monday 21 December at 6.30pmSt Stephen's Church, College Road, Dulwich

Join us for our ever-popular carol concert, featuring seasonal music sung byDulwich Choral Society and the choir of Oakfield School, with audience carols

for all to join in.

Admission free. There will be a collection in aid of St Christopher's Hospice.

Saturday 20 March 2010All Saints Church, Rosendale Road, West Dulwich

Bach St John PassionWith an outstanding line-up of soloists including

Emma Kirkby (soprano)

James Bowman (countertenor)

A performance of Bach's masterpiece with period instruments andoutstanding soloists, including DCS's Honorary President, Dame Emma Kirkby.

Emailing List

If you would like to know when tickets go on sale for our performances, pleaseemail mailing@dulwichchoralsociety.org.uk with the subject: 'Subscribe' and letus know your name. We will hold your details on a database for this specificpurpose only. We will not pass them to any third party, and will remove you from

the database at your request. For earlier notice of concert dates, please visit thet website at any time: www.dulwichchoralsociety.org.uk.