Bob Chilcott ‘St John Passion’

Concert details

We are delighted to return to the beautiful setting and acoustic of Holy Trinity Church Broadstairs for our Passiontide Concert.

Bob Chilcott’s mighty setting of words from St John’s Gospel is a dramatic yet optimistic re-telling of the Passiontide story. As with Bach’s great Passions, the role of the Evangelist is taken by the Tenor soloist, who provides a melodious narrative through the work. 

Chilcott writes:

‘My setting of the Passion is an hour-long work telling the story of Christ’s trial and Crucifixion, using the text from St John’s Gospel. It was written specially for Matthew Owens and the Choir of Wells Cathedral, for performance within a Cathedral Service on Palm Sunday, 23^rd March 2013. The work is scored for Soprano, Tenor, and two Baritone soloists, mixed choir, solo viola and cello, brass quintet, organ, and timpani.  The role of the choir within the narrative is to play the part of the crowd or a group of soldiers, who comment from time to time in short outbursts. The larger role for the choir is the singing of four meditations that punctuate various points in the drama. The texts are taken from English poems from the 13^th to the early 17^th centuries that express deeply human responses to death, to life, and to man’s relationship with the world and with God. I have also set five well-known Passiontide hymn texts (‘It is a thing most wonderful’, ‘Drop, drop slow tears’, ‘Jesu, grant me this, I pray’, ‘There is a green hill far away’, and ‘When I survey the Wondrous Cross’).’

Our Soloists are Elizabeth Green (Soprano), David Walsh (Tenor), Sam King and Orlando Barton Hodges (Baritones), and we’ll be accompanied by a nine-piece orchestral ensemble. An evening of power, drama and good music is guaranteed and we are looking forward to introducing this modern and wonderfully dramatic work to a Thanet audience.

Tickets cost £15, which includes a complimentary drink at the end of the concert. They are available from the Ticket Secretary on 01304 620560, from Choir members, at the door, or online below (PayPal). Tickets purchased online will be posted to you, there is a fee of £1 per booking to cover the cost of postage and PayPal administration.

All seating is unreserved.

Date/Time

Date(s) - 25/03/2023
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Holy Trinity Church

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