Saturday, 15th november 2014St Michael’s Church, Macclesfield

KARL JENKINS

TheArmedManA MASS fOr pEACE

SCHubErtunfinished Symphony

IrElAnd Epic March

KEMS Choir & OrchestraConductors: Anthony Houghton & Ian Chesworth 

JOHN IRELAND

EPIC MARCHFRANZ SCHUBERT

Symphony No 8 ‘Unfinished’_____

I N T E R V A L _____

KARL JENKINS

THE ARMED MAN

Saturday 15th November 2014 at 7.30 pmSt Michael and All Angels’ Church, Macclesfield

58th Season l 2014 - 2015Registered Charity No 517554

KEMS ChoirKEMS Orchestra

Leader: Jac McKeigue

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Supported by

1.  the Armed Man

2.  the Call to prayers (Adhaan)

3.  Kyrie

4.  Save Me from bloody Men

5.  Sanctus

6.  Hymn before Action

7.  Charge!

8.  Angry flames

9.  torches

10.  Agnus dei

11.  now the Guns Have Stopped

12.  benedictus (solo cello: Sylvia Goodborn)

13.  better Is peace

Conductors

Anthony HoughtonIan Chesworth

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Programme Notes

EpIC MArCH (1942)                                           John Ireland (1879 - 1962)

JOHN IRELAND’s Epic March was written in re-sponse to a commission from the BBC for a pa-triotic overture and was first performed by theLondon Philharmonic Orchestra under the direc-

tion of Sir Henry Wood at the opening night of thePromenade Concerts season in the Royal AlbertHall, London, in 1942.

The composer copied this definition, fromNuttall’s Standard Dictionary, of the adjective ‘epic’at the beginning of the score;

Concerning some heroic action or series of ac-tions and events of deep and lasting significance inthe history of a nation or race.

His piece, which is undoubtably ‘of its time’,is in the mould of Elgar’s Pomp and CircumstanceMarches and the rousing patriotic music of Walton.However, it has the unique style and craftsmanshipof John Ireland and makes as equally bold and uplifting a statement today as it must havedone on that wartime June evening.

SYMpHOnY no.8 in b Minor ‘unfinished’    franz Schubert (1797 – 1828)Allegro moderato  . Andante

IN our programme in this time of Remembranceand following the bombast and patriotism of ourEpic March, Schubert’s introversion takes us

into a quieter, less overt and more contemplativeplace with one of his most famous works.

The ‘Unfinished’, in the black key (as Beethovencalled it) of B minor, is full of soulful melody,poignant moments and questioning interruptionswhich seem to suspend time, forcing the listenerinto his or her own private world, where the divi-sions between ecstacy and despair become blurred.

The two movements are very complementaryhaving a similar drawnout, timeless mood andachingly beautiful tunes. Together they do make avery satisfactory whole, but in this period wewould normally expect a couple more movementsand there is evidence of a sketch of a possible third.

The serious scale of the music is certainly symphonic, however, and the popularityand longevity of it in the concert hall proves its lasting worth. Whatever we call it, it isundoubtably a moving masterpiece.

© Anthony Houghton 2014

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tHE ArMEd MAn                                                      Karl Jenkins (1944 – )

THE ARMED MAN: A MASS FOR PEACE by Karl Jenkins was commissioned by theRoyal Armouries in Leeds to commemorate the millenium and since its première hasbeen performed more than

2,000 times across the world. GuyJenkins, then Master of the RoyalArmouries selected the texts for thework which include the CatholicMass, verses from the Bible, thefifteenth-century folk song L’HommeArmé, an Islamic Call to Prayer andthe work of several poets includingKipling, Dryden and Tennyson.

Jenkins received his earliest musiceducation from his church organistand choirmaster father in the villageof Penclawdd on the GowerPeninsular. He went on to studyclassical music at both CardiffUniversity (with Alun Hoddinott)and the Royal Academy of Musicwhere he confesses he was steepedin the works of the ‘greats’ studyingcounterpoint, fugue and harmony.His early career took him into theworld of jazz and prog-rock, joiningthe group ‘Soft Machine’ and later hemoved into writing backgroundmusic for film and TV, includingadverts. His real breakthrough camewith the crossover project Adiemus’which topped the classical musiccharts in 1995.

The Mass begins with a marching army and the beat of military drums, the orchestragradually building to the choir’s entrance, singing the 15th-century theme tune – theArmed Man. After the scene is set, the style and pace changes and we are prepared forreflection by first the Moslem Call to prayer (Adhaan) and then the Kyrie, which payshomage to the past by quoting (in the Christe Eleison) from Palestrina’s setting of L’HommeArmé. Next, to a plainsong setting, we hear words from the Psalms asking for God’s helpagainst our enemies: Save me from bloody men. The Sanctus that follows is full ofmenace, and has a primeval, tribal character that adds to its power. The menace grows inthe next movement as Kipling’s Hymn before Action builds to its final devastating line“Lord grant us strength to die.”

War is now inevitable. Charge opens with a seductive paean to martial glory which isfollowed by the inevitable consequence – war in all its uncontrolled cacophony ofdestruction, then the eerie silence of the battlefield after the battle and, finally, the burialof the dead. Surely nothing can be worse than this? But think again. At the very centre ofthe work is Angry flames, an excerpt from a poem about the horrors of the atom bomb

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attack on Hiroshima written by a poet who was there at the time and died in 1953 ofleukaemia brought on by exposure to radiation. But if we think that the obscenity of thismass destruction is new to our consciousness, we must reconsider as we listen, to theeerily similar passage torches from the ancient Indian epic The Mahàbharàta.

From the horror of mass destruction the work turns to remember that one death is onetoo many, that each human life is sacred and unique. First the Agnus dei, with its lyricalchorale theme, reminds us of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and this is followed by an elegiacsetting of some lines written by Guy Wilson (to accompany one of the dramaticinterpretations we use in the museum) about the feelings of loss and guilt that so many ofthe survivors of the First World War felt when they came home but their friends did not.

Even the survivors can be hurt to destruction by war. The benedictus heals thosewounds in its slow and stately affirmation of faith and leads us to the final, positive, climaxof the work. This begins back where we started in the 15th century with Lancelot andGuinevere’s declaration, born of bitter experience, that better is peace. The menace ofthe ‘Armed Man’ theme returns and vies for a time with Malory’s desire for peace. But timemoves on and we come to our moment of commitment. Do we want the new millenniumto be like the last? Or do we join with Tennyson when he tells us to “Ring out the thousandwars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace”? It may seem an impossible dream, wemay not have begun too well, but the Mass ends with the affirmation from Revelationsthat change is possible, that sorrow, pain and death can be overcome. Dona nobis pacem.

© Ian Chesworth and Guy Wilson, former Master of the Armouries 2014

1. the Armed Man (l’homme armé, 15 -century french fight song)The armed man must be feared;Everywhere it has been decreed that everyman should arm himself with a coat of ironmail.

2. the Call to prayers (Adhaan, theMuslim call to prayer)Allah is great. I bear witness that there isnone worthy of worship except Allah.I bear witness that Muhammad is themessenger of Allah. Come to prayer. Cometo Success.

3. KyrieLord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord,have mercy.

4. Save Me from bloody Men (fromPsalms 56 and 59, which ask for God’sprotection from enemies)

5. SanctusHoly Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earthof full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

6. Hymn before Action (rudyardKipling, 1896)The earth is full of anger, the seas aredark with wrath; The nations in theirharness, go up against our path.Ere yet we loose the legions, ere yet wedraw the blade, Jehova of the Thunders,Lord God of Battles, aid!High lust and froward* bearing, proudheart, rebellious brow; deaf ear and souluncaring, we seek thy mercy now!The sinner that forswore Thee, The foolthat passed Thee by, Our times are known before Thee; Lordgrant us strength to die!

*froward: obstinate

7. Charge! (John dryden andJonathan Swift) excerpts from text:The trumpet’s loud clangor excites us toarms with shrill notes of anger andmortal alarms. How blest is he who for his countrydies. Charge! ‘tis too late to retreat.

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8. Angry flames (togi Sankichi, aHiroshima survivor who died ofradiation exposure in 1953)Pushing up through smoke from aworld half-darkened by over-hangingcloud,The shroud that mushroomed out andstruck the dome of the sky – black, red,blue – dance in the air,Merge – scatter glittering sparks –already tower over the whole city.Quivering like seaweed, the mass offlames spurts forward, popping up inthe dense smoke,Crawling out, wreathed in fire,countless human beings on all fours ina heap of embers That erupt and subside, hair rent, rigidin death, there smoulders a curse.

9. torches (Hindu 6th century epicSanskrit poem Mahàbhàrata)The animals scattered in all directions,screaming terrible screams.Many were burning, others were burnt.All were shattered and scatteredmindlessly, their eyes bulging. Somehugged their sons, others their fathersand mothers, Unable to let them go, and so they died.Others leapt up in their thousands,faces disfigured, and were consumed bythe fire.Everywhere were bodies squirming onthe ground: wings, eyes and paws allburning;They breathed their last as livingtorches.

10. Agnus dei Lamb of God, who takes away the sins ofthe world, grant us peace.

11. now the Guns Have Stopped(Guy Wilson, Master of the royalArmouries)Silent, so silent now, now the guns havestopped. I have survived all; I, who knewI would not.But now you are not here. Ishall gohome alone and try to live life as beforeand hide my grief.For you, my dearest friend, who shouldbe with me now, not cold too soon inyour grave, alone.

12. benedictus Blessed is he who comes in the name ofthe Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

13. better Is peace (Sir thomasMalory, Alfred lord tennyson,revelation 24:1)Excerpts from text: Better is peace than always war. Andbetter is peace than evermore war. Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ringin the thousand years of peace.Ring in the valiant man and free thelarger heart, the kindlier hand. Ring out the darkness of the land. Ringin the Christ that is to be.God shall wipe away all tears, and thereshall be no more death, neither sorrownor crying,Neither shall there be any more pain.Praise the Lord!

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Clarinet

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ANTHONY HOUGHTON conducts KEMS Orchestra andis founder and conductor of KEMS Concert Band.He was born in Warrington but brought up in the

Lincolnshire countryside near Grimsby, where heattended the Choir School and played Clarinet with theYouth Orchestra.

After study at the Royal Manchester College ofMusic (now the RNCM) he settled in Manchesterworking as a freelance Clarinet and Saxophone recitalist,orchestral and session player. He was Principal Clarinet ofthe Northern Ballet and Manchester Camerata Orchestrasfor many years and played regularly with the Hallé,BBC, Opera North and other UK orchestras.

Anthony is Instrumental Tutor, ChamberMusic Organizer and Ensemble Director at theMusic Department of Sheffield University;Clarinet and Saxophone Teacher at Manchester Grammar School and acts asAdjudicator at music festivals and competitions.

He is on the executive of the national symphonic band organisation (BASBWE)and, in addition to directing the KEMS Orchestra, is conductor of the Sheffield

Anthony Houghton (conductor)

We are always glad to hear from potential singers and players who would would like tojoin KEMS. Membership is FREE for under 26’s. If you would like to know more

about any vacancies please contact our Chairman Scott Thomson on 01625 503921.(email scottqpq@hotmail.com)

Singing in KEMS Choir or playing in KEMS Orchestra or Concert Band

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IAN CHESWORTH now has the pleasure of working regularly withsix choirs in the north-west area. His work-based choirs sing arange of styles but mostly modern pop, and Ian loves

encouraging people who have never sung before to stand up andperform in venues such as the RNCM, Manchester and Cadogan Hall,London. His other choirs are musically diverse giving Ianopportunities to conduct big choral works with orchestra as wellas a-cappella chamber choir music.

Having worked with Gareth Malone on both series of theBBC series Sing While you Work Ian still enjoys conductingthe Manchester Airport Choir (Sing While You Work Series1), despite the absence of the television cameras. GarethMalone recently asked Ian and the Manchester AirportChoir to perform at the Bridgewater Hall as part of his Voices tour;commenting on how improved the choir is under Ian’s directorship.

Last November, Ian enjoyed the privilege of conducting thenorthern première of Jonathan Dove’s There was a Child withKEMS choir and orchestra. This was the first amateur performanceof this moving piece and everyone involved was proud to performit in the presence of the composer.

Singers from all over Europe attend Ian’s intensive choral workshops in Dunster, Somer-set which are now so popular that he has to run three each year. Each weekend has a dif-ferent focus and style meaning many singers have become regular attenders; the mix ofcream teas and singing proves an unusual but popular combination!

Ian is resident MD and singing coach at the Capitol Theatre, working with students onthe nationally renowned acting course at Manchester Metropolitan University and perform-ing work such Amadeus and Sweeney Todd. He has been a judge of the Amateur ChoralCompetition since its inception; choirs travel the length and breadth of the country to takepart and Ian will act as a judge for further national competitions next month.

In demand as a teacher, lan has expanded his Cheshire private practice to Liverpoolwhere he works with advanced students on a range of repertoire. Always keen to be at thecutting edge, lan has completed the Advanced Singing and the Actor teaching course withthe internationally respected vocal coach Gillyanne Kayes.

Having trained as a singer to postgraduate level at the RNCM, Ian’s operatic roles haveincluded Edrisi and Chorus (King Roger), Spoletta (Tosca), Silvio (Pagliacci) and Monostatos(The Magic Flute). In concert, he has sung numerous roles, including Elijah as well as havinghad the honour of singing the tenor role of Howard Blake’s The Bear with the Northern Sin-fonia in the presence of the composer.

Ian Chesworth (conductor)

University Wind Orchestra with which he has directed performances in the UK andEurope.

A lifetime enthusiasm for the intimacy of chamber music and a continuing professionalactivity in this field has fed Anthony’s long time passion for enabling chamber music andensemble participation in others at many levels.

Jac McKeigue (leader)

JAC McKEIGUE is a busy, musician, composer, andteacher. In 2006 she was awarded a Masters inContemporary Music Studies from The University ofSheffield. She subsequently began teaching in the

Department and went on to win a scholarship to studyfor a PhD in Composition with George Nicholson. Inaddition to commissions from the University SymphonyOrchestra and Elgar String Orchestra, her PhD portfolioalso contains a violin concerto and a string octet.

Not long after starting her Masters degree Jac wasaccepted as a pupil by the highly-renowned andinspirational teacher, Nina Martin. She also had thegreat pleasure of having Nina’s husband Peter Cropperas a colleague and was coached and directed by him in the Elgar String Orchestra.

In addition to performing professionally with a great variety of chamber groups, Jachas also led Sale Chamber Orchestra and co-led Amaretti String Orchestra andAthenean Ensemble. Fluent in a diverse range of styles from classical to folk, pop toavant garde music theatre and improvisation, she has performed in all manner of venuesfrom concert halls to town halls, clubs and pubs to cathedrals.

Jac has strong links with the local area and for several years she lived on a canal boatmoored just outside Macclesfield. She now enjoys sharing her passion for musicthrough her teaching at the Ryleys School in Alderley Edge where she also coaches anadult string ensemble.

Sylvia Goodborn (cello)

SYLVIA GOODBORN is a former cello teacher.Formerly a professional cellist, she played withthe Little Theatre Orchestra in Birmingham and,

for ten years, with the English PhilharmonicOrchestra. She has performed widely in stringquartets and trios, and in cello/double bass duoswith her husband John Goodborn, a professionalluthier.

Sylvia re-founded the Buxton Spa Orchestra in1990; players from the orchestra appeared for twoyears in the opening sequence of Songs of Praise onBBC television. She is proud to play a cello made forher by John Goodborn.

Sylvia Goodborn has been principal cello in KEMS Orchestra since 2008. She andher husband live in Chapel-en-le-Frith.

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KEMS Orchestra

1st ViolinsJac McKeigue (leader)Bill HancockWanda JohnsonBecky MillsSarah MilwardCharles RogersRobert ShawHelen SmithKay Thomas

2nd ViolinsJulia CazaletDavid BudgettRoger DowlingJean FullwoodMarion GrantHilary KershawCatherine Wells

ViolasRuth KendonRachael ChivertonMelanie FettJulia HardingAnna HazelRon ThornJane Turner

CellosSylvia GoodbornKaty BradleyJohn ChapmanGerald CoopeKevin Hamer*Ruth Hughes

double bassesAndy Devine*Peter Struggles*

flutesTim WardAnn NewtonAnn Speyer

OboesJacquie GrinhamMargaret Wilson

Cor AnglaisDeborah Cohen*

ClarinetsKatie LomasSue Hudson

bass ClarinetJulia Harding

bassoonsJo AllinsonSuzanne Blair

ContrabassoonHuw Hughes*

HornsBill RamageTim KendalPam WellingsCharles Smith

trumpetsPaul DawesAndy HopeCaroline Litchfield*

trombonesBob CrawshawRodney OrmeRichard Moss

tubaLouis Crossley*

timpaniWarren Temple*

percussionIrene Wynne George*Katharine Brown*Pam CraigJoe Greenway

*Guest players

KEMS Choir

SopranosFiona AblettCherry BradleySue BrownJudith BurrowsAnnette ButlerSarah ChesworthSue CoffeyAsiah CullenLesley HansonPam HargreavesKathleen InsleyChristine JohnstonJenny KendalNick KnightElisabeth LeechAnne MacdonaldKatherine MarlowRosalyn MccormickSue MorleyCatherine MorrisShelagh Proctor

Carol RiesenVictoria ScholesDi StephensonAnn TaylorSue WalkerCaroline WilsonCarol Whelan

AltosHeather ArmesKath BirtwistleSally-Ann BradleyRita DawsonMaggie EarlVivien GisbySue HoneywellMaria HydeSarah JacotLinda JohnstonJoan LathamLouise LewisAnthea Lightowler

Violet OwenMarian MackayValerie MeadLiz MorrisJudith RitchieJane RouseLynne SpeddingSue TaylorSheila ThompsonAnne ThomsonJudy Weeks

tenorsKeith ArmesJohn DurnallTim GravettGeoffrey HoldenJim KendonDoug MacdonaldSandra MossMichael Wootton

bassesWill AblettAlec AshcroftJohn Campbell-KellyRichard CochraneJohn FryerPeter HargreavesDerek KiteSteve KleiserPaul ReynoldsCrawford ScholesDavid SmithPaul SpeddingScott ThomsonBohdan Waszkowycz

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Saturday, 14th March 2015KEMS Orchestra

BRAHMS Academic Festival OvertureGRIEGHolberg Suite for stringsSCHUMANN Konzertstück for four hornsBRAHMS Symphony No 4

Saturday, 25th April 2015KEMS Choir and OrchestraBACHMass in B minorWidely hailed as one of the world’sgreatest-ever compositions

CHRISTMAS CONCERTSaturday, 13th December 2014 at 7.30 pm

KEMS Choir and KEMS OrchestraHUMPERDINCK Overture: Hansel & Gretel

PROKOFIEV Peter and the Wolf (Narrator Scott Thomson)

BIZET Suite: Jeux D'EnfantsCAROLS

SPIRITUALS

Saturday, 20th December 2014 at 7.30 pm

KEMS Concert BandCONCERT at United Reformed Church, Macclesfield

Sunday, 21st December 2014 from 3.00 pm

KEMS Concert BandCAROLS IN THE STABLEYARDat Tatton Park

Christmas with KEMS

Unless otherwise stated, concerts are at St Michael’s Church, Macclesfield

All tickets may be purchased online. Full details: www.kems.org.uk

J S BACHOne of the main composers of

the Baroque period and oneof the greatest composers of

all time, whose music isrevered for its intellectual

depth, technical command,and artistic beauty.

King Edward Musical sociEty(KEMs) of Macclesfield wasfounded in september 1957. the

aim of KEMs throughout its life has beento encourage singers and instrumentalistswho want to rehearse and take part inperformances. this philosophy hascreated a friendly society that is open toall musicians (no auditions) who enjoymaking music within a large ensemble.

Prospective members are very welcometo attend rehearsals to see if the KEMsspirit is right for them. if you would like toknow more about KEMs please visit ourwebsite at www.kems.org.uk or talk to ourchairman scott thomson on 01625 503921.

we hope you enjoy this evening’sperformance.

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