Stour Music - Festival of Music in East Kent

STOUR

MUSIC

FESTIVAL of

EARLY MUSIC

in EAST KENT

21-30 June 2024

Founded in 1962 by counter-tenor Alfred Deller, the festival takes place over two

weekends in late June in the beautiful medieval church of All Saints' Boughton Aluph,

set in the heart of the Kent countryside overlooking the Stour valley.

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‘A pilgrim destination for connoisseurs of early music.’ BBC Music Magazine

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STOUR MUSIC 2024

Fireworks, a Handel opera, Flamenco, Alehouse and great choral music - what a way to spend a few days in this (normally) quiet country church on the Pilgrims’ Way between Ashford and Canterbury.

We start ‘at home’ (at least for Stour) in early 17th-century Venice and Rome with rhapsodic music for soprano and harp, before being whisked off to Spain for Flamenco. The Tango and the dance element of Tudor Night was much enjoyed previously and now we have a better stage so that everyone can enjoy the footwork. On Saturday, the fireworks continue: both real ones after the concert and in a large orchestral Handel spectacular with soprano Anna Dennis.

Sundays are choirs days: on the first weekend, new consort/choir Lyons Mouth offers 16th and 19th-21st century masterworks. On the final Sunday we’re at home to Mr Haydn with his wind band mass, and while we take tea in the tent afterwards, Boxwood & Brass play wind serenades.

We also offer a fully staged performance (with Baroque gesture) of Handel’s opera Orlando (perhaps some of you will remember the late James Bowman in the role).

And what is ‘currently the hottest early music act in Europe’ (I quote myself) the Scandinavian freethinkers Barokksolistene with the force that is Mary Bevan in ‘Purcell’s Playground’: I saw this in

Norway - absolutely unmissable. Only this group could then top that with an outrageous late-night -

their now infamous ‘Alehouse’ which starts with Playford and Purcell and ends up… well, that depends on the night.

Robert Hollingworth

Artistic Director

A History by Mark Deller

Programme Archive

STOUR MUSIC

The Stour Music Festival is a festival of early music held in the Stour valley, Kent, England. It was founded by the countertenor Alfred Deller in 1962 and is now held over two consecutive weekends in June. The principal venue is a stunning medieval flint church, All Saints' Church, Boughton Aluph. The current Festival Director is Robert Hollingworth.

Watch 60th Anniversary Video

All Saints' Boughton Aluph — 2019

MAILING LISTS

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If you would like to receive a hard copy of the next Festival brochure by post when it is available, please send your name and address to

General Mailing Secretary, 87 Bridge Street,

Wye, Ashford, TN25 5ED

(07976 354683; friends@stourmusic.org.uk).

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