Stour Music 2013
21 – 30 June 2013
For many of those lucky enough to get tickets, several of the concerts in last year’s 50th anniversary festival were particularly memorable occasions in the long history of Stour Music, none more so, perhaps, than the Counter-Tenor Extravaganza on the final Saturday, with its star-studded cast of singers and instrumentalists a definite ‘I was there’ moment and the final Sunday afternoon performance of Bach’s majestic Mass in B minor. How to follow that, one may ask?
Well, the world-renowned early music specialist William Christie conducting The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, with the internationally acclaimed Croatian mezzo-soprano Renata Pokupić is not a bad start! In fact before that we have a concert given by the ever-popular King’s Singers, performing some of the classic ‘hits’ from the Renaissance repertoire, such as Janequin’s Les Cris de Paris and his musical depiction of the 1515 Battle of Marignano La Guerre.
Also during the first weekend, two Swiss groups, Ensemble Meridiana, with a programme entitled French Flair: Italian Furore, and the Medieval and early Renaissance ensemble, La Morra, will be appearing at the festival for the first time.
The second weekend of the festival sees the return of Fretwork, one of the world’s leading Consorts of Viols, together with lutenist Elizabeth Kenny and tenor James Gilchrist, in a programme celebrating the 450th anniversary of the birth of John Dowland.
The following night, with Peter Harvey’s Magdalena Consort, we have an all-Bach programme featuring music, not only by the great Johann Sebastian but also by his lesser-known forebear Johann Christoph; if you’re not familiar with his work you’re in for a treat! Then to round off the festival this year, the Stour Festival Choir, with Rachel Podger’s Brecon Baroque, His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts and a wonderful team of soloists, will join forces for a performance of Monteverdi’s celebrated 1610 Vespers. It doesn't get much better than that!
Mark Deller
Festival Director