16
Dec, 2023

Nine Lessons and Carols 2023 – Kloster Fischingen

Weihnachtsmusik in britischer Tradition

 

Eine poetische Welt uralter und brandneuer Klänge!

 

Advents- und Weihnachtsmusik aus Mittelalter, Renaissance und aus dem 20. und 21. Jahrhundert von Alan Bullard, Bob Chilcott, Harold Darke, John Rutter, William Walton und David Willcocks

 

David Christie, Leitung
Christian Döhring, Orgel

 

01 Orgelvorspiel*
02
Veni, veni Emmanuel
03 Gott, send herab uns deinen Sohn (KG 304)*
04 Chilcott: The Advent Candle* – as placeholder, this recording is © by Commotio from their Album “Chilcott: The Rose in the Middle of Winter”
05 Lully, lulla, thow littel tyne child
06 Rorate – O Heiland, reiss den Himmel auf (with congregation)
07 Trad., England: The Cherry Tree Carol (arr. Willcocks)
08 Trad.: Angelus ad Virginem
09 Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging (with congregation)
10 Trad. arr. Chilcott: O Little Town of Bethlehem
11 Rutter: Candlelight Carol
12 Darke: In the Bleak Midwinter
13 Bullard: Love came down at Christmas
14 Macht hoch die Tür (with congregation)
15 Gruber arr. Chilcott: Silent Night
16 Chilcott: Sussex Carol

 

This musicmakers production took place on 16.12.2023 (Kloster Fischingen). The MP3 files on this page were recorded in Kloster Fischingen, © musicmakers 2023.

Programme (German)

MP3 – full programme (from item 05 onwards*)

*= unfortunately, the first part of the programme was not recorded for technical reasons

 

 

10
Dec, 2022

Nine Lessons and Carols 2022 – Kloster Fischingen

Weihnachtsmusik in britischer Tradition

Eine poetische Welt uralter und brandneuer Klänge!

Advents- und Weihnachtsmusik aus Mittelalter, Renaissance und aus dem 20. und 21. Jahrhundert von Bob Chilcott, Peter Cornelius, Boris Ord, John Rutter, Howard Skempton, Alan Smith, William Walton und David Willcocks

David Christie, Leitung
Christian Döhring, Orgel

01 Orgelvorspiel
02 Veni, veni Emmanuel (with congregation)
03 Walton: Make we joy now in this fest
04 Lully, lulla, thow littel tyne child
05 Rorate – O Heiland, reiss den Himmel auf (with congregation)
06 Skempton: Adam lay ybounden
07 Ord: Adam lay ybounden
08 The Angel Gabriel from heaven came
09 Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging (with congregation)
10 Trad. arr. Chilcott: O Little Town of Bethlehem
11 Trad. arr. David Willcocks: Quelle est cette odeur agréable
12 Drei Könige wandern aus Morgenland
13 Smith: There is no rose of such virtue
14 Macht hoch die Tür (with congregation)
15 Gruber arr. Chilcott: Silent Night
16 Chilcott: Sussex Carol

This musicmakers production took place on 10.12.2022 (Kloster Fischingen). The MP3 files on this page were recorded in Kloster Fischingen, © musicmakers 2022

Programme (German)

MP3 – full programme

 

 

21
Dec, 2019

Nine Lessons and Carols 2019 – Kloster Fischingen, Kirche Felix & Regula, 8004 Zürich

Weihnachtsmusik in britischer Tradition

Eine poetische Welt uralter und brandneuer Klänge!

Advents- und Weihnachtsmusik aus Mittelalter, Renaissance und aus dem 20. und 21. Jahrhundert von Benjamin Britten, Philipp Claßen (UA), Harold Darke, Paul Edwards, John Gardner, John Joubert, Boris Ord, John Rutter, William Walton und Peter Warlock

David Christie, Leitung
Christian Döhring, Orgel

MP3 – full programme

00 Orgelvorspiel
00a Veni, veni Emmanuel
00b Gott, send herab uns deinen Sohn (with congregation)
01 Walton: Make we joy now in this fest
02 Lully, lulla, thow littel tyne child
03a Joubert: Torches, torches
03b Macht hoch die Tür (with congregation)
04 Britten: A Hymn to the Virgin
05a Ord: Adam lay ybounden
05b The Angel Gabriel from heaven came
06a Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging (with congregation)
06b Warlock, trans. Carter: Lullaby my Jesus
07a Rutter: Shepherd’s Pipe Carol
07b Darke: In a bleak midwinter
08 Philipp Claßen: O lowly voices of the sky (first performance)
09a Edwards: No small wonder
09b Herbei, o ihr Gläub’gen (with congregation)
10 Gardner: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day

This musicmakers production took place on 21.12.2019 (Kloster Fischingen) and 22.12.2019 (Kirche Felix & Regula, 8004 Zürich). The MP3 files on this page were recorded in Kloster Fischingen, © musicmakers 2019.

Programme (German)

20
Dec, 2015

Nine Lessons and Carols 2015 – Predigerkirche, Zürich

MP3 – full programme

01 Orgeleinspiel
02 Make we Joy now in this Fest
03 Balulalow
04 Torches
05 Coventry Carol
06 O Little Town of Bethlehem
07 Star Carol
08 Myn Lyking
09 In the Bleak Midwinter
10 A Spotless Rose
11 While Shepherds Watched their Flocks
12 No Small Wonder
13 Sir Christèmas
14 O Come, All Ye Faithful
15 Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day
16 Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day (reprise)

 
Programmheft

24
May, 2015

Conacher Organ Inauguration – Predigerkirche, Zürich

Einweihung der Conacher-Orgel in der Predigerkirche Zürich – 24. und 25. Mai 2015

«Und es geschah plötzlich ein Brausen vom Himmel»
Festgottesdienst mit Abendmahl, Pfingstsonntag, 24. Mai 2015, 11.00 Uhr
musicmakers | David Christie, Leitung | Christian Döhring, Orgel |
David Hambleton, Orgel | Pfrn. Renate von Ballmoos; Meinrad Furrer, kath. Seelsorger

1.01 Thomas Tallis (1505 – 1585): «O Lord, give thy Holy Spirit into our hearts»
1.02 Lied 499: Komm, Schöpfer Geist
1.03 Come Down, O Love Divine
1.04 Gabriel Fauré (1845 – 1924): «Cantique Jean Racine»
1.05 Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934): «The Spirit of the Lord is upon me»
1.06 Predigt mit Orgelimprovisationen
1.07 Lied 514, Veni Sancte Spiritus
1.08 Lied 504, O Heilger Geist, kehr bei uns ein
1.09 Segen und Orgelausgangsspiel

Festakt zur Einweihung der Conacher-Orgel
Pfingstmontag, 25. Mai 2015, 19.00 Uhr
Chor Inscriptum | Martin Ulrich, Kantor | Ernst Bartmann, Orgel | Kristjan Döhring, Leitung

1.10 Grussworte
2.01 Ralph Vaughan-Williams (1872 – 1958), aus: Five Mystical Songs, Nr. 1 „Easter“
2.02 Wolfgang Sauseng (*1956), aus: In angustiis, Toccata | Litanei (Introitus/Kyrie)
2.03 Five Mystical Songs, Nr. 2 „I got me flowers“
2.04 In angustiis, Alleluja (Hommage à Jehan Alain)
2.05 Gedichte
2.06 Five Mystical Songs, Nr. 3 „Love bade me welcome“
2.07 In angustiis, Mittelalterliches Lied
2.08 Five Mystical Songs, Nr. 4 „The Call“
2.09 Gedichte
2.10 In angustiis, Meditation – Dank (Communio)
2.11 Five Mystical Songs, Nr. 5 „Antiphon“
2.12 Henry Balfour Gardiner (1877 – 1950), Te lucis ante terminum, Hymnus für die Komplet
19
Jun, 2011

Britten Noye’s Fludde, Op 59 – Predigerkirche, Zürich

«Es ist keine schlechte Sache, wenn ein Künstler versucht, allen möglichen Leuten dienlich zu sein. Darum bereitet es mir persönlich Vergnügen, Stücke für besondere Anlässe zu schreiben – Musik für Kinder oder Amateure…»

Der englische Komponist Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) hat seine Aussage immer wieder in die Tat umgesetzt. Am 18. Juni 1958 kam es in der Orford Church in Aldeburgh zur Uraufführung seiner Kirchenoper «Noye’s Fludde», geschrieben im Stil eines mittelalterlichen Mysterienspiels und als pädagogisches Projekt für musikalische Arbeit mit Kindern konzipiert. Mit einfachen Mitteln wird hier die biblische Geschichte der grossen Flut erzählt, wobei agierende Kinder im Mittelpunkt stehen.

Inszenierung | Sabine Appenzeller
Musikalische Leitung | David Christie
Bühne/Ausstattung | Daniel Lienhard

MusikerInnen | SchauspielerInnen
Ulrich Acolas, Antonia Frey, Christian Döhring, Urs Haas, Ramin Kashani, David Aschmann, Renate von Ballmoos, Seán Christie, Severin Hosang, Ivo Mohr, Bettina Rutgers, Silvia Nitschke, Leonie Glave, Jacob Stotz

Kinder und Jugendliche | SängerInnen und InstrumentalistInnen
Solisten und Konzertchor der Jugendmusikschule der Stadt Zürich (Wolfgang Schady)
Kinderorchester Rüti/MZOL
JMS Winterthur/MS Zollikon (Stefano Lai)
Jugendspiel Langnau/MS Baar (Petra und Ivo Mohr)
Kantonsschule Romanshorn (Matthias Blumer)

____________________

In June 2011, three performances of Britten’s “Noye’s Fludde” took place in the Prediger Church in Zurich, under the “inscriptum” banner.

The material here is in German and shows the high degree of professionality of the whole event. To get access to photographs, follow this link.

There was a write up in the Reformed Church newspaper, “reformiert”: here is the link.

Here are the Flyer and the Programmheft (in German).

To see some short video excerpts click here.

Here are MP3 audio tracks from the performance on 15th June 2011:

Track 0: Preliminary announcements
Track 1: Beginning
Track 2: God commands Noah to build a boat
Track 3: …one hundred cubits long…
Track 4: The boat is built by the Noah family
Track 5: Noah blesses the boat
Track 6: Noah tells his wife that the boat will be their home
Track 7: God commands Noah to get his family into the boat
Track 8: The animals arrive in pairs…
Track 9: Noah tells his wife to come into the boat
Track 10: The storm
Track 11: The raven is sent to search for land
Track 12: The dove is sent to search for land
Track 13: Noah thanks God that the land has been found again
Track 14: God tells Noah to leave the boat with the animals
Track 15: God makes the rainbow as reminder of the flood
Track 16: “The spacious firmament…”
Track 17: God blesses Noah
Track 18: Applause
In full (large file!)
26
Dec, 2010
Christmas tree

Noël – Twelve Days of Christmas in Bruggen, SG

“Noël”: Twelve Days of Christmas service in the Reformed Church in Bruggen, SG

Twelve professional singers interpret Christmas music a capella, directed by David Christie.

The service weaves music and text together. Members of the Church, from young to old, read related texts. Carols and Christmas music are interspersed. This post-Christmas gift delightfully brings professionals and amateurs together, in the spirit of Christmas cheer.

Programme

Eingangsmusik: Chor Bennett – Out of your sleep
Gruss und Einführung
Chor trad. Catalan – El Noi de la Mare
Gebet zum Ankommen
Chor Tomás Luis de Victoria – O Magnum Mysterium
Lesung
Chor französisch, arr. Joseph Jennings – Noël nouvelet
Lesung
Chor
Gemeinde mit Chor		 Walton – What cheer
RG 400 Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen (Kirchengesangbuch)
Lesung
Chor Personent Hodie
Lesung
Chor trad. spanisch – Y la Virgen le dezia
Francisco Guerrero – A un niño llorando
Fürbitte / Gebet
Unser Vater (Glocke)
Chor Warlock – Lullaby my Jesus
Kollekte ansagen
Mitteilungen
Gemeinde mit Chor RG 408 Dies ist der Tag, den Gott gemacht (Kirchengesangbuch)
Segen
Chor The Virgin Mary had a baby boy (Spiritual)
Punch and Cookies…
Chor (during Punch) “The Twelve Days of Christmas”

 

This musicmakers production took place on 26th December 2010 at 5 pm in the Reformed Church in Bruggen, St. Gallen:

  • The MP3 files on this page were recorded live in the Reformed Church in Bruggen, St. Gallen on 26th December 2010 © musicmakers
  • The Programme (German)

30
Nov, 2008

Advent in Bruggen, SG — Nine Lessons and Carols 2008

Advent service from Great Britain. Twelve professional singers interpret Advent and Christmas music both a capella and with accompaniment. The music is directed by David Christie, assisted by Nicola Cittadin (organ).

The “Nine lessons and carols” service weaves music and text together. Members of the Church, from young to old, read nine bible readings telling the Christmas story. Carols and Christmas music from five centuries in Latin, German, and Old and Modern English, are interspersed. This pre-Christmas gift delightfully combines the Swiss and British cultures, bringing professionals and amateurs together, fully in the spirit of Christmas cheer.

Programme

Organ Einklang: In dulci jubilo
Introductory words followed by the Lord’s Prayer
Carol In dulci jubilo [+] arr. Westbrook and Pearsall
1st Lesson Genesis iii 8-15 God declares his judgement
Carol Torches [*] John Joubert (*1927)
2nd Lesson Isaiah ix 2,6-7 Isaiah announces the coming king
Hymn „O Heiland, reiss die Himmel auf“ KGB 361
Carol Make we joy now in this fest [*] William Walton (1902 − 1983)
3rd Lesson Micah v 2-5 God promises a ruler from Bethlehem
Carols Coventry Carol [+] Kenneth Leighton
Susanni [+] Richard Rodney Bennett
4th Lesson Luke i 26-33,38 The angel comes to Mary
Carols A Hymn to the Virgin+ Benjamin Britten
There is no rose of such virtu [+] John Joubert
5th Lesson Matthew i 18-25 God’s purpose is explained to Joseph
Carol In the bleak mid-winter [*] Christina Rossetti (1830 − 1894) / Harold Darke (1888 − 1976)
6th Lesson Luke ii 1-7 Jesus is born
Carol A spotless rose [*] Herbert Howells (1892 − 1983)
7th Lesson Luke ii 8-16 The shepherds go to the stable
Carol Riu, riu, chiu [+] Trad.
8th Lesson Matthew ii 1-2,7-11 Travellers come from the east
Carol No small wonder [++] Paul Edwards
Hymn „Macht hoch die Tür“ KGB 363
9th Lesson John i 1-14 The Word becomes flesh
Carol Sir Christèmas [+] William Mathias
Prayers and Blessing
Choir We wish you a Merry Christmas [*] Trad.

 

The MP3 files on this page recorded live [*] in the Reformed Church Hinwil on 4th December 2005, [+] in the Reformed Church, Hinwil on 7th December 2008, and [++] in St. Andrews Church, Zürich on 12th December 2008 © musicmakers

5
Apr, 2007

Maundy Thursday 2007

Music and words for Maundy Thursday in the Reformed Church in Hinwil

Modern composers have not neglected Holy Week as a source of inspiration for creating moving music. In “quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence”, Francis Poulenc produced one of his most outstanding sacred works, full of fascinating sounds and effects, seldom heard here in Switzerland.

Francesco Saverio Pedrini, born in Italy in 1973, based his organ fantasia on the Gregorian chant “terra tremuit” (offertorium for Easter Sunday) and thus built a particularly exciting bridge between our time and the middle ages.

Guy Bovet, a Swiss organist and composer born in 1942, is well known around the world for his skilled interpretation on the organ. He wrote the meditative and calm piece “Ricercare” for his own instrument.

The programme is rounded off with two outstanding works from the 16th century. The composer Orlando di Lasso who lived in what is today known as Belgium was a renaissance genius – witty, innovative and far ahead of his time. His six voice motet “timor et tremor” for unaccompanied choir is one of the best-known works from that period, and was also inspiration for Poulenc’s first motet.

The Dutchman Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was not only a notable organist of the renaissance and early baroque periods, but was also a prolific composer. One of his well-known organ works was the variation on the German folksong “Mein junges Leben hat ein End”.

The music is linked together by meditative texts on Holy Week and Easter themes read by Rolf Diezi.

Programme

organ Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562 − 1621) Six variations on “Mein junges Leben hat ein End”
 
a capella choir Orlando di Lasso (1532 – 1594)
Timor et tremor Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me
 
solo voice Terra Tremuit (plain chant)
organ Francesco Saverio Pedrini (*1973) Fantasia super Terra Tremuit
 
a capella choir Francis Poulenc (1899 − 1963) Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence
Timor et tremor Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me
Vinea mea electa O my noble vine, I did plant thee
Tenebræ factæ sunt Darkness came over the land
Tristis est anima mea My soul is exceeding sorrowful
 
organ Guy Bovet (*1942) Ricercare

 

This musicmakers production took place on 5th April 2007 at 20:00 in the Reformed Church in Hinwil:

  • The MP3 files on this page were recorded live in the Reformed Church Hinwil on 5th April 2007 © musicmakers (owing to a problem with the recording machine during the concert, the fourth Poulenc motet recording was made during the dress rehearsal and the Bovet separately on 12th April 2007)
  • “Zürcher Oberländer” newspaper report
  • Programme

4
Dec, 2005

“Make We Joy Now In This Fest!” — Nine Lessons and Carols 2005

Advent concert in the Reformed Church in Hinwil

Christmas music from Great Britain. Sixteen professional singers interpreted English Christmas music both a capella and with accompaniment. The music was directed by David Christie, assisted by Dora Wenger (organ), Christine Bircher (guitar), and Silvan Hürlimann and Daniel Merki (percussion).

The “Nine lessons and carols” service weaves music and text together. Members of the Church, from young to old, read nine bible readings telling the Christmas story. Carols and Christmas music from five centuries in Latin, Old and Modern English, are interspersed. This pre-Christmas gift delightfully combined the Swiss and British cultures, bringing professionals and amateurs together, fully in the spirit of Christmas cheer.

Collection for charity. In the tradition of Charles Dickens’ well-known Christmas Story, the collection was for the HEKS Project “Development perspectives for temple servants and their children” in the Southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. CHF 2612.40 was collected.

Programme

Introductory words followed by the Lord’s Prayer
Carol Nova, Nova Manuscript from the 15th century
1st Lesson Genesis iii 8-15 God declares his judgement
Carols Balulalow Peter Warlock (1894 − 1930)
Torches John Joubert (*1927)
2nd Lesson Isaiah ix 2,6-7 Isaiah announces the coming king
Carol Make we joy now in this fest William Walton (1902 − 1983)
3rd Lesson Micah v 2-5 God promises a ruler from Bethlehem
Hymn O Little Town of Bethlehem Trad. arr. Ralph Vaughan-Williams (1872-1958)
4th Lesson Luke i 26-33,38 The angel comes to Mary
Carols Gabriel, fram heven-king „Angelus ad virginem“, middle ages song
Gaudete Originally a song: manuscript from the 15th century
5th Lesson Matthew i 18-25 God’s purpose is explained to Joseph
Carol In the bleak mid-winter Christina Rossetti (1830 − 1894) / Harold Darke (1888 − 1976)
6th Lesson Luke ii 1-7 Jesus is born
Carol A spotless rose Herbert Howells (1892 − 1983)
7th Lesson Luke ii 8-16 The shepherds go to the stable
Carols Lute book lullaby Peter Hayward (*1955)
A babe is born Peter Racine Fricker (1920 − 1990)
8th Lesson Matthew ii 1-2,7-11 Travellers come from the east
Carol The Three Kings Peter Cornelius arr. Ivor Atkins
9th Lesson John i 1-14 The Word becomes flesh
Carols Benedicamus Domino Peter Warlock (1894 − 1930)
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day John Gardner (*1917)
Prayers and Blessing
Carol Tomorrow shall be my dancing day (reprise)
Choir We wish you a Merry Christmas Trad.

 

This musicmakers production took place on 4th December 2005 at 17:00 in the Reformed Church in Hinwil:

  • The MP3 files on this page were recorded live in the Reformed Church Hinwil on 4th December 2005 © musicmakers (with many thanks to Dani Lindenmann)
  • “Zürcher Oberländer” newspaper report
  • Programme (German)

    NB: Cornelia Wermelinger could not sing in the concert for personal reasons. Her place in the sopranos was taken by Sibylle Fischer. Christiane Jacobi sung alto in place of Sibylle Fischer. The solo in “Balulalow” was sung by Sibylle Fischer as forseen; the soprano solo in „In the bleak mid-winter“ was performed by Janna Scheipers)