Sunday 5 December 2010

Writtle Christmas Market

















Writtle Singers' glorious table of goodies all ready for the Writtle Christmas Market Tombola

















...and the sale is underway


Well done everyone for selling out and making a lovely profit for the Singers

Saturday 13 November 2010

Remember?

Here is Michael Gray's Review of our Gunpowder,Treason and Plot concert

GUNPOWDER TREASON AND PLOT
Writtle Singers at All Saints' Church
06.11.10

As the nation celebrated Diwali – festival of lights – and the thwarting of the 5/11 terrorist plot, Writtle Singers presented a typically thought-provoking programme of choral music centred around that first Guy Fawkes Night.
Hundreds of flames burned in the church, which boasts a real chandelier, and more candles lit the way from the lych gate.
The music, structured around the perfect 4 part mass of William Byrd, Catholic survivor and protégé of the Petre family, also included Dowland and Peter Philips – a song of rejoicing for the accession of James I.
The mass, first sung by the Petre household in Ingatestone Hall, was sensitively interpreted here by the Writtle Singers under Christine Gwynn; I particularly admired the Credo, the carefully crafted power of the Benedictus, and the final Agnus Dei, sung in darkness before the altar rail.
Other of Byrd's works included here were Rejoice, Rejoice, with a fine solo alto, and Why Do I Use My Paper, Ink and Pen, inspired by the martyrdom of Thomas Campion.
The historical background, including Fawkes's own verbatim confession, was read by Martyn Richards. He reminded us that we do well to reflect, as the barrage of explosives echoes around us, how quickly the fear of difference turns into oppression and terror …

Friday 15 October 2010

Remember, remember...........

the sixth of November!!

GUNPOWDER, TREASON & PLOT

Do come and join Writtle Singers with Martyn Richards narrator

Saturday 6 November 7.30pm

All Saints’ Church, Writtle near Chelmsford CM1 3DT

In the later 1500s Essex was home to a leading branch of the recusant Catholic community, including composer William Byrd and the Petre family of Ingatestone, who maintained their faith in secrecy and at risk of death.

In November 1605 a group of young Catholic men responded to this persecution by plotting an explosion designed to kill the king and his family plus the entire nobility, senior clergy and judiciary of England.

Through music by Byrd and his contemporaries, both protestant and catholic - including de Monte, Philips, Dering and Dowland - and narration read by Martyn Richards we venture behind the scenes of 5.11......

Tickets:

£12 [£10 only if purchased before 6 Nov] ;

£5 full-time students [£3 only if purchased before 6 Nov]

free admission for children under 16.

· book online at www.writtlesingers.org
· purchase tickets in person at James Dace in Chelmsford,
· phone the box office on 01277 658183

Venue and other info at www.writtlesingers.org

Sunday 3 October 2010

Chelmsford Cathedral Friday lunchtime concerts - free!

From the cathedral website:
On Fridays from 12.30pm to 1.15pm there is a regular programme of lunchtime concerts in the Cathedral. These range in variety from organ recitals to chamber and school music concerts. The organ recitals are regularly on the first Friday of the month and full details of concerts can be found below.

Admission is free, but we welcome your contribution towards our expenses. Light refreshments are available in the Cathedral from 12 noon, or you are welcome to bring your own if you wish.

Autumn programme

Wednesday 29 September 2010

Remember, remember......

the sixth of November!!

GUNPOWDER, TREASON & PLOT

Do come and join Writtle Singers with Martyn Richards narrator

Saturday 6 November 7.30pm

All Saints’ Church, Writtle near Chelmsford CM1 3DT

In the later 1500s Essex was home to a leading branch of the recusant Catholic community, including composer William Byrd and the Petre family of Ingatestone, who maintained their faith in secrecy and at risk of death.

In November 1605 a group of young Catholic men responded to this persecution by plotting an explosion designed to kill the king and his family plus the entire nobility, senior clergy and judiciary of England.

Through music by Byrd and his contemporaries, both protestant and catholic - including de Monte, Philips, Dering and Dowland - and narration read by Martyn Richards we venture behind the scenes of 5.11......

Tickets:

£12 [£10 only if purchased before 6 Nov] ;

£5 full-time students [£3 only if purchased before 6 Nov]

free admission for children under 16.

· book online at www.writtlesingers.org
· purchase tickets in person at James Dace in Chelmsford,
· phone the box office on 01277 658183

Venue and other info at www.writtlesingers.org

Wednesday 15 September 2010

underhand?

Just in case any of you stayed awake whilst I was mentioning stuff about viol bowing and varieties of modern double bass bowing (wrt renaissance singing - see, there was a conncetion) you might have some fun with the wikipedia double bass article - note the opening bits and the sections on bowing.

Or have more fun here at Drawing your bow

Looking forward to great sounds in Byrd next week :-)

Cx

Wednesday 21 July 2010

Wrevealed

Wrevealed was a concert with a difference...... Here is Micheal Gray's review

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Times review of Writtle Singers singing Mahler 2

Here is
Publish Post
the Times review of our performance of Mahler 2 on Sunday!

Monday 3 May 2010

Writtle Singers at the Royal Festival Hall

Writtle Singers at the Royal Festival Hall



Members of Writtle Singers under the direction of Christine Gwynn gave a super début performance in the Clore Ballroom of the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 2nd May, singing many of the items from their latest CD. Jonathan Rathbone looked on appreciatively as they performed his three folk song arrangements.

Phone 01277 651970 to order the CD

Monday 15 March 2010

Chelmsford Library display goes live

New library display about Writtle Singers cathedral concert on 27 March was installed today, and starts to attract interest as soon as it is finished.


Wednesday 10 March 2010

Petr Eben Sunday Music

Take a peek at this clip of Gillian Weir - as recommended by James! How exciting that we shall hear this live on 27 March at Chelmsford Cathedral!

Wednesday 10 February 2010

Czech out Writtle Singers at Chelmsford Cathedral!


Saturday 27 March, 7.30pm, Chelmsford Cathedral

Czech composer Janacek's evocative setting of the Lord’s Prayer, Otčenáš is just one of the works that Writtle Singers will be singing this spring as they make their first excursion to sing in Chelmsford Cathedral, for a concert with cathedral organ scholar James Norrey. In addition to the cathedral organ, the Singers will be accompanied for this very varied and colourful programme by Finnish harpist Satu Salo, and Essex percussionist Katy Elman. As well as Otčenáš, the main works will be Roxanna Panufnik’s atmospheric Westminster Mass, written for the 75th birthday of Cardinal Basil Hume in 1998, and Leonard Bernstein’s vibrant and colourful Chichester Psalms, commissioned for the Southern Cathedrals' Festival in 1965.

All tickets £12. You can book by phone on 01277 658183, buy from James Dace & Son, Chelmsford, or book online via www.writtlesingers.org

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Writtle Singers Quiz

Writtle Singers' annual quiz is on
30th January 2010
7.30pm
Writtle Christian Centre
Teams of up to 8 people
£10 per ticket includes Fish and Chip Supper
Proceeds towards choir funds

Phone 01277 624139 to book