Past concerts

December 2024 – “Festive Music for Voices, Brass and Organ”

Parry: I was glad
Music for Brass Quintet
Bruckner: Ecce Sacerdos Magnus
Philip Stopford: Locus Iste
Handel: Hallelujah Chorus
Benjamin Britten: A Boy Was Born
arr. J Palmer: Gaudete
Berlioz: The Shepherd’s Farewell
arr.Willcocks: Sussex Carol
Carols for Brass Quintet
Carols for Choir, Audience and Organ
Carols for Choir, Audience, Brass and Organ

Poster
Programme

Audio clips from the concert…

Gaudete
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

June 2024 – “Inspired by folk-song”

Vaughan Williams: ‘In Windsor Forest’
Doppler: Nocturne Op 19 for Flute, Violin, Cello
Vaughan Williams: ‘Five Mystical Songs’
Afton Water (Scottish folk song) arr. David Willcocks
Swansea Town (Welsh folk song) arr. Gustav Holst
The Turtle Dove ( English folk song) arr. Vaughan Williams
‘Bach in Ireland’ Irish Jigs and Reels
Jonathan Palmer: ‘Sweet was those Notes’

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I just wanted to reiterate in writing how much I enjoyed this evening’s performance. Putting together a programme of such variety (and yet tied together with a theme), and then executing it with such panache, is no mean feat and I think we are lucky in Portishead to have a group capable of putting on such concerts so effectively. The choir had a lot of challenging music to learn and sang it all brilliantly, keeping their concentration from the first note to the last. So congratulations to you all!” Marcus Evans

Audio clips from the concert…

Afton Water
Swansea Town
The Turtle Dove
The Brisk Young Widow
Wassail Song

March 2024

Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle

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Programme

December 2023 – “Musica sacra dall’Italia”

Verdi: ‘Ave Maria’ & ‘Stabat Mater’ (from 4 Sacred Pieces)
Puccini: ‘Salve Regina’
Vivaldi: ‘Magnificat’
Tchaikovsky: String Quartet Op. 11 (Andante cantabile)
Christmas carols by Vaughan Williams, Karl Leuner, Richard Terry, John Rutter
Christmas carols for choir and audience (arr. Jonathan Palmer)

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June 2023 – “BRITISH MUSIC FOR A SUMMER’S EVENING”

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’
Handel: Coronation Anthem ‘The King Shall Rejoice’
English songs for tenor voice by Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten and Ian Venables

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March 2023

Haydn: The Creation

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Review by Jonathan Palmer

December 2022

Handel: ‘Awake the Trumpet’s Lofty Sound’ (from ‘Samson’)
Handel: ‘Your Voices Tune’ (from ‘Alexander’s Feast’)
Mozart: ‘Coronation Mass’ in C major, K. 317
A selection of Christmas music

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June 2022 – “Opera, Jazz, and More!”

Folk songs, jazz arrangements and solos
Famous, memorable tunes from the great operas

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March 2022 – “IN TUNE WITH HEAVEN”

Mendelssohn: Hymn of Praise (extracts)
Britten: Three Folk Song Arrangements
Parry: Blest Pair of Sirens
Vaughan Williams: O Be Joyful in the Lord
Jonathan Palmer: She Walks in Beauty (extracts)

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Review

December 2020 – “Gloria! A Celebration of Singing Together Again”

Review by Jonathan Palmer

January 2020

In January 2020 PCS began rehearsing for a concert which was to include Mendelssohn’s “Hymn of Praise” and Parry’s “Blest Pair of Sirens”. The Choir clearly relished the excitement of the music and preparation went well with the choir producing an excellent sound. As the Covid 19 pandemic developed PCS decided to cancel rehearsals until such a time as meeting together was safe again.

December 2019 – A Baroque/Romantic Christmas

Das neugeborne Kindelein: Buxtehude
Christus: Mendelssohn
Messe de Minuit: Charpentier
Magnificat: Durante
Carols for Choir and Audience

June 2019 – From Russia with Love

Liturgy of St John Chrysostom: Rachmaninov
Russian Folk Songs: Shostakovich
Polovtsian Dances: Borodin
Russian Songs

March 2019 – La Plus Belle Musique Sacrée Française

Fauré: Requiem
Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine
Lilli Boulanger: Hymn to the Sun
Franck: Panis Angelicus

December 2018 – Awake the Voice!

A collaborative Christmas-themed concert with Nailsea Choral Society and Chew Valley Choral Society

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Finzi: In terra pax
Palmer: Awake the Voice!

November 2018 – We Will Remember Them

A concert to commemorate the end of WW1

June 2018

Music from the Americas including:
– Ariel Ramirez: Missa Criolla
The choir and its conductor and soloists are to be congratulated on providing a challenging but also very entertaining evening of mostly unfamiliar music, interpreted with gusto and no little finesse.” Peter Hawkins

March 2018

Handel: Messiah
Review

December 2017 – Festive December Concert

Excerpts from:
– Bach: Christmas Oratorio
– Mendelssohn: Elijah
– Borodin: Prince Igor
– Orff: Carmina Burana
Carols for choir and audience

June 2017 – Music from Venice and the Mediterranean

Music by Monteverdi, Gabrielli and Schutz
Well-known songs from France, Spain, Italy and Greece
Review

March 2017 – A Classical Celebration

Mozart: Kyrie K341
Schubert Magnificat D486
Beethoven: Choral Fantasia Op 80
Haydn: Mass in Time of War
“I had no idea there were such resources in Portishead. The choir produced a wonderful programme of music that displayed the enormous talent that surrounds us. BRAVO!” Ian Hawkins

December 2016

Poulenc: Gloria
Opera choruses and Christmas carols

June 2016 – An English Summer Serenade

Music by Morley, Gibbons, Purcell, Parry, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Britten
John Rutter: A Sprig of Thyme
Review

March 2016 – A Grand Tour of the Baroque

Rameau: Les Indes Galantes (excerpts)
Vivaldi: Gloria
Bach: Air from Suite in D
Purcell: King Arthur (excerpts)

December 2015

Rutter: Magnificat
Palmer: Happy Returns
Three Carol Arrangements

June 2015

An Evening at the Opera

March 2015

Haydn: Te Deum
Mozart: Ave verum corpus
Mozart: Requiem

December 2014

Handel: Zadok the Priest
Bach: Magnificat in D
Palmer: Awake the Voice

June 2014

German: Merrie England

March 2014

Gounod: St Cecilia Mass
Bach: Sleepers Wake

December 2013

Handel: Messiah Part 1
Christmas Carols

May 2013

Britten: Rejoice in the Lamb
Bernstein: Chichester Psalms
Dvořák: Mass in D

December 2012

Karl Jenkins: Gloria
Christmas Carols

May 2012

Dyson: Three Songs of Courage
Holst: Five Partsongs, Op 12
Vaughan Williams: Five English Folksongs

March 2012

Bach: St John Passion

December 2011

Vivaldi: Gloria and Magnificat in D
Christmas Carols

May 2011

Puccini: Messa di Gloria
Vaughan Williams: Five Mystical Songs

March 2011

Brahms: A German Requiem

January 2011

Handel: Messiah
Christmas Carols

May 2010

Haydn: Little Organ Mass
Fauré: Requiem

March 2010

Rossini: Petite Messe Solenelle