Saturday 7 December 2024 7:30pm
Federation Concert Hall, Nipaluna / Hobart
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The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra acknowledges the traditional owners and continuing custodians of Lutruwita / Tasmania. We pay respect to the Aboriginal community today, and to its Elders past and present. We recognise a history of truth, which acknowledges the impacts of colonisation upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and stand for a future that profoundly respects their stories, culture, language and history.
JS Bach Christmas Oratorio BWV248 (120 mins)
selections
20 minute interval
💡 FIRST-TIMER TIP: What’s an oratorio?
An oratorio is a large-scale musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists, usually centered around a story, often with religious themes. Unlike an opera, which involves costumes, sets, and acting, an oratorio is usually performed in a concert setting, without the theatrical elements. The focus is on the music and the text.
Oratorios have key vocal components that make up its structure. We’ll refer to these throughout this program.
Choruses: Large sections for choir that are often dramatic and are central to the story
Arias: Solo songs by our guest vocalists that express emotion and reflect on the narrative
Recitatives: Speech-like singing that’s used to advance the story
Johann Sebastian Bach.
Christmas Oratorio
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
120 minutes
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, composed in 1734 for choir, solo singers and choir, is a musical celebration of the biblical Christmas story. Tracing the birth of Christ, the adoration of the shepherds and the visitation of the Wise Men, Bach draws upon the full resources of orchestra, chorus and vocal soloists to bring poignancy and humanity to the age-old nativity story.
The full oratorio consists of six cantatas (kind of mini-concerts). Each part was meant to be performed on a different day during the Christmas season. This evening you’ll hear four parts; one, two, three and six.
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Conductor
Awarded with an MBE for services to classical music in October 2020, Stephen Layton is one of the most sought-after conductors of his generation. Often described as the finest exponent of choral music in the world today, his ground-breaking approach has had a profound influence on choral music over the last 30 years. Having taken up the post of Principal Conductor of the Slovenian Philharmonic Choir from the start of the 2024/25 season, Layton is also Founder and Director of Polyphony, and Director of Holst Singers. Layton recently stepped down as Fellow and Director of Music at Trinity College Cambridge - a post he held for 17 years. His other former posts include Chief Conductor of Netherlands Chamber Choir, Chief Guest Conductor of Danish National Vocal Ensemble, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of City of London Sinfonia, and Director of Music at the Temple Church, London.
Layton is regularly invited to work with the world’s leading choirs, orchestras and composers, and his recordings have won or been nominated for every major international recording award. With Britten Sinfonia, his eight highly acclaimed recordings include Handel’s Messiah (“Best Messiah recording” – BBC Music Magazine); and with Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, whom he collaborates widely, he has recorded Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, B Minor Mass and St John Passion.
Layton’s interpretations of Bach and Handel have been heard across the globe with orchestras ranging from Academy of Ancient Music to the London Philharmonic and Philadelphia orchestras. Performances include Messiah in Sydney Opera House, the first staged St John Passion with English National Opera, and regular BBC broadcasts of his annual performances of Messiah and St John Passion with Polyphony at St John’s Smith Square, London.
Stephen Layton Conductor
Amy Moore soprano
Hannah Fraser mezzo-soprano
Louis Hurley tenor
Christopher Richardson bass
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
TSO Chorus
Violin
Emma McGrath Concertmaster
Ji Won Kim Associate Concertmaster
Lucy Carrig-Jones Principal Second
Jennifer Owen Principal First
Miranda Carson
Tobias Chisnall
Michael Johnston
Elinor Lea
Susanna Low
Christopher Nicholas
Hayato Simpson
Viola
Caleb Wright Principal
Douglas Coghill
Cello
Jonathan Békés Principal
Nicholas McManus
Double Bass
Stuart Thomson Principal
Flute
Lily Bryant Guest Principal
Maria Hincapie Duque
Oboe
Sarah Young Guest Principal
Dinah Woods Principal Cor Anglais
Dafydd Camp
Alexandra King
Bassoon
Tahnee van Herk Principal
Trumpet
Fletcher Cox Principal
Mark Bain
Darcy O'Malley
Timpani
Matthew Goddard Principal
Organ
Nathan Cox Guest Principal
Warren Trevelyan-Jones Chorus Master
Karen Smithies Repetiteur
Soprano
Christine Boyce
Emma Bunzli
Christine Coombe
Felicity Gifford
Yuliana Hammond
Kasia Kozlowska
Bernadette Large
Loretta Lohberger
Sophia Mitchell
Schuya Murray
Shaunagh O’Neill
Joy Tattam
Lesley Wickham
Alto
Claire Blichfeldt
Sally Brown
Carmelita Coen
Beth Coombe
Elizabeth Eden
Ann Godber
Sue Harradence
Caroline Miller
Sally Mollison
Rosemary Rayfuse
Louise Rigozzi
Georgie Stilwell
Meg Tait
Gill von Bertouch
Beth Warren
Tenor
Helen Chick
Phillip Clutterbuck
Michael Kregor
Bill MacDonald
Tony Marshall
Simon Milton
Dianne O’Toole
David Pitt
James Powell-Davie
Alexander Rodrigues
Peter Tattam
Bass
Geoffrey Attwater
John Ballard
Tim Begbie
Peter Cretan
Jack Delaney
Greg Foot
Sam Hindell
Reg Marron
Michael Muldoon
David Ovens
Tony Parker
Grant Taylor
*Correct at time of publishing
Photo credit: Fin Matson
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