Tomás Luis de Victoria (c

Julius Harrison (1885 - 1963)
Open Thy gates

Open thy gates to him, who weeping waits,
And might come in, but that held back by sin.
Let mercy be so kind to set me free,
And I will strait come in.
[words: R. Herrick]

Tomás Luis de Victoria (c. 1548 – 1611)

Cum beatus Ignatius

5 part motet

Part 1

When blessed Ignatius was condemned to the beasts, and in the pangs of suffering heard the roaring lions, he said: I am the grain of Christ, l shall be ground by the teeth of beasts, and found to be like pure bread.

Part 2

Let fire, the cross, beasts, the breaking of bones and

quartering, and the torturing of the entire body and all the torments of the devil – let them come upon me, such that I shall delight in Christ.

arr. Norman Luboff (1917 – 1987)
Were you there?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh sometimes it makes me want to tremble,
To tremble, my Lord.

arr. Harry Thacker Burleigh (1866 – 1949)
My Lord, what a mornin’

My Lord, what a mornin’
When de stars begin to fall.
Done quit all my worl’ly ways
Jine dat hebbenly ban’.

Judith Weir (b. 1954)

Like to the falling of a star

for choir and organ

Like to the falling of a star,

Or as the flights of eagles are;

Or like the fresh Spring’s gaudy hue;

Or silver drops of morning dew;

Or like the wind that chafes the flood;

Or bubbles which on water stood;

Ev’n such is man, whose borrowed light

Is straight called in, and paid to night.

The wind blows out; the bubble dies;

The Spring entombed in Autumn lies;

The Dew dries up; the star is shot;

The flight is past: and man forgot.

James Macmillan (b. 1959)

The Gallant Weaver

[words: Robert Burns]

Soprano soloists: Suzanne Longley

Lindsey Nicholls

Charlotte Treglowan

Where Cart rins rowin to the sea
By monie a flower and spreading tree,
There lives a lad, the lad for me -
He is a gallant weaver!
O, I had wooers aught or nine,
They gied me rings and ribbons fine,
And I was fear'd my heart wad tine,
And I gied it to the weaver.

My daddie sign'd my tocher-band
To gie the lad that has the land;
But to my heart I'll add my hand,
And give it to the weaver.
While birds rejoice in leafy bowers,
While bees delight in opening flowers
While corn grows green in summer showers,
I love my gallant weaver.

Francisco Guerrero (1528 – 1599)
Maria Magdalene

6 part choir

Part 1

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had bought spices that they might come and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sun. Alleluia.
Part 2
And they entered into the sepulchre and saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he said unto them: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. Alleluia.

arr. Moses Hogan (1957 - 2003)
We shall walk through the valley in peace

We shall walk through the valley in peace, for Jesus himself will be our leader.
We will meet our loved ones there,
There will be no trials there.
We shall walk through the valley in peace.

Ezekiel Saw de Wheel

Ezekiel saw de wheel ‘way up in de air.
An’ de lil’ wheel run by faith, oh yes, an’ de big wheel run by de grace of God. ‘Tis a wheel in a wheel in de middle of de wheel way up in de middle of de air.
Oh, some go to church fo’ to sing and shout, and befo’ six months dey’s all turned out.
Let me tell you what a hypocrit’ do. He’ll talk about me and he’ll talk about you.
I’m goin’ jine the heav’nly choir when dis worl’ is set on fiyer, One o’ dese days, ‘bout twelve o’clock, dis ole worl’ gonna reel and rock.

End of programme

The Singers

Sopranos

Jennifer Asquith

Kate Bredin

Suzanne Longley

Lindsey Nicholls

Katherine Styles

Charlotte Treglowan

Gaby Wright

Altos

Louise Edwards

Rose Haslam

Ann Hill

Alice Metherell

Alison Rudd

Ellen Thomson

Tenors

Paul Banks

Scott McCall

Michael Oswald

Richard Pomfret

Basses

Richard Kerr

Stephen Locks

Gerry Young

Ian Wainwright

Musical Director

Donald Halliday

The Singers is a chamber choir of around twenty five mixed voices based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The choir draws its singers mainly from Newcastle and Northumberland but some singers travel considerable distances to participate in choir events. Currently we have singers who travel from Carlisle, Chester, Bradford, Leeds and Durham.

The choir aims to maintain a sweetness and clarity of tone which is particularly appropriate for the earlier choral repertoire which is one of its specialities.

A high standard of musicianship and sight-reading is required as the group does not meet on a regular weekly basis largely owing to the numerous other musical commitments of members.

Later this year The Singers will be giving Christmas Concerts in Alnwick, Darlington, Carlisle, Hexham and Newcastle and launching a new CD of Christmas carols. In the first half of 2004 the choir will sing High Mass for Epiphany in Durham Cathedral and give concerts in Haddington, Newcastle and London.

You can find out more about The Singers at our web site at www.singers.org.uk.