London: Première of Westminster Mass for Boys' Voices by Jeremy de Satgé

The Westminster Mass for Boys' Voices by Jeremy de Satgé will be sung for the first time by Westminster Cathedral Choristers, directed by Martin Baker, on Tuesday, 14 January at 5.30pm

All are warmly invited to attend this Première and to meet with the composer afterwards.

Jeremy de Satgé writes: "I have for some time now wanted to write a Mass for the boy choristers of Westminster Cathedral. On Tuesday evenings the choristers sing on their own – the lay clerks’ day off – and it is with this in mind that I have written this piece - hence there being no Gloria. Wanting it to contain the sound of Westminster, the Mass is structured around the familiar Westminster chime. When writing this I had both the sound of the choristers and the acoustic of the cathedral in mind, particularly when it comes to the vocal line. The piece is meant to be quite intense with a passionate cry for mercy in the Kyrie; but also intimate with sections for solo voices or semi-chorus, drawing the listener in to the music and helping the faithful in their prayer.

I recall singing Britten’s Missa Brevis as a boy chorister myself in the 1960s and the excitement of singing something that was then quite new. Westminster Cathedral Choir has a fine tradition of performing new works and I sincerely hope that this will prove a useful addition to the sacred choral repertoire of Mass settings for upper voices."

For more information see: www.themusicmakers.org/L031Premiere.htm