And There Was LIGHT !
Join us on Saturday 4th May 2024 and explore
Haydn's ‘Creation’
with Christ's Hospital School's Director of Music James Bartlett in a workshop / masterclass environment.
Secure your place by ordering and paying for tickets >> BOOK TICKETS
The Music
Joseph Haydn composed "The Creation" in 1797-1798, influenced by the English oratorio tradition and in particular Handel’s ‘Messiah’. Haydn’s previous career was dominated by the writing of orchestral music, but hearing ‘Messiah’ motivated him to showcase his musical prowess and celebrate the wonders of the natural world through a choral work. Haydn collaborated with librettist Baron van Swieten to craft a vivid depiction of the creation story, combining words from Genesis, the Psalms and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Through intricate orchestration, thematic development, and innovative choral writing, Haydn brought the text to life, portraying the unfolding of creation with depth and emotional resonance. Premiering in Vienna in 1799, "The Creation" received widespread acclaim for its universal themes and profound spiritual resonance. Haydn's masterpiece continues to inspire awe and wonder, serving as a testament to his enduring legacy as a musical innovator and spiritual visionary.
The whole work would take the best part of two hours to perform so we will be focusing on the major choruses, with a sing through of these at the end of the workshop.
Our Director for the day
James Bartlett is the Director of Music at Christ’s Hospital school, a highly experienced musician, conductor and professional singer. Originally from Pembrokeshire he read music at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, where he held a choral scholarship and sang with Sidney Sussex College Choir and King’s College Choir with whom he recorded, broadcast, and toured internationally.
Beyond Christ’s Hospital, James maintains a busy portfolio of professional singing work as a bass-baritone with choirs in London and as a soloist across the country. He is a course director for the Rodolfus Choral Courses, and is a musical director for the National Youth Music Theatre.
His recent conducting of “The Armed Man” at Christ’s Hospital was a joy to be part of either as a singer or as audience, driven by James’s enthusiastic personality. This workshop will no doubt be informative, interesting, but above all great fun and a big sing.
The Workshop
Provisional timings are:
Registration - 10.30 a.m. for 11.00 start. Coffee and Tea provided as you arrive
13.15 to 13.45 - Short lunch break
13.45 to 15.30 - Continued workshop
15.30 to 16.30 - Run through of the complete work
Our Accompanist
Our Accompanist for the day will be Jonathan Lee, organist at Christ’s Hospital sinceJanuary 2023. He trained at the Junior Academy, Stellenbosch, and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He is now the regular Accompanist for Christ's Hospital Choral Society.
Book your place
Time, Date & Place :-
11.00 a.m. Saturday 4th May 2024
Big School, Christ's Hospital, Horsham
All are welcome but if you have sung ‘Creation’ before you will enjoy the day all the more
Terms and Conditions
Tickets are £20 each, with a reduction for members of Christ’s Hospital Choral Society. The ticket price includes refreshments in the morning and in the afternoon, as well as the loan of music. You should bring your own lunch and please not there are no facilities to buy food at Christ's Hospital.
A copy of the music will be loaned to you on the day for return at the end. You will be asked for a deposit of £5.00 which will be refunded at the end on return of your copy. If you have your own copy feel free to bring it, regardless of the edition.
Full joining instructions, details about car parking and public transport etc will be emailed to all ticket purchasers a few days before the event.
In the meantime if you have any questions please email workshop@chchoralsoc.org