José Mauricio Nunés Garcia

Zemira

Bach

Cantata No.82, Ich habe genung 

Haydn

Symphony No.26 in, D minor (Lamentatione; Weihnachtssymphonie) 

Vaughan Williams

Five Mystical Songs

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BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Harry Bicket  conductor

Julien Van Mellaerts   baritone

BBC National Chorus of Wales

The spirit of Easter, although subtle, permeates this concert, with Harry Bicket returning to the helm of BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales. Brazilian composer José Maurício Nunes Garcia kicks off the evening with his Zemira Overture, and sublime baritone Julien Van Mellaerts performs Bach’s Ich habe genug. With text recounting the purification of Mary, and pronouncing the desires of escaping earthly misery to be reunited with Jesus this work is a perfect fit for any Easter concert.

It is perhaps little know that Haydn’s Symphony No. 26 was in fact written for Easter, although when we look deeper into the music there are plentiful less-than-subtle hints. Written in typical Sturm and drang – storm and stress – the minor key and thundery atmosphere underpin Passiontide plainsong quotations, more pertinent for a church than the concert hall. Also written for Easter is Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs, which sets four texts from ‘The Temple: Sacred Poems’ by Welsh poet and priest George Herbert. Intrinsically spiritual and direct in delivery, the five movements contrast from quiet and meditative to triumphant shouts of praise.