The weekend of Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October sees the annual Art on the Hill art trail in Windmill Hill, South Bristol. At 7.30pm on Sunday 6 october, The Fitzhardinge Consort are delighted to be giving a concert at St Michael & All Angels, Windmill Hill, highlighting the relationship of music and art through the ages.
The arts trail sees venues and homes on Windmill Hill open to a broad range of artists and workshops for the weekend. In addition to these many exciting artists exhibiting in their own homes and community spaces, there are workshops for children, a treasure hunt, and live music throughout the weekend.
The beautiful church of St Michael & All Angels is a venue for the arts trail, and a wonderful venue for this concert. Expect our trademark mix of Tudor polyphony and close harmony, but with an artistic slant.
The concert is free to attend, and a retiring collection will be split between the Church and the Consort.
For more information about the various things you can see and experience on the Art on the Hill trail, visit their website at Art on the Hill.
On Saturday 18 May 2019, Fitz joined Bristol Phoenix Choirand the Corelli Orchestra for a performance of J. S. Bach’s great choral work, the Mass in B Minor, in Clifton Cathedral.
Paul Walton conductor Daisy Walford soprano Rob Waters alto Chris Lombard tenor Daniel Robson bass
“The Bristol Phoenix Choir, founded in 1963, is a thriving and highly active ensemble of about 70 singers. Their Conductor is Paul Walton, Assistant Organist of Bristol Cathedral and a good friend of Fitz. We thoroughly look forward to this exciting collaboration.”
Date: Saturday 18 May Time: 7.45pm Venue: Clifton Cathedral, Bristol
Tickets £15 Students £5 Under 16s Free. Available from Opus 13, St Michael’s Hill 0117 9230164, ticket office 07931 812625
On 22 June 2019, Fitz returns to Holy Trinity Church, Abbots Leigh, for a sunny summer’s evening of eclectic repertoire, featuring the Consort‘s first ever performance of J. S. Bach’s virtuosic jewel, Singet dem Herrn. Other repertoire to include…
Two beautiful and contrasting motets by Victoria – Salve Regina (a 8) & Lauda Sion
Sing Joyfully – Byrd
Bring us o Lord God – Harris
Litany to the Holy Spirit – Peter Hurford (died this year)
…then grab a glass of something chilled to enjoy during a jazzier second half, which may see a reappearance of J. S. Bach…
The idyllic village of Abbots Leigh lies a short hop over the suspension bridge from Bristol. To learn more about the venue, click here
This concert is generously supported by Opus 13, Fitzhardinge‘s favourite Bristol music shop. Click their name to visit the website.
On Thursday 15th August, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption, marking the ascent of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. The Fitzhardinge Consort is delighted to be singing Choral Evensong at Bristol Cathedral for this celebration.
Fortunately for musicians, the mother of Christ has inspired some of the most haunting, uplifting, contemplative, beautiful music in the choral repertoire. The service music will be…
Introit: Ave Regina Coelorum – Victoria Magnificat: Buxtehude Nunc Dimittis: Plainsong Anthem: Alma Redemptoris Mater – Victoria Preces & Responses: Byrd
a trio from the performance, sung by members of Fitz before a moment’s silence held for Notre Dame Cathedral
The Fitzhardinge Consort returned to Bristol Cathedral for a special Holy Week performance of Dieterich Buxtehude’s stunning cantata cycle, Membra Jesu Nostri, in the Eastern Lady Chapel, accompanied by a small contingent from the The Fitzhardinge Players – two violins and continuo.
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Date: Tuesday 16 April, 2019 Time: 5.15pm Venue: Bristol Cathedral, Eastern Lady Chapel Free admission
The following notes were provided at the performance of Membra Jesu Nostri (Buxtehude), on 16th April 2019, the day after the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral
Last night a cathedral burned, and the heart of a nation broke. Tonight, The Fitzhardinge Consort comes together in grief and stands with the people of France. During this time of Passiontide especially, one cannot help but call to mind the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem 1,400 years ago. The distance at which we stand from this catastrophic event makes it difficult to comprehend its enormous significance to those who had come to invest so much of their faith and national identity in the foundations of that building. The events of last night provide us with a modicum of understanding.
The reason, however, that we are so sad is not that irreplaceable objects have been lost, tragic though this is. We are sad because we thought Notre Dame would always be there. In the face of our own frailty we build our faith and our identity into great monuments of stone, to stand for ever. Small wonder that when these temples to our own immortality come crashing down, our world shakes. Everything becomes more fragile than we ever thought it could be.
Consider, then, how the followers of Christ might have felt when, in a series of terrifyingly swift events, the man in whom they had put all their faith, whom they had followed through destitution and travail, and who had promised them immortality, was ignominiously mocked, beaten, and brutally murdered.
the moving trio Ad Cor, sung before a silence held for Notre Dame Cathedral
Dieterich Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri is the story of this pain. In a journey across the body of Christ – that seemingly imperishable temple in which the disciples had invested everything – we hear odes to his feet, knees, hands, side, chest, heart and face. The remarkable text – a mixture of scripture and poetry – has been printed and translated for you, to enhance your experience. But the experience is more than the words on the page. Look up; watch the musicians; take in this beautiful chapel; close your eyes. Do whatever you can to allow this extraordinary music to reach beyond your head and touch your heart. After Cantata VI: Ad Cor, we will keep a moment of silence as we remember those people whose world came crashing down last night.
