World Premiere

Nantwich World Premiere for New Requiem

A major new choral work received its world premiere by Nantwich Choral Society in St Mary’s Nantwich on Saturday March 26th 2011. ‘Even Such is Time’ by Andrew Mildinhall takes the text of the Requiem Mass and intersperses it with poems by Walter Raleigh, Keats, Edmund Blunden, Elizabeth Jennings and others which reflect on the transitory nature of time, the futility of war, God’s love for humanity and the search for eternal life. The chorus sing the text of the Requiem Mass and as each section unfolds the two soloists comment on it through the texts of the striking and imaginatively selected poems.

Also in the programme was Gabriel Fauré’s much loved Requiem in his original 1893 version which uses violas, cellos, harp, horns, timpani and organ accompaniment. Both works have the same rather unusual orchestration. The choir was accompanied by The Northern Concordia Orchestra (NCS’s fully professional associate orchestra) with soloists Christopher Booth-Jones (for many years principal baritone of English National Opera) and Nantwich based mezzo-soprano Susan Marrs finding time for a local performance within a busy international singing career.

Composer Andrew Mildinhall is well known to local audiences. Before returning to his native Norfolk to concentrate on composing he was previously organist at St Mary’s Church and until recently accompanist for Nantwich Choral Society. His new composition was commissioned by NCS and the concert was supported by a generous legacy from a former member of Nantwich Choral Society.

Commenting on the new work NCS Music Director John Naylor said:

“We are all so impressed and delighted with ‘Even Such is Time’ by Andrew Mildinhall. The texts which Andrew has chosen are very thought provoking, the music he has composed is superb – dramatic, introspective, full of memorable melodic lines and poignant harmonies and delightful to perform. This new work is a worthy companion piece to Fauré’s well known Requiem and it thoroughly deserves to find a permanent place within the standard choral repertoire. I am convinced that this is a genuine opportunity for anyone interested in approachable and moving new music to be present at the first performance of something very special.”