It has been said that Benjamin Britten’s cantata ‘St Nicolas’ has all the right elements for our ‘Harry Potter’ age: magic (lots of miracles), drama (storm at sea), imprisonment (will he, won’t he get out?) and even a wand – of sorts – in his crozier!

It was, however, written in 1948 for the Centenary of Lancing College, the old school of Peter Pears, Britten’s muse and partner. With the libretto by Eric Crozier, Britten’s cantata tells of the life of the 4^th century Bishop of Myra, recounting some of his most celebrated acts and giving the audience the opportunity of joining in two beautiful hymns at key moments; ‘All people that on earth do dwell’ and ‘God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform.

By way of a contrast, the other half of the programme, ‘Friday Afternoons’ is a group of songs that Britten composed in 1933-35 for the children at his brother, Robert’s prep school in Prestatyn, who always had a singing lesson on Friday afternoons.  The real beauty of these songs is that Britten never wrote down to the children. He chose the texts to mix both dark and light humour with seriousness and romance to create a little world of changing scenes and emotions. ‘Begone, dull care’ is a lively piece contrasting with the gentle story of ‘The Cuckoo’, the nonsense poem of ‘A Tragic Story’, where a man wants his pigtail to hang in front so that he can see it – and several more, leading to the powerful four-part canon of ‘Old Abram Brown’.

Tenor, Dominic Bevan and accompanist, Trevor Brearley will be joining Bearsted Choral Society under the direction of Andrew Lowen on Saturday 16^th November to perform this programme at 7.30 pm. at Holy Cross Church, Bearsted. Tickets £12 will be available on the door or by ringing 01622 734908.

If you would like to join a friendly choral society, whose members really enjoy getting together and singing a variety of music, please come along on Monday evenings at 7.30 pm. We practise at St Peter’s Church, Button Lane, Bearsted ME15 8NJ and we will be delighted to see you.

Jenny Lovelock