Haydn’s ‘St.Nicholas Mass’ & ‘Theresienmesse’

A Saturday evening concert in Sunderland Minster.

Conducted by David Murray.

Soloists:          Jessica Holmes – Soprano

                        Sally Burchell – Mezzo Soprano

                        Mark Chaundy – Tenor

                       James Oldfield – Bass

Haydn only composed works for the church intermittently for five decades and then between 1796 and 1802 he produced one setting of the mass per year. Hayden, by now in his sixties but still alert to the opportunity for innovation, expanded the format by combining an extended setting of the mass text with the full resources of the orchestra – resulting in the symphonic mass. The St.Nicholas Mass was written earlier, in 1772, and is not on the same scale as the later masses but still demonstrates his tunefulness and joy. The Theresienmesse from 1799 was originally simply entitled ‘Missa’ on its title page but is associated with Marie Therese, the wife of the Emporer Franz ll. It was composed the year after the noted Nelson Mass but is equally masterful.

Tickets £12.00 and £10.00 (Concessions) in the Nave and £6.00 in the Gallery, with limited views. Seats are un-numbered and doors open at 6.45 p.m.

Tickets can now be booked on-line, at a small extra cost, from WeGotTickets at http://www.wegottickets.com/f/2260