Over the 40+ years of our work, Stour Singers have established a repertory that holds in balance the power of the traditional choral highlights – the great works of Haydn, Handel, Bach and Mozart – and the innovation of the music that surrounded, inspired and was influenced by them. So we have sung Haydn’s Creation (1982, 1993, 2018), and our performances have included Handel’s Messiah (1993, 1997, 2005, 2011), Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (1986, 2017), and the Mozart Requiem (1986, 1998, 2008).
Alongside these favourites, audiences have been intrigued to discover a cantata by Kuhnau (Uns ist ein Kind geboren, December 2017) long thought to be by Bach; a delightful piece from Michael Haydn, Joseph’s less well-known brother (Run, ye shepherds, Christmas 2014); and Fauré’s Requiem (2005, 2018) which neither commemorated a death nor followed the structure of the traditional mass for the dead.
Singers have been delighted to discover the less familiar patterns of music to be found in twentieth century works: Rutter’s Magnificat (2018), Vaughan Williams’ Five mystical songs (2008, 2016), Britten’s Ceremony of Carols (2013), Ramirez’ Navidad Nuestra (1997, 2007). Equally enjoyable has been the music from the enormous range composed in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by figures such as Vivaldi (Gloria in 1980 and 2013), Monteverdi (Beatus Vir in 2019), and Charpentier (Filius Prodigus in 2016).
A full list of the works we have performed since 2000 can be found at ‘Works Performed’ under the ‘Concerts’ tab.