Category: News

After a successful 2022-3 season which was generously sponsored by Elmley Foundation, Worcesters Arts Council, The Marchus Fund, the Golsoncott Foundation, MEMF and BMEMF we would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all of them.

And of course a big thank you to our loyal and growing audience; we couldn’t do what we do without them!

And now we proudly announce a new season starting in September with our friends the Musical and Amicables, and in October we have newcomers Ensemble Hesperi (who will be supported by Fidelio Trust).

In the later half of the season we look forward to local artists Amarylli: Liz Pallett (lute), with Hannah Grove (soprano), for a February Valentine themed concert, and finally in April Nathaniel Mander and Magdelena Loth-Hill join us for the final concert.

Our previous season was well supported by our growing audience and we found the offer of a season ticket at the first two concerts was very well received so we will be offering the same opportunity at the two opening concerts so watch out for more information on this. There will also be the opportunity to become a Friend of Worcestershire Early Music ( details at each concert)

coming soon…………..Sunday April 16th

Ensemble la Notte will play a programme entitled

Bach, Buxtehude and Beyond,

Kate Allsop (recorder), and Mark Wilson (bassoon) first played for Worcestershire Early Music in a lunchtime concert showcasing students from Birmingham Conservatoire. It was apparent there that we would see them again! They have now graduated and are joined by William Peart (harpsichord)

3pm Angel Centre, Worcester;

Tickets £20 on the door

The Art of Fugue;

Sunday 12^th February 2023 in the Angel Centre at 3pm

The concert given by Worcester’s Musical and Amicable Society was performed in the round to great effect. It was well received by an appreciative audience whose feedback included the following:

“the in-the-round worked very well–a real collective experience…and I liked the poetry sorbets…..”

“a fabulous concert”,

“a wholly immersive experience” and “superb” .

The first half of the concert set the scene with two works employing fugal techniques written before J.S. Bach’s Art of Fugue; Paduan a 4 from Ludi Musici by Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654) and 3 Fantazias by Henry Purcell (1659-1695). The second half of the concert was given to J.S. Bach’s great work the Art of Fugue. Written towards the end of his life (1685-1750) this tour de force of counterpoint was interspersed with verses of a poem of the same title, by contemporary Canadian poet Jan Zwicky aptly describing a performance of Bach’s Art of Fugue. These two art forms complemented each other to enhance the musical performance, providing a thoughtful and contemplative experience.

Members of the Musical and Amicables rehearsing for the afternoon concert