Wimbledon Choral Society – Bernstein: Chichester Psalms – 7:30pm
Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms was commissioned by Chichester Cathedral's then Dean, Walter Hussey, for the Southern Choirs Festival held in the cathedral in 1965 with singers from Salisbury, Chichester and Winchester Cathedrals. He has taken extracts from Psalms 2, 23, 100, 108, 131 & 133, retained the text in Hebrew, and wrapped his typical vibrant, rhythmic, spiritual style around it, incorporating echoes of West Side Story. It has become a unique work for peace and unity.
German-American composer Lukas Foss was a long-time friend of Leonard Bernstein, having met at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He wrote his simply-titled Psalms in 1956 and it draws on extracts from Psalms 23, 95 & 121 with Psalm 98 forming the main body of the work.
Fellow American, Charles Ives, took several decades to complete his Psalm 90, one of twelve Psalm settings he wrote and, according to his wife, the only one amongst his 600 or so compositions with which he was fully satisfied.
Coming full circle, the concert’s programme is completed by British composer Joanna Marsh’s A Psalm for Chichester (Psalm 90), linking back to Bernstein’s text choice of unity and harmony. To cement the link, this work was also commissioned by Chichester Cathedral to mark the Diocese’s 950th Anniversary in 2025. It was premiered by the Cathedral Choir in July 2025 in a concert that also included Bernstein’s work in the same programme that night.
Wimbledon Choral’s full season details can be found by clicking on the image below.
Upcoming Events
Mozart’s Da Ponte Operas: Reinventing the Operatic Voice 11:00 – 13:00
The astounding partnership between Mozart and Da Ponte produced Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi Fan Tutte, featuring many of opera's most complex and memorable roles. Experience the music and meet the characters in this enthralling recital series.
28 Oct Sincerity on Trial
Dropped into comic operas with seria voices, Mozart's tenors don't get the straightforward luxury of being either comic or serious — Don Ottavio and Ferrando can be both noble and laughed at in the same breath. This recital explores the gorgeous, soaring music sung by men the drama refuses to let you trust. What happens when Mozart puts his heartfelt heroes on trial? With tenor, Robert Forrest, and pianist, Lucy Colquhoun.
A Taste of Heaven – 6pm
The Holy Trinity Consort presents a French-Swiss celebration - written in secret and hidden in a drawer for forty years, Frank Martin's Mass for Double Choir is now treasured as one of the twentieth century's great choral discoveries. After the interval, Fauré's sublime Requiem: music of consolation, from the radiant Pie Jesu to the whispered farewell of In Paradisum. We are delighted to welcome Läderach as our partner for the evening, and premium-ticket holders will enjoy an exclusive tasting of their exquisite Swiss chocolate. Candlelight, chocolate and glorious music - an evening to savour at Holy Trinity.
Mozart’s Da Ponte Operas: Reinventing the Operatic Voice 11:00 – 13:00
The astounding partnership between Mozart and Da Ponte produced Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi Fan Tutte, featuring many of opera's most complex and memorable roles. Experience the music and meet the characters in this enthralling recital series.
4 Nov Reason and Desire
Soprano, Ceferina Perry, introduces us to the smartest women in eighteenth-century opera: Susanna outwits everyone; the Countess holds her dignity together with sheer will; Zerlina talks her way out of disaster; and Despina runs the whole con. Mozart and Da Ponte threw out the rulebook for female characters and gave each of them a voice, and a mind, entirely her own. Come and celebrate the women who prove that wit, resilience, and desire is just as operatic as tragedy.