Beethoven’s Ninth, and Haydn’s St Nicholas Mass
7:30 pm, Saturday 20 Nov 2027
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Musical Society
Invited orchestra
David Halls -- conductor
About the Concert Programme
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor is a choral work, the final symphony that he completed, composed between 1822 and 1824. It is regarded by many critics as a masterpiece of Western classical music and one of the supreme achievements in the history of music. The Ninth was the first example of a major composer scoring vocal parts in a symphony. The final movement of the symphony, commonly known as the ‘Ode to Joy’, features four vocal soloists and a chorus in the parallel key of D major. The text was adapted from a poem written by Friedrich Schiller in 1785 and revised in 1803, with additional text written by Beethoven.
For much of his life Haydn’s energies were devoted primarily to composing orchestral and instrumental music. The St Nicholas Mass, which was written in 1772, is one of comparatively few choral works that he wrote before he was fifty. The St. Nicholas Mass is not on the same scale as the late masses but it is nevertheless quintessential Haydn in its energy, its tunefulness and, above all, its infectious joy.
Tickets for this concert go on public sale on 17 August 2027
About the Concert Programme
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor is a choral work, the final symphony that he completed, composed between 1822 and 1824. It is regarded by many critics as a masterpiece of Western classical music and one of the supreme achievements in the history of music. The Ninth was the first example of a major composer scoring vocal parts in a symphony. The final movement of the symphony, commonly known as the ‘Ode to Joy’, features four vocal soloists and a chorus in the parallel key of D major. The text was adapted from a poem written by Friedrich Schiller in 1785 and revised in 1803, with additional text written by Beethoven.
For much of his life Haydn’s energies were devoted primarily to composing orchestral and instrumental music. The St Nicholas Mass, which was written in 1772, is one of comparatively few choral works that he wrote before he was fifty. The St. Nicholas Mass is not on the same scale as the late masses but it is nevertheless quintessential Haydn in its energy, its tunefulness and, above all, its infectious joy.
Tickets for this concert go on public sale on 17 August 2027