Saturday 29 November 2025 at 7:30pm
Programme:
| Faure | Requiem |
| Mozart | Divertimento in D Major |
| Mozart | Solemn Vespers |
A minibus service will be available if you need transport between Billingshurst and Horsham:
If you would like to book a space on the minibus, please call 0300 772 7735.
Notes on Fauré’s Requiem
Fauré’s Requiem requires a special mention as it is unlike any of the compositions that were around at a similar time. The Requiems of composers such as Verdi and Berlioz were spectacular works that certainly address the notions of death, resurrection, and the final judgement in grand, often theatrical, tones. Although Mozart’s Requiem is smaller in scale, it is filled with great poignancy. Fauré’s by contrast, was music to comfort mourners rather than impress upon them the enormity of death.
Fauré’s Requiem is far less dramatic, though in no way less moving. It is interesting to note that it omits the Dies Irae (‘Day of Wrath’), which normally follows the Kyrie. Of course, Mozart and Verdi both composed terrifyingly dramatic music for their ‘Dies Irae’ sections. The Verdi Requiem, for example, uses the Dies Irae as a musical scene of the dead standing before the judgement seat of God. Fauré also deletes the Tuba Mirum, where in the Berlioz Requiem there is a mighty antiphonal trumpeting. Instead, Fauré chooses those passages of the Mass for the Dead that serve as prayer and consolation. His theme is always ‘Requiem’: the blessed rest of those for whom life’s journey is over.
Fauré’s Requiem is structured in seven movements with key solos for soprano (Pie Jesu) and baritone (Libera me). The music features beautiful ethereal melodies and harmonic complexity, but often with an understated and delicate quality. As noted in last week’s article; this subtle musical language won Fauré increasing numbers of admirers, particularly as a composer of songs, a genre in which he is now recognised as a master.
As for the orchestration: Fauré created different versions, including one with organ accompaniment and another for full orchestra, allowing for different performance styles. During the BCS performance of the Requiem members of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra will be accompanying the choir.
Experts in the audience may be able to spot that although Fauré used a standard, sacred Latin text, he inserted words and left out phrases where it suited his version. He also added the Pie Jesu and In Paradisum texts, which are not part of the Requiem proper, but emphasise the granting of eternal rest.
Fauré had this to say about the spirituality in his Requiem:
Everything I managed to entertain in the way of religious illustration I put into my Requiem, which moreover is dominated from beginning to end by a very human feeling of faith in eternal rest.
The work was performed at the composer’s own memorial service on 8th November 1924, which took place in Paris.
If you would like to hear Fauré’s Requiem and Mozart’s Solemn Vespers and Divertimento in D Major, you don’t have to travel to London. Scroll up to the top of the page to buy your tickets for the BCS concert at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Horsham, on Saturday 29th of November. The performance begins at 7.30pm. Tickets are £20.00, and under 18s and students are FREE, but you must register beforehand at the online box office.
An Introduction to Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Fauré (1845 – 1924) was one of the most influential French composers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His evolving musical style marked a transition between Romanticism and Modernism, influencing generations of composers, particularly those associated with impressionism such as Debussy and Ravel.
From the age of nine Fauré studied music at the École Niedermeyer, where Saint-Saëns was a member of staff. Saint-Saëns was regarded as a progressive teacher, introducing his pupils not only to the music of Bach and Mozart, but also to controversial composers such as Wagner and Liszt. Unlike most major French composers, Fauré did not attend the Paris Conservatoire, but continued his studies with Saint-Saëns, who greatly encouraged him by putting work his way and helping him to get his music published. The two became lifelong friends and Fauré later said that he owed everything to Saint-Saëns.
Fauré was a fine organist and in 1896 was appointed to the prestigious Madeleine church in Paris, where BCS had the privilege to sing Fauré’s Requiem whilst on tour in 2008. He was also an excellent teacher, and perhaps because of his renowned expertise as an organist and teacher he only slowly gained recognition as a composer. Fauré eventually became professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire, and its Director from 1905 to 1920. Although he wrote several works involving a full orchestra, his particular talent lay within the more intimate musical forms: songs, piano music and chamber music.
The subtlety of Fauré's music and his concentration on the small-scale led many to criticise him for lacking depth, a judgement based on the mistaken premise that the bigger and bolder a composer’s music, the more worthwhile it must be. Fauré deliberately avoided the grander kind of orchestral music that could easily have brought him fame and fortune. He preferred instead to embrace an elegant and subtle musical language that has won him increasing numbers of admirers, particularly as a composer of songs, a genre in which he is now recognised as a master.
BCS will be performing Fauré’s beautiful Requiem in the concert on 29th of November at St. Mary’s Parish Church in Horsham. He composed this work in 1888 when he was 43 years old, possibly in response to the death of his father. Next week’s article will take a closer look at the wonderful choral work.
Scroll up to the top of this page to buy tickets. All adult seats are £20.00 and under 18s and students are FREE, but must register in advance at the box office.
Mozart’s Sacred Works, Including Solemn Vespers (K339)
As discussed in previous articles in this series, Mozart was a prolific composer in all the major genres of Classical music from his first documented composition for the keyboard, A Minuet and Trio in G major (K1) which he wrote at the age of five years, through to K626, his Requiem, which was unfinished on his death a short thirty years later.
Mozart wrote most of his sacred work between 1773 and 1781 when he was employed as court musician by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. In 1772 the Archbishop had decreed that Masses should not last more than 45 minutes, which would account for Mozart’s designation of eight as Missa Breva or short Masses. At the Autumn Concert, BCS is delighted to be singing Vesparae Solennes de Confessore (Solemn Vespers for a Confessor) (K339) which Mozart wrote in 1780.
This masterpiece was written for liturgical use and was his final work for Salzburg Cathedral. The composition is divided into 5 Psalms and the Magnificat canticle that concludes every Vespers Service. As required by Mozart’s conservative employer, Archbishop Colloredo, each Psalm is set as a continuous movement, as opposed to being divided into separate arias, ensembles and choruses in the operatic style invading church music at this time.
The first three Psalms are scored in a bold, exuberant manner, contrasting with the strict stile antico counterpoint (a compositional style from the late Renaissance, characterised by a highly controlled, balanced and polyphonic texture) of the a capella fourth Psalm, and the tranquility of the fifth Psalm. The final movement, the Magnificat, sees a return to the style of the opening setting.
This is a wonderful, but challenging work to sing, and we are confident that the audience will enjoy every minute of its performance. Sung in Latin, there will be an English translation in the concert programme for those less familiar with the text. The A4 programmes are free with every entrance ticket.
Scroll up to the top of this page to buy tickets. All adult seats are £20.00 and under 18s and students are FREE, but must register in advance at the box office. The performance takes place at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Horsham on Saturday 29th of November at 7.30pm.
Mozart wrote most of his sacred work between 1773 and 1781 when he was employed as court musician by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. In 1772 the Archbishop had decreed that Masses should not last more than 45 minutes, which would account for Mozart’s designation of eight as Missa Breva or short Masses. At the Autumn Concert, BCS is delighted to be singing Vesparae Solennes de Confessore (Solemn Vespers for a Confessor) (K339) which Mozart wrote in 1780.
This masterpiece was written for liturgical use and was his final work for Salzburg Cathedral. The composition is divided into 5 Psalms and the Magnificat canticle that concludes every Vespers Service. As required by Mozart’s conservative employer, Archbishop Colloredo, each Psalm is set as a continuous movement, as opposed to being divided into separate arias, ensembles and choruses in the operatic style invading church music at this time.
The first three Psalms are scored in a bold, exuberant manner, contrasting with the strict stile antico counterpoint (a compositional style from the late Renaissance, characterised by a highly controlled, balanced and polyphonic texture) of the a capella fourth Psalm, and the tranquility of the fifth Psalm. The final movement, the Magnificat, sees a return to the style of the opening setting.
This is a wonderful, but challenging work to sing, and we are confident that the audience will enjoy every minute of its performance. Sung in Latin, there will be an English translation in the concert programme for those less familiar with the text. The A4 programmes are free with every entrance ticket.
Scroll up to the top of this page to buy tickets. All adult seats are £20.00 and under 18s and students are FREE, but must register in advance at the box office. The performance takes place at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Horsham on Saturday 29th of November at 7.30pm.
Tips For Singing Mozart
Marcio da Silva
Mozart’s choral repertoire spans a wide range of genres, from sacred Masses and a Requiem, to incredible operatic choruses. In March 2024, BCS performed the Mozart Requiem which blends sublime melodies with poignant expressions of grief and transcendence: a truly moving masterpiece.
Mozart’s choral work is challenging due to a demanding vocal technique, a wide dynamic range, and its musical complexity; however, it can appear effortless when sung correctly. The vocal technique requires a relaxed singing style that must appear unexacting, which in itself is a significant challenge for most choirs. Breath control is crucial to making it through the piece without straining. There is a large dynamic range in Mozart’s choral music, from the very soft passages to loud and powerful sections, which requires great control.
Although the choral passages can be repetitive, the music requires constant emotional engagement and a very high level of interpretation to avoid sounding monotonous. Many of the choral pieces have complex counterpoint or fast runs and therefore a high degree of precision is required to sing the notes clearly and avoid sloppy execution. The Choral Society’s Music Director, the renowned and accomplished Marcio da Silva, would never allow the choir members to become lackadaisical when performing any Mozart choral work! Each week Marcio guides the choir, giving his expert instructions to develop the techniques necessary to sing Mozart beautifully.
Learning how to sing Mozart can be a challenge, but it’s also a great way to improve your vocal skills. Here are some tips on how to sing Mozart confidently:
Mozart’s choral work is challenging due to a demanding vocal technique, a wide dynamic range, and its musical complexity; however, it can appear effortless when sung correctly. The vocal technique requires a relaxed singing style that must appear unexacting, which in itself is a significant challenge for most choirs. Breath control is crucial to making it through the piece without straining. There is a large dynamic range in Mozart’s choral music, from the very soft passages to loud and powerful sections, which requires great control.
Although the choral passages can be repetitive, the music requires constant emotional engagement and a very high level of interpretation to avoid sounding monotonous. Many of the choral pieces have complex counterpoint or fast runs and therefore a high degree of precision is required to sing the notes clearly and avoid sloppy execution. The Choral Society’s Music Director, the renowned and accomplished Marcio da Silva, would never allow the choir members to become lackadaisical when performing any Mozart choral work! Each week Marcio guides the choir, giving his expert instructions to develop the techniques necessary to sing Mozart beautifully.
Learning how to sing Mozart can be a challenge, but it’s also a great way to improve your vocal skills. Here are some tips on how to sing Mozart confidently:
- Listen to as much of Mozart’s choral music as you can. Familiarize yourself with his style and try to identify the characteristics that make his music unique.
- Practice singing Mozart’s music. Start with simple melodies and work your way up to more complex pieces.
- Pay attention to your breath control. Due to the fact that Mozart’s music is often fast-paced, it is important to be able to control your breathing.
- Work on your vocal technique. Mozart’s music requires a high level of technical skill, so make sure you’re using proper technique when you sing.
- Be patient. Learning how to sing Mozart’s music takes time and practice.
BCS will be singing Mozart’s Solemn Vespers (K339) in the Autumn Concert on Saturday, 29th of November. Members of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra will be accompanying the choir and will also be playing Mozart’s Divertimento in D Major, and the second half of the concert will feature the Fauré Requiem.
Tickets are £20.00 and under 18s and students are FREE, but must register at the box office. Scroll up to the top of the page buy your tickets.
An Introduction to Mozart, the Child Prodigy
The chances are that if you asked random people on a busy street in Britain to name a classical composer, Mozart would be one of the best-known names. Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart a child prodigy whose life and career were cut short by illness, stands as one of the truly great talents in music history. He composed works in all the major genres, though he is perhaps best known for his operas. This sets him apart from Haydn and Beethoven, who composed relatively little for the operatic stage.
Can you remember what you were doing at the age of four? Most of us would have been in the Reception Class at school, trying to form the letters to spell our name and struggling with the first concepts of phonics in order to be ‘reading ready’. Wolfgang was playing the clavier at this age and composing pieces by the time he was five. His only sibling that survived infancy was his elder sister, Maria Anna (1751-1829) who was nicknamed Nannerl. She also showed a talent for music at an early age.
Wolfgang was certainly a child prodigy, but how do we define what is meant by this type of child? Psychological research literature defines a child prodigy as someone, as young as ten years old, who can produce meaningful work in some domain to the level of an adult expert. Wolfgang was of course more than capable of this.
The young Mozart’s first documented composition, a Minuet and Trio in G major, is listed as KV1 and you may think that it would be rather rudimentary, but in fact it was brilliant! Wolfgang gave his first public performance at the age of six and wrote his first symphony when he was eight years old. During his youth, his family made several European journeys in which he and Nannerl performed as child prodigies. These began with an exhibition in 1762 (when Wolfgang was six) at the court of the prince-elector Maximilian III of Bavaria in Munich, and at the Imperial Court in Vienna and Prague. Wolfgang would mesmerise his audience not only with his marvellous playing, but with party pieces such as improvisation, sight-reading any given piece faultlessly, playing the keyboard covered with a cloth, and writing down note-perfect music that he had only just heard for the first time. He was truly a musical genius!
The Mozart family was certainly quirky and eccentric; the letters they wrote to each other contained scatological humorous references (having a preoccupation with obscenities, lewdness and filth, mainly of an excremental nature) which somehow didn’t quite fit the family’s image when they were performing on the world stage.
During the Mozart family’s stay in London (between April 1764 and July 1765), just four days after his arrival, the 8-year-old Wolfgang played for King George III.
BCS will be performing Mozart’s Solemn Vespers accompanied by members of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra, who will also be playing Divertimento in D Major. The second half of the concert will comprise Fauré’s Requiem.
Scroll to the top of this page for the link to buy your tickets.
Can you remember what you were doing at the age of four? Most of us would have been in the Reception Class at school, trying to form the letters to spell our name and struggling with the first concepts of phonics in order to be ‘reading ready’. Wolfgang was playing the clavier at this age and composing pieces by the time he was five. His only sibling that survived infancy was his elder sister, Maria Anna (1751-1829) who was nicknamed Nannerl. She also showed a talent for music at an early age.
Wolfgang was certainly a child prodigy, but how do we define what is meant by this type of child? Psychological research literature defines a child prodigy as someone, as young as ten years old, who can produce meaningful work in some domain to the level of an adult expert. Wolfgang was of course more than capable of this.
The young Mozart’s first documented composition, a Minuet and Trio in G major, is listed as KV1 and you may think that it would be rather rudimentary, but in fact it was brilliant! Wolfgang gave his first public performance at the age of six and wrote his first symphony when he was eight years old. During his youth, his family made several European journeys in which he and Nannerl performed as child prodigies. These began with an exhibition in 1762 (when Wolfgang was six) at the court of the prince-elector Maximilian III of Bavaria in Munich, and at the Imperial Court in Vienna and Prague. Wolfgang would mesmerise his audience not only with his marvellous playing, but with party pieces such as improvisation, sight-reading any given piece faultlessly, playing the keyboard covered with a cloth, and writing down note-perfect music that he had only just heard for the first time. He was truly a musical genius!
The Mozart family was certainly quirky and eccentric; the letters they wrote to each other contained scatological humorous references (having a preoccupation with obscenities, lewdness and filth, mainly of an excremental nature) which somehow didn’t quite fit the family’s image when they were performing on the world stage.
During the Mozart family’s stay in London (between April 1764 and July 1765), just four days after his arrival, the 8-year-old Wolfgang played for King George III.
BCS will be performing Mozart’s Solemn Vespers accompanied by members of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra, who will also be playing Divertimento in D Major. The second half of the concert will comprise Fauré’s Requiem.
Scroll to the top of this page for the link to buy your tickets.
The BCS Autumn Concert 2025
The next BCS concert will take place at St. Mary’s Parish Church, The Causeway, Horsham on Saturday, 29th November at 7.30pm. This will be the third concert that BCS has performed in this beautiful church which is the oldest building in Horsham. Dating back to Norman times there are still traces to be found at the west end. The foundation of the current parish church was around the year 1247. The church’s picturesque location at the end of The Causeway ensures that its peal of 10 bells, rung regularly from the tower, can be heard throughout the town centre.
The Choral Society will be joining with members of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) once again, to bring you a wonderful programme featuring the music of Mozart and Fauré. The first half of the concert comprises two pieces by Mozart: members of HPO will play Divertimento in D Major (K136) and the choir will sing Vesperae Solennes de Confessore (K339) commonly known as Solemn Vespers, accompanied by members of the orchestra. The second half of the concert will be a performance of the ever-popular Fauré Requiem.
If you live in the Horsham area and enjoy top-notch music concerts, you most probably travel to London in order to attend a performance featuring a professional orchestra and soloists. On 29th November you will have the opportunity to hear a live performance at St. Mary’s Parish Church featuring professional musicians and soloists, and one of the best choirs in the South, on your doorstep. Under the baton of the well-known Maestro, Marcio da Silva, this promises to be an amazing concert for all classical music lovers.
The tickets are £20.00, and under 18s and students are FREE, but must register at the box office.
See at the top of this page for a link to buy tickets.
The Choral Society will be joining with members of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) once again, to bring you a wonderful programme featuring the music of Mozart and Fauré. The first half of the concert comprises two pieces by Mozart: members of HPO will play Divertimento in D Major (K136) and the choir will sing Vesperae Solennes de Confessore (K339) commonly known as Solemn Vespers, accompanied by members of the orchestra. The second half of the concert will be a performance of the ever-popular Fauré Requiem.
If you live in the Horsham area and enjoy top-notch music concerts, you most probably travel to London in order to attend a performance featuring a professional orchestra and soloists. On 29th November you will have the opportunity to hear a live performance at St. Mary’s Parish Church featuring professional musicians and soloists, and one of the best choirs in the South, on your doorstep. Under the baton of the well-known Maestro, Marcio da Silva, this promises to be an amazing concert for all classical music lovers.
The tickets are £20.00, and under 18s and students are FREE, but must register at the box office.
See at the top of this page for a link to buy tickets.
Singing: A Tonic for Your General Well-being
Many studies have been carried out over the past few years, focusing on the mental and general health benefits of singing. The evidence is overwhelming: singing improves the health, broadens the mind, refines the intellect, expands the imagination, makes one happy and gives life a little added zest.
Did you know that your brain operates differently when you’re singing, compared with when you are speaking? The brain is made up of left and right sides that perform different functions. Singing is believed to come from the right side of the brain, associated with music, emotion and melody. Speaking comes from the left side, associated with language. However, tempo and rhythm are important parts of singing, but come from the left side of the brain. This means that both sides of the brain interact while you sing and neither side of the brain can be seen as dominant.
Many of us find ourselves in stressful situations every day, whether it’s at work, meeting the commitments of running a family, juggling tight finances or the anxiety of having to live with the burden of loneliness. Singing definitely aids in all of these areas by stimulating the production of beneficial hormones and neuro-chemical changes in the body which are associated with pleasure and reward for the brain.
Endorphins and oxytocin can be released when singing, and even listening to music can release dopamine into your system. Singing with others can also discharge serotonin and together these four chemicals are essentially responsible for happiness, which we all know, boosts mental and general well-being. When you feel good inside, you are euphoric and adopt a very positive approach to everything.
Singing also gives the lungs a good workout, making you breathe more deeply than many other forms of more strenuous exercise. You take in more oxygen and in turn, your aerobic capacity is improved and you can experience a release of muscle tension. For those of you who are watching your weight, singing can burn calories too, and although it is not quite the same as a 10k run, it will burn around 100 calories an hour.
Singing in a choir can be extremely cathartic: it’s a great outlet for all emotions and can often work as a kind of therapy. It is an accepted fact that music can provide an incredible healing power for all.
So … what are you waiting for? If you live in the Billingshurst / Horsham area, there’s a friendly, lively and well-established choir on your doorstep. Billingshurst Choral Society, known affectionately as ‘BCS’, is a mixed voice choir with around 55 singers and a very wide repertoire ranging from Bach, Beethoven, Handel and Mozart, to Puccini, Verdi and Vaughan Williams. The choir also covers modern composers such as Chilcott, Goodall, Jenkins, Lauridsen, Rutter and Todd. If you’re thinking of joining a choir and would like to attend a couple of our rehearsals, you would be most welcome. Please look at the Join Us section of this website, which will give you all of the information that you require.
Our next concert is on Saturday 29th of November at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Horsham and features the Fauré Requiem and Mozart’s Solemn Vespers. BCS will be accompanied by members of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra and there will be professional soloists joining the choir for these major works. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to witness the Choral Society in action.
Listening to this fabulous music will certainly ensure that you produce copious amounts of dopamine, which will leave you with feelings of well-being and pleasure for the remainder of your weekend!
To buy tickets please click on the button at the top of this page.
Did you know that your brain operates differently when you’re singing, compared with when you are speaking? The brain is made up of left and right sides that perform different functions. Singing is believed to come from the right side of the brain, associated with music, emotion and melody. Speaking comes from the left side, associated with language. However, tempo and rhythm are important parts of singing, but come from the left side of the brain. This means that both sides of the brain interact while you sing and neither side of the brain can be seen as dominant.
Many of us find ourselves in stressful situations every day, whether it’s at work, meeting the commitments of running a family, juggling tight finances or the anxiety of having to live with the burden of loneliness. Singing definitely aids in all of these areas by stimulating the production of beneficial hormones and neuro-chemical changes in the body which are associated with pleasure and reward for the brain.
Endorphins and oxytocin can be released when singing, and even listening to music can release dopamine into your system. Singing with others can also discharge serotonin and together these four chemicals are essentially responsible for happiness, which we all know, boosts mental and general well-being. When you feel good inside, you are euphoric and adopt a very positive approach to everything.
Singing also gives the lungs a good workout, making you breathe more deeply than many other forms of more strenuous exercise. You take in more oxygen and in turn, your aerobic capacity is improved and you can experience a release of muscle tension. For those of you who are watching your weight, singing can burn calories too, and although it is not quite the same as a 10k run, it will burn around 100 calories an hour.
Singing in a choir can be extremely cathartic: it’s a great outlet for all emotions and can often work as a kind of therapy. It is an accepted fact that music can provide an incredible healing power for all.
So … what are you waiting for? If you live in the Billingshurst / Horsham area, there’s a friendly, lively and well-established choir on your doorstep. Billingshurst Choral Society, known affectionately as ‘BCS’, is a mixed voice choir with around 55 singers and a very wide repertoire ranging from Bach, Beethoven, Handel and Mozart, to Puccini, Verdi and Vaughan Williams. The choir also covers modern composers such as Chilcott, Goodall, Jenkins, Lauridsen, Rutter and Todd. If you’re thinking of joining a choir and would like to attend a couple of our rehearsals, you would be most welcome. Please look at the Join Us section of this website, which will give you all of the information that you require.
Our next concert is on Saturday 29th of November at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Horsham and features the Fauré Requiem and Mozart’s Solemn Vespers. BCS will be accompanied by members of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra and there will be professional soloists joining the choir for these major works. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to witness the Choral Society in action.
Listening to this fabulous music will certainly ensure that you produce copious amounts of dopamine, which will leave you with feelings of well-being and pleasure for the remainder of your weekend!
To buy tickets please click on the button at the top of this page.
