Fiori brings classical tunes to Brington and Brixworth

A new season of music by Fiori Musicali gets underway over the weekend of September 24 and 25.
Grace DavidsonGrace Davidson
Grace Davidson

The first features star soprano Grace Davidson, who joins the ensemble to perform Bach’s magical Wedding Cantata at Great Brington church on Saturday September 24.

And then on Sunday 25 September the Fiori Musicali Choir will be appearing at the historic church in Brixworth in a programme of transcendental Renaissance music by Palestrina and Allegri.

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Fiori’s Brixworth concert entitled Song for Athene also features John Tavener’s eponymous work – an inspired composition that has captured the hearts of many ever since its performance at the funeral for Princess Diana in 1997.

The programme at Brington features exquisite soprano Grace Davidson in the star role. Grace’s career continues apace – her effortless soprano voice is widely admired, she is often to be seen on television with The Sixteen, and her performances with Fiori are always eagerly awaited by audiences.

Fiori Musicali are well known around the area for their carefully crafted programmes of classical and early music – interesting and exciting concerts in beautiful settings that draw audiences from miles around to explore the colourful sound world of earlier centuries.

Heading the bill at Great Brington on Saturday September 24 is Bach’s festive Wedding Cantata.

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“This music is particularly appropriate”, says Fiori’s director Penelope Rapson, “as this summer has seen the marriages of not one but both of our children.

“Many Fiori Musicali followers have watched our offspring grow into adulthood, so it’s wonderful; that we can celebrate this landmark year in the Rapson family with wedding music by the great JS Bach and a few of his contemporaries.

“As usual, we have a few baroque musical surprises up our sleeves, including music by the little known Bavarian composer Albicastro. If you are curious to discover more about this shadowy musical figure why not come along and hear about him at Great Brington?

“We are enormously grateful to Crockett and Jones for supporting this concert.”

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She was also full of praise for the guest soprano Grace, a regular performer alongside Fiori Musicali.

Penelope Rapson, Fiori’s director, comments: “It is always thrilling to have Grace singing with us. She has featured in Simon Russell Beale’s highly successful BBC Four television series, Sacred Music, and her beautiful clear voice attracts accolades across Europe.”

The next day (September 25) it’s over to the historic church at Brixworth – the most imposing surviving 7th century church north of the Alps and England’s largest Anglo-Saxon edifice where the Fiori Musicali Choir have been invited to perform the final concert in the Brixworth Music Festival.

Fiori’s programme for Brixworth is full of inspired music from the Renaissance – English music by Sheppard and Parsons, plus Italian music by Palestrina and Allegri (who wrote the famous Miserere).

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Also in the programme is mystical music for choir and solo cello by the late John Tavener, as well as hauntingly beautiful compositions for solo voice by the medieval mystic and composer Hildegard of Bingen – whose transcendental music evokes a far distant monastic sound world. Two very different concerts in two of Northamptonshire’s most beautiful churches.

Fiori’s concerts take place on Saturday September 24 at Great Brington Church at 7.30pm and on Sunday September 25 at All Saints Church in Brixworth at 7.30pm.

Tickets for the show cost between £15 and £20 for both concerts.

For more details visit www.fiori-musicali.com or call the box office on 0333 666 3366.

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