Buckfast Abbey announces two major choral concerts
Two major choral concerts will bring internationally renowned musicians to Buckfast Abbey this autumn and winter, with music ranging from the dramatic sounds of Renaissance Europe to one of the best-loved works in the classical repertoire.
The programme begins in November when internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble Stile Antico visits the Abbey for Discord to Harmony: Renaissance Music of War and Peace, before the Choir of Buckfast Abbey joins forces with Noxwode Baroque and celebrated soprano Mary Bevan for a performance of Handel’s Messiah in December.
Stile Antico’s concert, on Saturday 14 November at 7.30pm, will explore the relationship between music, conflict and peace in Renaissance Europe.
The programme spans almost two centuries, from Guillaume Dufay to Heinrich Schütz, reflecting an era shaped by war, religious division and political upheaval while also celebrating reconciliation, alliances and hopes for peace.
Among the highlights will be Clement Janequin’s vivid La Guerre, which evokes the sounds of battle, alongside music mourning fallen cities and lost generations and radiant motets celebrating the arrival of peace.
Stile Antico is recognised as one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles, renowned for expressive performances and thoughtful programming. Its appearance at Buckfast Abbey will provide an opportunity to hear Renaissance music within the distinctive acoustic of the Abbey Church.
The second concert, on Saturday 12 December at 7.30pm, will see the Choir of Buckfast Abbey perform George Frideric Handel’s Messiah.
Composed in just 24 days in 1741, the monumental work follows the story of Christ through prophecy, passion, death, resurrection and ascension, culminating in themes of human redemption.
The Abbey Choir will be accompanied by period-instrument ensemble Noxwode Baroque and a team of distinguished soloists, including British soprano Mary Bevan.
Bevan is known for performances spanning Baroque, Classical and contemporary repertoire and regularly appears with leading orchestras and ensembles around the world. Opera magazine has praised her for her "dramatic wit and vocal control".
Matthew Searles, Master of the Music at Buckfast Abbey, said: “I am delighted that we have two particularly special concerts to look forward to before Christmas. Close to Remembrance Day, Stile Antico’s Discord to Harmony offers a poignant exploration of war, loss, reconciliation and peace through some of the finest music of the Renaissance, while in December our performance of Handel’s Messiah provides a fitting prelude to Christmas. We are fortunate to welcome musicians of this calibre to Buckfast, and I very much hope audiences will come and enjoy both concerts in the Abbey Church’s wonderful acoustic.”
The concerts will offer audiences two contrasting musical experiences, from the turbulent world of Renaissance Europe to the traditional pre-Christmas presentation of Handel’s enduring masterpiece.
Stile Antico: Discord to Harmony – Renaissance Music of War and Peace: Saturday 14 November, 7.30pm
For more information and to book tickets, visit: https://www.buckfast.org.uk/events/discord-to-harmony-renaissance-music-of-war-and-peace/
Abbey Choir and Noxwode Baroque: Handel's Messiah: Saturday 12 December, 7.30pm
For more information and to book tickets, visit: https://www.buckfast.org.uk/events/handel-messiah/