Haydn’s Nelson Mass performed in Royal Dockyard Church

The Royal Dockyard Church, Historic Dockyard Chatham

 

Haydn’s popular Nelson Mass will be performed in the Royal Dockyard Church, Chatham on Wednesday 29 March by the University of Kent Choir and Orchestra (Medway).

The Mass will be conducted by Dr Stelios Chatziiosifidis and the soprano will be School of Music and Fine Art alumna Philippa Hardiman. It will be preceded by a talk from Richard Holdsworth MBE about Nelson and the Historic Dockyard Chatham

In 1771, a 12 year-old Horatio Nelson arrived in Chatham to begin one of the most celebrated careers of all time.  In a unique collaboration to celebrate these historic connections between Britain’s most celebrated naval figure and the award winning Historic Dockyard Chatham, the School of Music and Fine Art (whose Medway campus is located on the Dockyard) and the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust present a performance of the present a performance of the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei of Haydn’s popular Nelson Mass.

The Nelson Mass is Haydn’s largest – and his only minor-key mass, set in D minor at the opening, but leading to a victorious D major finale.  It is also one of his most well-known and beloved choral works, and notable for the demands on the soprano soloist. Haydn later catalogued the Nelson Mass as Missa in Angustiis (mass for troubled times).

Comments Dr Ben Curry, Lecturer & Director of Music Programmes,  School of Music & Fine Art:

“The Nelson Mass is widely regarded as one of Haydn’s greatest works.  It’s performance in the Royal Dockyard Church, built around the time that the mass was composed, provides a unique opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate the drama and beauty of Haydn’s music and the extraordinary naval history of Chatham.”

The first half of the concert will feature items from the School of Music and Fine Art World Percussion Ensemble, Pop, Rock and Soul Choir, and Chamber Music Forum, and includes Bach Keyboard Concerto in F minor, 1st movement; Khachaturian trio for clarinet, violin and piano, 1st movement; Message Ground for two violins and bass guitar by Robert Davidson, Guitar Ensemble and Advanced Improvisation Group.

The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets, priced £10, are available for purchase from the Gulbenkian webpages and the Historic Dockyard.