We hope that you will enjoy this evening of light-hearted a capella songs - we shall certainly enjoy singing them. Opening with the delightful Pearsall madrigals, and interspersed with some charming choral arrangements, and dreamy guitar pieces evocative of meditteranean piazzas, the programme is a true pot pourri of summer.

First performed in the open air at Dartington Hall in 1950, Five Flower Songs were a 25th wedding anniversary gift to Britten’s botanical friends Leonard & Dorothy Elmhirst. The five part, song-cycle sets floral poems from previous centuries for unaccompanied choir, which are both charming and lyrical, very much typical of the English part-song tradition but with a twist that is undeniably that of Britten.

In its full form, Gloriana is an opera composed by Britten for Queen Elizabeth II and premiered just days after the coronation in 1953.  The Choral Dances were successfully extracted and exist in their own right. Again, exquisitely English in style and content, they hark back to halcyon Tudor days.

Eric Whitacre is arguably a Southern Voices favourite, and his Three Flower Songs present a stunning contrast to the Britten. Modern, lush, harmonious, sensitive and in the second song With a Lily in Your Hand arrestingly syncopated and percussive – the three songs will grab hold of your senses and transport you into a soundscape that is distinctly 21st century.

Owain Park’s Shakespeare Love Songs were composed in 2013 and add another 21st-century twist to the evening with rich, lyrical and sometimes jazzy settings of four songs from Shakespeare’s plays – one from Romeo and Juliet and the other three from Loves Labours Lost. Altogether a programme full of summer and themes of love – perfect!

A few words from our Musical Director: Jamal Sutton
Southern Voices are delighted to be returning to St. John’s with a concert filled with all the makings of a perfect summer’s evening. This year, we take the theme of ‘Flower Songs’ as our headline, incorporating portrayals by Benjamin Britten and Eric Whitacre as the centre pieces of the programme. Whitacre’s settings are early works in his career, the composer showing that he’d become a true story teller through music. There are three settings in this collection, each with a different flavour and story. Britten’s account is spread across five short pieces, written for botanical enthusiasts Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst. Each song has its own musical tale to tell with different textures and Britten-esque compositional traits to enjoy.

Around these works, Southern Voices will delight you with further works by Britten - as we begin our celebration of 50 years since his death - and also composer, organist, singer and conductor Owain Park. A founder member of The Gesualdo Six, Owain brings all his compositional talents into these delightful Shakespeare settings. Injecting summery fun will be close harmony settings of modern classics.

We are also delighted to welcome Matthew White to play continental guitar pieces by Albeniz and Dyers, transporting us to shady meditteranean piazzas.

An evening of joy and exploration not to be missed!