BBC Singers
BBC Singers | |
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BBC Performing Groups | |
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The BBC Singers is a professional British
The BBC Singers perform with leading international orchestras and conductors. The choir has appeared by invitation at national events such as the
.History
In 1924, the BBC engaged
.In 1931, the Wireless Chorus was invited to perform at the Festival of the International Society for Contemporary Music, the first time this event had been held in Britain.
On appointment of Leslie Woodgate as general chorus master in 1934, the group was renamed the BBC Singers, and divided into two octets, known as Singers A and Singers B, one specialising in less standard repertoire including Renaissance polyphony and madrigals, the other in light music and revue numbers. Singers A were typically paid £1 per week more than Singers B. In 1939, Woodgate described the operation and function of the various BBC choirs, including the professional choir, in an interview with The Musical Times.[3]
During the Second World War, the choir was forced to relocate several times from its base in Maida Vale, briefly taking up residence in Bristol, Bangor and Bedford. In 1945, the choir gave the premiere of
During the middle years of the twentieth century, the choir premiered major works by
Woodgate died in 1961. That same year, Peter Gellhorn took over the choir. He re-organised the professional contingent, scrapping the A–B division in favour of a single force of 28 voices, which was renamed the BBC Chorus. Following the appointment of John Poole as chorus master in 1972, the choir reverted to its previous name, the BBC Singers.
The choir continued to broadcast regularly on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, but its long-established participation in
Stephen Cleobury, chief conductor of the choir from 1995 to 2007, held the title of conductor laureate with the choir until his death in 2019. Bob Chilcott is the current principal guest conductor of the choir. David Hill was the most recent conductor from 2007 to 2017. Sofi Jeannin was a guest-conductor of the choir in January 2017. In May 2017, the BBC announced her appointment as the choir's next chief conductor, the first woman to hold the post, with effect from July 2018.[6]
On 7 March 2023, the BBC announced its decision to close the choir later in the year as part of its "new strategy" for classical music.[7][8] Following public reactions in protest at this announcement, the BBC reversed this decision on 24 March.[9] In February 2024, the BBC announced a new partnership between the BBC Singers and the Voces8 Foundation for future sustainability of the BBC Singers.[10]
Choir directors and chief conductors
- Stanford Robinson (1924–1932)
- Leslie Woodgate (1934–1961)
- Peter Gellhorn (1961–1972)
- John Poole (1972–1989)
- Simon Joly (1989–1995)
- Stephen Cleobury (1995–2007)
- David Hill (2007–2017)
- Sofi Jeannin (2018–present)
Commissioned works
Over its history, the BBC Singers has performed and commissioned more than a hundred new works. These include
Select list of commissioned works:
- Judith Bingham – A Winter Walk at Noon – First broadcast 2 March 1986
- Benjamin Britten – A Shepherd's Carol & Chorale: Our Father Whose Creative Will – First broadcast 24 December 1944
- Sir Peter Maxwell Davies – Apple-Basket: Apple-Blossom – First broadcast 23 December 1990
- James Dillon – Viriditas – First broadcast 24 April 1994
- Nicola LeFanu – The Story of Mary O'Neill – First broadcast 4 January 1989
- Thea Musgrave – For the Time Being: Advent – First broadcast 18 July 1987
- Edmund Rubbra – Veni, Creator Spiritus – First broadcast 5 August 1966
- Sir Michael Tippett – The Weeping Babe – First broadcast 24 December 1944
- Iannis Xenakis – Sea Nymphs – First broadcast 16 September 1994
In 2002, Edward Cowie became the BBC Singers' first Associate Composer, with the functions of composing new works each year for performance by the choir, and participating in workshops with young composers from schools, universities and music colleges. Judith Bingham was the next to fill this position, in 2004. Gabriel Jackson took the post in 2010.
Select discography
- Judith Bingham – Remoter Worlds – David Hill (conductor) 2008, Catalogue No. Signum Classics SIGCD144
- Judith Weir – The Welcome Arrival of Rain – BBC Symphony Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins (conductor) 2008, Catalogue No. NMC D137
- Jirí Belohlávek(conductor) 2008
- Elizabeth Maconchy – Music for voices – Odaline de la Martinez (conductor) 2007, Catalogue No. LNT127
- Sergei Rachmaninoff – Francesca di Rimini – BBC Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda (conductor) 2007, Catalogue No. Chandos 10442
- Bob Chilcott – Man I Sing – Bob Chilcott, (conductor) 2007, Catalogue No. Signum Classics SIGCD100
- Brian Ferneyhough – Choral works – Lontano, Odaline de la Martinez (conductor) 2007, Catalogue No. Metier msv28501
- Michael Tippett – Choral Images – Stephen Cleobury (conductor) 2007 Catalogue No. Signum Classics SIGCD092
- Paul Dukas – Ariane et Barbe-bleue – BBC Symphony Orchestra, Leon Botstein (conductor) 2007, Catalogue No. TELARC 80680
- Benjamin Britten – Death in Venice – City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox (conductor) 2005, Chandos 10280(2)
- One Star, At Last – A selection of carols of our time – Stephen Cleobury (conductor) 2005, Catalogue No. Signum Classics SIGCD067
- Alexander Levine – Kolokolà – James Morgan (conductor) 2005, Catalogue No. Albany TROY736
See also
References
- ^ Ellie Iorizzo (9 March 2023). "Labour urges Government to reconsider 'damaging' proposed classical music cuts". The Independent. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- ^ Tom Service (24 September 2014). "The BBC Singers: 90 years young today". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
- archive.
- ^ Woodgate, Leslie. 'In the Best Choral Tradition', Radio Times, Issue 1130, 25th May 1945, p. 5
- ^ Donovan, Paul. The Radio Companion (1992), p. 26 and p. 62
- ^ "Sofi Jeannin - Chief Conductor from July 2018" (Press release). BBC. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
- ^ "New strategy for Classical Music prioritises Quality, Agility and Impact" (Press release). BBC Media Centre. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Imogen Tilden (7 March 2023). "BBC Singers to close in corporation's 'major review of classical music'". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Savage, Mark (24 March 2023). "BBC suspends proposed closure of the BBC Singers". BBC News.
- ^ "BBC statement on the future of the BBC Singers and its Orchestras" (Press release). BBC Media Centre. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
Sources
- Sean Street, Historical Dictionary of British Radio, pp. 54–55