In early October, the Salle Bourgie, the Tiffany-windowed concert hall inside the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, will host a concert including two intriguing and rarely-performed works connected with the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
From Oxford, comes the recently rediscovered overture to The Fall of Jericho by William Hayes. It is believed to have first been performed in the 1740s in the Sheldonian Theatre, at an annual Commemoration of the Founders and Benefactors of the University. Hayes is an unsung hero of the music of Georgian England, and this work, in four movements for wind and strings, will inspire listeners to search for more of his music.
From Cambridge, comes the exuberant anthem O be Joyful by William Boyce. It was first performed at Great St Mary’s, the University Church, on 2 July 1749, the day after the Duke of Newcastle had been installed as Chancellor. With its opening symphony, choruses, and solo, duet, and trio arias, the score has been specially edited for this first performance in North America.
These two works, alongside two pieces by Henry Purcell (Praise the Lord and Come, Ye Sons of Art), will be delivered by the combined forces of the Studio de Musique ancienne de Montréal and the Arion Baroque orchestra, under the direction of Andrew McAnerney (Magdalen 1995).
Friday 7th October 2022, 7:30pm
Saturday 8th October 2022, 4:00pm
Sunday 9th October 2022, 2:30pm
Tickets: 10% discount code OXBRIDGE
If you have ever wondered which university had the better music, come and confirm your suspicion!
The Salle Bourgie is at 1339 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, QC, H3G 1G2.
For more information, please visit Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal (SMAM) or Arion Baroque Orchestra.
Oxford University Society in Ottawa 