Past Concert Programmes
"Concerts Favourites", 12th May 2007, Victoria Halls, Helensburgh
This concert was designed to be 'an evening to remember from choral masterpieces to 'The Sound of Music''.The programme was conducted by Nairn Young and we were delighted to be able to sing with a string orchestra led by Bernard Docherty with Jane Hepworth playing the Harpsichord and Piano.
Programme:
Part 1| Magnificat | G. B. Pergolesi |
| Symphony in Bb Major - string orchestra | Wm. Boyce |
| Chandos Anthem No. 9 ‘O Praise the Lord with One Consent’ - | G. F. Handel |
Part 2
| Ave Verum | G. Faure |
| Linden Lea | R. Vaughan-Williams |
| Aubade - female voices | J. Ireland |
| Suite for Strings - string orchestra | J. Rutter |
| Edelweiss (from ‘The Sound of Music’) - | R Rodgers |
| Two Italian Folk Songs | arr. P. Fletcher |
| Four Songs for Sailors | G. Dyson |
"Christmas Cheer", 9th December 2006, United Reformed Church, Helensburgh
Conductor: Nairn Young. Piano accompanist: Jane Hepworth. Eight piece brass ensemble. Percussionist: Emma Grace. Hermitage Primary School Choir.Our programme this year was a miscellany of yuletide music warmed by the rich sounds of our brass ensemble and voices of our choirs.
Programme:
Part 1| Deck the Halls | trad. arr. David Willcocks |
| The First Nowell (communal) | trad. arr. David Willcocks |
| Adam Lay yBounden | John Ireland |
| Up Good Christian Folk and Listen | harm. G R Woodward |
| "London Snow" by Robert Bridges | read by Al Reay |
| God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen - (communal) | trad. arr. David Willcocks |
| Ricercar del Duodecimo Tuono (brass ensemble) | Andrea Gabrieli |
| When to the Temple Mary Went | Johannes Eccard |
| Ding Dong! Merrily on High | harm. Charles Wood |
| Excerpts from "The Grinch" by Dr Seuss | read by Jill Braid |
| Hermitage Primary School Choir, led by Catherine Kirk and Ann Carson, singing from 'Songs for Every Christmas' by Mark and Helen Johnson: | |
| Rock Around the Shops | |
| Child in a Manger Born | |
| Unto Us a Child is Born | |
| This Christmas Time | |
| Excerpts from "Harry Potter" by J K Rowling | read by Fiona Jackson |
| In the Bleak Midwinter | Harold Darke |
| Hark the Herald Angels Sing (communal) | Felix Mendelssohn |
Part 2
| O Little Town of Bethlehem (communal) | harm. Ralph Vaughan-Williams |
| My Lord of Marche Paven (brass ensemble) - | James Lauder |
| Galliard (brass ensemble) | anon |
| Hosanna to the Son of David | Orlando Gibbons |
| "The Wise Men Gae Ben" - A Scots Bible | read by Archie Waters |
| Quittez Pasteurs | Fr. trad. arr. John Rutter |
| The Shepherds' Cradle Song | Karl Leuner |
| I Saw Three Ships | trad. arr. David Willcocks |
| "The Guest" by Thomas Ford | read by Fran Walker |
| A Merry Christmas | arr. Nairn Young |
| White Christmas | Irving Berlin |
| Jingle Bells | trad. arr. Ray Charles |
| O Come! all Ye Faithful (communal) | arr. David Willcocks |
"A Musical Bouquet", 13 May 2006, Victoria Halls, Helensburgh
Our aim in devising this concert was to offer a wide range of music with something to suit everyone's taste – in fact "A Musical Bouquet".Our soloists Alasdair Young, piano and Alex Baker, baritone both final year students at the Guildhall School of Music, London were first class.
The concert was conducted by Nairn Young and our accompanist was Jane Hepworth.
Programme:
Part 1| Glasgow Highlanders | arr. Malcolm G McCallum |
| Lerchengesang | F Mendelssohn |
| Abschied vom Walde | F Mendelssohn |
| Mice & Men | arr. Hugh S Roberton |
| Alasdair Young, piano and Alex Baker, baritone: | |
| The Clock Of The Years | G Finzi |
| Lacrymosa - Choir | W A Mozart |
| Alasdair Young, piano: | |
| Impromptu in Ab Major D935 No.2 | F Schubert |
| April Is In My Mistress' Face - Choir | Thomas Morley |
| Adieu Sweet Amaryllis | John Wilbye |
| A Little Pretty Bonnie Lass | John Farmer |
| Alasdair Young, piano | |
| Adelaide Op.46 | L v Beethoven |
| Neue Liebe, Neues Leben Op.75 No.2 | L v Beethoven |
| Oh Mary Don't You Weep - Choir | arr. Joyce Barthelson |
Part 2
| The Farmer's Boy – male voices | Traditional |
| Early One Morning | arr. N M Young |
| The Derby Ram | arr. E T Sweeting |
| Alasdair Young, piano: | |
| Fantasia in D Minor K397 | W A Mozart |
| Aubade – female voices | John Ireland |
| Alasdair Young, piano and Alex Baker, baritone: | |
| At The River | A Copland |
| I Bought Me A Cat | A Copland |
| The Cachucha - Choir | Arthur Sullivan |
| Waltz Of My Heart | Ivor Novello |
| Alasdair Young, piano: | |
| Polonaise in A Major Op.40 No.1 The Military | F Chopin |
| Hallelujah Chorus - Choir | G F Handel |
"Christmas Cheer", December 2005, United Reformed Church, Helensburgh
Conductor: Nairn Young. Piano accompanist: Jane Hepworth. Eight piece brass ensemble. Hermitage Primary School Choir.The concert went down very well. We played to a full house.
Programme:
Part 1| Joy to the World | Lowell Mason |
| Once in Royal David's City (communal) | H.J. Gauntlett |
| "Eddi's Service" (AD 687), by R.Kipling | read by Fran Walker |
| All This Time | William Walton |
| There is no Rose | John Joubert |
| Torches | John Joubert |
| Cebell (Brass Ensemble) | H. Purcell |
| It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (communal) | Arthur Sullivan |
| "The Maid Servant at the Inn", by Dorothy Parker | read by Helen Caldwell |
| Come to Bethlehem | Peter Warlock |
| Patapan | arr. Reginald Jacques |
| "Seasons Greetings", Anon | read by Christine Begg |
| "Christmas Bells" – a musical play | Hermitage Primary School Choir |
| "One of the Three", By Brian McCabe | read by Mary-Jane Selwood |
| Hark the Herald Angels Sing (communal) | Mendelssohn |
Part 2
| Hahnentanz (Brass Ensemble) | M. Praetorius |
| While Shepherd's Watch (communal) | descant/organ arr. David Willcocks |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est | J.P. Sweelinck |
| "The Shepherds go to the Manger", The King James Bible | read by Jill Braid |
| Christmas Song | M. Praetorius |
| A Great and Mighty Wonder | harmonized: M. Praetorius |
| Psallite | M. Praetorius |
| "A Cold Christmas Day Morning" by Rev. Francis Kilvert | read by Stephanie Alexander |
| Blow, Blow thou Winter Wind | R.J.S. Stevens |
| "The Boy Actor", by Sir Noel Coward | read by Pat Robertson |
| Sleigh Ride | Leroy Anderson |
| When Santa got stuck up the Chimney | Anon |
| White Christmas | I. Berlin |
| O Come! all Ye Faithful (communal) | arr. D. Willcocks |
'On Land and Sea' May 2005 Victoria Halls, Helensburgh
In anticipation of warmer months the Choir regaled the audience with an array of musical moments, which set their feet a-tapping and hearts swooning! In the second half, we commemorated the 200th Anniversary of Nelson’s Battle of Trafalgar. This was planned to be an appropriate celebration of Helensburgh’s naval connections.In October 1805, Horatio Nelson attacked Admiral Villeneuve's fleet spurring on his men with a signal that read, "England expects that every man will do his duty". After a musket ball struck him in his shoulder and passed through his lung, breaking his spine, Nelson died - the victor.
Two hundred years after his death, Nelson remains a popular hero enshrined in history by his flagship HMS Victory.
This part of the programme commemorated Nelson’s memory with a fun and vibrant nautical tribute with the audience singing and swaying in celebration during the Finale!
Conductor: Nairn Young. Accompanist: Jane Hepworth.
Programme:
Part 1| Bonnie Dundee | arr. H.S. Roberton |
| A Rosebud By My Early Walk | arr. Cedric T. Davie |
| I'll Ay Ca' In By Yon Toon | arr. Kenneth Finlay |
| Lomond School Traditional Musicians: | |
| The Youngest Ancient Mariner | Phil Cunningham |
| Smiler | Traditional |
| Her Mantle So Green | Traditional |
| Linden Lea | V. Williams. arr. A. Somervell |
| The Dance | E. Elgar |
| Lomond School Traditional Musicians: | |
| Marni Swanson of the Grey Coast | Andy Thorburn |
| The Sound of Sleat | Donald Mackinnon |
| An Ataireachd Ard/Eternal Surge of Sea | Traditional |
| The Ale is Dear | Traditional |
| All Creatures Now Are Merry Minded | John Bennet |
| The Silver Swan | Orlando Gibbons |
| Now Is The Month of Maying | Thomas Morley |
| Lomond School Traditional Musicians: | |
| Ashokan Farewell | J. Ungar |
| Seany's Tune | Fred Morrison |
| Donald Willie And His Dog | D. Morrison |
| Donald Mcleod | Traditional |
| The Heavens Are Telling | F.J. Haydn |
Part 2
| See the Conquering Hero Comes | G.F. Handel |
| Sea Fever – soloist Robert Kirk | John Ireland |
| Swansea Town | Gustav Holst |
| HMS Pinafore-excerpts | Gilbert and Sullivan |
| The Old Superb – soloist Robert Kirk | C. V. Stanford |
| Rule Britannia | Thos. Arne. arr. N. M. Young |
'White Christmas' December 2004 United Reformed Church, Helensburgh
This was the first really traditional-style Christmas concert we performed. It included many well and lesser-known Christmas songs, a longer work, in this case the Pergolesi Magnificat, community carols and readings by Choir members from Christmas literature. Our intention was to establish a pattern of performance, which our audience knew would be just what they wanted to experience in the days leading up to Christmas. The style (and the pattern) worked a treat and we were delighted with the audience's enthusiasm.Conductor: Nairn Young. Accompanist: Jane Hepworth.
Programme:
Part1| Fanfare | M. Shaw |
| Once in Royal David's City (communal) | H.J.Gauntlett |
| Sir Christemas | W. Mathias |
| Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind, Shakespeare | read by Pat Robertson |
| Green Grow'th the Holly | attrib. Henry VIII |
| Christmas Has Started | M. & H. Johnson |
| The Gift | M. & H. Johnson |
| Please Don’t Bring Me A... | M. & H. Johnson |
| What I Think, John Waters | read by Archie Waters |
| While Shepherds Watched (communal) | E.Psalter |
| O Men from the Fields – ladies chorus | A. Cooke |
| Ecce Novum Gaudium | arr. K Elliot |
| 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, C.C.More | read by Sue Ashby |
| This Christmas Time | M. & H. Johnson |
| Child In A Manger | M. & H. Johnson |
| The Christmas Fairy, E. Grummett | performed by Sheila Vance |
| Hark the Herald Angels Sing (communal) | Mendelssohn |
Part 2
| Good King Wenceslas(communal) | arr. R. Jacques |
| The Bells of Waiting Advent Ring, Betjeman | read by Anne McKechnie |
| Magnificat | G. B. Pergolesi |
| The Chorus at Oberammergua, Humbert Wolfe | read by Judith McGregor |
| Away in a Manger | arr.D.Willcocks |
| Christmas Song | M.Praetorius |
| Winter, Tennyson | read by Sue Newton |
| Sans Day Carol | arr. J.Rutter |
| A Christmas Carol, Dickens, excerpt | read by Ian Robertson |
| White Christmas | Irvine Berlin |
| Sleigh Ride | L. Anderson |
| O Come all ye Faithful (communal) | arr. D. Willcocks |
'Traditional Magic' May 2004 Victoria Halls, Helensburgh
For this concert, our conductor Gordon Gunee’s farewell concert, we chose a broad spectrum of traditional airs and folk songs from around the world – some familiar, some less so. We were fortunate to secure Eleanor Doodey as our soloist. She is originally from Worcester and is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. As she lives locally in Arrochar, where she teaches singing and piano, she considers herself a local and made a great contribution to the evening both with her solos and her willingness to join the choir in several of our pieces.However, top of the bill, this evening was our magician and musical director, Gordon Gunnee, we’ll leave the last word to him:
"As my reign as conductor of the Dorian Choir comes to a timely close, I look back on a period of great enjoyment. I have enjoyed the warm welcome and friendship of the members. The hard work, panic - will it work? - relief when it did. I have tried to introduce a wide variety of music to suit different tastes. Hopefully none of it upset people too much, but we have to try new things to stretch our capabilities. I have introduced soloists, both up and coming and established. Tonight's soloist I am sure will have a long and successful career. We have entered the Glasgow Music Festival twice, and a number of people from the audience and other choirs have commented on how well the Choir has performed this year. I would like to thank everyone for their support, and hope the choir will continue to flourish under its new conductor. All the best for the future..." - Gordon.
Programme:
Part 1| Three Hungarian Folk Songs | Matayas Seiber |
| Pipe the Music! Beat the Drum | arr Hugh S Roberton |
| Caleno Custreme | arr Hugh S Roberton |
| Climb up Chillun, Climb | arr Joyce Barthelson |
| 2 Scottish and 3 Irish traditional songs – soloist: Eleanor Doodey | |
| Spanish Love Dance | arr Wagner & Ahrold |
| Linden Lea | Vaughan Williams |
| Black Sheep | arr John Rutter |
| Battle Hymn Of The Republic | arr Peter J Wilousky |
Part 2
| Johnnie Cope | arr Cedric Thorpe Davie |
| Pick a Bale of Cotton | arr. Maurice Gardner |
| Phil the Fluter’s Ball | Percy French |
| Uist Tramping Song | John R Bannerman |
| 3 Scottish traditional songs | soloist: Eleanor Doodey |
| L'il Liza Jane | arr. Lyn Murray |
| I Bought Me A Cat | Aaron Copland |
| In the Wheatfield | arr. Bryan Williams |
| When The Saints Go Marching In | arr. John Rutter |
'A Cotters Christmas' December 2001 United Reformed Church, Helensburgh
In 2001 we decided to celebrate Christmas rather differently. The main item in our concert was 'A Burns Sequence' by John Gardner which celebrates Scotland's 'unlettered ploughman poet'. Our Conductor, Gordon Gunnee and his son Brian, sang in the World Premier of this work on 12 March 1995 in Glasgow City Hall, with the Strathclyde School’s Chorus and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Christopher Bell. We were, therefore, delighted to perform this sequence, particularly in view of its passion and its 18th century dialect!'Though of peasant origin, Robert Burns was a very cultured man: vastly well read and with a knowledge of foreign languages, maths and music. He cut a striking figure amongst Edinburgh’s elite. The poems in the Sequence contain some of the many activities which inspired him in his short life: his religious conviction (in the hymns -1 & 8), his penchant for writing new works to traditional Scottish melodies (in 2 & 7); his delight in both romantic love (in 3 & 4); philandering (5); and his not infrequent use of High English rather than the 'Lallans' with which he is usually associated (1,2 & 8)'.
(exerts taken from the composer's note "A Burns Sequence" by John Gardner, Oxford University Press 1995).
In addition, we included a number of Christmas Carols in the concert, which would have been sung around the time of Burns. There were also some well-known and some less well-known arrangements.
Jane Hepworth accompanied the concert throughout.
Programme:
Part 1| Once in Royal David's City (communal) | Mann |
| Unto Us Is Born a Son | arr. Willcocks |
| Away in a Manger | arr. Willcocks |
| A Burns Sequence: Prayer under the Pressure of Violent Anguish | Vocal Score: Gardner |
| A Burns Sequence: Raging Fortune | Vocal Score: Gardner |
| A Burns Sequence: My Luve is like a Red, Red Rose | Vocal Score: Gardner |
| A Burns Sequence: Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary? | Vocal Score: Gardner |
| A Burns Sequence: O Whistle an' I'll come to you | Vocal Score: Gardner |
| A Burns Sequence: Ca' the Yowes of the Knowes | Vocal Score: Gardner |
| A Burns Sequence: McPherson's Farewell | Vocal Score: Gardner |
| A Burns Sequence: Paraphrase of the First Psalm | Vocal Score: Gardner |
| O Come All Ye Faithful (communal) | arr. Willcocks |
Part 2
| O Little Town of Bethlehem (communal) | arr. Williams |
| Up! Good Christen Folk, And Listen | arr. Woodward |
| A Great And Mighty Wonder | Praetorius |
| The Cloths of Heaven – soloist Chris Wallace | T Dunhill |
| Every Day is Ladies Day with Me | arr. Herbert |
| Whence is that Goodly Fragrance | arr. Kitson |
| Out of Your Sleep | arr. Bennett |
| Deck the Hall | arr Willcocks |
| Who May Abide:The Messiah – soloist Brian Gunnee | Handel |
| On the Street Where you Live– soloist Brian Gunnee | Lerner & Loewe |
| Silent Night (in German) | Gruber |
| Mary Had A Baby | arr. Sargent |
| De Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy | arr. Sargent |
| A Merry Christmas | arr. Warrell |
| Hark the Herald Angels Sing (communal) | Mendelssohn |
'Fifty years Of Song' 8th May 1999 Victoria Halls, Helensburgh
The Choir's 50th Anniversary Concert was 'a bit of a do', to say the least!To start with, it covered a kaleidoscope of music through the decades since the Choir was formed, from the 1940s to the 1990s. Former members of the Choir returned to sing at this very special event. We included a song, ‘All In An April Evening’, arranged by our founder, James McTaggart. Four former Conductors, Walter Blair, Bill Kean, Ronnie Walker and David Finlay were invited to conduct a piece of music each. And one of them, Ronnie Walker, was commissioned to write a short suite for the 1990s section. He entitled it ‘Here’s Tae Us! Wha’a Like Us?’ It consists of three Scottish folk songs of protest with a touch of humour. As if that were not enough, former Choir member, Lorna Anderson, now an international singer, returned to sing two solo spots, and a duet with our compere for the evening, local baritone Robert Kirk. Our resident conductor, Alan Craig, effortlessly guided us through the years, and the full house and performers had what can only be described as ‘a ball’. Afterwards we all partied. It was indeed, a night to remember.
Programme:
Part 1| Scotland The Brave | arr. Marion McClurg |
| All In An April Evenin' | arr. James McTaggart |
| 1940s | |
| Some Enchanted Evening | Rogers & Hammerstein |
| Oklahoma Selection | Rogers & Hammerstein |
| Durisdeer | Lorna Anderson |
| O, Whistle And I'll Come Tae Ye, My Lad | Lorna Anderson |
| Lochaber | Lorna Anderson |
| The Laird o' Cockpen | Lorna Anderson |
| 1950s | |
| I Could Have Danced All Night | Lerner & Loewe |
| April Love | Sammy Fain |
| Sixteen Going On Seventeen | Rogers & Hammerstein |
| 1960s | |
| When I'm Sixty-Four | Lennon & McCartney |
| Close To You | Burt Bacharach |
| California Dreaming | John Phillips arr Milt Rogers |
| Rhythm Of Life | Cy Coleman arr Richard Barnes |
Part 2
| 1970s | |
| I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing | B Backer, B Davis, R Cook, R Greenaway arr Milt Rogers |
| Sound Of Silence | Paul Simon |
| The Kindly Voice Of Mother Nature | Mozart |
| A Brown Bird Singing | Haydn Wood |
| Bird Of Love Divine | Haydn Wood |
| 1980s | |
| Love Changes Everything | Andrew Lloyd Webber arr Ed Lojeski |
| Rum Tum Tugger – solo: Anton Fosh | Andrew Lloyd Webber |
| Phantom of the Opera | Andrew Lloyd Webber arr Ed Lojeski |
| 1990s | |
| Here's Tae Us! Wha'a Like Us? | arr Ronald Walker |
| Pease Bros Again | Enoch Kent |
| Sons of Glencoe | Trad |
| Rap, Tap, Tap | Matt McGinn |
| When the Saints go Marching In | arr John Rutter |
Helensburgh Dorian Choir