Hastings Philharmonic Choir to perform Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis

Tickets are on sale via the choir’s website www.hastingsphilchoir.org.uk, by phone 01424 437554 or at the Bookkeeper, Kings Road, St Leonards, priced £22/£17. Students, under-18s, jobseekers and universal credit £5/free.

Spokesman Gareth Simpson said: “The concert will be conducted by HPC musical director Marcio da Silva with organist Cornelis Takaema. The soloists are all leading singers: Helen May soprano; Marta Fontanals-Simmons contralto; Leonel Pinheiro tenor and Edwin Kaye bass. It is perhaps fitting that we should perform this work, with the poignant sounds of war that Beethoven added to his prayer for divine peace (Dona Nobis Pacem), on what will be the 11th day of the 11th month.

“The Missa Solemnis in D major is a solemn mass composed by Beethoven from 1819 to 1823. Written around the same time as his Ninth Symphony, it is Beethoven's second setting of the Mass, his first being the Mass in C major, Op 86 written in 1807.

“The Missa Solemnis was first performed on April 7 1824 in St Petersburg under the auspices of Beethoven's patron Prince Nikolai Galitzin. It was written for the enthronement of his foremost patron and great friend Archduke Rudolf of Austria, Archbishop of Olmütz, and dedicated to him.

“Beethoven was not a religious man – there is no anecdotal evidence of him ever having chosen to attend a church service – but in his final years he did become deeply spiritual. The copy of the manuscript presented to Rudolf was inscribed ‘Von Herzen - Möge es wieder Zu Herzen geh’n!’ (‘From the heart – may it return to the heart!’). It is clearly a deeply personal expression of Beethoven's spirituality.”

Gareth added: “Hastings Philharmonic Choir can trace its beginnings back to 1928 when the organist at the Wellington Square Baptist Church merged his choir, the Wellington Square Choral Society, with the St Mary in the Castle Centenary church to celebrate the centenary of St Mary in the Castle with a performance of the Messiah.

"The concert was so successful that it was repeated the following year and there began a highly successful town choir that Hastings Borough Council was pleased to promote, alongside the prestigious Hastings Municipal Orchestra for the traditional Good Friday performances of the Messiah at its newly built White Rock Pavilion. So nearly 100 years later, under its musical director, Marcio da Silva, the Hastings Philharmonic Choir has established itself as one of the foremost choirs in the area.

“This friendly choir is always happy to welcome new members, who enjoy singing and who can follow written-down music, and the best way of finding out if Hastings Philharmonic Choir is for you is to visit one or more of our weekly rehearsals. If you would like to do this, send us an email and we will be delighted to see you – [email protected].”