Angmering Chorale “first” with Karl Jenkins’ The Peacemakers

The choir will be giving the first amateur performance in the south-east of Karl Jenkins’ latest choral work, The Peacemakers.

However, it won’t be unfamiliar territory for chorale members, who sang The Peacemakers last month in the chapel of King’s College, London, as part of the Brandenburg Choral Festival, featuring 66 choirs across the capital.

Dedicated to “the memory of all those who lost their lives during armed conflict: in particular, innocent civilians”, The Peacemakers draws on a wide range of sources, ranging from biblical and other ancient tracts, to modern-day material, and representing many writers, poets and world figures.

Among them is Terry Waite, who was held captive for almost five years in Beirut, and has contributed some words written specially for the piece.

Jenkins, who is patron of The Angmering Chorale, set himself the challenge of weaving together all these strands in music which has been described as, in turn, emotional, soothing and dramatic.

War and peace is a recurring theme for the composer, whose renowned work The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace has been performed on a number of occasions by the chorale, including its first staging in the south of England at Arundel Cathedral, in Carnegie Hall, New York, and at last year’s Brandenbury Choral Festival, at St Clement Danes Church.

For the concert at Arundel Cathedral, on Saturday, March 16, at 7.30pm, the choir will be accompanied by The Sinfonia of Arun, with jazz saxophonist Christian Forshaw, Dan Hawkins (bass guitar) and Laurie Ashworth (soprano).

Another British composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams, will be represented at the concert by his Benedicite (Bless ye the Lord), one of his lesser-known choral works, first performed in 1930, and featuring rich harmonies and beautifully undulating, atmospheric melodies. Interestingly, both works begin with a blessing, rather appropriate for the Easter season.

The other work in the chorale’s programme is Albinoni’s celebrated Adagio for Strings, and the whole concert will be conducted by the choir’s music director George Jones.

Tickets are available, price £15, from the chorale box office, telephone 01243 554501 or via www.theangmeringchorale.org.uk