Bach, Brahms and Bruckner 18 October 2025 Trinity-Henleaze United Reformed Church

David Bednall  Conductor    

Nigel Nash Accompanist    

 

 

Bach, Brahms, Bruckner

This autumn will see a focus on the music of Bach, Brahms, and Bruckner, three very different composers but ones familiar to all music-lovers. Whilst all are known for their large-scale works, their output of choral music is no less masterly, and often seems to encapsulate an entire symphonic world in a short time span. The principal work will be J.S. Bach’s Motet Jesu Meine Freude, which across its 11 sections exploits the full gamut of choral writing. Brahms’ beautiful Op. 29 motets will be joined by his Fest- und Gedenksprüche and the secular Drei Gesange, whilst Bruckner’s beautiful Os Justi and majestic Ecce Sacerdos will provide a thrilling end to the concert.

18th October 2025 7.30 pm

Trinity-Henleaze United Reformed Church, Waterford Road, BS9 4BT

Tickets : £21 (reserved), £15 (unreserved). Students & under 18s £5

Tickets will be available on the door from 19.00 on Saturday

Northern Lights 21 June 2025 Tyndale Baptist Church

Tyndale Baptist Church, Clifton BS8 2QG. 

Saturday 21st June 7.30 pm

Tickets: £21 (reserved), £15 (unreserved), £1 (students & under 18’s)

In Northern Lights on 21st June 2025 Bristol Bach Choir will present a programme showing some of the richly varied choral works which come from the Baltic States and associated schools of composition. The emphasis will be on contemporary composers, with names such as Pärt, Gjeilo, Ešenvalds, Miskinis and Dubra, and will highlight that, whilst there are certain qualities which seem to identify this music’s geographical origin, they are nevertheless hugely varied in sound and style. This sumptuous variety includes Holy Minimalism and some very spare, haunting writing, through to the dense multi-choir pieces which truly deserve the term ‘choral orchestration’. Both secular and sacred music will feature, and the concert will be an exciting dip into this vast sea of music.

Conductor: David Bednall  

 Accompanist: Nigel Nash

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Haydn Nelson Mass and CPE Bach Magnificat 22 March 2025 St Peter’s Church, Henleaze

David Bednall  Conductor    

Accompanied by Bristol Ensemble

Soprano | Sophie Kirk Harris

Alto | Rebecca Chellappah

Tenor | Kieran White

Bass | Edmund Danon 

Bristol Bach Choir presents two exciting, colourful, and melodic classical works.

Haydn’s Missa in angustiis (Mass for Troubled Times) is more commonly known as Nelson Mass, and is one of his most popular choral works. The setting is by turns dramatic and contemplative, full of the composer’s trademark melodies and surprises. C.P.E. Bach’s Magnificat might be less well known but is certainly no less enjoyable. The text is broken into a number of sections enabling the composer to make full use of the soloists, chorus, and all the available combinations to create a wonderful vibrant setting of the Song of Mary.

Tickets for reserved seats are now sold out.

There are still plenty of unreserved seats available at £10 (£5 students & under 18s) which can be purchased on the door from 7pm.

Haydn Nelson Mass Come and Sing workshop, 25th January 2025 St Monica’s, Cote Lane Westbury on Trym

Come and sing Haydn’s Nelson Mass for an afternoon with the Bristol Bach Choir and our very own David Bednall. We will complete the afternoon with a performance of the choruses to residents of St Monica’s.

led by David Bednall – Conductor

Nigel Nash – Accompanist

Tickets £10 (including score hire) 0117 214  0721 tickets @bristolbach.org.uk
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14th December 2024: Spirit of Christmas, St George’s Bristol

David Bednall  Conductor    

Accompanied by Nigel Nash and Bristol Brass Consort 

Bristol Bach Choir present their traditional Spirit of Christmas concert, on Saturday 14th December at 7.30 pm, in St. George’s, Brandon Hill.

A very special and uplifting evening of Christmas Music with Bristol Bach Choir and Bristol Brass Consort, whose Christmas CD Festive Brass has featured on Classic FM. The combination of Choir and Brass is a perfect match, capable of an infinite variety of sounds and expressions. The repertoire will extend from the Venetian Renaissance to the present day, and in moods ranging from the contemplative to the utterly joyful. Both groups will also display their individual skills in pieces appropriate to the season and the many emotions it brings. There will be the usual opportunity for a little audience participation in carols.

Bristol Brass Consort, formed in 1985, is a symphonic brass ensemble which regularly performs established brass repertoire as well as lesser-known works and new commissions. They have played in Bristol’s most prestigious venues, including St George’s, the Bristol Beacon, St Mary Redcliffe and Clifton Cathedral. Their core ensemble, a quintet consisting of two trumpets, French horn, trombone and tuba, will be accompanying Bristol Bach Choir today, as well as performing a variety of festive pieces from their own extensive repertoire.


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12 October 2024: Autumn Concert: Passing the Torch

David Bednall – Conductor

Nigel NashAccompanist

Saturday 12th October 2024 at 7:30pm – All Saints Church, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3ED

Tickets – £21 (reserved), £15 (unreserved – £12 if bought in advance), £1 students/under 18s

A concert celebrating the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams on his birthday. He is one of the most loved and influential British Composers and his legacy was a revitalised musical language which provided many new directions for future generations. His influences were wide-ranging but included folksong and the Tudor Age. This beautiful programme will feature the Mass in G Minor and the deeply moving Lord, Thou hast been our refuge. The former evokes something of the glories of Renaissance polyphony, whilst the latter is an immense hymn to optimism and the hope of a better future. The concert will also include music by his teachers, Parry and Stanford. Both are important figures in their own right, and we are marking Stanford’s Centenary this year. Parry’s majestic festival anthem Hear my words ye people will feature, with Stanford represented by his beautiful Latin Motets: When Mary through the garden went, and For Lo, I raise up. Vaughan Williams’ own teaching legacy is also acknowledged with Howells’s Take him, earth, for cherishing, an astonishing motet written following the assassination of President Kennedy and one which still moves and astonishes to this day.

Tickets: £21 (reserved), £15 (unreserved)

To purchase tickets, click on your selected ticket type (see the seating plan below) and then ‘Add to cart’, which will transfer you to the secure Paypal payment page, where you will be able to specify the quantity of tickets required.  Our ticket secretary will be in touch with your tickets after your payment is confirmed.

For this concert we’re offering tickets to students and under 18s for just £1


 


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Music for a summer’s evening: 22nd June 2024

David Bednall – Conductor

Nigel Nash – Accompanist

Bristol Bach Choir’s summer concert will be a beautiful and entertaining mix of the fun, thoughtful, poignant and sensuous as they explore secular music by Bob Chilcott, Cecilia McDowall, William Mathias, and George Shearing. The programme will explore the weather in The Shipping Forecast, major world events in Five Days that changed the world, and the eternal power of Shakespeare. At the emotional heart of the programme is the tragically short-lived Lili Boulanger’s simply stunning Soir sur la plaine.

Tickets: £22 (reserved), £15 (unreserved), students & under 18s £1

Online ticket sales are now closed for this concert.

Tickets will be available to purchase on the door from 7pm.

Gabriel Jackson and Scarlatti: 23rd March 2024

David Bednall – Conductor

Nigel NashAccompanist

Bristol Bach Choir will perform two highly contrasting and beautiful works for many voices. The text of the Stabat Mater focusses on Mary as she stands at the foot of the cross grieving for her son. Scarlatti’s setting is one of the pinnacles of the Baroque repertoire and is scored for 10 voice parts throughout; its myriad textures ranging from the sparse to the densely contrapuntal as it wrings every vestige of emotion and drama from this powerful and harrowing poem.

The contemporary composer Gabriel Jackson’s Requiem provides a stunning contrast to this, sharing the many-voiced textures, but suffused with light, warmth and peace. The composer sets texts from the Latin Mass as well as some from other cultures, religions, and traditions. They all share a common belief in death being not the end, but rather something filled with hope for a new life ahead.

Tickets: £22 (reserved), £15 (unreserved)

For this concert we’re offering tickets to students and under 18s for just £1


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Tickets will be available on the door.

If you have ordered tickets in the last few days, please note that our Ticket Secretary manually processes orders for tickets on the website or via email/phone. There may therefore be a delay to you receiving your tickets, which will be emailed to you in good time before the concert.

If you have any issues with purchasing tickets please contact our Ticket Secretary on 0117 214 0721 or tickets@bristolbach.org.uk



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J.S.Bach Magnificat Come and Sing workshop, 9th Sept 2023

Enjoy a workshop with us on J. S. Bach fabulous Magnificat in D

Our workshop is nearly fully booked, please contact Judith VORLEY at 01172140721 to enquire about spaces, or email tickets@bristolbach.org.uk

led by David Bednall – Conductor

Nigel Nash – Accompanist


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Sat 17th June 2023: Celebration of British Music – St Mary Redcliffe


David BEDNALL – Conductor   –   Nigel NASH – Accompanist

 

Byrd – Ad Dominum cum Tribularer ;In Felix Ego

Handel – Coronation Anthem: My heart is inditing ; The King shall Rejoice

Finzi – Magnificat

Finzi & Bednall – Nunc dimittis

Parry – Blest Pair of Sirens

Britten – Rejoice in the Lamb

Howells – Behold O God our defender


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Online ticket sales are now closed, but tickets will be available on the door at 19.00