St Clement Danes, Strand, Thursday 16 April 2026
Welcome to this evening’s concert of Baroque choral and instrumental works. The Baroque style used contrast, movement, exuberant detail, grandeur and surprise to achieve a sense of awe. We are grateful for the opportunity to present tonight’s programme at St Clement Danes, which is designed by Sir Christopher Wren, one of the defining architects of the English Baroque.
In addition to our Music Director Rufus Frowde, Vivamus will be joined by the Brandenburg Sinfonia and Richard Simpson (oboe) and Rirchard Hills (chamber organ).
Programme
eternal source of light divine
George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759)
Handel composed ‘Eternal Source of Light Divine’ in 1713 as the radiant opening movement of his Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, which celebrates not only Queen Anne’s birthday but also the Treaty of Utrecht that ended the War of the Spanish Succession. Handel draws on the English court ode tradition, blending Italianate lyricism with the grandeur expected of royal celebration. The text, by the poet and politician Ambrose Philips, invokes heavenly light as a metaphor for the Queen’s virtues, and Handel responds with music of almost hypnotic poise.
Text:
Eternal source of light divine!
With double warmth thy beams display,
And with distinguish’d glory shine,
To add a lustre to this day.
Rejoice in the Lord alway, Purcell
Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695)
Purcell’s Rejoice in the Lord alway, also known as the ‘Bell Anthem,’ is one of the most beloved English anthems of the late seventeenth century. Written in the mid-1680s during Purcell’s tenure at the Chapel Royal, it takes its nickname from the distinctive bell like motif that opens the work — a gently rocking figure in the strings that sets the tone for the joyful exhortation to follow. The text, drawn from Philippians 4, is a call to steadfast rejoicing, and Purcell responds with music that is both exuberant and refined. Purcell’s gift for word painting is everywhere: the music brightens on “rejoice,” softens on “be careful for nothing,” and blossoms into rich counterpoint as the choir enters. His harmonic language, though rooted in the English tradition of Gibbons and Humfrey, shows the influence of Italianate expressiveness, particularly in the fluid vocal lines and expressive suspensions.
Text:
Rejoice in the Lord alway,
And again I say, rejoice.
Let your moderation be known unto all men.
The Lord is at hand.
Rejoice in the Lord alway,
And again I say, rejoice.
Be careful for nothing;
But in ev’ry thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
Let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
Shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rejoice in the Lord alway,
And again I say, rejoice.
Oboe Concerto No.3 in G Minor
George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759)
Handel’s Oboe Concerto No. 3 in G minor stands among the most expressive works Handel wrote for a solo wind instrument, blending Italianate virtuosity with the lyrical warmth that was later to become a hallmark of his London years. The concerto showcases the oboe’s ability to move effortlessly between noble declamation and intimate, vocal‑like phrasing. Though compact, the work reveals the composer’s deep understanding of the oboe’s expressive palette and remains one of the instrument’s most cherished concert pieces. The four movements are marked Grave (heavy, serious); Allegro (fast and bright); Largo (slow and broad); and Allegro, the fourth movement being derived thematically from the first.
Jesu, meine freude
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Bach’s motet Jesu, meine Freude, is one of the most profound and structurally intricate works in the choral repertoire. The piece interweaves stanzas of chorale text by the politician, poet and hymnist Johann Franck with passages from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, creating a dialogue between personal devotion and theological assurance. Bach writes to a design of extraordinary symmetry: the eleven movements form an archlike structure, with the central fugue (‘Ihr aber seid nicht fleischlich’) as the spiritual and musical fulcrum. Despite its intellectual rigour, the motet is deeply expressive. Bach’s treatment of the chorale melody is tender and consoling, while the scriptural passages pulse with urgency and conviction. The result is a work that moves between contemplation and proclamation, embodying the Lutheran belief that faith is both inward comfort and outward declaration.
Text:
1. (Chorale)
Jesu, meine Freude,
meines Herzens Weide,
Jesu, meine Zier.
Jesus, my joy,
my heart’s pasture,
Jesus, my adornment!
Ach wie lang! ach lange
ist dem Herzen bange,
und verlangt nach dir!
Oh, how long! How long
has this anxious heart
yearned for you!
Gottes Lamm, mein Bräutigam,
außer dir soll mir auf Erden
nichts sonst liebers werden.
Lamb of God, my bridegroom,
apart from you, nothing else on Earth
shall become more dear to me.
2. (Romans 8:1)
Es ist nun nichts Verdammliches an denen,
die in Christo Jesu sind,
die nicht nach dem Fleische wandeln,
sondern nach dem Geist.
There is therefore now no condemnation
to those who are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit.
3. (Chorale)
Unter deinem Schirmen
bin ich vor den Stürmen
aller Feinde frei.
Under your shelter,
I am free from the storms
of all enemies.
Laß den Satan wittern,
laß den Feind erbittern,
mir steht Jesus bei.
Let Satan threaten,
let the fiend rage:
Jesus stands by me.
Ob es itzt gleich kracht und blitzt,
ob gleich Sünd und Hölle schrecken:
Jesus will mich decken.
Though, now, lightning cracks and flashes,
though, too, sin and hell shriek,
Jesus will protect me.
4. (Romans 8:2)
Denn das Gesetz des Geistes,
der da lebendig machet in Christo Jesu,
hat mich frei gemacht von dem Gesetz
der Sünde und des Todes.
For the law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus
hath made me free from the law
of sin and death.
5. (Chorale)
Trotz dem alten Drachen,
trotz des Todes Rachen,
trotz der Furcht darzu!
Despite the old dragon,
despite the jaws of death,
despite my fear of them!
Tobe Welt und springe,
ich steh hier und singe
in gar sichrer Ruh.
Rage, o world, and quake:
Here I stand and sing,
entirely secure in peace.
Gottes Macht hält mich in acht,
Erd und Abgrund muß verstummen,
ob sie noch so brummen.
God’s might watches o’er me;
Earth and abyss must be silent,
however much they grumble.
6. (Romans 8:9)
Ihr aber seid nicht fleischlich,
sondern geistlich,
so anders Gottes Geist in euch wohnet.
Wer aber Christi Geist nicht hat,
der ist nicht sein.
But ye are not in the flesh,
but in the Spirit,
if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,
he is none of his.
7. (Chorale)
Weg mit allen Schätzen,
Du bist mein Ergötzen,
Jesu, meine Lust!
Away with all earthly treasure!
You are my delight,
Jesus, my pleasure!
Weg, ihr eitlen Ehren,
ich mag euch nicht hören,
bleibt mir unbewußt!
Away, you vain glories,
I do not want to hear you,
remain unknown to me!
Elend, Not, Kreuz, Schmach und Tod
soll mich, ob es viel muß leiden,
nicht von Jesu scheiden.
Misery, want, the Cross, disgrace and death:
however much I suffer,
they shall not tear me from Jesus.
8. (Romans 8:10)
So aber Christus in euch ist
so ist der Lieb zwar tot um der Sünde willen;
der Geist aber ist das Leben
um der Gerechtigkeit willen.
And if Christ be in you,
the body is dead because of sin;
but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness.
9. (Chorale)
Gute Nacht, o Wesen,
das die Welt erlesen,
mir gefällst du nicht!
Good night, o creature
who has chosen the world,
you please me not!
Gute Nacht, ihr Sünden,
bleibet weit dahinten,
kommt nicht mehr ans Licht!
Good night, you sins,
stay far behind me,
come no longer into the light!
Gute Nacht, du Stolz und Pracht,
Dir sei ganz, du Lasterleben,
gute Nacht gegeben.
Good night, pride and pomp!
And to you, life of iniquity,
a special good night! (is given)
10. (Romans 8:11)
So nun der Geist des,
der Jesum von den Toten auferwecket hat,
in euch wohnet, so wird auch derselbige,
der Christum von den Toten auferwecket hat,
eure sterbliche Leiber lebendig machen
um des willen, daß sein Geist in euch wohnet.
But if the Spirit of Him
that raised up Jesus from the dead
dwell in you, (so that same Spirit)
He, that raised Christ for the dead
shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.
11. (Chorale)
Weicht ihr Trauergeister,
denn mein Freudenmeister,
Jesus tritt herein.
Yield, you mourning-spirits,
for my Master of joy,
Jesus, is entering in.
Denen, die Gott lieben,
muß auch ihr Betrüben
lauter Zucker sein.
To those who love God,
even their sadness must
be as pure sugar!
Duld ich schon hier Spott und Hohn,
dennoch bleibst du auch im Leide,
Jesu, meine Freude.
Though I suffer here mockery and derision,
yet, you remain, even in my sorrow,
Jesus, my joy.
interval
Interval will last approximately 20 minutes
beatus vir
Claudio Montiverdi (1567-1643)
Monteverdi’s Beatus vir, published in 1641, is one of the most exuberant sacred works of the early Baroque. Setting Psalm 112, it celebrates the blessedness of the righteous man via music that is both joyful and theatrically expressive. The work is characterised by rhythmic vitality, dancelike motifs, and vivid contrasts of texture. Solo voices alternate with full ensemble passages, creating a sense of dramatic interplay reminiscent of Monteverdi’s operatic writing. The repeated refrain “Beatus vir” anchors the work, each iteration coloured differently ‒ sometimes buoyant, sometimes contemplative. Monteverdi’s harmonic language is daring, full of expressive dissonances and unexpected turns that heighten the text’s emotional resonance. Instrumental writing plays a crucial role, with strings and continuo providing both propulsion and colour. The result is a piece that feels celebratory yet sophisticated, devotional yet unmistakably theatrical.
Text:
Beatus vir, qui timet Dominum:
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord:
In mandatis eius rolet nimis.
He delights greatly in his commandments.
Potens in terra erit semen eius;
His seed will be mighty on earth;
Generatio rectorum benedicetur.
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
Gloria et divitiae in domo eius;
Wealth and riches are in his house;
Et justitia eius manet in saeculum saeculi.
And his righteousness endures for ever and ever.
Exortum est in tenebris lumen rectis:
Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness:
Misericors, et miserator et justus.
He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
Jucundus homo qui miseretur et commodat.
Good is the man who is full of compassion and lends.
Disponet sermones suos in judicio:
He will guide his affairs with discretion:
Quia in aeternum non commovebitur.
Because he will not be moved for ever.
In memoria aeterna erit justus.
The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.
Ab auditione mala non timebit.
He will not be afraid of evil tidings.
Paratum cor eius sperare in Domino;
His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord;
Confirmatum est, cor eius:
His heart is established:
Non commovebitur,
He will not be moved,
Donec despiciat inimicos suos.
Until he gazes at his enemies.
Dispersit, dedit pauperibus:
He has dispersed, he has given to the poor:
Justitia eius manet in saeculum saeculi,
His righteousness endures for ever and ever,
Cornu eius exaltabitur in gloria.
The strength of his soul will be exalted with honour.
Peccator videbit, et irascetur;
The sinner will see it, and will be grieved;
Dentibus suis fremet et tabescet.
He will gnash with his teeth, and melt away.
Desiderium peccatorum peribit.
The desire of the wicked shall perish.
Gloria Patri,
Glory be to the Father
Gloria, et Filio,
And to the Son
Gloria, et Spiritui Sancto,
And to the Holy Spirit,
Gloria, sicut erat in principio,
As it was in the beginning,
Gloria, et nunc et semper,
Is now, and ever shall be,
et in saecula saeculorum.
World without end.
Amen.
Amen.
gloria
antonio vivaldi (1678 – 1741)
Vivaldi’s Gloria in D major is one of the most famous sacred works of the Baroque era. Written for the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice — the renowned institution where Vivaldi taught and composed for an allfemale ensemble — the Gloria showcases his flair for colour, rhythmic energy, and expressive contrast. Possibly associated with Venetian victory in the sixth war against the Ottoman Empire in 1716, its twelve movements form a sequence of sharply characterised scenes.
The opening ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo’ bursts forth with jubilant brilliance, propelled by trumpets and oboes. Vivaldi’s gift for memorable melody is evident throughout: the serene ‘Et in terra pax,’ the tender soprano solo ‘Domine Deus,’ and the haunting ‘Qui tollis’ each reveal a different emotional world. The work balances exuberance with introspection, often shifting from major to minor to underscore the text’s theological depth. The work never loses its devotional core; even its most theatrical moments feel rooted in sincere praise.
Soloists:
Laudamus Te:
Laura Campbell and Nikki Clarke
Domine Deus, Rex Coelestis
Karen O’Connor
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei
Rachael Nolan
Qui Sedes
Swéta Rana
Text:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Glory be to God on high.
Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
And in earth peace, goodwill towards men.
Laudamus te. Benedicimus te.
We praise thee. We bless thee.,
Adoramus te. Glorificamus te.
We worship thee. We glorify thee.
Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
We give thanks to thee for thy great glory.
Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, .
O Lord God, heavenly king,
Deus Pater omnipotens
God the Father almighty.
Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris,
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
That takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
That takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
Quoniam tu solus Sanctus,
For thou only art holy;
Tu solus Dominus,
Thou only art the Lord;
Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe.
Thou only, O Christ.
Cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris.
With the Holy Ghost art most high, in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Amen.
Performers
Vivamus
Vivamus is a small, London-based chamber choir who enjoy singing a diverse and challenging range of repertoire, from well-known classics to new works by living composers. We rehearse weekly at St Clement Danes RAF church and aim to perform at least four times a year at venues in and around central London, including St Martin-in-the-Fields and St James’, Piccadilly. We also organise away weekends to sing in UK cathedrals.
Rufus Frowde, Musical Director
A freelance conductor, organist, pianist and composer, Rufus was Organist and Assistant Director of Music at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace from 2003 to 2023 as well as a long-serving Musical Director of Surrey Youth Choir. He has been the Musical Director of Vivamus chamber choir since 2008. He is also the Accompanist of Hertfordshire Chorus, one of the UK’s finest symphonic choirs. He became Artistic Director of The English Chamber Choir in 2024.
Rufus studied music as an Organ Scholar at Merton College, Oxford University. He subsequently became Organ Scholar of Worcester Cathedral and undertook prize-winning postgraduate study in Choral Direction and Church Music at the Royal Academy of Music.
Rufus has always maintained a versatile approach to music-making, seeking to ensure that barriers to quality music-making are overcome. As such, alongside his work as a professional musician, he nurtures the music at his local primary school (Samuel Lucas JMI School, Hitchin) as well as working as an animateur for the Chorister Outreach Project at St Albans Cathedral.
Rufus’ performances have included numerous UK cathedrals, Westminster Abbey, La Madeleine (Paris), Kaunas Cathedral, St Thomas’s Leipzig, St Paul’s Basilica (Rome), Cologne Cathedral, Haarlem Cathedral and Longwood Gardens (Pennsylvania). He has worked with musicians and performers including Emma Johnson, Crispian Steele Perkins, Kiri te Kanawa, José Carreras, Ian McMillan and Michael Rosen. He works with numerous orchestras as a guest conductor including The Hanover Band, Brandenburg Sinfonia, Southbank Sinfonia and the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists in collaboration with his choirs.
Rufus appears as a conductor, organist and composer on the Signum Classics, Resonus Classics, Diversions and Divine Art record labels and his work is frequently broadcast on national radio and television. Rufus was awarded Her Majesty’s Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals as well as a 2023 Coronation Medal.
brandenburg sinfonia
As well as its renowned work in the UK, the Brandenburg Sinfonia is also in great demand abroad and has in recent years visited France, USA, Bermuda, the Channel Islands, Barbados, Cyprus, Malta and Russia.
The varied range of activities undertaken by the orchestra include a major concert series at St Martin-in-the-Fields and a classical music cruise on the QE2.
A large number of artists of international standing have worked with the orchestra, including Richard Bonynge, Yvonne Kenny, Emmanuel Hurwitz, Lesley Garrett, John Georgiadis, John Wallace, Emma Kirkby, James Bowman and Gordon Hunt.
Its repertoire ranges from Bach to Lloyd Webber and its members give over one hundred performances of orchestral, chamber, choral and operatic music during the year.
richard simpson, oboe
Richard Simpson studied at The Royal College of Music with Sydney Sutcliffe. On leaving, he was appointed by Pierre Boulez to the position of Sub-Principal Oboe with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for just one year, before being invited to join the Hallé Orchestra as Principal Oboe. He spent eighteen years with that orchestra and during that time had the opportunity of performing concerti by Mozart, Strauss, Vaughan Williams, Martinu and Hummel to critical acclaim.
In 1991 he returned to the BBC Symphony Orchestra, this time as Principal Oboe. He has recorded for the BBC the Sinfonia Concertanti of both Haydn and Mozart and appeared with it as soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Oboe Concerto.
He has been a professor at both the Royal Northern College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music.
His most recent chamber music recordings have featured English composers and include Benjamin Britten’s Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, the Sonata for Oboe and Piano by Edmund Rubbra and works by Gordon Crosse, John Manduell, David Dubery, Gary Carpenter, Sally Beamish and Helen Leach.
Richard hills, chamber organ
Richard Hills is widely acknowledged as one of the very few musicians to have bridged and mastered the divide between the classical and theatre organ worlds. Having studied with William Whitehead at Rochester Cathedral he went on in turn to the organ scholarships of Exeter College Oxford, Portsmouth Cathedral and Westminster Abbey where his teachers included Rosemary Field and David Sanger. He now combines a freelance solo career with continuo, choir-training and teaching work and is the Organist of St Mary’s, Bourne Street, a central-London church noted for its Anglo-Catholic Liturgy and fine musical tradition. In January 2022 he also took up the position of Director of Music and Organist of the West London Synagogue, and is only the fifth holder of that post since 1859.
Richard’s career in the theatre organ world has been equally prestigious. He has numerous prizes and awards to his credit, both in this country and in the USA, where he was named ‘Organist of the Year’ in 2010 by the American Theatre Organ Society. He has appeared many times as a soloist on national and international TV and Radio in programmes as diverse as BBC Radio 3’s ‘Choral Evensong’ and BBC Radio 2’s ‘Friday Night is Music Night’, and he made his solo debut at the BBC Proms in 2013. He returned again to the Proms as a soloist in 2015, and appeared with the BBC Scottish Symphony and John Wilson Orchestras during the 2019 Proms season. 2019 also saw a solo recital at London’s Royal Festival Hall, alongside concerts in the USA, Europe and Sweden. His many recording credits include, most recently, a disc of British music made on the magnificent dual-purpose Compton organ of Southampton’s Guildhall, which earned a five-star review in Choir and Organ magazine.
Richard is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and a strong supporter of the work of the UK’s Cinema Organ Society, to whom he serves as Musical Adviser.
Support Vivamus
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