Biography
The Bach Choir of London ranks among the planet's most venerable amateur vocal ensembles and plans to mark its sesquicentennial in 2025. Comprising 220 singers, the ensemble earns consistent acclaim for its yearly schedule of performances, international travel, and discography. Former and current patrons encompass Queen Victoria along with the Prince of Wales.
Established in 1875 to present the United Kingdom's first hearing of Bach's Mass in B minor, BWV 232, at London's St. James' Hall the next year, the ensemble succeeded so decisively that its participants resolved to continue as a permanent body. Although the designation Bach Choir reflected those initial roots, the singers have maintained an expansive repertoire embracing major works of English choral tradition while still frequently presenting the Bach St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, and additional compositions by the same master.
Among the distinguished musicians who have led the choir stand composer Charles Villiers Stanford (1885-1902), Ralph Vaughan Williams (1920-1926), Adrian Boult (1926-1932), David Willcocks (1960-1998), and, from 1998 onward, David Hill. During Willcocks's tenure the group inaugurated an extensive touring initiative that carried performances to numerous countries, among them South Africa in 1997, when the ensemble became the first overseas choir to appear there following the end of apartheid.
Lacking a permanent home, the choir appears in prominent London halls including the Royal Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Holy Trinity, Sloane Square, across its approximately twenty concerts each season. It further sustains educational outreach that brings its music into inner-city classrooms and has worked with numerous leading orchestras and vocal soloists.
A lengthy recording legacy includes multiple seasonal releases. Beginning in 2009 the choir formed a relationship with the Naxos label that yielded a disc of composer Carl Rütti's Requiem; it later shifted to Hyperion for a 2020 account of Herbert Howells' Missa Sabrinensis.
Established in 1875 to present the United Kingdom's first hearing of Bach's Mass in B minor, BWV 232, at London's St. James' Hall the next year, the ensemble succeeded so decisively that its participants resolved to continue as a permanent body. Although the designation Bach Choir reflected those initial roots, the singers have maintained an expansive repertoire embracing major works of English choral tradition while still frequently presenting the Bach St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, and additional compositions by the same master.
Among the distinguished musicians who have led the choir stand composer Charles Villiers Stanford (1885-1902), Ralph Vaughan Williams (1920-1926), Adrian Boult (1926-1932), David Willcocks (1960-1998), and, from 1998 onward, David Hill. During Willcocks's tenure the group inaugurated an extensive touring initiative that carried performances to numerous countries, among them South Africa in 1997, when the ensemble became the first overseas choir to appear there following the end of apartheid.
Lacking a permanent home, the choir appears in prominent London halls including the Royal Albert Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Holy Trinity, Sloane Square, across its approximately twenty concerts each season. It further sustains educational outreach that brings its music into inner-city classrooms and has worked with numerous leading orchestras and vocal soloists.
A lengthy recording legacy includes multiple seasonal releases. Beginning in 2009 the choir formed a relationship with the Naxos label that yielded a disc of composer Carl Rütti's Requiem; it later shifted to Hyperion for a 2020 account of Herbert Howells' Missa Sabrinensis.
Albums
