An exciting opportunity to hear Wells Cathedral Choir in concert, presenting some of the most sublime English choral music of the 20th century.

Our programme, Songs of Farewell, centres around C. Hubert H. Parry's set of six motets of the same name, composed during the First World War and towards the end of the composer's life.

These rank among Parry's most profound compositions and are heavily influenced by the events in Northern Europe: several of his young students at the Royal College of Music were killed in action.

Texts by poets including Henry Vaughan, Thomas Campion and John Donne explore themes of suffering, death, peace and new life in a heavenly realm. Starting with the well-known My soul, there is a country, the pieces become increasingly complex, culminating with the double-choir Lord let me know mine end, a setting of Psalm 39.

Together with this masterpiece, we present music exploring similar themes by Finzi (Lo, the full, final sacrifice) and Stanford (For lo, I raise up), as well as William Harris's transcendent Faire is the Heaven.