The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace

Chamber Choir and ETS, together with The Brandenberg Sinfonia presented a spectacular concert of a large-scale choral masterpiece, The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. The concert was held in the beautiful setting of Holy Sepulchre in Holborn, London as part of The Brandenberg Choral Festival of London and featured official video footage of war-time conflict and human suffering- which together with the stunning live performance made for a highly emotional and intense experience for the audience. Chamber Choir sang the work with depth and great understanding of the piece and included moving solos from pupils that were expertly delivered (a special mention to Emily B (U6) and Ines HM (4th Year). ETS sang with precision- their younger voices juxtaposing the stark images and narrative of war to great effect. Members of the Brandenburg Festival team and the orchestra commented on the incredibly high standard of our choirs- both musically and in their impeccable conduct throughout the day. A truly professional delivery in every way and a performance to be proud of. It was a joy to perform the piece with a professional orchestra- the complex trumpet fanfares, driving rhythmic percussion and strikingly haunting yet powerful strings were handled by Brandenberg Sinfonia with such exquisite musicianship. The soaring cello solos were performed by Mrs Helena Richards, Assistant Director of Music and the organ that underpinned the whole work was played by Mr Tristan Hall, Head of Academic Music. The video footage, expertly timed, was managed by Dr Brammeld, Head of Instrumental Music making this event a true showcase of Caterham School Music Department’s wonderful teamwork. Thanks go also to Mr John Mansell (who also sang bass) and to Mrs Rosie Deale for her impeccable pastoral care of all the pupils.

The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was commissioned by the Royal Armouries to mark the transition from one millennium to another. It reflects on the passing of ‘the most war-torn and destructive century in human history’ and looks forward in hope to a more peaceful future. The Armed Man is dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo conflict, whose tragedy was unfolding as it was being composed. The texts were chosen jointly by the composer and the then Master of the Royal Armouries, Guy Wilson. A framework for the work is provided by the traditional Catholic Mass and includes settings of the Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Benedictus, some of which have become popular self-standing pieces to be heard. But what makes the work distinctive are the lyrics drawn from many parts of the world and from diverse religions and cultures. The music too is cosmopolitan in its inspiration.

This particular piece was highly significant for Remembrance weekend and, it most certainly evoked emotions and reflection for all who performed and attended. It is captured by the plethora of wonderful comments from pupils’ parents:

“Just a quick note to say what a stunning event last night was – a beautiful , powerful performance”.

“Congratulations on a remarkable evening yesterday. It was a truly special evening and you, your team in the music department, and all the children did a fantastic job. It is amazing that the youngest children are only 10 years old and yet all delivered such a wonderful performance”.

“Just to add to the praise, I really did think this was one of the best performances I have ever seen at Caterham School”.

“Can I just pass on our congratulations to you as well for the concert last night. It was an incredibly impressive event and one that will be remembered for some time to come. The concert carried real poignancy and great execution by all involved”.

“Many congratulations to all of you for the wonderful performance last night.  What an achievement.  It was a very moving concert, and so inspiring to see you, the Caterham School choirs and the Brandenburg Orchestra creating such a beautiful, stirring sound”.

“The Armed Man was incredibly moving. The Caterham School singers are sounding fantastic. It’s a real privilege to be part of”.

“The performance was absolutely stunning. I could not believe that children could perform such a difficult programme to such an incredible standard. Thank you for getting the absolute best out of your wonderful singers. The combination with the orchestra was evocative”.

“I wanted to add my congratulations for Friday evening’s concert – it was remarkable”