05 March 2017 - Choral Evensong

This week's webcast of Choral Evensong features Leighton's extraordinary The Second Service and Poulenc's beautiful setting of Vinea mea electa.

Kenneth Leighton (1929 - 1988) was a composer and pianist who held various academic posts at the Universities of Edinburgh, Leeds, and Oxford. Leighton's The Second Service (Op 62) was commissioned by the Cathedral Organists’ Association in memory of Brian Runnett, former Director of Music at Norwich Cathedral who tragically died in a car accident.

Francis Poulenc (1899 - 1963) finished work on his Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence in 1939 which ii. Vinea mea electa is drawn from. He took as his text the third Responsory for Tenebræ of Good Friday, which deals with Jesus’ trial and condemnation at the hands of Pontius Pilate and the freeing of the murderer Barabbas as demanded by the crowd.