Choir of Kings College, Cambridge Aug. 3, Stephen Cleobury conducting in Takemitsu Memorial Hall -- Chorus/organ: "Lobet den Herrn alle Heiden," BWV 230 (Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750), Organ solo: "Allein Gott in der Hoh sei Ehr," BWV 676 (Bach), Chorus: Six Vespers, Op. 37 (Sergei Vassilievich Rachmaninov, 1873-1943), Organ solo: "Vater unser in Himmelreich," BWV 682 (Bach), Chorus/organ: "Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf," BWV 226 (Bach); Chorus: "Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Muhseligen," Op. 74/1 (Johannes Brahms, 1833-97), "Lauda Sion" (Tomas Luis de Victoria, 1548-1611), "Ecce Dominus veniet" (Victoria), Organ solo: Praeludium und Fuge uber den Namen BACH (Franz Liszt, 1811-86), Chorus: "Tu es Petrus" (Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, 1526-1594), "Dum complerentur dies pentecostes" (Palestrina), Chorus/organ: "Schaffe in mir, Gott, ein rein Herz," Op. 29/2 (Brahms)
The Choir of Kings College, Cambridge, under Stephen Cleobury, presented a striking performance in Tokyo recently. The 30-voice choir comprised 16 young choristers and 14 older choral scholars, and was ably accompanied in certain of the selections by organ scholar Benjamin Bayl.
Kings College was established in 1441 by King Henry VI, who five years later established the chapel in which the choir performs. For over five and a half centuries, the tradition of British choral music has been carried forward by thousands upon thousands of boys from the age of 9 into their 20s. In modern times the Kings College Choir has produced any number of highly professional recordings, radio and television broadcasts and international tours.