Patron: The Former HRH The Prince of Wales
Chorus Master: Gavin Carr
Accompanist: Timothy End
Arts Council England

Concerts & Recordings 1977

7:00pm Sunday 20 March 1977

Prokofiev - Alexander Nevsky

Royal Festival Hall, London

Irina Arkhipova - mezzo-soprano

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

New Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Riccardo Muti

9:00pm Thursday 31 March 1977

Handel - Messiah

Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona

Norma Burrowes - soprano
Helen Watts - mezzo-soprano
Wynford Evans - tenor
John Shirley-Quirk - bass

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

New Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by John Pritchard


9:00pm Friday 1 April 1977

Bach - Mass in B minor

Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona

Norma Burrowes - soprano
Helen Watts - mezzo-soprano
Wynford Evans - tenor
John Shirley-Quirk - bass

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

New Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by John Pritchard


7:00pm Sunday 3 April 1977

Handel - Messiah

Royal Festival Hall, London

Norma Burrowes - soprano
Alfreda Hodgson - alto
Wynford Evans - tenor
John Shirley-Quirk - bass

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

New Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by John Pritchard


7:30pm Saturday 23 April 1977

Holst - The Planets

Fairfield Halls, Croydon

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Simon Johnson

New Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Simon Rattle


7:30pm Sunday 24 April 1977

Holst - The Planets

Royal Festival Hall, London

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Simon Johnson

New Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Simon Rattle

7:30pm Wednesday 25 May 1977

Schubert - Mass in E flat

Royal Festival Hall, London

Ann-Marie Connors - soprano
Margaret Cable - contralto
Anthony Rolfe Johnson - tenor
Martyn Hill - tenor
Stephen Roberts - bass

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

London Mozart Players
conducted by Harry Blech


6:00pm Sunday 12 June 1977

Beethoven - Missa Solemnis

Colston Hall, Bristol

Jennifer Smith - soprano
Helen Watts - mezzo-soprano
Robert Tear - tenor
Richard Van Allen - bass

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

New Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Charles Mackerras

Bath Festival

7:30pm Sunday 26 June 1977

Berlioz - Roméo et Juliette

Royal Festival Hall, London

Anne Howells - mezzo-soprano
Robert Tear - tenor
Robert Lloyd - bass

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Simon Johnson

New Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Andrew Davis

10:00pm Saturday 23 July 1977

Mahler - Symphony No.8

Théâtre Antique, Orange

Marita Napier - soprano
Heather Harper - soprano
Nadine Denize - mezzo-soprano
Birgit Finnilä - contralto
Alberto Remedios - tenor
Siegmund Nimsgern - bass- baritone
Harald Stamm - bass

Le Choeur d'enfants parisien
Chorus Master - Roger de Magnée

Chor des Städtischen Musikvereins e. V. Düsseldorf
Chorus Master - Harmut Schmidt

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

Orchestre National de France
Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
conducted by Vaclav Neumann

10:00pm Saturday 6 August 1977

Beethoven - Fidelio

Théâtre Antique, Orange

Staged performance

Leonora - Gundula Janowitz
Fidelio - Jon Vickers
Rocco - Misha Raitzin
Marzelline - Stella Richmond
Jacquino - William Wildermann
Don Pizarro - Theo Adam
Don Fernando - Jean-Louis Soumagnas

New Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Masters - Norbert Balatsch and Simon Johnson

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Zubin Mehta

Director - Alfred Wopmann

The performance was filmed by Pierre Jourdan for cinema release


7:30pm Sunday 25 September 1977

Mahler - Symphony No.8

Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels

Magna Peccatrix - Sabine Hass
Una Poetitentium - Babara Vogel
Mater Gloriosa - Arleen Auger
Mulier Samaritana - Ria Bollen
Maria Aegyptiaca - Sigidur Ella Magnusdottir
Doctor Marianus - Kenneth Riegel
Pater Ecstaticus - Wolfgang Schöne
Pater Profundus - Stafford Dean

Schola Cantorum Cantate Domino, Aalst
Chorus Master - Michaël Ghijs

Chor des Städtischen Musikvereins e. V. Düsseldorf
Chorus Master - Harmut Schmidt

Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Masters - Norbert Balatsch and Simon Johnson

Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas

7:30pm Monday 26 September 1977

Mahler - Symphony No.8

St Baaf's Cathedral, Ghent

Magna Peccatrix - Sabine Hass
Una Poetitentium - Babara Vogel
Mater Gloriosa - Arleen Auger
Mulier Samaritana - Ria Bollen
Maria Aegyptiaca - Sigidur Ella Magnusdottir
Doctor Marianus - Kenneth Riegel
Pater Ecstaticus - Wolfgang Schöne
Pater Profundus - Stafford Dean

Schola Cantorum Cantate Domino, Aalst
Chorus Master - Michaël Ghijs

Chor des Städtischen Musikvereins e. V. Düsseldorf
Chorus Master - Harmut Schmidt

Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Masters - Norbert Balatsch and Simon Johnson

Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas

Flanders Festival

7:30pm Saturday 1 October 1977

Beethoven - Symphony No.9 'Choral'

Fairfield Halls, Croydon

Sheila Armstrong - soprano
Alfreda Hodgson - contralto
Robert Tear - tenor
John Shirley-Quirk - bass

Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

7:30pm Sunday 2 October 1977

Beethoven - Symphony No.9 'Choral'

Royal Festival Hall, London

Sheila Armstrong - soprano
Alfreda Hodgson - contralto
Robert Tear - tenor
John Shirley-Quirk - bass

Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

Gala Concert to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Philharmonia Chorus

7:30pm Tuesday 11 October 1977

Mahler - Symphony No.3

Royal Festival Hall, London

Alfreda Hodgson - contralto

The Southend Boys Choir
Chorus Master - Michael Crabb

Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Simon Johnson

Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Eduardo Mata

7:30pm Sunday 13 November 1977

Haydn - Die Schöpfung

Royal Festival Hall, London

Helen Donath - soprano
Robert Tear - tenor
José van Dam - bass-baritone

Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Rafael Frübeck de Burgos

Monday 14 November 1977

Haydn - Die Schöpfung

Kingsway Hall, London

Helen Donath - soprano
Robert Tear - tenor
José van Dam - bass-baritone

Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Norbert Balatsch

Philharmonia Orchestra
conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

Further recording sessions on 15, 16 and 17 November

Recording Producer - Christopher Bishop

Recording Engineer - Christopher Parker

Recorded by HMV

4:00pm Saturday 10 December 1977

SOS Carol Concert

Royal Festival Hall, London

Schubert arr. McCarthy - Ave Maria
Trad. - Gabriel's Message
Trad. arr. Willcocks - Tomorrow shall be my dancing day
Trad. Arr. Johnson - Lord of the Dance
Herman Arr. McCarthy - We need a little Christmas
Regney and Shayne Arr. McCarthy - Do you hear what I hear?
Silver Arr. McCarthy - Twelve Days of Christmas

Vera Lynn
Nerys Hughes
Clive Dunn
Vince Hill
Francis Matthews
David Snell

Desborough School Choir, Maidenhead

Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - John McCarthy

8:00pm Saturday 10 December 1977

SOS Carol Concert

Royal Festival Hall, London

Schubert arr. McCarthy - Ave Maria
Trad. - Gabriel's Message
Trad. arr. Willcocks - Tomorrow shall be my dancing day
Trad. Arr. Johnson - Lord of the Dance
Herman Arr. McCarthy - We need a little Christmas
Regney and Shayne Arr. McCarthy - Do you hear what I hear?
Silver Arr. McCarthy - Twelve Days of Christmas

Vera Lynn
Nerys Hughes
Clive Dunn
Vince Hill
Francis Matthews
David Snell

Desborough School Choir, Maidenhead

Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - John McCarthy