On Friday 1 May, 226 singers united with an orchestra of some 80 players under the batons of the legendary Howard Goodall (best known for his theme tunes for TV series such as QI, Mr Bean and The Vicar of Dibley), Angus Gibbon (Head of Strings), Martin Ratcliffe (Director of Music at The King’s School in Peterborough) and Quentin Thomas (Director of Music).
Performers came from Oundle School, The King’s School, Peterborough, The Rushden Academy and Wrenn School in Wellingborough and choral societies from around the area, most notably the Peterborough Choral Society. They were joined by soloists Claire Lees (soprano) and Andrew Kennedy (tenor).
Bringing together so many people to perform works on this scale was the brainchild of Quentin Thomas, responding to Sir Ewan Harper’s request to perform the work Every Purpose under the Heaven which he and his wife Jenny commissioned in 2011 as a gift to the United Church Schools Trust. The couple sponsored this performance to mark their 50th wedding anniversary. Every Purpose under the Heaven, which formed the first half of the concert, is an oratorio composed by Howard Goodall to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible in 2011.
The second half of the concert offered a brief and impressive Czech dance from Oundle’s string players, and a sensitive rendition of Venus from Holsts’ The Planets by the King’s School. The main focus of the second half returned to the massed voices and orchestra with an enthralling performance of the much-loved Armed Man Mass by Karl Jenkins. Of note was the stunning opening with the Call to Prayer being sung from the lofty triforium of the Cathedral by Sirwan from the UKIM Masjid Khadijah & Islamic Centre Mosque, and the concluding Benedictus, with cellist Peter Adams.