THE WORKS PERFORMED BY BECCLES CHORAL SOCIETY
(in concert diary format)
| 1935 | 20 Feb | Judas Maccabæus (Handel) (Parish Church) |
| 10 Apr | Handel evening (Methodist Church) | |
| 1936 | 22 Jan | The Creation (Haydn) |
| 15 Dec | Merrie England (German) (Concert version)P | |
| 1937 | 24 Mar | The Holy City (Gaul) |
| 1938 | 17 Nov | Elijah (Mendelssohn) |
| 1939 | 21 Mar | Tom Jones (German) |
| 3 May | Elijah (Choruses and Solos) (Methodist Church) | |
| 17 Dec | Messiah (Regal Cinema, Beccles) | |
| We know these were done during the war but have no formal dates | ||
| St Paul (Mendelssohn) The Redeemer (Shaw)) | ||
| Songs from The Bavarian Highlands ? (Elgar) | ||
| The Seasons (Haydn) | ||
| Hiawatha Part 1 – Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast pre-The Seasons (Summer & Winter) (2p programme) 1946 (source Muriel) | ||
| 1940 | Apr | Hymn of Praise (Mendelssohn) |
| 1941 | Apr | The Woman of Samaria (Sterndale-Bennett) |
| Dec | The Pied Piper (Parry) | |
| 1942 | Jesu, Priceless Treasure (Bach) | |
| Blest Pair of Sirens (Parry) | ||
| 1943 | Hiawatha Part 2 – The Death of Minnehaha (Coleridge-Taylor) | |
| 1945 | 3 Feb | John Gilpin (F.H.Cowen) + part songs (St. Michael’s Parish Hall) |
| 15 Sep | Passion (Haydn ) (Performed on Good Friday so date is incorrect) as above | |
| 1 Dec | Merrie England (German) | |
| 22 Dec | Carols & excerpts from Handel’s “Messiah” (Congregational Church) | |
| 1946 | No date | 1946 The Seasons (Summer & Winter) Haydn |
| 10 Dec | Banner of St. George (Elgar) (Public Hall) | |
| 1947 | 4 Apr | Messiah (Handel) |
| 9 Nov | Remembrance Concert (Regal Cinema, Beccles) | |
| 6 Dec | Carmen (Bizet) (Public Hall) | |
| 1948 | 24 Apr | Elijah (Mendelssohn) (Public Hall) |
| 20 May | Messiah (Handel) (with Bungay CS, Great Yarmouth Musical Society, Lowestoft CS, and the Lowestoft Singers) (St Margaret’s, .Lowestoft) | |
| ?? Nov | Festival of Remembrance (Regal Theatre, Beccles) | |
| 11 Dec | Hiawatha Part II (The death of Minnehaha) (Coleridge-Taylor) & Fantasia on Christmas Carols (Vaughan-Williams) (Public Hall) | |
| 1949 | 15 Apr | The Creation (Haydn) |
| 3 Dec | Maritana (W.V.Wallace) (Public Hall) | |
| 1950 | 7 Apr* | The Passion of our Lord (St.John) (Bach) |
| 9 Dec | The Pied Piper of Hamelin (Parry) & In Windsor Forest (Vaughan-Williams) | |
| 1951 | 23 Mar* | Messiah (Handel) |
| 6 Jul | Merrie England (German) (with Bungay Choral Society) | |
| 1 Dec | Tales of Hoffman (Offenbach) | |
| 1952 | 11 Apr | The Passion (Haydn) & Magnificat (Bach) |
| 6 Dec | Fantasia on Christmas Carols & other works including Zadok the Priest | |
| 1953 | 3 Apr | Requiem (Mozart) & Benedicite (Vaughan-Williams) |
| 14 Nov | Carmen (Bizet) & Songs of Love (Brahms) | |
| 23 Dec | Miscellany of Christmas Music | |
| 1954 | 16 Apr* | The Redeemer (Shaw) & Jesu, Priceless Treasure (Bach) |
| 23 Jul | Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast (with other Choral Societies & the BBC Midland Orchestra) (St.Andrew’s Hall, Norwich) | |
| 20 Nov | The Bartered Bride (Smetana) | |
| 11 Dec | Messiah (Handel) (with Great Yarmouth Musical Society) | |
| 1955 | 8 Apr | Messiah (Handel) (21st Anniversary Performance) |
| 12 Nov | Tales of Hoffmann (Offenbach) | |
| 1956 | 30 Mar | A Short Passion (St.Matthew) (Bach) |
| 17 Nov | Liebslieder Waltzes (Brahms), Serenade to Music etc. (Robert Easton) | |
| 1957 | 19 Apr | Judas Maccabæus (Handel) |
| 16 Nov | The Seasons (Haydn) | |
| 1958 | 4 Apr | The Passion of our Lord (St .John) |
| 24 Apr | The Passion of our Lord (St. John) (with Great Yarmouth Musical Society) | |
| 16 Dec | Concert of Christmas Carols and Music | |
| 1959 | 27 Mar | Messiah (Hande) |
| 14 May | Messiah(Handel) (at Norton Parish Church in aid of Thurlton, Norton and Thorpe churches) | |
| 21 Nov | Songs from the Bavarian Highlands (Elgar) & Songs of the Sea (Stanford) | |
| 1960 | 2 Apr | Joshua ( Handel) |
| 1961 | 21 Jan | In Windsor Forest (Vaughan-Williams) & Songs of the Fleet (Stanford) |
| 18 Mar | Samson (Handel) | |
| 25 Nov | Acis and Galatea (Handel) & Nœnia (Brahms) | |
| 1962 | 31 Mar | Requiem Mass (Mozart) & Cantata No.4 (Bach) |
| 24 Nov | Semele (Handel) | |
| 1963 | 23 Mar* | Magnificat (Bach) & Mass in B Flat (Haydn) |
| 23 Nov | The Bartered Bride (Smetana) | |
| 1964 | 14 Mar | Sleepers Wake (Bach) & Third Mass (Imperial)(Haydn) |
| 5 Dec | Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast (Coleridge-Taylor) & A Ceremony of Carols (Britten) | |
| 1965 | 27 Mar | Elijah (Mendelssohn) |
| 4 Dec | Dido & Aeneas (Purcell) & Christmas Cantata (Bush) | |
| 1966 | 26 Mar | Messiah (Handel) |
| 26 Nov | Highways (Jacob) & A Ceremony of Carols (Britten) | |
| 1967 | 8 Apr | The Creation (Haydn) |
| 25 Nov | Tales of Hoffmann (Offenbach) | |
| 1968 | 6 Apr | Chandos Anthem No.6.(Handel) & The Theresa Mass (Haydn) |
| 7 Dec | A Cotswold Romance (Vaughan-Williams) & Christmas Carols | |
| 1969 | 19 Apr | Gloria (Vivaldi) & Saint Nicolas (Britten) (with Great Yarmouth Musical Society) |
| 3 May | as above (Town Hall, Great Yarmouth) | |
| 6 Dec | A Christmas Cantata (Bush) | |
| 1970 | 11 Apr | Joshua (Handel) |
| 5 Dec | The Seasons (Spring, Summer and Winter) (Haydn) | |
| 1971 | 3 Apr | Requiem (Fauré) |
| 4 Dec | Fantasia on Christmas Carols (Vaughan-Williams) & Highways – A cantata of Travel (Gordon Jacob) | |
| 1972 | 15 Apr | Messe Solenelle (Rossini) |
| 9 Dec | L’Allegro (Handel) | |
| 1973 | 14 Apr | Stabat Mater (Dvorak) |
| 8 Dec | Dido & Aeneas (Purcell) & A Christmas Carol (Thiman) | |
| 1974 | 6 Apr | Sleepers Wake (Bach) & Messe Solennelle (Gounod) |
| 26 Oct | Songs of Love (Brahms) & In Windsor Forest (Vaughan-Williams) | |
| 1975 | 12 Apr | Imperial (Nelson) Mass (Haydn) & Alleluia, Haec Dies (Donati) |
| 29 Nov | The Little New Born Jesus (Buxtehude) etc. | |
| 1976 | 3 Apr | Requiem Mass (Mozart) and Anthems by Palestrina, Byrd, Gibbons) |
| 1977 | 5 Feb | Commemoration Concert for the 25th Year of Accession of Queen Elizabeth II – Zadok the Priest (Handel) etc. |
| 2 Apr | Messiah (Handel) | |
| 1978 | 22 Apr | Magnificat (Bach) & Mass in C (Beethoven) |
| 9 Dec | Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast (Coleridge-Taylor) | |
| 1979 | 7 Apr | Stabat Mater (Dvorak) |
| 8 Dec | A Christmas Cantata (Bush) etc. | |
| 1980 | 26 Apr | Acis and Galatea (Handel) |
| 13 Dec | Christmas Music | |
| 1981 | 9 May | Gloria (Vivaldi) & Magnificat (Pergolesi) & Beatus Vir (Monteverdi) |
| 12 Dec | Requiem (Fauré) & A Hymn to the Virgin (Britten) | |
| 1982 | 22 May | Come Ye Sons of Art & Funeral Music for Queen Mary (Purcell) |
| 11 Dec | Messiah (Part 1) & Christmas Carols | |
| 1983 | 14 May | Coronation Mass in C (Mozart), Ave Verum Corpus etc. |
| 10 Dec | Christmas Concert | |
| 1984 | 5 May | Merrie England (German) |
| 8 Dec | Fantasia on Christmas Carols (Vaughan-Williams) etc. | |
| 1985 | 11 May | The Creation (Haydn) (with Bungay Choral Society) |
| 12 May | as above (St. Mary’s, Bungay) | |
| 23 Nov | Hiawatha Part 1 – Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast (Coleridge-Taylor) & Liebslieder Waltzes (Brahms) | |
| 1986 | 19 Apr | Elijah (Mendelssohn) (with Bungay Choral Society) |
| 20 Apr | as above (St. Mary’s, Bungay) | |
| 29 Nov | Messiah (Part 1), Sleepers Wake (Bach) and Night of Miracles (Peterson) | |
| 30 Nov | as above | |
| 1987 | 24 Oct | Tom Jones (German) (Concert Version) (Public Hall) |
| 22 Dec | Christmas Carol Concert (with the Loddon Band) (Public Hall) | |
| 1988 | 14 May | Requiem (Fauré) & Cantata No 68 (Bach) |
| 13 Dec | Christmas Carol Concert (with the Loddon Band) (Public Hall) | |
| 1989 | 13 May | The Seasons (Haydn) |
| 19 Dec | Charity Christmas Concert (with Waveney Valley Brass) | |
| 1990 | 21 Apr | Gloria (Vivaldi) & other songs (Petit Couronne) |
| 12 May | Gloria (Vivaldi) & Coronation Anthems (Handel) | |
| 13 May | as above (Holy Trinity, Loddon) | |
| 1990 | 24 Nov | Messiah Part I (Charity Performance) |
| 1991 | 18 May | Stabat Mater (Rossini), Cantique de Jean Racine (Fauré), Psalm 150 (Franck) |
| 16 Nov | “All at Sea” Concert of maritime music including Songs of the Fleet (Stanford) (Public Hall) | |
| 15 Dec | Those you have loved from Oratorio (Hungate Church) | |
| 1992 | 16 May | Imperial (Nelson) Mass & Te Deum (Haydn) with the Orchestre de Chambre de l’Ecole Nationale de Musique et de Danse, Grand Couronne |
| 5 Dec | Christmas Oratorio (Bach ) & A Fantasia on Christmas Carols | |
| 1993 | 15 May | Requiem (Mozart), Festival Te Deum (Holst) , National Anthem (arr.Britten) |
| 11 Dec | Gloria (Rutter) etc. | |
| 1994 | 21 May | A German Requiem (Brahms), National Anthem (arr. Britten) |
| 9 Jul | Evensong (Norwich Cathedral ) | |
| 3 Dec | Judas Maccabæus (Handel) (Diamond Jubilee Concert) | |
| 1995 | 20 May | Britten. (Te Deum laudamus, Blest Pair of Sirens, Songs from the Bavarian Highlands, Zadok the Priest etc.) |
| 9 Dec | An Evening of Baroque Music : Beatus Vir (Monteverdi), Dixit Dominus (Handel) & Gloria (Vivaldi) | |
| 1996 | 25 May | Elijah (Mendelssohn) |
| 7 Dec | Vesperae Solennes de Confessore (Mozart) ; Messiah Part 1 (Handel) | |
| 1997 | 24 May | Requiem (Verdi) |
| 29 Nov | Gloria (Poulenc) & Great Opera Choruses | |
| 1998 | 16 May | Te Deum (Haydn), Requiem (Fauré) and Missa Brevis (Kodaly) |
| 16 Sep | WRVS Jubilee Service (Norwich Cathedral) | |
| 12 Dec | The Creation (Haydn) | |
| 1999 | 15 May | A Sea Symphony (Vaughan Williams) ; Two Hymns to the Mother of God (Tavener) |
| 11 Dec | St. Nicolas (Britten) ; Wachet Auf (Bach) | |
| 2000 | 13 May | Requiem (Mozart) ; Folk Overture, Black Dog, A Gull’s Eye View of Houses, and Beccles 2000 – Then, Now and Beyond (D.Scott) |
| 16 Dec | Missa Sancti Nicolai (Haydn), O Sing unto the Lord (Chandos Anthem No. 4 )(Handel), Christmas Motets (Poulenc), Laudate Dominum (Honneger) | |
| 2001 | 12 May | Bach St John Passion |
| 15 Dec | Durufle Requiem, Lauridson Magnum Mysterium, VaughanWilliams Fantasia on Christmas carols, Rutter Tomorrow will be my dancing day ( St Michael’s Church) | |
| 2002 | 18 May | Coronation Celebration Rutter Gloria, Gorecki Totus, Tutus Murrill Carillon (organ solo) Arnold Laudate Dominum, Handel Zadok the Priest, Chilcott The making of the Drum, Parry Best Pair of Sirens, Parry Jerusalem, Britten God Save the Queen (St Michael’s Church |
| 14 Dec | Handel Messiah | |
| 2003 | 13 Dec | Charpontier Te Deum, Mozart Coronation Mass and carols (Loddon Parish Church) |
| 2004 | 22 May | Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle (Blythburgh Church) |
| Dec 18 | Mozart’s Laudate Dominum; Handel’s Judas Maccabeus Part3; Bach’s Christmas Oratorio Part 1+Carols | |
| 2005 | 28 May | Haydn Nelson Mass, Mozart Requiem (Blythburgh Church) |
| 3 Dec | Christmas Songs from Round the World (Loddon Parish Church) | |
| 2006 | 1 July | Mozart Coronation Mass, Schubert Mass in G, Handel Zadok the Priest, Masagni Easter Hymn |
| 16 Dec | Ramirez Navidad Nuestra, Carols | |
| 14 May | Carmina Burana, Brahms Lieberslieder Walzer, (Snape Maltings Concert Hall) | |
| 2007 | 28 April | Rossini Stabat Mater, Opera Choruses (St Michael’s Church) |
| 11 August | Orff Carmina Burana (Kentwell Hall) | |
| 15 Dec | Britten St Nicholas, Carols | |
| 2008 | 19 April | Suffolk Reflections Marriott, Suffolk Suit Cunnane (arr), FourSuffolk Folk Songs Scott and Griffin Gulls Eye View Scott and Watts Beccles 2000 (St Michael’s Church) |
| 1 July | Handel Messiah | |
| 13 Dec | Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Finzi InTerra Pax, Rutter Dancing Day, Scarlatti Christmas Cantata, Haydn Missa Sancti Nicholai (St Michael’s Church) | |
| 2009 | 25 April | Faure and Durufle Requiems St Michael’s Church) |
| 4 July | Handel Alexander’s Feast (St Michael’s Church) | |
| 13 Dec | Lauridson O Magnum Mysterium with carols (Public Hall) | |
| 2010 | 17 April | Dvorak Mass in D, Elgar Give unto The Lord, Parry My Soul There is a Country, Elgar Organ Sonata in G ( 1stMov), Parry Never Weather Beaten Sail, Elgar Ave Verum Corpus, Parry Blest Pair of Sirens (St Michael’s Church) |
| 19 June | Elgar Six Choral Dances from the Bavarian Highlands, Greig Nordic Suit, Stanford Songs of the Sea, Borodin Polovtsian Dances, Vaughan Williams O Clap your Hands (St Michael’s Church) | |
| 13 Dec | Ramirez Navidad Nuestra and carols (Public Hall) | |
| 2011 | 28 May | Handel Judas Maccabeaus ( St Michael’s Church) |
| 11 Dec | Vivaldi Gloria and carols ( Public Hall) | |
| 2012 | 27 May | Jubilee Concert. Mozart Coronation Mass, Handel Coronation Anthems, Parry I Was Glad and others (St Michael’s Church) |
| 9 Dec | Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols and carols(Public Hall) | |
| 2013 | 19 May | Rossini Messe Solenelle ( St Michael’s Church) |
| 8 Dec | Britten Ceremony of Carols and carols ( Public Hall) | |
| 2014 | 18 May | Brahams German Requiem ( St Michael’s Church) |
| 7 Dec | Carols with a French Flavour (Public Hall) | |
| 2015 | 17 May | Mozart Requiem, Ave Verum Corpus, Exsualte Jubilate,Symphony 29, LaudeDominum ( St Michael’s Church) |
| 15 Nov | Handel Messiah ( St Michael’s Church) | |
| 15 Dec | Carols ( Public Hall) | |
| 2016 | 22 May | Haydn Creation ( St Michael’s Church) |
| 11 Dec | Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music, John Rutter BrotherHeinrich’s Christmas and Christmas music ( St Michael’sChurch) | |
| 2017 | 13 May | Elgar Dream of Gerontius (Snape Maltings Concert Hall) |
| 10 Dec | Christmas Cracker concert (Sir John Leman High School) | |
| 2018 | 20 May | Beethoven Missa Solemnis (St Michael’s Church) |
| 25 Nov | Bach Christmas Oratorio (St Michael’s Church) | |
| 16 Dec | Christmas Cracker concert (Sir John Leman High School) | |
| 2019 | 11 May | Verdi Requiem (Snape Maltings Concert Hall) |
| 24 Nov | Handel Messiah (St Michael’s Church) | |
| 15 Nov | Christmas Cracker! (Sir John Leman High School) | |
| COVID lockdowns | ||
| 2021 | 11 Dec | Le Retour! Faure Requiem, Cantique de Jean Racine (St Michael’s Church) |
| 2022 | 23 Apr | Elgar The Music Makers, Sea Pictures, Cockaigne Overture (Snape Maltings Concert Hall) |
| 12 Nov | Jenkins The Armed Man (St Michael’s Church) | |
| 11 Dec | Christmas Cracker! (St Michael’s Church) | |
| 2023 | 20 May | Mendelssohn Elijah (St Michael’s Church) |
| 19 Nov | Handel Messiah (St Michael’s Church) | |
| 10 Dec | Christmas Cracker! (St Michael’s Church) | |
| 2024 | 11 May | Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony, Old Hundredth, Five Mystical Songs (Snape Maltings Concert Hall) |
Compiled by Victor Kendrick
(edited by Roger Thompson)
(updated by Diz Swift)