Façade Ensemble: Arvo Pärt’s Passio
- Next Event
- 29th March 5:00pm
- Event Finishes
- 29th March 6:00pm
About this event
Celebrating his 90th birthday, Arvo Pärt is possibly the greatest living composer and certainly the most performed. His style is beloved by millions for its tranquility and transparency, combining medieval and modern elements into a soundworld known as ‘tintinnabuli’, Latin for ‘little bells’.
This concert is free to attend, but please do request a ticket via the Façade Ensemble website.
The iconic work Passio, setting Saint John’s gospel account of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, is perhaps the most genuine example of Pärt’s tintinnabuli style, as the events are narrated by an ethereal evangelist quartet of singers, while the parts of Pilate and Jesus are sung by two soloists, joined by a small chamber group of violin, cello, oboe, bassoon and organ, in a transifixing meditative minimalist experience.
Written for the Bayerische Rundfunkchor in 1982, Passio is now regarded as one of the supreme works of modernist music and it can be in no better hands than those of The Facade Ensemble. A specialised orchestra for modernism, The Facade Ensemble ensure that the powerful and enduringly relevant works of the 20th century are not lost between the classical canon and contemporary commissions. Founded at Cambridge University by its artistic director Benedict Collins Rice, the group which began comprising National Youth Orchestra principals and Genesis Sixteen members now brings together Gramophone, BBC Music Magazine and Royal Philharmonic Society award-winners with BBC Radio 3 New Generation, Britten Pears and City Music Foundation artists. Currently ensemble-in-residence at The Courtauld Institute, they enjoy a reputation for ‘razor-sharp’ (The Arts Desk), ‘first-rate’ (MusicOMH) and ‘stunning’ (Robert Hugill) performances, proving time and again that modernist music – sadly often dismissed as ‘difficult’ – can be richly rewarding.
For this performance, Façade Ensemble will be joined by the Ipswich Chamber Choir.
Share this venue
About the Venue
For over 1,000 years, the site of Suffolk ’s Cathedral has been one of worship and pilgrimage.
The death of Edmund, King of the East Angles, at the hands of the Danes in 869 led to the building of an abbey to house his remains. St James’s Church was built within the precincts of the Abbey, becoming a Cathedral in 1914. The Cathedral building has continued to develop over recent years with the addition of the Millennium Tower, completed in 2005, and its magnificent painted and gilded vault, added in 2010. In 2009 the Cathedral changed its dedication to become the Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund.
Visitors are welcome to look around the Cathedral on their own. Entry is free but donations gratefully received. A free introductory leaflet is available in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Polish. Visitors are most welcome to attend any of the daily services.
Guided Tours of the Cathedral run Monday to Saturday at 11.30am from the font from April to October. Tickets can be purchased at the Cathedral Shop. Occasionally a tour may have to be cancelled if another event is taking place in the Cathedral. If you are travelling some distance, please do ring the Cathedral office to check. These tours last approx 1 hour and cost £7 per person (under 16s free).
St Edmundsbury Cathedral Tower Tours - Experience a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of St Edmundsbury Cathedral's Millennium Tower with fun and knowledgeable guides. Explore heady heights with amazing views from the top of the tower, the highest point in Bury St Edmunds! Don’t forget your camera!
St Edmund Statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink - A trip to Bury St Edmunds would not be complete without a photo of the iconic St Edmund statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink. The statue can be found outside in the Great Churchyard of the Cathedral.
Cathedral Lego Project - St Edmundsbury Cathedral has launched an ambitious project to recreate the Cathedral out of 200,000 LEGO bricks! Visitors can see the Lego Cathedral being built before their eyes and donate a brick to be part of this amazing project. The Lego Cathedral is located in the South West corner of St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Opening times may vary based on volunteer availability.
The Ancient Library - The Ancient Library was founded by Dr Miles Mosse in 1595 as a resource for clergy training. There are over 550 books, mainly printed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The library, in a room over the north-west porch designed by Stephen Dykes Bower in 1960, has bookcases made by Leonard Goff in 2004. If you would like to visit the library, please contact the librarian through the Cathedral Office on visits@stedscathedral.org or 01284 748730.
Pilgrim's Kitchen - after touring the Cathedral why not relax with a cuppa at the Cathedral's cafe?
"A lovely gem in Bury St Edmunds, a must visit."
"Really gorgeous cathedral with a lot of history and a lot of areas to explore."
"The grounds are spectacular enough as they contain the remains of a destroyed abbey but once you enter the Cathedral it's like entering something from Camelot. I have never come across a Cathedral with such a range of textures and colours on the floor, cleaning and stained glass."
