After the Harmonic’s first trip to Bonn in 1987 it was four years before the two choirs sang together again, even though the Bonn Philharmonic Choir visited Oxford in 1988 and 1989. In 1991, however, the Harmonic was invited to Bonn again to sing Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius in Oxfordwoche and a party of 65 singers set off in September with their new conductor Robert Secret.Continue Reading
Singing with the Bonn Philharmonic Choir
In 1947 while the German city of Bonn was still in ruins, its British military administrators sought a partnership with a British city which would support its reconstruction and promote peace and understanding with its citizens. Oxford was enthusiastic and a link with Bonn began which continues to this day. Initially visits between the cities were largely limited to civic delegations but at the end of the 1960s Bonn, by then capital of West Germany, started to expand this exchange to include other organisations and in 1971 held its first ‘Oxford week in Bonn’. Oxford reciprocated with ‘Bonn week’ which alternated every two years with the ‘Oxfordwoche’ in Bonn.Continue Reading
Early Subscription Concerts and London Orchestras
How to obtain good orchestral accompaniments for concerts is always a problem for amateur choirs with limited funds. In its early days, the Oxford Harmonic Society, as it was named from June 1924, often had to make use of small groups of local amateurs or just use piano or organ accompaniment. But on several occasions the choir was able to sing with the well-known London professional symphony orchestras.Continue Reading
Isobel Baillie and Oxford Harmonic Society: 1945-1959
Oxford Harmonic Society put on its first peacetime performance of Messiah in November 1945. Isobel Baillie, who had been highly praised in the first 1943 performance (see our May post), did not take part, but she was to feature in nine further performances until 1955, cementing the association with the Society begun in 1932 (see our April post). She almost always got very good reviews:
The better known arias met with a deeply sympathetic response from the audience, especially “I know that my Redeemer liveth” beautifully given by Miss Baillie. (November 1949)
Isobel Baillie demonstrated once more how easily and delightfully she masters the soprano part. (December 1949)Continue Reading
