The Hermitage Ensemble May 5, 2009

The Hermitage Ensemble consists of five male soloists who sing accompanied only by one another. They sound like a Slavic barber shop quartet one minute and the massed ranks of the Red Army the next! They include some of the deepest voices you will ever hear. The first half is serious stuff - starting with a sequence of Russian Orthodox religious pieces the first of which, Praise the Lord from the Heavens, is an extended anthem by Bortnyansky, a contemporary of Beethoven and the founder of modern Russian choral style. After the interval, the mood changes. The rich tapestry of the Russian Folk tradition is expressed in a variety of exuberant and melancholy melodies. Only the balalaikas and Cossack dancers are missing! Tickets for the concert (£10 with £8 concessions for over 60 or under 18) go on sale at One Tree Books, Lavant Street, Petersfield on Tuesday April 14th. Tickets may also be reserved by telephoning 01730 263254 or emailing: saintpeterschurch@tiscali.co.uk Our wine bar will be open both before the concert and during the interval.