Continental theme for choral concert

Christmas in Europe will be the theme of Shetland Choral Society’s festive concert next week.

The performance in St Columba’s Church, Lerwick, promises to bring a “sprinkling of continental glitter” as well as a few well-known carols and some seasonal music, “that will be new to everyone”.

Conductor Peter Davis said: “Europe has always been a rich source of Christmas music for hundreds of years. Carols from France, Germany, Poland, and the old Czechoslovakia are particularly well known to us in Britain. However, there are other countries in northern Europe with an equally rich heritage of seasonal carols and hymns.

“We’ve got some carols from Sweden and Denmark on the programme this year as well as music by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt who celebrated his eightieth birthday last month.”

The Shetland Choral Society will also sing the Gloria from a Mass based on Christmas carols by a mysterious Polish composer called Milek. There’s an extended piece, a short Christmas cantata by the Danish composer Buxtehude, a contemporary of J S Bach, in which the choral society will be joined by members of the Shetland Community Orchestra, as well as the usual audience participation carols.

There will also be items by the orchestra and some solo piano pieces.