Vivaldi’s Magnificat must, rather unfairly, get a fraction of the performances of his Gloria. I sang it many years ago in Cambridge – conducted by John Alldis, no less – I think to boost the sound of the singers on a choral course for Americans held at Girton College. Despite the passage of time, when I came to sing it again I quickly remembered I’d sung it before. It exists in various versions and we included one of the customised arias written for Vivaldi’s pupils.
The occasion was a concert by CanZona in Winsley. The lightly Christmas-themed programme also included another Magnificat, attributed to Pergolesi, Victoria’s O Quam Gloriosum and two more recent pieces, Finzi’s In Terra Pax and a new setting of Ave maris stella by Richard Gabe, a member of the choir. The Finzi was still fresh in my mind from Bristol Choral Society’s performance two years ago. I hadn’t realised his stamping ground was close to the Berkshire/Wiltshire section of the A4, and I shall think of him whenever I drive that way.
I was one half of a soprano duet in the Vivaldi and also took a quartet part in the Gabe. We were fortunate in having some string players as well as keyboard accompaniment.