A Little History
Our first full concert followed a year later, in which we were to perform Fauré´s famous Requiem in St. Nicholas Church, Kenilworth. We realised that we had to adopt a more respectable name, and not wanting to change it completely, we settled for `Diatonic´. This term implies simplicity in tonality (like playing on the white notes of the piano only), and has become an understatement for the complex music we now proudly sing.
Since then, we have had consistent success, giving two or three main concerts a year. We also occasionally sing in cathedrals and in church services such as carol services, weddings and funerals.
Our membership has remained about 20 since the start. Every July, we sing madrigals, folk songs and part songs in the grounds of Baddesley Clinton, in the (usually sunny!) afternoon. Our audience is anyone who cares to stop and listen, and our reward is tea and cakes!
Since David Moss moved to the Cotswolds in 1992, we have enjoyed the services of four other directors. Bernard Sutton has been in charge since 1999. Edward Jenkins has been our accompanist for nearly as long, and we could not hope for a more expert pairing.
We have been on some splendid concert tours of Spain, France and Germany, along with the group 'The Oriana Singers', which David Moss now directs. Most recently we visited Prague in 2016 and Barcelona in 2018.
Our repertoire ranges from Bach to the Beatles! Here are some examples:-
- Bach `Jesu, miene Freude´
- Handel `Dixit Dominus´
- Haydn `Nelson´ Mass
- Mozart Requiem in D minor, Great mass in C minor
- John Stainer `The Crucifixion´
- Fauré Requiem
- English Madrigals
- E.J.Moeran `Songs of Springtime´
- Rodgers and Hammerstein Oklahoma medley
- Aaron Copland Old American Songs
- Lennon and McCartney `When I´m sixty-four´ as well as works by our own Alan Teuten.