They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
These familiar words are taken from the Laurence Binyon's most famous poem, For the fallen. It was written in 1914 as a response to the already high number of casualties inflicted on the British Expeditionary Force in France. Edward Elgar set the poem as the third movement of his cantata, The Spirit of England - a requiem for the dead of World War I dedicated "to the memory of our glorious men, with a special thought for the Worcesters". Arguably his finest music since the Second Symphony, it was conducted by Elgar in Leeds in 1916.
For the fallen includes a part for solo soprano, tonight sung by the brilliant Eloise Irving. Eloise also sings three arias in keeping with the evening's theme of remembrance. Included is Handel's I know that my Redeemer liveth.
John Ireland's moving anthem, Greater love hath no man, brings the first part of the concert to an end. Ireland lived through both world wars dying in 1962 at the age of 82. His epitaph quotes the opening words of the anthem sung by the tenors: "Many waters cannot quench love".
John Rutter's much-loved Requiem follows the interval. It was first performed complete in 1985 in Dallas by the Sanctuary Choir and Orchestra conducted by the composer, some movements having appeared earlier. Scored for solo soprano, mixed choir, organ and six instruments, it sets parts of the Latin Requiem with added psalms in English, one of which is The Lord is my shepherd.