Leominster Choral Society performs Bach's Mass in B Mionor at the Priory Church on June 4.the Mass in B-minor by J.S.Bach.

This will be the societys' celebration of the 250th anniversary of the death of Bach on July 28, 1750, and will undoubtedly be one of the high points of the Leominster Festival.

Why the Protestant Bach should have composed a Latin Mass has never been satisfactorily explained. Composition was spread out over many years and the complete mass was not finally written out until around 1748, two years before Bach died. The completed work was not published for another 50 years and it was not until 1876 that it was performed in its entirety in this country by a special choir, subsequently to become the Bach Choir, with the renowned Jenny Lind as one of the sopranos. This truly impressive work, demanding though it is, has since become a favourite in the choral repertoire both for performers and audiences.

On this occasion, Leominster Choral Society with members of the Chandos Choir from Solihull, will be accompanied by the Regency Sinfonia under the baton of Vernon Thurgood. At the organ will be Paul Derrett and the soloists are to be sopranos Gillian Keith and Cecilia Osmond, counter-tenor Dean Kustra, tenor Stephen Davis and bass Paul Mocroft. All have given superlative performances with the society on previous occasions.

The performance will start at the earlier time of 7pm. Tickets may be obtained from members and the Festival Box Office.