Thursday 22 April 2010, 7.30pm in the Long Gallery at Ripley Castle East Wing.  Tickets for this event (which include a glass of wine) will be strictly limited and are now available on the 'Purchase Tickets' page. There may be a coach arranged.  Concert repertoire will include pieces by Vittoria, Weelkes, Byrd, Gibbons, and music from a Guest Violinist.

Ripley Castle and Gardens, situated 3 miles from Harrogate in North Yorkshire, is an historic attraction, open to the public all year round and makes for a fascinating and entertaining day out in a beautiful location with memorable surroundings. In 2009 the Ingilby Family will have resided in the Castle for 700 years.

Ripley is one of the most picturesque villages in Britain, with its cobbled market square, village stocks and market cross. All Saints' Church c1395 is well worth visiting to see the ancient and unique Weeping Cross, tomb chests and musket ball holes, a memento of Oliver Cromwell's brief stay in the village. In the sumptuous Boar's Head Hotel you will find the fine eye for style and detail of Lady Ingilby in the luxury bedrooms, her exquisite taste in the menu approval, and the wine list is personally put together by Sir Thomas.

The Castle Tearooms are open all year round for everything from soup and sandwiches to a three-course meal, and there are lots of shops to browse in: The Chantry House Art Gallery, Birchwood Farm Museum, Ripley Store and Ice Cream Shop (reputedly, the best ice cream in Yorkshire!), The Castle Gift Shop, and Hopkins Porter.

Several beautiful walks start from or pass through the village, and no visit to Ripley Castle would be complete without a stroll around the walled gardens, park and grounds where you will find a myriad of flora and fauna.

From the Known to the Unknown

This season's music will contain some jewels of the choral repertoire, many now sadly neglected but all worthy of revisiting.

Rheinberger's large output of Choral music is largely now in disuse.  We reverse this by bringing his Stabat Mater back to life, full of melodious music - something it shares with the exquisite Messe di Basse by Faure.  

The magnificent Burial Sentences by William Croft will take their place alongside the Gibbons Cries of London, the probably unknown jewel by Robert Johnson, Queen Anne Boleyn's Lament, and Randall Thompson's Last Words of David to frame the major work for 2010 which will be the Requiem in C minor by Cherubini, performed in his anniversary year.  

Amongst these pieces will be more familiar works by the same composers - hence from the known to the unknown!