Skipton Camerata: Sanctuary

Herschel          Symphony 8
Bach                 Christ lag in todesbanden
Mozart              Symphony 40

This programme explores sanctuary both as a place of refuge, but also as a feeling, moments of rest, balance and belonging found along life’s journey.

William Herschel’s Symphony No. 8 opens with warmth and perspective. Herschel, also a pioneering astronomer, brings a sense of order, curiosity and wonder to his music, suggesting sanctuary can be found by looking outward to new horizons as well as within.

In Bach’s Christ lag in Todesbanden, sanctuary takes on a spiritual form, facing suffering and mortality with calm assurance. Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, possibly his most celebrated work, turns inward, restless and searching, yet offering moments of tenderness and shared emotion. Across the programme, sanctuary emerges through wonder, faith and reflection, all conveyed in music of sublime beauty.