While a student at the Royal Academy of Music, David
Byers launched the Belmont Consort as an evening class at Marylebone
Institute. At holiday times back in Belfast, with a group of friends he
also began the small choral group which became the New Belmont Consort.
The Consort's first broadcast was a recording for BBC Radio 3 in 1972 of Pepusch's Beatus Vir and David Byers's own Canzonets.
The Consort's first broadcast was a recording for BBC Radio 3 in 1972 of Pepusch's Beatus Vir and David Byers's own Canzonets.
In April 1972 the Consort joined forces with the Ulster Soloists Ensemble (11 members of the Ulster Orchestra) to give a performance of Handel's Messiah in Cooke Centenary Church.
The New Belmont Consort was enlarged to 23 singers for this performance.
Sopranos: June Black, Elaine Byers, Dorothy Fisher, Helen Hall, Elizabeth McMaster, Olwen Mulholland, Ellen Rainey and Helen Ritchie.
Altos: Brian Gordon, Evelyn Moore, Anne Morrow, Marianne Underwood, Joan Walker.
Tenors: Barry Burgess, Allen Hall, Roy Holmes, Ashleigh Rodway.
Basses: Jim Caves, Raymond Ferguson, Stewart Haslett, Alec McKee, Hugh Mackay, David Mateer.
Programme cover design by Heather Byers.
On 29 April 1972, the New Belmont Consort promoted a concert in the Harty Room of Queen's University Belfast entitled Pavanes for these distracted times, borrowing part of a title from a keyboard work by Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656).
The concert included the first performances of new Pavanes by John McDowell and David Byers, alongside music by Purcell, Pelham Humfrey, Henry Lawes, Tomkins, Arne, Linley, Mozart and Pearsall.
The concert included the first performances of new Pavanes by John McDowell and David Byers, alongside music by Purcell, Pelham Humfrey, Henry Lawes, Tomkins, Arne, Linley, Mozart and Pearsall.
Taking part were -
Sopranos: June Black, Dorothy Fisher, Elizabeth McMaster, Barbara Piggott and Helen Ritchie
Altos: Brian Gordon, Valerie Ireland, Evelyn Moore, Anne Morrow and Marianne Underwood
Tenors: Barry Burgess, Allen Hall and Ashleigh Rodway
Basses: Geoffrey Blower, Philip Hammond, Stewart Haslett, Hugh Mackay and Alex McKee
With Kay Fergusson and Seamus Hunt flutes, Elaine Byers oboe, John McDowell harpsichord, and the Ulster String Quartet (June Moore and John Hughes violins, Joy Roger viola and David Wiggins cello).
In 1974, shortly after David Byers returned to live in Belfast, the New Belmont Consort began to meet
regularly and rehearse at Belmont Church.
The Consort soon established itself as a choir exploring a wide range of repertoire in its own concert series, and in late-night recitals for the Belfast Festival at Queen's and in broadcasts for BBC Radio Ulster.
The Consort soon established itself as a choir exploring a wide range of repertoire in its own concert series, and in late-night recitals for the Belfast Festival at Queen's and in broadcasts for BBC Radio Ulster.
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland was particularly
helpful in providing a guarantee against loss for many of the Consort's
ventures, while Queen's University Music Department kindly assisted with
venue provision.
The New Belmont Consort recording in BBC Northern Ireland's Balmoral television studio, probably c.1974.
Front row (L to R): Dorothy Fisher, Norma Blair, Marion Jones, Hilda Thompson, Ruth Boyd, Anne Morrow, Marianne Underwood and Peter Fletcher.
Back row (L to R): Charles Black, Allen Hall, John Baird, Harry Martin, William Smyth, Roy Johnston.
The New Belmont Consort recording in BBC Northern Ireland's Balmoral television studio, probably c.1974.
Front row (L to R): Dorothy Fisher, Norma Blair, Marion Jones, Hilda Thompson, Ruth Boyd, Anne Morrow, Marianne Underwood and Peter Fletcher.
Back row (L to R): Charles Black, Allen Hall, John Baird, Harry Martin, William Smyth, Roy Johnston.
The 1975 season included
- Handel's Acis and Galatea on 7 April with an orchestra of 11 players;
- Aeterna Christi Munera on 28 April (music by Palestrina, Byrd, Telemann, Charpentier, etc.,) with organist Norman Finlay;
- and Hey-Nonny-No (settings of Shakespeare through the ages) on 19 May (see the poster and programme designs at the bottom of this page).
In March 1976, alongside the adventurous season of four concerts centred on The Germanic Tradition (key works of which were broadcast in BBC Radio Ulster's first-ever stereo music broadcast introduced by Michael Barnes), the New Belmont Consort gave a concert of music by Pepusch, including his masque, The Death of Dido.
Belfast's City Hall was also used for some concerts. Its Banqueting Hall was the ideal setting for A Musical Banquet with the Ariel Wind Quintet. Under the dome was a perfect venue for music by Byrd, Peter Philips, Monteverdi, Praetorius, Comes, Samuel Wesley and Bach.
Belfast's City Hall was also used for some concerts. Its Banqueting Hall was the ideal setting for A Musical Banquet with the Ariel Wind Quintet. Under the dome was a perfect venue for music by Byrd, Peter Philips, Monteverdi, Praetorius, Comes, Samuel Wesley and Bach.
This late-night concert, given in the Great Hall at Queen's University for the Belfast Festival at Queen's, offered madrigals from the 17th to the 19th centuries and music by Purcell, Farnaby, Holst, Carey Blyton and R.E. Ebregal.
The programme covers, front and back, featured illustrations by Heather Byers.
Sopranos: Norma Blair, Dorothy Fisher, Marion Jones, Hilda Thompson.
Altos: Ruth Boyd, Peter Fletcher, Anne Morrow, Marianne Underwood.
Tenors: Charles Black, Allen Hall.
Basses: Roy Johnston, Harry Martin, William Smyth.
These are two part-songs by Armagh-born Charles Wood (1866-1926) recorded by the New Belmont Consort around this time. They set words by Shakespeare: How sweet the moonlight and Full Fathom Five.
Wood How sweet the moonlight.mp3
Wood Full Fathom Five.mp3
The Consort also gave concerts outside Belfast - one memorable one was sponsored by the Fermanagh Arts Advisory Committee in association with the Arts Council and very much spear-headed by Joan Trimble. Music included Haydn, Mendelssohn and Bruckner with part-songs by Charles Wood and Stanford. The programme cover was designed by Richard Pierce.
The Consort singers at this time were:
Sopranos: Norma Blair, Dorothy Fisher, June Houston, Marion Jones, Irene Kingston.
Altos: Ruth Boyd, Anne Glenn, Sarah Marshall, Anne Morrow, Marianne Underwood.
Tenors: John Baird, Charles Black, Allen Hall, Peter Burrowes.
Basses: Harry Martin, William Smyth, Richard Woods.
Other regional concerts included the University of Ulster at Jordanstown and a trip to the Cork International Choral Competition to perform the commissioned work, Rhymes, by David Byers.
And then there was the performance of Rossini's Petite Messe solennelle, complete with its harmonium and two pianos.
And then there was the performance of Rossini's Petite Messe solennelle, complete with its harmonium and two pianos.
The first of the following recordings in mp3 format is the opening Kyrie from the Rossini performance.
Then follows a Haydn partsong, Die Beredsamkeit, in which the pianist is the late William Young.
And finally, for now, the Kyrie from Michael Haydn's Missa pro Quadragesimae.
Then follows a Haydn partsong, Die Beredsamkeit, in which the pianist is the late William Young.
And finally, for now, the Kyrie from Michael Haydn's Missa pro Quadragesimae.
01 - Rossini - Kyrie, Petite Messe Solennelle.mp3
02 - Haydn - Die Beredsamkeit.mp3
M Haydn - Kyrie, Missa pro Quadragesimae.mp3
More posters and programme covers
