TWO contrasting pieces of music feature in Holmfirth Choral Society’s opening concert next weekend.

The choir begins the first event of its autumn season with one of the most popular choral works of the 20th century, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.

The poems for Carmina Burana were written by travelling scholars and monks in the late 13th century and covered all manner of subjects expressed in an earthy, rather naive, language. They were discovered in Bavaria in the early 19th century and Orff set 24 of them to new music in the 1930s.

Alongside this well-known piece is Samuel Coleridge Taylor’s Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast, a setting of Henry Longfellow’s poem. The piece became very popular for a number of years after its composition and Sir Malcolm Sargent put on costume versions of it.

Soloists at the Holmfirth Choral concert at Holmfirth Civic Hall on November 8 include Julia Morley (soprano), Robin Green (tenor) and Andrew Slater (baritone).

Geoffrey Lockwood and Jean Collison will be at the two pianos and the concert will also feature a percussion group from Huddersfield University. Ken Rothery will conduct.

Tickets are £8 from the Holmfirth Information Centre, from Pat Steventon on 01484 687643 or on the door.