THE music of Mozart is being celebrated in a concert by Malvern Festival Chorus on Sunday, November 19.

The concert is the first under the musical direction of Iain Sloan, who has taken over the post from Rory Boyle.

On the programme are five works by the man who many people regard as the most sublime composer of all time.

Joining the chorus are soloists Margaret Thomas (soprano), Pamela Rudge (contralto), Stephen Davis (tenor) and Niall Hoskin (baritone).

All four are singers of repute, who have won major awards and performed in top venues at home and abroad.

The concert opens with Laudate Dominum, a movement from K339 scored for soprano solo, chorus and orchestra.

Then it is Ave Verum (K618) a short motet that Mozart wrote for Anton Stoll, the choirmaster of Baden.

Exsultate, Jubilate (K165) is a vocal concerto in three movements written in Milan for the celebrated castrato Venanzio Rauzzini to perform. And Regina Coeli (K276), like much of Mozart's sacred work, was written for the Archbishop of Salzburg.

Following the interval, the Requiem (K626), Mozart's last work will be performed, and there is an interesting story surrounding its Genesis. In the summer of 1791, the composer was working on The Magic Flute when he was approached by a mysterious stranger who commissioned him to compose a secret requiem.

The stranger was one Count Walsegg, who had just lost his wife, and he wanted the requiem to pass off as his own work.

Mozart finished The Magic Flute, which became a great success, and began work on the Requiem. But he soon fell ill and became morbidly convinced that he was writing his own requiem, which had been commissioned by that mysterious stranger in mourning.

In December, he died, the work unfinished, and his protg Sussmayr had to complete it. Count Walsegg conducted its premiere in his private chapel two years later.

The concert is at Malvern Theatres in Grange Road, and tickets, priced at £12, £10 and £7, are available from the box office.