Concert reviews 2019
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A Heavenly Messiah - Saturday 14 December 2019 Romsey Abbey
Percussive sounds from outside Romsey Abbey on Saturday evening accompanied the climax of the Hallelujah chorus; the sudden fierce rattling on the roof added to the drama of the piece. As Helen Neeves, soprano, stood for her next solo, the rain stopped, and “I know that my redeemer liveth” was declared to absolute silence. The quiet engagement of the full capacity audience was a tribute to this remarkable performance of Handel’s Messiah. Romsey Choral Society, with the City of Southampton Orchestra, conducted by RCS’s new musical director, Richard Pearce, gave an interpretation of captivating quality and great sensitivity. Often with a piece so popular with choirs, it is easy to produce a version which is simply ‘good’. On this occasion, real thought had gone into the performance, and there was light, shade, a fine balance between choir and orchestra, and superb soloists. The context was itself moving. This was an evening in support of Jane Scarth House, the cancer support centre in Romsey, and many in the audience had benefitted from their work. In addition, the sudden death of a choir member the evening before, and the flowers on her empty chair, added poignancy to the occasion. Richard Pearce directed brilliantly, with a lightness of touch where it mattered, and an intelligent use of contrasts of tone. Helen Neeves, soprano, and late stand-in Jessica Gillingwater, mezzo soprano, both offered sensitive and accomplished performances. Daniel Auchinloss, tenor, and Ed Ballard, baritone added significant weight to the interpretation of their solo parts. All four have wide experience of the baroque repertoire, and added some confident flourishes of their own, as Handel allowed. The overall effect was magical, and described as “enthralling” by one first-time audience member. The addition of heavenly percussion almost came as no surprise. Richard McVeigh, the choir’s regular accompanist, provided the chamber organ and harpsichord accompaniment alongside the CSO. The Romsey Town Mayor and the Deputy Mayor of Test Valley were in the audience, and Bridget Brook, Chair of the Trustees of Jane Scarth House, provided an address about the work of the charity. Review by Beryl Pratley |
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Remembrance Concert
9 November 2019 - Romsey Abbey Introducing its new conductor to its regular audience the eighty-strong Romsey Choral Society presented an entirely modern programme of sacred works dating from 1965 to 2004. Though familiar to many concert goers Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms is a demanding work for any choir with its contemporary harmonies, syncopated rhythms, wide tessituras and Hebrew texts. This made for a slightly nervous start to this colourful concert with male singers dominated by more numerous upper voices. Nevertheless, the undemonstrative Richard Pearce maintained positive momentum throughout and fair dynamic contrasts. Alto Katherine Nicholson was appropriately rich toned in the central setting of Psalm 23. A similar accompaniment for organ, harp and percussion was used in the latest piece, Tarik O’Regan’s Dorchester Canticles. More psalm texts (98 and 67) were here given an energetic and committed account from the whole choir with impressive crisp diction and a brief tenor solo contribution from Christopher Bowen. It made an excellent companion work to the Bernstein and followed a warm unaccompanied performance of Morton Lauridsen’s O Nata Lux. The second half of the evening was devoted to John Rutter’s part dramatic and part lyrical Requiem in which the earlier instrumentalists were joined by solo flute, oboe and cello. The choir relished the various moods here and responded well to their conductor’s directions. As solo soprano, Helen Neeves was perfect for Rutter’s gently soaring lines and the instrumentalists – members of Chameleon Arts Orchestra – provided totally secure and highly musical support to the voices. A digital organ, albeit with fine samplings and ably played by the society’s regular accompanist Richard McVeigh, may have presented balance problems for some audience members at a distance from the speakers. However, the Abbey as always made an admirable venue for quality music-making of this kind. Review by Derek Beck |
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RIVETING PERFORMANCE OF ELIJAH
6 July 2019 - Romsey Abbey
A packed audience sat in unusually tropical temperatures in the Abbey on Saturday expectant of a treat and they were not disappointed. Mendelssohn’s oratorio, Elijah was performed in the presence of the Deputy Mayor of Romsey, Councillor Karen Dunleavey and her consort, Mr Alex Dunleavey and the Deputy Mayor of Test Valley, Councillor Mark Cooper and Mayoress, Dr. Sue Tippett. Elijah has been popular with choral societies since it was composed for the Birmingham festival in 1846. Tim Hooper, the conductor has the measure of this old war horse. He lived every moment of its high drama encouraging soloists, orchestra and choir to give their all in the service of the story of Elijah. The texts for this work are taken from the Old Testament, Kings 1 and 2 and they concern the conversion of the people of Israel to Christianity. The conductor was at his best when delivering the fiery passages. He drove the piece along at a superb pace. However, he didn’t attend to the many occasions in this work which require the consolations of an intensely felt quietness and at times the orchestra overwhelmed the singers.
The choir sang with great commitment and fervour producing at times a wonderful rich tone. However, engagement with the audience would have been improved by more eye contact with the conductor and diction in places could have been better. At times we heard no more than a wash of sound; a glorious wash, but few consonants. The semi-chorus sang one of the many popular hits from this work, “Lift Thine Eyes to the Mountains”, with clear, well balanced tone.
The soloists were well chosen. They sang most beautifully together in the two quartets. Jamie W. Hall who was until recently the choir’s conductor, sang the challenging role of Elijah. His warm, pure baritone was perfect for this part. He gave us drama, authority, comfort and despair; always maintaining technical and emotional control and never over-singing. His diction was exemplary. He was well matched by tenor, Mathew Minter who gave us ringing Italianate tone and beautiful legato lines. He faltered a little during his last aria, possibly due to the heat. Elijah is a long work. It’s a tribute to the performance that the more than two hours flew by.
Nina Bennet, the soprano, sang effortlessly with a satisfying dramatic edge to her tone. This enabled her to sail over the orchestra. She was paired with Susan Legg, the mezzo-soprano who proved a sensitive partner, although the long lines and low tessitura of the sublime, “O Rest in the Lord” were not entirely negotiated successfully. The soloists made the most of the operatic sections of this work, turning towards each other to communicate the drama more fully.
The orchestra excelled themselves rising to the demands made of them by the conductor and the score. The cellist who accompanied Elijah’s very moving aria, “It is Enough”, deserves special mention as do the brass who delivered the thrilling moments in this piece with flawless tone. The hard-working string players also deserve commendation for their accuracy in the many fast moving sections of this work.
The conductor almost jumped off the podium with excitement at times, but he was the hero of the evening. He held orchestra, choir, soloists and the audience firmly in the grip of his passion for this work.
Review by Carol Bishop
6 July 2019 - Romsey Abbey
A packed audience sat in unusually tropical temperatures in the Abbey on Saturday expectant of a treat and they were not disappointed. Mendelssohn’s oratorio, Elijah was performed in the presence of the Deputy Mayor of Romsey, Councillor Karen Dunleavey and her consort, Mr Alex Dunleavey and the Deputy Mayor of Test Valley, Councillor Mark Cooper and Mayoress, Dr. Sue Tippett. Elijah has been popular with choral societies since it was composed for the Birmingham festival in 1846. Tim Hooper, the conductor has the measure of this old war horse. He lived every moment of its high drama encouraging soloists, orchestra and choir to give their all in the service of the story of Elijah. The texts for this work are taken from the Old Testament, Kings 1 and 2 and they concern the conversion of the people of Israel to Christianity. The conductor was at his best when delivering the fiery passages. He drove the piece along at a superb pace. However, he didn’t attend to the many occasions in this work which require the consolations of an intensely felt quietness and at times the orchestra overwhelmed the singers.
The choir sang with great commitment and fervour producing at times a wonderful rich tone. However, engagement with the audience would have been improved by more eye contact with the conductor and diction in places could have been better. At times we heard no more than a wash of sound; a glorious wash, but few consonants. The semi-chorus sang one of the many popular hits from this work, “Lift Thine Eyes to the Mountains”, with clear, well balanced tone.
The soloists were well chosen. They sang most beautifully together in the two quartets. Jamie W. Hall who was until recently the choir’s conductor, sang the challenging role of Elijah. His warm, pure baritone was perfect for this part. He gave us drama, authority, comfort and despair; always maintaining technical and emotional control and never over-singing. His diction was exemplary. He was well matched by tenor, Mathew Minter who gave us ringing Italianate tone and beautiful legato lines. He faltered a little during his last aria, possibly due to the heat. Elijah is a long work. It’s a tribute to the performance that the more than two hours flew by.
Nina Bennet, the soprano, sang effortlessly with a satisfying dramatic edge to her tone. This enabled her to sail over the orchestra. She was paired with Susan Legg, the mezzo-soprano who proved a sensitive partner, although the long lines and low tessitura of the sublime, “O Rest in the Lord” were not entirely negotiated successfully. The soloists made the most of the operatic sections of this work, turning towards each other to communicate the drama more fully.
The orchestra excelled themselves rising to the demands made of them by the conductor and the score. The cellist who accompanied Elijah’s very moving aria, “It is Enough”, deserves special mention as do the brass who delivered the thrilling moments in this piece with flawless tone. The hard-working string players also deserve commendation for their accuracy in the many fast moving sections of this work.
The conductor almost jumped off the podium with excitement at times, but he was the hero of the evening. He held orchestra, choir, soloists and the audience firmly in the grip of his passion for this work.
Review by Carol Bishop
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The Silver Swan - 7 April 2019, St. Cross Church, Winchester
In the setting of the beautiful Church of St Cross, the Romsey Choral Society gave a lovely concert last Sunday evening. The theme was birds, the title, The Silver Swan, and it included songs of turtle doves, swallows, owls, ravens, nightingales, swans, and bluebirds. It was an evening of varied music from folk and madrigals to present day. Songs by Mendelssohn, Vaughan Williams, Holst, Ravenscroft, Stanford and Gibbons were interspersed with Richard Rodney Bennett's early Aviary songs. This was an intriguing programme beautifully sung by Romsey Choral Society. The programme began with two newer pieces, The Birds by Sarah Carruthers is a delightful setting of a Czech carol, and Soul's Flight by Jamie W Hall is a lovely setting based on Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring, with flautist Anita Hall playing the melody. Various voices from the choir stepped forward to perform various solos, notably in The Widow Bird and in Stanford's The Blue Bird, with its calm vision of a lake and the clear soaring voice of the blue bird. One of my favourite pieces! A fine set of baritones were featured in Ralph Vaughan William's Turtle Dove, (another favourite). Some of the songs were A Cappella and some beautifully accompanied on the piano by Richard McVeigh, who after the interval played a very fine rendition of Bach's Fugue in E minor on the organ. Rounding off the evening was Mozart's Spatzenmesse (sparrow mass. We couldn't forget the sparrows!), with step out solos, and accompanied by Richard on the organ. The encore treat was The Goslings by Bridge, the story of two turkeys. Hilarious! A treat of a concert indeed, sung to a capacity audience, in beautiful surroundings, and conducted by Jamie W Hall. Jamie has brought this choir to a very fine standard, and directs with superb proficiency. Sadly this is his last concert conducting the choir, as he is leaving to concentrate on his solo career. But he will be back with RCS as soloist in Mendelssohn's Elijah in July. The retiring collection was aptly and importantly in aid of the Wildlife Trust's birds. Review by Jacqueline Fox |
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