The choir were given their choice as to the contents of their summer recital: and so by their own choosing, choir and organ gave an outstanding programme of enjoyment and quality. Their voices were so well-suited to a selection of works by master composers from the 19th and 20th centuries in England and France. Beginning with the Requiem of John Rutter, they went over to France for Fauré, Duruflé, César Franck, Dubois and Saint-Saëns. The combination of Latin liturgical prayer and sacred song proved to be a very happy consort of sound from both sides of the Channel. For the soprano solos, audience and choir were very pleased and grateful to welcome Jennifer Rust who, at very short notice, stepped in to replace Miss Björnsdóttir who was indisposed. The only instrument to accompany the singers was the organ, in the hands of Andrew Dean, well-known locally as a gifted man of music.
At once, the most potent aspect of the whole concert was the atmosphere that emerged during the opening bars of the Requiem. It wrapped the whole evening in a spirit of tranquillity and harmony. The choir sang throughout with unforced grace of voice, creating a stillness of the spirit that lifted the listeners into another sphere beyond the noise and violence of today. Their control was exactly right for this music and was as finely attuned as when they sing a major work. They understood what they were about. Nothing was jarred! There was no loss of tonal beauty – all of which gave point to the final surge of joy in the Saint-Saëns. The uncomplicated straightforward style of Rutter with its melodic themes accorded well with the sensitive sound of the French items – choir and soloist maintained the meditative atmosphere and quietude of spirit, the soprano leading the way in the ‘Pie Jesu’ and ‘Lux Aeterna’ of Rutter and the Fauré pieces. The choir did full justice to the Pavane of Fauré. They caught the cool ceremony of its pace and the haunting quality of its melody, and handled it with integrity.
A Toccata by Dubois allowed the organ to come forward alone. This was played by Andrew Dean and was warmly welcomed by the audience. Its quality, beautifully handled, was able to bridge the change of atmosphere towards the increasingly robust attack on the two final pieces from Saint-Saëns. Here, joy filled the hearts of singers and organ bringing this well-considered concert to a radiant end.
This whole recital showed the delicate taste of the choir and Donald Judge, their conductor. Much more could be said about individual items and the way in which they were presented (as for instance, the excellent account of Psalm 23 in the Rutter). But perhaps such detail should give way to the overall spirit of this concert. It was an exhibition of refined taste and performance. It refreshed the spirit.
JH