Concerts are regularly reviewed in the Bournemouth Echo, New Milton Advertiser and Lymington Times
Reviews from the Bournemouth Echo, The Lymington Times & New
Milton Advertiser.
Choose a year: 2010 / 2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018
July 2010 - Durufle Requiem - Brahms Liebeslieder - Borodin Polovtsian
Dances
Daniel
Cook certainly put together a varied and entertaining programme . .
. with choral works from the 19th and 20th centuries interspersed
with popular solos from Abigail Hooper (mezzo-soprano) and husband
Richard (baritone), and a variety of two- and four- handed
combinations at the piano.
. . .
Durufle's 1947 Requiem . . . less commonly sung . . . partly
because it really is quite difficult in places . . . the choir
seemed unfazed by its challenges. In some of the climactic moments .
. . they brought a fervour which was both appropriate and moving; .
. . The tender and exquisite 'Pie Jesu' was a gem, sung at short
notice by the young soprano Calypso Hetherington, with the haunting
cello obligato played by Amanda De Jong Gleyndert.
In the second half . . . the choir sang Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes. . . these pieces (18 in all), do not show the master at his best
by any means. . . . Much of the interest lies in the piano
accompaniment . . their
final piece, the robust and exciting Polovtsian Dances . . .
With additional percussion played by Dan Priest and Max Doohan . .
this provided a dramatic conclusion to the evening, the choir sang
superbly, with a good clear tone where the music was melodious, and
throwing themselves with unstinted vigour into the well-known
refrain that makes this piece so popular. Special
mention must be made of the evening's accompanists. The
ever-versatile Ian Wicks . . . and he even sang a short tenor solo.
Joanne Corbin is a key figure in the local musical scene . . .
nobody could have failed to notice her accompaniment of the
evening's finale . . . Her playing was an absolute tour de force!
Derek Baldwin (edited quote)
April 2010 - Sir George Dyson The Canterbury Pilgrims
Grange gamble
pays off. The
Grange Choral Society is to be warmly congratulated for taking a bit
of a gamble in presenting a major work by the undeservedly neglected
Sir George Dyson and for making it a tremendous success.
Dyson's traditional
English outlook embraces a very fine ear for orchestral colour and
word setting that gives The Canterbury Pilgrims . . . a lucid
appeal.
The choral singing
was of the usual high standard and if there was a degree of
competition in a couple of the high powered episodes, this was all
part of the drama so effectively directed by Daniel Cook. A neat
touch emphasised the pilgrimage with tenor Hugh Hetherington
entering down the central aisle.
His
characterisations were superbly made, the dour Doctor of Physic
ending on a marvellous humour to the love of gold.
Robert Evans,
baritone, secured supple execution in the brass-laden, self
important solemn tread of the Sergeant of the Law and in the upbeat
Franklin's rich orchestral palette with Elgarian flourish.
The Wife of Bath,
deliciously sung by soprano Augusta Hebbert, was lightly accompanied
and performed with boisterous good humour enjoying the seductive
implications.
This is a
fascinating work fully meriting the considerable effort put into
this remarkable performance. Mike Marsh (edited quote)
January 2010 -
Bach Christmas Oratorio
Uplifting
oratorio. Just when you thought the festive season was
over, up pops Bach's Christmas Oratorio.
The glorious sound of the society and orchestra
. . . embraced the uplifting opening chorus and performed the
chorales with harmonious integrity.
Soloists were soprano Cecilia Osmond with
strongly performed arias . . . Alto Andrew Stewart was especially
effective in one of Bach's most tender arias, Slumber Beloved, while
tenor Thomas Hobbs occupied the sustaining role of narrator with
euphonious grace and bass Julian Empett's Mighty Lord and King of
Glory was powerfully wrought.
The orchestra (leader Brian Howells) were
superbly supportive with baroque trumpets adding impressive sparkle. Mike Marsh (edited quote) . . . Like the numerous other cantatas which it
was Bach's duty to compose and perform, these contain a mixture of
narrative recitatives, solo arias, instrumental interludes and
chorales in addition to the more extended choral movements.
The four vocal soloists were all outstanding. .
. . From the simple chorales to the more extended choral sections,
the choir sung with their usual commitment and fervour. . . . The
orchestra's contribution throughout was both vital and outstanding.
The use of baroque instruments - particularly the oboes d'amore and
the piccolo trumpets - brings out Bach's superb writing in a way
that modern instruments cannot do.
. . . From my seat it did feel as if this
concert didn't quite generate the level of enthusiastic response
from the Grange's regular audience which their concerts mostly do.
It never quite 'caught fire'. I suspect this had more to do with the
music itself than with the performance.
. . . For their next concert in April the
society breaks altogether less familiar ground with 'The Canterbury
Pilgrims', . . . music by George Dyson . . . It will be an occasion
not to be missed. Derek Baldwin (edited quote)
|
